Community blog

There is a wonderful story about a group of military leaders who succeeded in 
building a super computer that was able to solve any problem--large or small,
 strategic or tactical. These military leaders assembled in front of the new
 machine for a demonstration. The engineer conducting the demonstration 
instructed these officers to feed a difficult tactical problem into it. The military
leaders proceeded to describe a hypothetical situation to the computer and then 
asked the pivotal question: attack or retreat? This enormous super computer 
hummed away for an hour and then printed out its one-word answer . . . YES.

The generals looked at each other, some what stupefied. Finally one of them
 submits a second request to the computer: YES WHAT? Instantly the computer 
responded: YES, SIR.

A friend was planning a visit to Japan. lt would be his first visit, and he was a little anxious because 
he couldn't speak Japanese. How would he communicate with the people he came in contact with?
 

Since most taxi drivers do not speak English, someone suggested that it might be a good idea to 
carry with him something bearing the name of the hotel at which he would be staying written in 
Japanese.

It had been a hard winter in the mountains. The snow had piled up deeper and deeper, the mercury dropped, rivers froze, people suffered. The Red Cross used helicopters to fly in supplies. One crew had been working day after day--long hours. They were on their way home late in the afternoon when they saw a little cabin submerged in the snow. There was a thin whisper of smoke coming from the chimney. The rescue team figured they were probably about out of food, fuel, perhaps medicine. Because of the trees they had to put the helicopter down a mile away. They put on heavy packs with emergency supplies, trudged through heavy snow, waist deep, reached the cabin exhausted, panting, perspiring. They pounded on the door. A thin, gaunt mountain woman opened the door and the lead man gasped, "We're from the Red Cross." She was silent for a moment and then she said, "It’s been a hard winter, Sonny, I just don't think we can give anything this year."

A few days before Christmas, two young brothers were spending the night at their grandparents
house. When it was time to go to bed, and anxious to do the right thing, they both knelt down to
say their prayers. Suddenly, the younger one began to do so in a very loud voice.
"Dear Lord, please ask Santa Claus to bring me a play-station, a mountain-bike and a
telescope." His older brother leaned over and nudged his brother and said, "Why are you
shouting your prayers? God isn't deaf." "I know" he replied, "But Grandma is!"


The word "Advent" comes from the Latin "Adventus," meaning "coming.“ It's a season the
Church has used to focus not only on the forthcoming Birth of Christ, but also a time, when
‘warnings’ are ushered through Scripture that give us a chance to prepare.

The 1935 comedy “A Night at the Opera,” starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx, has been given the honour of being selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. A smash hit at the box office, “A Night at the Opera” was the first film the Marx Brothers made after Zeppo left the act, and the first film they made for MGM after leaving Paramount Pictures. 

”Did you find what you were looking for?" or “are you ready for Christmas?" You have probably
 heard these questions uttered many times over these past few weeks during Christmas shopping
 foray or anywhere you have been — I had it when giving blood, I've had it when at the post office.
It's everywhere, isn't it? ”Did you find what you were looking for? Are you ready? "Most of the time
 you likely answered, "Yes, thanks,". In the context of purchasing something, you probably didn't give 
your answer much thought beyond the immediate transaction. But today, on this Christmas Day,
 let's consider the question again: "Did you find what you were looking for?" Are you ready for
 Christmas?