Philadelphia - While "Thou Shalt Not Kill" is not necessarily accepted in the world of professional gunrunners, Sizer's Christian Bookstore, located on Germantown Ave. in Philadelphia, is looking to change that. Sizer's is under federal investigation for selling illegal firearms. As one federal investigator mentioned, "You can get a Gideons and a Glock at the same time."

In a recent murder/suicide in downtown Philadelphia, the murder weapon, a nine-millimeter pistol with the serial number scratched off, was linked to a local gunrunner with ties to the bookstore. The murderer/suicide victim, a 19-year-old woman, first shot each of her two-year-old triplet boys before turning the gun on herself. Since the legal age for purchasing a firearm in Philly is 21, the whole incident may have been averted if the weapon was not so easy to obtain.
 
 
You have to wonder whether they say a prayer for each gun they sell. Somthing like "May this gun and the armor-piercing rounds we sell be only used for God's work. And thank you God for the money from the sale and our newfound abundance."

Nonprofit=Big Salaries
Imagine making $1.7 Million dollars heading a nonprofit organization

Washington - While the $1.7 million dollars that Wayne Isom, chairman of the department of cardiothoracic surgery at Cornell university, receives for his nonprofit organizational position may top the charts, large paychecks enrich the lives of many nonprofit organizational leaders.

In a recent survey conducted by the Chronical of Philanthropy, a bi-weekly newsletter for the philanthropic world, the average mean income among nonprofit organizational leaders was $209,914.00 U.S. dollars. An incredible figure, one that earns a spot on the "Crazy Years".

What's "crazy" about it? These salaries are necessary to attract people with the right background and skills to accomplish the demanding job of running such an organization. If the organization pays less, or tries to cut corners with professional salaries, it may suffer commensurately. But where do you draw the line? Contact us with your feelings on the matter.

About the "Dwarf Starr" Report
An interesting and important item Starr omitted from the report

Washington - Amid the hoopla of probably the best orchestrated presidential scandal to date, a ray of truth shined from one of the very court documents that Kenneth Starr is using to justify his "articles for impeachment". The ray of truth is actually a statement made by Monica Lewinsky during her grand jury testimony. Here's the statement:

This statement was paraphrased incorrectly in Starr's report and certainly absolves the president of any possible impeachment proceedings concerning abuse of power and position.

Better still - when Starr's legal team was presented with this information from Clinton's lawyers, they did the only thing a group of well-respected scandal orchestraters can do -- they tried to blame the president for it. Robert Bittman, a Starr deputy, responded with a letter accusing Clinton's lawyers of trying to "mislead" the committee.

This is comedy in the making. Only in the U.S. can the chief executive be denied his basic Constitutional rights and have it thrown back in his face. If the U.S. is the last true bastion of dictator-free democracy, may it rest-in-peace.

Just one question: Who's behind this fiasco?

Interesting Sidenote

Linda Tripp, Ms. Lewinsky's opportunity-seeking friend, apparently recorded the tapes illegally - without Monica's knowledge or consent. This makes the tapes inadmissable as evidence - so why is the president up for possible impeachment? The wheels are turning so fast you have to wonder.

I'm glad I'm just a citizen - I can receive oral sex like the president and never even get a shot on Jerry Springer. And if evidence is obtained illegally, they throw it out. Not so for the president. If illegal evidence is presented by a republican-backed individual or organization, regardless of how it's obtained, it's grounds for impeachment. Maybe Castro should run for president -- he'd make a great Republican! Is there a kangaroo in the house? We need one for the courtroom.

The "Nozone" Layer

Depending on the news source, global warming caused by the diminishing ozone layer is just a temporary problem with no long-term effects - or is signifying the next wave in terraforming our planet. Real-world deaths and temperature increases paint the real picture.

Everywhere - Many years ago I remember getting into a discussion turned argument with a close friend over the ozone layer. It was a classic debate - I said pollution was slowly eroding our ozone layer and he said, "...it was a bunch of bull. Just stories concocted by the liberal media to hype their cause." This discussion would reappear from time to time but usually ended the same, with both of us on the other side of the fence. Such is the case for many of us, either recognizing a problem may exist - or denying it - because facing the problem means changing the way we live forever.

But real-world numbers do not lie. FACT: This year record-high temperatures are being reported all over the world. FACT: The hole in the ozone layer over Anarctica is the largest in recorded history. FACT: There have been an estimated 3,175 reported deaths this year linked to searing temperatures worldwide. FACT: The Swiss Alps are melting at a rate of 100 to 150 feet per year.

The Place	The Temp	The Result
India	124 deg. F	Worst spell in 50 years kills 3,000
Bahrain	122 deg. F	56 workers suffer heat exhaustion
Texas	117 deg. F	120 people dead
Northern California	113 deg. F	Numerous blackouts to the SF Bay Area
Cyprus	110 deg. F	Worst spell in 40 years kills 55 (to date) and sends 3,200 to hospitals
Germany	106 deg. F	Severe smog caused by heat induces ban on vehicles
France	100 deg. F	20% of grape vines withered
Switzerland	95 deg. F	Record heat sends children home from school

So now what? The numbers do not lie. Do we blame el Nino on the ozone hole or the ozone hole on el Nino? Who's responsible for the estimated 3,175 deaths [this year] to date? In a nutshell, we all are. If you drive a car, heat your home, eat vegetables and fruit from the supermarket, use a dishwasher or washing machine and dryer, vote, and use items made of plastic, then you are too. Since this description accounts for just about everyone, it will take everyone's help to correct it.

What you can do

For staters, get outside more. Enjoy it without the laptop or portable television in tow. Instead of driving to the local store, walk or take your bike. Buy a small car instead of a mammoth utility vehicle. Invest in utility companies that use natural means (like air or wind) to generate power. Insulate your home and install energy-efficient windows. Teach your children. Vote to back politicians that really put environmental concerns in the forefront, and not just at election time.

If you decide not to

I hope you like the water. Oceans will rise, wiping out coastal cities all over the globe. Since our waterways are largely polluted, we may need to create special suits to reduce the poisonous effects the polluted water and acid rain may cause. Diseases usually associated with damp, warmer climates (like malaria) will move northward and spread throughout the globe. And brace yourself for the storms - extreme weather from hurricanes to drought will become commonplace.

"Don't Be Gay, Jesus"

New York City - Little is known about the man Jesus was. The biblical stories of his ascension have been told and retold to every conceivable slant imaginable, depending on the storytellers' ambitions. But ask a minister, priest, rabbi, or pastor what his favorite color was, or whether he liked sex or not, and aside from receiving a tongue-lashing of scripture-by-rote, the answer will inevitably come up dry. Like everything else that happened 2,000 years ago, we just don't know. Everything is heresay, based on a book rewritten to match the current political climate and beliefs.

The only thing certain is that when peoples' strongest held religious beliefs are challenged, religious fervor engenders passionate emotions that can lead to violence. So when the play Corpus Christi opened in NY City, a retelling of the story of Jesus and his 12 Apostles, the show's producers installed metal detectors and beefed up the security to an otherwise commonplace event. Threats from members of local Catholic organizations necessitated the security - in Corpus Christi, Jesus is portrayed as a homosexual. While the play displays no outward homosexualty (one kiss between Judas and Jesus) and stays true to the story of Jesus and his Apostles, management of the local Catholic church denounces the play but refuses to view it or read the script. Since Jesus never actually denounces homosexuality as a "sin" in the New Testament, Corpus Christi challenges some of the longest - and strongest Catholic/Christian-held belief structures to date.

According to playgoers, the story makes Jesus' teachings live for a contemporary audience, which should make Christian activists rally behind it. Since little is known about Jesus' private life, this new debate on an old theme could last forever. Maybe Jesus, who loved all life, was bi- (or human-) sexual. Maybe he had a foot fetish. Maybe we don't know, because it doesn't matter. One thing is certain: if a playgoer is injured by a Christian protecting Jesus' name, his teachings are in vain.

"You Kill Dad, I'll Kill Mom"

South Jersey - Some teenagers really know how to party - and some don't know when to stop. When two South Jersey teenage siblings were punished for having a party without their parent's permission, they decided to get even - by poisening their mother.

The mother noticed a strange odor coming from the iced tea her children offered her. She immediately called the police while the father restrained the children. Upon investigation, the tea was found to contain numerous household chemicals that could have killed the mother if ingested.

If You Can't Beat 'Em - Kill 'Em

Crossville, Tennessee - While our politicians have little or no problem voting to support an organization that knowingly causes deaths, so long as the money's right, most of them frown on outright murder. When a member of the senate was murdered just a half-mile from his home, natuarally the story was downplayed to avoid messy pre-election jitters concerning dirty politics.

But what's dirtier than murder? The popular suspect in the murder of Sen. Tommy Burks, (D), is his challenger, Byron (Low Tax) Looper, (R) - (no jokes about the middle name). Since everyone really loved Tommy Burks, his challenger probably figured he stood a better chance against a dead politician.

Spoil the Rod and the Child Kills Himself

Morrilton, Arkansas - Christopher Parks, an 8-year-old third grader was terrified of how his mother would react to his poor grades on his report card. So much so, that when his mom "went out to cut a switch to beat him with" over his grades, Christopher grabbed a gun off a nail and killed himself. According to the detective on the scene, little Christopher had to climb up on a dresser to reach the gun. He was so conscientious, he even straightened out a doily before pulling the trigger.

NJ Decision - Clean Up the Water or Let the Cancer Spread

Toms River, New Jersey - Last June I posted a story concerning the high cancer rates among New Jersey's youth and another in August concerning the high radium levels caused by lawn fertilizers that are being spread by the tainted Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifier, thereby increasing the risk of bone cancer among Jersey's youth. I'm sorry to say the plot thickens.

Back in the '70's, Union Carbide Corp. paid a hauler to dispose of dangerous waste chemicals. To save some cash, the unnamed hauler dug a ditch at Reich Farm in Dover Township and poured the chemicals into the ground. Numerous generations get to suffer for their greed.

Now NJ either has to clean up the water, or basically let the cancer spread. One solution is to add a filtration process called airstripping to the aquifier. Airstripping uses the air to absord organic matter, thereby leaving the water clean while releasing the matter into the air, where it can be filtered prior to discharge.

The state is actually discussing with the EPA whether or not they have to add the filtration. Anything to save a buck.