Please - do this for Abbey

Today, one of our own needs you all to become pro-active. Last week Robert Stokely sent an email out to the blogosphere. Here at Tanker Bros, we all know and love the Stokely family. The Stokely family has already given much to America. Robert and Retta have already lived every parent's worse nightmare. Please read Robert's email below. I need you all to make a few simple phone calls. That - and pray. Please, do this - for Abbey. Thank you.

The Stokely's need your help as does many many others around the country to get Congress to act - please see the links below to versions of the U.S. House and Senate bills for Lyme Disease Research below:

Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)[H.R.741.IH]

Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)[S.1708.IS]

Abbey Stokely was bitten by a tick about 20 months ago. We have been to doctors - the best we can find and she is very sick to this day and I fear she may even die. Yesterday, as a home health nurse came to treat her under the orders of an infectious disease doctor, she suddenly collapsed, stopped breathing and then responded again. I buried a son, SGT Mike Stokley KIA 16 AUG Yusufiyah Iraq and that nearly did it for me. I don't think I can bury a daughter, much less I know my wife Retta can't, for like Mike and I were best friends, Retta and Abbey are the closet mother / daughter I have ever known, and on top of that, they have the closet friendship I have ever seen in my life.

The other day, Abbey became so ill and fatigued at school that a friend had to bring her home from school. We, like many other families, are desparate. We nearly lost Abbey in a car wreck five months after Mike died when she and I were struck in her door, sheering it away, by another car running a stop sign. We rolled and then flipped end over end for 180 feet. We spent 18 months gettng Abbey well from that wreck.

It was during that recovery time that Abbey was bitten by the tick. Since then she has had to endure something no emerging teenager wants - to have your life taken away and unable to be with your friends. Going to church is a struggle, yet her faith and committment to God leads her to save up her strength to go to church for an hour. She went to school half days, not even going other days. Amazingly, she maintained the high straight A average she has had everyday of her entire school career, and moved from 15th in her class to 4th (and she is in a very competetive 2010 class).

We understood and accepted what we were in for when Mike went to Iraq. Yet, his death continues to be a heart break to us every day. While other thirteen year old girls might have attended their first funeral to bury a grandparent, Abbey attended her first to bury a treasured and loved brother in a most public setting, TV cameras and Reporters in her face at the State Capitol prayer service, and then again as over a thousand attended Mike's funeral. Instead of a simple graveside service and prayer to get through for a grandparent, Abbey said goodbye to her brother to the report of a 21 gun salute, watching the flag draping his casket be folded, and then the playing of taps.

There are a lot of unknowns about Lyme Disease and a lot of "blowing off" of patients like Abbey and our family by the medical community. Some doctors have even had their license taken away or suspended because traditioanl medical community views tend to discount Lyme even exists in many states or that the regimen of treatment is two weeks of an anitbiotic and the patient is cured, and if not, they are depressed and need a psychiatrist.

If what I describe above is not enough for Abbey to go through from age 13 - to 16, she has had to endure going through every known medical test and being told we don't know what you have, but it is not Lyme Disease because Lyme does not exist in GA and you are just depressed because of what has happened in your life. Such is how it goes for many others like Abbey Stokely - they are blamed for not getting better and told there is nothing wrong with them.

Abbey Stokely wants to get better, she wants to live a full life, and she wants to be happy. Yet, in the face of the the physical setback of Lyme Disease and only able to go to school half days, some days not at all, she carried a full advanced placement high school load, elected to be the President of her Student Government, doing homework on weekends when her friends are out having fun so she can maintain her lifelong high straight A average. She is in a very competetive academic class of 2010 at her high school and has managed to achieve being ranked 4th in her class. She continues a strong faith in God even given what has befallen her, continuing to read and study her bible and carry on a committed prayer life. She is respectful and considerate of the needs of others even to the point the other day when she was rear-ended by another driver, and hurt again, she was more worried about how they were than her own self, and now worries if the other driver will get in much trouble with their parents and insurance company. She is chaste and would not dare consider a drink or illegal drug. She saves her allowance for college and dreams of being a doctor or doing something to contribute to the betterment of life for others. She was trying to walk several miles a day and build up strength to walk in the three day breast cancer walk and had raised considerable money to donate to the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by making crafts to sell and holding late night dinners for the staff at her mom's hospital. Does that sound like someone who is depressed and needs a psychiatrist?

Abbey Stokely is sick and could die from Lyme Disease. Now, we as a family need your help.

Congress has two bills pending - one in the House and one in the Senate - links above and for a tenth straight year will die if not passed out of Congress in December. We need to look at this disease and study it with an open mind and not take the hasty and closed minded positions as those with a conflict of interest due to ties in the research and pharmacuetical field have. A video "Under Our Skin" which is gripping and compelling to ask questions why not study and learn more rather than misdiagnois or outright ignore the problem. A legitimate question exists why the medical community, including CDC, is not responding and families like us, and people like Abbey, are being left with no answers, even being shunned and blamed with "the problem". Please help us and the many many others like us around our country.

I am not one who shows fear but I am really scarred for my daughter. Please guard your family from ticks, for Lyme Disease, while recognized as a disease in some states on the eastern seaboard from Maryland north, there are many states it exists in great numbers like Georgia but is ignored by health authorities. Remember, thirty years ago no one had heard of Lyme Disease until it was discovered by a doctor who studied the unusual onset of child hood arthritis in large numbrs of children in Lyme Conneticut. While the medical community blames the patient in many cases today, or misdiagnosis the patient altogether, we are very likely to look back one day and ask ourselves as a nation who we could have ignored it for so long and let so many suffer needlessly.

Thank you my friends for any contacts you can make and please share this with your friends if you like.

Robert Stokely
proud dad SGT Mike Stokely KIA 16 Aug 05 near Yusufiyah Iraq
and proud but very concerned dad of Abbey Stokely, suffering from Lyme Disease

My signature on SA says: Every soldier is one of our own. Every soldier's family is one of our own.

One of our own needs you to take the few minutes and call. Thank you.

Brat

Cpl Chris Mason speaks to YOU!

If you know me, you KNOW I always take the words of our boots on the ground above all others.

Hear Cpl Chris Mason's words before you vote, and I mean listen to the entire video, not just part of it.


America you need to hear this American soldier speak before you make a choice, you need to hear why he made his choices. He is speaking from within a bunker to you, the American people.


Cpl Mason was killed in action 28 Nov 2006 - Northern Iraq - FOB Summerall just 16 days after producing this video report.



Chris Mason:

"We chose to believe that the patch we wear on our right shoulder stands for something that's greater than ourselves. That's greater than where we are from. We are the fabric that holds the flag together."


H/T to Janet

Vets for Freedom Sign the Petition

Dear Vets for Freedom Members: Today Vets for Freedom released two ads: Marines call on Mr. Murtha to "Stop the Smears", and Mr. Murphy "I Was There" the surge worked. Representative Murtha and Murphy continue to use 2007 talking points provided by MoveOn.org, rather than the facts on the ground. In November 2005, Representative Murtha said in a television interview, 'The soldiers can't speak for themselves.' We are here to tell Rep. Murtha that, yes, we can, and we will speak out in defense of the truth. Also, please sign our petition asking Mr. Murtha to stop the smears and support our troops. We are circulating this petition from now until Veterans Day when it will be presented to Congress. Click here to sign our petition - Stop the Smears and Support our Troops Move out and draw fire, Pete Hegseth Chairman, Vets for Freedom David Bellavia Vice Chairman, Vets for Freedom Paid for and authorized by Vets for Freedom 1200 Eton Court, NW, Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20007

"In case you missed this"

My friend, CJ, of A Soldier's Perspective, sends out regular emails under the title: "In case you missed this." I feel duty-bound to share them with you. Read on:

Don't fall for the mantra that "they don't want us there" or "our presence makes them want to kill us." Having been there myself and speaking to troops deployed almost daily, I can tell you this simply isn't true to a large degree. The Taliban and Al Qaeda are quickly becoming extinct thanks to the mercy and justice of American troops and the murderous extremism of theirs.

More Than 1,000 Afghans Shout "Death To Taliban"

For Killing And Beheading Innocent Civilians In Bus Attack

Anti-Taliban demonstrators in Afghanistan hold portraits of some of the young men slain in the southern Kandahar province last week, 24 Oct., 2008.

(Associated Press)

Associated Press: "More than 1,000 people shouted anti-Taliban slogans in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, protesting the slayings this week of 26 young men from their community by militants in the south.

The unprecedented demonstration in the eastern Laghman province was one of the largest anti-Taliban gatherings since the fall of the hard-line Islamist regime following the U.S. invasion in late 2001." (Fisnik Abrashi, "More Than 1,000 Afghans Protest Taliban Killings," Associated Press, 10/24/08)

• Last "Sunday, Taliban stopped a bus in southern Kandahar province's Maiwand district, a militant-controlled area, and killed 26 of the passengers – beheading at least six of them."

• "Protesters from Laghman's Alingar district – where most of those killed came from – shouted 'Death to Taliban' and 'Death to killers' in the provincial capital of Mehtar Lam. They waved black flags in a sign of mourning."

• "'They were innocent people, trying to find jobs, and they killed them,' Abdul Wakil Attock, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said about the victims."

• "An anti-Taliban protest by Pashtuns, like Friday's, will likely provide the U.S. and other international forces with an opportunity to exploit the rift to drive a wedge between the insurgent group and the civilian population."

(Associated Press)

Voice of America: "Thousands of ethnic Pashtuns in eastern Afghanistan Friday marched in protest against a Taliban massacre of civilians last week. Marchers demonstrated in Mihtarlam, the capital of Lahgman province, as well as the city of Jalalabad. The anti-Taliban protests took place one week after Taliban fighters ambushed a bus in southern Kandahar province and killed about 30 civilians." ("Thousands Of Afghans Protest Civilian Massacre By Taliban," Voice of America, 10/24/08)

• "The Taliban claimed responsibility for 27 killings, saying they attacked the bus because it was carrying army recruits. Afghanistan's government and survivors of the violence say the passengers were civilians."

Thank YOU, CJ, for all that you do.

The end is nigh?

From Pam at Iraq War Today. (And yes, I DO know Pam...lol)

My Two Cents: The End is Nigh?

So here we are, less than a week from an election that could quite literally mean the end of the United States of America as we know her. Paranoia? Perhaps. I never would have believed that my nation could truly be on the verge of voting itself out of existence. But here we are.

The golden child of this presidential election has deep, obvious cracks in his hallowed facade. There are signs that few could miss if they actually look - signs that indicate severe issues. Besides his associations with radicals and terrorists, there are scores of trouble markers.

He appears not to care who supports him. His website does not utilize credit card matching for donations; a test using the names Osama bin Laden, John Galt, and Saddam Hussein to make donations with the same credit card revealed that all the donations went through. In fact, a lot of interesting people have been donating to Obama; and foreign credit are also being accepted. Donations have come from Palestine. Good Will, Loving, and Dela Ware have also made donations. Obama also accepts donations from largely untraceable pre-paid credit cards. His campaign’s response to questions was that “no campaign can fully insulate itself” from these types of issues. John McCain and Hillary Clinton used computer matching (ABS) and citizenship checks for their donations. Obama checks neither....

And you know there is more - much more. Go read this well-articulated piece NOW here!

Wednesday Hero

Wednesday Hero was started to put a spotlight on the men and women of the United States military and the bravery their show day in and day out. But on a few occasions a service members of an allied nation has been profiled. Such is the case this week.

Despite being shot twice during an ambush in Afghanistan, an SAS (Special Air Service) soldier from Australia lashed himself to the front of his patrol vehicle so he wouldn't be left behind if he passed out from loss of blood and kept on fighting.

The Digger is expected to be recommended for a high level bravery award.

Suffering from serious upper body wounds, the soldier struggled on to the front of his SAS long range patrol vehicle (LRPV) and, under heavy fire, used a rope to attach himself firmly between the vehicle's bull bar and radiator.

Once he was secured, and there was no chance that he would fall off if he fainted, he picked up his rifle and resumed firing at the enemy during a two-hour fighting withdrawal.

SAS troops and their special forces comrades from the Commando Regiment are well aware of the slow and painful death that awaits them if they are captured by the Taliban.

The Digger, who cannot be identified, faded in and out of consciousness, emptying several magazines as volleys of enemy rounds and rocket propelled grenades, rained down around him.

He was finally evacuated from the battle field at high speed still lashed to the front of the LRPV.

A source told The Courier-Mail the Digger was now "up and about" and would recover fully from his serious gunshot wounds. His heroic deeds will be recognised when he is recommended for a high level bravery award.

Several others engaged in the do-or-die battle on September 2 are also in line for top honours.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Just in case

Canada's Preparedness & Readiness Plan

-November/December 2008-

My friend Sylvia sent me this. She is American.;)

It gave me a giggle in the midst of the current madness!

Thanks Sylvia - and to all of my American friends? COME ON UUUUUUUUUUUP!

Media Matters1: The Media is Not Getting The Message

This past weekend was Media Democracy Day in at least three Canadian cities. Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver held day long workshops. Media democracy sounds like an oxymoron, especially in the last few frenetic days of the US election, but the goals of this group appear lofty enough:


Is the mainstream media democratic?
Media Democracy Day

For the rest, go here to NewsBlaze.

Brat

Media Matters 2: Memo to Nick Meo

To: Nick Meo

From: Not an American blogger

Re: Your “defence” of your actions in Afghanistan

(Your original article here, and rebuttals here, here and here )

I have been reading the ongoing discussion that has arisen from your ill-advised column in the Telegraph when you were embedded with a US unit in Afghanistan.

Nick: You are a fool, a dangerous fool. First, let me assure you, I am NOT an American blogger, although I DO – indeed – write for a few American blogs, (milblogs as well as political sites) as well as have my own site. I also write for an international online news site. …

Go to Assoluta Tranquillita to read the rest here.

Media Matters 3: The CBC is OVER

It is now official, for me at least. The CBC - affectionately called “the Mother Corp” by some, is now OLD news for me. I am done with them.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is the publicly funded media for Canada. For many, the CBC IS Canada. In many rural areas of the country, CBC radio is the only station they can tune in to; there are no other options.

Over the years, CBC Radio has been an integral part of my life, even to the point of proudly displaying a sticker created by a long ago “Save the CBC” when it was threatened with funding cuts. In this most recent federal election, Stephen Harper (re-elected minority government Prime Minister) caused an uproar - among the merry few - when he talked, again about cutting arts funding, labelling most arts projects “elitists” and “irrelevant to “ordinary Canadians.” Loyal ‘Mother Corp’ fans raised their voices in protest across the land.

My loyalty to the CBC is now over….

And yes, of course there is more. Go to Assoluta Tranquillita to read it here.

"Get in their faces": Your Parents

Just when I thought the Obama campaign couldn't sink any lower? I find this via Little Green Footballs.

They call it "political cynicism". I am speechless....

The Obama campaign’s attempted use of children to influence their parents is absolutely open and blatant. Why doesn’t this outrage people? This is political cynicism of an amazing degree.

Barack Obama | Change We Need | The Talk.

Do’s & Don’ts

Do share your personal reasons for voting for Barack Obama;

Do have confidence — your opinion matters to people who care about you;

Do read up on Barack’s positions on the issues you know matter to them;

Do find a good time when both you and they will be open to a conversation;

Do talk to them in person if you live nearby, or on the phone if you don’t;

Do ask your friends to talk to their parents and grandparents as well;

Don’t worry about knowing everything about policy positions before you have this conversation;

Don’t feel defensive. Stay calm, cool and collected;

Don’t wait until the last minute — it might take a few conversations for you to convince them, so start as early as possible;

Don’t catch them at a bad time — make sure you have their attention and enough time to have a conversation.

Unbelievable. And it gets worse.

Ideas to Get the Conversation Started

Approaching your parents about who they are voting for can be intimidating if you’ve never talked about politics with them before. But this campaign has been built by supporters sharing their stories about what inspires them and why they want to see change in this country. Here are some ideas for ways you can talk to your parents about why you support Barack:

Call or ask in person if they saw the debate and what they thought about it. Tell them why you are voting for Obama and why it’s important to you.

Print out for them information on some issues you know are important.

Share Barack’s speech from the Democratic National Convention or Meet Barack, a video about who Barack Obama is, where he comes from, and what his values are.

Email them and tell them why it’s important to you that they vote for Obama.

Think about their perspective. If they are Republican, or are concerned about Barack’s policies, think about where they are coming from and what makes them think the way that they do.

And they’ve produced a video to go with this outrageous effort:

Go over to LGF and see the rest.I refuse to link to the original on Obama's site. There, they have a form you can fill in to share your experience about the "talk with your parents."

UPDATE: And I almost missed this one at LGF. I am not going to excerpt it, but here's the title. Go here and read it for yourself.

Obama Robbing the Cradle for Votes

And if that isn't enough to get your blood pressure through the roof? Try this one on for size:

Obama Compared America to Nazi Germany

Politics | Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 5:10:01 pm PST

The audio recording of Barack Obama espousing his socialist philosophy of “redistribution of wealth” is all over the Internet and Fox News today (although most other media outlets are ignoring it), but there’s another disturbing section on that tape that has so far escaped notice.

The link to the audio is here: Chicago Public Radio - Audio Library: Odyssey.

At about 15:30, Obama compares what was going on in the United States during the time of Brown vs. the Board of Education to ... Nazi Germany. Yes, really. Here’s the quote:

“...just to take a, sort of a realist perspective...there’s a lot of change going on outside of the Court, um, that, that judges essentially have to take judicial notice of. I mean you’ve got World War II, you’ve got uh, uh, uh, the doctrines of Nazism, that, that we are fighting against, that start looking uncomfortably similar to what we have going on, back here at home.”

There you have it. America is close to electing a President who compares his own country to Nazi Germany.

(Hat tip: On the Mark.)

Also from Little Green Footballs, via Knee Deep in the Hooah!

Someone PLEASE make this insanity STOP!!!!!

*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

Update on Military Absentee Ballot Issues in VA

From Knee Deep in the Hooah! comes this:

...The good news to this story is the issues are being dealt with and it looks like the ballots will be counted after all.

I am pleased with what I read and it sounds like this group is not just counting on the problem being taken care of — they plan on following through and keeping a careful watch.

The following article excerpt is from The Atlantic:

…The problem is that the Fairfax County government had originally interpreted Virginia law to require all Federal Write-In Absentee ballots to have a witness’ signature, printed name and address on the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot. However, the underlying Virginia law only requires this witness signature, printed name and address if they are taking advantage of the special Virginia provision that allows the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot to ALSO serve as the absentee ballot application. Because that’s different from what the federal Voting Assistance Guide says, hundreds of Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots received to date were potentially going to be rejected....

Go read the rest here.

Every Day Heroes

Sgt. Montcalm





*Give me a BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Give me a U
Give me a TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Give me an C
Give me an HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

*triple toe flip backward somersault double forward tuck
triple cartwheel and a BIIIIIIIIIIIG forward splits*

Watch out for flying pom poms BUUUUUUUUTCH!

And I chose this hero today because:

"Every soldier is one of our own. Every soldier's family is OUR family."

And this is especially true for THIS Sgt, and THIS family....

Thank YOU - and your family - for YOUR service! Thank you from my heart.

*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

Military Prevented From Voting In Virginia

And the insanity continues. When I found this - on A Soldier's Perspective here, and From My Position....here, I almost couldn't believe it. But both those sites are active duty soldiers, so you KNOW they have it right. Read what they say, and then do what NEEDS to be done, NOW!:

Military Prevented From Voting In Virginia

October 22nd, 2008 by CJ

The Fairfax County Registrar—and possibly other Registrars in Virginia—is rejecting most Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots (FWAB) cast by our men and women in uniform.

The FWAB is a federally mandated write-in ballot that allows military servicemembers and their dependents to cast an absentee ballot when they have not received a ballot before the election. It is a safety net that allows a servicemember to vote even if the mail truck hasn't reached his or her remote base in Iraq or Afghanistan in time to cast a regular absentee ballot.

Why is the Fairfax Registrar rejecting these ballots? The Registrar states that the witness who signs the envelope containing the FWAB must include his or her address—but most of the ballots don't include the witness' address.

Virginia law does not require a witness address for any other type of absentee ballot. So, for example, a Virginia resident attending college out of state does not need to include her witness' address on her absentee ballot envelope. But the Fairfax County Registrar is holding servicemembers, including those currently defending their country in war zones, to a much more exacting standard, requiring the witnesses who sign their FWABs to include their address.

To make matters worse, the Federal form (SF-186A) that is used for the FWAB does not have a space for witnesses to include their address. And the Department of Defense's official Voting Assistance Guide, which it provides to servicemembers as an instruction manual for casting votes while overseas, does not tell servicemembers that they must include an address for their witness. The servicemember would thus have no way of knowing of this requirement.

Federal law does not allow this type of disparate treatment of servicemembers. The Uniform and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voter Act (UOCAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973ff-2, requires states to process FWABs "in the manner provided by law for absentee ballots in the State involved." (emphasis added). In other words, the FWAB must be treated like any other absentee ballot under state law and may not be subject to more restrictive requirements. Yet that is precisely what is being done here.

Express your feelings to the state directly:
Virginia State Board of Elections
Suite 101, 200 North 9th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-3485
Telephone: 804 864-8901 Toll Free: 800 552-9745 FAX: 804 371-0194

GO! NOW! This cannot stand. Thank you.

*cross-posted in all the usual places*

Marine Corps Marathon Forward

TEAM Iraq at the MCM Forward

Running in support of TAPS!

Last week I told you about the Marine Corps Marathon. See that story here.

This weekend will see thousands of runners - Marines, Marine families and friends - running to honour their fallen brothers and sisters in arms. One special team is team Eli, and Eli's family will be participating in the run raising money for TAPS.

TAPS team - Running for Eli
Parker family

What you may not know is that while the Run and Remember is taking place in the US, in Washington, thousands of miles away, Marines in Al Asad, Iraq will also be running.

These 150 servicemen and women are part of MCM Forward. This is the third year that the Marathon has been run in Iraq simultaneously with Washington:

More than 6,000 miles away from the start of the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) in Arlington, Virginia on October 26th, 2008, hundreds of service members and contractors will run to honor our fallen heroes - but they'll be doing it in the sands of Al-Anbar Province, Iraq. And there's a way for you to show your support for their service and help families of the fallen!

Their 26.2 mile test of endurance, known as the "MCM Forward," will honor service members from all service branches in Iraq and Afghanistan who have given their lives in service to our country. You can honor their commitment by contributing funds to help those left behind. We are asking the American public to pledge $1,000 per runner to honor their run and support TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

[here]

From TAPS official Press Release:

It's especially poignant and fitting that the first steps of the Marine Corps Marathon this year will be run in Iraq in memory of our fallen heroes," said Bonnie Carroll, founder and chairman of TAPS.

Funds raised by the runners in Iraq will support TAPS programs to help families losing loved ones who serve in the military, providing much needed support for Good Grief Camps for children, case management support services for grieving families and the quarterly magazine TAPS produces for surviving families...

They are unofficially dedicating this year's run to US Marine Corps Major Megan M. McClung. McClung promoted the Marine Corps Marathon Forward in 2006, and was killed in December 2006.

Running in memory of McClung is very important to the runners, say organizers. "Thanks to her witty and charming personality and dedication to mission and commitment to fitness challenges, we are able to continue this annual event here in Iraq in support of the service members who wish to challenge themselves and dedicate this race to our fallen heroes," said Nadeau. "I know she will be smiling at all the runners and volunteers as they take part in the event in Al Asad on October 26, 2008 to coincide with the stateside race."

More information about donating to support a runner participating in the Marine Corps Marathon Forward in Iraq is available on the TAPS website here.

Major Megan M. McClung (April 14, 1972– December 6, 2006) was the first female United States Marine Corps officer killed in combat during the Iraq War. Maj McClung was serving as a public affairs officer in Al Anbar Province, Iraq when she was killed. (source)

For those of us unable to be in Washington - or in Iraq - we can watch the Run live. The Marine Corps Marathon: The People's Marathon, can be followed every step of the way. On their site, they have full instructions and links to lead you to the action. That is here: MCM

There will be approximately 30,000 runners in Washington this weekend. Through the miracles of modern technology, we CAN cheer on all the amazing runners in this 33rd Marine Corps Marathon - TAPS Run and Remember - from anywhere in the world.

Semper Fi, Marines.

Be sure and read below for stories of a few of the special runners in Marine Corps Marathon.

Brat

Marine Corps Marathon - Special Runners

Some of the TAPS runners include:

Sixteen-year-old Katrina Wert, lost her father, US Marine Corps Master Sergeant Michael Wert, when he drowned while saving two boys at a North Carolina beach. Katrina helped her father in the water rescue, hauling the boogie board for the two boys who nearly drowned. Master Sergeant Wert was an intelligence chief for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point and had served in Operation Desert Storm and supported Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following his death, Katrina, an avid cross country runner, gave up her sport. But after hearing about the TAPS team in the Marine Corps Marathon, she decided to run to honor the memory of her father. Her younger brother, Michael, age 8, will honor their dad in the Healthy Kids Fun Run.

Jaime Boris will run the Marine Corps Marathon this year only weeks before the first anniversary of her husband's death in Afghanistan. US Army Captain David Boris, was killed with his gunner, Sgt. Adrian Hike, when an IED exploded on November 12, 2007.. Jaime wrote: "I am running to honor Dave and Adrian and to fulfill the plan that Dave and I had to run the Marine Corps Marathon together. Dave was not only my husband and my best friend; he was also my favorite running partner. I ran my first marathon, the 2004 Marine Corps Marathon, while he was deployed to Iraq. After he returned, we trained for and ran two marathons together (Berlin 2005 and Vienna 2006) and planned to run the MCM together after we moved back to the US from Germany. This October 26th I know he will be with me for all 26.2 miles as our friends and I run for TAPS in his honor."

When Renny Parker ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 2006 for the very first time, it was only months after the death of his son, US Marine Corps Sergeant Eli Parker, who was killed while conducting combat operations in Iraq. Renny ran again in 2007, and now has recruited nine of Eli's friends and family members to run with him. His wife Donna is also running the 10K at the Marine Corps Marathon this year. Renny wrote, "I live in central New York and I'm running the marathon in memory of my son, Marine Sgt. Elisha Parker, who was killed in Iraq on May 4, 2006. I also run and remember those close to Eli who gave their lives in Iraq: Cpl. Tyler Fey, LCpl. Robert Moscillo, Cp. Stephen Bixler, and others."

Xiomara Hall's husband left for Iraq in February 2008, leaving her at home with their four children. Then in March she received the knock on the door that every military family dreads, and found out that the love of her life, US Marine Corps Lt. Col. William G. Hall, had been killed in combat operations. Xiomara will run her first marathon at the Marine Corps Marathon and has organized an entire team of friends and family members to run alongside her for TAPS as Team Semper Fi. Their daughter, Tatianna, age 7, will run the Healthy Kids Fun Run in memory of her dad.

Mark Hurst (bib #25,226) is running in memory of Captain Eric "Boot" Das, who was killed in action in 2003 while flying an F15-E over Iraq. Hurst was part of the ground team send to recover his remains from the failed mission. He and his family have become close with Das' widow, Captain Nicole Das. During a deployment in Afghanistan in May 2004, Hurst was wounded in action and would later lose an eye.

Amanda Dodson of Anchorage, Alaska, will run the Marine Corps Marathon with the helping words of her father and running partner, Gary Dodson, alongside. They're running in memory of Amanda's fiancé, US Army Corporal Jason Corbett, who died in Karmah, Iraq on January 15, 2007 while attempting to help a foot patrol from his platoon under enemy fire. Amanda writes, "Jason was an active athlete and outdoorsman. As much as Jason enjoyed running, participating in this marathon is a wonderful way to honor him." On her run, she will carry a photo he gave her before deploying.

The TAPS "Run and Remember" team began with one runner. In 1996, Marie Campbell lost her husband, US Air Force Sergeant Dee "Soup" Campbell, when a terrorist truck bomb exploded at the Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and took the lives of 19 air men. "TAPS helped me so much in those early years, and I ran the Marine Corps Marathon as part of my own healing," said Marie Campbell.

"Now I do this to give back to others who need grief and recovery support, so TAPS can continue to support the many surviving families who've lost someone serving in the military and are walking the road I once walked down," said Campbell. Today, Campbell is the director of the TAPS "Run and Remember" team, and organizes a 3-day event for the TAPS team. She'll be running her 8th marathon this year.

*Cross-posting in all the usual places including NewsBlaze here ..;)*

Brat

Quote of the Day?

From Family Security Matters here:

October 24, 2008

Quote of the Day – Friday October 24

FSM: Quote of the Day

"I think [Sarah] Palin will continue to be underestimated for a while. I watched the way she connected with people, and she's powerful. Her politics aren't my politics. But you can see that she's a very powerful, very disciplined, incredibly gracious woman. This was her first time out and she's had a huge impact. People connect to her."

Lorne Michaels

Executive Producer, Saturday Night Live

Just sayin' ;)

B*N*S*N1

AFP/Graphic


The following came to me via CJ, and it should be read fully and understood. I am copying it in it's entirety here since I believe this IS what the mission in Iraq is all about. Now, more than ever, I believe it is important that ALL American voters understand the progress that has been made in Iraq:

Two-Thirds Of Iraq's Provinces Now Under Iraqi Control

"Earlier Today, In Yet Another Sign Of Security Improvements In Iraq, Primary Security Was Turned Back Over To The Iraqis In The Province Of Babil … South Of Baghdad And Home To The Ruins Of The Ancient City Of Babylon … It Becomes The 12th Of 18 Provinces To Take A Lead For Its Security Operations In Iraq."

– White House Press Secretary Dana Perino

Watch Bill Hemmer's Report:

Associated Press: "The U.S. relinquished control of a southern province that includes Sunni areas once known as the 'triangle of death,' handing security responsibility to the Iraqi government on Thursday."

• "Babil is the 12th of 18 Iraqi provinces to be handed over and a sign of the improving security. U.S. forces will remain in the area to assist the Iraqis when needed."

• "At a transfer ceremony held near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq, said security gains have been remarkable – with the number of attacks falling about 80 percent from an average of 20 per week a year ago. But he cautioned that 'while the enemies of Iraq are down, they are not necessarily defeated."

• "With Babil's handover to the Iraqi government, the only province left under U.S. control in southern Iraq is Wasit, a rural desert region that borders Iran and has been a conduit for the smuggling of foreign fighters and weapons into Iraq."

• "Salim al-Musilmawi, Babil's provincial governor, credited tribal leaders and Sunnis who turned against al-Qaida in Iraq in a U.S.-funded revolt with the downturn in violence."

• "Today's security handover is the fruit of the victory over al-Qaida,' he said." (Bradley Klapper, "US Turns Over Control Of 12th Iraqi Province," Associated Press, 10/23/08)

Ambassador Crocker and General Odierno: "The United States Embassy – Iraq and Multi-National Force-Iraq welcome the transfer of security in Babil Province to Iraqi responsibility as a positive step on the path to Iraq's self-reliance.

Babil is the twelfth province to be transferred to Iraqi security responsibility. The first province transferred to Government of Iraqi security control was Muthanna in July 2006, followed by Dhi Qar, An Najaf, Maysan, Irbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dahuk, Karbala, Basrah, Qadisiyah, and most recently Anbar in September 2008.

The achievement in Babil Province means that now fully two-thirds of Iraq's provinces have assumed security responsibility.

Iraqi Security Forces in Babil have been operating independently for the past several months. Working with local government and military officials, they have demonstrated their readiness to assume responsibility for the provincial security of Babil. Today this responsibility is theirs.

The transition of responsibility for security in Babil Province is an important step. The provincial and military leadership in Babil will have to work cooperatively in order to maintain the security necessary for long-term economic prosperity. We will assist as needed. The United States Embassy and Multi-National Force-Iraq congratulate the Government of Iraq on this important milestone." (Joint Statement by Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and General Raymond Odierno, Press Release, 10/23/08)

Background:

Babil is the twelfth province to achieve Provincial Iraqi Control.

Transition Overview:

In June 2005, Iraq's Prime Minister announced a joint decision between the Iraqi government and Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF-I) to systematically hand over security responsibility in Iraq's 18 provinces to the Provincial Civil Authorities under the control of the province's governor. The responsibility for security in each province will become that of the Local and National Iraqi Police Service (IPS), the Iraqi Army (IA), and elements of the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Ministry of Interior (MOI).

The Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility (JCTSR), comprised of Iraqi, MNF-I and Embassy representatives, was commissioned in July 2005 to develop a set of conditions assessing the readiness of each province for Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC).

The Selection Process:

The selection of a province for transfer of sovereignty is based on an exhaustive examination of criteria:

• The perceived Security Threat Level

• The ability of the Iraqi Security Forces to accept the responsibility for maintaining security

• The proficiency of the Provincial Governor in managing security enforcement matters

• The ability of the Multi National Force - Iraq to react to any request from the Prime Minister of Iraq for assistance with the maintenance of security, should such a request be received.

• 
  

Thanks CJ!

B*N*S*N2

Debbie Kilpatrick, a former member of the Women's Arrmy Corps and now an environmental protection specialist at Fort Lee, Va., looks through the history of the WAC at the U.S. Army Women's Museum at Fort Lee. Photo by Amy Perry

File under: I didn't know this:

Army observes 30th anniversary of integrating WACs

Oct 20, 2008
BY Melissa K. Wiford

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 20, 2008) -- Thirty years ago, on Oct. 20, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed Public Law 95-485 disbanding the Women's Army Corps as a separate corps within the United States Army following 36 years of dedicated service.

Beginning today and until mid November, the Army will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the full integration of women into the regular Army, said Lt. Col. Mike Moose, spokesperson for the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, G-1. He said the G-1 is looking for former members of the Womens Army Corps who might like to share their stories and memories with both internal and external audiences.

Originally established as the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, or WAAC by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, the WAC went through many different organizational statuses throughout its history...

There is lots more here.

And there is more, on the links on that page:

WAAC Recruiting Poster

Photo by Army Heritage Museum
October 20, 2008

Womens Auxiliary Army Corps Recruiting Poster in the Army Heritage Museum Poster Collection at Carlisle Barracks, Pa. (here)

Go check it out.

B*N*S*N3

Iraqi Police demonstrate room-clearing techniques as part of the Iraqi Police graduation ceremony at the Provincial Directorate of Police headquarters in Baghdad, Oct. 21, 2008. Photo by Sgt. Daniel Blottenberger, 18th Military Police Brigade.

Iraqi Police Media Relations Graduates Will Tell the IP Story

Thursday, 23 October 2008

BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s top Iraqi Police (IP) officials and members of Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s 18th Military Police Brigades’ Provincial Police Transition Team (PPTT) gathered at the Iraqi Directorate of Police headquarters Oct. 20 to witness the graduation of 401 new Iraqi Police Media Relations Officers.

“The IPs will be assigned at every IP facility throughout Baghdad to work with the community and the media to help improve the public perception of the IP at the local level,” said Maj. Larry Dewey, 18th MP Bde.’s PPTT chief.

The graduates’ mission will be to tell the story of the IP to the citizens of Baghdad.

“This is a great opportunity for IP to tell their story,” said Lt. Col. Michael Indovina, who is the 18th MP Bde.’s public affairs officer and works with the Iraqi Directorate of Police public affairs officer to develop the IP public affairs program.

“The IP are doing great work over here,” said Indovina, a native of Parma, Ohio. “They are making great strides to improve the security in Baghdad. With the new IP media personnel, they will now be given the opportunity to tell their story from their perspective.”...

Go read the rest of this B*N*S*N here.

B*N*S*N4

On the Ball

Cpt. Olivera Rodriguez of the the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, gets in a little soccer practice with the local youth and adults during a pickup soccer game Saturday in the Ad Dujayl area. The 2-320 FAR, provided security while local children and adults participated in pickup soccer games to help strengthen the relationships between coalition forces and Muslims in the area. Photo by Spc. Michael Behlin.

Gayle Williams: Killed by the Religion of Peace

Gayle Williams

Take a look at this face. Tell me that what you see in those eyes is so threatening that she needs to be killed. This aid worker, Gayle Williams, was killed by gunmen in Kabul who claim she had to die:

...a spokesman for the insurgent group, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed his militia had carried out the assassination.

"We killed her because she was working for an organization which was preaching Christianity in Afghanistan," he said. ( National Post here)

Gayle Williams worked among the poor and disabled in Afghanistan for almost three years. THAT was her crime, according to the merchants of death. Up until I saw the story of her murder on a website, I had never heard of Ms. Williams....

You can find the rest of this story on NewsBlaze here, and go over to Wake Up America and check out the comments on THIS post. . Someone who knew Gayle very well has shared some of her with us all.

Thank you, Edwin de Lange.

Brat

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. Carlton A. Clark
22 years old from South Royalton, Vermont
2nd Brigade Troop Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
August 06, 2006


Sgt. Carlton Clark graduated from South Royalton High School in 2002. While in high school, he was co-captain of his soccer team and a member of the track and field and basketball teams. He graduated from basic combat training and advanced individual training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. in 2002 and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. as a combat engineer. He was air assault qualified and deployed during the initial wave of Operation Iraqi Freedom for one year. He was subsequently assigned to West Point to train cadets. He re-enlisted and was deployed for a second tour of duty in Iraq. He earned a Purple Heart, an Army Commendation Medal with Valor, a Bronze Star Medal and was posthumously awarded a second Purple Heart.

Sgt. Clark was killed in action when an IED detonated near his Humvee while conducting combat operations in Baghdad. Also killed in the attack were Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Seale and Cpl. Jose Zamora.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Day by Day for today - 'Nuff said!!!

I have long been a fan of Day by Day and when I found today's, I just had to share it with all of you:



Chris does say to link back to him, but since I am a tech moron, I will just give you the link here. Sorry, Chris!

Thanks for saying in a few words what the rest of us have taken miles of space to say...:)

2008 Run and Remember - for Team Eli

2008 Marine Corp Marathon, TAPS team



The Marine Corp Marathon:
the beginning
www.marinemarathon.com

It is that time of year when "The People's Marathon" is run to raise money for worthy Marine-related causes. Started from the idea of one man, the Marine Corp Marathon has grown annually. From that first run in 1976 when 1,175 runners participated on November 7, now the run attracts many teams, honouring specific Marines, and causes.

Team Eli is honoring Eli Parker and raising money for the TAPS program. TAPS is the "Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors." Not that I am biased, but this program does fantastic work across the US in support of the families of our fallen heroes. Eli's parent know well what it means to survive and honour a fallen hero.

TAPS team - Running for Eli Parker family

For this story I did research Eli, and what I found is more than I can share here. There is much to know about this precious son of Donna and Renny.

If it is true that one picture says a thousand words, I found two that maybe come close to the essence of Eli.:

A glimpse of the future Marine?
Eli Parker, Photo: Parker family
Semper Fi, Parker family

And now his family is running in the Marine Corps Marathon in Eli's name - and to honour sons like Patrick Tainsh, too - to raise money for a cause close to their hearts: TAPS....

Read the rest at NewsBlaze here.

*Cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

Every Day Heroes

Meet Staff Sgt. Jo Turner AND Spc. Cheryl Ivanov:

The Story:

When Staff Sgt. Turner and Spc. Ivanov first deployed to Afghanistan as combat medics attached to an Afghan National Army (ANA) brigade, they had a hard time earning respect -- especially from Afghan soldiers, who had never seen women in combat before. Yet all that changed as they proved themselves time and again during high-risk missions and during life-saving operations in the midst of battle.

During one patrol, Kandak soldiers were ambushed by insurgents; without hesitation, Turner, who was driving a Humvee for embedded trainers, drove her vehicle directly into the firefight while another soldier manned the weapon in the turret and helped cut off the enemy’s direct line of fire. In another incident, the team responded to an attack on a nearby Kuchi camp. Upon arrival, they saw that instead of hitting the intended American base, insurgents had hit the camp instead, wounding and killing several civilians. Turner and Ivanov quickly began providing medical care to the civilians despite the rockets still crashing down in the area.

Besides providing medical support for the ANA, Afghan police, and U.S. personnel during missions, Turner and Ivanov serve as mentors to ANA healthcare providers and conduct classes for Kandak medics. They also serve in a humanitarian role by coordinating medical assistance for Afghans in nearby villages - an opportunity to make friends with locals and gather intelligence, which has led to actionable information. Ivanov and Turner have both earned Combat Medical Badges for their work under fire. ( here and here)

And in a National Guard story:

Oregon Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jo Turner (left) and Spc. Cheryl Ivanov are battle buddies who stick together and help each other cope with the emotional and mental stress of combat operations in Afghanistan. (Photo by 1st Lt. Amanda Straub, 41st Brigade Combat Team)

Breaking gender barriers in war:

Female combat medics earn respect from Afghan Army

By 1st Lt. Amanda Straub
41st Brigade Combat Team

GARDEZ, Afghanistan (1/26/2007) – Oregon Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jo Turner, and Spc. Cheryl Ivanov have found a niche in a "Good Ol’ Boys’ Club" while serving in Afghanistan.

Turner, from Springfield, Ore., and Ivanov, from Coos Bay, are female combat medics deployed with Oregon’s 41st Brigade Combat Team. They are attached to the Afghan National Army’s (ANA) 3rd Infantry Kandak, 1st Brigade, 203rd Corps. They provide medical support during missions.

Both women have earned Combat Medical Badges because of their work under fire. They drive armored Humvees for the embedded trainers assigned to the 3rd Kandak during patrols and provide medical support to the ANA, Afghan police, U.S. military personnel and civilians.

Turner and Ivanov also mentor ANA healthcare providers and conduct classes for Kandak medics. They say that because they are women, it was a challenge to earn the respect as an embedded trainer among the Afghan soldiers....

This really IS a great write-up, and you can find the rest on these two Every Day Heroes here.

Thank YOU, Staff Sgt. Turner and Spc. Ivanov for your service.

Honor and Remember: Sign the Petition

Published by Honor and Remember, Inc., The Dispatch is devoted to keeping you informed about milestones, events and stories associated with the Honor and Remember Flag Campaign.

OUR MISSION: Create, establish and promote a nationally recognized flag that would fly continuously as a visible reminder to people and nations, specifically for all lives lost in defense of our established freedoms.
www.honorandremember.org/mission.html





Excerpt from the latest Dispatch:

Petition Results


As of the publication of this newsletter, there are well over 7000 total petition signatures. The numbers continue to grow consistently, and we are proud of the response of so many in support. If you haven't signed the petition, please follow the link now. And if you can spread the word to your friends and relatives, you will help us build the groundswell we need to accomplish our mission: 1.6 million names.

www.honorandremember.org/petition.html

You may regularly check results at www.honorandremember.org/petitiondonate.htmlAny column can be sorted by clicking on the top headings. Support the Cause

As mentioned previously, we continue presenting personalized flags in fulfillment of our charitable goals. Flags are being donated by veterans organizations, businesses and individuals. Ceremony's this month will include the USS Cole families in Norfolk, VA and 3 mothers at a film premier in Washington state. http://thecorporalsdiary.com

Currently, we have more than 50 specific requests for flags from Gold Star mothers and almost 400 more yet to be contacted in just two state Gold Star groups. With the addition of the American Gold Star Mothers, there are literally thousands more parents that we need to locate and present with the Honor and Remember Flag throughout the nation. This mission is daunting. But it can and will be accomplished.

Please consider making a Contribution personally or through your business, organization, CFC or United way. Also, please note that local veteran chapters and branches are raising funds for specific Gold Star mothers in their communities.

There are many expenses related to conducting this national campaign. Any support you can give is essential. If you would like to contribute to the mission of Honor and Remember, to establish a nationally recognized flag that honors lives lost in military service to America, and provide flags for parents, please click on the following link.
www.honorandremember.org/donate.html

Additionally, corporate sponsors who support our troops are needed in order to launch a full-time effort to spread the word and provide flags to Gold Star families. If you know of a business or organization that might consider becoming a benefactor or sponsor, please contact george@honorandremember.org

How Can I Help?


One important area previously mentioned is to let your congressional representatives know about H.R. 7111 and the importance of supporting it. Below is a sample message you can copy and send:

https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

"I am writing to urge your support for H. R. 7111, recently introduced in Congress by Rep. Thelma Drake and Rep. Randy Forbes, to establish the "Honor and Remember" flag as a national symbol of the 1.6 million Americans who have given their lives in service to our country since its founding in 1776.

In the 232 years of our national history, brave men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice in wars and conflicts as members of the United States military. Yet there is no tangible, national symbol by which we honor these heroes specifically, nothing to remind us daily that they should not be forgotten, nothing to say "thank you."

Therefore, I ask you to vote in favor of Rep. Drake's bill and help establish a permanent and visible reminder for all Americans that "Freedom is Never Free." Thank you.


Flags For Christmas:
Just a note to let you know that hand sewing personalized flags takes three to four weeks. If you have given any thought to buying flags for yourself or someone you know for Christmas, you may want to order soon. The cut off for receiving flag orders to be delivered in time for Christmas will be November 30th. Other items, unless we run out fast, will have a cut off of December 15th.

We ask that you fly the Honor and Remember Flag at your home, church, business, organization or on your car or motorcycle. There are other ways to show support, such as T-shirts, hats, magnets, stickers and more.

Our flags and many other items are available now for purchase at our website:
www.honorandremember.org/catalog.html

Thank you all for your support!
PLEASE FORWARD THIS IMPORTANT UPDATE TO AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE.

Please GO and SIGN THE PETITION!!!!!!!

Soar, hero, soar!

Stephen Fortunato, 25 Photo Courtesy of the Fortunato Family.



One of our own has given his all for the country and mission he loved.

From Wake Up America here:

Friday, October 17, 2008

Stephen Fortunato, Killed Tuesday in Afghanistan, Tells Why He Served

H/T to MM, she asked that people spread this far and wide and after reading it, I agree.....everyone needs to read it.

This was a blog entry on Army Specialist Stephen Fortunato's blog, dated Aug. 30, 2008, and was sent to the Globe by his mother, Elizabeth "Betty" Crawford.

From Boston Globe:

If I may …

I'd like to say something....Just to get it out there so it is clear.
To all the pampered and protected Americans who feel it is their duty to inform me that I am not fighting for their freedom, and that i am a pawn in Bush's agenda of greed and oil acquisition: Noted, and [expletive deleted] You.

I am not a robot. i am not blind or ignorant to the state of the world or the implications of the "war on terrorism." i know that our leaders have made mistakes in the handling of a very sensitive situation, but do not for one second think that you can make me lose faith in what we, meaning America's sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers in uniform are doing.

I am doing my part in fighting a very real enemy of the United States, i.e. Taliban, Al Qaida, and various other radical sects of Islam that have declared war on our way of life. Unless you believe the events of 9/11 were the result of a government conspiracy, which by the way would make you a MORON, there is no reasonable argument you can make against there being a true and dangerous threat that needs to be dealt with. i don't care if there are corporations leaching off the war effort to make money, and i don't care if you don't think our freedom within America's borders is actually at stake. i just want to kill those who would harm my family and friends. it is that simple. Even if this is just a war for profit or to assert America's power, so what? Someone has to be on top and I want it to be us. There's nothing wrong with wishing prosperity for your side.

I am a proud American. i believe that my country allows me to live my life more or less however i want to, and believe me, i have seen what the alternative of that looks like. i also believe that our big scary government does way more than it has to to help complete [expletive deleted]-ups get back on their feet, a stark comparison to places where leaders just line their own pockets with gold while allowing the people who gave them their power and privilage to starve. I have chosen my corner. I back my country, and am proud to defend it against aggressors. Also, if you dare accuse us of being inhumane, or overly aggressive because we have rolled into someone else's country and blown some [expletive deleted] up and shot some people, let me remind you of just how inhumane we COULD be in defending ourselves. Let me remind you that we have a warhead that drops multiple bomblets from the stratosphere which upon impact, would turn all the sand in Iraq to glass, and reduce every living thing there to dust. Do we use it? No. Instead we use the most humane weapon ever devised: the American soldier. We send our bravest (and perhaps admitably craziest) men and women into enemy territory, into harms way, to root out those whom we are after and do our best to leave innocent lives unscathed.

...One last thing...a proposal. i know it has been stated time and time again but i just think it is worthy of reiteration. If you find yourself completely disgusted with the way America is being ran, and how we handle things on the global stage, you can leave. Isn't that amazing? No one will stop you! If you are an anarchist, there are places you can go where there is no government to tell you anything. That's right...you are left solely to your own devices and you can handle the men who show up at your door with AKs in any way that you see fit. Just don't try good old American debate tactics on them because you will most likely end up bound and blind-folded, to have your head chopped off on the internet so your parents can see it. However if you insist on staying here and taking advantage of privilages such as free speach and WIC, keep the counter-productive [expletive deleted] to a minimum while the grown ups figure out how to handle this god-awful mess in the middle east....

There is an article in the Boston Herald here:

Grandma and Beverly mourn loss of fallen army hero

By Laurel J. Sweet
Friday, October 17, 2008

When fallen Army Spec. Stephen Fortunato was home on leave to the North Shore last month, his loved ones, never suspecting it was for the last time, proudly took their marching orders.

Grandmother Veronica “Nona” Fortunato, 82, of Beverly fulfilled every request for homemade chicken soup, eggplant Parmesan and banana cream pie, while mother-in-law Dorinda Favaloro of Gloucester tackled spaghetti and meatballs and turkey.

“He was so sure everything was going to be all right,” Fortunato said through tears yesterday as news spread that her 25-year-old grandson, a Humvee gunner with the Army’s 26th Infantry Regiment, had been killed by a roadside bomb Monday in Afghanistan.

It was the first day back on patrol for the husband of 22-year-old Sherri Fortunato of Manchester-by-the-Sea.

“I said, ‘Now Stephen, don’t be a hero. Just take care and come back,’ ” recalled his grandmother, who last saw him Sept. 25. “He said, ‘Nona, don’t worry. We’re so well-trained.’ And God love him, he ended up getting killed.”

Stephen Fortunato, the oldest of three sons born to Betty Crawford, 56, of Beverly, was the great-nephew of late Beverly mayor Peter Fortunato.

His grandmother said the 2002 graduate of Beverly High, who enlisted when he was 21, planned to return to school, possibly to design video games.

“He was my love,” she said.“I think Stephen would say, ‘Just go on with your life and remember me.’ He wouldn’t want us to be sad. He willingly went to fight.”

Stephen Fortunato was the first Beverly serviceman killed in action since 1969, during the Vietnam War.

Beverly Veterans Agent Jerome Giulebbe Jr. said calls poured into his office yesterday by the dozens.

“The outpouring in this community will be incredible,” Giulebbe said. “I know it will.”

Favaloro, 49, said her son-in-law loved animals, especially his pet python.

“We’re very proud of him,” she said. “He’d light your heart up.”

Rest in peace, hero, rest in peace. Prayers for all who love this special man.

"Every soldier IS one of our own. Every soldier's family IS our family."

Oh, Canada!

$290million and no change!
media file picture

Canada's third election in four years is over - except for the weeping and wailing. The "winners" have been congratulated and the "losers" have given gracious concession speeches (sometimes!)

Really, though, the BIG loser from this election is Canada. Despite over $290 million spent on this 40th election - that saw the 10th minority government in Canada's history elected - voter turnout was the lowest in the nation's history. That is a sad commentary. Of course, many streeter interviews were conducted with "average" Canadians as to why they didn't vote, and the prevailing reason seemed to be: "Why bother?" Why, indeed. Stephen Harper and his Conservatives had been waging a negative ad campaign on a newly-minted leader, Stephane Dion of the Liberal party, from the moment he was chosen as leader, way before any election was called. ...

Read the rest here at NewsBlaze for MY insights.


*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita of course!*

B*N*S*N1

Marine Father, Army Son Reunite in Iraq

Thursday, 16 October 2008

AL ASAD AIR BASE — In a line of Marines from Team Tank, Regimental Combat Team 1, one man stood out in his gray digital uniform as he participated in a combat-marksmanship program shoot.

Army Sgt. Shane M. White, 22, an information systems specialist with 4th Psychological Operations Group, based in Fallujah, was participating in the shoot with the Marines at the invitation of their company first sergeant, 1st Sgt. Joseph C. Gray, who also happens to be White’s father.

The Soldier and his Marine dad reunited here for three days. It was the first time in more than a year that they’d seen each other.

“The last time I saw my son was last September, for one day, at his wedding,” said Gray, who has been in Iraq since April on his second deployment here....

My regular readers know that for me it is ALL about family. Go read the rest of this B*N*S*N story here.

B*N*S*N2

Baghdad

Thursday, 16 October 2008 MND-B Soldiers seize weapons caches north of Baghdad

Multi-National Corps – Iraq Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory APO AE 09342 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RELEASE No. 20081016-22 Oct. 16, 2008 MND-B Soldiers seize weapons caches north of Baghdad Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO BAGHDAD – A tip led Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers to a weapons cache north of Baghdad Oct. 16. Acting on a tip from a local shaykh, Soldiers serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, seized six cans of 14.5 mm ammunition, a rocket propelled grenade launcher, an RPG rocket, a 155 mm projectile round, an Iraqi hand grenade, a bag of sulfur and a bag of sodium carbonate near Joint Security Station Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad, at approximately 10:30 a.m. An explosive ordnance team took the munitions to Camp Taji for disposal. -30- (source)

B*N*S*N3

Air traffic control tower at Basrah International Airport
[Picture: Cpl Rob Knight, RLC]

Building Basra's air traffic control capability

A Military Operations news article

16 Oct 08

RAF personnel no longer exclusively operate Basra's air traffic control tower. In the fourth of our special features from southern Iraq we see how, with the RAF's help, Iraqi air traffic controllers have been developing their skills to the point where they are now landing British and American military aircraft on their own. Report by Danny Chapman.

Handing over Basrah International Airport to full Iraqi control is one of the main objectives that the current General Officer Commanding Multi National Division (South East) Iraq, Major General Andy Salmon, has been tasked with for his six month tenure. A key aspect of that objective is handing over full control of the airport's air traffic control tower.

Since 2004 the airport has been operated as a combined military and civilian facility. Commercial flights re-commenced at Basrah International Airport (BIA) that year, and the importance of the airport in enabling the economic development of southern Iraq is crucial....

Very interesting article which you can read here.

Lots of other interesting 'stuff' on that same page, too!

B*N*S*N4

Governor of Salah ad Din Province, Hamad Hamood Shekti, and other local Iraqi leaders and coalition forces make it official at the Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone, host nation business center ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 7, at Joint Base Balad. Photo by Spc. Charlotte Martinez

Iraqi-based Industrial Zone opens two new facilities in Balad

Oct 11, 2008

BY 3rd Sustainment Command Public Affairs

"There's an excitement here... and that's exactly what we need."

That is the message sent to coalition forces, local Iraqi government and business owners, and Iraqi press representatives by Brig. Gen. Nicholas Matern, Deputy Commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, near the end of a much anticipated media day at Joint Base Balad. The Canadian flag officer thanked Soldiers and Airmen supporting local Iraqi government and business leaders forge new economic opportunities.

That is the message sent to coalition forces, local Iraqi government and business owners, and Iraqi press representatives by Brig. Gen. Nicholas Matern, Deputy Commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, near the end of a much anticipated media day at Joint Base Balad. The Canadian flag officer thanked Soldiers and Airmen supporting local Iraqi government and business leaders forge new economic opportunities.

Matern, along with other high-ranking coalition officials, made the trip to JBB to attend ceremonies celebrating the opening of two new facilities: an Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone asphalt plant and a business center to respond to administrative needs of local Iraqi businesses.

The IBIZ asphalt facility will provide employment for a number of Iraqis, particularly members of the Sons of Iraq that are standing down in wake of security gains. The manufacturing and paving crews will be able to provide profoundly needed services for local Iraqi infrastructure projects as well the installation....

Read more here.

Success of the Surge

Just the facts, ma'am - courtesy of CJ:

Today, President Bush received an update from Iraq Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) leaders and Brigade Combat Team (BCT) Commanders on the important progress they are making in communities around Iraq. The President spoke to representatives from PRTs and BCTs in Ninewa, Maysan, and Sadr City. PRTs have been a key element of the surge strategy for Iraq announced by the President in January 2007. They are made up of hundreds of personnel from the State Department, USAID, the Departments of Justice and Agriculture, Coalition forces, and others. They are working to further secure military gains by helping Iraq achieve economic and political stabilization.

PRTs Have Seen Significant Success Working With Local Government Officials

Ø Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team has contributed to the following results:

• Securing funding for 39 reconstruction projects that will employ 6,000 young Iraqis and distribute 200 metric tons of wheat seed to struggling famers in drought-afflicted areas in the province.
• Increasing coordination with the Iraqi Government and their local counterparts on reconstruction.
• Working with the Iraqi Government to place new judges willing to convict terrorists in the province.

Ø Maysan Provincial Reconstruction Team has contributed to the following results:

• Distributing food and clothing to more than 1,000 of the province's poorest citizens during Ramadan this year.
• Obtaining furniture and equipment for two secondary schools and supplied Maysan University with a computer lab, internet, and donated books for students.
• Continuing to encourage reconciliation with tribal leaders and government officials.

Ø Sadr City Provincial Reconstruction Team has contributed to the following results:

• Partnering with local leaders to provide 265,000 school uniforms and backpacks for students – an initiative that is also helping local community businesses grow.
• Rehabilitating four health clinics, supporting youth soccer leagues, and helping support a women's clinic that provides medical assistance, education, and domestic violence counseling.

The Government Of Iraq Has Taken Over Reconstruction And Is Working To Respond To The Needs Of The Iraqi People

Ø Since 2003, the Government of Iraq has appropriated $85 billion for reconstruction and security costs, as compared to $50 billion by the United States. The United States has not appropriated any funds for major reconstruction since 2005.

The Iraqi Government continues to increase its budgets across the board – a base budget followed by a supplemental passed in August of this year brought the total to $72 billion, a substantial increase from 2007's $41 billion.

• The Iraqi Government's budget execution has picked up in 2008 – the total government expenditure through June 2008 was $19 billion, compared to $10 billion through the same period last year.

• The Government of Iraq recently took over responsibility for paying the salaries of approximately 51,000 Sons of Iraq serving in the Baghdad area. Iraq's security ministries are paying for more than 80 percent of the annual cost of the Iraqi military and police under the 2008 budget.

Iraqi Leaders Are Working Together And Making Further Progress On Political Reconciliation

While security gains remain fragile, the Iraqi government is making political progress. The Council of Representatives has passed several major pieces of legislation, including a pension law, De-Ba'athification reform, an amnesty law, and a provincial powers law. Neighboring countries have begun restoring diplomatic relations with Iraq – a true sign of the country's increasing reintegration into the region.

Ø Iraq's Parliament passed a Provincial Elections Law, enabling Iraq to hold provincial elections by January 31, 2009. Elections in Iraq can now be held under a new system that will give Iraqis more say in choosing their elected representatives.

• The national government is sharing oil revenues with provinces despite the absence of a hydrocarbon and revenue-sharing law.

Ø Iraq's neighbors are reestablishing diplomatic relations – Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Bahrain, Syria, Jordan, and the League of Arab States have all named ambassadors to Iraq. The U.A.E. became the first Arab nation to post its ambassador to Baghdad and give Iraq 100 percent debt relief of approximately $7 billion.

Ø Regional leaders are traveling to Iraq to pursue productive dialogue – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, King Abdullah of Jordan, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed have all visited Baghdad.

Iraqi Security Forces' Capacity Continues To Improve As Security Incidents In Iraq Remain At Their Lowest Levels Since Early 2004

Ø Successful operations led by Iraqi Security Forces in Basrah, Mosul, and Sadr City to take on Al Qaeda in Iraq have helped improve security in cities once plagued by insurgents.

• High profile attacks have decreased by 70 percent in Iraq, ethno-sectarian violence across Iraq has gone down 96 percent, and civilian causalities have gone down 76 percent since this time last year.

• Return on Success continues: All five surge brigade combat teams, two Marine battalions, a Marine Expeditionary Unit, and many of our coalition partners have left Iraq to return home – made possible by the sustained security gains we have seen in Iraq.

Participants in today's meeting included:

• Ted Andrews, PRT Team Leader, e-PRT Baghdad, and Col. John Holt, 3rd BCT, 4th ID, Sadr City
• Dan Foote, PRT Team Leader, and Col. Phil Battaglia, 4th BCT, 1st Cavalry Division, Maysan Province
• Alex Laskaris, PRT Team Leader, and Lt. Col. Robert Molinari, XO of 3rd ACR, Ninewa Province

• 
  

Now, that's change you CAN believe in!

Brat

File under: A for arrogance!

Have you wondered where Michelle O has been lately? She has been busy whipping the world media into shape. Now, understand this: by even writing those words, in Mrs O's books, I join the rest of the evil bloggers, etc etc..blah blah. I found a report on Canada Free Press today that should give us ALL cause for concern. This is Michelle unhinged, and not even bothering to pretend that your vote on November 4th matters. Wake UP America. Show this nasty piece of work that your vote DOES matter, and that you will not go quietly, as she and her husband try to pervert the path of true democracy. Read on:

Truth finally out?

According to Michelle Obama, the fix is already in

By Judi McLeod Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Like editors the world over used to admonish reporters at deadline: “Your lead is buried down copy”, the lead in African Press International’s (API’s) “Mrs. Obama decides enough is enough” comes well down copy:

“My husband and I know that there is no law that will stop him from becoming the president, just because some American white racists are bringing up the issue of my husband’s adoption by his step father.” (Emphasis added).

In other words, according to the overzealous, you’re-all-racists wife of candidate for presidency Barack Hussein Obama, the fix is already in.

The candidate’s wife treated the Norway-based API as if it was already under the command of a Barack and Michelle-run White House.

With an arrogance that can only be described as stunning, Michelle Obama said API would earn an invite to hubby’s upcoming inauguration ceremony when he will be installed as the next President of the United States of America next year, if only they wrote a “good” story....

There is more, of course, and you can read that here at CFP. This evil blogger reminds you all in America: Know your enemy!

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. Anton J. Hiett
25 years old from Mount Airy, North Carolina
391st Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve
March 12, 2006


Misty Hiett, the widow of Sgt. Anton Hiett, said in an interview that he, Sgt. Hiett, asked to transfer to the 391st Engineering Battalion when it looked like his reserve unit would not be deployed.

Sgt. Hiett was a truck driver who joined the military right out of high school because he "wanted to go help out" during the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. After his transfer to the 391st, he was deployed to Afghanistan on April 22, 2005.

On March 12, 2006, Sgt. Hiett, and three fellow soldiers from the 391st, Staff Sgt. Joe Ray; Spc. Joshua Hill and Sgt. Kevin Akins, were killed when an IED detonated near their Humvee during combat operations west of Asadabad, Afghanistan. He left behind his wife and their then 2(now 4)-year-old daughter Kyra.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Election Day in Canada: Easy as ABC

Who wins, who loses.....

By the time you read this, voting in the Canadian federal election will already be over in some parts of the country. Even though all polling stations across the country close at 7pm, which is local time. This means that - usually - by the time the last voter in the west has voted, the government of Canada has already been decided by the most populous provinces in the east.

Those provinces: Ontario and Quebec. The irony of those two provinces deciding the fate of the nations is not lost on me. Quebec's most vocal party federally (or so it seems via the airwaves) is Bloc Quebecois whose sole mandate, as far back as I can remember, is to have Quebec separate from Canada and be declared a separate nation....

Go read the significance of "ABC" and the rest of MY take on Canada's 3rd election in 4 years on NewsBlaze here.

NUTS! Falling closer to the tree

By now, everybody in America has to be aware of the ACORN voter registration fraud. The nuts really ARE falling ever closer to the Obama tree, as many states in the US open investigations. The scope of this fraud is mindboggling to me. And yes, I am on the record as saying that if Obama wins this election, it WILL be as the result of massive fraud.

Wake Up America has been following the twists and turns, the tangled webs of deceit involved. I find it hard to even wrap my brain around the whole mess, but WUA has the latest up today:

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

ACORN And Obama: Fraud You Can Believe In!!

(Click image to enlarge for better reading)
The ACORN voter fraud scandal has gotten so big and is being investigated in so many different states, not many know exactly what to do about it.

Start with the ACORN-Barack Obama connection. First and foremost, ACORN is a liberal group and the problems stem from their "voter drives" where they go out and get people to register... the problem is, they are registering the same people, in one case, 73 times, dead people, pets and under-aged children (even a 7 year-old), they offer cash and cigarettes as payment to get people to keep registering multiple times and they have had members convicted in previous years for the same type of behavior.

That is the tip of the iceberg.

Wall Street Journal cuts to the chase:

Which brings us to Mr. Obama, who got his start as a Chicago "community organizer" at Acorn's side. In 1992 he led voter registration efforts as the director of Project Vote, which included Acorn. This past November, he lauded Acorn's leaders for being "smack dab in the middle" of that effort. Mr. Obama also served as a lawyer for Acorn in 1995, in a case against Illinois to increase access to the polls.

During his tenure on the board of Chicago's Woods Fund, that body funneled more than $200,000 to Acorn. More recently, the Obama campaign paid $832,000 to an Acorn affiliate. The campaign initially told the Federal Election Commission this money was for "staging, sound, lighting." It later admitted the cash was to get out the vote.

The Obama campaign is now distancing itself from Acorn, claiming Mr. Obama never organized with it and has nothing to do with illegal voter registration. Yet it's disingenuous to channel cash into an operation with a history of fraud and then claim you're shocked to discover reports of fraud. As with Rev. Jeremiah Wright and William Ayers, Mr. Obama was happy to associate with Acorn when it suited his purposes. But now that he's on the brink of the Presidency, he wants to disavow his ties.

I will also list all previous pieces about ACORN written here at the bottom of this post.

In Indiana, ACORN aka Association of Community Organizations for Reform, election officials were going through 5,000 ACORN submissions and gave up after 2,100 of them were found to be fraudulent, via Instapundit, we have video of the news report....

As stated, WUA has been following this, (as have others), and there are many links on there to the previous posts. Read them all, and connect your own dots. With the US election fast approaching, many are wondering if all this will unravel in time to finally get Obama out of the race for the highest office in America.

Only time will tell. Go here to read all that the Obama campaign would like you to ignore. This issue is far too important for US to ignore. What evolves from this will set the tone of American elections for years to come.

HERE are the facts.

Brat

*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita, of course! So many stories, so little time...lol*

Why Nation Building is Important

Why Nation Building Is Important

October 13th, 2008 by CJ

I'm tired of hearing the crap about how we need to bring the troops home because all we're doing is nation building. They all cry, "what's so important about nation building? Why do we need to stay the course? We've won; bring the troops home." I'd like to take a few moments to offer an education to those of you asking these questions. They are good ones and deserve answers. But, before you proceed any further, you really need to put your learning hats on and set aside your partisan hoodies.

One of the root causes of terrorism is simple: poverty. Poverty breeds illiteracy. Illiteracy breeds ignorance. Ignorance breeds susceptibility. Susceptibility breeds extremism. Extremism is the motivation for terrorist acts. The reason that most terrorists these days tend to come from Islamic nations is because most Islamic nations tend to be dirt poor. With Saudi Arabia being the main exception, you just don't see Muslim extremists coming out of places like Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain or Djibouti.

Practically every Islamic extremist is illiterate and unable to read the words of the Koran on his/her own. The only way they are able to hear the word of Allah through Mohammad is through the teachings of a cleric. Most Muslims don't even own a copy of the Koran because they can't afford to buy one. But, even if they could, they wouldn't be able to read it. So, they have to take the word of their extremist clerics who say that Koran is about jihad, killing, revenge, etc. They skip past the peaceful parts and turning the other cheek. Don't get me wrong; there are violent parts in the Koran just as there are violent parts to the Bible. The key is context. The ignorant and illiterate don't get context. While I was in Iraq, I picked up every copy of the Koran I found in decimated building or after raids of terrorist safe houses. As I went about my business, I would put these books into the hands of people that had never owned one in their lives. Automatically, I had made a friend. This little act of compassion brought kisses and warm embraces from lukewarm initial impressions. ...

CJ has more to say, of course, and you can read it at A Soldier's Perspective here.

Brat

America the Ugly

Do you remember this picture? Do you remember the circumstances that led to it being draped down the building? I do remember. Hard on the heels of 9/11, Americans were united as Americans, citizens united in a common grief, and common goals.

One of the common goals, it seemed to me from where I sat outside America - a foreigner - was extending a hand to each other and working together to rebuild that great country. Beaten but unbowed, Americans stood tall, and asked "What can I do for my country? How can we as Americans help each other?" America the beautiful was shining brightly through the rubble of the terrorist acts that affected all of America. The America I know and love was a beacon of unity as her citizens determined to rebuild from the ashes of that terrible day.

No more, it seems to me. During this current election campaign, I have watched with growing disbelief from the sidelines, as the absolute worst of America has bubbled to the surface. Everybody seems to expect/accept lies and innuendos during any race for the White House, (why is that?) and this campaign has proved no different.

No different, except in one significant aspect, at least from where I sit....

Read the rest at NewsBlaze here.

Brat

*Yep! Cross-posted everywhere*

From this Canadian - Thanks!

Today - this second Monday in October - is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. I have been discussing with some of my American friends why we celebrate earlier than you. One particular wit even asked me if we also celebrate Christmas earlier than Americans! No! We celebrate that the same day as Christians around the world.

But, I, of course, had to go find out why the difference for this day. I found a lot that makes absolute sense.

Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Canada People of Canada celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in the month of October every year. It is celebrated to thank the Lord Almighty for a bountiful harvest. America however celebrates thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year. The reason behind the difference is geographical; autumn season starts earlier in Canada than in America. History of First Canadian Thanksgiving The first Canadian thanksgiving was celebrated on 15th April 1872 to thank the recovery of King Edward VII from serious illness. The next thanksgiving was celebrated after a few years in 1879 on a Thursday. Canada later, had a turbulent time deciding the day of national Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was celebrated on a Thursday in November between 1879 and 1898. It was later celebrated on a Thursday in October between 1899 and 1904. Thereafter, it was celebrated on a Monday in the month of October. This was between the period of 1908-1921. In later years, thanksgiving came to be celebrated on 'Armistice Day'. This was however, amended in 1931. Finally on January 31, 1957, Parliament announced the second Monday in the month of October as the official 'Thanksgiving Day'. It was declared as "a day of general Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed." Canadian Thanksgiving Celebration The thanksgiving celebrations include parades, customary 'family feast' and 'turkey'. It is a time for sharing, loving and family reunions. The central idea behind the celebration is to be thankful for the past harvest and praying for the coming year.(source)

There is also a very neat kids' site with the history of Canada's Thanksgiving Day, here.

As most regular readers here know, I am not a native Canadian, although I am now a Canadian citizen. My childhood saw us all gathering at the our local Church of England in a celebration of thanks for a successful harvest. Vivid memories of going to church on the Sunday designated "Harvest Festival", and finding the altar piled high with all sorts of produce, harvest. I always took that for granted, (but, no, I don't remember that we had turkey! lol) and only when I had a Canadian child did I embrace the Canadian Thanksgiving Day rituals. I continue to this day gathering the harvest for a big family dinner of turkey and all the trimmings. Gathering in our Canadian kitchen and going through the rituals of cooking the meal together, laughing and sharing with those I hold most dear in my Canadian family.

This year, as for the last few, this day holds special poignancy for me. Yes, I absolutely give thanks for all the blessings I have, but my thoughts always stray to Afghanistan where members of our Canadian 'family' are right now. I think about the Canadians who have given their lives so that I and my family might be together, safely celebrating this day. As I hug my now grown child, I give a silent thanks to those families who this year will have an empty chair at their family table.

"Thank you" are two of the most over-used words in the English language, but words that I never get tired of saying. Today especially, and as always, I give thanks to every single one of our Canadian heroes who are far from hearth and home. I give thanks to the families whose loved ones left for Afghanistan to serve their country in the cause for freedom. To all the families, whose precious loved ones will never return home, for this Thanksgiving or any other: I wish I could show each of you the depth of my heart as I "give thanks" to you, today and every day.

Thank you! (and a special "Welcome Home" to a certain Canadian medic: Happy Thanksgiving)

*originally posted last year but still holds true today*

Gold Star Mother tells it like it is!

My regular readers know who Mrs Deb Tainsh is. She is a Gold Star Mother, her and husband Dave's son giving his life in Baghdad on February 11, 2004.

As one of those pictures above shows, Deb and Dave LIVE "Country First." I got an email from Deb today, saying that she and Dave are joining next week's McCain/Palin Victory Bus Tour in Florida. She says - in part:

"...We will be telling Patrick's story, our story, and telling why McCain/Palin is the strongest choice for our nation in this time of war on terror. I am also doing radio talks as well, one national out of Nashville on Monday, with others to follow up to Nov 4.

Also, I wanted to share comments that a liberal minded individual sent to an acquaintance of mine (and I happen to also receive the message) regarding Sean Hannity's Fox program tonight (Sunday) regarding Obama's lifelong radical mentors and acquaintances, and my subsequent message back to this liberal...."

The following comments are in response to the email about Sean Hannity's show, tonight on Fox, researching the real Obama that has been going the rounds. Read on:

Subject: Re: FW: Fox News Special

That email is bullshit!

Everybody has a past, you trust that they learn from it. Remember President Bush's drug and drink behavior before he "found god?"

Intelligent people test theories, question ideas and yes ... associate with radicals ... How do you find yourself, educate yourself, learn new ideas in your youth if you don't explore radical ideas?

Embrace the man who is willing to try new ideas and run from people who don't! Fear is a dangerous philosophy.

Watch the program but keep in mind you don't know what you like, want or think until you try.

Think ******!!!!!

Love you!

Eileen

And you just KNOW Deb has a response to that., and she gave me permission to post it in it's entirety;

To read what Deb had to say ( a classic smackdown if I do say so...lol) go over to my place here
Note to any trolls: Don't even think about being disrespectful on that post. Comments ARE moderated there. Just sayin' ;)

On Fox tonight

In case you haven't heard:

Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. Sean Hannity of FOX NEWS will air a very important documentary about Barack Obama.

He is going to clearly show Obama's ties to radical professors, friends and spiritual advisers. He will show in detail his ties to preacher Wright for 20+ yrs - how he was participating with this man, and not for the reasons he has stated!

Hannity has uncovered more of Obama's radical leaders and we will see things the liberal media is unwilling to discuss. This will be a night that you will learn more about Obama than ever before

Hannity is very passionate about this program and asked that everyone please, please watch - SUNDAY NIGHT, 9 P.M.

He is determined this information be disclosed because most Americans still do not know who Obama really is!

Brat

Every Day Heroes

This week, something a little different. On the US Army site, I found a new section. You will see why I feel the need to share this with you:

You’re about to meet some everyday heroes. They might be your sons and daughters, spouses, parents, neighbors, friends or total strangers, but each one has always answered his or her Country’s call with selfless service and undaunted courage. Some are Soldiers, some are family members, some are community volunteers – we celebrate them all, and invite you to look into their eyes as you read their stories. You may not remember their names, but you will never forget these “Faces of Strength.”

So reads the introduction to these incredible profiles. This is an Adobe flash presentation that I found, with many "every day heroes." Since I can't figure out how to copy it, :( (above my pay grade? ouch...lol) please go and watch it here.

Oh, and yes! You will need a tissue or two..:) Go HERE, and spend time with some who truly are "Faces of Strength".

Brat

Vote for Osama! Yes You can

Osama is a Democrat?
MilitantIslamMonitor

Since 9/11, many resources have been spent by the world's leading 'intelligence' agencies trying to find Osama bin Laden. Turns out that all the time Osama may have been living in Rensselaer County, N.Y. Who knew?!!! But it seems that if you applied for an absentee ballot in this county, one of your options is to vote for "Barack Osama". Honestly, Osama is listed on the ballot as the Democratic candidate. It's true. Three hundred absentee ballots - so far - have given the voters an unexpected choice for President of the US...

Go read the rest here.

"Pittance of Time"

Today - we remember.

The 29th Battalion, part of the Second Canadian Division, advances into No Man's Land through German barbed wire and heavy fire in the right-centre of the Canadian advance on April 9, 1917. (Courtesy Veterans Affairs Canada). On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Canadians are asked to pause and remember the thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives fighting for freedom and democracy during the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, the Afghanistan conflict and during peacekeeping missions. During the First World War, (1914-1918) more than 600,000 soldiers volunteered to go overseas. As of November 2006, Veterans Affairs Canada is aware of three veterans of the First World War who are still alive: P. Dwight Wilson, 105, and Lloyd Clemett and John Babcock, both 106. These soldiers fought in a series of costly and bloody battles and by the end of the war, more than 69,000 Canadian soldiers had died and 172,000 were wounded. A Consolidated VLR Liberator provides air-cover for a transatlantic convoy during the Second World War. (Courtesy Veterans Affairs Canada). They died fighting at Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Bourlon Wood, Mons, Passchendaele and Ypres. In Ypres, Canadian soldiers were exposed to German gas attacks, yet continued to fight. They showed amazing tenacity and courage in the face of danger....(here for more)

At this link you will find many other stories about what we here in Canada call Remembrance Day, and in America is called Veterans Day. Different names, same focus: remembering and honouring. What follows is a video my friend Don sent me months ago. (You can find out more here.) Again, it is Canadian, but the sentiments are universal. "A Pittance of Time" - for all time. We remember.

*Originally posted here last year - and always valid*

Diggers On The Frontlines..

This is the image that greeted me on the front of the South Australian newspaper The Advertiser when I walked into a shop last week. I looked at the full page picture and cringed, wondering what had happened this time. I picked it up, grabbed some lunch and headed back to work almost dreading reading what would be on the pages. To my great suprise I found a great write up about the job the Diggers are doing in Afghanistan. This was a series on the the day to day grind for our Aussies including video imagery and interviews with Diggers. Nobody had been shot or killed, but reporters had actually travelled to Afghanistan to do this series and see how the Diggers were living and working.

TALIBAN insurgents knew exactly when an Australian convoy would be travelling down Afghanistan's Highway One between Tarin Kowt and Kandahar. But unlike the successful ambush of an SAS/U.S. special forces vehicle patrol a week later, that left 11 Diggers badly wounded, the attack against the "bridge job" engineering convoy did not inflict a single casualty. The security detail consisting of mounted infantry troops from the Sydney-based 3rd Battalion in Bushmaster armoured vehicles and cavalry from the Brisbane-based 6th Battalion operating Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs), adopted aggressive tactics and routed the enemy during an intense contact. The battle began as the convoy wound its way between two sets of hills about 60km from the Aussie base at Camp Holland. The enemy allowed the first group of vehicles through and launched their ambush as the main body of the convoy entered the "kill zone". Taliban fighters had established heavy-machinegun nests on both sides of the road and as they opened fire, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) were launched by fighters in several locations. Read more here

THE ambush and serious wounding of nine Australian soldiers in Afghanistan earlier this month showed just how tenuous the coalition's hold is over most of the troubled country. Despite the advanced weapons and remote technology – including unmanned spy planes that escort most patrols – ranged against them by the world's top military powers, Taliban fighters backed by their comrades in Pakistan and Iran just keep on coming. The situation is so confused that highly trained Australian special forces troops have been implicated in the death of a district governor during a firefight between the Diggers and Afghan police. For one British attack helicopter crew, the reality of this bitter war reflected the fantasy of a Terminator movie, in a recent operation in the restive Helmand Province. After firing a Hellfire missile from their Apache chopper to level a building housing key Taliban leaders they were astonished to see several men escaping in a sports utility vehicle from the smouldering pile of rubble. The pilots turned their hi-tech optical equipment, which can focus on an individual face from several kilometres away, on the speeding utility and positively identified a prime target inside the vehicle. Another Hellfire reduced the Toyota to scrap metal, but amazingly one of the insurgents survived and what was left of him began crawling away, Terminator-like, from the carnage. The coup de grace was delivered by a short burst from the chopper's lethal 30mm chain gun. Read more here

There is also an interactive series that can be found here

I don't have to read these articles to know how hard our Diggers are working in Afghanistan. I only have to look at the huge gaps between emails to know it's been hard for them. I did hear alot of people comment on these articles though, some even looked online to see the video imagery....something one person told me she would never have thought of doing before.

With all the negative articles about Afghanistan it was nice to see some acknowledgement of the job our Troops are doing....Great job IAN McPHEDRAN and photographer GARY RAMAGE

AC

I don't know Jack!

Canada is going to the polls in a federal election next week. Voting day is October 14th, and Canadians will trudge to the polls to see if we will elect yet another minority government. Unlike America, where the politicians seem to be campaigning forEVER, our election campaign officially lasts only six weeks. A short period, that only feels like forever.

We had an English language debate a while back, (Canada is officially bilingual, and a French debate was held days earlier,) and if you missed it, no need to worry. It was televised, by CBC of course, on the same night as the Palin/Biden debate aired south of the border. BIG decision - NOT! I did listen to both (kinda sorta) and was reminded, in the Canadian version, of schoolyard bullies, all yelling over each other....

Go read the rest at NewsBlaze here.

Brat

*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

B*N*S*N1

MND-C Soldiers hand out donated school supplies

By Pfc. Christopher McKenna
Multi-National Division – Center

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq – MND-C Soldiers and their Iraqi Army counterparts delivered school supplies to children in the Mahmudiyah Qada Oct. 6-8.

“The children are very grateful to receive these school supplies; we are very grateful that the Coalition is showing that they care,” said Mohammed Josim Mohammed Al Thathawyi, al Ansar School assistant headmaster. “With the new school year just getting under way, this couldn’t have come at a better time for the students.”

The supplies were donated by Students and Soldiers for Change, an organization created by Staff Sgt. Joshua Johnson, 2nd Platoon squad leader, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

“I started working on the organization with my mom back home, who is a teacher in junior high school,” said Johnson. “When I went home on leave, I took a lot of my time setting this up.”

Drop boxes were set up around Johnson’s hometown of Mt. Vernon, Ill., where people donated school supplies and money.

In addition to materials for teachers and administrators, more than 1,000 notebooks, 1,400 pencils, 1,000 pens and 2,000 sheets of paper were donated by the organization.

“This allows both the students and teachers to see that we are interested in helping to rebuild this country, to help them prosper and show that education is a top priority for us,” Johnson said.

The donated supplies have given approximately 600 school children supplies they need but usually don’t have. About 20 teachers and administrators received organizational packets.

“The outer-city schools don’t have as much opportunity as the schools located within the city,” Johnson said.

Counting these two distributions, 3-320th FA Regt. have completed a total of 104 school supply drops.

“In the 12 months we have been here, we have had 35 pallets of school supplies donated by Operation Iraqi Children, an organization started by actor and singer Gary Sinise,” said Chaplain (Capt.) Brian Murphy, 3-320th FA Regt.

There are plans to distribute the remaining seven pallets of supplies from Operation Iraqi Children.

“I hope this continues after we leave country,” Murphy said. “Over the next weeks we are going to try and give out the rest of the on-hand supplies and assist the incoming unit with continuing the distributions.”

Johnson said he plans to continue his organization’s legacy after redeploying as well. “When the next unit arrives I am going to give them my information and hope to continue to support the children in the area with Students and Soldiers for Change.”

-30-

(source)

And that really IS B*N*S*N!!! B ut don't hold your breath waiting to read that on your local rag's front page. We all know that's not going to happen any time soon. Doesn't fit the agenda, does it? BUT the kids of Iraq "get it." HOO-frickin-AAAH!

*(and yes, all found in one place , and all cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita)*

B*N*S*N2

Checking It Out

Two Iraqi children watch as Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, Task Force 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment U.S. Soldiers and 2nd Company, 3rd Battalion, 42nd Brigade, 11th Army Division Iraqi Soldiers combine to distribute information leaflets in sectors seven and eight of the Sadr City district of Baghdad on Oct. 3, 2008. The leaflets contain information about denying the return of special groups to the area, which was named Operation Striker Storm which was a smaller part of Operation Ironhorse Blizzard. Photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen Young....

(source)

B*N*S*N3

File this under: Progress, in case you missed it!

Building, Health and Education

Sunday, 07 September 2008

Of the 132 IRRF funded Primary Healthcare Centers, 118 have been turned over to the Iraqi Ministry of Health, with 16 projects on-going. Forty hospital renovation projects have been completed, with 11 on-going and two additional projects planned. The new hospitals have the capacity to treat millions of patients, while the Primary Healthcare Centers can serve more than 600,000 outpatients annually. Fostering an environment to learn, 1,087 school renovations or new construction projects have been completed with 37 more on-going. (source)

Can we say "that's B*N*S*N"? Yes, we can! But don't bother looking in the msm.;)

B*N*S*N4

Iraqi Police Making Waves

Thursday, 09 October 2008

HADITHA DAM — The Euphrates River fulfills many of the economic needs for the people of Iraq. For all of its advantages though, it does create a challenge for the Iraqi Police (IP) who are in charge of security for the area.

To remedy this situation, Sailors with Riverine Squadron 3, Riverine Detachment 2, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5 have been holding classes for the IP on basic seamanship.

“We are teaching them the basics so when we leave they will be able to take over patrolling the river,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason H. Gialenes, 24, from Huntington Beach, Calif., who is a gunner and instructor with Riverine Squadron 3....

Read more here.

My Neighbor the Obama Supporter

In line with the 'questionable' donations practices of the Obama campaign, comes this piece from Bob Lonsberry:

MY NEIGHBOR THE OBAMA SUPPORTER
Written October 7, 2008

Doodad Pro is my neighbor.

Well, not exactly neighbor. My neighbors are a state trooper, a soldier and a guy who customizes guns.

But I digress. This is about Doodad Pro.

He lives in the next town over, in a place called Nunda. It’s pronounced “none-day,” with the accent on the second syllable. It’s a tiny place in a pretty little upstate New York valley. Right about now the foliage ought to be getting close to peak. I think the motto is “A Great Place To Live” or something like that.

All I know for sure is that my Aunt Lonnie and Uncle Pete used to live there and just last week their girls soccer team absolutely spanked ours. I go to Nunda a couple of times a month – the diner is nice, and so is the all-you-can-eat at Bill’s – and I highly recommend the 5k race they have each May as part of Nunda Fun Days.

Speaking of which, the Nunda Fun Days parade is about the best small-town all-American parade you’re ever going to see. The town bicentennial is this year, and they’ve got a great hardware store and this place that makes pretty good mustard and nut butter. Other than that, Nunda’s best days were about a hundred years ago.

Actually, more like 125 years ago. Right now it’s just a sleepy little backwater about 50 miles from anyplace that is anyplace. It has 1,300 people, if you count the young people away in the Marine Corps, and the census says it’s been shrinking since before you were born.

But this isn’t about Nunda. This is about Doodad Pro, Nunda’s most famous citizen.

At least I figure he’s got to be Nunda’s most famous citizen. I can’t remember anyone else from Nunda who ever made the national news.

Now, granted, Doodad Pro hasn’t really made all the national news. Not the big time, not with Katie and those other guys. But he has become a footnote.

Let me tell you why.

See, it seems Doodad Pro likes Barack Obama. In fact, he may like him more than anyone else on the planet.

And Doodad Pro has shown his fondness for Barack Obama by contributing to his campaign. You know, he’s one of those millions of humble people who have sacrificed some of their beer and lottery money to help Barack. Working people, being tortured and mutilated by George W. Bush, have rallied to the Obama campaign like flies to you-know-what....

And it gets better, and mindboggling....;) You really MUST go read the rest of this piece - honest! Find him here.

H/T to Laurie

*cross-posted everywhere from Assoluta Tranquillita...lol*

Obama and the Chicago Socialist Party AND ACORN

From Wake Up America here comes this:

Senator Obama Signed a contract with the Chicago Socialist Party

Everything described in the post below is Hyperlinked to a site within the Chicago Democratic party archives, there is no conjecture, no guessing, The fact is that as recently as 1996 Senator Obama was an active member of the Chicago Democratic Socialist Party:

On their website the Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) has a description of their political perspective called Where We Stand. It says, in part,

We are socialists because we reject an international economic order sustained by private profit, alienated labor, race and gender discrimination, environmental destruction, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.

We are socialists because we share a vision of a humane international social order based both on democratic planning and market mechanisms to achieve equitable distribution of resources, meaningful work, a healthy environment, sustainable growth, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.

According to its newsletter called The New Ground ,Senator Barack Obama attended at least a few meetings of the Chicago Chapter of this group in 1996. And from the way it was described in the newsletter he "talked the talk" and "walked the walk" and even signed a contract with the group.

To see all the evidence, CLICK HERE

******************************************************************************

And then from Wake Up America, comes more on Obama and ACORN (You know, the group found to be deliberately engaging in voter fraud:

Barack Obama Trying To Deny His Ties To ACORN Now?

Piles of evidence have linked Barack Obama to ACORN aka Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Documented ties, articles quoting Obama himself stating those ties and now The Corner shows us that Barack Obama is trying to distance himself and deny those ties since ACORN is being investigated in quite a few states for voter fraud?

Barack Obama is now apparently denying his ties with Acorn. Here’s what he’s posted on the subject at his "Fight the Smears" website. These claims are contradicted by several sources, a number of which I linked to in my piece, "Inside Obama’s Acorn." In that piece, you’ll find a link to a Los Angeles Times piece in which Chicago Acorn leader Madeline Talbott is described as so impressed with Obama that "she invited him to help train her staff." You’ll also see a link to a statement by Obama himself, made in pursuit of Acorn’s endorsement. Obama says: "I’ve been fighting alongside ACORN on issues you care about my entire career. Even before I was an elected official, when I ran Project Vote voter registration drive in Illinois, ACORN was smack dab in the middle of it, and we appreciate your work." In my piece, "No Liberation," you’ll find a link to a 1995 profile of Obama which says: "Obama continues his organizing work largely through classes for future leaders identified by ACORN and the Centers for New Horizons on the south side." My articles provide background, but the quotes and links I’ve presented here, and in the past, pretty conclusively contradict Obama’s current claims at "Fight the Smears."

Read the rest at The Corner for even more evidence of Obama's close association with ACORN as well as the previous pieces below which also has documented links between Obama and ACORN as recently as this year.

ACORN, Rezko, Ayers, Wright, Pfleger, Meeks...etc... these associations of Obama are a good reason why people need to understand how bad his judgment is at best and how crooked his associations are and at worst, his involvement with these people show his negligence and irresponsibility.

More on ACORN from NetRightNation:...

Go read the rest here. Not so much an open book as he and his people would have you believe, huh?

Brat

Wednesday Hero

Cpl. Lance M. Thompson
21 years old from Upland, Indiana
2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
November 15, 2004


The father of Cpl. Lance Thompson said his son would be proud knowing he fought and died to help Iraqis vote in an election.

Cpl. Lance Thompson died in during fighting in Ramadi by a truck bomb. His father, Greg Thompson, said his son sent him a letter in September of '04 which said, "Freedom is not free. It requires sacrifice."

Greg Thompson said the millions turning out to vote in Iraq was "fantastic" and said it was a "momentous day in the Middle East."

"Are you asking me was it worth Lance losing his life?" he asked a reporter. "Being the gung-ho Marine that he was, he would say yes. So I'll say yes. That is a tough, bitter pill to swallow. It hurts. God, I didn't want to give up my son."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Connecting the dots...Ayers and Obama

We are all known by the company we keep. That's a fact. No matter that Obama will try and claim that Ayers is not relevant to his presidential campaign. No matter that Obama screams "racist" and "smear," every time anyone *dares* to suggest that Obama's character should be judged by his association/friendship/collaboration with William Ayers. It IS legitimate examination.

Whether Obama likes it or not, it is not racist to examine his relationships (ya know, like his campaign continues to dig at Sarah Palin.lol,) with known terrorists/fugitives who still show NO remorse for their treasonous bombing activities. People ARE closely looking at Obama's choice of friends, since it IS relevant for a man who aspires to the highest office in America. Many are now connecting the dots publicly. From Family Security Matters comes this:

Exclusive: William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn - Friends of Barack Obama

October 7, 2008

Exclusive: William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn – Friends of Barack Obama

John Howard

I am a child of the ‘60s. I grew up with the radical twaddle of people like Tom Hayden (the Ted Baxter of the radical Left), and Romper Room Revolutionaries William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, the Mao and Jiang Qing of adolescent radicalism. It was an overheated time made worse by nursery school traitors. It was a time during which the most pampered generation in the history of mankind went into an extended tantrum, punctuated only by the indulgent sighs of their misguided and clueless parents who still apparently thought the destructive impulses of their little darlings were somehow cute. Bill Ayers’ father, the late Thomas G. Ayers, Commonwealth Edison Chairman, Chicago grandee and symbol of muscular capitalism comes to mind. (Does anyone really believe that Ayers and Dohrn, wanted by the FBI, lived without family help and contact for 11 years “underground” in Chicago, the town his prominent father and powerful friends helped run and which has been described as having the distinction of being the only completely corrupt city in the nation? Please.)

But Ayers and Dohrn demonstrated that low grade, child radicals, too, could be dangerous. Their simple minded nihilism was exceeded only by their almost complete ineptitude. But it is important to recall who they were and to know who they are because not only do they still exist and spread their poison, their very relationship to a national candidate for President should chill every thinking citizen.

An outgrowth of an earlier Leftist organization, the Students for a Democratic Society, was established in 1960 with a manifesto that represented a break with the traditional non-Communist Left. With Tom Hayden at its helm, it is unsurprising that it started as a shallow, self-dramatizing collection of students fresh from panty raids and looking for something more interesting to do. As the turmoil of the ‘60s continued to ferment, it became more and more strident, inflexible and radical in its project.

After an internecine war in 1969, it split into different groups, among which was the Weathermen, a would-be domestic terrorist organization with little apparent purpose except to engage in violent acts in service of the national tantrum and of a badly articulated, simplistic ideology with little grounding in anything other than the romantic fantasy that they were somehow aiding “the Revolution.” The preening self-regard of its leaders was breathtaking.

Its primary activity was the issuance of dramatic “communiqués” from the underground in a grotesque imitation of stilted Soviet-speak, like a bad ‘50s movie, threatening violent action in instant mayhem. Its first act was a riot called “Days of Rage,” not surprisingly in Chicago. With its usual flair, the Weathermen announced that its protest would be the largest ever, but with its usual ineptitude, only a few hundred showed up. They blew up a statue honoring policemen who had been killed or injured in earlier riots. (They blew it up again when it was rebuilt several years later.) They burned cars, shattered windows and attacked policemen, injuring 28.

Bernardine Dohrn, in an astonishing display of hubris, demonstrated her simple-mindedness and limited forensic gifts in her attempt to define their purpose: “We are building a communist organization to be part of the forces which build a revolutionary communist party to lead the working class to seize power and build socialism… We must further the study of Marxism-Leninism within the Weather Underground Organization. The struggle for Marxism-Leninism is the most significant development in our recent history. We discovered thru [sic] our own experiences what revolutionaries all over the world have found — that Marxism-Leninism is the science of revolution, the revolutionary ideology of the working class, our guide to the struggle.”

History has now shown us the merit of that project as even those who knew it best and preserved it longest have rejected the moronic and evil ideology that was Marxism-Leninism – but not Ms. Dohrn and Mr. Ayers.

Shortly after the Days of Rage riot, the Weathermen risibly “declared war” on the United States. The sheer pretentiousness of these junior Bolsheviks was vaguely laughable. But they were deadly serious. Dohrn constructed and planted an anti-personnel bomb containing heavy metal staples and metal projectiles on the window ledge of a police facility, killing one officer, Bryan V. McDonnell, and severely wounding and permanently blinding another, Robert Fogarty. Their families never recovered. Ayers laughingly and emphatically admitted his participation and Dohrn’s skill in placing the fatal bomb.

In 1970, the Weatherman attacked New York City policemen with bombs and firebombed the home of a New York judge presiding over the criminal trial of black thugs who had wrapped themselves in the mantle of radicalism; a favorite ruse of the time. They went on to plant bombs at the United States Capital, the New York City Police Department and the Pentagon, all the time issuing taunting communiqués suggesting more attacks were on the way. Had it not all been so lethal, it would have had all the earmarks of children playing war in the back yard. It is a shame it was not so benign.

Despite their later, self-serving statements that they really intended to harm only property, the evidence is clearly otherwise. In 1970, an explosion rocked Greenwich Village, destroying a beautiful, privately owned townhouse. The townhouse had been converted to a bomb factory and, demonstrating the ineptitude for which the Weathermen had become almost as legendary as their infantile communiqués, three of them blew themselves up while making bombs. It was a fitting end to the meaningless lives of Diana Oughton, Ted Gold and Terry Robbins, whose deaths stunned their colleagues but left the world a little cleaner. The fragmentation bombs they were making were intended for the murder of American soldiers at a dance at Fort Dix and for the destruction of a library at Columbia University.

Who were these people?....

Further down in this article, John Howard says "some things are not forgivable," and this IS the truth. Connecting obvious dots is never racist, NEVER a smear. In this case, Obama and Ayers, it is truth.

Go read the rest of this important article here - now!

Smear? NO - the truth!

I have gone on record as saying that if Obama wins the upcoming election, it could well be in part because of voter fraud. From Wake Up America:

Sunday, October 05, 2008

More Dead, Underage And Fictitious Voter Registrations in Indiana, From ACORN

ACORN is making headlines again for filing voter registrations for the dead, the underage and some showing fictitious signatures in Indiana. Suggestions of a criminal investigation are coming out for ACORN groups getting the vote out for Obama.

ACORN otherwise known as Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now has been in the news in multiple cities across America lately for filing voter registrations for people that were dead, underage and in some cases duplicate filings.

The latest report from The Times, NWI.com, is from Lake County Indiana.

Lake County elections officials have confirmed that a "large portion" of 5,000 registration forms turned in from the ACORN group, have been found to have problems and have been rejected.

The job of the county elections board was to weed out invalid registrations and according to Lake County Republican Chairman John Curley, more invalid forms may have been missed and slipped into the voter rolls. Curley is recommending a criminal investigation take place into the matter.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Curley stated "Fraudulent applications are the workings of ACORN groups operating from Milwaukee and Chicago who are getting out the vote for Obama. I'm Republican, but I want everyone who should vote to vote. But I want a clean election.

An ACORN spokesperson couldn't be reached Wednesday for comment. Telephones to ACORN offices in Gary, Indianapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee were reported to be disconnected.

One of the apparent problems according to Elections Board Director Sally LaSota and a county elections board technologist overseeing voter registration Ruthann Hoagland is that ACORN members took names from the phone book, filled out the forms and forged some signatures....

While I would be the last to suggest that Obama personally had a hand in this fraudulent bs, I repeat : You are known by the company you keep. Go read the rest of this one here.

Obama et al are not telling you the truth...

I know, I know.. I will be accused of smearing Obama, but why stop there? In the wake of the last week's obscenities to do with the US bailout, Obama is not alone in trying to blame the Bush White House for the current economic woes in America..Pelosi et al, all hold equal responsibility (ummm can we say "Democrats have had control for the last 2 years":?) A video surfaced, and despite many efforts to quash the truth, my friend Yankeemom sent me the link to a YouTube - still up as I write - that shows the truth of the matter. The soundcard on my new computer doesn't work right now, but I KNOW that the current woes leading up to the current "the sky is falling" by the foxes in the henhouse leads waaaay back to the previous Democrat White House. That would be PRE-President Bush for the simple-minded among us. I will be writing more on this, as soon as I can wrap my brain cells around the enormity, and follow the trail waaaaay back as others are doing, but in the meantime, take a look at this - while you still can. Watch it and weep. Thanks, Yankeemom.:

Burning Down the House



And before any of the Obama "truth squads" want to argue about their lies, I leave you with this direct quote from the Obama's most recent letter to this imaginary friend:

John McCain wants to deregulate America's health care industry in the exact same way he helped deregulate the banking industry and Wall Street. This reckless, "Wild West"-style deregulation is precisely what led to the ongoing economic crisis.

And as Sarah Palin confirmed last night, she and John McCain will continue to fight for tax cuts for the wealthy, Big Oil, and giant corporations while ignoring the fact that this trickle-down strategy has utterly failed under George W. Bush.

Please take a minute to forward this email. Make sure your friends see the ad and know the truth about John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Then make a donation of $5 to make sure people all over America see this ad before they vote:

Here's a quarter, Joe. (Bratville currency..lol) Call someone else...

Brat
*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

Soldier Charity Faces Closure: Corporate Donations Dry Up

Soldier Charity Faces Closure: Corporate Donations Dry Up

October 1st, 2008 by CJ

Booksforsoldiers.com has sent thousands of care
packages to our troops deployed outside the US since March 2003. But Booksforsoldiers.com is in dire financial need now, and may close. The site must raise $22,000 by October 31 or it will stop taking new requests on December 1, finish filling remaining care package requests for the holidays, and cease operations December 31.

"It's a bad economy," says Storm Williams, the founder and webmaster. "Times are tough for all non profits." Williams says they had an aggressive fundraising campaign that started the first of 2008.
Corporations they had previously relied upon have been unable to repeat their support this year. "By April, we received a stack of letters that began with, 'we deeply regret not being able to donate this year.'"

Starting in May, they tried again, managing to shrink a $53,000 deficit to $22,000 by September's end. They also asked for help from deployed troops, sending them US flags to fly in Iraq and Afghanistan to give as thank-you gifts for the more generous donors. "We are so grateful," said David, one of the site's moderators trying to drum up fundraising. "Soldiers and Marines have flown flags for us, sending them back with certificates signed by their Commanders. It's an activity we used to arrange for the members. It was a lot of fun, 2-3 times a year and most importantly, for free. Now it's just to survive."

"Right now, we are just looking to get donations....

Go read the rest at A Soldiers Perspective here. Thanks, CJ.


[UPDATE: BlackFive has issued their readers a challenge. Go here to see what that challenge is - how you can meet it. I know you can :) ]

Every Day Heroes

Meet Staff Sergeant Stephen Gouak:

As an explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) team leader of the United States Marine Corps, Staff Sergeant Stephen Gouak has one of the most hazardous jobs there is, going closer to bombs, not farther away. During his tour in Iraq, Gouak led his team in disabling 190 IEDs, 1 suicide truck bomb, and over 45 weapons caches with a net weight of 6,300 pounds. His team’s tremendous efforts saved many lives.

One particular instance stands out from his time there. In July 2007, his team got a call to assist another EOD unit collecting explosives after a fierce firefight. Once there, his group began recovering and disarming munitions in the area. They found more than 110 IEDs, plus suicide belts still on the dead bodies of the enemies. Altogether, the bombs weighed nearly 400 pounds. The team began to load up the explosives to be removed from the area. Suddenly, insurgents attacked again. For two hours, the American forces endured a barrage of small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Gouak led the team’s in their defense against the ambush.

A horrible thought struck him: What if the enemy rounds hit the pile of ordnance? Realizing the catastrophe that would ensue, Gouak seized the initiative, and evacuated the bombs from the area. Because of his quick thinking and steadfast courage, Gouak stopped what could have been a disaster for the troops there that day.

Thanks to Staff Sergeant Stephen Gouak’s actions during his deployment, his team cleared an extraordinary amount of explosives. Without these efforts, many lives, coalition and Iraqi, would have been lost. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his overall achievements in Iraq. (source)

Thank you for your service, Staff Sergeant Gouak!

B*N*S*N1

Rangers receive awards for valor

Sep 30, 2008
BY Bob Reinert

FORT LEWIS, Wash. - It was so dark in that area of Iraq the night of April 26, 2008, Spc. Joe Gibson wasn't certain what he had just stepped on as he walked through the chest-high grass between a series of two-foot-deep irrigation ditches.

Gibson, a mortarman with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, took two more steps forward and then turned around to investigate.

"It's my job to make sure, so I turned around to make sure," Gibson recalled. "I started moving the grass out of the way to see what I had stepped on."

It was an insurgent, who raised his AK-47 rifle toward Gibson.

"He had an advantage on me," Gibson said. "I knew he would have shot me first, so I just dived on him."

As they struggled, the insurgent uttered the word "bomb" in English. He was wearing an explosive suicide vest.

"I thought at that moment that I probably was going to die, but I didn't care," Gibson said. "There was nothing I could do about it, so I kept on doing what I was doing."

He ultimately shot and killed the insurgent, saving the lives of all the Rangers around him. For that and his other actions that night, Gibson, 23, was awarded the Silver Star at a ceremony Sept. 26 at the Evergreen Theater on Fort Lewis.

Gibson was one of 45 Soldiers from the 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regt. who received combat awards following their recent deployment at the ceremony, presided over by Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla. Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commanding general, I Corps and Fort Lewis, was in attendance.

"You are a special breed," Olson told the assembled Rangers. "We do ask a lot of you. It's all a part of your job. It's a calling. And for that, the nation and I thank you, and we are fiercely proud of you."

Olson called Gibson's actions "awesome, and we were all inspired by them."

Prior to Gibson's encounter with the insurgent, the Rangers had been inserted by helicopter.

"It was in the middle of the night," said Master Sgt. Bryan Barker, Gibson's platoon sergeant. "It was a very dark night, about zero illumination. We were just out kind of in the middle of nowhere."

After landing, the Rangers were met by intense small-arms and machine-gun fire. They immediately took two casualties, including a member of Gibson's squad.

"The first thing that I wanted to do was just get to him," Gibson said. "Me and another guy moved to him immediately."

Under fire, they treated the Soldier and saw to it that he and the other casualty were evacuated.

"It was physically demanding," Gibson admitted. "It's your buddy there, and you don't want to quit. He's all right. He lived through that."

A native of Yale, Okla., who joined the Army in May 2005, Gibson is married to Sgt. Samantha Gibson of the 61st Chemical Company. They met three years ago at Fort Lewis. Shortly after the raid, Spc. Gibson reenlisted for six years to become an infantry team leader in 3rd Platoon, A Co.

"That's what I joined the Army to do," said Gibson of that night last April. "I feel honored to get that chance to do what I did.

"I was just doing what I had to do. I don't really think I deserve anything special for that."

Bob Reinert is a reporter with Fort Lewis' Northwest Guardian
(source)

Rangers lead the way!!!!! (The emphasis in the above is mine...lol)

B*N*S*N2

Paras return from Afghanistan to brand new accommodation

2 Oct 08

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment have been moving into their new home in the purpose-built rooms in Merville Barracks at Colchester Garrison this week after returning from a six month operational tour in Afghanistan.

Members of 3 PARA moving into their new accommodation
[Picture: Cpl Rupert Frere RLC]

The soldiers are moving from their old rooms in Hyderabad Barracks into the second and final phase of the £560 million development at Merville Barracks, which was completed in June 2008.

The centrepiece of the new Barracks is the new junior ranks single living accommodation (JRSLA), where each soldier has their own room with en-suite bathroom. These are built in 69-room blocks, split into flatlets of between six and eight rooms, each with a communal cooking and cleaning area, and common room. This makes a considerable change from the previous accommodation in Colchester, much of which dates back to the 1930s and 40s, and in some cases to Victorian times.

Private Ryan Hanks got back from Afghanistan last Friday, Friday 26 September 2008, with B Company and is enjoying his new surroundings:

"We were in four-man rooms before at our old barracks" said Pte Hanks. "We hadn't seen these before we moved in on Friday so when I saw it, it was mega. Everyone has got a double bed and you've got your own bathroom now as well. We've also got a washing machine in the other room which is good."

Soldiers making the most of one of the communal kitchen areas
[Picture: Cpl Rupert Frere RLC]

Major Aidan Coogan, Regimental Adjutant of The Parachute Regiment, said:

"The move into new accommodation, which is of a standard that our soldiers deserve, has actually been a long journey from Aldershot to Colchester.

"We are absolutely delighted that we now have accommodation and working conditions of the highest quality that befit the work that our modern soldiers do."..

There is more, Go here to find out.

B*N*S*N3

Displaced Families Return to Al Khwalis

Thursday, 02 October 2008 By Sgt. Mark Albright
14th Public Affairs Detachment

AL KHWALIS — More than 100 Individually Displaced families returned to their homes recently in the town of Al Khwalis. The event was celebrated by a welcome ceremony and is a significant mark in the reconciliation process. The families left the area when tensions mounted after the Iraqi Army cleared the area of Al Qaeda last year.

“Today was a ceremony that represents the reconciling of differences between Sunni and Shia families,” said Capt. Roger Miranda, executive officer, 1st Battalion, 19th Brigade, 5th Division, Military Transition Team. “These people have been living in the town of Hib Hib since they were displaced.”

There were more than 500 people who returned to Khwalis in the reconciliation process that had been ongoing since January. The reconciliation council met multiple times and decided who is allowed to come back.

“I am so happy today because these families are able to come back to their homes,” said sheik Ratif Al Sa’adi, a member of the reconciliation council for Al Khwalis, “This is a great step for the council and for the people returning.”...

You know the drill! Go here to read the rest ;)

B*N*S*N4

Exercise Bold Eagle mixes First Nations, military

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Project Number:08-0560

Wainwright, Alberta – Exercise Bold Eagle, a six-week program that combines First Nation traditions with the Army Reserve Basic Military Qualification, opens the door to the military for young First Nation people.

In August, 57 newly-qualified young men and women received congratulations from Lieutenant-General (LGen) Andrew Leslie, Chief of Land Staff and Chief Lawrence Joseph of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations at the Bold Eagle 2008 graduation ceremony.

Before the start of military training, recruits participate in a four-day culture camp which eases their transition into the military. The camp allows the elders of their community to explain the ways of the warrior and the traditions of First Nations people.
Private Nigel Crow from Lethbridge, Alberta, zeroes his C-7 rifle.

Go to Assoluta Tranquillita and read the rest!

B*N*S*N bonus!!!!

I had to add this one..a subject close to my heart:

Secretary of Army encourages MilBloggers

Sep 30, 2008
BY Lindy Kyzer

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Army News Service, Sept. 30, 2008) -- Secretary of the Army Pete Geren and Chief of Public Affairs Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner participated in a live blogger's roundtable panel at the 2008 MilBlog Conference held Sept. 20 in conjunction with the Blog World Expo.

The live blogger's roundtable was an inaugural event for the conference, providing military bloggers with the opportunity to ask questions of Army leadership.

The 3rd annual MilBlog Conference brought together key military bloggers, including active-duty Soldiers, military supporters, civilians and veterans who blog about military issues.

Secretary Geren led off the panel by taking questions from bloggers on topics from policy to how he would rate his own Internet savvy.

"I use the Internet a great deal," said Geren. "I use it for research; I have many Web sites that I go to regularly as a way to research and get news to stay informed.

As far as blogging, I can tell you that it's not something that I was very familiar with more than a couple years ago."

Geren went on to say that the rise of bloggers who were able to influence news and make headlines made him take a closer look. ...

Go read the rest over at my place Assoluta Tranquillita here.

Feel Free To Write Your Own!

To: Janet Brown 

Executive Director
Debates Commision

jb@debates.org

To Who It May Concern:

I am appalled at the lack of judgment in reference to the selection of Gwen Ifill as the moderator of Thursday's Vice Presidential Debates.

When "vetting" is such a political hot topic right now, I am concerned that Ifill was not vetted. Otherwise, you would have found that she was not impartial to both Vice-Presidential candidates, or to the leaders of their respective tickets. She is even scheduled to have a heavily biased book published by Doubleday, "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama ", on January 20th, 2009.

The synopsis from the Amazon.com page: 

"In THE BREAKTHROUGH, veteran journalist Gwen Ifill surveys the American political landscape, shedding new light on the impact of Barack Obama’s stunning presidential campaign and introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power. 

Ifill argues that the Black political structure formed during the Civil Rights movement is giving way to a generation of men and women who are the direct beneficiaries of the struggles of the 1960s. She offers incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, and also covers up-and-coming figures from across the nation. Drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others, as well as her own razor-sharp observations and analysis of such issues as generational conflict and the "black enough" conundrum, Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history. 

THE BREAKTHROUGH is a remarkable look at contemporary politics and an essential foundation for understanding the future of American democracy."

I am sorry, but it would seem to me that this would be the classic conflict of interests. If Sen. Obama does not win the Presidential Election, then her book is completely worthless. Therefore, it would be in her best interests for Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden to win not only the debates, but the election.

As an American, I am demanding that you select a different, impartial moderator that's been properly "vetted".

Honesty, decency, and the views of the American People about the Media are at stake.

Very Respectfully,

(pictures courtesy of They Have Names)

Amy Galvez is a Gold Star Mother. Like so many Gold Star Mothers, she honours her son - Adam - by serving and supporting troops still fighting on. My friend CJ sent me the following email about her latest project:

Amy Galvez Is Off To Boot Camp

October 1, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Charities/Contests

For those have known me for any amount of time know that I’ve worked hard on They Have Names to ensure that our fallen Soldiers have a name and that their story is told. One of the stories I told was that of Marine Corporal Adam Galvez. I was able to tell his story mainly through interviews with his mother, Amy.

Well, since Adam’s death, Amy has been very busy about the business of supporting other Marines and troops. She was instrumental in getting a street named Adam in their hometown in spite of the opposition to the war by their mayor. And now, she’s working to raise money for the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund by putting herself through Marine Corps bootcamp…sort of.

We are going to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot to run the obstacle course used only by Marine Recruits. This is three mile course dotted with 17 obstacles including trenches, fox holes, wall climbs, tunnels, push ups, just to name a few, all with Drill Instructors hot on our heels to “encourage” us through the course.

BUT WHY?
To benefit injured Marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan by raising money for the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund. IMSFF is an awesome organization that has given over 8,000 grants totaling more than 22 million dollars to injured Marines and their families.

Our goal is to raise $7,500. With 15 team members each raising $500 we will easily meet our goal. I am asking you to make a donation to support my participation in Boot Camp Challenge to benefit injured Marines. Donations will be accepted through CoolMarines.org. Following the event, a check will be present to Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund. 100% of the money raised will be given to IMSFF. All team members are traveling and participating at their own expense. For more information and to make a donation go to http://www.coolmarines.net/boot_camp_challenge.html

Amy is an awesome Gold Star Mom who has put her heart and soul into everything she does since losing her son to benefit our troops. She spends hours with care packages and other awareness projects and does so quietly, without fanfare or a lot of attention. But, I’m the one bringing attention to this because she can’t do it alone!

Please spread this as far and wide as possible to help Amy meet her goal for a worthy cause.

Go to They Have Names and read about this remarkable family. Then, do what YOU can to help Amy on this one. Thank you.

Wednesday Hero

This Week's Post Was Suggested And Written By Kathi

SSgt. Renee A. Deville
44 years old from Webster New York
401st Civil Affairs Battalion
September 1, 2008


SSGT Renee A. Deville was an Army Reservist who deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 401st Civil Affairs Battalion from Webster, N.Y. She arrived at Walter Reed August 10, 2006, after being injured in a mortar attack.

While at Walter Reed, Deville was assigned to Chosen Battery, Warrior Transition Brigade, and was among three graduates of the Army's first Basic Noncommissioned Officers Course Stand Alone Common Core offered to Warriors in Transition.

Deville, who successfully completed every aspect of the course from a wheelchair, was lauded by SGT Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston as exemplifying the Army's 'Warrior Ethos', at the graduation ceremony for the course on March 28, 2008.

Deville was also the impetus for a new playground being built behind the Mologne House at Walter Reed in 2007.

An October 2007 Washington Post article about the opening of the playground says that SSGT Deville's mention of her children's limited recreational options to Col. Bruce Haselden, the garrison commander, helped set in motion the playground project.

Staff Sgt. Renee Antoinette Deville died September 1, 2008 in her room at the Mologne House at Walter Reed. She was 44.

She is survived by her husband and 4 children, her mother, a brother, and two sisters.

SSGT Deville was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on September 19, 2008.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.


--
Indian Chris
http://rightwingrightminded.blogspot.com
http://hooahwife.com
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