May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 4

[disneylover5]

Yesterday the local community college (Estrella Mountain) received information that there would be a mass shooting at the school. The school was shut down and nothing was found. This caused Jenna's elementary school (which is only a few blocks from the college) to go on Lockdown. She and her classmates spent three hours sitting on the floor of their classroom.

This makes me sick. Copy cat crimes make me so mad. I can not believe how many mentally ill people are evil and sick as well. This just totally makes me sick.

I know how much I have greived and cried over the last several days. It just makes sick that little children are subjected to these evil people. I can not imagine how your daughter must have felt.

 

[disneylover5]

A dear friend of mine is a Christian Blogger. I wanted you guys to read her account of the church service last night for the Westfield kids. This really moved me.

Broken Hearts
Westfield High School has been on the news the last few days. Our church has a partnership with Westfield High; the first ever church-school partnership in Fairfax County Public School history. Although my girls will go to a different high school, most of the kids in their youth group at church attend Westfield or will attend Westfield. We had the privilege of getting to know the kids in the drama department at Westfield when we joined with them in our production of Godspell last month. As I told those kids in an email yesterday, our church family and the Westfield Drama Dept. are linked forever because of our love for those kids.

Late Monday night, those precious kids found out that one of their own was killed in the shootings that morning. Reema, like the kids I love, was an actor, singer and dancer before she was silenced forever in her French class on Monday morning. As Tuesday dawned, it became clear that another 2006 grad had also been killed. Erin played Varsity basketball; a strong, vibrant athlete. Yesterday afternoon, they heard the sobering news that the shooter had also graduated from Westfield a few years before. All day yesterday, they dealt with helicopters and media vans surrounding their school as they tried to process their grief and anger. I'm sure the press is still there today.

Last night, we opened up our church for a community prayer service. My older daughter and I had the privilege of attending the service to weep and pray with our Westfield brothers and sisters. Many others in the community also attended, but the largest numbers were Westfield kids, faculty and families. The service was scheduled for 7:30, but when we arrived at 7, the parking lot was already full. I heard the kids started to arrive as early as 6:30. The sanctuary, lit by candles, was full.

As I sat on the edges of the crowds of students last night, I watched and listened and prayed. The pain in the room was palpable. I looked up the word palpable to make sure I was using it correctly: palpable means " capable of being handled, touched, or felt; tangible." You could see the pain in their faces, hear the pain in the sounds of their weeping. It was indeed tangible, palpable...the room was filled with broken hearts. Broken at the loss of their friends, broken at the loss of their innocence, broken by their outrage, their disbelief, their anger, and their questions that have no answers. As I hugged the kids that I knew, I wanted so badly to offer words of meaning but could only repeat over and over "I'm so, so sorry!"

The evening was beautiful and tragic; a combination of the best and worst life has to offer. Grief, sorrow, and anger swirling in the healing balm of community, hope and love. For many of us there, those conflicting emotions were washed in a powerful sense of the Presence of God. As Christians, we believe God can bring light in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of despair...what we believe matters most when the world seems the most dark and hopeless. When we feel helpless, it matters that we pray. When those around us are too devastated to pray, it matters that we stay with them and pray for them until they can see the light for themselves. Last night was about seeing some friends in a dark place, being willing to crawl into that dark place with them and bring our flashlight.

The service was beautifully planned and led by Don, Neil, Jeff, Sharon and Sammy. To each of you, thank you for allowing God to use you. What you did last night mattered and I am grateful to you. You shined a light in a dark place and made a safe space for others to join you.

 

[ibouncetoo]

That was beautiful. Thanks for posting it.

 

[HollyTyler]

A dear friend of mine is a Christian Blogger. I wanted you guys to read her account of the church service last night for the Westfield kids. This really moved me.

Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

 

[disneylover5]

 

[disneylover5]

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN on Fox News Channel (Direct TV # 360) is broadcasting live from Westfield High School tonight. How weird is that?

 

[fourmcds]

well unless something wild happens, you don't have to worry!

your kids are coming down to OKW too right? Are they getting excited?

Somehow, the DIS went down on me right around this time. I responded but it never got posted

Anyway, yes, the whole family is going. We had the "how many sleeps until WDW " countdown this am on the way to school. We only have 16

Maybe we will see you around OKW on Sunday or Monday V!

 

[Jhalkias]

I am over a day behind with the awards ceremony last night and a school board meeting tonight. Don't know if I will get caught up tonight or not, but hope everyone is well, and that the healing has begun in Virginia.

 

[fourmcds]

A dear friend of mine is a Christian Blogger. I wanted you guys to read her account of the church service last night for the Westfield kids. This really moved me.
.

Lisa....Thank you for sharing. That was very nicely written and very touching.

 

[Jhalkias]

Our church www.centrevillepres.com has had many calls today asking if the family worships with us. Many Korean families are Presbyterian. Most likely the attend KCPC.

I am on my way to buy flowers to leave on the families doorstep. How sad they must be.

How very gracious of you Lisa. Not too many will have a heart big enough to do something like this I fear . . .

 

[Jhalkias]

John, how was the awards ceremony for your son? What was the mood at the University? Congrats to you and Amy and Alex.

The dinner before (for the honor society that is akin to Phi Beta Kappa) was OK, but not well attended. We had a very nice time though, and it was an honor to see Alex recognized.

The honors convocation following was much more interesting. It was held at Stambaugh auditorium, on campus.

http://www.stambaughonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=32

Had I not seen it for myself, I would not have believed this place. In the middle of the rust belt, an auditorium built in the 1920's that is an absolute delight. The place is elegant. Nearly perfect acoustics, and there was some nice chamber music before the awards. It is also right across from a park that Alex tells me you cannot go to at night without a large group and feel safe.

They did a very nice ceremony, recognizing all students from the University for academic achievement and scholarship. It was not too long, and they had a small reception afterward. A very nice evening for these kids, and a nice evening for proud parents.

Graduation in a month!

Before the honors convocation, in solidarity with all institutions of learning, there was a moment of silence for the tragedy in Virginia. There was a bit of a somber tinge to everything.

 

[Jhalkias]

On a more positive note, my nephew is presenting at Web 2.0 Expo 2007 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco:

http://www.web2expo.com/

Monday, April 16, 2007 7:21 PM PT Posted by Ramon G. McLeod

Web 2.0: Viddler Lets Users Add Video, Text Comments to Movies

Viddler.com, a rapidly growing YouTube competitor, launched new features at the Web 2.0 conference Monday that allow users to add both text and video comments to videos at at any moment in the film.

Launched in December, 2006, the Bethlehem, PA site demonstrated the new features during the San Francisco event and can be seen at the company's demo site. http://www.viddler.com/explore/sandieman/videos/135/13.00/

"Both the author and visitors can pop in a comment any where on the video's timeline," said Robert Sandie, the company's president. "You can see where this would be really valuable, if for example, you had a long video of your kid and you wanted to point out the highlight moments. You can place a comment as can the visitor," he said.

Sandie also said that the ability to place commentary, whether in the form of a video or text, could be very useful for businesses by allowing end users, both internal and external, to note the important points, weaknesses, and strength of the content at the places in the timeline where they choose.

In a sense, the new features mimic the popular Flickr.com tool that allows photo viewers to put comments directly on places in the picture they find of most interest.

How Cool!

 

[Jhalkias]

Despite encounters with the law and his past psychiatric treatment, Cho was able to legally purchase the two handguns he used in the attack. The shooting has rekindled debate over U.S. gun laws, the most lenient in the Western world.

Noel,

This is the part that really bothers me.

Somewhere in the news last night or Monday night I read the statement from the White House (initial statement) which was fine UNTIL I read where the President was said to have stated something to the effect that he still believes in the right of Americans to keep and bear arms.

I told Amy, I'm sorry, but I did not think that was needed at that time. Discuss that later and apart from the condolences on the tragedy. I think hunters and sane people should be able to bear arms and protect themselves. I do NOT think mentally unstable people should have that right or opportunity, and No one should have the right to purchase weapons whose sole purpose is to kill lots of people, and have nothing to do with self-defense or hunting.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but I don't buy the old saw that "guns don't kill people, people do". As a country, we believe in free speech, but we get all bent out of shape regarding indecency, and nudity, and will not allow things like that when they exceed moral standards of a community (which I do believe is fine) while that right can be abridged to protect children, why can't we put sensible laws in place to protect the lives of those same children from an unstable person purchasing something that makes it so easy to kill over 30 people? Where are our priorities?

Off the soapbox.

 

[Jhalkias]

Good night all.

Sleep well.

 

[Jhalkias]

One more thing . . .

Just should probably add . . .

While I do not own guns, and really do not want them in my home as they scare me with children, I grew up a boy scout, and learned to shoot and care for guns responsibly as a young man. I was also what I would call a crack target shooter with a small caliber rifle, and I have many friends who are hunters and sportsmen - I would never challenge their right or ability to do that.

I am just bothered by the weapons that can create mass carnage, and seem to have no other purpose.

 

[LisaG520]

Yup,

I totally agree with that. We get sucked in all the time and I am always the one saying, "but we have this on DVD?"

And we still watch...

Karen

We do this all of the time too!

 

[EllaEnchanted]

On a more positive note, my nephew is presenting at Web 2.0 Expo 2007 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco:

http://www.web2expo.com/

Monday, April 16, 2007 7:21 PM PT Posted by Ramon G. McLeod

Web 2.0: Viddler Lets Users Add Video, Text Comments to Movies

Viddler.com, a rapidly growing YouTube competitor, launched new features at the Web 2.0 conference Monday that allow users to add both text and video comments to videos at at any moment in the film.

Launched in December, 2006, the Bethlehem, PA site demonstrated the new features during the San Francisco event and can be seen at the company's demo site. http://www.viddler.com/explore/sandieman/videos/135/13.00/

"Both the author and visitors can pop in a comment any where on the video's timeline," said Robert Sandie, the company's president. "You can see where this would be really valuable, if for example, you had a long video of your kid and you wanted to point out the highlight moments. You can place a comment as can the visitor," he said.

Sandie also said that the ability to place commentary, whether in the form of a video or text, could be very useful for businesses by allowing end users, both internal and external, to note the important points, weaknesses, and strength of the content at the places in the timeline where they choose.

In a sense, the new features mimic the popular Flickr.com tool that allows photo viewers to put comments directly on places in the picture they find of most interest.

When we first moved to PA, we lived in Bethlehem (valley) for five years. Then we moved 30 miles north to Saylorsburg (mountains) and have been here for eight years. Small world.

Noel, does your brother still work out of Bethlehem? Congrats to him for all his achievements. You must be very proud.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Yesterday the local community college (Estrella Mountain) received information that there would be a mass shooting at the school. The school was shut down and nothing was found. This caused Jenna's elementary school (which is only a few blocks from the college) to go on Lockdown. She and her classmates spent three hours sitting on the floor of their classroom.

Those poor kids, that must have been so hard for them. I wonder what they could possibly have been thinking was going on?

 

[EllaEnchanted]

This article spells out what is bothering me.

Still grieving for the victims, students and teachers have described a sullen loner whose creative writings for his English literature degree were so laced with violence and venom that they alarmed some of those around him.

University Police Chief Wendell Flinchum said his officers confronted Cho in late 2005 after two women complained separately that he had harassed them in person, through phone calls and with instant messages.

"I'm not saying they were threats; I'm saying they were annoying," Flinchum told a news conference at the sprawling rural campus in southwestern Virginia.

After the second incident in December 2005, Cho's roommate warned police he might be suicidal, prompting them to issue a "temporary detention order" and send him to a nearby mental health facility for evaluation, Flinchum said.

Officials would not say how long Cho stayed at the facility, but roommates said he was gone for a couple of days. The women declined to file charges against Cho. Neither was among his victims on Monday, police said.

Despite encounters with the law and his past psychiatric treatment, Cho was able to legally purchase the two handguns he used in the attack. The shooting has rekindled debate over U.S. gun laws, the most lenient in the Western world.

I agree Noel, the scarriest part is that those guns were purchased legally...when he had a medical record. But since he had no criminal record, it was legal. They're not allowed to access medical records for privacy sake. How insane is that when purchasing a gun?

 

[birkner]

When we first moved to PA, we lived in Bethlehem (valley) for five years. Then we moved 30 miles north to Saylorsburg (mountains) and have been here for eight years. Small world.

Noel, does your brother still work out of Bethlehem? Congrats to him for all his achievements. You must be very proud.

Rob Sandie is my nephew, my DH sisters son. He is still in the Bethlehem area but this week is staying with his grandparents in Saratoga, California. His mom and Dad live in Danvielle, California.

We are very proud of his achievements!!

Noel