Friday Funnies ... because sometimes we just need a little laugh!

My dear sister sent me the following email. 

Having worked for the airlines (back office), I've met many pilots and many mechanics .... these complaints and solutions are "spot on".  

THANKS, Anne -- I needed a good laugh tonight!

Just in case you need a laugh:

Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school  diploma to fix one; a reassurance to those of us who fly routinely in our jobs.

After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a 'gripe sheet,' which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.


Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.

[As a side note:  UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident.]

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.

S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.

S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.


P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.


P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200-feet-per-minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.


P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.


P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF is always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.


P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics..


P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.


P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from the midget.

Have a lovely Friday evening!

Life of Christ Timeline for Children

Here's a very COOL and helpful resource from That Resource Site. That Resource Site: Life of Christ Timeline for Children: "Timeline on the Life of our Lord, Jesus helps learners get to know our Saviour As we eluded to the other day, we have finished a project th..."

I'm looking forward to using this during Advent and Lent as a way to help us all focus on "the journey".

... and I have the perfect wall on which to post this marvelous teaching tool.

THANKS Resource Team!

Favorite Godson ....

named Steve ...

can actually cook!  Here, he's helping his cousin make crepes ...

We love when relatives come to visit ....

BEST NCAA Football Coach ...

... at least around here would have to be Mr. Les Miles from LSU! 

BamBam and he have struck up a snail-mail friendship and BamBam is over the top now:

The dear man sent BamBam an autographed picture for his bday in November!  How cool is that?  You ROCK, Les Miles and we'll be rooting for you and your Tigers all season (as usual!)

GEAUX TIGERS!

 

Review: William F. Buckley by Jeremy Lott

I've always been fascinated by William F. Buckley ... his was an interesting (charmed, some would say) existence. A wealthy, large family upbringing at the very best of schools (including boarding school in England and Yale for undergrad), a stint with the CIA "back in the day", and a prolific writing and broadcast career. To top it all off ... he was a staunch Catholic and conservative in his politics and philosophies.

Bill Buckley was "there" for all the big events in the 20th century -- born in the pre-dawn Depression Era, raised in New England and overseas, a quick tour in the Air Force, four years at the ivy-covered Yale and off to Mexico with the CIA, then back to New York area to wreak havoc for liberals and conservative fence-sitters. 

His writing and very public denunciation of all things liberal began just after graduating from Yale -- he wrote a book titled God and Man at Yale -- a book that caused an uproar since it brought the question of religion (or lack thereof) into academia.  It actually caused such a public outcry that the CIA thought better of having Buckley as an operative in Mexico and sent him back state-side.

So from the very first, Buckley's persona has been linked to his religious sense -- he was raised in a family that believed (and he continued to believe till his death in 2008 at 83) that God, family and country deserve absolute fidelity and loyalty.  In Jeremy Lott's new book, William F. Buckley, the reader gets a great view of just who Buckley was and what made him tick -- and his religious sense as a devout Catholic had much to do with his philosophy and conservatism.

Part of Thomas Nelson's "Christian Encounter" series, Lott's book traces Buckley's entry onto the public stage, through his third-party run for Mayor of New York (not to win, so much, as to be able to air his views in a public forum), his debates with liberal and conservative leaders led to the interviewee's verbal-slaughter on "Firing Line", and his writings (both fiction and non-fiction) that allowed further cultivation and honing of his mystique.

Lott admires and respects his subject -- and has a similar turn of phrase to Buckley's now-famous way of writing.  Lott does a great job of subtly linking Buckley's religious sense to his understanding of why, for instance, nuclear proliferation was critical at the time (since the Communists only believed in the here-and-now, they had a great stake in ensuring the "button" was never pushed while most Americans were Christians who looked to an afterlife) or why Buckley supported Goldwater but not Nixon.  Buckley was involved in most of the latter-20th century political machinations -- either as an observer, critic or advisor.  And Lott's book traces all of these.

This is a short book -- barely 150 pages -- but each page is filled with Buckley-isms, conservatism and Catholicity.  It's a very readable volume with an excellent end filled with suggested further readings (which things to read or not) and resources.

I highly recommend this book for a great start (but don't stop there ... make sure you read some of his other writings and listen to his Firing Line interviews) to understanding this man who had such an influence on conservative philosophy in the second half of the 20th century.

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Disclaimer:  This book was received as part of Thomas Nelson's Book Sneeze program.  In exchange for the book, I agreed to write a review.  The words of this review are my honest reaction to this book.

SAA Plans for 2010-11: for one and all ...

Well, here are the plans for the 2010-11 school year ... this is for Lego Maniac (6th grade), String Bean (5th grade), and Bam-bam (2nd grade); if there is no name after a text/note than that applies to all three:

Reading:  read-alouds keyed to history/science/whatever strikes our fancy.  I don't like to pre-plan read-alouds as I find that the good ones "find" us ...

Writing: 

• Hillside's Primary Language Lessons -- Bam-bam
• Hillside's Intermediate Language Lessons -- String Bean
• Hillside's Intermediate Language Lessons - grade 6th supplement (which is at the end of ILL that String Bean will use) -- Lego Maniac

Mathematics:

• Saxon Math 2 -- Bam-bam
• Saxon Math 54 -- String Bean
• Saxon 65 -- Lego Maniac

Religion:

• First Sacrament prep -- Bam-bam (separate resource listing) -- his study will include extensive usage of the Faith Folders from Lapbooks for Catholics -- as well as creating his own missal and other activities similar to his sibligns' work)
• bi-weekly Saint reports using Amy Welborn's books:
• Loyola Kids Book of Saints-- String Bean
• Loyola Kids Book of Heroes-- Lego Maniac

History:

• All Ye Lands (world history/geography)
• Knowledge Quest's Map Trek (the Complete Collection) -- atlas and outline maps of World History (with lesson plans, too!).
• CHC Middle School lesson plans (includes plans for using All Ye Lands)

Science:

• History of Science (Beautiful Feet study)
• The New Way Things Work
• nature study (once per week botany)

Art:

• icons: the art and meaning behind these works of art using: A Brush With God: An Icon Workbook and Another Brush with God: Further Conversations About Icons both by Peter Pearson.

Foreign Language

• First Start French

Well, that should hold us for now!  Most of the links above go to Amazon pages -- so you can at least look at what we're using.  If you purchase through those links, I do get a small commission (which is always VERY appreciated).  Another great spot for getting many of these items, a place that has prices just about as good as Amazon, that is Catholic and a worthwhile spot to support is Sacred Heart Books and Gifts.  Linda has wonderful customer service, has great prices and free shipping for orders over $25 (to the lower 48) .... what more could you want?  Let her know I sent you ... she's a real peach!

Review: From Slave to Priest -- Fr. Augustine Tolton

Thirty-seven years ago, Sr. Caroline Hemesath (OSF), wrote a biography of the very first African-American priest in the United States.  In 2006, Ignatius republished this book and it is as timely to read now as it was when Hemesath published it in 1973.  From Slave to Priest: A biography of the Reverend Augustine Tolton, the first Black priest of the United States is an amazing read.

This biography tells the true story (based on letters, diaries, newspaper accounts and historical research) of Fr. Augustine Tolton.  Tolton, born in 1854, the second of three children, started life in a slave shack in Missouri to Catholic slave parents.  His father, desperate to improve the lives of his wife and children, went off to fight for the Union in the American Civil War, sacrificing his life on the battlefield.  Mrs. Tolton, afraid that the War (and slavery) would never end, bundled her children and escaped across the Mississippi to freedom in Illinois. 

At age 7, Augustine, his 8 year old brother Charley, and their 20-month old sister were free in name ... but the discrimination for their skin color last far longer.  Martha Jane Tolton, provided a home for her children, working hard all day to keep food on the table in "freedom" --  a shanty shack shared with another widowed woman and her child in Quincy, Illinois.  Augustine and his brother and mother worked long hours in a tobacco factory for what little money they could bring home; eventually, this small amount was lessened when always-sickly Charley caught pneumonia and died at the age of 10.  Augustine and his mother kept working.

Mrs. Tolton, illiterate herself but knowing her catechism and 10 Commandments, worked hard to ensure her remaining two children would learn ... both book-learning and their Catholic faith.  Attending the German Church, St. Boniface, with it's sympathetic pastor Fr. Schaeffermeyer, allowed the small family to increase their learning ... both book and faith wise!

It seems, Augustine had an early propensity for learning -- quickly picking up German and learning to read and write in both English and German.  He soon became the protege of the pastor and others ... but also the target for those "Catholics" who didn't like African Americans sharing their faith.

The book goes on to detail Augustine Tolton's persistence in doing the will of God -- to become a priest -- even though NO seminary in the United States would accept his application to study.  Tolton's story of diligence, perseverance and seeking/finding help from those willing to help, finally allow Tolton to receive seminary training in Rome at the Pontifical Seminary.

But, discrimination, hatred and abuse are never far from Tolton's life, even as a Catholic priest.  And yet, Tolton, knowing that Jesus suffered and died for us, willingly dealt with these horrors to pastor his flock in Quincy and Chicago.

Hemesath does a wonderful job of detailing the ups and downs of such a life -- being neither overly dramatic nor glossing over the despicableness of the actions of some.  The book reads like a novel, helping the reader to live the life Tolton must have lived, to experience the fears with the growing faith, to cheer with the successes and rebel against the discrimination.

This is a great book to read for celebrating the underdog, for embracing the good/bad/ugly of our Country's past, for reveling in the ability of God to make good out of bad.  I will have my 6th grader read this one for Black History month this year -- to help him see that good can win, that struggles and hardship for a good cause are worth it in the end, and to revel in the strength of one man's faith in God's will.

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This book was received for review as part of the Catholic Company's reviewer program.  The opinions expressed in this review are my honest view of this work.  For further information about From Slave to Priest, or any other items from the Catholic Company, please visit their site.