E- Recording in NC!

The NC Electronic Recording Council (ERC)will be sending their guidelines and standards to NC Secretary of State Elaine Marshall in the next few days. Let's hope things move forward quickly! Big thanks to the ERC, especially Kathy Dils, the council's chair from BB and T.

Sportsman and Hunters now have an alternative to the National Rifle Association. The Hunters and Shooter's Association, while a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, believes in an assault weapons ban and common sense gun regulations like mandatory back ground checks at gun shows, and hunter education and conservation.

Where do I get more information up? Right here!

Christian Coalition President-Elect Quits...

"The Rev. Joel Hunter ... said he quit as president-elect of the group founded by evangelist Pat Robertson because he realized he would be unable to broaden the organization's agenda beyond opposing abortion and gay marriage. He hoped to include issues such as easing poverty and saving the environment."

Courage above all other human attributes....

Happy Thanksgiving!

FYI- Nat'l eNotarization Standards Approved by NASS

This new is a little late, but its worth noting in the Deeds World.

The National Assoication of Secretaries of State (NASS) formally approved a set of standards drafted by the National eNotarization Commission. This effort is part of a major effort that will lend uniformity to laws governing eNotarization that have yet to be enacted in many states. NC Sec. of State Elaine Marshall has been heavily involved in this process.

The standard, which should be published on the National Notary website, focus on five important areas: requiring electronic document signers to appear in person before the Notary; requiring Notaries to register as "capable of performing notarial acts" with respective commissioning authorities; setting procedures for affixing the Notary's electronic signature, certificate or seal on an electronic document; establishing security requirements for electronic Notary signatures and seals; and establishing evidentiary standards for electroncially notarized documents.

These areas will continue to be debated in many states. NC has been working on e-Notarization and e-Recording standards. More on that later....

Tornado in Southeastern North Carolina

The tornado that struck Riegelwood situated on the Cape Fear River about 20 miles west of Wilmington _ hit shortly after 6:30 a.m. This area is about 30 minutes from Burgaw. Eight people were killed.

"There was no warning. There was no time," said Cissy Kennedy, a radiologist's assistant who lives in the area. "It just came out from nowhere."

Kip Godwin, chairman of the Columbus County Commission, said authorities had nearly concluded their search of the area where all the deaths occurred near a cluster of trailers and an adjacent neighborhood of brick homes and had accounted for everyone.

Let's keep these folks in our thoughts and prayers.

New Davidson County Register of Deeds talks Technology....

David Rickard, new Davidson County Register of Deeds, talks about technology needs and his plans to use Automated Enhancement Funds to address digitization and modernization of the office.

Good luck to David! In addition, my best wishes to Mark Myers, the outgoing Register of Deeds. I have met Mark and David and I wish them both well.

Looks like a great time to modernize the office and I look forward to working with David in the NC Register of Deeds Association.

Book Recommendation: Faith and Politics by John Danforth

Lest we forget the "Christian moderate" this holiday season! That term was a joke. Anyway, I like Danforth's book because he's a political pragmatist and an ordained Episcopalian minister. He goes straight at the Christian right related to wedge issues like abortion, stem cell research, and gay marriage. In addition, he's mindfully skeptic of religious political agendas of the left as well. Discussion of the Love Commandment and a ministry of reconciliation are important for Danforth in faith and politics.

From Danforth's book: "If politics is the art of compromise, certainty is not really politics, for how can one compromise with God's own truth? Reconciliation depends on acknowledging that God's truth is greater than our own, that we cannot reduce it to any political platform we create, and God's truth is large enough to accommodate the opinions of all kinds of people, even those with whom we strongly disagree."

Veteran's Day

Rep. Aaron Pena posts about Veteran's Day activities in Texas, including a 125 mile walk by Hispanic Veterans regarding their local VA hospital.

A River of Courage.

Doodlebopped at the Greensboro Coliseum!

Oh my, my daughter is with an alien...oh wait, that's Dee Dee Doodle!

So, would you like to meet my friend? Yep!

Yep, do you like my silly face?

Hello, do you like my silly face?

YMCA Soccer: BLUE PANTHERS!

The Blue Panthers had a great year! We had fun along with a few bumps and bruises.

We had a family atmosphere. As you can see, there were lots of assistant coaches!

Book Recommendation: The Secret Message of Jesus...

This one swings for the fence and...(catching breath rounding the bases) and the ball is in the parking lot over the left field fence! While this is a book about that focuses on Christinity, skeptics will get a great deal out of it as well.

Brian McLaren has written a masterpiece of Christian literature. About 225 pages, it's a book that makes you think about the social, political, religious, and economic enviroment of Jesus lived in. This book is disturbing in a hopeful and challenging kind of way. Be prepared to have your world rocked.

After reading, you will see this world anew.

Book Recommendation: From the Dusk to the Dunghill to Sitting with Princes

Rev. Albert K. Som Pingpong has written a book about his journey from Ghana to the United States.

Rev. Pimpong is the pastor of All Nation's Evangelical Church located beside the new Walmart on the former Carolina Circle Mall in eastern Greensboro. I've know him for about 10 years and spent a considerable amount of time with him in the mid-1990's. He does a great job of describing his challenging childhood, his faith journey, and his experiences in the United States.

I recommend this book as a local favorite. I hope you'll get it during the holiday season!

Congrats to Phil Berger, Jr. New DA in Rockingham County!

This was a tough race.

I played baseball with Phil at Guilford College and I'm sure Phil will do a great job as DA!

Berger practices law in Eden with his father, District 26 state Sen . Phil Berger . He is a graduate of UNC-Wilmington and Wake Forest University Law School.

Congratulations Phil!

Jim Wallis of Sojourners and Call to Renewal

"In this election, both the Religious Right and the secular Left were defeated, and the voice of the moral center was heard. A significant number of candidates elected are social conservatives on issues of life and family, economic populists, and committed to a new direction in Iraq. This is the way forward: a grand new alliance between liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, one that can end partisan gridlock and involves working together for real solutions to pressing problems."

Buzz: 2008

Mike Easley vs. Elizebeth Dole.

You heard it here first....

KID'S VOTING! That's what its all about....

The pictures on the ballot were really cool too.

ENOUGH!

Now, Let's Catch our Breath!

Democrats, you've been given an opportunity to HELP REFORM our country. Ethics, Iraq, Energy, Budget. There is enough trouble out there for Democrats and Republicans. You do not have much time and you can't do it alone.

America has sent a message. Please, as you can see, the clock is running....

Attn: ALL CANDIDATES!

Please remember to thank your poll workers today! Rainy, soggy, and cold.

Role of Values and Faith in 2006 Election

Democrats and Religion
Republicans and Religion

Oh yeah, and the Founding Fathers Faith Quiz.

God's Politics Blog

Jim Wallis and Friends have started a God's Politics Blog! Economic Justice; Consistent Ethic of Life, and many other great topics.

Jim Wallis will be joined by bloggers Brian McLaren, Amy Sullivan, Tony Campolo, Noel Castellanos, Robert Franklin, Diana Butler Bass, Sister Helen Prejean, Ron Sider, Shane Claiborne, and Obery Hendricks.

Check it out!

Salute to 2006 Pender High School Volleyball Team!

Coach Ray Horton has coached Pender's Volleyball Team for at least 25 years. He plans to retire this year.

Pender High's Volleyball Team reached the NC State Volleyball Championship and lost a tough 5 game match against Hendersonville. I was in touch with my sister Julie throughout the match. She would call after every game. Pender was up to 2 games to none. Then Hendersonville stormed back to win the next three games.

I was disappointed as many folks were in Pender County. Many of us were pulling for Coach Horton and wanted him to get the championship! Good luck Coach, appreciate all your collective accomplishments, and I'm certainly proud you brought Pender to the State Finals!

A Little Perspective on Mid-Term Elections.

GAO Chief Warns Economic Disaster Looms.

(from article) There's a good reason politicians don't like to talk about the nation's long-term fiscal prospects. The subject is short on political theatrics and long on complicated economics, scary graphs and very big numbers. It reveals serious problems and offers no easy solutions. Anybody who wanted to deal with it seriously would have to talk about raising taxes and cutting benefits, nasty nostrums that might doom any candidate who prescribed them.

PREP notes

From the PREP Meeting at the NC Register of Deeds Association in September.