Raf

Some major television "event" films are acceptable. For example, I'd exclude "Sarah Plain and Tall," but I'd include something like "Roots" or "The Winds of War." I once dated someone who was an extra in The Mirror Has Two Faces. Don't think she was in anything else though, so linking is kind of out of the question. Jeff Bridges Starman Karen Allen

Diana informs us she will be visiting Orlando the weekend after Thanksgiving. I'm making arrangements to head up there with Christine (my wife) at that time so we can spend time with her. It's odd, honestly, because science and experience tell me this is the last time I will see her looking like herself. This is one of the great challenges of life: appreciating today for what today is, even when you "know" that tomorrow will be so much worse. In all reality, I don't know how to handle it. How will she respond to tears, which are sure to be shed during her visit (other family will be there as well)? What would you do or say?

We're bracing as though the storm will hit us in South Florida, though forecasters as of this moment are not expecting it.

Why yes, yes it is.

The full results are in. I's dotted. T's crossed. They are now expressing no doubt whatsoever that my sister does have ALS. Lord I believe; help thou my unbelief.

"Well, that's very nice. I'm glad. Well here's... here's the point, Andie. I'm not particularly concerned with whether or not you like me, because I live to like you and... and I can't like you anymore. So... so when you're feeling real low and... and dirty, don't look to me to pump you back up 'cause... 'cause... 'cause maybe for the first time in your life I WON'T BE THERE!"

Here's the link to an online version of scrabble. Play against each other or strangers. http://ryan.buterbaugh.org/wabble/

Yup. Ok... ummm.... "Blaine? His name is Blaine? That's a major appliance, that's not a name!"

Well, they're still checking and testing, crossing t's and dotting i's. But the second opinion evaluation has it at 95% certain that Diana does indeed have ALS. It's a lot to absorb. We're all out of tears. How do we make these remaining years "quality"? That, or a miracle, is all we have left. I refuse to rule out either.

Twister

"On Golden Pond" was correct for mine. I think I know Lifted's, but will wait another hour or two before I answer.

I'll keep providing updates as I get them. Thanks for all your prayers.

Just got off the phone with Diana. She's in relatively good spirits right now. Worried, obviously. Spent the whole weekend in tears, but woke up today determined to get on with her life, whether there's a year or two left or 20. There's really no knowing. Stephen Hawking has lived with this disease for decades, which is highly unusual, of course. And look what it's done to him. But we're hopeful. We haven't yet gotten to the second opinion stage, so that's the next step. It's pretty scary.

Rob and Diana never met. Several years ago, Rob was a newspaper columnist in South Florida. A good man. A Bronx native. We shared memories of our hometown. But Rob missed his adoptive home, Des Moines, Iowa, and decided after a too-short stint in South Florida that he and his wife, Rehka, should return. So they did. They were back in Des Moines for, again, a relatively short time when Rob wrote a powerful and moving column. It was about a visit to the doctor. Many visits, actually. But on this particular visit Rob was told what had been revealed through all the tests of his previous visits. He was diagnosed with a disease called ALS. Lou Gehrig's disease. The illness that cut short a legendary baseball career, a legendary life. Rob was no fool. He knew he had only a few years to live, at most. Once you're diagnosed, life expectancy is two to five years for the majority of victims. The lucky ones live 10 years. The really lucky ones can live as long as 20 years. In a miniscule few, the symptoms reverse. Rob prayed to be the exception, but planned to be the rule. He loved his wife and children, gave them the best effort he could. He wrote about his struggles. He couldn't possibly return all the e-mails and phone calls he received encouraging him to fight on, including mine. He gave his time to the people closest to him. And he gave his time to the cause of studying and possibly someday curing ALS. Rob died in 2006, less than two years after his diagnosis. He was a brave and wonderful man. I wish he had met Diana. Diana was also born in New York. She was a personal trainer, a fitness nut. She's always been one of the most blunt, outspoken members of her family. On Friday, September 28, Diana was diagnosed with ALS. She called her sister, Julie, to break the news. Julie called their mother, Julia. Julia called her son, Diana's brother... me. Please pray. [Thread title changed by request]

Sorry: been stunningly busy lately. Hmm.... "So, I heard you turned 80 today." "Is that what you heard?" "Yeah. Man, that's really old." "You should meet my father." "Your father's still alive?" "No, but you should meet him." *** "A canoe! Just like the Indians used." "Actually, the Indians used a different grade of aluminium."

Policing your thoughts is a lonelier job than repairing Maytags. We debate historical issues in terms of what caused them and what effect they had. We don't debate whether they took place, especially when we know they did.

Because you are. And those who aren't are gullible to the point of shocking stupidity.

Ah, this one I know. Quiz Show

Tom knows.

Oh, COOL set of clues! Tom, you got it. Spill it!

I still like "Shut the front door!" It's a great expression because when you say it, it sounds like you're about to say something else. ;)

I think more people saw Traxx

That was a strange one. Meanwhile, this one will be Humberto if it develops.

Believing is a law. As one believes, he receives... This law of negative and positive believing works for both Christian and non-Christian. When we believe, we receive the results of our believing regardless of who or what we are. Can you show me where it says Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not afraid? I'll tell you right now, if I was being thrown into a furnace and the guys who threw me in were burnt to toasty crisps, I'd be at least a little bit worried, at least until I realized the heat was not affecting me the same way. We dehumanize these three great men when we claim that they fell into the furnace without any fear. The Bible does not teach this. Of course, it doesn't say they feared either, so I can't say with certainty that they did. My point is, a statement like "if they had feared they would have burned" is unsupportable. So I agree with those who came to the "uncertain" conclusion. As for Job offering sacrifices for his children and comparing that to Hannah in I Samuel, I think we're trying to draw a parallel where the Bible draws none. Let's clear some things up about Hannah first: look at the order of what happened. She was barren. She was mocked. She fretted. She remained barren. She continued to be mocked. She continually fretted, this time before the prophet. The prophet turned her eyes on God. She turned her eyes on God. Deliverance. Notice the order: Her being barren preceded her fretting about it. Thus, her fretting could not have caused her barrenness. However, when she took her mind off that and placed it on God's deliverance, she had her child. This idea that Job was fretting continually about his children is NOT IN THE BOOK OF JOB. It says he did this "continually," but told us also the conditions of "continually": he did this whenever they had a birthday party that lasted several days. Whenever that happened (not daily, not weekly, not hourly, not continuOUSly), Job offered sacrifices "just in case." The idea that there was constant, crippling fear has to be read into it. The only thing the Bible says is that Job was righteous, rich and blameless. The offering of sacrifices is not criticized in the slightest, explicitly or implicitly. Does God call him a worrywart? No. He calls him the "finest man in all the earth." Satan, so it goes, has to ask for a "hole in the hedge of protection." Had Job's fear and constant worrying opened a hole in the hedge, there'd be no need for ol' Splitfoot to get God's "permission" to go to town. Job's sacrifices are a compliment. VPW presents them as evidence of fear. Nonsense. Job's "great fear" was the natural cry of despair of a parent in mourning. VPW presents it as a confession of responsibility. Nonsense. MHO.

It's real simple: Do you believe no harm befalls the righteous? The book of Proverbs says so. But of course, harm does befall the righteous. The statement it a truism, not a mathematically exact and scientifically precise law. And a wise person knows the difference between a maxim, a truism, a proverb and a steadfast "this is always true and there are no exceptions" kind of statement.