Random

• We are on the move today -- Bangkok to Manila -- layover for a few hours -- and then we fly from there to Guam -- arriving very early Sunday morning. On the way out we were on the same plane as Mary Johnson who was headed toward Indonesia. We're supposed to meet up with her again in Manila.

• No surprise -- the food banks in the US are picking up lots of customers these days -- up 30% over last year. "Once a crutch for the most needy, food pantries have responded to the deepening recession by opening their doors to what one pantry organizer described as 'the next layer of people,' a rapidly expanding group of child-care workers, nurse's aides, real estate agents and secretaries who are facing a financial crisis for the first time." ~ link

• Nice run down on the types of citrus that grows well in home gardens -- the list is for San Diego County but a lot of this will work in other sub-tropical climates, too. ~ link

• Churches can use Google Ad-words to get their message out -- low cost -- very effective in many contexts. ~ link

• USA Today: "Phoenix-area real estate picture grim" -- This is right smack in the middle of the area where we're thinking that we'll be working to develop a new church. We need creativity as we look for ways to not only connect with people but to help many deal with the whole housing crisis and the clouds that hang over them. ~ link