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May 31, 2009
Jillian Bandes Examines Sotomayor's Decisions and Our Constitution
Jillian Bandes with Townhall, exanmines sonia sotomayor's Constitutional history.
Some of Sotomayor's decisions haven't really been in line with the Constitution. If she doesn't believe in all of it, does she really believe in any of it?
Wild Thing's comment.........
Sotomayor is a card-carrying-member of LA RAZA!
“She is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York Women’s Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Association of Judges of Hispanic Heritage, and the National Council of La Raza.”
Just an observation- Palin caught hell for being associated with a seccessionist group. Sotomayer gets lauded for being a member of a group dedicated to establishing a foreign country on US soil. Typical liberal playing field.
With Sonia Sotomayor on the bench, we will have rulings from the Supreme Court that will have sunk to the level of the O.J. Simpson murder trial: we may not have jury nullification but we will have the violation of the principle of the rule of law.
Mercy is good, and lovable... but it cannot exist without Justice, for that would only be the perpetuation of injustice.
It really is as simple as that. IMO
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:44 PM | Comments (4)
Obama Speech in Cairo to Offer Personal Commitment ( kissing up ) to Muslims
Obama speech to offer personal commitment to Muslims
Barack Obama will offer a "personal commitment" to bridge US differences with Muslims in his long-awaited speech to the Islamic world next week in Egypt, aides said.
But White House advisors said Friday that Obama would not shy away from addressing "tough issues" in the speech on Thursday at the University of Cairo which will be co-hosted by Al-Azhar University, an ancient center of Islam and learning.
"The speech will outline his personal commitment to engagement, based upon mutual interests and mutual respect," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
"He will discuss how the United States and Muslim communities around the world can bridge some of the differences that have divided them.
"He will review particular issues of concern, such as violent extremism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and he will discuss new areas for partnership going forward that serve the mutual interests of our people."
Obama foreign policy advisor Mark Lippert added that the address, which makes good on an Obama campaign promise, would emulate some other speeches by the president which have touched on difficult issues.
Obama, who lived for several years as a child in mainly Muslim Indonesia and traces part of his ancestry to a Muslim family in Kenya, will open his trip next Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, holding talks on Middle East peace, Iran, terrorism and other issues with King Abdullah.
The next day, his visit to Cairo will include the speech and talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who cancelled a visit to Washington this week because of the death of a grandson.
Obama then heads to Germany, where he will stay in the former East German city of Dresden, hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel and visit the former Nazi death camp at Buchenwald.
He will also visit US troops wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq and the US medical center at Landstuhl.
Obama's last stop will be in France on Saturday, where he will take part in 65th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day allied landings in Normandy, alongside French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Wild Thing's comment........
ALLAH FUBAR!
Well so much for Obama's wanting to make a “personal commitment” to us that he won’t destroy America!
While he's making this speech...let's move him out of the White House. It’s too bad he’s coming back to America.
"Barack Obama will stress what the White House calls his personal commitment “based upon mutual interests and mutual respect” to strengthening U.S. ties to the Muslim world."
Mutual interests??????? Incredible.
Appeasement with Islam, brings terrorism. American blood will run in the streets so Obama can feel good about himself.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:55 AM | Comments (6)
Obama Changes Mind About Uighur Terrorists at GITMO
Obama Administration Asserts Uighur Detainees Have No Right to Come to US
by Jack Tapper
The Obama administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court Friday to reject a request for a hearing from 17 Chinese Muslims currently being held at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, arguing they have no right to come to America despite a district judge's orders last Fall that they immediately be brought to the U.S. and released.
"Petitioners are free to return to their home country, but they understandably do not wish to do so, because they fear inhumane treatment there," reads the filing, signed by US Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Assistant Attorney General Tony West, and other Justice Department officials. "Petitioners are also free to go to any other country that is willing to accept them."
Many European countries are waiting for the US to accept the Uighurs before they agree to accept any more detainees from Guantanamo, but there is strong resistance from Congress, which recently voted to keep any detainees out of the US -- even out of US prisons.
But not to worry -- the Obama administration says the Uighurs' detention isn't so bad, considering.
"In contrast to individuals currently detained as enemies under the laws of war, petitioners are being housed under relatively unrestrictive conditions, given the status of Guantanamo Bay as a United States military base," Kagan writes, saying they are "in special communal housing with access to all areas of their camp, including an outdoor recreation space and picnic area." They "sleep in an air-conditioned bunk house and have the use of an activity room equipped with various recreational items, including a television with VCR and DVD players, a stereo system, and sports equipment."
On April 3, 2009, the Uighurs asked the US Supreme Court to hear their case.
The Obama administration on Friday urged the Supreme Court to not hear the case of the Uighurs, and to uphold the appellate court ruling.
Ironically, the Obama administration is now using Congress's refusal to allocate funding for the closing of Guantanamo as further reason why the Uighurs should not be freed. Mentioning that the House of Representatives passed a supplemental defense appropriations bill containing a provision specifying that “(n)one of the funds made available in this or any prior Act may be used to release an individual who is detained" at Guantanamo.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
LOL Hello Obama, it seems he has realized that if even one of these terrorist come to America and commit any violent crime he would be held responsible. Or it may be a polticial play not sure.
Obama could care less about the safety of Americans! But the media would have a tuff time defending him when there would be an attack on our soil after bringikng the Uighur terrorists here.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:50 AM | Comments (5)
White House Moves to Restrict Criticism of Stimulus Projects
White House moves to restrict criticism of stimulus projects
By: Mark Tapscott
A new White House policy on permissible lobbying on economic recovery and stimulus project has taken a decidedly anti-First Amendment turn. It’s a classic illustration of Big Government trying to control every aspect of a particular activity and in the process running up against civil liberty.
Check out this passage from a post on the White House blog by Norm Eisen, Special Counsel to the President on Ethics and Government Reform :
“First, we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists. For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.
"Second, we will focus the restriction on oral communications to target the scenario where concerns about merit-based decision-making are greatest –after competitive grant applications are submitted and before awards are made. Once such applications are on file, the competition should be strictly on the merits. To that end, comments (unless initiated by an agency official) must be in writing and will be posted on the Internet for every American to see.
"Third, we will continue to require immediate internet disclosure of all other communications with registered lobbyists. If registered lobbyists have conversations or meetings before an application is filed, a form must be completed and posted to each agency’s website documenting the contact."
The White House blog post by Eisen, go here.
The key passage is the reference to expanding regulation from registered lobbyists to "anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program."
This is the Camel's nose under the tent, being poked because of special circumstances. Let government restrict political expression - i.e. lobbying of government officials regarding policy - in one small, supposedly specialized area and not long after the specialized area starts expanding. Eventually, all political expression regarding all policy will become subject to government regulation.
Wild Thing's comment..........
More of the Obama thugery and force as they don't want critics to speak up or anyone to speak up or question what is going on.
The other night on the Hannity TV show, he decided to show the 100 worst wastes of 2009 and see all 100 it is really bad! ONe would be horrible and to see all 100 just makes your stomach sick and outrage at all these jerks doing this.
Something else about this too, I think this is that indication of just how big a disaster porkulous is turning out to be. I heard on TV the other day they( Obama and his administration) have no clue where most of the money has gone. It is a total mess!!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:49 AM | Comments (3)
Church Bulletin Bloopers
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:48 AM | Comments (1)
Two Female Seabees, First to Complete Lioness Program
Kasey Reed and Jody Gorsuch stop for a visit with the members of their battalion, after completion of the Lioness Program training.
Two Female Seabees, First to Complete Lioness Program
AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq
Builder Constructionman Kasey Reed and Steelworker Constructionman Jody Gorsuch were the first female Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 24 to complete training for The Lioness Program.
The Lioness Program, established in 2004, stations female troops with Marine combat units. The Lioness members therefore play a vital role in security and the fight against terrorism, by searching females and children, since Muslim cultural tradition dictates that men are not permitted to look up nor touch females.
When asked in an interview about her role as a Lioness, Reed commented, "It is a great experience, allowing women to show their importance in a joint effort with their male counter parts."
Reed and Gorsuch participated in a week long training course instructed by the Marines. The Seabees received classes covering a wide array of topics from Marine combat skills to combat life-saving techniques, and personnel searches to basic Arabic language skills.
After the completion of the training program, Gorsuch stated, "Completing the program has provided me with a great sense of accomplishment through attaining these new skills and knowledge." She went on to describe the experience as "empowering for women."
Both women were excited and confident in regard to their new role and assignment with the Marines.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
How exciting for them and all the work they did to complete this. Congratulatons !
I can just imagine how the Muslims react when they see all our various women in our military and good at what they do. heh heh It must drive the Muslims even more angry at Americans. Tah dah!
Good get the Muslims so angry they cannot see straight then shoot all of them.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:47 AM | Comments (4)
Obama's Cap and Trade (TAX) He LIED To HIS Voters About No Taxes
President Obama has said that cap and trade would cause electricity prices to skyrocket. Do you have an extra $1,500 a year to spend on energy?
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GOP attacks Democrats for climate proposal
H. Josef Hebert
Republicans on Saturday attacked the climate change proposal crafted by congressional Democrats and endorsed by President Barrack Obama as doing little to reduce global warming while saddling Americans with high energy costs.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, in the GOP's weekly radio and Internet address, called the House climate bill "a classic example of unwise government." The address culminated a week of coordinated Republican attacks on the Democratic proposal which would require the first nationwide reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
GOP House members used the weeklong Memorial Day congressional recess to drum up voter opposition to the Democratic bill.
The governor's criticism echoed Republican lawmakers' arguments at "energy summits" in Pennsylvania, Indiana and California and at other forums during the week.
The proposal to cap greenhouse emissions "will cost us dearly in jobs and income and it stands no chance of achieving its objective of a cooler earth" because other nation's such as China and India will not have to follow, argues Daniels, according to a transcript of the Saturday address.
"The cost for all American taxpayers will be certain, huge, and immediate. Any benefits are extremely uncertain, minuscule, and decades distant," maintains Daniels.
The climate bill would require a 17 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020 and 83 percent reduction by mid-century. It advanced from the House Energy and Commerce Committee shortly before lawmakers left Washington for their holiday break, getting only one GOP vote.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to take up the measure in the full House this summer.
"The national energy tax imposed by Speaker Pelosi's climate change bill would double electric bills here in Indiana, working a severe hardship on low income families, but that's only where the damage starts," says Daniels. "In a state where we like to make things, like steel and autos and RVs, it would cost us countless jobs. ... Our farmers and livestock producers would see their costs skyrocket. and our coal miners would be looking for new work."
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Wild Thing's comment......
How about this, why not just have those that voted for this anti-American military hater Obama pay all the taxes and let those of us that knew better off the hook. Let them pay, they asked for this crap. LOL
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:45 AM | Comments (4)
Charlie Daniels Band Performs Concert in Sand Storm at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq
Charlie Daniels continues on...his black cowboy hat turning brown from the sand storm
The Charlie Daniels Band Performs Concert at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq
AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq
Coalition forces extended a warm welcome to the Charlie Daniels Band April 16. The performance was one not soon forgotten. The weather had been bright and clear throughout the day. But shortly after the country music icon, dressed in Marine digital camouflage and a big black cowboy hat, stepped on stage, the wind kicked up, causing the band and fans to experience a sand storm that turned the sky orange. The weather did not deter the Charlie Daniels Band from continuing the concert. Only after the rain began to fall, was the event cut short.
Constructionman Erin Huff commented that, " It was very cool that he kept playing after the sand storm first hit."
The event was moved into the Sentinel Theatre where Charlie Daniels spoke to the audience, apologizing for having to shorten the show.
He also stated, "We'll stay until every one in this theatre has a chance to come up and get an autograph and a picture."
True to his word, he and the band, after approximately three hours of shaking hands signing, autographs, and taking a picture with every service member that waited in line, called it a night.
In attendance for the show were personnel from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 24. The deployed Battalion consists of Navy Reservists from the home detachments in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and West Virginia, as well as Individual Augmentees from many other states from across the country.
Many of the members of NMCB 24 have grown up listening to Charlie Daniels Band on the radio, and watching him perform at other concerts and venues. Several of the Seabees reside and work in Mt. Juliet, Tenn., where Charlie Daniels has his home.
The Seabees of NMCB 24 took a little extra pride in watching the performance. The Builders from Charlie Company had been tasked with constructing and installing the stage for the performance, as well as the stanchions that were used to cordon off the area.
The entire project took the six man team, lead by Builder 1st Class Bobby Bills, approximately 48 man hours to plan, cut, install and disassemble. The workers performed the majority of the work in their off-duty time.
When asked about the project, Bills stated, "It was an honor that the Seabees were chosen to build the stage for such a legendary country artist." He went on to say how proud he was of his team for working so "quickly and efficiently."
The performance and meet and greet were enjoyed by all, regardless of the weather that quickly changed the evening.
Equipment Operator 3rd Class Jacob Hicks described it best when asked what he thought about the performance, "It was awesome."
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Here is one of Charlile Daniels Latest articles he wrote :
Seeds of Dictatorship
by Charlie Daniels
I'm going to shock some of you people, others I will probably anger and some of you will be amused at what I'm going to say in this column, but I don't care if I'm the last man standing I would be less than honest and candid if I didn't say it.
People if we don't get real this country is going to slip right out from under us, or rather be pulled right out from under us by a President bent on socialism and a power mad Democratic Congressional leadership.
The new Treasury Secretary can't even keep up with his income taxes and he is asking for powers that nobody but kings and people like Hugo Chavez have. He wants to be able to take over American companies that aren't toeing the Obama line. That is a downright abomination to the Constitution.
Nancy Pelosi changes the procedures of the House of Representatives so the Democratic majority can rush legislation thorough. Is this what the Congress is supposed to be about? Ms. Pelosi and Harry Reid, her counterpart in the Senate, are a clear and present danger to the republic.
Can't you see what's happening, America? They're going to try to force you to join unions, screw up your healthcare, invade every facet of your life, and you can believe it now or you can believe it later…they will raise your taxes, a lot.
And yet even with raising taxes they're not going to be able to raise enough to service the debt they're making. The only way out is to inflate the currency and folks when that begins in earnest, Katie bar the door.
The American dollar, once the standard for the planet Earth will become like green wallpaper and the price of goods and services will rise exponentially.
Do you think this can't happen, America? Well the sorry truth is that it is happening; in fact it's accelerating on a daily basis as a socialist President and a panicked Congress flounder around with no idea except to throw more money at it. After all, it's only paper, they can always print some more.
Things are moving so fast now; things once thought unthinkable are becoming commonplace as Obama, Pelosi, Reid and company consolidate their power over America.
This may sound far-fetched, but Hugo Chavez was democratically elected, and then started sowing the seeds of socialism in Venezuela. He was recently successful in eliminating term limits for the presidency, and is now essentially President for Life, as long as the people keep voting him in. There's an old quote by a British historian named Lord Acton, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
I don't like the role of alarmist, I love this country and always believed in it, always thought that we could work out of any problem. I've seen wars, recessions and national tragedy and the thought never entered my mind that America wouldn't pull out of the problem, but America is in a tailspin and if somebody doesn't grab the controls soon it's going to crash.
And do you know what happens then?
Total government control. It's called dictatorship.
What do you think?
Pray for our troops
God Bless America
Charlie Daniels
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Wild Thing's comment...........
I sure am glad Charlie is on our side! What a big lovable bear of a man and I like the way he thinks too. Also I love how he did't let the sand strom stop him. He played as long as he could for our troops.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:40 AM | Comments (5)
May 30, 2009
Shot Gun Golf! ~ Hilarious!!
Wild Thing's comment......
ROTFLMAO this is sooooo funny. I love it.
....Thank you JohnE PFC U.S. Army for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 PM | Comments (4)
U.S. Citizens vs. Barack Hussein Obama
The growing movement to jail and impeach Barack Hussein Obama and members of the United States congress for high crimes against the states, while the crooked media continues to ignore the truth about this criminal CULT.
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"Citizens movement to jail and impeach Barack Hussein Obama for high crimes against the states, while the criminal media and the corrupt United States Supreme court are all involved in this criminal conspiracy and cult fraud. The revolution is NOW."
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Wild Thing's comment.......
God bless these Americans and Obama you can go to hell!
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:25 PM | Comments (3)
Veterans Patriotic Stickers Under Fire
Vet's Patriotic Stickers Under Fire
DALLAS
Frank Larison is a disabled veteran with more than 14 years of service, including more than a year of combat duty in Vietnam.
The 58-year-old former Marine now finds himself under attack by his Dallas homeowners association for displaying seven decals on his vehicle supporting the Marine Corps.
"To me, it's being patriotic, and it shows that I served," the veteran told FOX 4.
The board says the decals are advertisements that violate HOA rules, and must be covered or removed.
Otherwise, the homeowners association for The Woodlands II on The Creek --- where Larimore has lived for eight years --- says in a letter it will tow the car at Larimore's expense. The board also threatens to fine him $50 for any future incident.
Larimore says the decals, ranging from the Marine emblem to Semper Fi slogans, aren't advertisements for anything. "You can't buy freedom," he reasoned.
Some neighbors are outraged.
"That is his identity," said neighbor Mary Castagna. "He goes to a lot of the veteran meetings, and it means a lot to him. Everyone else agrees with it; it doesn't bother anybody."
"He's in the Marines, and he's proud of it, and I don't blame him," said neighbor Paul Hardy. "If I'd gone through what he's gone through, I'd be kind of proud of it myself."
The letter from the board states you can't have any form of advertisement anywhere on your car on your property. FOX 4 cameras spotted bumper stickers for political parties, health causes, and other non-commercial interests on the property as well.
One board member said he was unaware the HOA presidents sent the letter and did not know of any issue with Larimore's vehicle.
"I will be looking into it," said board member Art Bradford. "I didn't know anything about this. I haven't seen this."
The board president was out of town and unavailable. The condo management company did not want to comment.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
The board of The Woodlands II on The Creek says the decals violate the rules of the homeowners association, which deems them advertisements — even though the TV station spotted other residents' vehicles with bumper stickers for political parties, health causes and other non-commercial interests.
This man's HOA is who offends. I hope he goes after them and people see what horrible people they are to do this to a Veteran. It isn't as though they are following their own rules about stickers, THEY ONLY WANTED TO GO AFTER A VETERAN! Can there be any doubt as to the sickness, that is Liberalism? Good Grief, America. . .come to your senses!
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....Thank you Richard for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (10)
Woman Told to Remove 'Offensive' American Flag From Office
Texas Woman Told to Remove 'Offensive' American Flag From Office
Debbie McLucas comes from a patriotic family – her husband and both of her sons served in the U.S. military, and her daughter is currently deployed to Iraq on her second tour of duty as a combat medic.
So when McLucas arrived at work at a Texas hospital last Friday, she was stunned to be told that the Stars and Stripes she had hung in her office in advance of Memorial Day were offensive, and that the flag had been removed.
“I got into work, I was met by my supervisor and told that there had been multiple complaints, that people found the flag very offensive and it had been taken down," McLucas told FOXNews.com.
"I went to the office to retrieve it and found the flag wrapped around the pole, sitting in the corner on the ground. I was speechless."
McLucas, a supervisor at Kindred Hospital in Mansfield, Texas, had displayed the 3-by-5-foot flag in the office she shares with the hospital’s three other supervisors. McLucas said one of her colleagues, a woman who immigrated to the United States from Africa 14 years ago, complained about the flag to upper management, and the hospital decided to take down the flag.
"I was told that as long as my flag offended one person, it would be taken down," McLucas said.
She said the hospital told her that the American flag flying outside the building would have to suffice. "I was told, ‘There is a flag hanging out front, everyone can see that one. Is that not enough?’"
No, she said, that wasn't enough.
"It is more than I can even fathom, that you would find the American flag offensive, in America," McLucas said.
A Kindred Healthcare spokeswoman did not return calls for comment. Kindred issued a press release stating, “Kindred Hospital Mansfield has a great deal of appreciation for the service that many of our employees and their families have given to their country. We honor our veterans and active military through a variety of benefits and service programs. This was an isolated incident between two employees that we are working to resolve amicably.”
The statement went on to explain: “The disagreement was over the size of the flag and not what it symbolized. We have invited the employee to put the flag back up.”
And it will go back up and stay up, McLucas said.
"I do think they're trying to do the right thing. I have no reason to believe the flag won't remain there as long as I'm employed."
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Wild Thing's comment.......
What I don’t understand about this kind of situation (that happens way too often) is that the one “offended” is given into and all those not offended are ignored.
The election of the POS certainly has smoked out the America haters. I bet the jerik woman from Africa voted for Obama.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (6)
Obama’s Foreign Policy Speak ~ "kind of worried"
U.S. Officials 'Kind of Worried' Over Activity at North Korean Military Facility
U.S. intelligence officials have spotted activity at a key North Korean military facility that has them "kind of worried," a senior official told FOX News.
Support activity, including the movement of certain vehicles and personnel, has been spotted at Sanumdong, a research-and-development complex, the official said. The activity is consistent with that observed prior to the launch of the Taepodong-2 missile in the past.
The official said part of the concern, given the fact that Sanumdong is not itself a launch site, is that the North Koreans may be preparing to move a warhead by rail -- for an unknown purpose.
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Wild Thing's comment........
Well that’s reassuring..”kinda worried”. I’d like my leaders to be more than “kinda anything” . Good lord....THIS is Obama’s foreign policy speak????
"U.S. intelligence officials have spotted activity at a key North Korean military facility that has them "kind of worried,"
They are tearing down the Obama/Biden 2008 signs all over the barracks?
U.S. intelligence officials have spotted activity at a key North Korean military facility that has them "kind of worried" ...
Interesting vernacular ... for an intelligence official. I am sort of concerned, kind of.
NSA Analyst report to superior officer: "Hey, sir, like, we were watching some stuff on satelite, and, you know, there's alot of things moving around and it sort of looks weird ... I dunno, don't wanna raise any alarms or anything, but some of the older guys around here were sort of worried."
"kind of worried" = “kinda cool” but the opposite or something like that.
SEOUL, May 29 (Reuters)
Chinese ships shunning waters near Korea amid tensions
SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap)
Chinese fishing vessels are leaving the Yellow Sea, where tensions between the two Koreas have escalated after Pyongyang's threats of military clash, a defense source here said Friday.
"Chinese fishing ships operating near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) began withdrawing yesterday," the source said, adding the military authorities are trying to find out whether North Korea asked them to do so.
More than 280 Chinese vessels were fishing near the NLL for crab earlier this week but the number has dropped to about 140, according to the source.
Tensions are running high around the de-facto inter-Korean maritime border following North Korea's warning Tuesday of military action that came after South Korea announced its full participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative, a U.S.-led campaign to stop the trade of weapons of mass destruction and related materials.
There were two deadly skirmishes between the two sides near the sea border, in 1999 and 2002.
An official at Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, however, said the withdrawal did not appear to be a sign of an imminent provocation.
"All Chinese ships would have evacuated the area if that was the case," the official said, adding the crab-catching season was almost over.
"The government is closely following developments in the West Sea (Yellow Sea), but there are no imminent signs of hostilities," said the official, who spoke on customary condition of anonymity.
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And there is also this...........................
Obama Defense Secretary Says North Korea NOT A THREAT
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, en route to an annual security summit in Singapore Friday, signaled as much, saying North Korea’s actions so far do not warrant sending more US troops to the region.
“I don’t think that anybody in the [Obama] administration thinks there is a crisis,” Mr. Gates told reporters aboard his military jet early Friday morning, still Thursday night in Washington.
Meanwhile South Korea children are doing something similar to our duck and cover drills at the height of the Cold War.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (8)
Just a Little of This and That
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This is exactly why you should always, ALWAYS... twirl once in front of the mirror before leaving the house.
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......Thank you SSGT Steve
SSgt Steve
1st MarDiv, H Co., 2nd Bn, 5th Marine Regiment
2/5 Marines, Motto: "Retreat, Hell"
VN 66-67
In honor of the 44th President of the United States,
Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream has introduced a new flavor: "Barocky Road."
Barocky Road is a blend of half vanilla, half chocolate, and surrounded by nuts and flakes.
The vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually denied as an ingredient. The nuts
and flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow.
The cost is $100.00 per scoop.
When purchased it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but then the ice cream is
taken away and given to the person in line behind you.
You are left with an empty wallet and no change, holding an empty cone with no hope of getting
any ice cream.
Are you stimulated?
.....Thank you Chief.
Chief Petty Officer
BM-0164-Assault Boat Coxswain
Vietnam 1964- 1970
1970-1988 US Coast Guard
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....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
United States Army
1965-1971
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
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A man seeking to join a Texas Sheriff's Department is being interviewed.
The Sergeant doing the interview says: "Your qualifications all look good, but there is an attitude suitability test that you must take before you can be accepted."
Then, sliding a service pistol across the desk, he says: "Take this pistol and go out and shoot six illegal aliens, six meth dealers, six Muslim extremists, and a rabbit."
"Why the rabbit?"
"Great attitude," says the Sergeant. "When can you start?"
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.....Thank you Larry for sending this to me.
Larry
tuy hoa nah trang duc pho chu lai
39TH COMBAT ENGRS BN
Dec 66 - Dec 67
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Pinocchio, Snow White, and Superman are out for a stroll in town one day. As they walked, they come across a sign: "Beauty contest for the most beautiful woman in the world."
"I am entering!" said Snow White. After half an hour she comes out and they ask her, "Well, how'd ya do?"
"First Place!" said Snow White.
They continue walking and they see a sign: "Contest for the strongest man in the world."
"I'm entering," says Superman. After half an hour, he returns and they ask him, "How did you make out?"
"First Place," answers Superman. "Did you ever doubt?"
They continue walking when they see a sign: "Contest! Who is the greatest liar in the world?" Pinocchio enters.
After half an hour he returns with tears in his eyes.
"What happened?" they asked.
"Who the hell is this Nancy Pelosi?" asked Pinocchio.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
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Got a freakin' call center! It was in Pakistan. I told them I was suicidal.
They got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck.
....Thank you Horace for sending this to me.
Horace
U.S.Army
Horace Smith, Pvt. E-1, USAR
1956-1964
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Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (9)
Judge Napolitano: Repeal the 17th Amendment For Better Local Representation
Judge Napolitano: Repeal the 17th Amendment For Better Local Representation
Judge Napolitano explains why repealing the 17th Amendment (Direct Election of Senators), which wasn't part of the original Constitution (added by Woodrow Wilson "progressives") will enhance local representation.
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Wild Thing's comment........
The direct election of Senators removes completely the State's representation in the federal government and has undermined this nation is so many ways its unfathomable.
The House represents the people, the Senate was meant to represent the states, and the Executive branch represented the federal government, and the Supreme Court played referee... now since this ammenment there is no state representation in the federal government!! It is tragic.
The 17th (and 16th) must go if we are ever to restore our constitutional republic. Yes I would be all for this to happen.
Also here is the 16th:
Article I, Section 9: "...No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken..."
Amendment XVI: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:46 AM | Comments (8)
Gibbs vs.UK Press
Robert Gibbs, rattled by Telegraph story, lashes out at British press
Posted By: Toby Harnden
US Editor
It's difficult to know where to start with the extraordinary outburst by Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary, after he was asked about the Telegraph story based on an interview with Maj Gen (Retd) Antonio Taguba, author of a 2004 report into the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal.
Gibbs didn't feel he was on sure enough ground to attack Taguba or deny the Telegraph's story so he attempted this..............................
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Lashes out at British media
Robert Gibbs swatted down reports in British newspapers that suppressed photos of prisoner abuse included graphic ... images of torture and rape — and took a hard shot at the overseas media.
“I want to speak generally about some reports I’ve witnessed over the past few years in the British media. And in some ways, I’m surprised it filtered down,” Gibbs began. “Let’s just say if I wanted to look up — if I wanted to read a writeup today of how Manchester United fared last night in the Champion’s League cup, I might open up a British newspaper. If I was looking for something that bordered on truthful news, I’m not entirely sure it’d be in the first pack of clips I’d pick up.”
“You're not going to find very many of these newspapers and truth within 25 words of each other,” Gibbs continued.
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Back to the article by the Telegraph.co.uk...............................
The Obama White House seems to view the British media as insufficiently compliant and respectful. They were intensely irritated about UK coverage of the DVDs gift fiasco - pushing American reporters very hard not to write about it.
Obama himself gave a little flash of his disdain for the British press at his G20 press conference when he took a question from Justin Webb of the BBC and noted the hubbub in the hall. "See, everybody's complaining," he said. "I'm sure that's all your fellow British journalists."
All this flies in the face of Obama's promises. In February 2008, he told me: "As somebody who myself lived overseas for a time, the world would see me as a different kind of president, somebody who could see the world through their eyes."
Well how can you do that when your press secretary trashes the press of your foremost foreign ally and suggests that only American journalists can report US politics?
President George W. Bush was clearly irritated by the British press on occasions, particularly the practice of visiting UK reporters to remain in their seats while their American counterparts stood up. But he engaged in banter and even came to enjoy the often very direct questioning from the likes of Nick Robinson of the BBC.
Bush, of course, gave many more foreign press interviews than Obama has. He regularly held foreign press round tables before overseas trips - a tradition that Obama, who prefers US outlets - particularly niche magazines who are guaranteed to ask soft questions - seems to have dispensed with.
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Wild Thing's comment........
The original article was VERY straightforward, merely reporting the fact that Obama changed his mind (rightly, in my opinion) on this issue and not commenting on that change of mind. So I don't really see what the WH is so upset about. It is a simple statement of fact, nothing more.
For the most part I appreciate the Telegraph.co.uk,, and the Canadian Free Press they have had many stories that either never show up in our media other then at Fox, or days later with the slant on them that CNN and MSNBC does to the news.
LOL I wonder if Obama understands that the Telegraph doesn’t care what Obama thinks and probably won’t respond well to thug tactics?
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (6)
The Price of Peace
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The Price of Peace
Deployment ceremonies are never easy.
Emotions can be overwhelming as families and friends gather together for their good-byes.
Twelve-year-old Alyssa Gaddis and her 16-year-old sister Cassy Gaddis, of Springfield, IL, know this firsthand.
They’ve been to many such events because their father, CW5 Jim Gaddis, is the command chief warrant officer
of the Illinois Army National Guard. They’ve felt the power of families being torn apart. These experiences inspired Alyssa to write a song—a song to lift the spirits of those enduring deployment, a song to inspire courage and hope. Alyssa titled her song, “The Price of Peace.”
Thinking positive
“I went to a deployment ceremony where kids were clutching to their dad’s neck crying,” Alyssa recalls, “and it just broke my heart. Cassy and I have it so easy right now with our dad at home. There are dads out there [with] loved ones going off to war.”
Cassy agreed, adding, “That particular ceremony was probably the saddest one I have ever been to because there were so many families there. I think that some people don’t really understand because they haven’t seen it with their own eyes.”
When Alyssa started writing her song, she knew there were other songs out there with similar themes. But many of them had sad endings. She wanted hers to be unique—by being positive. She wanted it to have a happy ending.
Cassy had the same idea. “I think that a lot of people want to focus on the negative,” she shared. “And it’s there … but I always think there’s a silver lining to everything.”
Alyssa felt her original point of view could make the song stand out.
“I wanted to write it from a girl’s perspective—‘My dad’s going off to war,’ ” she explained. “There aren’t any songs about younger kids with dads going off to war.
“Hopefully this song will allow people to focus on the good. Yes, it is hard when he’s gone, but he is coming home.”
Love for the Soldier
The Gaddis girls’ compassion extends beyond the families to the deploying Soldiers.
“I definitely respect [them] for their courage and strength, and their sacrifice,” Cassy stated. “I think in today’s society, especially now, people just want the war to end so much that they kind of forget what these Soldiers and their families face.
“I know what they go through. Their sacrifice for us is just jawdropping. While we sit here, they are over there training and fighting to help us. I think self-sacrifice is the definition of … a Soldier.”
State Farm was there
Alyssa’s crafting of the tune was only the beginning of this project. The next question was how to get it “out there.”
Enter an unexpected ally—State Farm Insurance. Its Adopt-a-Soldier program was created to thank and support deployed troops by sending them care packages and has received national accolades. State Farm was also recently awarded the highest employer honor bestowed by the Department of Defense—the Freedom Award—for recognition of its support of employees serving in the Guard and Reserves. Jim Gaddis ran into a State Farm rep at a Family Readiness meeting in Springfield and told the rep about his daughters’ song. The two discussed the possibilities, and State Farm offered to help pay for the recording studio time in Nashville, TN.
The Gaddis family also set up the Web site ThePriceofPeaceorg, which promotes and sells downloads of the song. Profits from the song will be going to Illinois’ Family Readiness Groups and local VFWs.
“This is another effort to raise money for the Illinois Family Readiness groups, so they can support the troops,” said Bill Hrabik, President–Military Affinity Group at State Farm. “The goal is to raise money for the group, and awareness of the separation issues of deploying Soldiers and their families.”
The man with the plan
People often make the mistake of assuming it is not that hard to record a song.
Well, it entails a little bit more than just singing into a microphone. You need producers to handle the project. They have to know the ins and outs of music. And they have to be passionate about achieving top quality.
Hart Steen fit that bill for the Gaddis girls. A young musician in Nashville, Steen’s love of music radiates from him. A chance meeting hooked him up with the Gaddis girls. Jim and his wife Annette were visiting Nashville and went to the Commodore, a popular music venue. Steen happened to be onstage and the Gaddis’ took a liking to his music.
After the show, the three talked about Alyssa’s song, and Steen liked the concept. Steen and the Gaddis’ kept in touch, and shared ideas. After much discussion, the girls were on their way to Nashville to record their song with Steen as their producer.
“They have been awesome,” Steen declared. “It'’s been a joy to have them in my life.”
Steen has his own investment in the concept of this song. A few years ago, his younger brother enlisted in the Air Force. Steen took notice of his brother’s transformation during an emotional graduation at Lackland AFB in Texas. “It was very powerful,” Steen recalled. “He had changed into a man.”
Trip to Music City
So the Gaddis family packed their bags and hit the road, aiming for the global hub of country music. Cassy and Alyssa were ecstatic to be able to go, not because they got out of school for a few days, but because they were going to a place that is rich in musical history. For nearly half a century, countless country artists have traveled to “Music City” to see if they have what it takes.
“When I got there, I thought about how amazing it was to be doing this,” Alyssa said, smiling. “I felt proud.”
Being in the big leagues, so to speak, made the girls step up their game. Working with professionals in a recording studio was a big step forward. But the girls adjusted. It was an especially powerful experience for Alyssa—barely in 7th grade.
“Her maturity just skyrocketed when we were in Nashville,” Cassy revealed. “The fact that she wrote the song and took on all this responsibility— it made me really open my eyes. It made me look up to her. Even though she is my little sister.”
The girls took their time behind the mic to let loose and give it their all. With so much riding on their shoulders, this was no time to goof off.
They worked hard—but enjoyed every minute. “It was a really good experience. It was amazing—and surreal,” Alyssa shared. “I have never really done that before. I have gone to studios locally in Springfield, but this was different. I felt like I was a superstar.”
“My wife and I are so proud of Alyssa and Cassy for what they have done to support the deploying Soldiers' families,” Jim declared. “They genuinely care and want to make a difference in these people's lives.”
The waiting is the hardest part
Returning home from Nashville, the girls left their song—and trust—with Steen. The process of mixing and editing music can take a long time, and the girls tried to be patient.
After anxiously waiting for several weeks, the finished piece was finally delivered, and the Gaddis family gathered at their Springfield home to listen.
“When we heard the rough version, it brought tears to my mom’s eyes,” Alyssa marveled. “It’s amazing knowing that Cassy and I did that together.”
Looking back on the experience, Alyssa shares, “People think that singers have it easy. They think all they have to do is sing. The day after the recording, I wanted to pull my hair out.”
But that was only the beginning. “Now we get to do the really fun part of the process—send the message,” Cassy shared.
“To me, that’s the most important part—talking to people and hopefully inspiring them the way we’ve been inspired.”
Reaching out
The Gaddis’ are invested in the success of the song not because of the chance to make it big but to help others.
“Hopefully, it will touch people deeply,” Cassy said. And, Alyssa adds, “It’s for a good cause. All of the money made off of this is being donated] to the military families.”
It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In the same way, a deployment is worth a thousand emotions. Maybe “The Price of Peace” will be worth a thousand smiles.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
This is woniderful and it warms ones heart to see people young or older that appreciate our troops and what they do. Also for the families of those who serve to be appreciated as well.
Some of the notes that were sent to me about this video:
"If you have ever been deployed or have had a loved one deployed with the military, this will truly touch your heart.
It is my understanding that this will be played in movie theaters before the main feature in 5 states so far and it was only released May 13th. Near the end there is a small clip of the Patriot Guard Riders with flags
flying from their motorcycles welcoming troops home. "
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.....Thank you Larry for sending this to me.
Larry
tuy hoa nah trang duc pho chu lai
39TH COMBAT ENGRS BN
Dec 66 - Dec 67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 29, 2009
Rolling Thunder 22nd Annual Memorial Day Weekend (photos and videos)
More than 500,000 motorcyclists converged on Washington, DC for the 22nd annual Rolling Thunder Memorial Day weekend.
This is Rolling Thunder 2009 in Washington D.C.
Check out the dedicated Marine that salutes the during the whole Parade with no breaks.
Also on the video is The Wall, The WWII Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial.
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Posted by Wild Thing at 07:55 AM
| Comments (7)
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Furor grows over partisan car dealer closings By: Mark Tapscott Evidence appears to be mounting that the Obama administration has systematically targeted for closing Chrysler dealers who contributed to Repubicans. What started earlier this week as mainly a rumbling on the Right side of the Blogosphere has gathered some steam today with revelations that among the dealers being shut down are a GOP congressman and closing of competitors to a dealership chain partly owned by former Clinton White House chief of staff Mack McLarty. The basic issue raised here is this: How do we account for the fact millions of dollars were contributed to GOP candidates by Chrysler who are being closed by the government, but only one has been found so far that is being closed that contributed to the Obama campaign in 2008? Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan learned from a House colleague that his Venice, Florida, dealership is on the hit list. Buchanan also has a Nissan franchise paired with the Chrysler facility in Venice. Buchanan, who succeeded former Rep. Katharine Harris in 2006, reportedly learned of his dealership's termination from Rep.Candace Miller, R-MI. Buchanan owns a total of 23 dealerships in Florida and North Carolina. Also fueling the controversy is the fact the RLJ-McCarty-Landers chain of Arkansas and Missouri dealerships aren't being closed, but many of their local competitors are being eliminated. Go here for a detailed look at this situation. McClarty is the former Clinton senior aide. The "J" is Robert Johnson, founder of the Black Entertainment Television, a heavy Democratic contributor. A lawyer representing a group of Chrysler dealers who are on the hit list deposed senior Chrysler executives and later told Reuters that he believes the closings have been forced on the company by the White House. Also, see my column on this issue and how it fits into the larger context dubbed by the Examiner's Michael Barone as "gangster government." As part of Chrysler's bankruptcy agreement with the White House, the company plans to close roughly a quarter of its 3,200 dealerships. Lists of the dealerships being cut and those retaining their Chrysler franchises can be found here in pdf format. Many dealers contend the criteria being used to determine which dealerships survive is not clear and that many of those that are being closed in fact are profitable businesses, despite the current recession. * Gateway Pundit , Thank you for the tremendous work you have done on this ~ Wild Thing Jim's dealership is being shut down. Anderer noted that the closings didn't make any sense and that many of them were profitable. Anderer says the country was shutting down his business. He couldn't understand how they were making their decision on which dealerships they were closing:
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Obama receives only $450 in entire inventory of political contributions The list of Chrysler's 789 closing franchises and databases of political donors and found that of dealership owners making contributions in the recent election, less than 10 percent gifted to Democrats while 90 percent gave substantial sums to Republican candidates. The following dealers are scheduled to lose their Chrysler franchise designation. Based on available records and databases, each of them contributed to political campaigns during the 2008 election. Many of the dealers who donated to Republican campaigns last year also contributed additional thousands to George W. Bush's presidential 2004 campaign and to campaigns to elect GOP representatives. Those donations are not included in this list. The listed franchise owners contributed at least $450,000 to Republican presidential candidates and the GOP in the recent election while only $7,970 was donated to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign and $2,200 was given to Sen. John Edwards' campaign. Of all political contributions from dealers on the list of closing facilities, President Obama received a combined total of only $450 toward his election. Dealers who contributed to GOP and candidates in recent election: Source for the list of all 789 dealerships to be closed • Vernon G. Buchanan: $147,450 to GOP candidates and organizations
The air burshing on these motorcycles and other vehicles, cars, trucks etc. ALL dedicated to to those who servied, our POW-MIA's is so special it goes right to you heart!!!! ~ Wild Thing
.....Thank you Jim for the links for Stars and Strips, what awesome photos they had!!
Strong Evidence Chrysler Dealer Closings Politically Motivated by Obama
"It's an outrage. It's not about me. I'm going to be fine," said Buchanan, the dealership's majority owner. "You're talking over 100,000 jobs. We're supposed to be in the business of creating jobs, not killing jobs," Buchanan told News 10, a local Florida television station.
"It became clear to us that Chrysler does not see the wisdom of terminating 25 percent of its dealers. It really wasn't Chrysler's decision. They are under enormous pressure from the President's automotive task force," said attorney Leonard Bellavia.
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Chrysler Dealership owner Jim Anderer was on with Neil Cavuto.
Find out which GOP donors getting Chrysler's ax
• Wallace D. Alley and Family: $4,500 to GOP.
• Robert Archer: $4,600 to GOP and conservative causes.
• Homer S. Higginbotham and Family: $2950 to GOP.
• James Auffenberg and Family: $28,000 to GOP; $6,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Michael Maroone and Family: $60,000 to GOP; $8,500 to two Democrat candidates.
• Jerome Fader: $6,500 to Democrats; $2,500 to Independent Joe Lieberman.
• Stephen Fay and Family: $13,500 to GOP.
• William Numrich: $20,000 to GOP.
• Robert Carver: $10,000 to Democrats including $1,950 to Hillary Clinton, nothing to Barack Obama.
• Robert and Linda Rohrman: $24,000 to GOP.
• Frank Boucher, Jr. and Family: $18,000 to GOP, $1,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Scott Bossier: $4,300 to GOP.
• Todd Reardon: $17,000 to GOP; $2,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Russ Darrow and Family: $78,000 to GOP.
• Bradford Deery and Family: $24,700 to GOP.
• Charles Gabus and Family: $30,000 to GOP.
• Brian Smith: $15,500 to GOP.
• Michael Schlossman: $14,000 to GOP; $14,000 to three Democrats ($12,500 to Sen. Russ Feingold).
• Don Hill: $11,000 to GOP; $12,800 to conservative incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler.
• Don Miller: $2,000 to GOP; $1,000 to Feingold.
• Eddie Cordes: $2,150 to GOP.
• Robert Edwards: $1,100 to GOP.
• James Crowley: $19,100 to GOP.
• Stanley Graff: $2,200 to John Edwards (2008 Presidential Run); $500 to GOP.
• John Stewart: $10,500 to GOP.
• John Fitzgerald and Family: $4,600 to John McCain (2008); $2,000 to Hillary Clinton (2008); nothing to Barack Obama.
• William Churchill and Family: $3,500 to GOP.
• Thomas Ganley: $9.450 to GOP.
• Gary Miller: $20,000 to GOP.
• Kevin and Gene Beltz: $18,500 to GOP.
• Arthur Grayson: $14,000 to GOP.
• Eric Grubbs and Family: $26,000 to GOP.
• Michael Leep and Family: $19,500 to GOP; $4,800 to three Democrats including Sen. Evan Bayh.
• Harry Green, Jr.: $10,000 to GOP.
• Ronald Hoover: $5,250 to GOP.
• Ray Huffines and Family: $18,500 to GOP.
• John O. Stevenson: $1,500 to GOP.• James Marsh: $8,200 to GOP.
• Max Pearson and Family: $112,000 to GOP.
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GOP Chrysler Dealers Terminated: Rush Limbaugh Show...Rush reads a letter from a successful dealer being FORCED to close!!! Excellent video.
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Rep. Aaron Schock's supporter Gary Uftring from Peoria, Illinois is losing two of his franchises even though they are "5 Star Dealerships" that make money.
U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock blasted Chrysler's decision to shutter nearly 800 dealerships across the country, including two here that he and others say are making money and not costing the automaker a dime.
Joined by Gary Uftring, owner of Uftring Auto Mall, Schock stressed that there should be greater accountability of the governmental task force tapped by the Obama administration to review the overhaul of the domestic auto industry.
"This happened not because they failed, not because of market pressure, but because of a third party, the government, which intervened," the congressman said, saying the government shouldn't be in the business of dictating business decisions to an entire industry.
To him, the decision to close shop makes no sense. He claims he met all sales expectations and never cost Chrysler money. Rather, he said, he was a "Five Star" dealership, the highest rating Chrysler gives, and one of the better-selling dealerships.
Terry Allen, whose Chrysler dealership in Mason City will be eliminated, said his business was the top sales tax generator in the area. He, like Uftring, said he met or exceeded all expectations from the car maker but in the end, has about three weeks left as a dealer.
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Wild Thing's comment............
Everthing Obama does is ANTI-AMERICAN ! This is total criminal activity by Obama and the democrat party.
The way Obama’s election campaign & lap-dog press went after his rivals during the campaign was unprecedented.
Think about this, Obama was NOT an almighty, long term, powerful politician when he was running, he was only a US Sen for 4 yrs. Going from a Constitutional Republic to a Fascist Tyranny is “change”
But he wielded power like he was as powerful as Stalin in USSR.
Now that he's in control of the Exec Branch of the US, just think how much power he has now!
The entirei thing is Obama's fault, his fingerrpints are all over it. He is in charge, he is the one that controlled what happened with what he did with Chrysler soooo how does it feel Obama. YOU can't blame President Bush on this one you jerk Communist Marxist!
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:50 AM | Comments (9)
Narcissist Obama in L.A.: 'You ain't seen nothing yet'
Obama in L.A.: 'You ain't seen nothing yet'
LOS ANGELES
Even as he conceded there is still much hard work to do, President Obama was in a boastful mood Wednesday night, telling a star-studded crowd at a fundraising dinner that he "would put these first four months up against any prior administration since FDR."
"I'm confident in the future, but I'm not yet content," Obama said.
The celebrity dinner, which cost couples $30,400 to attend, was followed by a larger, lower-dollar concert that all told raised between $3 million and $4 million for the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Joining the celebrities feting Obama were Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Republican-turned-Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.), "the newest member of our caucus."
The trip here came on the heels of a fundraising jaunt to Las Vegas to raise about $2 million for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), according to aides.
The president, while seeking to bolster his record as president so far, warned both audiences that significant challenges lie ahead.
At the concert, headlined by Jennifer Hudson and Earth, Wind and Fire, Obama responded to an audience member yelling, "Yes we can" by saying, "Yes we have. But we've got more work to do. We can't rest on our laurels.
"We didn't ask for the challenges that we face, but we don't shrink from them either," he said. "It won't be easy. There will be setbacks. It will take time."
The president conceded that his administration "had our fits and starts."
"I've made some mistakes, and I guarantee you I'll make some more," he said.
But Obama said in promising to continue to work hard, "Los Angeles, you ain't seen nothing yet."
Obama also lauded Judge Sonia Sotomayor, his pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, repeating his line that she has more experience than anyone currently sitting on the bench when they were nominated.
He joked at the second fundraiser that she graduated summa cum laude, "not just magna or laude laude, but summa cum laude."
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Wild Thing's comment...........
“You ain’t seen nothing yet”. Sounds just like an organizer in Chicago. Gold teeth, hang downs flashing gang signs.
Obama will never be my president!!!! I have zero respect for him and he will always be a community organizer scam artist in my eyes.And that isn't even the half of it or how I feel about him.
I swear he makes my skin crawl!
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:48 AM | Comments (7)
B.HUSSEIN Obama's Fundraising Trips Leave Taxpayers With Hefty Tab
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President Obama left Tuesday for a two-day fundraising tour in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The Democratic National Committee is expected to pick up part of the cost, but if history is any gauge, taxpayers will pick up most of the tab.
Obama has the star power to raise millions of dollars for the candidates and organizations he graces with his stump speech.
But when the president hit the road Tuesday for a two-day fundraising tour to pack the party coffers, he also was racking up a $265,000 partisan bill for just one leg of the trip, according to a watchdog group -- part of which taxpayers, regardless of party affiliation, will have to pay.
Obama started out in Las Vegas, where he stumped that night for state Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. On Wednesday night he was to attend a two-tiered donor dinner for the Democratic Party in Los Angeles.
But sandwiched between political appearances, Obama squeezed in some quick public remarks on energy, ironically before burning fuel to Los Angeles, at Nevada's Nellis Air Force Base. It was a key stop, because it gives the entire trip an air of official legitimacy and allows the White House to write off part of the trip under rules governing travel, said Pete Sepp, vice president for policy and communications at the National Taxpayers Union.
"You've got to have some official (business) in the trip somewhere. It becomes almost a game to find some official function to hang the trip on," Sepp said.
The rest, though, is all politics. And, if history is any gauge, the American taxpayer will pick up a large portion of the tab.
Sepp estimated that the purely political part of the trip -- the distance from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and back, with no public events -- would cost at least $265,000, just for air travel expenses.
He said the minimum domestic travel package for the president consists of one Boeing 747, which serves as Air Force One, one back-up dummy plane and one C17 cargo plane. The cost estimate is based on past hourly operational costs for the three aircraft, adjusted for inflation.
White House travel rules, which were developed under the Reagan administration, state that the Air Force pays all costs for the use of the aircraft, but that the government must be reimbursed for airfare, food, lodging and other expenses incurred during whatever portion of the trip is political.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said the Democratic National Committee is paying its share for this trip.
"The DNC is paying 100 percent of the legally mandated costs for the trip from Nevada to California, and we are complying fully with all legal requirements," Vietor wrote in an e-mail to FOXNews.com.
But reimbursement for political activities involves a tricky formula, and actual reimbursements typically come nowhere close to compensating the government for the cost of such trips. Secret Service costs, for one, are always footed by the government.
A 2006 report for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found that during 2002, political campaigns reimbursed the federal government for $198,000 of the $6.5 million in flight expenses racked up by campaign-related stops made by President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. That's 3 percent of the total cost.
Taxpayers paid the remaining $6.3 million.
"The president and vice president can legally participate in campaign and fundraising events for candidates," the report said. "But when they do so, the taxpayer bears most of the cost."
That Obama is raising funds while in office is hardly unusual. Both Bush and Bill Clinton made similar political trips in their presidencies.
Watchdog groups don't suggest that the president shouldn't travel, or even that the president should not travel to political events. Rather, they say the White House should be more forthcoming with its travel expenses and details and establish a more equitable reimbursement program.
"You can't keep the president from traveling. That's what he does. ... No one would suggest he not travel," said Leslie Paige, media director for Citizens Against Government Waste. "What is most important for taxpayers is how much is it costing for this stuff."
"Having more realistic reimbursement rules for political legs of these trips would be quite helpful," Sepp said.
Paige said more transparency is needed, noting it's "very hard" to pry the full costs of these trips from any administration.
The DNC did not respond to a request for comment; Sepp said any DNC reimbursement for Obama's trip this week would be minimal.
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Wild Thing's comment........
So the President of the USA's job description is:
"fly around the world in your private 747 and read from a teleprompter"
He tells us to cut back, to sacrifice and he just keeps spending. The thing that ticks me off with trips like the Vegas one and the one to Los Angeles, THEY ARE FOR HIM, FOR HIS POLITICAL PARTY. They have nothing to do with running the country. So why in the HELL doesn't the cost for the trips come out of the funds of the DNC! ??!!
Obama is a snake!
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:47 AM | Comments (2)
Obama and His Justice Dept.Protecting New Black Panthers!
Let's begin here, rememebr last year ( Nov. 4th). when this video was posted here at Theodore's World and many other blogs as well. It was also on the news, well mostly on FOX but it was HUGE what had happened. Intimidation and threatening with a knife to the reporter by the New Black Panthers.
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Protecting Black Panthers: The Obama administration ignores voter intimidation
Imagine if Ku Klux Klan members had stood menacingly in military uniforms, with nightsticks, in front of a polling place. Add to it that they had hurled racial threats and insults at voters who tried to enter.
Now suppose that the government, backed by a nationally televised video of the event, had won a court case against the Klansmen except for the perfunctory filing of a single, simple document - but that an incoming Republican administration had moved to voluntarily dismiss the already-won case.
Surely that would have been front-page news, with a number of firings at the Justice Department.
The flip side of this scenario is occurring right now. The culprits weren't Klansmen; they belonged to the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.
One of the defendants, Jerry Jackson, is an elected member of Philadelphia's 14th Ward Democratic Committee and was a credentialed poll watcher for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party when the violations occurred.
Rather conveniently, the Obama administration has asked that the cases against Mr. Jackson, two other defendants and the party be dropped.
The Voting Rights Act is very clear. It prohibits any "attempt to intimidate, threaten or coerce" any voter or those aiding voters.
The explanation for moving to dismiss the case is shocking. According to the Department of Justice: "These same Defendants have made no appearance and have filed no pleadings with the Court. Nor have they otherwise raised any other defenses to this action. Therefore, the United States has the right ... to dismiss voluntarily this action against the Defendants."
In other words, because the defendants haven't tried to defend themselves, the Justice Department won't punish them.
By that logic, if a murderer doesn't respond to the charges, he should be let free. That's crazy.
The Obama Justice Department did take one action against one of the four defendants: It forbade him from again "displaying a weapon within 100 feet of any open polling location" in Philadelphia.
Given that it already was illegal to display a weapon at a polling place and that he was not even enjoined from carrying a weapon at polling places outside of Philadelphia, it is hard to see what this order accomplished.
We asked the Justice Department if it was unable to provide any explanation for dropping the case. Justice press aide Alejandro Miyar merely said: "That is correct." Multiple times we asked both the department and the White House to comment on charges that the dismissals represented political bias. We received no substantive response.
Hans Von Spakovsky, a legal scholar at the Heritage Foundation and a former commissioner at the Federal Election Commission, tells us, "In my experience, I have never heard of the department refusing to take a default judgment... . If a Republican administration had done this, it would be front-page news and every civil rights group in the country would be screaming about it."
Consider that the behavior of the defendants was so bad that witness Bartle Bull, a former Robert F. Kennedy organizer who did extensive legal work on behalf of black voters in Mississippi, testified it was "the most blatant form of voter discrimination I have encountered in my life."
Eric Eversole, a former litigation attorney with the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, told us: "It is truly unprecedented for the Voting Section to voluntarily dismiss a case of such blatant intimidation. The video speaks for itself."
We couldn't agree more. After the 2000 Presidential election, Democrats complained about voter intimidation in Florida by pointing to a police car that had been two miles away from a polling place. The police didn't do anything to anyone, but their presence was deemed sufficient to vaguely intimidate people en route to the polls. In this case, the New Black Panther Party actually blocked access to a poll.
Unlike the Florida incident, this case involving the New Black Panthers screams out for tough justice. Instead, the Obama administration looks the other way. This all but invites racial violence at future elections.
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This was from Obama's campaign website during the election. They pulled it after we bloggers spoke out about it. But a lot of us saved it. ~ Wild Thing
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BLACK PANTHERS WITH NIGHT STICKS BLOCK POLLING PLACE IN PHILLY
Two black panthers were blocking the doorway at a polling place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rick Levanthal of Fox News is reporting live.
One of the panthers said "the black man was going to win the White House no matter what."
Brandishing a night stick, and swinging it menacingly, the police were called - one of the black panthers and his night stick were moved.
Do you think little old white ladies would want to walk past the black panther with a night stick?
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Wild Thing's comment.........
They are just as vile a group as the original Black Panthers were. And THEY were and have been supporters of B. Hussein Obama. See wikipedia for more information. Totally disgusting!
Anyone that had any decency would stay clear of these people. And for a president or a wanna be president to associated with them as Obama does is unforgivable.
I think Obama loves the Black Panther’s because they are “militant” and he does not trust our military to support him. Plus all that garbage and hate he agreed on at Rev. Wright's church.
The old saying remains true, you are who you associate with. This is another reason why people are buying guns.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:45 AM | Comments (5)
Abbas Expects US Pressure to Push Out Netanyahu
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas expects US pressure to push out Netanyahu
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will not resume negotiations with Israel unless the Netanyahu government agrees to a complete settlement freeze and publicly accepts a two-state solution, Abbas has told the Washington Post in an interview.
And since he does not believe Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will lift his opposition on these issues, Abbas and his leadership expect American pressure to gradually force Netanyahu out of office, the paper reported on Friday. "It will take a couple of years," it quoted one of Abbas's officials as saying.
Abbas was interviewed the day before his Thursday meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama.
Setting out what the newspaper called "a hardline position," the Palestinian leader conditioned a resumption of talks with Israel on Netanyahu's agreement to a halt in all settlement building - a demand being repeatedly stressed by Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other senior US officials - and formal Israeli government acceptance of Palestinian statehood.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
First the most noticable thing is the photo, see how friendly Obama is with Abbas, he sure as heck was not like that with BiBi. Nope not even close.
It is so sad, but Israel is on it's own. I wish so mcuh, pray so much that we would continue to be a friend to
Israel. Obama is a traitor to our country and to Israel's friendship.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:44 AM | Comments (3)
U.S. Army Parachute Team The Golden Knights Make Historical Jump
The Golden Knights, the U.S. Army's official parachute demonstration team, made a historical jump as part of their 50th Anniversary onto the grounds of the Statue of Liberty in New York City, as part of the Memorial Day weekend kick-off.
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U.S. Army Parachute Team Makes Historical Jump
by Cheryle Rivas
FORT BRAGG, N.C.
The Golden Knights, the U.S. Army's official parachute demonstration team, made a historical jump as part of their 50th Anniversary, onto the grounds of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. The demonstration was part of the Memorial Day weekend kick-off as members of the Gold demonstration team glided effortlessly toward Liberty Island, before a crowd of more than 3,000 spectators.
In 1959, 13 men who were to comprise the Strategic Army Corps Sport Parachute Team reported for duty at Fort Bragg, N.C. Over the next two years the team performed so well that the Army officially activated it as the U.S. Army Parachute Team--the Defense Department's aerial-demonstration team--in 1961.
The "Golden Knights," as they're known today, are so called because of their many victories during the years in which the then-Soviet Union dominated the international sport of skydiving.
"The last time we jumped at the Statue of Liberty was in 1978," said Capt. Michael Funderburk, Operations Officer for the Parachute Team. "We have been carefully planning and coordinating the demonstration at the Statue as part of our 50-year celebration, and to coincide with the Bethpage Air Show demonstration at Jones Beach, N.Y."
Approval for the Parachute Jump had been coordinated through the New York Mayor's Office, New York City Police Harbor Unit, FAA, Coast Guard, National Park Service and U.S. Army Public Affairs.
"Looking over the 1978 pictures, it's an honor to be a part of making history again," said the team's Public Affairs Officer Donna Dixon. "We proudly represent the U.S. Army with every jump we make, this year is even more special, because it's part of our 50th year as a team," added Dixon.
The team will also continue to perform at air shows, compete on an international level and perform high-profile tandem jumps. In addition, the Golden Knights will visit high schools to work with local recruiters and help show young adults the variety of opportunities available in the U.S. Army.
Wild Thing's comment..........
Fantastic! It would be wonderful to see them in person. I would LOVE to try sky diving. I almost had a chance several years ago, but my Mom when she was alive asked me to wait until she was gone.
LOL I asked her where was she going I wasn't thinking of her dying. But that is what she meant. She explained she wanted me to wait till she was no longer around before I did it. She has pasted away since then and I just haven't gotten back into finding out about it.
Nicholas did it when he was in the Navy and he loved it. He also had the job of packing the chutes which he said he took very seriously. He said when a person packed the chutes they put their own name there on each one so they knew who had packed them.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 28, 2009
Secret Service Remove Woman Trying To Give Obama a Letter
Secret Service personnel remove Brenda Lee from near Air Force One after Lee attempted to give President Obama a letter.
A reporter for a small newspaper was forcibly removed from a press area near Air Force One shortly before President Barack Obama arrived at Los Angeles International Airport to depart California early Thursday.
Secret Service personnel remove Brenda Lee from near Air Force One after Lee attempted to give President Obama a letter, Thursday May 28, 2009, at LAX.
Airport security officers carried the woman away by the feet and arms as she protested her removal.
She later identified herself as Brenda Lee, a writer for the Georgia Informer in Macon and said she has White House press credentials. The newspaper's Web site says it is a monthly publication, and a Brenda Lee column is posted on it.
Calls to the newspaper and the White House press office were not immediately returned.
Lee said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that she wanted to hand Obama a letter urging him "to take a stand for traditional marriage."
She said she asked a Secret Service agent to give the president her letter, but he refused and referred her to a White House staffer. Lee said she refused to give the staffer the letter.
"I said, 'I'll take my chances if (the president) comes by here,'" said Lee, who identified herself as a Roman Catholic priestess who lives in Anaheim, Calif. "He became annoyed that I wouldn't give him the letter."
Lee, who was wearing what she described as a cassock, said she protested when she was asked to leave.
"I said, 'Why are you bothering me?' They escorted me outside the gate," she said.
She said security officers allowed her to return when she promised she would not yell or wave, but then other officers arrived and told her to leave.
"I said, 'I'm not leaving,'" she said. "They tried to drag me out."
Two officers then picked her up and carried her out. An Associated Press photographer photographed the incident.
"I was afraid you could see under my clothes," she said, her voice choking up.
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Wild Thing's comment......
LOL......She did have a good message, about being in favor of traditional marriage. But I guess she had no clue about how tight security is for any President. Especially if she wanted to give him a letter in person. It could have had anthrax in it or something else.
Not that I would give a boo hoo about Obama, but I don't want him to be a martyr. Then we might never win back the Presidency or any other office. Cold??? You bet, my blood runs cold when it comes to Obama and his party.
But with all he is doing there are legal ways to get him out of office as the most dangerous president this country has ever had.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 PM | Comments (6)
Fox News Discusses Obama Birth Certifcate
Fox news (Bret Bair) , it was on Special Report with Bret Baier.....Including the clip by Gibbs at the WH news conference.
Just reported on the petition for BHO birth Certificate. Commented on the BC posted on the web and the questions regarding it. Reported 400,000 names on petition and had the WH newspersons comments.
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'burgeoning...controversy'
By ALEXANDER BURNS
The issue didn’t go away with the campaign, and now it’s found its way into the West Wing.
At Robert Gibbs’ Wednesday briefing, radio host Lester Kinsolving asked whether the White House would satisfy several hundred thousand petitioners by releasing “a certified copy of [Obama’s] long-form birth certificate.”
Gibbs appeared incredulous. “You’re looking for the president’s birth certificate? It’s on the Internet, Lester.”
“Long-form, listing his hospital and physician,” Kinsolving clarified.
Laughing, Gibbs replied: “Lester, this question, in many ways, continues to astound me. The state of Hawaii provided a copy with the seal of the president’s birth.
“I know there are, apparently, at least 400,000 people who continue to doubt the existence of and the certification by the state of Hawaii, of the president’s birth there,” he continued. “But it’s on the Internet because we put it on the Internet for each of those 400,000 to download. I certainly hope by the fourth year of our administration that we’ll have dealt with this burgeoning birth controversy.”
Not Letting Up
FOX news
And four months into President Obama’s term, the controversy surrounding his original birth certificate continues to dog his administration.
The Obama campaign, you’ll remember, posted a copy of what it said was the document on its Web site to try to dispel rumors that he is not an American citizen. But, an online petition calling for the release of what it describes as the president’s complete birth certificate with the hospital name has almost 400,000 signatures.
Today the president’s press secretary was incredulous that the issue just won’t go away. In a White House briefing he said: “This question, in many ways, continues to astound me. The state of Hawaii provided a copy, with a seal, of the president’s birth… I certainly hope, by the fourth year of our administration, that we’ll have dealt with this burgeoning birth controversy.”
— FOX News Channel’s Lanna Britt contributed to this report.
Wild Thing's comment..........
I saw that too- was amazed that someone apparently brought it up at the White House press briefing and asked Gibbs about it.
Gibbs said it might be disclosed at end of his four year term" or something like that.
All I can say is God Bless Bret Bair!!! I love his show anyway , but this just makes me even prouder of him for mentioning this.
The den of liars that is the Obama Whitehouse needs to come to the understanding that they work for us, not the other way around.
The US Constitution is specific in the requirements for holding the office of President. To date, 0bama has not provided ANY SHRED of evidence that he is eligible to hold the office.
Backup of video in case YOUTube takes it down. Or if Obama has them take it down.
He talks about it at the 57 seconds mark on the video.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (9)
Biden Jokes About Breaking Obama's Teleprompter
After the wind blows down the teleprompter of Vice President Biden at the Air Force Academy graduation he joked:
"what am I going to tell the President when I tell him his teleprompter is broken? What will he do then?"
There was a little laughter and chuckle and some barely audible clapping by a few.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
LMAO too funny. OH boy is JOE going to be in trouble now. At lesst we can have some laughs from Joe Biden.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (9)
Media Find Eligibility Billboard Campaign Irresistible
Media find eligibility billboard campaign irresistible
'Where's the birth certificate?' effort covered by London Times
When WND Editor and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Farah launched his billboard campaign focusing attention on Barack Obama's constitutional eligibility for office, he predicted the effort would attract media curiosity – perhaps even more than the central issue of whether the president is truly a "natural born citizen."
Less than a week after the billboard campaign began, media have already begun showing interest – even though, so far, only one billboard, an electronic one, is up and running as a result of the more than $50,000 raised so far.
Over the weekend, the London Times found it an interesting business story, reporting, "A right-wing website has collected more than $10,000 so far to help to fund a series of billboards to be erected around America questioning Barack Obama's credentials for holding office. 'Where's The Birth Certificate?' the posters will demand."
Back stateside, the Washington Examiner also picked up on the campaign.
"The buzz is starting," promised Farah. "Directly investigating why Obama steadfastly refuses to show his birth certificate is considered bad form by most of my colleagues. But they don't mind beating around the edges of this story – especially if involves poking fun at the one news service that is out of step with the rest."
Wild Thing's comment.........
Great news, this won't go away becauae it is not some whim, it is about our Constitution and that WILL be taken seriously.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (4)
Air Force Academy Graduation 2009
Graduate Chelsey Fitch shows of her diploma during ceremonies
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COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - MAY 27: Air Force Academy graduates celebrate as a team of F-16 Thunderbirds flies over during the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony at Falcon Stadium on May 27, 2009 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A total of 1,046 graduates from the Class of 2009 were to walk across the stage in the traditional ceremony in front of tens of thousands of family and friends. Vice President Joe Biden gave the commencement speech.
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I saved this one from last year. I loved this photo. We will never see Obama doing anything even close to this. The troops of all our branches love Bush. They know he respects them and that he loves our country, unlike Obama. ~ Wild Thing
U.S. President George W. Bush poses with a graduate during the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado May 28, 2008.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (2)
Gov. Charlie Crist May Veto Right-to-carry Licensing Fund raid
Florida: Gov. Crist may veto right-to-carry licensing fund raid
Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday he may veto a raid on a trust fund that supports right-to-carry licensing. Faced with an extraordinarily tough budget year, lawmakers have proposed spending $6 million of the roughly $8.5 million trust fund in other areas. That has prompted protests from the National Rifle Association as well as Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, who oversees the right-to-carry permitting program.
Weapons-licensing fund raid at risk
Tampa Bay Online
TALLAHASSEE
The $66.5 billion state budget Gov. Charlie Crist will sign Wednesday is likely to appease at least one vocal Florida constituency: gun owners.
Crist will sign a budget balanced with $2 billion in tax and fee increases, including a dollar-a-pack increase in the cigarette tax, the first such tax hike since 1990.
But he plans to veto a $6 million transfer, or what critics call a raid, on a fund backed by fees that people pay to seek or renew their concealed weapons permits, which are valid for seven years.
"I'm inclined that way," said Crist, noting that he met last week with Marion Hammer, the longtime lobbyist for the National Rifle Association who led a well-organized, grass roots effort to oppose the transfer. "She is a tremendous advocate, and I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment."
Hammer said the money is needed to repair and improve computers and add more temporary workers to process an unprecedented backlog of permit applications. The Legislature siphoned the money as part of $600 million in similar transfers to avoid higher tax increases or deeper budget cuts.
By vetoing the transfer, Crist can reinforce political support among gun owners at a pivotal time: He has just begun a U.S. Senate campaign in which his Republican rival, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, openly questions Crist's conservatism.
The NRA bought radio ads in support of Crist's 2006 candidacy for governor, citing his support for a law that clarified the right of private citizens to defend themselves when attacked in their homes.
More than 30,000 people have flooded the governor's e-mail inbox in support of a veto. Some drew a blunt connection between gun ownership and Crist's senatorial ambitions.
"I realize you are busy preparing for a run in the Senate, but you need to start listening to your voters," wrote Dwight Cooke of Largo, a retired police detective who said he did not own a firearm. "Without your assistance, I'm afraid I see no reason to vote for you or recommend others to vote for you in the future."
The demand for gun permits is at an all-time high in Florida. Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, whose agency issues gun permits, has added dozens of temporary employees to reduce a backlog of applications.
By law, the state must issue a permit within 90 days of receipt of a complete application. Otherwise, the applicant can demand a license even if a criminal background check is not complete.
The director of the state licensing division, Connie Crawford, said 88,084 applications for permits or renewals were awaiting review Tuesday. That number included applications by private investigators, security guards and others who may carry firearms.
Crawford said the average processing time is 12 to 14 weeks, which is slightly more than 90 days, and she said "it is conceivable" that some applicants may wait up to six months for their permits. But she added it's not unusual for applications to be incomplete, such as by not being notarized or missing a required photo.
Rep. Jim Frishe, a St. Petersburg Republican, defended the $6 million budget transfer in a May 21 e-mail to a constituent. He said the fund would still have $18 million next year and that trust fund transfers were unavoidable to help pay for "the core missions of state government: education, health care and public safety."
Hammer, the NRA lobbyist, disagreed. "In an economy where gun ownership is growing," she said, "this is an area of government that is growing."
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Wild Thing's comment........
Charlile Crist is a “Say What I Have To Say To Get Elected” type of politician. Charlie Crist is a RINO. As long as he is Gov. I sure hope he stays strong about the 2nd Amendment.
Marion Hammer is a one-woman RKBA army. The state of Florida is blessed to have her. They don’t mess with Marion! Thank God!
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....Thank you Richard for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:46 AM
Obama's Green Guru Calls for White Roofs
Obama's green guru calls for white roofs
Professor Steven Chu, the US Energy Secretary, said the unusual proposal would mean homes in hot countries would save energy and money on air conditioning by deflecting the sun's rays.
More pale surfaces could also slow global warming by reflecting heat into space rather than allowing it to be absorbed by dark surfaces where it is trapped by greenhouse gases and increases temperatures
The Nobel Prize-winning physicist said the US was not considering any large scale "geo-engineering" projects where science is used to reverse global warming, but was in favour of "white roofs everywhere".
He said lightening roofs and roads in urban environments would offset the global warming effects of all the cars in the world for 11 years.
"If you look at all the buildings and if you make the roofs white and if you make the pavement more of a concrete type of colour rather than a black type of colour and if you do that uniformally, that would be the equivalent of... reducing the carbon emissions due to all the cars in the world by 11 years – just taking them off the road for 11 years," he said.
Secretary Chu said he was optimistic the US could lead the way through energy efficiency measures and boosting the use of renewables like solar, wind, nuclear and clean coal.
"The US will move, inevitably it will move first, as a more developed country we should be moving first, and I hope China will follow," he said.
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The Science Behind White Roofs
It turns out that three huge proponents of the idea to paint the town white are former colleagues of Secretary Chu from the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory (LBNL) and they're looking for their share of stimulus loot:
"It's also well timed. Akbari pointed out that by his and his colleagues' calculations, the plan could save Americans $2 billion annually in unspent air conditioning, even after taking into account the increased need for heating in winter. Moreover, he argued, it dovetails with the president's economic and environmental goals."
"The Obama administration has made it clear that it wants a substantial portion of the stimulus package to go toward creating a greener economy, but that desire has to be balanced against the imperative to immediately circulate cash and create jobs. Painting or resurfacing roofs or pavement, Akbari said, would nicely fulfill both objectives. The technology exists and is readily available, and since a substantial portion of the country's home and commercial real-estate owners are going to need to re-roof at some point in the near future anyway, it's about as shovel-ready as any proposal currently on the table."
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Department of Energy needs to be renamed to the Department of Idiocy! This guy Kook-Kook-a-Chu is a whacko!
Hmmm, white roofs. I’ll put that idea right next to the ‘safer guns and safer bullets’ gemstone from Jocelyn Elders.
Plus the fact that they are using this Global warming LIE to for thei rown purposes. Just like Gore has done with his huge increase in income.
From Rush Limbaugh:
"The proponents, be they from science, be they from the lay community, are all looking for money. They're looking for donations; they're looking for grants from the government to advance a cause. They're looking for money and whatever it takes to get the money they will claim they're researching, and then of course they'll be duty-bound to produce the results that the grantor wants.
So we gotta go out and paint roofs white, and that's the only story -- you have to go to a blog to find out why. The Drive-Bys, in reporting that Steven Chu wants you to paint your roof white don't tell you why. "Oh, you save the planet." They don't tell you that two of his colleagues are behind the ruse in order to get stimulus money, stimulus money which is supposed to be creating new jobs. How is that stimulus money working for you, if you're unemployed? How is that hope and change working for you? So now environmentalist wackos want their fists on the stimulus money under the guise of saving the planet with white roofs. "
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (11)
Transporting Detainees (Terrorists Prisoners)
Detention operations center escorts explain the process of transporting a detainee to his legal visit at Joint Task Force Guantanamo's Camp 4, May 5. Sailors from the Navy Expeditionary Guard Battalion conduct detainee operations as part of the ongoing detention mission at Joint Task Force Guantanamo. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees, including those convicted by military commission and those ordered released. The JTF conducts intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination for the protection of detainees and personnel working in JTF Guantanamo facilities and in support of the Global War on Terrorism. JTF Guantanamo provides support to the Office of Military Commissions, to law enforcement and to war crimes investigations. The JTF conducts planning for and, on order, responds to Caribbean mass migration operations.
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Properly Transporting Detainees
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba
In order to ensure safe, humane, legal and transparent care of the detainees in custody at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, troopers are assigned to escort detainees to medical appointments, lawyer appointments and commissions.
The Naval Expeditionary Guard Battalion conducts detainee escorts at JTF Guantanamo as part of the ongoing detention mission. They also escort contractors who come into the camps to do enhancement projects.
"My mission is to support detainee movements," said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian, non-commissioned officer-in-charge for Detention Operation Center escorts. "We also escort contractors throughout the camps."
Most of the troopers who are escorts were guards in the camps for several months until earning the opportunity to become escorts.
"They normally work in the camps for a few months until they learn about the environment," said Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Glen Porter, senior enlisted advisor for the escorts. "They are then properly trained on how to be an escort."
The escorts are broken into teams, and a dispatcher assigns the team's task.
"When I come into the office, I lay out a plan for the day," said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler, an escort dispatcher. "There are [many] detainee movements every day and it is imperative to make sure everyone is on time."
The escorts pick up the detainee at the camp, where he has already been informed of an appointment.
"We go pick up the detainee as a team, then safely transport him," Porter said.
The detainee has the right to refuse to be transported. They are never forced to attend an appointment of any sort.
"If they refuse to go, we cannot force them," Tyler said. "If it is an appointment that is important, someone will visit them at their location."
The escorts are also responsible for maintaining the flag program. This program supports trooper morale by affording the opportunity to have a flag flown over Camp Delta. After the flag is flown, the individual for whom the flag is flown receives an official certificate for the flag.
The troopers of the DOC escort program work hard and have daily struggles like many others who are deployed, but that doesn't change their focus on the mission.
"I think we are doing what needs to be done here," Tyler said in regards to the mission at JTF Guantanamo. "I am proud to be here during this historical period."
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Wild Thing's comment.........
I was surprised about this, I always thought the doctors and lawyers came to the prison not the other way around.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (2)
Hillary Clinton Warns North Korea for ‘Belligerent’ Behavior
Clinton Warns North Korea for ‘Belligerent’ Behavior in Region
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said North Korea must face consequences for its “belligerent and provocative behavior” after Kim Jong Il’s regime threatened military action against South Korea.
Clinton spoke in Washington after North Korea’s official news agency said Kim’s government would no longer abide by the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War and may respond militarily to South Korea’s participation in a U.S.-led program that would block ships suspected of carrying nuclear weapons or material for export.
The U.S. takes “very seriously” its commitments to defend South Korea and Japan, its principal allies in the region, Clinton said. She called on North Korea to return to the so- called six party talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear arms program.
“The Korean People’s Army will not be bound to the Armistice Agreement any longer,” the official Korean Central News Agency said in a statement today. Any attempt to inspect North Korean vessels will be countered with “prompt and strong military strikes.”
North Korea raised the specter of a maritime confrontation. The dispatch by the Korean Central News Agency said North Korea can’t guarantee the safety of ships passing through its western waters. The statement specified five islands controlled by the South that were the site of naval skirmishes in 1999 and 2002.
“What they are saying is that they will take military action if there is any action taken on behalf of the program such as boarding their ships, stopping and searching and so on,” said Han Sung Joo, a former South Korean foreign minister.
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Recap:
-North Korea tests nuke
-Obama gives speech saying he's outraged, then goes golfing
-North Korea fires two missiles
-Obama's UN Ambassador, Susan Rice (the same woman that the 911 Commission says turned down Sudan's offer to hand over Osama Bin Laden) goes on Today Show and says UN is going to meet, threatens more UN sanctions on the already fully isolated country
-UN meets, doesn't pass new sanctions, does send "stern letter"
-North Korea responds by test firing another anti-ship missile
-Obama Press Secretary is pressed by ABC News Jake Tapper to explain what Obama's next attempt will be,
Gibbs dodges (clearly had no idea & Admin is fully stumped)
-Russia goes on military alert concerned there could be nuclear war
-North Korea responds by announcing it is no longer bound by the 50+ yr old cease-fire/armistice, and that it will take action.
-North Korea also restarts its shut down nuclear facilities
-North Korea then declares it will attack US and/or South Korean ships
Article HERE.........
My Way News
NKorea threatens to attack US, SKorean warships
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea threatened military action Wednesday against U.S. and South Korean warships plying the waters near the Koreas' disputed maritime border, raising the specter of a naval clash just days after the regime's underground nuclear test.
Pyongyang, reacting angrily to Seoul's decision to join an international program to intercept ships suspected of aiding nuclear proliferation, called the move tantamount to a declaration of war.
"Now that the South Korean puppets were so ridiculous as to join in the said racket and dare declare a war against compatriots," North Korea is "compelled to take a decisive measure," the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement carried by state media.
North Korea warned Wednesday that any attempt to stop, board or inspect its ships would constitute a "grave violation."
The regime also said it could no longer promise the safety of U.S. and South Korean warships and civilian vessels in the waters near the Korea's western maritime border.
"They should bear in mind that the (North) has tremendous military muscle and its own method of strike able to conquer any targets in its vicinity at one stroke or hit the U.S. on the raw, if necessary," it said.
A North Korean newspaper, Minju Joson, said in commentary Wednesday that Pyongyang does not fear repercussions for its actions.
"It is a laughable delusion for the United States to think that it can get us to kneel with sanctions," it said. "We've been living under U.S. sanctions for decades, but have firmly safeguarded our ideology and system while moving our achievements forward. The U.S. sanctions policy toward North Korea is like striking a rock with a rotten egg."
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Wild Thing's comment........
Oh, well if Hillary CLINTON has warned them, the I guess they have no CHOICE but to back down. I mean this is about a nuclear bomb after all.
Will she throw an ashtray? Or will she send out one of her Arkancide guys? She’ll invite L’il Kim in for a meeting in Fort Marcey Park —or maybe Starbucks, on that corner in Adams Morgan.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (10)
May 27, 2009
'Reid must go,' Say Protesters on Las Vegas Strip ~ Obama Should Too!!!!
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'Reid must go,' say protesters on Strip
As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Barack Obama prepared for a fundraiser Tuesday evening to help get Reid re-elected, about 100 protesters worked the Strip in hopes of preventing just that.
Carrying signs and chanting slogans such as "Heave ho! Reid must go!" the protesters in front of Caesars Palace, where the fundraising concert was to take place, criticized Reid's "tax-and-spend," "big government" ways.
"I'm not a big fan of what's going on in D.C.," said the 6-foot-4, heavily tattooed Dan Stephens, a local tattoo artist who brought his three young daughters and also-heavily-tattooed wife to the protest. "It seems like our representatives have forgotten who hired them."
The mostly Republican protesters said they want representatives who advocate for small government and are against tax increases.
"We need someone who shares our core principles: family, self-sufficiency, low taxes and getting government out of our lives," said Dean Meek, a 51-year-old property manager who was carrying a sign that read: "Don't tax me, bro."
The protest was organized by Our Country Deserves Better PAC, a conservative, California-based political action committee that is campaigning against Reid's re-election.
The committee held a news conference Tuesday morning in Las Vegas to highlight its $100,000 anti-Reid ad campaign. Radio, television and Internet ads calling Reid a tax-and-spender who does not respect the military were airing statewide, timed to coincide with the president's visit.
Many of the protesters Tuesday evening said they heard about the event on talk radio.
Passers-by cheered or jeered. Curious tourists stopped to ask: "Who's Harry Reid?"
Hundreds others lined access roads to Caesars hoping to catch a glimpse of Obama as he made his way to the venue.
"I came down to support Obama. He's such a refreshing change," said Parris Lane, 50, who waved a small American flag and chanted Obama's name in response to the protesters. "We have someone really smart in charge, who makes everyone feel like part of things."
Inside, the line to get into the fundraiser snaked through the casino. Well-dressed concertgoers said they came to support Reid and could not pass up the opportunity to see Obama in person.
"We supported him all the way from Italy," said Giovanni Coinu, a constitutional law professor there who was thrilled that his Vegas vacation coincided with the fundraiser. "We had T-shirts made up, and we followed him all the way to the presidency."
Jeanne, a local, "over-50" business executive who declined to give her last name, said the $300 she forked out for her ticket would be well worth it.
"I wanted to hear what the president had to say about Las Vegas," she said. "Plus, we get entertainment on top of it."
Protesters outside criticized what the president had to say about Las Vegas not long ago, when Obama mentioned Vegas junkets as the type of corporate excess that federal dollars shouldn't be funding.
"Shame on President Obama, pointing fingers at Las Vegas, and here he is campaigning for Harry Reid," said protester Karina Ostenberg, 29.
"Reid needs to stand up for us," she added.
Sharron Angle, a Republican former assemblywoman from Reno who is a possible Reid challenger for 2010, agreed.
"He should at least have defended us," Angle said as she shook protesters' hands.
At the morning news conference, Angle had urged donations to the exploratory committee for her candidacy, saying the strength of the financial support would determine whether she decides to run. Angle declined to disclose how much she has raised so far.
"Money talks," she said. "With Harry Reid, it's going to take more than just good intentions. It's going to take a lot of money to take him out."
Wild Thing's comment.........
Ok so I add the Obama should too to the title. And he should GO! He has been the one to blame for the economy going down hill, for the devastating decline of tourism and business meetings cancelling their trips to Vegas and NO ONE ELSE IS TO BLAME!
Obama is the worst president our country has ever had!!!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:48 PM | Comments (9)
Obama Set to Create A Cybersecurity Czar With Broad Mandate
Obama Set to Create A Cybersecurity Czar With Broad Mandate
Obama is expected to announce late this week that he will create a "cyber czar," a senior White House official who will have broad authority to develop strategy to protect the nation's government-run and private computer networks, according to people who have been briefed on the plan.
The adviser will have the most comprehensive mandate granted to such an official to date and will probably be a member of the National Security Council but will report to the national security adviser as well as the senior White House economic adviser, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deliberations are not final.
The announcement will coincide with the long-anticipated release of a 40-page report that evaluates the government's cybersecurity initiatives and policies. The report is intended to outline a "strategic vision" and the range of issues the new adviser must handle, but it will not delve into details, administration officials told reporters last month.
Cybersecurity "is vitally important, and the government needs to be coordinated on this," a White House official said Friday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "The report give conclusions and next steps. It's trying to steer us in the right direction."
The document will not resolve the politically charged issue of what role the National Security Agency, the premier electronic surveillance agency, will have in protecting private-sector networks. The issue is a key concern in policy circles, and experts say it requires a full and open debate over legal authorities and the protection of citizens' e-mails and phone calls. The Bush administration's secrecy in handling its Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative, most of which was classified, hindered such a debate, privacy advocates have said.
Obama was briefed a week ago and signed off on the creation of the position, the sources said. But as of Friday, discussions were continuing as to what rank and title the adviser would have. The idea is to name someone who can "pick up the phone and contact the president directly, if need be," an administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Obama pledged during his presidential campaign to elevate the issue of cybersecurity to a "top priority" and to appoint a national cybersecurity adviser "who will report directly to me."
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Bush did wire taping to help keep our country safe, it was not abused, it was not to intimidate citizens that were obeying the law and were only discussing politics and supporting our troops. But with Obama since he finds anyone that disagree's with him and is NO fan of our troops or Veterans one has to wonder just how broad the mandate will be.
When Obama does make his announcement of who it will be it will be for real, spying on everything, all in the name of what? Man caused disasters? Or political enemies -— Yep, that’s it.
Yoohoo, brain dead liberals, where are you?
Hugo Chvez sits in our white house, and ignorant Americans put him there.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:55 AM | Comments (10)
Obama To Visit Saudi Arabia To Bow Again on June 3rd
Obama Adds Saudi Arabia to Middle East
US President Barack Obama will visit Saudi Arabia on June 3 for talks on Iran's nuclear program and Washington's renewed push for a Middle East peace plan, the White House said on Tuesday.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama would meet Saudi King Abdullah and would also discuss terrorism.
The addition of Saudi Arabia to the Middle East tour indicates added determination by President Obama to forge a regional peace in the face of hardening positions by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
"The president will meet with his majesty King Abdullah to discuss a range of important issues, including Middle East peace, Iran and terrorism,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said late Tuesday. He is scheduled to deliver a major speech in Egypt, where he will continue attempts to reach out to the Muslim world.
The president’s aides said the speech will focus on “safety and security” for Americans and Muslim nations.
Before leaving for the Middle East and Europe, President Obama will receive Abbas, two weeks after a visit by Prime Minister Netanyahu, with whom the president “agreed to disagree.”
Wild Thing's comment.........
Gibbs said the two leaders would meet in Riyadh on 3 June to discuss the Mid-East peace process, Iran’s nuclear programme and terrorism.....Afterwards, he will travel to Cairo to give a major policy speech addressed to the Muslim world, and then go on to Germany and France. ( source BBC )
I guess he has been practicing his bowing and wants to show off!
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:50 AM | Comments (10)
Visiting Our Troops Through Images
Buck is a medic with 25th Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. William Greer
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ROOFTOP SECURITY - U.S. Army Pfc. Paul Mandrell watches for possible enemy activity from the roof of Joint Security Station Oubaidy near Sadr City, Iraq, after a series of attacks. He is assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade.
by U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jason T. Bailey
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ZODIAC PATROL - U.S. Marines carry Zodiac boats into the Euphrates River below the Haditha Dam in Iraq to conduct security patrols with Provisional Security Forces. The Marines are assigned to Company W, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Hil
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Posted by Wild Thing at 06:49 AM | Comments (6)
Sotomayor Ruled Against Gun Rights!
Sotomayor believes 2nd Amendment not for Individuals
By Mathew D. Staver
Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the seat of retiring Justice David Souter. If confirmed, Sotomayor would become the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the High Court.
Sotomayor is a graduate of Princeton and obtained her law degree from Yale. She served in private practice and as Assistant District Attorney in New York County and was nominated to the Second Circuit federal Court of Appeals by President George H. W. Bush in 1991.
Despite 17 years on the bench, Sotomayor has never directly decided whether a law regulating abortion is constitutional. In Center for Reproductive Law & Policy v. Bush, she wrote an opinion that upheld the Mexico City Policy prohibiting federal funding of overseas abortions.
Sotomayor does not believe that the Second Amendment right to bear arms applies to individuals. While on a panel discussion at Duke Law School, she argued that the “Court of Appeals is where policy is made.” Judge Sotomayor has had 5 decisions reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, 3 of which have been reversed. She has carried 11 of 44 possible votes during those cases. In Knight v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Chief Justice Roberts stated that her method of reading the statute in question “flies in the face of the statutory language.”
She has written in support of Affirmative Action, upheld the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and in Amandola v. Town of Babylon, she wrote that denying use of a town hall annex for their worship services violated the First Amendment. She has written a book called “The International Judge,” which suggests that international law and policy should be considered in some court decisions.
Some have described her temperament on the bench as a “bully” and “abusive” to lawyers.
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Sotomayor Nomination an Obama Slap at Second Amendment
and The Liberty Sphere via Atlas Shrugs
BELLEVUE, WA
The nomination of Second Circuit Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court is a slap at gun rights and the Second Amendment, the Second Amendment Foundation said today.
Judge Sotomayor, a New York native, ruled on a Second Circuit Appeals Court panel that the Second Amendment is not a fundamental right and does not apply to the states in the case of Maloney v. Cuomo. This ruling is in direct conflict with a Ninth Circuit Court ruling in the Nordyke v. King case in California that the Second Amendment is incorporated through the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
“While Democrats in Congress have been making great strides in the gun rights arena, refusing to consider a renewal of the Clinton gun ban, and offering overwhelming bipartisan support for legislation allowing citizens to carry firearms in national parks, President Obama just demonstrated that he prefers judges who oppose Second Amendment rights,” said SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb.
Incorporation may be taken up by the high court during its next session beginning in October, because attorneys in the Maloney case plan to appeal in late June.
“If the Maloney appeal is accepted by the Supreme Court,” Gottlieb wondered, “would Justice Sotomayor – provided she is confirmed – recuse herself from deliberations?”
Judge Sotomayor has written an opinion that declined to order the release of certain information under the Freedom of Information Act. In one case, according to SCOTUSblog, she wrote that the “unwarranted invasion of privacy” for individuals whose names would be release under an FOIA request outweighed the public interest.
“Would a Justice Sotomayor be just as protective of the privacy rights of concealed carry permit holders if a newspaper wanted to publish that information,” Gottlieb asked. “We hope that during Senate confirmation hearings, someone asks about her positions on incorporation and the privacy rights of gun owners. The Second Amendment needs to be expanded, not eviscerated.”
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nations oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.
Wild Thing's comment........
Obama and Sotomayer can 'rule' that the second doesn't apply all day long.,but it doesn't mean many of us would not fight back.
Here are some words from the past.........
“Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its waters.
“This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will. Find out just what a people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” ~~Frederick Douglass August 4, 1857
Douglass was, of course, speaking of the slavery then extant here.
So, too, are we.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:48 AM | Comments (8)
Judge Sotomayor and Five Million Criminal Votes for Obama
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Judge Sotomayor and Five Million Criminal Votes for Obama
There are 5.3 million votes for Obama out there, the only problem is that they happen to belong to murderers, rapists, armed robbers and other convicts and ex-convicts.
That golden box of 5+ million votes is being unlocked by Democrats in one of two ways. The first relies on changing state laws that prevent felon voting at the state level. Their greatest success has arguably been Florida, a crucial swing state with over a million ex-felons. When Governor Charlie Crist promised to let criminals vote during the election and then implemented it once in office, the impact on the 2008 Presidential election was quite sizable.
With anywhere from 250,000 to 500,000 new votes available, the Obama campaign ran a "You can Vote Too!" registration drive for ex-felons. And since Obama won Florida by barely 200,000 votes, the newly enfranchised murderers, rapists and pedophiles no doubt did their share to help put him in the White House.
Iowa restored felon voting in 2005, and between 2004 to 2008, swung from Republican to Democratic.
In 2007 Colorado struck down the requirement that ex-felons have to at least complete their parole before becoming eligible to vote, overriding a Colorado Supreme Court ruling. In 2008 Colorado voted for a Democratic Presidential candidate for the first time in 26 years.
Virginia, which also began legalizing felon voters, became another swing state that swung unexpectedly to Obama.
While legalizing felons alone did not swing any of these states, they were part of a larger program to liberalize the voting base, which is why such laws were invariably championed by Democrats and Liberal Republicans. Bringing in millions of new votes changes the game. And that was what happened in 2008.
However giving criminals voting rights on a state by state level has been a long slow process, and that is where the second method comes in, to strike down any bans on felon voting at the Federal level.
The key argument used by felon voting advocates is that barring criminals from voting is a form of racial discrimination, since a disproportionate number of convicted felons are black or members of other minority groups. This brings in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into the picture. Using the VRA, the Supreme Court could potentially strike down any state laws banning criminals from voting. Even convicts still in jail.
This would immediately unlock that golden box of 5 million votes for Obama, even more than local state measures of ACORN's voting fraud, which relied heavily on ex-cons, did.
And the Voting Rights Act is where Judge Sotomayor comes into the picture. While the Supreme Court currently has not chosen to hear any cases involving felon voting, allowing state circuit courts to maintain the ban, Judge Sotomayor is an enthusiastic judicial advocate of applying the VRA to felon voting, treating criminals as a discriminated against group being denied their civic rights.
In Hayden vs Pataki, a case brought by Joseph "Jazz" Hayden, who stabbed a sanitation worker to death, and has since become a campaigner for letting felons vote, Judge Sotomayor dissented from the majority by arguing that the VRA in no way excludes or was meant to exclude felons.
SOTOMAYOR, Circuit Judge, dissenting:
"It is plain to anyone reading the Voting Rights Act that it applies to all “voting qualification[s].” And it is equally plain that § 5-106 disqualifies a group of people from voting. These two propositions should constitute the entirety of our analysis. Section 2 of the Act by its unambiguous terms subjects felony disenfranchisement and all other voting qualifications to its coverage.
What that means is that Sotomayor believes that any voting qualification, including bans on having convicted murderers and rapists vote, is a violation of the Voting Rights Acts. Felons can be treated as a "group" that has been discriminated against by being banned from the right to vote.
This would allow Obama to "crack" more conservative states where felon voting enfranchisement has not made any headway, by treating felon disenfranchisement as a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
By nominating Sotomayor, Obama is very clearly looking ahead to 2012, by first nominating an Hispanic Woman, secondly a left wing judicial advocate, more specifically one whose views on ballot access will help open up that golden box of millions of votes, and in the case of a Bush vs Gore type Supreme Court case, will always argue on the side of inadequate access.
And of course Sotomayor's ruling in Ford vs McGinnis that Islamic rights for prisoners can be entirely at the whim of the prisoner, can't hurt. Nor her open position that her job is to make policy, rather than rule on the constitutionality of the laws.
Like Obama her nomination is being treated as a "historical nomination", though Justice Benjamin Cardozo was arguably the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice (who naturally doesn't count because he's Jewish), and her judicial advocacy views, her identity politics, will be treated as assets, in the same way that they were for Obama.
But the bigger picture is that Sotomayor is meant to be Obama's ace in the hole for the 2012 election.
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Wild Thing's comment........
GREAT article and information. I remember when Charlie Crist did this I was so angry!!
I was so ticked off this morning when she was announced and then immediately the bush bashing, the racists speak. The party of no is going to say no. They had a whole script prepared because they knew she was a racist and has made racist comments. As always they are making this about race.
Her saying that her court made policy and then she caught herself because she was being taped. Then someone came ot make light of that and said some stupiud thing like that was a discussion among students. So that made it okay? Obama likes the radical who will go against their given rights within their position.
And to those on TV saying she is a moderate. If Sotomayor is moderate than so were Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin.
There is a dark side to this lady. Very dark.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:47 AM | Comments (4)
Obama's War on Talk Radio
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Obama's War on Talk Radio
By Dick Morris And Eileen McGann
Obama’s liberal philosophy dictates that when the news is bad, shoot the messenger. The newest data from Arbitron, the company charged with measuring the size of radio audiences, suggests that listenership to hip hop, inner city, and minority radio has been overstated in the past and that the popularity of conservative talk radio has been under-reported.
This conclusion - ideologically inconvenient for Obama - comes from the company’s decision to dispense with the Stone Age way it has been measuring radio audiences - by hand written diaries based on listener memory - with modern machines which automatically record what the person is listening to and for how long.
The opening barrage in Obama’s efforts to reign in talk radio was fired by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week when its acting Chairman Michael J. Copps announced an investigation of Arbitron’s radio measuring technology called the Portable People Meter. (Not to be confused with the Purple People Eater celebrated in song in the 1950s).
Arbitron is the company tasked with rating radio listenership. The equivalent of the Neilson television ratings, its measurements of audience share are revered like Scripture by station managers, owners, and advertisers. Traditionally, Arbitron relied on hand written diaries. Since the diaries were based on memory, they were often faulty. So Arbitron availed itself of new technology in launching its Portable People Meter (PPM) - a cell phone sized unit the listener wears on his or her belt which automatically notes what station they are tuning in and when they switch or stop.
The PPM measurements concluded that hip hop, urban rock, and minority-oriented radio stations reached fewer listeners and for shorter periods of time than the diaries had indicated. It found that talk radio had a larger listenership.
The left saw an ideological bias at work and the states of New York and New Jersey sued Arbitron alleging discrimination in its choice of the sample charged with wearing the PPMs. It said that the ratings agency, which presumably recruited its sample by phone, was under-representing people without landlines who used only cell phones and hence under-counted minorities.
Now the FCC is launching its own investigation.
But almost all political polling is done by telephone and samples cannot include cell phones because one cannot determine the residence of the user from the number. Since survey researchers draw their samples geographically, they do not know which cell phone numbers are for which neighborhoods. (Land lines distribute the first three numbers of an exchange geographically).
If Arbitron is flawed, so is all polling, political and otherwise. The accuracy of most polling in predicting election results suggests that the flaws cannot be too bad.
What is really at work here is an effort by the FCC to stack the deck to help left-wing and minority stations earn higher advertising revenues than those to which their real market share would entitle them. Solicitous of the financial viability of its liberal allies on radio and anxious to undermine the balance sheets of conservative stations, the FCC is lending itself to the president’s political agenda.
This investigation is, of course, only the first shot of the war against conservative radio. Soon the FCC will try to strip right wing stations of their licenses or impose fines on them payable to National Public Radio.
In our forthcoming book, Catastrophe, we explain how this offensive will work and what will be its likely consequences.
But the opening salvo has been fired by the FCC which is willingly lending itself to stations with Democratic bias in an effort to swell their advertising revenues and to stop the growth of talk radio. Because the FCC will do much more to try to destroy the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, and Neil Boortz, we must be vigilant if we hope to keep free speech alive, even if it comes from the right side of the stage.
Wild Thing's comment.......
Obama is trying to eliminate dissent and dissent is heard on talk radio, a medium that liberals have not managed to keep interesting or dominate.
Obama and the dems remind me of the terrorists. They want to kill off anyone that does not agree with them. They may not do it physically like the terrorists do but other then that it is very similar. They have tried to destroy people and their reputations like Joe the Plumber, Gov. Sarah Palin, Rush, Ann Coulter, and others, anyone that speaks out against what the left is up to.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:45 AM | Comments (4)
DeMint Takes Lead in Criticizing High Court Pick
DeMint takes lead in criticizing high court pick
WASHINGTON
Sen. Jim DeMint, was more critical than his Republican colleagues Tuesday about President Barack Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.
While most Republicans took a cautious approach, DeMint, of South Carolina, sounded warnings about Sotomayor's record and philosophy as a federal district and appellate judge from New York.
"Some of her writings seem to raise serious questions about her approach to the Constitution and the role of the federal judiciary, but I will withhold judgment about her nomination until she has the opportunity to fully present her views before the Senate," DeMint said.
DeMint's aides pointed to a case last year in which Sotomayor ruled that the city of New Haven, Conn., had acted properly in rejecting discrimination claims by white firefighters. The case, Ricci v. DeStefano, is now before the Supreme Court.
"Few things are more central to our duty than confirming Supreme Court justices who will uphold the law and apply it equally for all Americans, not rewrite it from the bench based on personal opinion," DeMint said.
DeMint is not on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold confirmation hearings for Sotomayor.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who does sit on the judiciary panel, was more guarded in his response to Obama's choice of Sotomayor as the first Hispanic nominated for the high court.
"I do not know Judge Sotomayor," Graham said. "I look forward to meeting with her and discussing the important issues confronting the court."
Graham was among the Senate Judiciary Committee members Obama called last week to discuss his pending high court nomination. Graham was out of the country Tuesday, but his aides said they didn't believe Obama had named Sotomayor during their phone talk.
Graham said he intends "to be fair and firm in (his) questioning of the nominee" during the committee confirmation sessions.
"The hearings can be a valuable public service, as they give us a window into the nominee's philosophy and disposition," Graham said. "I hope we will have a meaningful opportunity to explore the qualifications, judicial temperament and judicial philosophy of Judge Sotomayor."
Republican President H.W. Bush appointed Sotomayor to the federal district bench in 1992. Democrat Bill Clinton elevated her to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
After an extensive delay over political disputes, the Republican-controlled Senate voted 67-29 in October 1998 to confirm Sotomayor's promotion to the appellate court.
The late Republican Sen. Strom Thurmond voted against Sotomayor. Sen. Fritz Hollings, a Charleston Democrat, was one of four senators who chose not to vote.
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., called Sotomayor "a superb pick" by Obama to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter.
"The president has demonstrated that he is dedicated to nominating justices who have life experiences that will enable them to both sympathize and empathize with all Americans," Clyburn said.
Sotomayor, 54, grew up in a Bronx housing project with a single mom after her father died when she was 9.
Only the Senate will vote on Sotomayor's confirmation.
Oran Smith, head of the Palmetto Family Council, criticized Sotomayor as an activist judge.
"Judge Sotomayor's judicial record and writing clearly show she believes a court is not an applier of law written by elected representatives, but just another political advocate for social change," Smith said
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From Rush Limbaugh........
"So, here you have a racist. You might want to soften that and you might wanna say a reverse racist. And the libs, of course, say that minorities cannot be racists because they don't have the power to implement their racism. Well, those days are gone because reverse racists certainly do have the power to implement their power. Obama is the greatest living example of a reverse racist and now he's appointed one -- getting this, AP? -- Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court ...
So she's not the brain that they're portraying her to be, she's not a constitutional jurist. She is an affirmative action case extraordinaire and she has put down white men in favor of Latina women. She has claimed that the court is all about making policy. So yes, there's a golden opportunity. Take this to the mat. Take it to the wall. The people need to know what Obama really believes in and this is how it could happen. Now will the Republicans do it? That's another question."
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Wild Thing's comment...........
DeMint, one of the few with a spine!!!
For the time being our days as a Constitutional Republic are almost over. I know that sounds down and depressing but that is what is showing up.
Founding Documents provide that, if any branch of our government ever exceeds its Constitutionally limited authority and ceases to be lawfully of, for and by the people, we the people have both the duty and the unwavering obligation to remove it and restore a Constitutional one again.
This in-over-his-head rent-a-meat-puppet in the White House swore an oath to uphold and defend our Constitution even as he paid a team of lawyers to prevent him having to abide by it.
The Constitution does not grant to the president the authority to fire CEO's of corporations, take over huge companies, dictate what cars can be built, take over the country's health-care or own and run the banks.
Unless and until we remove this larcenous, traitorous, pathalogically-deceitful usurper from the White House, we are no longer a Constitutional Republic for right now.
This will be a good test to see who is trustable and who is not. There should be no mistaking RINOs for republicans anymore.
The thing our side I wish would learn, I mean the politicans that say they are Republicans. We are aware we are outnumbered in both houses. But if they can show US, we the people that they at least speak out and make it known they do not go along with this kind of thing each time they need to, we WILL remember later when it comes time to vote. Just as we WILL remember those that turned to mush and stayed silent.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:40 AM | Comments (5)
May 26, 2009
Iran Sends 6 Warships to Int. Waters in 'Saber Rattling' Move
Iran Sends 6 Warships to International Waters in 'Saber Rattling' Move
Iran has sent six warships into international waters in a move security experts are calling a "muscle flexing" show of defiance following missile tests last week.
"Iran has dispatched six ... warships to international waters and the Gulf of Aden region in a historically unprecedented move by the Iranian Navy," Iranian Adm. Habibollah Sayyari told a gathering of armed forces officials, Reuters reported.
Sayyari said the ships were moved to preserve Iran's territorial integrity in its southern waters, but foreign policy experts are calling it an aggressive move targeted at a Western audience as much as for regional powers like rival Saudi Arabia.
The deployment is "a signal of military strength, resolve and continued defiance to U.S. and U.N. Security Council efforts to end the impasse over Iran's nuclear program," said Jim Phillips, senior fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at the Heritage Institute.
"What's very important here is the timing of this move — and this naval muscle flexing comes after Iran's missile test earlier this week, which was saber rattling that was meant to send the same signal as this naval dispatch."
Wild Thing's comment........
What a joke we have become, we have North Korea and Iran showing how they can push us around, or at least trying to show the rest of the world.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:55 AM | Comments (8)
Venezuela, Bolivia Supplying Iran With Uranium for Nuclear Program
Israel: Venezuela, Bolivia Supplying Iran With Uranium for Nuclear Program
JERUSALEM
Venezuela and Bolivia are supplying Iran with uranium for its nuclear program, according to a secret Israeli government report obtained Monday by The Associated Press.
The two South American countries are known to have close ties with Iran, but this is the first allegation that they are involved in the development of Iran's nuclear program, considered a strategic threat by Israel.
"There are reports that Venezuela supplies Iran with uranium for its nuclear program," the Foreign Ministry document states, referring to previous Israeli intelligence conclusions. It added, "Bolivia also supplies uranium to Iran."
The report concludes that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is trying to undermine the United States by supporting Iran.
The Israeli government report also charges that the Iran-backed Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon have set up cells in Latin America. It says Venezuela has issued permits that allow Iranian residents to travel freely in South America.
The report concludes, "Since Ahmadinejad's rise to power, Tehran has been promoting an aggressive policy aimed at bolstering its ties with Latin American countries with the declared goal of 'bringing America to its knees."'
The document says Venezuela and Bolivia are violating the United Nations Security Council's economic sanctions with their aid to Iran.
As allies against the U.S., Ahmadinejad and Chavez have set up a $200 billion fund aimed at garnering the support of more South American countries for the cause of "liberation from the American imperialism," according to the report.
Venezuela is helping Iran circumvent the Security Council's economic sanctions and is also suspected of providing Tehran with uranium, while Hizbullah is setting up terror cells in south America, this according to an official Foreign Ministry document obtained by Ynet.
Ministry officials explain that Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez share a common interest – to defy the United States.
The Ministry also details the economic ties between Tehran and South America. According to the report, trade between Brazil and Iran is estimated at a billion dollars; Uruguay sells $100 million worth of rice to Iran, while Chile purchases Iranian oil.
Pro-American countries such as Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, who receive aid from Venezuela, may also be subject to Iranian influence, the report says, adding that even Argentina is steadily increasing its trade relations with Iran.
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Wild Thing's comment........
“according to a secret Israeli government report”
Either they stole it, or Israel leaked it as in that is what happens when the false messiah messes with Bibi! It might be that since he is ticked at Obama as he should be.
Iran wants Israel off the map, Chavez is supplying the uranium and Hussein Obama is cozening up to Chavez all the while Obama is telling Israel to split up their country. SO 52% of America this is what you wanted for the highest office in the free world. sheesh!
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:50 AM | Comments (4)
North Korea Test-fires 2 More Missiles
NKorea test-fires 2 more missiles
North Korea launched tests of two more short-range missiles a day after detonating a nuclear bomb underground, a news report said, pushing the regime's confrontation with world powers further despite the threat of U.N. Security Council action.
Two missiles — one ground-to-air, the other ground-to-ship — with a range of about 80 miles (130 kilometers) were test-fired from an east coast launch pad, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unnamed government official.
South Korean spy chief Won Sei-hoon had informed lawmakers earlier Tuesday that a missile test was likely, according to the office of Park Young-sun, a legislator who attended the closed-door briefing.
Yonhap reported that North Korea was preparing to launch a third missile from a west coast site, again citing an unnamed official.
North Korea appeared to be displaying its might a day after conducting an underground atomic test in the northeast that the U.N. Security Council condemned as a "clear violation" of a 2006 resolution banning the regime from developing its nuclear program.
The U.N. Security Council is condemning North Korea's nuclear test as a clear violation of its resolutions.
The council said in a statement Monday that it will begin work immediately on a new legally binding resolution addressing North Korea's violations.
The U.N.'s most powerful body held an emergency meeting at Japan's request after North Korea conducted its second nuclear test earlier Monday.
The council is demanding that North Korea abide by two previous resolutions, which among other things banned further nuclear tests and called for a return to six-party talks aimed at eliminating its nuclear program.
Obama: North Korea 'Recklessly Challenging' International Community
North Korea's nuclear test is a "matter of grave concern," President Obama said Monday, as officials in Washington accused the rogue regime of blatantly defying the international community.
The communist country said it had carried out a powerful underground nuclear test, much larger than one conducted in 2006. The regime also test-fired three short-range, ground-to-air missiles later Monday from the same northeastern site where it launched a rocket last month, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing unnamed sources.
The twin moves were roundly condemned in Washington.
"These actions, while not a surprise given its statements and actions to date, are a matter of grave concern to all nations," Obama said in a written statement, calling them an apparent violation of international law. "North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security."
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Wild Thing's comment............
“UN Security Council condemns NKorea nuke test”
That’ll show ‘em!
“A strongly worded letter may be next.”
Following that a devastating set of incentive packages will follow.
Do UN Resolutions beat Nuclear Bombs in the same way that Paper covers Rock?????
And from Obama.........he might as well have said......“And if you don’t stop we’re going to say even MEANER things about you....”
Obama did say......
North Korea 'Recklessly Challenging' International Community
He isn't challenging the community Obama, he is challenging you!
Obama's words mean nothing and our enemies know that. He is a joke.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:48 AM | Comments (9)
Are Democrats Planning an Attack on Military Retiree Health Benefits?
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Are Democrats Planning an Attack on Military Retiree Health Benefits?
May 19th
Thomas D. Segel
While the Obama Administration loudly proclaims that it has a mandate to make health care available to every American, a move is underway by the Democrats, through the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to effectively reduce such care for some of the most vulnerable of military veterans.
Legislation has already been prepared that will drastically change and reduce the Tricare for Life benefit plan that assists military retirees over the age of 65.
The Tricare for Life plan was established by law after a decades long fight to make the government live up to its promise to provide earned health care to military retirees and their dependents, who had faithfully served their nation for more than 20 years. Though a battle on this issue traveled all the way to the Supreme Court, it was determined that the Armed Forces of the United States did in fact promise lifetime health care to career service personnel, but did not have the authority to make such promises. Congress was admonished to take corrective action.
The end result was only half a loaf. Congress agreed to provide a supplement to Medicare for those military retirees above the age of 65. That supplement, titled Tricare for Life, would cover any additional costs not paid by Medicare. However, the retiree would still be required to enroll in Medicare and accept the services that program offered.
Many of these retired military veterans were in desperate need of these medical services when the law was enacted. Those needs continue today. These men and women, many of whom suffer the after effects of combat related wounds, illnesses associated with everything from Agent Orange to the Gulf War Syndrome and multiple ailments inflicted upon them during years of military operations on foreign shores, are among our most vulnerable senior citizens.
This appears to mean little to our new administration and a majority congressional membership that campaigned for election and reelection on the backs of the leftist anti-war, anti-military faction of this country. Now with an almost unstoppable majority in the legislative branch of government, they are seeking to severely alter a medical service previously awarded to a very deserving body of retired service personnel, because, according the CBO, these retirees "overuse" their health care program. There seems to be no thought given to the fact that these particular senior citizens are more medically impaired than the average American of similar age.
The CBO is now seeking passage of their draft legislation that would require these retired military personnel to pay the first $525 of medical cost and 50% of the next $4,750 per person. They claim these changes are needed to help pay for the other programs the President has promised his constituents.
Such a change will effectively end the Tricare for Life program that has offered comfort to those who spent their lives defending the nation. Anyone who has worn the uniform of this country should voice their concerns to their elected officials about this legislation.
Wild Thing's comment........
I have always felt that our government should take complete care of those that served our country. That NO Veteran should have to pay for any medicinal care,any dental or eye care either. That if they needed even an aspirin it would be free to a Veteran. Hospital stays free too, all care on any level and to any degree.
That money for our military's need for equipment etc., and for Veterans should never even be an issue of how much is spent. An open check book so to speak!
There are plenty of other places where cut backs can be taken that are simply things that kiss up to the voters in a politicians backyard and have nothing to do with the rest of the country. Lots of money there to take from and the abundant and stupid grants that so many are waste of tax payers dollars.
BUT our military, our Veterans......America's heroes deserve to be treated First Class all the way.
They should not be given the poor treatment they are so often given. That’s what this article is about. It’s about Congress once again cutting the military first.
Long ago when I entered college, my dream was not the career that I ended up with, my goal was to be a physical therapist, and my dream was to one day open places across our country for Veterans. Places they could heal physically and emotionally, get first class physical therapy, a place to live if they wanted to with homes and apartments that would be free to them, much like we see in Golf communities where homes outline the golf course. These would be homes and apt.'s and medical buildings etc. shopping centers, movie theaters, social places so many things all for Veterans and their family or single Veterans.
A place where this could all be available for them if they wanted. Also if a Veteran needed a place to get back on his/her feet if they had a ruff go of it. Courses could be taught as well if they were interested for careers. They could live there for good or for just the time they needed before going out in the civilian world with it's own unique challenges.
After meeting and seeing so many Veterans and how they had been treated after Vietnam I would made a list of the things I saw and heard happening. Vets kept out of some of the colleges and why? Because they were told it would be too disruptive to have Vietnam Veterans at the school. That sent my blood boiling to say the least. So all these things I would include in what would be needed at these places scattered across our country for Veterans.
My life took a different course but that dream is still is in my heart. When Nick and I talk about our wish list if we ever win the Lotto, this is at the top of my list. No government funding, it would be paid for every penny and no debt owed to man or political beast. haha
Anyway, when I read things like this article and have yet to hear any politician even run on the issues for our Veterans and God forbid in the past even mention POW-MIA's. I have to wonder just how many realize what our Freedom has cost and who has given it to us. I know the reality is that will not change, but by God it should. The few times I got to meet a politician that was running for office I have always asked him about our Veterans and our POW-MIA's. Each time it has caught them off guard. Their eyes take on a deer in the headlights look and they come up with the lingo.... yes we must always remember our Veterans and do what we can for them. Hello-o-o-o how about specifics, how about what YOUR plan is for standing up for them.
Regarding this article I would ask:
How much of the Congressional medical benefits will be offered to be reduced or modified to help offset the budget crisis? For that matter, how much of any Congressional pensions, benefits, perks, payola or graft will be terminated or reduced to help those who fought for the rights of this country?
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.....Thank you DH for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:47 AM | Comments (13)
" My Hometown" ~ US ARMY ad
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Wild Thing's comment......
I love these ads our military makes. This one is for the Army and it is from years ago, but still a great one!!!
God bless our soldiers!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:46 AM | Comments (2)
Child of Fallen Marine From Iraq War
Child of Fallen Marine Accepts American Flag
Choking back tears, Christian Golczynski accepted the flag from his father's casket.
Photographer Aaron Thompson described this moment as "the most emotionally moving event I may have ever witnessed and may ever witness in my life."
Christian Golcznski, Child of a Fallen Marine From The Iraq War Receives American Flag from Marine Lt. Col. Ric Thompson During a Military Funeral for Staff Sgt. Marcus Golczynski
It’s been said that one picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is this one worth? Priceless! This photo of Christian Golcznski shows so much courage in such a young man. Unfortunately, photos like this one are absent in most daily news and media programs today.
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Golczynski, 30, was killed in Iraq on March 27 in Iraq while on his second tour of duty. Golczynski, also known as "Sergeant Ski," was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's Third Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Fourth Marine Division, Nashville.
He had been set to return home by Easter, friends said. In a recent e-mail, the Marine expressed some of his feelings about his service in Iraq.
"We are warriors," he wrote. "And as warriors have before us, we joined this organization and are following orders because we believe what we are doing is right. Many of us volunteered to do this a second time due to our deep desire to finish the job we started. We fight and sometimes die, so our families don't have to."
Daily News Journal photographer Aaron Thompson captured Marc Golczynski’s teary-eyed son, 8-year-old Christian, accepting a U.S. flag from his father’s casket.
This amazing picture has drawn a lot of comments from readers of the Nashville paper, The Tennessean.
Dear Tennessean:
The Tennessean’s April 5 photograph of young Christian Golczynski accepting the American flag from Marine Lt. Col. Ric Thompson is one of the most moving and emotion provoking images I have ever seen.
My wife and I attended funeral services for Christian’s father, Staff Sergeant Marcus Golczynski, on April 4, along with our six year-old son, dozens of Marines, and several hundred others who came to pay tribute to this fallen hero.
As one would expect, many of your readers were touched by this incredible picture. Staff Sergeant Golczynski had previously served one full tour in Iraq. Shortly before his death on March 27 he wrote to his family that he had volunteered to do this a second time due to our deep desire to finish the job we started. In his letter he said, “We fight and sometimes die so that our families don’t have to.” Tragically, Staff Sergeant Golczynski had only two weeks remaining on his second tour. We look at the photograph of Christian every day. It is displayed prominently in our home. Our hearts ache for Christian and for all those who have lost loved ones in this controversial conflict.
Our nation is at a historical crossroads. Do we call an end to the struggle in Iraq or press on? Staff Sergeant Golczynski eloquently told his son how he felt about not giving up. Perhaps there is a lesson for all of us in this man’s life and the choices he made. He was undeniably a man of tremendous courage and conviction. America must now choose whether to complete the job.
When looking at the face of Christian Golczynski I am reminded that doing what is right is not always easy and doing what is easy is not always right. Christian’s dad knew that too.
James Drescher
Franklin, TN
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Too many have sacrificed their all to purchase our libverty and they are watching from above, wondering if we will allow their sacrifice to have been in vain. They know that freedom is not free. It never has been, and never will be.
America's Heroes have paid the price of freedom, both here on our own shores, and abroad throughout the world. From Concord, to Bunker Hill, to Trenton, to Lake Champlain, to Valley Forge, to Cowpens, to Yorktown...to Tripoli...to Ft. Mieg, to Lake Erie, to Horseshoe Bend, to Chippewa and to New Orleans... to The Alamo, San Jacinto, Buena Vista, Palo Alto, Monterrey and the Halls of Montezuma...to Bull Run (twice), Antietam, Fredericksburg, Shiloh, Vicksburg, The Wilderness, Gettysburg, Atlanta and Appomattox...to Manila Bay, Guantanamo Bay, to Santiago and San Juan Hill...to Chateau Thierry and the Argonne Forest...to Pearl Harbor, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, to Normandy, Luxembourg, to islands and atolls throughout the Pacific, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, to the Philippines...to Seoul, Pusan, Inchon, Chosin, Chipyoongi, Pork Chop Hill and throughout Korea...to Ia Drang, Khe Sahn, Dak To, Hue, Kim Son, Hamburger Hill, "Downtown" Hanoi, An Loc and all across South Vietnam into Cambodia and Laos...to Grenada and Panama…to Kuwait…to Fallujah, the Debecka Pass, Nasiriyah, Haditha, Baghdad, Al Anbar, Mosel, Ramadi and throughout the Sunni Triangle...to Mazari Sharif, to Kabul, to Takur Ghar, to Kandahar, to Tora Bora, to Operation Anaconda and throughout Afghanistan to name but a small few. Americans have shed their blood by the millions for freedom, and that freedom stretches from the United States throughout the world.
Let us never forget it...let us never allow our elected officials, from the President, and particularly our new president, down through representatives, senators, governors, and mayors and city councils to ever forget it.
God bless & keep all who serve in defense of this Republic & her Constitution.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:45 AM | Comments (3)
The Ultimate Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
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Wild Thing's comment.........
LOL My Dad would have loved a bird feeder like this. He always tried to feed
both the birds and the squirrel's year round. But the cute little squirrel's would eat their good and then go try to party with the birds food too. haha
This squirrel is so cute and the sound effects are perfect. giggle
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:42 AM | Comments (6)
Communist Party Official Shares Obama's Ambitious Agenda
Top Red's dream come true
With Obama as president, health care and the economy can be "reformed," U.S. troops can be evacuated from the Middle East, a second stimulus bill can be passed, the criminal justice system can be overhauled and union rights can be expanded – in other words, it's a Christmas list come true – declared the leader of the Communist Party USA.
"All these – and many other things – are within our reach now!" exclaimed Sam Webb in a New York banquet speech for the People's Weekly World, the official newspaper of the Communist Party USA.
Webb's speech was entitled, "The impossible becomes possible."
Webb declared that under Obama, "We can dream again, knowing that the gap between our dreams and reality is bridgeable."
"I am confident the American people in their millions – reeling under the weight of this terrible economic crisis and yearning for a more decent, equal, peaceful and just world – will follow their example and turn this country into a more perfect union," stated Webb.
Webb continued:
* In this new political climate, we can foresee winning a public option, like Medicare, in the current legislative fight over health care reform.
* We can visualize enacting tough regulatory reforms on the financial industry that brought the economy to ruin.
* We can imagine bringing the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan, while being part of a regional process that brings peace and stability to the entire region.
* In this new political climate, the expansion of union rights in this legislative session is not only sensible, it's doable.
* Much the same can be said about winning a second stimulus bill, and we sure need one, given the still rising and likely long term persistence of unemployment with the heaviest burden, as usual, falling on communities of color.
* Isn't it possible in the post-Bush era to launch a vigorous attack on global warming and create millions of green jobs in manufacturing and elsewhere?
* Can't we envision taking new strides in the long journey for racial and gender equality in this new era, marked at its beginning by the election of the first African American to the presidency?
* And isn't the overhaul of the criminal justice and prison system – a system steeped in racism and employing punitive treatment as it organizing principle – no longer pie in the sky, but something that can be done in the foreseeable future?
Webb explained how unions and grassroots organizations can help bring about important changes.
Indeed, labor unions were instrumental in electing Obama. A Political Affairs article just after last November's election titled "Special Interest or Class Consciousness? How Labor Put Obama in the White House" reported on polling data released that revealed the extent of union support for Obama.
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or AFL-CIO, sponsored a poll showing union members supported Obama by a 68-30 margin and strongly influenced their family members.
Reacting to Webb's speech, Communist researcher Trevour London of the New Zeal blog stated:
"Now we know every major item on the Communist Party's agenda. Socialized healthcare, increased union power, massive controls on the finance sector, ending the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, a heavily regulated 'green economy', a second 'stimulus' bill, weakening of the 'racist' prison system. ... Tick the items off as the Obama administration acts on each and every one of them."
Wild Thing's comment........
Evidently, no one on Planet Earth learned anything at all from the catastrophic failure of the Soviet experiment except the Soviets themselves.
The UNIONS are always there when it comes to this communist, socialist stuff. I wish when we talk to people about this they would listen. It sure is hard to get through to UNION members if there is one in the family.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 25, 2009
Dueling Muslims? ~ Ahmadinejad Wants to Debate Obama at the U.N.
Iran's Ahmadinejad Wants to Debate Obama at the U.N.
Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is calling for a face-to-face debate with his American counterpart Barack Obama at the United Nations.
The offer by Ahmadinejad came at news conference Monday as he steps up his campaign for his re-election in the June 12 presidential vote.
If returned to office, Ahmadinejad says he wants to meet Obama during the U.N. General Assembly in September to debate ``world issues and the way toward peace.''
Ahmadinejad is in a four-way race against a fellow hard-liner and two pro-reform candidates.
The campaign has grown more bitter in recent days with reformists accusing authorities of trying to undercut their strength by blocking the social
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Wild Thing's comment........
Can we just send the teleprompter in Obama’s place, same difference. And besides what is there to debate? They both hate Israel and the U.S. equally.
"I agree with you"
"No, I agreee with you."
Wait a minute, I said I agree with you!"
"Well, I agree with you!"
"There you go again...I agree with you."
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:55 PM | Comments (6)
A Vietnam Nurse's Story at the Wall
Mary "Edie" McCoy Meeks, ARMY Nurse, speaks at ceremony commemmorating the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
1stLieutenant Mary “Edie” McCoy Meeksserved in the Army Nurse Corps.from 1968-1970 and served for oneyear in Vietnam, splitting timebetween the 3rdField Hospital inSaigon and the 71stEvac Hospitalin Pleiku. She is a member of Rolling Thunder, Inc. and often spends her timevisiting with the sick at Veterans’Hospitals. She now works as a clinicalspine specialist in the Hudson Valley of New York.
Wild Thing's comment.........
Two of my aunts were nurses during the Korean war and one during WW11.
As this nurse shares her story we can know too the lives she got to know even for a short time will live within her always.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:10 PM | Comments (7)
Memorial Day
"Tell them, tell them when you get home that I gave all of my tomorrows so they could have today!"
Those are the words on a tombstone, far across the Pacific, of someone who gave up his life for our future.
Were those words uttered so that those of us who are left could just enjoy our lives without "getting involved", or were they written to remind us that the work of freedom and liberty is never done?
Were those words written to suggest to us that it is not our job nor our responsibility to keep alive what they fought and died for, or were they written to remind us that we were given the opportunity of life so that we would continue to defend, and keep alive the memory of what they gave their last full measure for?
Let us here today, tonight, tomorrow, next month and next year - remember these gallant defenders of our freedom.
Most were not heroes as defined by the most hallowed Medal of Honor nor even as defined by the silver or bronze star.
They were ALL Heroes
Yes they were heroes, because without hesitation they fought for our country when they were asked to defend her.
They left their families, friends and good times behind and went to fight for our freedom without hesitation.
Some -- never even fired their weapons because they were killed before they ever reached the beach.
But they were heroes because they were there, ready to fight for America - for family, flag and country.
Most were scared to death as they prepared to meet the enemy. Their stomachs were turned upside down and they prayed to God and wished they were with their moms, dads and sweethearts rather than being where they were.
But they were where they were, fighting an enemy that was threatening their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They were fighting an enemy because they believed in America, they loved Her flag and they wanted to protect Americans' right to worship as they chose.
They were there, without hesitation, fighting for what they believed in and dying for what they believed in so you and I could live the way we choose in a free country. But they did not die so that we would stop fighting for what they believed and died for.
They fought and died knowing that we, the living, would go on fighting for that same freedom, that same country, that same flag and for that same right to worship as we choose. Abraham Lincoln, at Gettysburg, said:
"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."
It is for us the living to go on defending what they died for. It is for us the living not to allow history to forget what they gave up all their tomorrows for.
If when we attacked Guadalcanal and landed at Salerno, we found that "they" were going to fight back, we didn't give up because they fought back. We continued to fight because we knew our cause was right!
When Americans rode in the landing craft before storming the beaches at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Sicily, Anzio, Normandy, Peleliu, Saipan, Iowa Jima, Okinawa, Inchon and many other places we had never heard of before and when they fought in North Africa, the Philippines, Italy, France, Bastonne, Germany, Korea and Vietnam -- most were scared to death; their stomachs were turned upside down and they wanted to be back home with their loved ones.
But that did not stop them from attacking America's enemies bravely and without hesitation. They fought, and many died, but they did not give up because someone shot back at them.
It is for us the living to continue to defend and keep known what they fought and died for -- what they gave up all of their tomorrows for.
They did not die so that we could become complacent; nor did they die so that when we, the living, reached a single obstacle --- we should quit
They died knowing that we would go on defending their actions, defending history and defending what they gave up all their tomorrow's for.
If WE don't remember ---if WE don't defend what they fought and died for and what we fought for -- who will remember? Who will care?
How many of them and you who fought for our flag and our country and remember the feeling as Old Glory" was being raised over a piece of land we fought for ---- and many died for?
How many remember seeing or hearing about our valiant warriors, who were fighting on Iowa Jima, as they stood and cheered when they saw the flag being raised over Mt. Suribachi.
We take this time on Memorial Day to salute our Fallen Heroes who through the history of our country have fought and died for all of us.
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In ithe Shadow of the blade, the WHOP WHOP WHOP of the Huey was Vietnam's soundtrack, echoing through the landscape like a drum call to war. Most Veterans will tell you they can sense an approaching Huey long before anyone else can either see or hear it.
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Airborne-Hymn To The Fallen
"Blood on the Risers" is an American paratrooper song from World War II. It is sung by the United States 82nd Airborne Division, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and the United States 101st Airborne Division. This song has been featured on the television mineseries Band of Brothers and the video game Brothers in Arms. Sung to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", the song tells of the final jump of a paratrooper whose parachute does not work. This results in him falling to his death.
Wild Thing's comment...........
In Memory of all those that served !
....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
United States Army
1965-1971
Vietnam
1968-1969
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
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they heeded the call
They took up arms
"Freedom For All"
They went to serve
in a far away land
In battles they fought,
they took a stand
For those who died, our Country sadly mourned
There were many who fell and gave their lives
Leaving behind children, mothers, fathers and wives
In honor of that, their praises we sing
To those who died, we salute you all
And give our thanks for heeding the call
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Wild Thing's comment..........
May all who observe this day, remember and never forget everyday the rest of the year as well.
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....Thank you Richard for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (16)
The Death of Israel
The Death of Israel
By Dick Morris And Eileen McGann
From Caroline Glick, deputy editor and op-ed writer for the Jerusalem Post, comes alarming news. An expert on Arab-Israeli relations with excellent sources deep inside Netanyahu’s government, she reports that CIA chief Leon Panetta, who recently took time out from his day job (feuding with Nancy Pelosi) to travel to Israel “read the riot act” to the government warning against an attack on Iran.
More ominously, Glick reports (likely from sources high up in the Israeli government) that the Obama administration has all but accepted as irreversible and unavoidable fact that Iran will soon develop nuclear weapons. She writes, “…we have learned that the [Obama] administration has made its peace with Iran’s nuclear aspirations. Senior administration officials acknowledge as much in off-record briefings. It is true, they say, that Iran may exploit its future talks with the US to run down the clock before they test a nuclear weapon. But, they add, if that happens, the US will simply have to live with a nuclear-armed mullocracy.”
She goes on to write that the Obama administration is desperate to stop Israel from attacking Iran writing that “as far as the [Obama] administration is concerned, if Israel could just leave Iran’s nuclear installations alone, Iran would behave itself.” She notes that American officials would regard any harm to American interests that flowed from an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities as Israel’s doing, not Iran’s.
In classic Stockholm Syndrome fashion, the Obama administration is empathizing more with the Iranian leaders who are holding Israel hostage than with the nation that may be wiped off the map if Iran acquires the bomb.
Obama’s end-of-the-year deadline for Iranian talks aimed at stopping its progress toward nuclear weapons is just window dressing without the threat of military action. As Metternich wrote “diplomacy without force is like music without instruments.” By warning only of possible strengthening of economic sanctions if the talks do not progress, Obama is making an empty threat. The sanctions will likely have no effect because Russia and China will not let the United Nations act as it must if it is to deter Iranian nuclear weapons.
All this means is that Israel’s life is in danger. If Iran gets the bomb, it will use it to kill six million Jews. No threat of retaliation will make the slightest difference. One cannot deter a suicide bomber with the threat of death. Nor can one deter a theocracy bent on meriting admission to heaven and its virgins by one glorious act of violence. Iran would probably not launch the bomb itself, anyway, but would give it to its puppet terrorists to send to Israel so it could deny responsibility. Obama, bent on appeasement, would likely not retaliate with nuclear weapons. And Israel will be dead and gone.
Those sunshine Jewish patriots who voted for Obama must realize that we, as Jews, are witnessing the possible end of Israel. We are in the same moral position as our ancestors were as they watched Hitler rise but did nothing to pressure their favorite liberal Democratic president, FDR, to take any real action to save them or even to let Jewish refugees into the country. If we remain complacent, we will have the same anguish at watching the destruction of Israel that our forebears had in witnessing the Holocaust.
Because one thing is increasingly clear: Barack Obama is not about to lift a finger to stop Iran from developing the bomb. And neither is Hillary Clinton.
Obama may have held the first White House seder, but he’s not planning to spend next year in Jerusalem.
Strip away the smiles from the Obama-Bibi press conference and we are Left with obsessive, delusional behavior
By Caroline B. Glick
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's visit with US President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday was baptism of fire for Israel's new premier. What emerged from the meeting is that Obama's priorities regarding Iran, Israel and the Arab world are diametrically opposed to Israel's priorities. During his ad-hoc press conference with Netanyahu, Obama made clear that he will not lift a finger to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
And acting as Obama's surrogate, for the past two weeks CIA Director Leon Panetta has made clear that Obama expects Israel to also sit on its thumbs as Iran develops the means to destroy it.
* Obama set a non-binding timetable of seven months for his policy of appeasement and engagement of the ayatollahs to work. That policy, he explained will only be implemented after next month's Iranian presidential elections. And those direct US-Iranian talks must be given at least six months to show results before they can be assessed as successful or failed.
But Israel's military intelligence has assessed that six months may be too long to wait. By the end of the year, Iran's nuclear program may be unstoppable.
* Then there is Obama's "or else." Obama made clear that in the event that in December or January he concludes that the Iranians are not negotiating in good faith, the most radical step he will be willing to take will be to consider escalating international sanctions against Teheran.
* Finally there was Obama's contention that the best way for the US to convince Iran to give up its nuclear program is by convincing Israel to give away more land to the Palestinians. As Obama put it, "To the extent that we can make peace with the Palestinians -- between the Palestinians and the Israelis, then I actually think it strengthens our hand in the international community in dealing with a potential Iranian threat."
This statement encapsulates the basic lack of seriousness and fundamental mendacity of Obama's approach to "dealing with a potential Iranian threat." Iran has made clear that it wants Israel destroyed. The mullahs don't care how big Israel is. Their missiles are pointing at Tel Aviv not Beit El.
As for the international community, the Russians and Chinese have not been assisting Iran's nuclear and missile programs for the past fifteen years because there is no Palestinian state. They have been assisting Iran because they think a strong Iran weakens the US. And they are right.
The Arab states, for their part are already openly siding with Israel against Iran. The establishment of a Palestinian state will not make their support for action to prevent Iran from acquiring the means to dominate the region any more profound.
Obama's intention to unveil his Middle East peace plan in the course of his speech to the Muslim world in Cairo on June 4, like his decision to opt out of visiting Israel in favor of visiting a Nazi death camp, make clear that he does not perceive Israel as either a vital ally or even as a partner in the peace process he wishes to initiate. Israeli officials were not consulted about his plan. Then too, from the emerging contours of his plan, it is clear that he will be offering something that no Israeli government can accept.
According to media reports, Obama's plan will require Israel to withdraw its citizens and its military to the indefensible 1949 armistice lines. It will provide for the free immigration of millions of Israel-hating Arabs to the Palestinian state. And it seeks to represent all of this as in accord with Israel's interests by claiming that after Israel renders itself indefensible, all 57 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (including Iran) will "normalize" their relations with Israel. In short, Obama is using his peace plan to castigate the Netanyahu government as the chief destabilizing force in the region.
During his meeting with Obama, Netanyahu succeeded in evading the policy traps Obama set for him. Netanyahu reserved Israel's right to act independently against Iran and he conceded nothing substantive on the Palestinian issue. While itself no small achievement, Netanyahu's successful deflection of Obama's provocations are not a sustainable strategy. Already on Tuesday the administration began coercing Israel to toe its line on Iran and the Palestinians by engaging it in joint "working groups."
So what must Netanyahu do? What would a strategy to contain the Obama administration's pressure and maintain international attention on Iran look like?
Netanyahu government's best bet is to introduce its own peace plan to mitigate the impact of Obama's plan. To blunt the impact of Obama's speech in Cairo, Netanyahu should present his peace plan before June 4.
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Wild Thing's comment........
NONE of this is good, this is so horrible what Obama is doing to our friend, Israel. Bibi will do the right thing to save his country. He can no longer count the United States as an ally.
It is extreme arrogance on the part of the Obama administration to read the "riot" act to Israel.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (7)
A Story About a Big Squirrel and a Baby Squirrel
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Wild Thing's comment......
This is so adorable, I love it! Watch what happens and how it progresses......I don't want to share too much
and give away what happens. But it is very much worth watching.
....Thank you Tom for sending this to me.
Tom
US Army Aviation
Vietnam 1966-68
US Army Special Forces
1970-72
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (6)
Netanyahu Rejects Obama's Call to Fly UN Flag Over Western Wall
Netanyahu rejects Obama's call to fly UN flag over Western Wall
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva in Jerusalem Thursday night that the Israeli flag will continue to fly over the Western Wall (Kotel). The first prime minister in years to appear at the venerable yeshiva on Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), he ignored U.S. President Barack Obama’s apparent trial balloon that he wants to see the United Nations flag fly over the Old City holy sites.
Prime Minister Netanyahu declared, "The flag that flies over the Kotel is the Israeli flag... Our holy places, the Temple Mount -- will remain under Israeli sovereignty forever.”
Between 1949 and 1967, the religious sites in the City, as well as all of Judea and Samaria, had been under the control of Jordan, which forbid entry of Jews to the Western Wall (Kotel) and other holy places, as well as barring Christians from churches. Israel immediately opened all holy sites to all religions after the entire city was re-united in 1967, returning the Old City to Israeli sovereignty after nearly 2,000 years
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Wild Thing's comment........
The NERVE this took or insanity or hate, yessss it has to be out right hate Obama has for Israel. This is really disgusting!!!!!!
Could B. Hussein Obama be any more of a terrorist supporter? Can you imagine someone from another country telling us NOT to fly our Flag over our White House and to replace it with the UN flag? No Way!
Obama is not a friend of Israel or America.
God bless BiBi, he is really being put through a lot. There is a LOT of pressure on him right now from many sides.
* Something.....and Half of Something ( Linda's blog)
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (8)
Thank You BiBi! ~ "Netanyahu defies Obama on Israeli settlement freeze"
Netanyahu defies Obama on Israeli settlement freeze
* Netanyahu rejects full freeze to settlement growth
* Obama wants halt to settlement activity
* Palestinians see settlements as threat to statehood
JERUSALEM, May 24
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rebuffed U.S. calls to impose a freeze on all settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, setting the stage for friction with President Barack Obama.
"We do not intend to build any new settlements, but it wouldn't be fair to ban construction to meet the needs of natural growth or for there to be an outright construction ban," Netanyahu told his cabinet, according to officials.
The note of defiance came less than a week after Netanyahu held talks in Washington with Obama, who wants Israel to halt all settlement activity, including natural growth, as called for under a long-stalled peace "road map".
Netanyahu's comments reaffirmed a position he took in his bid for the premiership in a February election. By natural growth, Israel refers to construction within the boundaries of existing settlements to accommodate growing families.
Obama was expected to prod Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resume long-stalled peace talks during a major speech in Cairo early next month.
Abbas has ruled out restarting those talks until Netanyahu, whose right-leaning government took office on March 31, commits to a two-state solution and halts settlement expansion.
Obama has surprised Israel with his activism on the settlement issue, but it is unclear how much pressure he will put on Netanyahu to freeze construction entirely, Israeli and Western officials said. Former President George W. Bush called for a freeze but building continued largely unchecked, Israeli anti-settlement advocacy groups say.
Half a million Jews live in settlement blocs and smaller outposts built in the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem, all territory captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War.
The World Court says all are illegal. The United States and European Union regard them as obstacles to peace.
Palestinians see the settlements as a land grab meant to deny them a state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
PEACE TALKS
Mark Regev, a spokesman for Netanyahu, said the fate of existing settlements should be decided in negotiations with the Palestinians. "In the interim period, we have to allow normal life in those communities to continue," he said.
Netanyahu has so far balked at committing to entering negotiations with the Palestinians on territorial issues.
A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu's government hoped to sidestep U.S. pressure by committing to uproot smaller hilltop outposts built without official authorisation, a step also set by the road map.
"Moving on outposts is relatively easy" compared to freezing growth of larger settlements, which Israel wants to keep as part of any future peace deal, the Israeli official said.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Welcome BiBi!! I would suppose after this that Netanyahu is most likely added to the Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s terrorist list. heh heh Well if he is he would be in the grandest company of all ......our Veterans and Spouses.
"...Obama, who wants Israel to halt all settlement activity, including natural growth,..."
Natural growth = births , this is about population control of Jews. Anytime we see these words natural growth that is what they are talking about. (Gore/Obama/Pelosi etc. all have been pushing population control and using this phrasing "Natural Growth")
Not very hard to see whose side commiebama is on...that would be Iran and the other enemies of Israel. No doubt when Kenya breath Hussein Obama bowed to the prince he kissed his ring and promised to "take care of the Israel problem".
I've noticed a common phrasing in many stories out now, and it is "Obama wants...". Well, the only saying is, he can want in one hand and...well you know the rest.
No doubt the grandma he threw under the bus doted on him to relieve her guilt and he got his way a lot - you can see that when someone defies him and he gets in one of his snits.
The only difference is, now that he has "power", it's not "What little Barry wants, he gets." Now it's "What the Kenyan wants, he TAKES."
The “settlement policy” is a huge, stinking pile of bullsh*t.
It’s all part of the same, Big Lie, that “Jews stole land from Palestinians.” You know, the same peaceful “Palestinians” who occupy Israel and who danced in the street on 9/11? The same ones who shouted, “Death to Jews” in this country, in New York City, San Francisco, and Ft Lauderdale.
There is no such place as Palestine. There has never been an independent nation or state known as Palestine. “Palestinians” are Arabs and not a distinct group of people. There are no “Palestinian lands.” Ninety percent of the Arabs living in the West Bank and Jerusalem came there AFTER Israel became a state.
PLO admits Palestinian People is a myth.
"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct 'Palestinian people' to oppose Zionism." PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein, March 31, 1977
There already is an independent “Palestinian” state called, Jordan, which consists of 80% of the land mandated by the League of Nations/United Nations to be the Jewish Homeland.
Jews have lived continuously in the West Bank for over 3,000 years. Jewish settlements are not illegal and never were.
No other nation in the history of the world has ever had to give back land it captured while fighting a DEFENSIVE WAR — especially NOT the land that belonged to them in the first place.
There are, however, hundreds of thousands of ILLEGAL ARAB SETTLEMENTS throughout the West Bank and Jerusalem. These are Arab squatters on Jewish land and have no right to be there. It is the Arabs who are making the land grabs, not the Jews.
Look at the world map, in its 60 year history, Israel has not even expanded out to its original borders that existed 2,000 years before the myth of “Palestine and the Palestinians” was created in 1964 by Yassir Arafat and the terrorist PLO.
In the same period, Muslims have waged a bloody, worldwide conquest of non-Muslim countries extending from Eurasia to Africa to Eastern Europe, and onto Western Europe.
Muslims insist that Spain belongs to them because they briefly captured it during their first worldwide conquest of foreign land: a Muslim Empire that began in the 7th Century and ended in the early part of the 20th with the defeat of the Ottomans. Why not force Spain to give up their land?
Muslims believe that if they once occupied a piece of land, even for a day, it is theirs for eternity.
They’ll be coming for our land next if we as a country don’t wake up to the real danger we face.
As Israel goes, so goes America.
There are things in life worth fighting, and dying for. Giving over our own property, freedom, and God given rights for the sake of "just getting along" with an unreasonable neighbor, is not living: it's simply existing in horrible bondage.
Our founding fathers understood this all too well, and they made a stand. Many of them lost everything they had, including their lives for it. But they passed on a heritage in this country which has been the greatest force for good ever known to civilization, our military fought to keep it so, and up until a few months ago, you and I have been benefiting in more ways that we may never even realize until our individual freedoms are gone.
"I will plant them [the Jewish people] in their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them..." - Amos 9:15
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM
Susan Boyle Makes it To Semi-Finals and Now On To Finals
Her first appearance on the show broke the internet record for most views in one week. This dear lady has grabbed the hearts of millions around the world. She deserves all good things to come her way.
After she sung what you see on this video from the semi-finals , Susan Boyle makes the FINALS, meaning she will sing again in the contest's final next Saturday.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
God bless her and I hope she wins. It feels good to cheer on someone so well deserving. It also feels good
to have such a happy story to share with all of you.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (6)
Soros's Obama Can Now Claim Being Billboard Barack
A national fund-raising campaign to erect billboards around the country questioning Barack Obama's eligibility for office was an instant hit with WND readers in its first 24 hours, said Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of the company and the man who came up with the idea.
"One thing I can say for certain after Day 1 of this campaign – billboards will soon be going up around the country," said Farah.
Wild Thing's comment..........
I hope this issue does NOT bite the dust. It’s talking about the future of our nation.
Love the billboard but some people are so clueless it will go right over theirs heads. It should mention Obama's name.
From Obama:
“I will never hide the truth because it is uncomfortable.”
“On all of these matters related to the disclosure of sensitive information, I wish I could say that there is a simple formula,” Obama said. “But there is not. These are tough calls involving competing concerns, and they require a surgical approach. But the common thread that runs through all of my decisions is simple: we will safeguard what we must to protect the American people, but we will also ensure the accountability and oversight that is the hallmark of our constitutional system. I will never hide the truth because it is uncomfortable. I will deal with Congress and the courts as co-equal branches of government. I will tell the American people what I know and don’t know, and when I release something publicly or keep something secret, I will tell you why.”
And this........Comments Obama made in the confirmation of John Roberts
"Let me also say that I remain distressed that the White House during this confirmation process, which overall went smoothly, failed to provide critical documents as part of the record that could have provided us with a better basis to make our judgment with respect to the nomination. This White House continues to stymie efforts on the part of the Senate to do its job. I hope with the next nominee who comes up for the Supreme Court that the White House recognizes that in fact it is its duty not just to the Senate but to the American people to make sure we can thoroughly and adequately evaluate the record of every single nominee who comes before us."
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:42 AM
Yo! Colin Powell Get The Heck Out Of The GOP You Are NOT Wanted!!!
Colin Powell told Face the Nation ( Sunday May 24th,2009 yesterday) that he's not leaving the GOP. Powell made the statement today after being attacked by Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh for supporting Far Left socialist candidate Barack Obama in the last election. Powell hopes to head up the socialist cut-and-run wing of the GOP.
Wild Thing's comment........
Don't you just love it when Democrats give Republicans advice on how to win — as if that’s the outcome they’d like to see.
Colin Powell can kiss where the sun dont shine. In fact he is good at that, It gave him a great career.
Powell is mouthing and they say Cheney should keep his mouth shut? Which one will I listen to...take a guess. LOL
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:41 AM | Comments (6)
Obama's Fault Dollar Hits New Multimonth Low
Dollar hits new multimonth low vs euro, pound, yen
NEW YORK
The dollar kept falling Friday, notching fresh multimonth lows against the euro, pound and yen as a warning that Britain's debt level may result in its credit rating being cut ricocheted into worries about the massive U.S. deficit.
The 16-nation euro rose to $1.4015 in morning trading from $1.3889 in New York late Thursday—its first time above $1.40 since Jan. 2.
The British pound rose to $1.5916 from $1.5890, peaking at $1.5945 earlier in the session, its highest point since Nov. 6.
Meanwhile, the dollar edged up to 94.51 Japanese yen from 94.23 yen—after earlier falling to 93.82, its lowest point since Feb. 23.
On Thursday, Standard & Poor's said Britain may have its rating cut because of rising debt levels. Though the ratings agency reaffirmed the country's actual long-term credit rating at "AAA," it said the outlook had deteriorated because of massive borrowing to deal with the recession and the banking crisis.
Because Britain is pursuing similar policies to the U.S.—with both the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve injecting billions of dollars in their economies by buying assets from banks—the move also weighed on U.S. assets and the dollar. Treasurys sold off Thursday, and continued to do so Friday.
S&P's announcement "wound up creating more problems for the U.S. dollar than for the British pound," HSBC analysts said in a research note.
"The problem for the U.S. is particularly acute because of its reserve status," said UBS analyst Brian Kim in an e-mail to investors Friday. Major holders of U.S. debt, such as Middle Eastern sovereign funds and the Chinese government, have not been shy about calling the U.S. out for what it sees as policies that will trigger inflation, shrinking the value of their Treasury holdings.
"The dollar has weakened as dollar bears have now added concerns on U.S. credit ratings to their arsenal," Kim said.
Earlier this month, the Obama administration hiked its forecast for this year's federal deficit to $1.84 trillion. The deficit is approaching $1 trillion for the budget year that began Oct. 1.
Big deficits mean the government has to borrow more, which could put its credit rating at risk. They can also put upwards pressure on inflation, thus cutting the purchasing power of the dollar.
In other trading, the dollar fell to 1.1235 Canadian dollars from $1.1404 and slid to 1.0833 Swiss francs from 1.0936 francs late Thursday.
Wild Thing's comment..........
They’re plan to destroy the US dollar and force Americans into a global currency controlled by a world bank is working perfectly for them on their agenda. I guess Soros is bursting at the seams with joy.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (2)
May 24, 2009
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day
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From my website:
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (16)
Special Words from Ronald Reagan ~ Memorial Day
"Once each May, amid the quiet hills and rolling lanes and breeze-brushed trees of Arlington National Cemetery, far above the majestic Potomac and the monuments and memorials of our Nation's Capital just beyond, the graves of America's military dead are decorated with the beautiful flag that in life these brave souls followed and loved.
This scene is repeated across our land and around the world, wherever our defenders rest. Let us hold it our sacred duty and our inestimable privilege on this day to decorate these graves ourselves -- with a fervent prayer and a pledge of true allegiance to the cause of liberty, peace, and country for which America's own have ever served and sacrificed. ... Our pledge and our prayer this day are those of free men and free women who know that all we hold dear must constantly be built up, fostered, revered and guarded vigilantly from those in every age who seek its destruction.
We know, as have our Nation's defenders down through the years, that there can never be peace without its essential elements of liberty, justice and independence. Those true and only building blocks of peace were the lone and lasting cause and hope and prayer that lighted the way of those whom we honor and remember this Memorial Day.
To keep faith with our hallowed dead, let us be sure, and very sure, today and every day of our lives, that we keep their cause, their hope, their prayer, forever our country's own." --Ronald Reagan
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Our country has been truly blessed to have such great men and women serve in our military. I love what President Reagan said, he knew why we have been able to live in the land of the free.
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......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (7)
Remembering Our Heroes
An Emmy award documentary of a powerful and emotional story about school nurse Marlene Horton's experiences during the Viet Nam War.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Thank you Marlene Horton for being there for our Heroes. You are a Hero too.
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....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
United States Army
1965-1971
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:49 AM | Comments (5)
Tribute To Our Flag
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Please CLICK HERE to go to a tribute to our Flag.
A Tribute to our Flag. by Bob Thompson, Retired Military Veteran, Panama City, Florida
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Wild Thing's comment........
This is wonderful and I like how he added music with it, Elvis is singing "America The Beautiful".
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (3)
New RNC Ad has Pelosi in Washington Version of James Bond ~ LOL
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Wild Thing's comment.........
LMAO the Democrats don't like it.
RNC's below-the-belt shot at Nancy Pelosi
But when you see Nancy Pelosi, the Republican National Committee wants you to think “Pussy Galore.”
At least that’s the takeaway from a video released by the committee this week – a video that puts Pelosi side-by-side with the aforementioned villainess from the 1964 James Bond film “Goldfinger.”
The RNC video, which begins with the speaker’s head in the iconic spy-series gun sight, implies that Pelosi has used her feminine wiles to dodge the truth about whether or not she was briefed by the CIA on the use of waterboarding in 2002. While the P-word is never mentioned directly, in one section the speaker appears in a split screen alongside the Bond nemesis – and the video’s tagline is “Democrats Galore.”
More of the article HERE it is VERY funny and they are really upset.
So typical of the democrats to be more upset about this then they were about what Pelosi did.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:46 AM | Comments (6)
Obama's European Apology Tour: Next stop - Dresden
Obama's European Apology Tour: Next stop - Dresden
Obama will probably make a stop at Dresden while on his second European trip that will climax with a speech in Normandy on June 6 marking the 65th anniversary of D-Day.
Rosenthal points out a little misdirection from the administration in that they will also probably schedule a stop at Buchenwald, the notorious concentration camp that Obama believes his uncle helped liberate in 1945.
The message Obama intends to send by visiting both sites is clear; while the Germans did bad things during World War II, they were also victims of Allied atrocities:
The symbolic significance of a visit to Dresden by the American president - especially one undertaken in connection with a D-Day commemoration in France - may be missed by some Americans, but it is absolutely unmistakable for the German public. For Germans, Dresden is the symbol bar none of German suffering at the hands of the Allies. The city was heavily bombed by British and American air forces in February 1945, toward the end of the war. According to the most recent estimates of professional historians, anywhere from 18,000 to at most 25,000 persons died in the attacks. These numbers come from a historical commission established by the city of Dresden itself. But far higher numbers - ranging into the hundreds of thousands - have long circulated in Germany and beyond. The bombing of Dresden is commonly described as a "war crime" in German discussions.
Alleged crimes committed by the Allies against Germans and Germany have indeed become a sort of German literary obsession in recent years, with numerous books being devoted to the subject.
The President of the United States may be planning on equating the strategic bombing of a German city with the deliberate murder of millions of innocents.
Indeed, Rosenthal states that it would be impossible for Obama to go to Dresden and not mention the bombing. And what of his stop at Buchenwald?
It is virtually unthinkable that Obama could give a speech in Dresden and not allude to the bombing of the city. Most of the city's historical monuments - which Obama's advance team were apparently inspecting - were severely damaged or destroyed in the bombing and had to be rebuilt. Moreover, for Obama to visit both Dresden and Buchenwald would suggest precisely the sort of outrageous parallels that have become commonplace in Germany at least since the publication of Friedrich's The Fire.
Barack Obama is fulfilling the dreams of liberals who, for more than 40 years have seen the role played of the United States in world affairs since before World War I as having a disasterous effect on mankind. This kind of thinking explains the "Blame America First" mentality that has guided liberal foreign policy since the 1960's, turning the policies practiced by Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson which recognized America's leading role in world affairs into an orgy of self-loathing and a desire to subsume American interests in favor of a squishy internationalism guided by the thugs and fools at the UN.
No doubt Obama will speak strongly against Nazi terror while in Dresden. But what does it say about our president that he may very well equate what happened to the Jews with what happened to German citizens during the war? Is he capable of recognizing the moral difference? Is he capable of recognizing evil at all?
If a big enough stink is made before the itinerary is set, it may be possible to dissuade the president from making a moral idiot of himself. But given the cheerleading he will receive from his leftist friends, that may not be possible.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
When will this insanity stop! Will he be apologize for the Pilgrims????
We've seen this coming from the far left and media for a long time, that Dresden and Hiroshima should be considered "war crimes." And Obama owns the left and takes it even further left.
I bet traitor Obama is definitely going to apologize for America’s role in WWII. There’s no other reason for him to go to Dresden. This is getting really sick. I hope the veterans’ groups get all over the Whitehouse and the press before he can pull this off.
We couldn't have fought WWII under the conditions imposed by the Dims and MSM. I can just imagine all the prosecutions of troops that would have come after especially nasty fights like the Bulge after the Malmedy Massacre or on many of the Pacific atolls, where very few prisoners were taken. They're just a bunch of hypocrites the way they feign praise on the WWII vets and trash the Vietnam and Iraq vets.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (7)
"Cheney Takes On The Man"...... by Kevin Jackson
I love it when the bad guy wins and gives it to "the man." Finally in the Bizarro World that is now Amerika (it's spelled 'left'), the bad guy finally won. Of whom do I speak? I speak of Cheney, a true patriot—publicly exposing Obama, a complete fraud.
Lamestream media to the rescue, because their messiah is getting publicly flogged. To think that we were told how "smart" Obama is. Well if brains were dynamite, Obama couldn't blow his nose! So taking on Cheney, a true intellectual with a real track record of achievement is just asking for trouble.
So we get reports that America is experiencing "Cheney overload." This is liberal code for "Cheney is too effective, let's create public opinion that he is the Anti-Christ." Maybe the Left is tired of Cheney, but conservatives are energized. I predict many fence-sitters are as well. "Feels good don't it!"
In confronting the worst president in history (and Obama ain't even finished polishing his turd) Cheney was absolutely brilliant—the epitome of leadership. Cheney has no dog in this fight, no agenda. As he said, he has "no favors to garner." Cheney desires but one thing…to protect America.
He speaks with eloquence and passion—backed with substance! For you liberal idiots who think the teleprompter president is riveting, take a gander at "the bad guy," the old white Republican boogeyman. Cheney speaks with the passion of reality, and not the fad of idealism.
Meanwhile, "Junior" is still trying to sell America on the idea that he is willing to do anything to protect America—anything except [fill in the blank]. In typical Obama style, he accomplishes two things in his speech: (1) demonize the previous administration for protecting us, and (2) blame America for terrorists wanting to kill us.
According to Obama, Americans are barbarians, and Bush is the former Chief of the Barbarians. Sort of like another "great" racist Democrat president Andrew Jackson calling the Native Americans "savages" for protecting their lands and families. That makes me a proud "savage."
No surprise here, but Obama wants to reserve the right to do exactly what the Bush administration did! [pp] "Just in case I need to, I reserve the right to unsay what I just said, and do what Bush did." What else is new?
Yet again Obama confirmed what conservatives know about liberals—they don't love America; they tolerate America. Liberals want to declare veterans and hard-working taxpaying conservatives as extremists; and declare terrorists as "man-made disasters."
It is long overdue that somebody stepped up and confronted the lunacy of the Left. Who better than a 40-year veteran of Washington, and no-nonsense guy like Cheney—a man of real accomplishment and credentials. Cheney has forgotten more about running a country, than the no talent hack currently occupying the void will ever know.
Barack "Empty-suit Apologist" Obama believes that the way America treats people trying to kill us has made the people trying to kill us more determined. Really? How much more determined can you get than vowing and attempting to kill us? Is there a level of heinous above that?
Here's the wrap:
Obama has produced no evidence that harsh interrogation didn't work. However, he has implied that he may have been able to coax critical information out of our enemies—maybe?
Coincidentally, the documents are unavailable—ObamaSpeak for "the documents are being altered so that I won't look like a liar. If not doctored, they will be destroyed." Or they are being put in the same vault that holds his university records and his Kenyan birth certificate.
America is fortunate to have true a patriot, a real "bad guy" like Cheney to confront the evil that now occupies the White House. I love the irony this time of the bad guy winning and sticking it to "the man." I also like that America is finally exposing who "the man" really is.
That's my rant!
Kevin Jackson
The Black Sphere blog
A lilttle about Kevin.........
"Due to the death of my mother when I was 5, I was raised by my grandparents who were staunch Democrats. I recall as a child watching Reagan give a speech in his unsuccessful run for the presidency. After Reagan finished, I said to my grandparents, “Why are we Democrats, when what we believe is what that guy [Reagan] just said?” Thus was the birth of The Black Sphere.
I am just a poor kid, who was fortunate enough to have been exposed to what the world has to offer, and I was raised to be an optimist. My grandparents instilled in me a “no excuses mentality” and work ethic. That is my definition of America,"
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Love it from the Guardian....
"Dick Cheney: Washington trembles at the return of 'Darth Vader'"
Dick Cheney was a formidable backroom operator during his eight years as vice-president in the Bush administration. Having abandoned his short-lived retirement in Wyoming, he is now leading the Republican charge against Obama from the front.
Part of the explanation for the bout of jitters is that Obama is struggling to contain an ever-growing row over the future of Guantánamo Bay and the security apparatus created by the Bush administration as part of its "war on terror". But there is another factor: the return of an opponent the Democrats had thought of as politically dead: Dick Cheney. The sinister, reclusive figure at the heart of the Bush administration, who attracted labels such as Darth Vader and Dr Strangelove, has returned to the heart of Washington and is causing havoc.
He has forced Obama on the defensive for the first time since becoming president, giving demoralised Republicans something finally to cheer about.
"Cheney is seriously the only person who's got the White House to change its policy," Dan Senor, a foreign policy adviser in the Bush administration, told the Washington Post
Cheney has rattled Obama over the proposed closure of Guantánamo and the CIA's use of waterboarding. And not only Obama, but the next most prominent Democrat after him, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who on Friday refused to answer any more questions about whether she had been briefed by the CIA about torture six years ago. She denies she was: the CIA says it did.
The conservative Weekly Standard is also cheering. Another influential conservative, William Kristol, writing in the current issue, said: "While most senior Bush alumni were in hiding, Dick Cheney - Darth Vader himself, Mr Unpopularity, the last guy you'd supposedly want out there making the case - stepped on to the field. He's made himself the Most Valuable Republican of the first four months of the Obama administration."
LOL I love this so much! The democrats are hating it, Obama is not liking it and uncomfortable.
Have any of you noticed yestersday when they played snipets of Obama talking his voice is weak. At first I thought he might be sick or have a cold. But honeslty the more I thiink about it and the reaction Cheney has gotten, I have to wonder if it is just that Obama has gotten the wind knocked out of him by VP Dick Cheney.
Thank you God!!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (8)
Cartoonist Honoring Memorial Day
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Wild Thing's comment.........
These are so good and I am so glad the cartoonist here are not as liberal as the media with the alaphabet channels. These are really well done.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (2)
May 23, 2009
In 100+ Days Obama Drives America Into Debt and Now He says " We're Out Of Money!"
'WE'RE OUT OF MONEY'
Sat May 23 2009 10:32:18 ET
In a sobering holiday interview with C-SPAN, President Obama boldly told Americans: "We are out of money."
C-SPAN host Steve Scully broke from a meek Washington press corps with probing questions for the new president.
SCULLY: You know the numbers, $1.7 trillion debt, a national deficit of $11 trillion. At what point do we run out of money?
OBAMA: Well, we are out of money now. We are operating in deep deficits, not caused by any decisions we've made on health care so far. This is a consequence of the crisis that we've seen and in fact our failure to make some good decisions on health care over the last several decades.
So we've got a short-term problem, which is we had to spend a lot of money to salvage our financial system, we had to deal with the auto companies, a huge recession which drains tax revenue at the same time it's putting more pressure on governments to provide unemployment insurance or make sure that food stamps are available for people who have been laid off.
So we have a short-term problem and we also have a long-term problem. The short-term problem is dwarfed by the long-term problem. And the long-term problem is Medicaid and Medicare. If we don't reduce long-term health care inflation substantially, we can't get control of the deficit.
So, one option is just to do nothing. We say, well, it's too expensive for us to make some short-term investments in health care. We can't afford it. We've got this big deficit. Let's just keep the health care system that we've got now.
Along that trajectory, we will see health care cost as an overall share of our federal spending grow and grow and grow and grow until essentially it consumes everything...
SCULLY: When you see GM though as “Government Motors,” you're reaction?
OBAMA: Well, you know – look we are trying to help an auto industry that is going through a combination of bad decision making over many years and an unprecedented crisis or at least a crisis we haven't seen since the 1930's. And you know the economy is going to bounce back and we want to get out of the business of helping auto companies as quickly as we can. I have got more enough to do without that. In the same way that I want to get out of the business of helping banks, but we have to make some strategic decisions about strategic industries...
SCULLY: States like California in desperate financial situation, will you be forced to bail out the states?
OBAMA: No. I think that what you're seeing in states is that anytime you got a severe recession like this, as I said before, their demands on services are higher. So, they are sending more money out. At the same time, they're bringing less tax revenue in. And that's a painful adjustment, what we're going end up seeing is lot of states making very difficult choices there...
SCULLY: William Howard Taft served on the court after his presidency, would you have any interest in being on the Supreme Court?
OBAMA: You know, I am not sure that I could get through Senate confirmation...
Developing...
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Wild Thing's comment.........
He just figured this out? I mean what an idiot, we have been borrowing from China, they got fed up and cut us off and who knows who else is fed up with Obama and his spending money we do not have.
A trillion Dollar Bail out followed by a trillion dollar stimulus that didn’t stimulate jack by the way followed by a couple of hundred of billion dollar auto bail out followed by a 3 trillion dollar budget all approved by Obama !
So, it’s all about health care, is it????? What the heck?
Democrats Sub prime mortgages
Democrats Fannie and Freddie corruption
Obama Unions destroying the auto industry
Obama Highest corporate taxes
All health care’s fault???? He’s blaming this on HEALTH CARE???? OMG It looks like he is trying to justify ‘Obamacare’......which is his next BIG push.
OBAMA: "Well, we are out of money now."
Well that was a fun 100 days! Asshat! $800 billion stimulus fraud, $400 billion extra budget appropriation, $800 billion current budget deficit fiscal 2009.
That's $2 trillion in the whole on your watch asshat and fiscal 2009 isn't even over!
We all knew he would sink the economy, but who could have guessed the pace at which he would succeed.
1. Stop printing more money.
2. Stop spending.
3. Cut the number of Federal Government employees by 50%.
Sincerely,
We The People
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 PM | Comments (9)
Miller Lite Salutes Memorial Day and Veterans
This is at our grocery store, Miller Lite Salutes Veterans. The have it at the entrance of the store and it's first thing you see when you walk in.
When I was thanking the manager of the store for having it and acknowledging our Veterans.He said he was Veteran too and that only one person complained.
It has a lot of detail but the camera does not pick it up that well. I wanted to show it to you.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:55 PM | Comments (4)
Rolling Thunder Not Expecting Obama Greeting
Rolling Thunder not expecting Obama greeting
The last time Rolling Thunder roared into Washington, the president welcomed the riders in the White House driveway with a smile on his face and heartfelt personal greeting. This year, maybe not.
"We initially got a call this year saying the president wasn't going to greet us," said Artie Muller, founder of the group that is marking its 22nd annual patriotic motorcycle ride through Washington to draw attention to policy issues influencing veterans, active-duty military, prisoners of war and those still missing in action.
But a second call in recent days revealed that the White House would do something.
"We expect it will be a member of the staff, not a meeting with President Obama. We really won't know until sometime on Friday afternoon. But this is a step in the right direction," said #Nancy Regg, a spokeswoman for the group, which has 88 chapters across the country and expects to draw as many as a half-million bikers for a "Freedom Ride" on Sunday from the Pentagon to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
An administration official confirmed Thursday that a group of Rolling Thunder members were expected at the White House on Friday, but was unsure with whom they would meet.
The official said the bikers would meet separately with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.
Rolling Thunder, meanwhile, is still on a mission. Whether Mr. Obama greets them or not, the organization has information to share.
"We've got a letter to pass on to the president about our issues and concerns. But we won't really know until Artie gets there," Ms. Regg said.
President George W. Bush, on the other hand, was very comfortable in the biker realm, as he was around pickup trucks and NASCAR. He was the first and only president to formally greet Rolling Thunder members, Ms. Regg said.
President Bush Meets With Rolling Thunder 5-25-2008
In 2008, Mr. Bush was made an honorary member of the group, accepted a cowhide biker's vest and posed for multiple photos. He also met with the group in the Oval Office.
"And I am just so honored to welcome you back. I want to thank you and all your comrades for being so patriotic and loving our country as much as you do. I don't know if this is the eighth time we've been together here, but it's pretty close.," Mr. Bush told the group, which included Mr. Muller.
"You've done a lot for the country, and the troops appreciate you, and the veterans appreciate you and your president appreciates you," Mr. Bush added.
Several Bush administration members rode with the group over the years, including Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, top economic adviser Edward Lazear and Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten.
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Wild Thing's comment........
This is not Swivel Heads’ type of crowd!!!!
"But a second call in recent days revealed that the White House would do something. "
Sure. A cardboard cutout of The First Thug which of course will have much more personality then the original..
The last time they came into town, we had a president. This year there is no president, but only an imposter in chief.
Obama is reminded of everything he is not. First on the list is they are Americans.
And we must not forget these are a bunch of Veterans that are on the DHS Terrorist list.
This is a two way kind of feeling.
1. I can't stand this creep Obama, so I would prefer he is not around any of our Veterans or our troops today. He is so far beneath them he would have to dig his way up from under the earth thousands of feet to even be able to see the bottom of our Veterans shoes.
2. I guess if it was a MUSLIM Saudi then Obama could show up in person to thank Rolling Thunder and appreciate all they have done and do. He could have another chance to bow again and he would like that.
BUT since this a group of macho, American Heroes that continue the fight for our POW-MIA's and oh dear just might have taken out a communist in the Vietnam war.... a communist like Obama he just can't show up to meet these men, these American Heroes in person. The roar of the bikes might hurt his ear drums, and so many Flags, so much patriotism would just be too much for HUSSEIN Obama to handle.
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Obama, Rolling Thunder meet privately
Washington Times
At 3:30 p.m. Friday, President Obama met privately with representatives of the group famous for its support of active-duty military, veterans and prisoners of war not to mention its distinctive blend of patriotism that includes Old Glory and motorcycles.
The moment was totally unexpected.
"The president stopped by while members of Rolling Thunder were meeting with administration officials about veterans' issues," said White House spokesman Nick Shapiro.
"He was very happy to meet with them," he added.
The group included Rolling Thunder founder Artie Muller, national vice president Lynne Jenks and national president Gary Scheffmeyer.
The situation has been somewhat of a cliffhanger.
Things did not seem quite so friendly with the new administration, however. The culture of the White House appeared to have changed.
Last week, Mr. Muller told The Washington Times that he received word from the White House that Mr. Obama would not follow suit.
"They said he was too busy," Mr. Muller said at the time.
But the situation began to evolve. Mr. Muller a Vietnam-era Army veteran and Harley rider learned a few days later that "someone" from the White House would at least be there to accept a letter from Rolling Thunder that outlined the group's concerns about veterans, soldiers and POWs.
Who was this "someone?" An official? A Cabinet member? Bo, the White House pooch? No one knew.
In the end, it was the president. Mr. Obama came through at the close of a busy week .
The meeting was brief but cordial.
"We're here for the veterans, for our military, for America. And we want them to know we will never forget them," said Rolling Thunder spokeswoman Nancy Regg.
As for Mr. Obama, he'll get a rest with the wife and children at Camp David this weekend.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:55 AM | Comments (10)
Never Forget! This is What Traitor OBAMA Calls America's European Arrogance!
In light of Memorial Day and a recent speech given by someone who presumes to speak for America, here's a view of our "Arrogance towards Europeans"...
1. The American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne , France . A total of 2289 of our military dead. We Apologize.
2. The American Cemetery at Ardennes , Belgium . A total of 5329 of our dead
3. The American Cemetery at Brittany, France . A total of 4410 of our military dead. Excuse us.
4. Brookwood , England American Cemetery. A total of 468 of our dead.
5. Cambridge , England . 3812 of our military dead.
6. Epinal , France American Cemetery. A total of 5525 of our Military dead.
7. Flanders Field , Belgium . A total of 368 of our military.
8. Florence , Italy . A total of 4402 of our military dead.
9. Henri-Chapelle , Belgium . A total of 7992 of our military dead.
10. Lorraine , France . A total of 10,489 of our military dead.
11. Luxembourg , Luxembourg . A total of 5076 of our military dead.
12. Meuse-Argonne. A total of 14246 of our military dead.
13. Netherlands , Netherlands . A total of 8301 of our military dead.
14. Normandy , France . A total of 9387 of our military dead.
15. Oise-Aisne , France . A total of 6012 of our military dead.
16. Rhone , France . A total of 861 of our military dead.
17. Sicily , Italy . A total of 7861 of our military dead.
18. Somme , France . A total of 1844 of our military dead.
19. St. Mihiel, France . A total of 4153 of our military dead.
20. Suresnes , France . a total of 1541 of our military dead.
The Americans buried at the cemeteries above is 104,366, and we recently had to watch an American elected leader (guess who?) apologize to Europe and the Middle East that our country is "arrogant"!
Apologize to no one. Remind those of our sacrifice and don't confuse arrogance with leadership.
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Wild Thing's comment............
First of all Obama, we CAN be as arrogant as we want to about our country, we have been proud of our United States of America unlike YOU and wife. And we are not just grateful on Memorial Day or Veterans day for our military, for our troops, our Veterans and those that gave their lives, we are grateful and proud every day.
When did Europe assume a leading role in the free world? Not in my lifetime!
And all the men in my family, and Nicholas, and two of my Aunts, oh yes how arrogant they were to have the nerve to serve our country. Normandy, the Chosin Reservoir, the Battle of the Bulge, Korean War, WW1 and WW11, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Afghanistan and Iraq. Hussein Obama insulted all who served our country and made the awesome effort to do something that mattered, that made a difference in the world and to our country and many others around the world.
America's Shame: Obama Calls U.S. "Arrogant" & "Dismissive" in Speech in France
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:50 AM | Comments (12)
Radical Cap and Trade Bill Largest Tax Increase in History
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Cap and trade bill includes unemployment benefits - Largest tax increase in history
by Dianna Cotter
Hold onto your hats folks, here it comes…
In a revealing editorial today, the Washington Examiner (not related to Examiner.com) revealed a huge unemployment package buried in the Waxman-Markley Cap and trade energy bill.
At first glance this just seems like more of the usual Washington shuck-n-jive. However, when one considers the implications of this, it becomes apparent that the writers of the cap and trade bill are very clearly aware that this bill will cost thousands of jobs. So much so that unemployment benefits for those losing their jobs because of it will go for THREE YEARS, 156 weeks. Obviously they are not expecting these hapless folks to find new work easily! The Washington examiner reports that these victims of Washington DC legislation and Congress will get 80% of their insurance premiums paid, a 1500$ relocation allowance, and job search expenses of up to 1500$.
If this is an energy bill… which by the way, is being sold as legislation that will create higher paying “Green” jobs, in higher numbers than those lost, then what are unemployment benefits for up to three years doing in it?
Note to all of those who are supporting this bill, both Nationally and locally here in Oregon, be prepared for your energy costs to go up by a minimum of 50%, and by some estimates up to 90%. Let’s put some numbers with that. Say your average electric bill for a year is 100$ a month. That’s 1200$ a year. Your bill will go up to 150$ a month, for a total of 1800$ a year with just a 50% increase. With a 90% increase that number will be 2280$, or 190$ a month. But that’s not all; the cost of your Natural gas will go up similarly. So will the grocery store’s electric bill, 50% higher refrigeration costs = 50% higher cost passed on to you the consumer. Your Hairdresser’s electricity cost will go up, and so will the cost of your shampoo blow-dry, and Color. Every single industry that uses power of any sort will go up, and your cost of living will rise exponentially.
All this for less that 2 tenths of a degree cooling over the next century, which will absolutely crack up the Chinese and Indians who are praying (if the communist government of China would admit to praying) that this legislation passes! Why?
Because it will absolutely kill the productive engine that is the lifeblood of the United States of America, the economic engine of the world! Of course they want it to pass, it will make them the world’s only superpower. Throw in the fact they own a huge swath of our national debt, and you should now be seeing a very dark black cloud rising over our future.
It should be stressed here, that even a COMMUNIST Government will not institute legislation that will destroy its economy to the extent that this bill will.
This is no doom and gloom prediction, clearly the writers of the bill know it too, or there would not be three years worth of unemployment benefits in it. The section we are speaking of it on page 781 of the 946 page bill. “Title IV, Subtitle B, Part2, Section 426 of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009” Ah such innocuous and lovely sounding poison they come up with now a days!
Would you like that with a side of Arsenic? Hemlock perhaps?
Exactly where is all of the money going to come from to pay for all those unemployment benefits? The Rich? They will leave the country and take their money with them, just as they did in Cuba so long ago. Big Business? Oh no, they will leave too if they can, or they will fold and be Nationalized as well as GM and 2/3rds of the Auto industry. The Small business owner? They will go out of business. The only ones left will be the little guys, and that means all the rest of us. Can you smell the tax hike coming? There is no fiscal way this can be done without raising taxes to pay for the huge numbers of unemployed that are expected to need this craftily buried unemployment package. Assuming you aren’t on it that is. But don’t expect that to protect you, you still have to pay taxes on your unemployment benefits. A delicious irony no?
Forget Electric cars the only truly green alternative, they will be too darned expensive to charge. The irony of this is just too precious not to comment on…. The only possible alternative to liquid fueled cars will be legislated right out of existence before they can even get produced! Paradox of all green paradoxes! I think the space time continuum just wrinkled a bit… the only truly green car… the contradiction is just too perfect.
Has Washington lost its collective mind? Who is running this place and why are they trying to kill us and our livelihoods? Why are they deliberately trying to take food out of the mouths of our kids? That’s what they are doing. For 2 tenths of a degree? Certainly as China and India make up for our non-productivity, and with the knowlage that they indeed will not institute legislation as stupid and financially unsound as this, it is pointless. They have publically stated they will not do such damage to their economies. Knowing this... that 2 tenths of 1 degree seems likely to get swallowed up by an increase in Chinese and Indian productivity. Can you think of anything more pointless than this? Spitting into the wind perhaps?
Folks the insanity being considered in Washington DC may well make it impossible to live in the United States and live a successful prosperous life. Mexicans won’t be coming here anymore; it will be Americans going to Mexico looking for jobs.
That’s no joke.
The Washington Examiner quotes Ben Lieberman of the Heritage Foundation: “The fact that generous unemployment benefits are buried in the bill means that “green jobs are bunk,”” The Foundation found that “Waxman-Markey is the largest, most intrusive energy tax increase in American history. It would reduce the nation’s GDP by 7.4 Trillion, raise electricity rates 90 percent and gasoline prices 74%.”
So, how do you like that “Hope and Change” now? This what you were expecting and voted for? We were warned by Obama himself, he said he was going to do it in the campaign, kill coal… this is your government at work.
Unless you stop it by contacting your congressperson now.
Otherwise get ready for the worst; you might want to buy a lot of extra blankets while the prices are still low.
For more info: Washington Examiner
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Wild Thing's comment............
Fantastic article. The best one I have seen on the cap and trade legislation now wending its way thru Congress.
Pray for America.
At the current rate we will spend 26 Trillion in the first year of the Obama regime. Yep killing the economy is the agenda and they are doing a fine job of it.
“If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” —Winston Churchill
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:48 AM | Comments (3)
Teacher Slams Obama
April 17, 2009
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500
Mr. Obama:
I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally.
You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America . You are responsible to the citizens of the United States .. You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth.
I personally resen t that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about if not the consideration of the peoples of Europe ? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about? Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century?
Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States ? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles governing this country, at least until you came along, come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this?
Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of Saudi Arabia . You don't show Great Britain , our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia . How dare you, sir! How dare you!
You can't find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation because you don't want to offend the Germans but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey . You offended our dead and every vet eran when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. What's the matter with you?
I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you.
You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it.
What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members - on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer. You haven't said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely didn't!
Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that's $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million - not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven't you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now.
I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you idiots do.
We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you.
I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities.
I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.
Sincerely,
Every real American
P.S. I rarely ask that emails be 'passed around'...PLEASE SEND THIS TO YOUR EMAIL LIST...it's past time for all Americans to wake up!
Ms Kathleen Lyday
Fourth Grade Teacher
Grandview Elementary School
Hillsboro , MO
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Wild Thing's commnet.........
What a GREAT letter!! I love to see people speaking out about Obama. Excellent letter by Kathleen Lyday.
UPDATE note:
I checked on truth and fiction regarding this letter. The person signing the letter is real and she is a teacher at this school, but she denies authoring it. It is an excellent letter though. ~ Dave L
I agree it is a fantastic letter.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:47 AM | Comments (6)
Eric Holder Supports Terrorists
Eric Holder on Terrorist Organizations
At an oversight hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, the sharpest questioning came from Republicans who challenged Holder about the possibility that the administration will seek to bring some terror detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States.
“They could be released into American communities and become a threat to our families and neighbors,” warned the committee’s ranking member, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas). “They will certainly give new purpose to neighborhood watch committees. Their detention facilities could become a target for attack by sleeper cells here and around the world.”
Holder said the Justice Department had not yet studied the risks the inmates could pose to Americans, because there is no plan yet about precisely where they would be sent. “We’re not going to do anything — anything — that is going to put the American people at risk. Nothing,” the attorney general underscored.
“It seems to me that there would be zero risk if we brought zero people to the United States of America,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah).
Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) accused Holder of being “so hellbent on not using waterboarding” that he would allow a terrorist attack to take place rather than use the technique, which the attorney general has described as torture.
Smith also joined the growing ranks of members demanding greater disclosure from the transparency-touting Obama administration.
“Before a single detainee is transferred anywhere, all unclassified records regarding their backgrounds should be made public,” Smith insisted. “I am concerned in its first months in office the administration has engaged in a pattern of behavior that is endangering the American people.”
Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) used colorful language as he pressed Holder on whether detainees brought to the U.S. might be eligible for welfare.
“I don’t want to be portrayed as an inflexible, redneck coot, but I believe that would be a reckless fiscal exercise to provide assistance to that end,” Coble said.
The attorney general was cagey on whether he supports the idea of creating a blue-ribbon panel to investigate claims that aggressive interrogation techniques authorized by the Bush administration amounted to torture.
“You could just say yes,” suggested Conyers.
“The decision to do such a thing I will leave in your good hands,” Holder said.
When Conyers asked what factors Holder would use in considering whether to appoint an independent counsel to investigate the Bush-era interrogation program, the attorney general also gave an exceedingly general response.
“We will allow the law and the facts to take us wherever is appropriate,” Holder said.
Holder shed little light on the outcome of an internal investigation of the former Justice Department lawyers who wrote memos giving a legal green light to interrogation techniques many view as torture. He said he hadn’t seen the report, which is said to recommend that some of the lawyers be referred for possible discipline by state bar authorities. “I would think that we’re looking at a matter of weeks before it will be complete,” Holder said.
Holder also faced questions about President Barack Obama’s decision to reverse course and fight court rulings requiring the disclosure of photos of alleged detainee abuse by the U.S. military. The attorney general appeared to reach his limit on transparency when he rebuffed a request from Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) to share the Justice Department’s initial conclusion that it would be “hopeless” to pursue the case to the Supreme Court.
“I have great reluctance in saying that I would share internal Justice Department memoranda that deal with decision making in particular cases,” Holder said.
Despite the serious subject matter, the hearing had moments of levity. At one point, Rep. Steven Cohen (D-Tenn.) said he hoped Holder didn’t regard the pitcher of water on the witness table as “some sort of intimidation.”
“As long as it’s not poured down my nose, I think I’m OK,” Holder said.
Wild Thing's comment.........
Listen to Lamar Smith in the video as he asks Eric Holder the same question over and over. He has to reword it to try and get Holder to answer a simple question.
Let's you and I put the question another way. A man enlists and goes to Boot Camp in the USArmy, he goes through all the training. Now let's ask this....Is the man that went into the Army, went through and completed Basic training, is this man a soldier? The same for the NAVY is the man a sailor, the Marines,is the man a Marine.
OR like Eric Holder says we cannot answer that until we check
"you have to individualize the determinations about a particular person"
WTF sorry but can't send Eric Holder to GITMO and put HIM in one of the jail cells with one of the terrorists? He seems to really like them and he obviously would enjoy their company. Because he sure as heck could care less about American lives.
America's tombstone will read: 'At least we were politically correct'
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:45 AM | Comments (4)
Obama Accuses Military of Billions in Overspending
Obama accuses military of billions in overspending
President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill aimed at tightening the controls on defense spending, saying it is "long overdue."
Standing with leading congressional players Friday morning on South Lawn of the White House, Obama said he was "extraordinarily proud" to sign the bill, which passed unanimously in both the House and Senate this week.
Obama noted one study which found that roughly $295 billion of taxpayers' money was wasted last year on cost overruns involving 95 defense programs.
He said wasteful defense spending "is unacceptable" at a time when the country is fighting two wars and trying to overcome a deep recession at home.
Wild Thing's comment..........
This angers me so much. Obama is spending money like crazy, but it is NOT ok with him to spend much on our military. GRRRRRRRRRRRR HOw omuch does he think we can take of his BS.
Spend, Spend, spend, but oh it's for the Military? Then from Obama we get Hell no. sheesh
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:44 AM | Comments (2)
Renovating Private Parking Garages for U.S. House
Parking garage outside Longworth House Office Building. (CNSNews.com photo/Penny Starr)
Renovating Private Parking Garages for U.S. House Will Cost Taxpayers $156,322 Per Congressman
As it is considering legislation that would cap carbon emssions and significanly increase energy prices of U.S. consumers in the name of controlling global warming, the U.S. House of Representatives is also considering spending $68 million to renovate two parking garages that are used exclusively by members of Congress and their staff.
Given that there are only 435 members of the House, the renovation of these exclusive garages would cost $156,322 per congressmen.
The garages are just south of the House office buildings that form part of the complex surrounding the U.S. Capitol. They are also adjacent to a station of the Washington Metro subway system that members of Congress and their staff could use to get to work if they did not want to drive a car and emit carbon into the atmosphere.
Terrell Dorn, the director of physical infrastructure issues for the Government Accountability Office (GAO), on May 6, testified before the House Committee on House Administration about plans by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to renovate the East and West garages, which serve several House buildings.
Approximately $38 million of the request is attached to a project to overhaul the Cannon House Office Building at an overall cost of $753 million.
“Renovations of the Cannon Building and East and West Garages are needed to maintain the integrity and safety of these facilities and reduce the likelihood of unplanned outages and associated cost,” Dorn’s written testimony stated.
Dorn told CNSNews.com that the funding request is still being considered by the House Appropriations Committee and has yet to be approved by House Leadership.
According to the Architect of the Capitol, problems with the structures will require action to be taken “within the next 2 to 4 years.”
Wild Thing's comment..........
What part of “knock this crap off” do these congressmen don’t understand?
Deduct the parking garage from the overpaid Congress’ salaries.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:40 AM
May 22, 2009
It's all attitude! Enjoy!
Fran & Marlo Cowan an older couple walked into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic and spotted a piano. They've been married for 62 years and he'll be 90 this year.
Wild Thing's comment.......
I love this and it really is true about a good attitude.
......Thank you so much Dap22 for sending this to me.
Major ( RET) Dustoff 22 (Dave)
Dustoff 22
USArmy
45th Medical Company Fort Bragg to Long Binh
VN (67-68)
Flight Instructor
USArmy Helicopter Training Center
70-88
Posted by Wild Thing at 02:24 PM | Comments (5)
Obama to Try Terror Suspect in NYC, First Gitmo Detainee Brought to U.S.
Obama to Try Terror Suspect in NYC, First Gitmo Detainee Brought to U.S.
The Obama administration is pressing ahead with its plan to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, deciding to put a "high value" detainee on trial in New York City despite resistance from some in Congress.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced early Thursday that Ahmed Ghailani will be sent to New York City for trial, which would make him the first Guantanamo detainee brought to the U.S. and the first to face trial in a civilian criminal court.
Ghailani was indicted by a federal grand jury in New York for the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa -- attacks that killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. It was not immediately clear when the transfer would occur.
"By prosecuting Ahmed Ghailani in federal court, we will ensure that he finally answers for his alleged role in the bombing of our embassies in Tanzania and Kenya," Holder said in a statement.
"This administration is committed to keeping the American people safe and upholding the rule of law, and by closing Guantanamo and bringing terrorists housed there to justice we will make our nation stronger and safer," the attorney general said.
Ghailani, a Tanzanian, was categorized as a high-value detainee by U.S. authorities after he was captured in Pakistan in 2004 and transferred to the detention center at the U.S. naval base in Cuba two years later.
The decision on the first U.S. trial of a Guantanamo detainee comes as President Barack Obama faces pressure from across the political spectrum on his plan to close the detention center by January 2010. Democrats have said they want to see the president's plan for closing the base before it approves money to finance it, and Republicans are fighting to keep Guantanamo open.
Some lawmakers have already voiced opposition to bringing Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. for trial, even in heavily guarded settings.
Obama is scheduled to give a major speech addressing Guantanamo and national security Thursday morning.
The Associated Press reported in March that Ghailani was among a handful of high-value suspects that prosecutors were considering bringing to trial in the United States on charges that predate the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Trying Ghailani for the embassy attacks may help prosecutors avoid legal challenges surrounding Ghailani's detention and treatment.
U.S. authorities say he helped plan and deliver the explosives in the embassy attack, and later rose up through the Al Qaeda ranks.
He has denied knowing the TNT and oxygen tanks would be used to make a bomb. He also denied buying a vehicle used in the attack, saying he could not drive.
Just before the embassy bombings, Ghailani flew to Pakistan.
Last year, military prosecutors charged that after the 1998 bombings, Ghailani worked for Al Qaeda as a document forger, trainer at a terror camp and bodyguard to Usama bin Laden.
The Ghailani decision revives a long-dormant case charging bin Laden and top Al Qaeda leadership with plotting the Aug. 7, 1998 bombings at U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The blasts killed more than 200 people and injured thousands, including many who were blinded by shards of flying glass. The attacks prompted then-President Bill Clinton to launch cruise missile attacks two weeks later on bin Laden's Afghan camps.
Four other men have been tried and convicted in the New York courthouse for their roles in the embassy attacks. All were sentenced to life in prison.
Wild Thing's comment........
Obama cares more about the “rights” of terrorists than the safety of Americans. You have to hate your country to do something like this. I don’t trust Obama or the courts to keep these terrorists off our streets.
Also when he is moved from military custody into federal court jurisdiction the rules change. And he’ll get the best legal talent for free because of the news media coverage which could turn him into a folk hero. The costs of logistics, security and disruption of normal business will be in the tens of millions of dollars.
Nightmare waiting to happen that It will take one Muslim or America-hating leftist juror to hang the jury. And then he would walk!
Just one more thing, it is so obvious that Obama and his administration will do whatever they want to. We see that now more then ever. They have no intention of listening even to those in their own political party. Arrogance to this extreme is treacherous and of the most dangerous kind to someone that has been put in charge as president.
OBAMA IS THE NUMBER ONE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON IN AMERICA!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (11)
Say NO to KOH Nomination!!!
JUDGES should interpret the Constitution according to other nations' legal "norms." Sharia law could apply to disputes in US courts. The United States constitutes an "axis of disobedience" along with North Korea and Saddam-era Iraq.
Those are the views of the man on track to become one of the US government's top lawyers: Harold Koh.
President Obama has nominated Koh -- until last week the dean of Yale Law School -- to be the State Department's legal adviser. In that job, Koh would forge a wide range of international agreements on issues from trade to arms control, and help represent our country in such places as the United Nations and the International Court of Justice.
It's a job where you want a strong defender of America's sovereignty. But that's not Koh. He's a fan of "transnational legal process," arguing that the distinctions between US and international law should vanish.
(snipet)
The primacy of international legal "norms" applies even to treaties we reject. For example, Koh believes that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child -- a problematic document that we haven't ratified -- should dictate the age at which individual US states can execute criminals. Got that? On issues ranging from affirmative action to the interrogation of terrorists, what the rest of the world says, goes.
Including, apparently, the world of radical imams. A New York lawyer, Steven Stein, says that, in addressing the Yale Club of Greenwich in 2007, Koh claimed that "in an appropriate case, he didn't see any reason why sharia law would not be applied to govern a case in the United States."
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His nomination is out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He will go before the Senate in June. You must contact your Senators. GO HERE.
There is a wealth of documentation and evidence here.
Here are my past posts here at Theodore's World about this horrible man:
Critics Decry Obama Nominee for State Dept. Legal Adviser Harold Koh
B.Hussein Obama's Most Perilous Legal Pick Harold Koh
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If you go HERE there are serveal letters and articles about NO on KOH
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Here is just one of them...................
Oliver North writes in the Fox News Forum on May 15, 2009:
It is said that there are two kinds of lawyers: Those who know the law and those who know the judge. And then there is Harold Koh, the man who is likely to be the next legal adviser to the State Department.
Koh most recently served as dean of the Yale Law School and before that as assistant secretary of state for Democracy, Labor and Human Rights in the Clinton administration. He is a prolific author and a legal activist of the left. Earlier this week, his nomination to be Foggy Bottom’s barrister was voted out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 12-5; his pending appointment has received scant attention from the media or the Senators who will decide his fate.
KOH's opinion of the Second Amendment. “What kind of global gun control regime could we and should we try to build?” Koh asked in an essay entitled A World Drowning in Guns. He urged “a global regulatory” scheme prohibiting the ownership of firearms could be achieved through a “process whereby rules negotiated among governments at a horizontal, intergovernmental level and interpreted through the interaction of transnational actors in these law-declaring fora are brought down vertically into the domestic law of each participating country — ‘brought home’ if you will — and internalized into the domestic statutes, executive practice, and judicial systems of those participating nations.”
In short, this means that U.S. law — constitutional or otherwise — must be amended or revised to comport with “international standards.” Presumably this same concept would apply not only to our Second Amendment, but to U.S. federal and state laws pertaining to abortion, same-sex marriage, pornography, drug use, private property rights or presumably, child molesting. In the Koh legal universe, these issues should be debated in the United Nations’ numerous institutions and commissions. Then, non-governmental organizations from around the globe will opine, a U.N. body will issue a report and the U.S. Congress and state legislatures will be given a deadline within which to pass conforming legislation. The will of the American people will no longer matter if it is contrary to that of the “world community.”
The Koh perspective on national security is equally alarming. In October, 2002 after Congress had already authorized the use of force against Iraq, he wrote in the Hartford Courant: “I believe… that it would be a mistake for our country to attack Iraq without explicit United Nations authorization,” because, “such an attack would violate international law.” Since the U.S. did not seek or obtain U.N. “permission” before liberating Iraq, Koh included the United States, Iraq and North Korea in what he described as an “Axis of Disobedience.”
In another time, this kind of record would disqualify any aspirant for an office requiring confirmation by the U.S. Senate. But these are indeed different times.
Wild Thing's comment.......
This man cannot get this nomination!!!!
Koh is scary, America hating idiot. He supports Muslims rights to be judged by Sharia Law as well. He also wants to hurt the arms manufacturers as much as he can.
Soros, B.Hussein Obama and KOH all thinking America is the bad guy, all hating our country and the rest of Obama's administration as well.
God Help us all.
.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (7)
Obama Wants U.S. to Loan $100 BILLION to Global Bailout
Obama Wants U.S. to Loan $100 Billion to Global Bailout Fund
Obama has asked Congress to authorize $100 billion in loans to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help create a $500 billion global bailout fund.
If passed by both the Senate and the House, the bill would allow the IMF to borrow up to $100 billion from the U.S. and increase the U.S. fiscal contribution to the IMF by $8 billion.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the loans would not cost the U.S. more than $5 billion.
“It’s a new appropriation,” Rob Blumenthal of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the committee that drafted the bill, told CNSNews.com.
“No money is required upfront. We’re not writing a check for 108 billion. So in the long term, if loans go into default, then what the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) is saying is that it might cost us up to $5 billion, but there’s no immediate outplay of funds.”
But the move is questioned by some lawmakers who are skeptical about lending money when the nation’s debt continues to climb – and who are concerned about the fact that the U.S. will have to borrow the money at some point to pay the $100 billion.
“Forcing taxpayers to borrow another $100 billion from China to bailout foreign countries makes no sense when we’re already facing record debt,” Wesley Denton, spokesman for Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), said.
Contributions from the U.S. and other countries would triple the IMF’s lending power and double its lending resources for low-income countries.
World leaders began on the global bailout initiative, called the New Arrangement for Borrowing (NAB), at the G-20 summit in early April. The president agreed at that time to make the additional funds available.
Last week, he sent letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner to seek their support.
“The NAB is a mechanism through which the IMF can obtain supplemental financial resources for use in its lending operations when the IMF’s existing resources are substantially drawn down in the face of circumstances that threaten the stability of the international monetary system,” Obama wrote.
“Treasury Secretary Geithner concluded that the size of the NAB is woefully inadequate to deal with the type of severe economic and financial crisis we are experiencing, and I agree with him,” the letter said.The Treasury Department released another letter to Pelosi and Reid Monday to express support for the plan. Japan has already signed a $100 billion pledge and the European Union, Norway, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea and Australia have also pledged billions of dollars for the global bailout. The IMF is a coalition of 185 countries that assesses the global financial situation and fosters stability and trade. Although its programs have been criticized in recent years, managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said he is optimistic about the member-states’ cooperation in this new borrowing arrangement.
“This is the most coordinated stimulus ever,” Strauss-Kahn said at the G-20 summit in April.
“We have already finalized with the Japanese a $100 billion loan. The Europeans have committed another $100 billion. And we have other partners to complete the first rung of $250 billion, and then will come the second rung to create this NAB proposed by (U.S. Treasury Secretary) Tim Geithner, which altogether will increase the resources by $500 billion.
“$500 billion plus the $250 billion we already have makes – how do you say that? – a fire,” Strauss-Kahn, former French finance minister, said.
Wild Thing's comment.........
Obama is a TAX WHORE!
Hell will freeze over before Obama does anything that is NOT against our country. Barack Obama pledged $100 billion in foreign aid to help bail out the ailing International Monetary Fund in April. Only after he announced it did he go to Congress and make his case for the money.
Obama wants....Obama needs...Obama wants...Obama needs....narcissistic Kenyan bastard. RAPING every current and future citizen of this country. Why not just shoot ‘em in the head once you have FINISHED, Marxist!
It is for the good of the neighborhood.....Que Mr. Rogers!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:49 AM | Comments (10)
Why Pelosi Must GO!
And there is also this article at
WHY PELOSI MUST GO
by Dick Morris
It’s obvious that either Leon Panetta, Obama’s head of the CIA, or Nancy Pelosi, his party’s Speaker of the House, has to go. No administration can tolerate a permanent, public civil war between two such high-ranking officials.
Especially when their disagreement stems not from issues of policy but from matters of veracity and credibility, the battle must end in one of their resignations. You cannot have the head of the nation’s first line of defense against terrorism calling the Speaker of the House a liar and being attacked by her in turn.
Obviously, Obama cannot fire Panetta. First of all, he just appointed him. And second, to cave in to Pelosi (D-Calif.) would earn him the massive disrespect and disapproval of the very operatives on whom he must depend to keep the nation safe.
Already skeptical of his leftist credentials, the analysts at the CIA would regard it as a massive vote of no confidence if their chief were fired for believing in them.
Like Clinton — whose draft-dodging made his relationship with the military problematic — Obama takes office amid reservations about him on the part of the intelligence community. He has taken pains to reach out to both the uniformed and white-collar intelligence officials to smooth his way and win their trust.
Panetta took over as CIA chief under the cloud of his agency’s distrust of the man who appointed him. Now he is standing firm for his agency and winning its loyalty and support.
Obama cannot pull the rug out from under him without incurring the agency’s permanent animosity. Before Sept. 11, 2001, that may have been an acceptable risk. Now it is not.
But Pelosi is expendable. The job of a Democratic Speaker is to pass the program of the Democratic president. Her ability and track record is measured on a scale of effectiveness. If she is ineffective, she’s not up to the job.
There is no way that Nancy Pelosi can be effective while she is engaged in a war of words with the Democratic head of the CIA.
House members have a shark’s instinct for blood in the water and know full well that satisfying Pelosi is likely to be an unrewarding occupation.
With House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) waiting in the wings, few congressmen would be willing to treat the IOUs from Pelosi they get for casting difficult votes as worth much more than Confederate currency.
Remember that Pelosi won by only 118-95 in her election as Speaker. Her support was not overwhelming to begin with. She is a movement liberal. Her political antecedents come from the McGovern wing of the party. She is a leftist/reformer. An insurgent.
But Hoyer is a regular Democrat. Representing a district in the D.C. suburbs of Maryland, he is almost a civil servant himself. He is no radical.
While he can be counted on to pass Obama’s programs like a good Democrat, he is not the kind of guy who will get out in front of the president to upstage or pressure him.
He will fit right in, unobtrusively backing the president. (Full disclosure: He’s a former client. Very former.)
Above all, Obama cannot allow the distraction and disruption of a feud between Speaker and CIA head to sow the image of an administration at war with itself.
The Speaker is the hired help. She exists to serve her president. And, right now, he needs this fight like he needs a hole in the head.
Wild Thing's comment........
Pelosi has made some BIG enemies so I honestly can't tell if the dems will throw her under the bus and the heck out ot Congress even or just let what she has done slide like they do all their other criminals.
I agree with Morris, she has to go and I don't think Obama likes her. heh heh That might make a difference in her having to leave too.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (4)
Harley-Davidson in Vanity Fair Salutes Women Riders
The behind the scenes footage from Harley-Davidson's new print campaign in the June Issue of Vanity Fair that salutes women riders and encourages females who have not yet hit the road on two wheels to "experience life with no regrets."
The women featured are health and wellness expert and NBCs The Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels; Grammy®-winning singer-songwriter Jewel; television and film actor Tricia Helfer; and Los Angeles rider/entrepreneur Deborah DiMiceli.
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Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (1)
US Navy Presidential Ceremonial Honor Guard Drill Team
US Navy Presidential Ceremonial Honor Guard Drill Team
This was about three years ago.
Our Navy Ceremonial Guard Silent Drill Team was invited to compete in an International Tattoo in Norway ...
They competed against military units from all over NATO.
They won first place.
Wild Thing's comment......
Fantastic, I love drill teams. They always amaze me!!!
....Thank you Horace for sending this to me.
Horace
U.S.Army
Horace Smith, Pvt. E-1, USAR
1956-1964
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (6)
Rolling Thunder Memorial Day Weekend ~ " We Will Never Forget"
Washington D.C. Memorial Day Weekend
May 24,2009
POW-MIA
“WE WILL NEVER FORGET”
Keynote Speaker (Sunday, May 24)
Col. Michael D. Steele, U.S. Army
Mike Steele is a Colonel in the United States Army. He was a company commander in the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment during the Somalia mission Operation Gothic Serpent, which resulted in the now famous book and movie Black Hawk Down, in which he was portrayed by actor Jason Isaacs.
Col. Steele was raised in north Georgia, and attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and served as offensive guard for the Bulldogs, a team that won three Southeastern Conference Championships and the 1980 National Championship.
After college, Col. Steele was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in 1983, and has served in a variety of leadership and staff positions in the 25th Infantry Division (Light), 10th Mountain Division (Light), the 82d Airborne Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 75th Ranger Regiment. His deployments are numerous.
In addition to his service in Somalia, he was a Major serving as the Operations Officer of an airborne battalion to secure the Panama Canal; as a Battalion Commander in Bosnia for Operation Joint Forge; as a Division Operations Officer in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom; and as a Brigade Commander in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Colonel Steele’s current assignment is as the Chief of Training Division, United States Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Atlanta. He has two Master’s degrees: one in Administration from Central Michigan University, and one in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. His awards include the Combat Infantryman’s Badge
Second Award, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Freefall Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.
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Wild Thing's comment............
One time before I die, I would love to go to this. I am so glad Rolling Thunder does this every year. It is such a special time and in memory of our POW-MIA's Never to be forgotten ever.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (6)
"Me Love you long time"
U.S. Will Pay $2.6 Million to Train Chinese Prostitutes to Drink Responsibly on the Job
The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will pay $2.6 million in U.S. tax dollars to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly on the job.
Dr. Xiaoming Li, the researcher conducting the program, is director of the Prevention Research Center at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.
Previous studies in Asia and Africa and our own data from FSWs [female sex workers] in China suggest that the social norms and institutional policy within commercial sex venues as well as agents overseeing the FSWs (i.e., the 'gatekeepers', defined as persons who manage the establishments and/or sex workers) are potentially of great importance in influencing alcohol use and sexual behavior among establishment-based FSWs," says the NIH grant abstract submitted by Dr. Li.
"Therefore, in this application, we propose to develop, implement, and evaluate a venue-based alcohol use and HIV risk reduction intervention focusing on both environmental and individual factors among venue-based FSWs in China," says the abstract.
The research will take place in the southern Chinese province of Guangxi.
Guangxi is ranked third in HIV rate among Chna's provinces--and is a place where the sex business is pervasive, Li said.
“The purpose of the project is to try and develop an intervention program targeting HIV risk and alcohol use,” Li told CNSNews.com. “So basically, it’s an alcohol and HIV risk reduction intervention project."
The doctor said the heart of the study involves “a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial among 100 commercial sex venues in Beihai, a costal tourist city in Guangxi.”
“We want to get some understanding of the fundamental role of alcohol use and HIV risk,” he said. “We use the population in China as our targeted population to look at the basic issues. I think the findings will benefit the American people, too.”
Li said minimal research has been conducted on the link between alcohol use and prostitution as it relates to HIV.
“Alcohol has been a part of the commerce of sex for many, many years. Unfortunately, both global-wise (and) in the United States, very few researchers are looking at the complex issue of the inter play between alcohol and the commerce of sex,” he told CNSNews.com.
The grant is one of several “international initiatives” sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
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Wild Thing's comment........
So I guess they could call this the ChiHo project.
What a scam artist this guy is, so he has all this money, our tax dollars for his grant. More wasted tax dollars.
2.6 million so the “researcher” can go out drinking with prostitues and not even American. Can't they at least make grants only for Americans???
This is so stupid it goes beyond stupid.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (2)
May 21, 2009
VP Dick Cheney Makes Direct Hit and Kicks Obama's Punk Ass!
Text of Cheney's AEI ( American Enterprise Institute) Speech
Thank you all very much, and Arthur, thank you for that introduction. It’s good to be back at AEI, where we have many friends. Lynne is one of your longtime scholars, and I’m looking forward to spending more time here myself as a returning trustee. What happened was, they were looking for a new member of the board of trustees, and they asked me to head up the search committee.
I first came to AEI after serving at the Pentagon, and departed only after a very interesting job offer came along. I had no expectation of returning to public life, but my career worked out a little differently. Those eight years as vice president were quite a journey, and during a time of big events and great decisions, I don’t think I missed much.
Being the first vice president who had also served as secretary of defense, naturally my duties tended toward national security. I focused on those challenges day to day, mostly free from the usual political distractions. I had the advantage of being a vice president content with the responsibilities I had, and going about my work with no higher ambition. Today, I’m an even freer man. Your kind invitation brings me here as a private citizen – a career in politics behind me, no elections to win or lose, and no favor to seek.
The responsibilities we carried belong to others now. And though I’m not here to speak for George W. Bush, I am certain that no one wishes the current administration more success in defending the country than we do. We understand the complexities of national security decisions. We understand the pressures that confront a president and his advisers. Above all, we know what is at stake. And though administrations and policies have changed, the stakes for America have not changed.
Right now there is considerable debate in this city about the measures our administration took to defend the American people. Today I want to set forth the strategic thinking behind our policies. I do so as one who was there every day of the Bush Administration –who supported the policies when they were made, and without hesitation would do so again in the same circumstances.
When President Obama makes wise decisions, as I believe he has done in some respects on Afghanistan, and in reversing his plan to release incendiary photos, he deserves our support. And when he faults or mischaracterizes the national security decisions we made in the Bush years, he deserves an answer. The point is not to look backward. Now and for years to come, a lot rides on our President’s understanding of the security policies that preceded him. And whatever choices he makes concerning the defense of this country, those choices should not be based on slogans and campaign rhetoric, but on a truthful telling of history.
Our administration always faced its share of criticism, and from some quarters it was always intense. That was especially so in the later years of our term, when the dangers were as serious as ever, but the sense of general alarm after September 11th, 2001 was a fading memory. Part of our responsibility, as we saw it, was not to forget the terrible harm that had been done to America … and not to let 9/11 become the prelude to something much bigger and far worse.
That attack itself was, of course, the most devastating strike in a series of terrorist plots carried out against Americans at home and abroad. In 1993, they bombed the World Trade Center, hoping to bring down the towers with a blast from below. The attacks continued in 1995, with the bombing of U.S. facilities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; the killing of servicemen at Khobar Towers in 1996; the attack on our embassies in East Africa in 1998; the murder of American sailors on the USS Cole in 2000; and then the hijackings of 9/11, and all the grief and loss we suffered on that day.
Nine-eleven caused everyone to take a serious second look at threats that had been gathering for a while, and enemies whose plans were getting bolder and more sophisticated. Throughout the 90s, America had responded to these attacks, if at all, on an ad hoc basis. The first attack on the World Trade Center was treated as a law enforcement problem, with everything handled after the fact – crime scene, arrests, indictments, convictions, prison sentences, case closed.
That’s how it seemed from a law enforcement perspective, at least – but for the terrorists the case was not closed. For them, it was another offensive strike in their ongoing war against the United States. And it turned their minds to even harder strikes with higher casualties. Nine-eleven made necessary a shift of policy, aimed at a clear strategic threat – what the Congress called “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.” From that moment forward, instead of merely preparing to round up the suspects and count up the victims after the next attack, we were determined to prevent attacks in the first place.
We could count on almost universal support back then, because everyone understood the environment we were in. We’d just been hit by a foreign enemy – leaving 3,000 Americans dead, more than we lost at Pearl Harbor. In Manhattan, we were staring at 16 acres of ashes. The Pentagon took a direct hit, and the Capitol or the White House were spared only by the Americans on Flight 93, who died bravely and defiantly.
Everyone expected a follow-on attack, and our job was to stop it. We didn’t know what was coming next, but everything we did know in that autumn of 2001 looked bad. This was the world in which al-Qaeda was seeking nuclear technology, and A. Q. Khan was selling nuclear technology on the black market. We had the anthrax attack from an unknown source. We had the training camps of Afghanistan, and dictators like Saddam Hussein with known ties to Mideast terrorists.
These are just a few of the problems we had on our hands. And foremost on our minds was the prospect of the very worst coming to pass – a 9/11 with nuclear weapons.
For me, one of the defining experiences was the morning of 9/11 itself. As you might recall, I was in my office in that first hour, when radar caught sight of an airliner heading toward the White House at 500 miles an hour. That was Flight 77, the one that ended up hitting the Pentagon. With the plane still inbound, Secret Service agents came into my office and said we had to leave, now. A few moments later I found myself in a fortified White House command post somewhere down below.
There in the bunker came the reports and images that so many Americans remember from that day – word of the crash in Pennsylvania, the final phone calls from hijacked planes, the final horror for those who jumped to their death to escape burning alive. In the years since, I’ve heard occasional speculation that I’m a different man after 9/11. I wouldn’t say that. But I’ll freely admit that watching a coordinated, devastating attack on our country from an underground bunker at the White House can affect how you view your responsibilities.
To make certain our nation country never again faced such a day of horror, we developed a comprehensive strategy, beginning with far greater homeland security to make the United States a harder target. But since wars cannot be won on the defensive, we moved decisively against the terrorists in their hideouts and sanctuaries, and committed to using every asset to take down their networks. We decided, as well, to confront the regimes that sponsored terrorists, and to go after those who provide sanctuary, funding, and weapons to enemies of the United States. We turned special attention to regimes that had the capacity to build weapons of mass destruction, and might transfer such weapons to terrorists.
We did all of these things, and with bipartisan support put all these policies in place. It has resulted in serious blows against enemy operations … the take-down of the A.Q. Khan network … and the dismantling of Libya’s nuclear program. It’s required the commitment of many thousands of troops in two theaters of war, with high points and some low points in both Iraq and Afghanistan – and at every turn, the people of our military carried the heaviest burden. Well over seven years into the effort, one thing we know is that the enemy has spent most of this time on the defensive – and every attempt to strike inside the United States has failed.
So we’re left to draw one of two conclusions – and here is the great dividing line in our current debate over national security. You can look at the facts and conclude that the comprehensive strategy has worked, and therefore needs to be continued as vigilantly as ever. Or you can look at the same set of facts and conclude that 9/11 was a one-off event – coordinated, devastating, but also unique and not sufficient to justify a sustained wartime effort. Whichever conclusion you arrive at, it will shape your entire view of the last seven years, and of the policies necessary to protect America for years to come.
The key to any strategy is accurate intelligence, and skilled professionals to get that information in time to use it. In seeking to guard this nation against the threat of catastrophic violence, our Administration gave intelligence officers the tools and lawful authority they needed to gain vital information. We didn’t invent that authority. It is drawn from Article Two of the Constitution. And it was given specificity by the Congress after 9/11, in a Joint Resolution authorizing “all necessary and appropriate force” to protect the American people.
Our government prevented attacks and saved lives through the Terrorist Surveillance Program, which let us intercept calls and track contacts between al-Qaeda operatives and persons inside the United States. The program was top secret, and for good reason, until the editors of the New York Times got it and put it on the front page. After 9/11, the Times had spent months publishing the pictures and the stories of everyone killed by al-Qaeda on 9/11. Now here was that same newspaper publishing secrets in a way that could only help al-Qaeda. It impressed the Pulitzer committee, but it damn sure didn’t serve the interests of our country, or the safety of our people.
In the years after 9/11, our government also understood that the safety of the country required collecting information known only to the worst of the terrorists. And in a few cases, that information could be gained only through tough interrogations.
In top secret meetings about enhanced interrogations, I made my own beliefs clear. I was and remain a strong proponent of our enhanced interrogation program. The interrogations were used on hardened terrorists after other efforts failed. They were legal, essential, justified, successful, and the right thing to do. The intelligence officers who questioned the terrorists can be proud of their work and proud of the results, because they prevented the violent death of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent people.
Our successors in office have their own views on all of these matters.
By presidential decision, last month we saw the selective release of documents relating to enhanced interrogations. This is held up as a bold exercise in open government, honoring the public’s right to know. We’re informed, as well, that there was much agonizing over this decision.
Yet somehow, when the soul-searching was done and the veil was lifted on the policies of the Bush administration, the public was given less than half the truth. The released memos were carefully redacted to leave out references to what our government learned through the methods in question. Other memos, laying out specific terrorist plots that were averted, apparently were not even considered for release. For reasons the administration has yet to explain, they believe the public has a right to know the method of the questions, but not the content of the answers.
Over on the left wing of the president’s party, there appears to be little curiosity in finding out what was learned from the terrorists. The kind of answers they’re after would be heard before a so-called “Truth Commission.” Some are even demanding that those who recommended and approved the interrogations be prosecuted, in effect treating political disagreements as a punishable offense, and political opponents as criminals. It’s hard to imagine a worse precedent, filled with more possibilities for trouble and abuse, than to have an incoming administration criminalize the policy decisions of its predecessors.
Apart from doing a serious injustice to intelligence operators and lawyers who deserve far better for their devoted service, the danger here is a loss of focus on national security, and what it requires. I would advise the administration to think very carefully about the course ahead. All the zeal that has been directed at interrogations is utterly misplaced. And staying on that path will only lead our government further away from its duty to protect the American people.
One person who by all accounts objected to the release of the interrogation memos was the Director of Central Intelligence, Leon Panetta. He was joined in that view by at least four of his predecessors. I assume they felt this way because they understand the importance of protecting intelligence sources, methods, and personnel. But now that this once top-secret information is out for all to see – including the enemy – let me draw your attention to some points that are routinely overlooked.
It is a fact that only detainees of the highest intelligence value were ever subjected to enhanced interrogation. You’ve heard endlessly about waterboarding. It happened to three terrorists. One of them was Khalid Sheikh Muhammed – the mastermind of 9/11, who has also boasted about beheading Daniel Pearl.
We had a lot of blind spots after the attacks on our country. We didn’t know about al-Qaeda’s plans, but Khalid Sheikh Muhammed and a few others did know. And with many thousands of innocent lives potentially in the balance, we didn’t think it made sense to let the terrorists answer questions in their own good time, if they answered them at all.
Maybe you’ve heard that when we captured KSM, he said he would talk as soon as he got to New York City and saw his lawyer. But like many critics of interrogations, he clearly misunderstood the business at hand. American personnel were not there to commence an elaborate legal proceeding, but to extract information from him before al-Qaeda could strike again and kill more of our people.
In public discussion of these matters, there has been a strange and sometimes willful attempt to conflate what happened at Abu Ghraib prison with the top secret program of enhanced interrogations. At Abu Ghraib, a few sadistic prison guards abused inmates in violation of American law, military regulations, and simple decency. For the harm they did, to Iraqi prisoners and to America’s cause, they deserved and received Army justice. And it takes a deeply unfair cast of mind to equate the disgraces of Abu Ghraib with the lawful, skillful, and entirely honorable work of CIA personnel trained to deal with a few malevolent men.
Those personnel were carefully chosen from within the CIA, and were specially prepared to apply techniques within the boundaries of their training and the limits of the law. Torture was never permitted, and the methods were given careful legal review before they were approved. Interrogators had authoritative guidance on the line between toughness and torture, and they knew to stay on the right side of it.
Even before the interrogation program began, and throughout its operation, it was closely reviewed to ensure that every method used was in full compliance with the Constitution, statutes, and treaty obligations. On numerous occasions, leading members of Congress, including the current speaker of the House, were briefed on the program and on the methods.
Yet for all these exacting efforts to do a hard and necessary job and to do it right, we hear from some quarters nothing but feigned outrage based on a false narrative. In my long experience in Washington, few matters have inspired so much contrived indignation and phony moralizing as the interrogation methods applied to a few captured terrorists.
I might add that people who consistently distort the truth in this way are in no position to lecture anyone about “values.” Intelligence officers of the United States were not trying to rough up some terrorists simply to avenge the dead of 9/11. We know the difference in this country between justice and vengeance. Intelligence officers were not trying to get terrorists to confess to past killings; they were trying to prevent future killings. From the beginning of the program, there was only one focused and all-important purpose. We sought, and we in fact obtained, specific information on terrorist plans.
Those are the basic facts on enhanced interrogations. And to call this a program of torture is to libel the dedicated professionals who have saved American lives, and to cast terrorists and murderers as innocent victims. What’s more, to completely rule out enhanced interrogation methods in the future is unwise in the extreme. It is recklessness cloaked in righteousness, and would make the American people less safe.
The administration seems to pride itself on searching for some kind of middle ground in policies addressing terrorism. They may take comfort in hearing disagreement from opposite ends of the spectrum. If liberals are unhappy about some decisions, and conservatives are unhappy about other decisions, then it may seem to them that the President is on the path of sensible compromise. But in the fight against terrorism, there is no middle ground, and half-measures keep you half exposed. You cannot keep just some nuclear-armed terrorists out of the United States, you must keep every nuclear-armed terrorist out of the United States. Triangulation is a political strategy, not a national security strategy. When just a single clue that goes unlearned … one lead that goes unpursued … can bring on catastrophe – it’s no time for splitting differences. There is never a good time to compromise when the lives and safety of the American people are in the balance.
Behind the overwrought reaction to enhanced interrogations is a broader misconception about the threats that still face our country. You can sense the problem in the emergence of euphemisms that strive to put an imaginary distance between the American people and the terrorist enemy. Apparently using the term “war” where terrorists are concerned is starting to feel a bit dated. So henceforth we’re advised by the administration to think of the fight against terrorists as, quote, “Overseas contingency operations.” In the event of another terrorist attack on America, the Homeland Security Department assures us it will be ready for this, quote, “man-made disaster” – never mind that the whole Department was created for the purpose of protecting Americans from terrorist attack.
And when you hear that there are no more, quote, “enemy combatants,” as there were back in the days of that scary war on terror, at first that sounds like progress. The only problem is that the phrase is gone, but the same assortment of killers and would-be mass murderers are still there. And finding some less judgmental or more pleasant-sounding name for terrorists doesn’t change what they are – or what they would do if we let them loose.
On his second day in office, President Obama announced that he was closing the detention facility at Guantanamo. This step came with little deliberation and no plan. Their idea now, as stated by Attorney General Holder and others, is apparently to bring some of these hardened terrorists into the United States. On this one, I find myself in complete agreement with many in the President’s own party. Unsure how to explain to their constituents why terrorists might soon be relocating into their states, these Democrats chose instead to strip funding for such a move out of the most recent war supplemental.
The administration has found that it’s easy to receive applause in Europe for closing Guantanamo. But it’s tricky to come up with an alternative that will serve the interests of justice and America’s national security. Keep in mind that these are hardened terrorists picked up overseas since 9/11. The ones that were considered low-risk were released a long time ago. And among these, it turns out that many were treated too leniently, because they cut a straight path back to their prior line of work and have conducted murderous attacks in the Middle East. I think the President will find, upon reflection, that to bring the worst of the worst terrorists inside the United States would be cause for great danger and regret in the years to come.
In the category of euphemism, the prizewinning entry would be a recent editorial in a familiar newspaper that referred to terrorists we’ve captured as, quote, “abducted.” Here we have ruthless enemies of this country, stopped in their tracks by brave operatives in the service of America, and a major editorial page makes them sound like they were kidnap victims, picked up at random on their way to the movies.
It’s one thing to adopt the euphemisms that suggest we’re no longer engaged in a war. These are just words, and in the end it’s the policies that matter most. You don’t want to call them enemy combatants? Fine. Call them what you want – just don’t bring them into the United States. Tired of calling it a war? Use any term you prefer. Just remember it is a serious step to begin unraveling some of the very policies that have kept our people safe since 9/11.
Another term out there that slipped into the discussion is the notion that American interrogation practices were a “recruitment tool” for the enemy. On this theory, by the tough questioning of killers, we have supposedly fallen short of our own values. This recruitment-tool theory has become something of a mantra lately, including from the President himself. And after a familiar fashion, it excuses the violent and blames America for the evil that others do. It’s another version of that same old refrain from the Left, “We brought it on ourselves.”
It is much closer to the truth that terrorists hate this country precisely because of the values we profess and seek to live by, not by some alleged failure to do so. Nor are terrorists or those who see them as victims exactly the best judges of America’s moral standards, one way or the other.
Critics of our policies are given to lecturing on the theme of being consistent with American values. But no moral value held dear by the American people obliges public servants ever to sacrifice innocent lives to spare a captured terrorist from unpleasant things. And when an entire population is targeted by a terror network, nothing is more consistent with American values than to stop them.
As a practical matter, too, terrorists may lack much, but they have never lacked for grievances against the United States. Our belief in freedom of speech and religion … our belief in equal rights for women … our support for Israel … our cultural and political influence in the world – these are the true sources of resentment, all mixed in with the lies and conspiracy theories of the radical clerics. These recruitment tools were in vigorous use throughout the 1990s, and they were sufficient to motivate the 19 recruits who boarded those planes on September 11th, 2001.
The United States of America was a good country before 9/11, just as we are today. List all the things that make us a force for good in the world – for liberty, for human rights, for the rational, peaceful resolution of differences – and what you end up with is a list of the reasons why the terrorists hate America. If fine speech-making, appeals to reason, or pleas for compassion had the power to move them, the terrorists would long ago have abandoned the field. And when they see the American government caught up in arguments about interrogations, or whether foreign terrorists have constitutional rights, they don’t stand back in awe of our legal system and wonder whether they had misjudged us all along. Instead the terrorists see just what they were hoping for – our unity gone, our resolve shaken, our leaders distracted. In short, they see weakness and opportunity.
What is equally certain is this: The broad-based strategy set in motion by President Bush obviously had nothing to do with causing the events of 9/11. But the serious way we dealt with terrorists from then on, and all the intelligence we gathered in that time, had everything to do with preventing another 9/11 on our watch. The enhanced interrogations of high-value detainees and the terrorist surveillance program have without question made our country safer. Every senior official who has been briefed on these classified matters knows of specific attacks that were in the planning stages and were stopped by the programs we put in place.
This might explain why President Obama has reserved unto himself the right to order the use of enhanced interrogation should he deem it appropriate. What value remains to that authority is debatable, given that the enemy now knows exactly what interrogation methods to train against, and which ones not to worry about. Yet having reserved for himself the authority to order enhanced interrogation after an emergency, you would think that President Obama would be less disdainful of what his predecessor authorized after 9/11. It’s almost gone unnoticed that the president has retained the power to order the same methods in the same circumstances. When they talk about interrogations, he and his administration speak as if they have resolved some great moral dilemma in how to extract critical information from terrorists. Instead they have put the decision off, while assigning a presumption of moral superiority to any decision they make in the future.
Releasing the interrogation memos was flatly contrary to the national security interest of the United States. The harm done only begins with top secret information now in the hands of the terrorists, who have just received a lengthy insert for their training manual. Across the world, governments that have helped us capture terrorists will fear that sensitive joint operations will be compromised. And at the CIA, operatives are left to wonder if they can depend on the White House or Congress to back them up when the going gets tough. Why should any agency employee take on a difficult assignment when, even though they act lawfully and in good faith, years down the road the press and Congress will treat everything they do with suspicion, outright hostility, and second-guessing? Some members of Congress are notorious for demanding they be briefed into the most sensitive intelligence programs. They support them in private, and then head for the hills at the first sign of controversy.
As far as the interrogations are concerned, all that remains an official secret is the information we gained as a result. Some of his defenders say the unseen memos are inconclusive, which only raises the question why they won’t let the American people decide that for themselves. I saw that information as vice president, and I reviewed some of it again at the National Archives last month. I’ve formally asked that it be declassified so the American people can see the intelligence we obtained, the things we learned, and the consequences for national security. And as you may have heard, last week that request was formally rejected. It’s worth recalling that ultimate power of declassification belongs to the President himself. President Obama has used his declassification power to reveal what happened in the interrogation of terrorists. Now let him use that same power to show Americans what did not happen, thanks to the good work of our intelligence officials.
I believe this information will confirm the value of interrogations – and I am not alone. President Obama’s own Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Blair, has put it this way: “High value information came from interrogations in which those methods were used and provided a deeper understanding of the al-Qaeda organization that was attacking this country.” End quote. Admiral Blair put that conclusion in writing, only to see it mysteriously deleted in a later version released by the administration – the missing 26 words that tell an inconvenient truth. But they couldn’t change the words of George Tenet, the CIA Director under Presidents Clinton and Bush, who bluntly said: “I know that this program has saved lives. I know we’ve disrupted plots. I know this program alone is worth more than the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency put together have been able to tell us.” End of quote.
If Americans do get the chance to learn what our country was spared, it’ll do more than clarify the urgency and the rightness of enhanced interrogations in the years after 9/11. It may help us to stay focused on dangers that have not gone away. Instead of idly debating which political opponents to prosecute and punish, our attention will return to where it belongs – on the continuing threat of terrorist violence, and on stopping the men who are planning it.
For all the partisan anger that still lingers, our administration will stand up well in history – not despite our actions after 9/11, but because of them. And when I think about all that was to come during our administration and afterward – the recriminations, the second-guessing, the charges of “hubris” – my mind always goes back to that moment.
To put things in perspective, suppose that on the evening of 9/11, President Bush and I had promised that for as long as we held office – which was to be another 2,689 days – there would never be another terrorist attack inside this country. Talk about hubris – it would have seemed a rash and irresponsible thing to say. People would have doubted that we even understood the enormity of what had just happened. Everyone had a very bad feeling about all of this, and felt certain that the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and Shanksville were only the beginning of the violence.
Of course, we made no such promise. Instead, we promised an all-out effort to protect this country. We said we would marshal all elements of our nation’s power to fight this war and to win it. We said we would never forget what had happened on 9/11, even if the day came when many others did forget. We spoke of a war that would “include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success.” We followed through on all of this, and we stayed true to our word.
To the very end of our administration, we kept al-Qaeda terrorists busy with other problems. We focused on getting their secrets, instead of sharing ours with them. And on our watch, they never hit this country again. After the most lethal and devastating terrorist attack ever, seven and a half years without a repeat is not a record to be rebuked and scorned, much less criminalized. It is a record to be continued until the danger has passed.
Along the way there were some hard calls. No decision of national security was ever made lightly, and certainly never made in haste. As in all warfare, there have been costs – none higher than the sacrifices of those killed and wounded in our country’s service. And even the most decisive victories can never take away the sorrow of losing so many of our own – all those innocent victims of 9/11, and the heroic souls who died trying to save them.
For all that we’ve lost in this conflict, the United States has never lost its moral bearings. And when the moral reckoning turns to the men known as high-value terrorists, I can assure you they were neither innocent nor victims. As for those who asked them questions and got answers: they did the right thing, they made our country safer, and a lot of Americans are alive today because of them.
Like so many others who serve America, they are not the kind to insist on a thank-you. But I will always be grateful to each one of them, and proud to have served with them for a time in the same cause. They, and so many others, have given honorable service to our country through all the difficulties and all the dangers. I will always admire them and wish them well. And I am confident that this nation will never take their work, their dedication, or their achievements, for granted.
Thank you very much.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
OMG this is the best speech!!! He takes Obama down in such a awesome way. One hit after the other. I will try to get the videos later if they are posted. But if you have the time, this speech is so fantastic it is worth the read if you missed seeing it on TV.
It was so GREAT to hear from the American side !!! Unlike Obama and his Obama me me me and Muslim terrorists loving side. OMG I LOVE this speech, I wish Cheney was President!
We saw two men speak today, one is a true patriot and continues to work for our security and the good of our country, the other works for power, political advantage, personal gain and the very destruction of our country.
Cheney is slicing and dicing the Long Legged Mac Daddy.
Thank God for Cheney.
"Feigned outrage based upon a false narrative"...... calling Obama a liar!
“Triangulation is a political strategy, not a national security strategy” - Dick Cheney
“There is no time for splitting differences when the lives of American people hang in the balance.” - Cheney
“Our enemies see weakness” - nailed it.
“The missing 26 words that tell an inconvenient truth.”
"I believe this information will confirm the value of interrogations – and I am not alone. President Obama’s own Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Blair, has put it this way: “High value information came from interrogations in which those methods were used and provided a deeper understanding of the al-Qaeda organization that was attacking this country.” End quote. Admiral Blair put that conclusion in writing, only to see it mysteriously deleted in a later version released by the administration – the missing 26 words that tell an inconvenient truth. But they couldn’t change the words of George Tenet, the CIA Director under Presidents Clinton and Bush, who bluntly said: “I know that this program has saved lives. I know we’ve disrupted plots. I know this program alone is worth more than the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency put together have been able to tell us.” End of quote. "
"Our government prevented attacks and saved lives through the Terrorist Surveillance Program, which let us intercept calls and track contacts between al-Qaeda operatives and persons inside the United States. The program was top secret, and for good reason, until the editors of the New York Times got it and put it on the front page. After 9/11, the Times had spent months publishing the pictures and the stories of everyone killed by al-Qaeda on 9/11. Now here was that same newspaper publishing secrets in a way that could only help al-Qaeda. It impressed the Pulitzer committee, but it damn sure didn’t serve the interests of our country, or the safety of our people."
Dick Cheney was Secretary of Defense while Obama was still screwing around with organizing communities.
Cheney’s is the speech of a grownup, of a chief executive, of a statesman. He’s sober, realistic and concrete, stands up for his country and its public officials, and has an acute awareness of the consequences of the choices one makes as a public official and a willingness to take responsibility for those choices.
Posted by Wild Thing at 01:55 PM | Comments (12)
Obama's Speech? A snit fit on national TV!
Obama’s Speech on Detainees and National Security
The prepared remarks of President Barack Obama at the National Archives Museum on detainee policy and national security.
These are extraordinary times for our country. We are confronting an historic economic crisis. We are fighting two wars. We face a range of challenges that will define the way that Americans will live in the 21st century. There is no shortage of work to be done, or responsibilities to bear.
And we have begun to make progress. Just this week, we have taken steps to protect American consumers and homeowners, and to reform our system of government contracting so that we better protect our people while spending our money more wisely. The engines of our economy are slowly beginning to turn, and we are working toward historic reform of health care and energy. I welcome the hard work that has been done by the Congress on these and other issues.
In the midst of all these challenges, however, my single most important responsibility as President is to keep the American people safe. That is the first thing that I think about when I wake up in the morning. It is the last thing that I think about when I go to sleep at night.
This responsibility is only magnified in an era when an extremist ideology threatens our people, and technology gives a handful of terrorists the potential to do us great harm. We are less than eight years removed from the deadliest attack on American soil in our history. We know that al Qaeda is actively planning to attack us again. We know that this threat will be with us for a long time, and that we must use all elements of our power to defeat it.
Already, we have taken several steps to achieve that goal. For the first time since 2002, we are providing the necessary resources and strategic direction to take the fight to the extremists who attacked us on 9/11 in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We are investing in the 21st century military and intelligence capabilities that will allow us to stay one step ahead of a nimble enemy. We have re-energized a global non-proliferation regime to deny the world’s most dangerous people access to the world’s deadliest weapons, and launched an effort to secure all loose nuclear materials within four years. We are better protecting our border, and increasing our preparedness for any future attack or natural disaster. We are building new partnerships around the world to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates. And we have renewed American diplomacy so that we once again have the strength and standing to truly lead the world.
These steps are all critical to keeping America secure. But I believe with every fiber of my being that in the long run we also cannot keep this country safe unless we enlist the power of our most fundamental values. The documents that we hold in this very hall – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights –are not simply words written into aging parchment. They are the foundation of liberty and justice in this country, and a light that shines for all who seek freedom, fairness, equality and dignity in the world.
I stand here today as someone whose own life was made possible by these documents. My father came to our shores in search of the promise that they offered. My mother made me rise before dawn to learn of their truth when I lived as a child in a foreign land. My own American journey was paved by generations of citizens who gave meaning to those simple words – “to form a more perfect union.” I have studied the Constitution as a student; I have taught it as a teacher; I have been bound by it as a lawyer and legislator. I took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief, and as a citizen, I know that we must never – ever – turn our back on its enduring principles for expedience sake.
I make this claim not simply as a matter of idealism. We uphold our most cherished values not only because doing so is right, but because it strengthens our country and keeps us safe. Time and again, our values have been our best national security asset – in war and peace; in times of ease and in eras of upheaval.
Fidelity to our values is the reason why the United States of America grew from a small string of colonies under the writ of an empire to the strongest nation in the world.
It is the reason why enemy soldiers have surrendered to us in battle, knowing they’d receive better treatment from America’s armed forces than from their own government.
It is the reason why America has benefited from strong alliances that amplified our power, and drawn a sharp and moral contrast with our adversaries.
It is the reason why we’ve been able to overpower the iron fist of fascism, outlast the iron curtain of communism, and enlist free nations and free people everywhere in common cause and common effort.
From Europe to the Pacific, we have been a nation that has shut down torture chambers and replaced tyranny with the rule of law. That is who we are. And where terrorists offer only the injustice of disorder and destruction, America must demonstrate that our values and institutions are more resilient than a hateful ideology.
After 9/11, we knew that we had entered a new era – that enemies who did not abide by any law of war would present new challenges to our application of the law; that our government would need new tools to protect the American people, and that these tools would have to allow us to prevent attacks instead of simply prosecuting those who try to carry them out.
Unfortunately, faced with an uncertain threat, our government made a series of hasty decisions. And I believe that those decisions were motivated by a sincere desire to protect the American people. But I also believe that – too often – our government made decisions based upon fear rather than foresight, and all too often trimmed facts and evidence to fit ideological predispositions. Instead of strategically applying our power and our principles, we too often set those principles aside as luxuries that we could no longer afford. And in this season of fear, too many of us – Democrats and Republicans; politicians, journalists and citizens – fell silent.
In other words, we went off course. And this is not my assessment alone. It was an assessment that was shared by the American people, who nominated candidates for President from both major parties who, despite our many differences, called for a new approach – one that rejected torture, and recognized the imperative of closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
Now let me be clear: we are indeed at war with al Qaeda and its affiliates. We do need to update our institutions to deal with this threat. But we must do so with an abiding confidence in the rule of law and due process; in checks and balances and accountability. For reasons that I will explain, the decisions that were made over the last eight years established an ad hoc legal approach for fighting terrorism that was neither effective nor sustainable – a framework that failed to rely on our legal traditions and time-tested institutions; that failed to use our values as a compass. And that is why I took several steps upon taking office to better protect the American people.
First, I banned the use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques by the United States of America.
I know some have argued that brutal methods like water-boarding were necessary to keep us safe. I could not disagree more. As Commander-in-Chief, I see the intelligence, I bear responsibility for keeping this country safe, and I reject the assertion that these are the most effective means of interrogation. What’s more, they undermine the rule of law. They alienate us in the world. They serve as a recruitment tool for terrorists, and increase the will of our enemies to fight us, while decreasing the will of others to work with America. They risk the lives of our troops by making it less likely that others will surrender to them in battle, and more likely that Americans will be mistreated if they are captured. In short, they did not advance our war and counter-terrorism efforts – they undermined them, and that is why I ended them once and for all.
The arguments against these techniques did not originate from my Administration. As Senator McCain once said, torture “serves as a great propaganda tool for those who recruit people to fight against us.” And even under President Bush, there was recognition among members of his Administration – including a Secretary of State, other senior officials, and many in the military and intelligence community – that those who argued for these tactics were on the wrong side of the debate, and the wrong side of history. We must leave these methods where they belong – in the past. They are not who we are. They are not America.
The second decision that I made was to order the closing of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay.
For over seven years, we have detained hundreds of people at Guantanamo. During that time, the system of Military Commissions at Guantanamo succeeded in convicting a grand total of three suspected terrorists. Let me repeat that: three convictions in over seven years. Instead of bringing terrorists to justice, efforts at prosecution met setbacks, cases lingered on, and in 2006 the Supreme Court invalidated the entire system. Meanwhile, over five hundred and twenty-five detainees were released from Guantanamo under the Bush Administration. Let me repeat that: two-thirds of the detainees were released before I took office and ordered the closure of Guantanamo.
There is also no question that Guantanamo set back the moral authority that is America’s strongest currency in the world. Instead of building a durable framework for the struggle against al Qaeda that drew upon our deeply held values and traditions, our government was defending positions that undermined the rule of law. Indeed, part of the rationale for establishing Guantanamo in the first place was the misplaced notion that a prison there would be beyond the law – a proposition that the Supreme Court soundly rejected. Meanwhile, instead of serving as a tool to counter-terrorism, Guantanamo became a symbol that helped al Qaeda recruit terrorists to its cause. Indeed, the existence of Guantanamo likely created more terrorists around the world than it ever detained.
So the record is clear: rather than keep us safer, the prison at Guantanamo has weakened American national security. It is a rallying cry for our enemies. It sets back the willingness of our allies to work with us in fighting an enemy that operates in scores of countries. By any measure, the costs of keeping it open far exceed the complications involved in closing it. That is why I argued that it should be closed throughout my campaign. And that is why I ordered it closed within one year.
The third decision that I made was to order a review of all the pending cases at Guantanamo.
I knew when I ordered Guantanamo closed that it would be difficult and complex. There are 240 people there who have now spent years in legal limbo. In dealing with this situation, we do not have the luxury of starting from scratch. We are cleaning up something that is – quite simply – a mess; a misguided experiment that has left in its wake a flood of legal challenges that my Administration is forced to deal with on a constant basis, and that consumes the time of government officials whose time should be spent on better protecting our country.
Indeed, the legal challenges that have sparked so much debate in recent weeks in Washington would be taking place whether or not I decided to close Guantanamo. For example, the court order to release seventeen Uighur detainees took place last fall – when George Bush was President. The Supreme Court that invalidated the system of prosecution at Guantanamo in 2006 was overwhelmingly appointed by Republican Presidents. In other words, the problem of what to do with Guantanamo detainees was not caused by my decision to close the facility; the problem exists because of the decision to open Guantanamo in the first place.
There are no neat or easy answers here. But I can tell you that the wrong answer is to pretend like this problem will go away if we maintain an unsustainable status quo. As President, I refuse to allow this problem to fester. Our security interests won’t permit it. Our courts won’t allow it. And neither should our conscience.
Now, over the last several weeks, we have seen a return of the politicization of these issues that have characterized the last several years. I understand that these problems arouse passions and concerns. They should. We are confronting some of the most complicated questions that a democracy can face. But I have no interest in spending our time re-litigating the policies of the last eight years. I want to solve these problems, and I want to solve them together as Americans.
And we will be ill-served by some of the fear-mongering that emerges whenever we discuss this issue. Listening to the recent debate, I’ve heard words that are calculated to scare people rather than educate them; words that have more to do with politics than protecting our country. So I want to take this opportunity to lay out what we are doing, and how we intend to resolve these outstanding issues. I will explain how each action that we are taking will help build a framework that protects both the American people and the values that we hold dear. And I will focus on two broad areas: first, issues relating to Guantanamo and our detention policy; second, issues relating to security and transparency.
Let me begin by disposing of one argument as plainly as I can: we are not going to release anyone if it would endanger our national security, nor will we release detainees within the United States who endanger the American people. Where demanded by justice and national security, we will seek to transfer some detainees to the same type of facilities in which we hold all manner of dangerous and violent criminals within our borders – highly secure prisons that ensure the public safety. As we make these decisions, bear in mind the following fact: nobody has ever escaped from one of our federal “supermax” prisons, which hold hundreds of convicted terrorists. As Senator Lindsey Graham said: “The idea that we cannot find a place to securely house 250-plus detainees within the United States is not rational.”
We are currently in the process of reviewing each of the detainee cases at Guantanamo to determine the appropriate policy for dealing with them. As we do so, we are acutely aware that under the last Administration, detainees were released only to return to the battlefield. That is why we are doing away with the poorly planned, haphazard approach that let those detainees go in the past. Instead, we are treating these cases with the care and attention that the law requires and our security demands. Going forward, these cases will fall into five distinct categories.
First, when feasible, we will try those who have violated American criminal laws in federal courts – courts provided for by the United States Constitution. Some have derided our federal courts as incapable of handling the trials of terrorists. They are wrong. Our courts and juries of our citizens are tough enough to convict terrorists, and the record makes that clear. Ramzi Yousef tried to blow up the World Trade Center – he was convicted in our courts, and is serving a life sentence in U.S. prison. Zaccarias Moussaoui has been identified as the 20th 9/11 hijacker – he was convicted in our courts, and he too is serving a life sentence in prison. If we can try those terrorists in our courts and hold them in our prisons, then we can do the same with detainees from Guantanamo.
Recently, we prosecuted and received a guilty plea from a detainee – al-Marri – in federal court after years of legal confusion. We are preparing to transfer another detainee to the Southern District of New York, where he will face trial on charges related to the 1998 bombings of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania – bombings that killed over 200 people. Preventing this detainee from coming to our shores would prevent his trial and conviction. And after over a decade, it is time to finally see that justice is served, and that is what we intend to do.
The second category of cases involves detainees who violate the laws of war and are best tried through Military Commissions. Military commissions have a history in the United States dating back to George Washington and the Revolutionary War. They are an appropriate venue for trying detainees for violations of the laws of war. They allow for the protection of sensitive sources and methods of intelligence-gathering; for the safety and security of participants; and for the presentation of evidence gathered from the battlefield that cannot be effectively presented in federal Courts.
Now, some have suggested that this represents a reversal on my part. They are wrong. In 2006, I did strongly oppose legislation proposed by the Bush Administration and passed by the Congress because it failed to establish a legitimate legal framework, with the kind of meaningful due process and rights for the accused that could stand up on appeal. I did, however, support the use of military commissions to try detainees, provided there were several reforms. And those are the reforms that we are making.
Instead of using the flawed Commissions of the last seven years, my Administration is bringing our Commissions in line with the rule of law. The rule will no longer permit us to use as evidence statements that have been obtained using cruel, inhuman, or degrading interrogation methods. We will no longer place the burden to prove that hearsay is unreliable on the opponent of the hearsay. And we will give detainees greater latitude in selecting their own counsel, and more protections if they refuse to testify. These reforms – among others – will make our Military Commissions a more credible and effective means of administering justice, and I will work with Congress and legal authorities across the political spectrum on legislation to ensure that these Commissions are fair, legitimate, and effective.
The third category of detainees includes those who we have been ordered released by the courts. Let me repeat what I said earlier: this has absolutely nothing to do with my decision to close Guantanamo. It has to do with the rule of law. The courts have found that there is no legitimate reason to hold twenty-one of the people currently held at Guantanamo. Twenty of these findings took place before I came into office. The United States is a nation of laws, and we must abide by these rulings.
The fourth category of cases involves detainees who we have determined can be transferred safely to another country. So far, our review team has approved fifty detainees for transfer. And my Administration is in ongoing discussions with a number of other countries about the transfer of detainees to their soil for detention and rehabilitation.
Finally, there remains the question of detainees at Guantanamo who cannot be prosecuted yet who pose a clear danger to the American people.
I want to be honest: this is the toughest issue we will face. We are going to exhaust every avenue that we have to prosecute those at Guantanamo who pose a danger to our country. But even when this process is complete, there may be a number of people who cannot be prosecuted for past crimes, but who nonetheless pose a threat to the security of the United States. Examples of that threat include people who have received extensive explosives training at al Qaeda training camps, commanded Taliban troops in battle, expressed their allegiance to Osama bin Laden, or otherwise made it clear that they want to kill Americans. These are people who, in effect, remain at war with the United States.
As I said, I am not going to release individuals who endanger the American people. Al Qaeda terrorists and their affiliates are at war with the United States, and those that we capture – like other prisoners of war – must be prevented from attacking us again. However, we must recognize that these detention policies cannot be unbounded. That is why my Administration has begun to reshape these standards to ensure they are in line with the rule of law. We must have clear, defensible and lawful standards for those who fall in this category. We must have fair procedures so that we don’t make mistakes. We must have a thorough process of periodic review, so that any prolonged detention is carefully evaluated and justified.
I know that creating such a system poses unique challenges. Other countries have grappled with this question, and so must we. But I want to be very clear that our goal is to construct a legitimate legal framework for Guantanamo detainees – not to avoid one. In our constitutional system, prolonged detention should not be the decision of any one man. If and when we determine that the United States must hold individuals to keep them from carrying out an act of war, we will do so within a system that involves judicial and congressional oversight. And so going forward, my Administration will work with Congress to develop an appropriate legal regime so that our efforts are consistent with our values and our Constitution.
As our efforts to close Guantanamo move forward, I know that the politics in Congress will be difficult. These issues are fodder for 30-second commercials and direct mail pieces that are designed to frighten. I get it. But if we continue to make decisions from within a climate of fear, we will make more mistakes. And if we refuse to deal with these issues today, then I guarantee you that they will be an albatross around our efforts to combat terrorism in the future. I have confidence that the American people are more interested in doing what is right to protect this country than in political posturing. I am not the only person in this city who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution – so did each and every member of Congress. Together we have a responsibility to enlist our values in the effort to secure our people, and to leave behind the legacy that makes it easier for future Presidents to keep this country safe.
The second set of issues that I want to discuss relates to security and transparency.
National security requires a delicate balance. Our democracy depends upon transparency, but some information must be protected from public disclosure for the sake of our security – for instance, the movements of our troops; our intelligence-gathering; or the information we have about a terrorist organization and its affiliates. In these and other cases, lives are at stake.
Several weeks ago, as part of an ongoing court case, I released memos issued by the previous Administration’s Office of Legal Counsel. I did not do this because I disagreed with the enhanced interrogation techniques that those memos authorized, or because I reject their legal rationale – although I do on both counts. I released the memos because the existence of that approach to interrogation was already widely known, the Bush Administration had acknowledged its existence, and I had already banned those methods. The argument that somehow by releasing those memos, we are providing terrorists with information about how they will be interrogated is unfounded – we will not be interrogating terrorists using that approach, because that approach is now prohibited.
In short, I released these memos because there was no overriding reason to protect them. And the ensuing debate has helped the American people better understand how these interrogation methods came to be authorized and used.
On the other hand, I recently opposed the release of certain photographs that were taken of detainees by U.S. personnel between 2002 and 2004. Individuals who violated standards of behavior in these photos have been investigated and held accountable. There is no debate as to whether what is reflected in those photos is wrong, and nothing has been concealed to absolve perpetrators of crimes. However, it was my judgment – informed by my national security team – that releasing these photos would inflame anti-American opinion, and allow our enemies to paint U.S. troops with a broad, damning and inaccurate brush, endangering them in theaters of war.
In short, there is a clear and compelling reason to not release these particular photos. There are nearly 200,000 Americans who are serving in harm’s way, and I have a solemn responsibility for their safety as Commander-in-Chief. Nothing would be gained by the release of these photos that matters more than the lives of our young men and women serving in harm’s way.
In each of these cases, I had to strike the right balance between transparency and national security. This balance brings with it a precious responsibility. And there is no doubt that the American people have seen this balance tested. In the images from Abu Ghraib and the brutal interrogation techniques made public long before I was President, the American people learned of actions taken in their name that bear no resemblance to the ideals that generations of Americans have fought for. And whether it was the run-up to the Iraq War or the revelation of secret programs, Americans often felt like part of the story had been unnecessarily withheld from them. That causes suspicion to build up. That leads to a thirst for accountability.
I ran for President promising transparency, and I meant what I said. That is why, whenever possible, we will make information available to the American people so that they can make informed judgments and hold us accountable. But I have never argued – and never will – that our most sensitive national security matters should be an open book. I will never abandon – and I will vigorously defend – the necessity of classification to defend our troops at war; to protect sources and methods; and to safeguard confidential actions that keep the American people safe. And so, whenever we cannot release certain information to the public for valid national security reasons, I will insist that there is oversight of my actions – by Congress or by the courts.
We are launching a review of current policies by all of those agencies responsible for the classification of documents to determine where reforms are possible, and to assure that the other branches of government will be in a position to review executive branch decisions on these matters. Because in our system of checks and balances, someone must always watch over the watchers – especially when it comes to sensitive information.
Along those same lines, my Administration is also confronting challenges to what is known as the “State Secrets” privilege. This is a doctrine that allows the government to challenge legal cases involving secret programs. It has been used by many past Presidents – Republican and Democrat – for many decades. And while this principle is absolutely necessary to protect national security, I am concerned that it has been over-used. We must not protect information merely because it reveals the violation of a law or embarrasses the government. That is why my Administration is nearing completion of a thorough review of this practice.
We plan to embrace several principles for reform. We will apply a stricter legal test to material that can be protected under the State Secrets privilege. We will not assert the privilege in court without first following a formal process, including review by a Justice Department committee and the personal approval of the Attorney General. Finally, each year we will voluntarily report to Congress when we have invoked the privilege and why, because there must be proper oversight of our actions.
On all of these matter related to the disclosure of sensitive information, I wish I could say that there is a simple formula. But there is not. These are tough calls involving competing concerns, and they require a surgical approach. But the common thread that runs through all of my decisions is simple: we will safeguard what we must to protect the American people, but we will also ensure the accountability and oversight that is the hallmark of our constitutional system. I will never hide the truth because it is uncomfortable. I will deal with Congress and the courts as co-equal branches of government. I will tell the American people what I know and don’t know, and when I release something publicly or keep something secret, I will tell you why.
In all of the areas that I have discussed today, the policies that I have proposed represent a new direction from the last eight years. To protect the American people and our values, we have banned enhanced interrogation techniques. We are closing the prison at Guantanamo. We are reforming Military Commissions, and we will pursue a new legal regime to detain terrorists. We are declassifying more information and embracing more oversight of our actions, and narrowing our use of the State Secrets privilege. These are dramatic changes that will put our approach to national security on a surer, safer and more sustainable footing, and their implementation will take time.
There is a core principle that we will apply to all of our actions: even as we clean up the mess at Guantanamo, we will constantly re-evaluate our approach, subject our decisions to review from the other branches of government, and seek the strongest and most sustainable legal framework for addressing these issues in the long-term. By doing that, we can leave behind a legacy that outlasts my Administration, and that endures for the next President and the President after that; a legacy that protects the American people, and enjoys broad legitimacy at home and abroad.
That is what I mean when I say that we need to focus on the future. I recognize that many still have a strong desire to focus on the past. When it comes to the actions of the last eight years, some Americans are angry; others want to re-fight debates that have been settled, most clearly at the ballot box in November. And I know that these debates lead directly to a call for a fuller accounting, perhaps through an Independent Commission.
I have opposed the creation of such a Commission because I believe that our existing democratic institutions are strong enough to deliver accountability. The Congress can review abuses of our values, and there are ongoing inquiries by the Congress into matters like enhanced interrogation techniques. The Department of Justice and our courts can work through and punish any violations of our laws.
I understand that it is no secret that there is a tendency in Washington to spend our time pointing fingers at one another. And our media culture feeds the impulses that lead to a good fight. Nothing will contribute more to that than an extended re-litigation of the last eight years. Already, we have seen how that kind of effort only leads those in Washington to different sides laying blame, and can distract us from focusing our time, our effort, and our politics on the challenges of the future.
We see that, above all, in how the recent debate has been obscured by two opposite and absolutist ends. On one side of the spectrum, there are those who make little allowance for the unique challenges posed by terrorism, and who would almost never put national security over transparency. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who embrace a view that can be summarized in two words: “anything goes.” Their arguments suggest that the ends of fighting terrorism can be used to justify any means, and that the President should have blanket authority to do whatever he wants – provided that it is a President with whom they agree.
Both sides may be sincere in their views, but neither side is right. The American people are not absolutist, and they don’t elect us to impose a rigid ideology on our problems. They know that we need not sacrifice our security for our values, nor sacrifice our values for our security, so long as we approach difficult questions with honesty, and care, and a dose of common sense. That, after all, is the unique genius of America. That is the challenge laid down by our Constitution. That has been the source of our strength through the ages. That is what makes the United States of America different as a nation.
I can stand here today, as President of the United States, and say without exception or equivocation that we do not torture, and that we will vigorously protect our people while forging a strong and durable framework that allows us to fight terrorism while abiding by the rule of law. Make no mistake: if we fail to turn the page on the approach that was taken over the past several years, then I will not be able to say that as President. And if we cannot stand for those core values, then we are not keeping faith with the documents that are enshrined in this hall.
The Framers who drafted the Constitution could not have foreseen the challenges that have unfolded over the last two hundred and twenty two years. But our Constitution has endured through secession and civil rights – through World War and Cold War – because it provides a foundation of principles that can be applied pragmatically; it provides a compass that can help us find our way. It hasn’t always been easy. We are an imperfect people. Every now and then, there are those who think that America’s safety and success requires us to walk away from the sacred principles enshrined in this building. We hear such voices today. But the American people have resisted that temptation. And though we have made our share of mistakes and course corrections, we have held fast to the principles that have been the source of our strength, and a beacon to the world.
Now, this generation faces a great test in the specter of terrorism. Unlike the Civil War or World War II, we cannot count on a surrender ceremony to bring this journey to an end. Right now, in distant training camps and in crowded cities, there are people plotting to take American lives. That will be the case a year from now, five years from now, and – in all probability – ten years from now. Neither I nor anyone else can standing here today can say that there will not be another terrorist attack that takes American lives. But I can say with certainty that my Administration – along with our extraordinary troops and the patriotic men and women who defend our national security – will do everything in our power to keep the American people safe. And I do know with certainty that we can defeat al Qaeda. Because the terrorists can only succeed if they swell their ranks and alienate America from our allies, and they will never be able to do that if we stay true to who we are; if we forge tough and durable approaches to fighting terrorism that are anchored in our timeless ideals.
This must be our common purpose. I ran for President because I believe that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together. We will not be safe if we see national security as a wedge that divides America – it can and must be a cause that unites us as one people, as one nation. We have done so before in times that were more perilous than ours. We will do so once again. Thank you, God Bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Obama shows weakness that is unparalleled in a president.
What a thin skinned spoiled brat!
Good lord, back to "I want to be perfectly clear" for the upteenth time. I swear this is something he says constantly!!!!!!!!!!
Whine, whine, whine. Every screw up Oboma has ever made is always Bush's fault. It's really getting old.
I'll bet up until the very day he was affermatived into the presidency, he blamed his mother for everything, too.
Obama is such a whiner!
If you summarize everything he’s saying, it’s all about how smart and wonderful he is, and how lucky we are he’s in charge now. This guy defines a new category of narcissism. Good God, how embarrassing. This is the most defensive speech I have ever seen given by a president.
He hasn’t stopped campaigning. I would love to see some bumbling intern walk by and “accidentally” trip over the teleprompter’s power cord and unplug it. To hear Obama say that we must “adhere to the rule of law” is particularly grating, offensive, and disingenuous, considering how he has demonstrated a complete disregard for sections of the Constitution when he finds it convenient to do so.
Obama accused the right of using scare tactics. You suck Obama!
Posted by Wild Thing at 01:50 PM | Comments (5)
4 Arrested in New York Terror Plot
4 Arrested in New York Terror Plot
Federal authorities arrested four men on Wednesday night on charges of plotting to bomb two synagogues in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and to use antiaircraft missiles to shoot down military planes at a military base in Newburgh, N.Y., 60 miles north of New York City.
ARRESTED:
JAMES CROMITIE, a/k/a "Abdul Rahman," a/k/a "Abdul Rehman,"
DAVID WILLIAMS, a/k/a "Daoud," a/k/a "DL,"
ONTA WILLIAMS, a/k/a "Hamza,"
LAGUERRE PAYEN, a/k/a "Amin," a/k/a "Almondo,"
The charges, which include conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction in the United States and conspiracy to acquire and use antiaircraft missiles, represent some of the most significant allegations of domestic terrorism in some time. They come months into a new presidential administration, and as President Obama grapples with the question of how to handle detainees at the Guantánamo naval base in Cuba.
Mr. Cromitie, who is described as the lead defendant, is said to have told an F.B.I. informer that he had ties with Jaish-e-Muhammad, a jihadist group based in Pakistan. None of the defendants actually obtained weapons of mass destruction, according to the authorities. The men were, however, given an antiaircraft missile system that was incapable of being fired, as well as homemade bombs containing inert plastic explosives, as part of the undercover investigation, the authorities said.
For complete story please go HERE
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They planted what they thought were explosives in a parked car outside the house of worship.
One acted as a lookout, while the other three allegedly drove up the block to the Riverdale Jewish Center and planted two more bags of "explosives" in cars.
Unbeknownst to them, their explosives were duds -- supplied by authorities who had been monitoring their plan for more than a year.
Cops swooped in and arrested them right after they allegedly planted the last of the phony bombs.
One of the suspects, James Cromitie, a k a Abdul Rahman, bragged that blowing up the synagogues would be a "piece of cake," the feds said.
"I hate those motherf - - -ers, those f - - -ing Jewish bastards . . . I would like to get a synagogue," Cromitie told an informant, according to a criminal complaint.
The alleged terrorists' hatred also included the US military.
After bombing the temples, the men planned to split up and head to the New York Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport in their hometown and shoot down a plane with a weapon they believed was a Stinger surface-to-air guided missile, sources said.
"They [the United States military] are killing Muslim brothers and sisters in Muslim countries, so if we kill them here [in the United States] with IEDs [improvised explosive devices] and Stingers, it is equal," one of the busted men, Onta Williams, allegedly told the informant.
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FBI arrest four in alleged plot to bomb Bronx synagogues, shoot down plane”
Updated
SNIPPET: “All four men were US-born.
Arrested was alleged ringleader James Cromitie of Newburgh, the son of an Afghan immigrant and his wife.
Cromitie served a long stretch in prison in the past.
Alleged henchment David Williams, Onta Williams and Leguerre Payen were busted with him.
Sources said the three were jailhouse converts to Islam.”
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Wild Thing's comment........
Four Obama voters doing what comes natural to them Hopefully they are being sent to Gitmo to join their relatives, now that it will be open for business awhile longer.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (9)
I Guess They Would Be Called .... AFRONAUTS
ENTEBBE, Uganda
(AFP)
Africans must travel to the moon to investigate what developed nations have been doing in outer space, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said Saturday.
"The Americans have gone to the moon. And the Russians. The Chinese and Indians will go there soon. Africans are the only ones who are stuck here," Museveni said, addressing a meeting of the Uganda Law Society in Entebbe.
"We must also go there and say: 'What are you people doing up here?'."
Museveni urged the assembly of Uganda's top lawyers to support East African integration, arguing that one of the region's goals should be to develop a space programme.
"Uganda alone cannot go to the moon. We are too small. But East Africa united can. That is what East African integration is all about," he said. "Then we can say to the Americans: 'What are you doing here all alone?'."
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Wild Thing's comment............
"....he said. "Then we can say to the Americans: 'What are you doing here all alone?'
ROTFLMAO
“The Americans have gone to the moon. And the Russians. The Chinese and Indians will go there soon."
Is this guy a nephew of 57 States Obama? Perhaps Joe Biden illegitimate son Of the 4 Nations he listed only, America has landed on the moon.
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......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (14)
Democrats Seek Money for Minority-owned Broadcasters
Democrats seek financial rescue of minority-owned broadcasters
High-ranking House Democrats are urging the Treasury Department to prop up minority-owned broadcasters suffering from a lack of capital and lost advertising revenue amid the economic slump.
House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) is leading an effort to convince Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to take “decisive action” by extending credit to this sector of the broadcasting industry.
Clyburn and other senior members, including House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), argue that minority-owned broadcasters are sound businesses, but that the recession could undermine the government’s efforts to diversify the airwaves.
A number of members from the Congressional Black Caucus signed the letter, too.
“While many jobs are at stake, a more important principle — the government’s fundamental interest in promoting a diversity of voices, including service to underserved communities — is severely threatened,” the members write in a draft of a letter that was scheduled to be sent Tuesday.
The letter comes as some of the biggest recipients of government bailout money, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, jockey to repay government bailout money. As banks seek a way out from the government’s restrictions, other industries struggle and seek government support. Some firms seeking to repay the government argue that the government’s restrictions have burdened their businesses.
The congressmen suggest the Treasury Department could provide access to capital to minority-owned broadcasters, which they say represent less than 7 percent of full-power radio stations and a “negligible” ownership of television stations.
“They are looking for continued access to capital to continue their otherwise fundamentally sound operations,” the members write.
The letter suggests Treasury could set up a credit facility specific to the industry, similar to the government’s efforts to support auto suppliers, or possibly set up a program for bridge financing and government-backed loans until the economy improves.
“In addition to the credit crisis, also weighing heavily on minority broadcasters is a significant decline in advertising revenues, particularly the loss of automobile advertising,” the congressmen write.
The members are asking for a meeting with the Treasury Department and minority-owned broadcast entities and representatives from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters.
Other members signing the letter are Democratic Reps. Bobby Rush (Ill.), Edolphus Towns (N.Y.), Maurice Hinchey (N.Y.), Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.), Maxine Waters (Calif.), Gregory Meeks (N.Y.), G.K. Butterfield (N.C.), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Lynn Woolsey (Calif.) and Bennie Thompson (Miss.)
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Wild Thing's comment.........
I think this is Racist!
“They are looking for continued access to capital to continue their otherwise fundamentally sound operations,” the members write.
Scratching my head, I don't get it. If they are " otherwise fundamentally sound operations", then why are they looking for a handout. Wouldn't they have their own capitol? They own backing from advertisers etc. This just does not make sense to me.
From Rush on this, he gave a great take on this:
When Tim Geithner and Barack Obama buy companies, they run them. What's happening here, this is about statists owning media. This is the first step toward Obama and the government owning minority radio stations. Crisis is an opportunity, after all, remember? "High-ranking House Democrats are urging the Treasury department to prop up --" I mean they propped up GM, they own it, right? They propped up the banks, they own it, the mortgages, they own it, right? Propped up minority-owned broadcasters suffering from lack of capital and lost advertising revenue.
Now, later in the story, here's the irony: "In addition to the credit crisis, also weighing heavily on minority broadcasters is a significant decline in advertising revenues, particularly the loss of automobile advertising." Ha! Make me laugh! It is Obama who has slashed the advertising budgets of the auto companies! Obama, the first black president, has cut the Chrysler ad budget in half; he's going to do the same thing to General Motors. That hurts the media, and particularly the minority-owned media, according to this story.
So Obama will get an opportunity to buy into the broadcasting business. This is shades of Hugo Chavez. But the unintended consequences of these people taking over the automobile companies -- they haven't stopped to think. Shutting down all of these dealerships? Did they know how important to communities dealerships are, these owners, what they do, they donate to charity, they prop up the local symphony, they do a lot of things, and they're being shut down.
The lack of revenue in local communities that will result from these dealerships being shut down is going to be devastating. It's going to mean more people out of work, not just at the dealership. It's going to mean less charitable operating revenue in these communities
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (8)
The Sad CAFE
The Obama administration’s proposed mileage standards that will be announced today may kill more Americans at a faster rate than the Iraq War, his signature issue in the 2008 presidential campaign.
Obama’s standards will require automakers to meet a 35 miles-per-gallon standard by 2016, four years earlier than the same standard imposed by the Energy Security and Independence Act of 2007.
The only way for carmakers to meet these standard is to make smaller, lighter -- and deadlier cars.
The National Academy of Sciences has linked mileage standards with about 2,000 deaths per year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every 100-pound reduction in the weight of small cars increases annual traffic fatalities by as much as 715.
In contrast in the more than six years since the Iraq war began, there have been 4,296 deaths among American military personnel.
And what will be gained by the new mileage standards?
The Natural Resources Defense Council said that the 35 MPG standard would save about one million gallons of gas per day. So how does that savings balance against the 2,000 fatalities per year that the National Academy of Sciences says are caused by those same lighter cars?
For the sake of being utilitarian, let’s generously assume that the mileage standards reduced the price of gasoline by $1. That would translate to a daily savings of $1 million. Is that savings worth killing more than five people per day, plus other non-fatal injuries and property damage?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- for the purposes of risk assessment -- values a single human life at $6.9 million dollars. So the new mileage standards would cost about $35 million per day in human lives (not including non-fatal injuries) to save $1 million in gas.
There’s also another lesson hidden in the proposed standards, one that applies to businesses trying to game global warming legislation.
Carmakers lobbied hard against overly stringent mileage standards in the 2007 energy bill, finally negotiating with Congress a compromise standard they thought they at least had a chance to meet. President Obama has now pulled the rug out from under the carmakers and their 2007 deal with Congress.
This ought to serve as a lesson for businesses that are trying to negotiate a climate deal they think they can survive. Rest assured that as soon as business groups agree to a climate deal, the Greens and the Obama administration will go to work the next day figuring out ways to bulldoze the deal in order to make greenhouse gas limitations more stringent and more expensive.
Businesses often operate under the misimpression that they can cut lasting, win-win compromise deals with environmental groups. But such dealing is an impossibility since the Green Left is ideologically driven and will not be happy until capitalism is stamped out. The Greens are not interested in compromise. Like blood in the water to sharks, compromise by businesses signals weakness and vulnerability, and, therefore, opportunity for the Green movement to impose an agenda that is costly in treasure, and costlier in human lives and suffering.
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Worse or Worser: Automakers consider new mpg standard to prevent Senate bill
In the Wild West, the order would have been "Cut them off at the pass!" For carmakers today battling with wildly fluctuating forecasts for mpg, CO2, and CAFE standards, the mission is to cut them off at the Capital. Taking matters upon themselves, some manufacturers are considering a proposal that would require 36 mpg for cars and 30 mpg for light trucks.
That proposal is being offered in an attempt to derail the fuel economy measure being taken up by the Senate in a couple of weeks. That's the one that calls for a CAFE standard of 35 mpg fleetwide by 2020 and a 4% increase every year for ten years, to which the automakers have unanimously replied, 'never gonna happen.'
Environmentalists are trying to make that bill even stronger, seeing that is has a provision allowing the government to reduce the standard if it is found to be too technologically or financially difficult for automakers to achieve.
Senator Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who's a friend of the industry, is proposing an alternative that mandates 36 mpg for cars by 2022, and a 30 mpg for trucks by 2025.
Let's see -- that would give a 33 mpg average for cars and trucks in a maker's fleet by 2025, which is 2 mpg and 5 years shy of the CAFE standard requested in the bill the carmakers don't like. Is it us, or is this really just about timing?
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Obama just took over the job of Congress by passing his own laws, what are we paying those clowns on the Hill for.
The Obama & Congress have nationalized the Auto Industry and is forcing it to build 'Mickey Mouse Cars' that no one wants to buy.
The Obama & Congress have refused to lets us drill for oil, natural gas, use of coal that would free us from foreign imports.
The Obama & Congress are willing to Sacrafice/Kill 2,000 people a day in "MIckey Mouse Cars" at a cost of 35 million dollars to save 1 million dollars worth of gas made from foreign oil.
All of this regardless of the fact that we could produce cheaper gas from our own oil and save 2,000 lives a year or more with cars people want.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (6)
ACORN Logo on Fake 'Obama Dollar Bill'
Seen at Union Square (NYC).
On the 'Obama 44 dollar bill', instead of the United States Treasury Seal, they put the ACORN logo.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Good grief, I know this is fake money, but ACORN on the money???? Sheesh! God help us from Obama and the ACORN people.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (2)
Limbaugh Shows How Absurd LIBERAL Colin Powell Has Become
Rush Limbaugh resigned as the head of the GOP today and appointed Colin Powell as the new head of the Republican party. Rush's action demonstrated the absurdity of claiming he was the head of the Republican party to begin with.
Powell to Rush, Cheney: Room for me among 'emerging' Republican Party
Colin Powell issued a sharp rebuke Tuesday night to Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney for trying to exclude him from the backbiting Republican Party.
Before some 1,500 business leaders in Boston, as well as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and wife Gisele Bundchen, the retired general and former secretary of state spoke openly of the dispute roiling the Grand Old Party after election setbacks and polls putting its popularity at roughly one of five Americans.
"Rush Limbaugh says, 'Get out of the Republican Party.' Dick Cheney says, 'He's already out.' I may be out of their version of the Republican Party, but there's another version of the Republican Party waiting to emerge once again," Powell told the crowd.
Limbaugh hit back at Powell on his radio show yesterday .
Transcript from Rush Limbaugh Show:
"The version of the party that he's waiting to emerge is not the Reagan wing of the party. Does Powell have the pulse of the Republican Party, folks? He's for more spending. He's for higher taxes. He's against raising the social issues. He's for affirmative action. He's for amnesty for illegals. He endorsed Obama.
"And now there's an agenda -- an emerging agenda -- that he's waiting for for the Republican Party? The only thing emerging here is Colin Powell's ego. Colin Powell represents the stale, the old, the worn-out GOP that never won anything. The party of Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, Bill Scranton, Arnold Schwarzenegger and those types of people. Has anybody heard Colin Powell say a single word against Obama's radicalism -- or Pelosi or Reid, for that matter? Maybe he has but his fawning media sure hasn't reported if he has said it."
Last November's election, Powell delivered his prized endorsement to President Obama, giving him a major last-month boost.
Powell, who was talked about as a presidential candidate himself over the year, called Obama "a transformational figure" who "brings a fresh set of eyes, a fresh set of ideas" at a time the nation urgently needs them. "He has met the standard of being president," he said.
The most recent tiff started earlier this month when Powell told a group of corporate executives that “the Republican Party is in deep trouble” and blamed Limbaugh, saying he “diminishes the party” and corrupts our public life with “a kind of nastiness that we would be better to do without.”
Limbaugh Responds to RINO/Liberal Powell
“I don’t care what Colin Powell says,” Limbaugh responded soon after. “This kind of stuff is said about me three times a day … and Colin Powell is just another liberal.”
“What Colin Powell needs to do is close the loop and become a Democrat,” Limbaugh said.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
LOL I love how Rush kills them with sarcasm I am not too good at that, and am always amazed when someone like Rush can fire a shot to the enemy and have me laughing at the same time.
It would be fine with me if Powell, McCain and the trash mouth Meghan McCain decided to join the Democrat party. I would not miss any of them. I have had it with the attacks on Conservatives.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (4)
A Special Monday Morning at Central Station Antwerp (Belgium)
This video was made in the Antwerp, Belgium Central Station (train).
On a Monday morning, with no warning to the passengers passing through the station, a recording of Julie Andrews comes on the public address system singing “Do, Re, Mi.” As the bemused passengers watch in amazement, some 200 dancers begin to appear from the crowd and station entrances.
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Wild Thing's comment......
This is wonderful and I love how the joy of the music and dancing touched people and we can also see people that were not part of the professioinal dancers group joined in on their own.
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.....Thank you John G. for this wonderful video.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:42 AM | Comments (2)
Obama May Grab for Guns
Obama May Grab for Guns
by Jillian Bandes
Obama voiced his support for an anti-gun treaty with such wide ranging implications that it could ban everything from assembling guns in kits to repackaging spent shells.
The treaty was signed by former President Clinton, but never approved by Congress. It has gained approval in 29 other countries. Obama put his weight behind it during his whirlwind tour abroad late last month.
Yesterday’s passage of legislation that revoked the longstanding ban on guns in national parks proved that this treaty would probably fall by the wayside once more, said Larry Provost, President of Gun Owners of America. But the fact that Obama voiced his support for it speaks volumes about the President’s view of the Second Amendment, after his famous claim to not “take away guns” from law-abiding Americans.
The treaty would “pretty clearly would require, without a whole lot of extrapolation, a regulation of all firearms in the United States,” said Provost.
Called the “Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials,” the legislation’s bans are multitudinous:
The manufacture or assembly of firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials: a. from components or parts illicitly trafficked; or b. without a license from a competent governmental authority of the State Party where the manufacture or assembly takes place: or c. without marking the firearms that require marking at the time of manufacture.
These sweeping regulations could affect everything from BB guns to toy guns, and could even prevent the individual re-loading of guns by the owners themselves. It could potentially require matching insignia on bullets and shells, meaning that re-use of cases would be illegal – a practice that is more common during a recession.
The regulations could also affect gun clubs, by banning “association or conspiracy” with illegal gun activities. So if an NRA member commits an offense, clubs or advocacy groups could be liable.
The treaty could even call for action against the dealer who sold an offender a weapon. If Mexico calls for the extradition of a gun dealers, the U.S. would be obligated to resolve it by “other means of peaceful settlement” that are yet undefined.
In addition to a Presidential signature, sixty-eight out of 100 Senate members are needed in order for an international treaty to be approved in the United States. But the move to overturn the National Parks gun ban gained 67 signatures, meaning passing further gun restrictions is unlikely, said Provost.
“You have [Senators] who you’re just really surprised are voting pro-gun,” he said.
Another post I did on this:
Wild Thing's comment.............
I really believe Obama seeks destruction of the Second Amendment. But what about this below:
Article I, Section 10, paragraph 1 declares: “No State shall enter into any Treaty...”
All civil magistrates are bound by oath to abide by the U.S. Constitution, and nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is any authority given for these United States to be subject to and bound by any earthly piece of paper that abrogates or is alien to the Constitution of the United States. As a matter of fact, Article VI, paragraph 2, the latter half of which is quoted at the outset above, in its first half, says only three (3) pronouncements are “the supreme Law of the Land”:
1) “THIS [the U.S.] Constitution,”
(2) “the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof” (i.e., as permitted by, in conformity with, and to implement this Constitution), and
(3) “all treaties made....under the Authority of the United States” (”under” designates that treaties are not over, not above, and not even equal to the authority of the United States granted to it by the States via the U.S. Constitution - but remain under, inferior to its jurisdiction).
A treaty may not do or exceed what the Congress is charged to do or what it is forbidden to do. Constitutional authority supersedes, overrules, and precludes any contrary treaty authority.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (8)
May 20, 2009
American Capitalism Gone With a Whimper
American Capitalism Gone With a Whimper
Stanislav Mishin
The article has been reprinted with the kind permission from the author and originally appears on his blog, Mat Rodina
It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.
True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.
Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.
First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blind the foolish.
Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.
The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.
These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?
These men, of course, are not an elected panel but made up of appointees picked from the very financial oligarchs and their henchmen who are now gorging themselves on trillions of American dollars, in one bailout after another. They are also usurping the rights, duties and powers of the American congress (parliament). Again, congress has put up little more then a whimper to their masters.
Then came Barack Obama's command that GM's (General Motor) president step down from leadership of his company. That is correct, dear reader, in the land of "pure" free markets, the American president now has the power, the self given power, to fire CEOs and we can assume other employees of private companies, at will. Come hither, go dither, the centurion commands his minions.
So it should be no surprise, that the American president has followed this up with a "bold" move of declaring that he and another group of unelected, chosen stooges will now redesign the entire automotive industry and will even be the guarantee of automobile policies. I am sure that if given the chance, they would happily try and redesign it for the whole of the world, too. Prime Minister Putin, less then two months ago, warned Obama and UK's Blair, not to follow the path to Marxism, it only leads to disaster. Apparently, even though we suffered 70 years of this Western sponsored horror show, we know nothing, as foolish, drunken Russians, so let our "wise" Anglo-Saxon fools find out the folly of their own pride.
Again, the American public has taken this with barely a whimper...but a "freeman" whimper.
So, should it be any surprise to discover that the Democratically controlled Congress of America is working on passing a new regulation that would give the American Treasury department the power to set "fair" maximum salaries, evaluate performance and control how private companies give out pay raises and bonuses? Senator Barney Franks, a social pervert basking in his homosexuality (of course, amongst the modern, enlightened American societal norm, as well as that of the general West, homosexuality is not only not a looked down upon life choice, but is often praised as a virtue) and his Marxist enlightenment, has led this effort. He stresses that this only affects companies that receive government monies, but it is retroactive and taken to a logical extreme, this would include any company or industry that has ever received a tax break or incentive.
The Russian owners of American companies and industries should look thoughtfully at this and the option of closing their facilities down and fleeing the land of the Red as fast as possible. In other words, divest while there is still value left.
The proud American will go down into his slavery with out a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world, how free he really is. The world will only snicker.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
We have a president too far left for Pravda; but the MSM assures us that anyone who opposes him is an ‘extremist’.
This is an interesting article and he says a lot of things that are very acurate as to what has been happening.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:55 AM | Comments (14)
Say What???? US Training Palestinian Armed Forces
US Admits Training Palestinian Armed Forces While PA Negotiates With Hamas
The Bulletin ( Philadelphia Newspaper )
Jerusalem
The American military now openly admits providing military training to Palestinian military forces.
A U.S. military official, Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, assigned by the United States to be a “security coordinator,” has been appointed to train 1,500 Palestinian military personnel. They will be available for “immediate deployment” in the area between Jenin and Nablus, less than an hour from Israel’s populated coastal plain.
He discussed his mission at the Washington Institute for Near East Studies last week.
Lt. Gen. Dayton said: “We also have something in our pocket called the West Bank Training Initiative where we have plans to continue a series of courses in the West Bank on logistics, leadership, first aid, maintenance, English language, battalion staff training and driver education. These are led by our British and Turkish officers with an eye to eventually turning this over to the Palestinians themselves.”
The premise behind American military aid to the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) military forces is the hope the American-trained Palestinian personnel will fight Hamas.
However, the training of Palestinian military units by U.S. advisers is taking place at the same time the PA is negotiating to join forces with the Hamas terrorist organization, which rules Gaza.
All indications show the PA is making every effort to co-opt and include Hamas in its military forces for joint operations against Israel.
Were that to happen, American military advisers and their Palestinian trainees would be placed into direct confrontation with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and with the Israeli population.
Despite assurances to the contrary, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the parent organization of the PA, remains in a state of war with Israel.
To reassure the Washington Institute, Lt. Gen. Dayton downplayed the dangers of the training that the Americans are providing the Palestinians, by saying that “Our equipping is all nonlethal ...”
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Last Thursday, in what was billed as his very first on-the-record address, Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, spoke to the 2009 Soref Symposium organized by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. WINEP, of course, is the chief thinktank for the Washington-based Israel lobby.
Most of the work he's done, Dayton said, occurred in the West Bank after the June, 2007, Hamas takeover in Gaza. "What we have created are 'new men,'" he added.
Now for the warning. Recognizing that by organizing and training thousands of Palestinian troops, professionally led, he is creating in effect a nationalist army, Dayton warned the 500 or so WINEP listeners that the troops can only be strung along for just so long. "With big expectations, come big risks," said Dayton. "There is perhaps a two-year shelf life on being told that you're creating a state, when you're not." To my ears, at least, his subtle warning is that if concrete progress isn't made toward a Palestinian state, the very troops Dayton is assembling could rebel.
Wild Thing's comment........
It sure looks like our policy is to eliminate Israel. And under Obama it is 1000% stronger to get rid of Israel.
Bush made a decision which was wrong of course, in thinking that the Palestinian Authority would be going up against the Hamas and so he did this to help them. But.....BUT. NO NO NO both Hamas and the PLO are terrorists and they ALL are against Israel.
I just don't get it at all.
Sounds like Valentine’s Day for the arms dealers. They get to sell to both sides of the escalation.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:50 AM | Comments (14)
Obama's Plan for Enviro Cars As Cap and Trade Legislation Through
Obama touts plan for cleaner, more efficient cars
Washington
Barack Obama's new fuel and emission standards for cars and trucks will save billions of barrels of oil but are expected to cost consumers an extra $1,300 per vehicle by the time the plan is complete in 2016.
Obama on Tuesday planned to announce the first-ever national emissions limits for vehicles, as well as require an overall or industry average fuel efficiency standard at 35.5 miles per gallon...
Administration officials said consumers were going to pay an extra $700, anyway, for mileage standards that had already been approved. The Obama plan adds another $600 to the price of a vehicle, a senior administration official said, bringing the total cost to $1,300 by 2016.
Democrats are also moving their cap and trade legislation through committee this week. The cap and trade plan will cost Americans $700 to $1,400 dollars per family per year.
Barack Obama admitted in an interview with The San Francisco Chronicle during the campaign that cap and trade energy policy would "cause electricity prices to skyrocket."
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Wild Thing's comment........
And the systematic destruction of the US marches on.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:48 AM | Comments (10)
Democrats Won't Fund Guantanamo Closing for Now
Democrats won't fund Guantanamo closing for now
Barack Obama's allies in the Senate will not provide funds to close the Guantanamo Bay prison until the administration comes up with a satisfactory plan for transferring the detainees there, a top Democrat said Tuesday.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said Obama's plan to close Guantanamo is not dead—only that the funding will have to wait until the administration devises an acceptable plan to handle the closure and transfer the detainees. Obama has promised to close the military prison by January.
"The administration has not come up with a plan at this point," said Durbin, who is the whip, or No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. He added that Democrats are likely to address the issue on later legislation. "I think Guantanamo should be closed and we have to wait for the president's direction on what happens to the detainees."
With debate looming on Obama's spending request to cover military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, says Democrats will deny the Pentagon and Justice Department $80 million to relocate Guantanamo's 240 detainees.
The administration has yet to develop a plan for what to do with the detainees, and Obama's promise to close the facility is facing strong GOP opposition.
It appears to be a tactical retreat. Once the administration develops a plan to close the facility, congressional Democrats are likely to revisit the topic, provided they are satisfied there are adequate safeguards.
Explaining the reversal, Durbin said: "The feeling was at this point we were defending the unknown. We were being asked to defend a plan that hasn't been announced. And the administration said, 'Understood. Give us time to put together that plan and we'll come to you in the next appropriations bill.'"
The developments on Capitol Hill came as the Pentagon said it still expects the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be closed by January 2010 as Obama has ordered.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters on Tuesday that he sees nothing to indicate the January 2010 deadline will be delayed.
Republicans are poised with an amendment by James Inhofe of Oklahoma that would block any of the Guantanamo detainees from coming to U.S. soil to stand trial or serve their sentences. A detainee was released to France last week, leaving 240 at Guantanamo.
"Shuttering this facility now could only serve one end: and that is to make Americans less safe than Guantanamo has," said GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
House Democrats also dropped funding to close Guantanamo when producing their version of the war funding bill, which easily passed last week.
The Guantanamo controversy has roiled Washington, with most Republicans adamantly opposed to closing the prison, which mostly holds enemy combatants captured in Afghanistan. Republicans say abuses at the facility are a thing of the past.
The Senate's massive war spending measure otherwise sticks closely to Obama's request. The House version effectively exceeds Obama's request by almost $12 billion, adding $2.2 billion for foreign aid and eight C-17 cargo planes despite Defense Secretary Robert Gates' desire to cease purchases of the aircraft as part of his effort to overhaul Pentagon procurement.
Wild Thing's comment......
The Democrats are scared to death that if the U.S. is victim of another major terrorist attack after Obama disarms our security apparatus their cushy gov’t jobs will be in serious jeopardy. As well they should be along with any Republican.
Obama spoke about closing GITMO and didn't even have a plan set up ahead of his announcement. Community Orangizers did not have the how to run a country in their help manual.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:47 AM | Comments (8)
Lowe’s, Home Depot Offer Military Discount to Active Duty and Veterans
Lowe’s, Home Depot offer military deals
The nation’s two largest home improvement stores, Lowe’s and Home Depot, are again offering a 10-percent military discount for Memorial Day, starting Thursday.
Active-duty personnel, National Guard and reserve members, retirees, honorably discharged veterans and immediate family members of all those groups are eligible. Customers who request the discount should show a valid military ID card or other proof of service.
The stores differ in their offers:
• Lowe’s discount is offered from Thursday through May 25 on purchases up to $5,000. That means the maximum discount will be $500. The offer is good for in-store purchases only and it does not apply to online sales, previous sales, purchase of services or gift cards.
• The Home Depot’s discount is offered in stores from Thursday through May 27 on purchases up to $2,000, for a $200 maximum discount.
Wild Thing's comment.........
I like that they make it for several days, so that the actual Memorial Day can be observed.
Here is the Lowes Coupon
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:45 AM | Comments (2)
Soldiers to Test New Army Combat Pants
The new Army Combat Pants will be tested this fall by soldiers in Afghanistan, Army officials said
Soldiers to test new Army Combat Pants
Service could field trousers in 2010
Soldiers in Afghanistan will test the new Army Combat Pants, which are rugged trousers designed to stand up to the mountainous country’s jagged terrain.
The pants will be tested this fall, Army officials said. Program Executive Office Soldier began developing the new pants last spring after soldiers complained the standard and fire-resistant versions of the Army Combat Uniforms were wearing out too quickly during mountain operations.
“They were not designed for that kind of environment,” said Jeff Myhre, assistant product manager for Fire Resistant clothing. “Really the only way to get down [steep slopes] is slide down on their rear end, and sometimes when they are climbing, it’s foot-knee, foot-knee to get up to altitude.”
The current version of the ACP features built-in hard kneepads that can be adjusted up or down and side to side for comfort. The material is heavy, 7.3-ounce fire-resistant twill compared to the 6.5-ounce fire-resistant fabric in the fire-resistant ACUs.
The back pockets have flaps with Velcro fasteners rather than buttons that can easily rip off when soldiers slide down steep rock faces on their backsides, Myhre said.
The reinforced seat is designed to stretch for better range of motion, and the cargo pocket on the calf of the leg is larger to hold more mission-essential items, Myhre said.
The ACP prototypes have been through two soldier evaluations, one with the 75th Ranger Regiment and one with the West Virginia Army National Guard.
Rangers tested them while training on airborne, air assault and shoot-house operations. Mounted cavalry soldiers from the West Virginia Guard wore them while climbing in and out of vehicles during training.
Equipment officials are preparing to have soldiers evaluate about 3,000 pairs of the latest prototype this fall in Afghanistan.
The evaluation is slated to last 30 to 45 days.
“Barring any small incremental changes we will do to the pants … we will look to the Army to determine is there is a requirement” to field the ACP, Myhre said.
If all goes as planned, the Army could decide to field the ACP sometime in mid-2010.
Wild Thing's comment..........
Any way they can improve on equipment and clothing for our troops I am all for it.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:40 AM | Comments (10)
May 19, 2009
GM Bankruptcy Plan Calls For QUICK Sale To GOVERNMENT
GM BANKRUPTCY PLAN CALLS FOR QUICK SALE TO GOV'T
General Motors Corp's (GM.N) plan for a bankruptcy filing involves a quick sale of the company's healthy assets to a new company initially owned by the U.S. government, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.
The source, who would not be named because he was not cleared to speak with the media, did not specify a purchase price. The new company is expected to honor the claims of secured lenders, possibly in full, according to the source.
The remaining assets of GM would stay in bankruptcy protection to satisfy other outstanding claims.
GM has about $6 billion in secured debt, including a secured revolving credit and bank debt.
The government's plans include giving stakes in the new company to GM's union and bondholders, although the ownership structure of the company is still being negotiated, said the source who is familiar with the company's plans.
In addition, the government would extend a credit line to the new company and forgive the bulk of the $15.4 billion in emergency loans that the U.S. has already provided to GM, the source said.
The government has given GM until June 1 to restructure its operations to lower its debt burden and employee costs.
If those talks failed, the company has said it would follow rival Chrysler LLC into bankruptcy.
Setting up a new company to buy the healthy assets is aimed at reassuring consumers who might not be willing to make a major purchase from a bankrupt company, fearing it would not honor warranties or provide service.
The board of the new company would be established with the tacit approval of the government. Fritz Henderson, who took the helm of GM earlier this year after the government pushed out Rick Wagoner, would likely head the new company, the source said.
GM could not be immediately reached for comment.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
First paragraph: NEW YORK (Reuters) - If General Motors Corp files for bankruptcy, as widely expected, plans include a quick sale of the automaker's healthy assets to a new company owned by the U.S. government, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.
If someone told me that Obama would nationalize the banks and the auto industry in his first 150 days, I would have thought them crazy. This is truly astonishing.
The article talks about creating a new company, and the gov taking over GM then selling to this “new” company any “healthy” assets. Guess this means the “unhealthy” assets would twist in the wind or be transferred to the same imaginary hole where the gov is storing the “toxic” assets it bought. Healthy assets will be handed off to the UNION!!! The plan is not to save GM but the labor unions.
Just like in Britain after WW-II, major industries were forced to sell themselves to the government. These government run British industries, like coal mining, were run with enormous deficits solely to benefit the unions and crippled the British economy for decades. It took Margaret Thatcher to undo this mess and restore at least some sanity to the British economy. Let us hope we can have another Thatcher or Reagan to quickly lead us out of this mess.
I really believe these people have been planning this stuff for a long time. The reason Obama is not getting the
day to day stuff of filling cabinet positions done is he has a huge agenda that he needs to shove through, not just govern as he is supposed to.
Obama is the most dangerous THING our country has ever had. Even the terrorists do not make me afriad like Obama does.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 PM | Comments (13)
Bill Clinton to Be Named U.N. Haiti Envoy
Bill Clinton to Be Named U.N. Haiti Envoy: Officials
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon plans to name former U.S. President Bill Clinton as his special envoy to Haiti, U.N. officials said on Monday, in a move that could attract investment in the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation and help stabilize the country.
"The announcement is expected to come soon," one U.N. official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The official said a formal announcement could come as early as Tuesday.
Clinton, who has galvanized efforts to help the impoverished Caribbean nation recover from the devastating impact of four hurricanes last year, accompanied Ban on a trip to Haiti earlier this year.
Several other diplomats confirmed the appointment of the former president, who is trying to help Haiti through his Clinton Global Initiative foundation.
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Wild Thing's comment............
An appropriate appointment for our first black President. LOL He is going to be the ambassador to the country he invaded.
Isn’t there rampant AIDS in Haiti? Slick Willie better have his interns’ health screened.
Bill Clinton is a traitor, he should be in prison for selling our nuclear secrets to the chicoms and North Koreans. It’s a shame that both he and his wife are still walking the streets .
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (12)
Scholars Plan U.S.' First Four-Year Accredited Islamic College
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Imam Zaid Shakir, a Muslim scholar and teacher, plans to soon open Zaytuna Institute, an American Muslim think-tank/educational institution.
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Scholars Plan U.S.' First Four-Year Accredited Islamic College
A group of American Muslims, led by two prominent scholars, is moving closer to fulfilling a vision of founding the first four-year accredited Islamic college in the United States, what some are calling a "Muslim Georgetown."
Advisers to the project have scheduled a June vote to decide whether the proposed Zaytuna College can open in the fall of next year, a major step toward developing the faith in America.
Imam Zaid Shakir and Sheik Hamza Yusuf of California have spent years planning the school, which will offer a liberal arts education and training in Islamic scholarship. Shakir, a California native, sees the school in the tradition of other religious groups that formed universities to educate leaders and carve a space in the mainstream of American life.
"As a faith community our needs aren't any different than the needs of any other faith community," Shakir told the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals, as he sought donations at a recent conference near Princeton, N.J. "As Muslims, we need to develop institutions to allow us to perpetuate our values."
Others have tried to start Muslim colleges around New York and Chicago, but those schools remained obscure or quickly folded.
Shakir and Yusuf are believed to have a better chance than most to succeed.
Shakir, an African-American Air Force veteran, and Yusuf, a native of Washington state, are converts who spent years studying with Islamic scholars in North Africa and the Mideast. They speak flawless Arabic and have become widely respected teachers. Yusuf draws thousands of people to his talks and tens of thousands of viewers to his online lectures.
In 1996, Yusuf founded Zaytuna Institute, now based in Berkeley, Calif., which is dedicated to classical Muslim scholarship. Zaytuna means "olive tree" in Arabic.
The institute expanded to provide distance learning, workshops in multiple cities and conferences with prominent scholars. Shakir, a Zaytuna teacher for six years, ran a pilot seminary program from 2004-2008, partly to test the viability of a school. An intensive Arabic language summer course, in its second year, has doubled its enrollment.
"It is far and away the single most influential institution that's shaping American Muslim thought," said Omid Safi, an Islamic studies professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. "On the one hand they speak so much about being American. On the other hand, they have also plugged these American Muslim students into the global Muslim curriculum, that has all the rigor of traditional Islamic scholarship."
In earlier years, Shakir and Yusuf had made some anti-American statements, but that rhetoric is not part of their teaching.
Zaytuna Institute has clips on its Web site of a lecture by the two scholars called "Curing Extremism." Following a White House meeting with President George W. Bush soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Yusuf made the now widely repeated comment that "Islam was hijacked" by the terrorists and he has condemned the attackers as "mass murderers."
A working motto for the school: "Where Islam Meets America."
Zaytuna College will start with two majors: Arabic language, and Islamic legal and theological studies.
It will not be a seminary, although some graduates could become prayer leaders, or imams. Most U.S. mosques are led by imams from overseas, considered an obstacle to Islam's development in America.
Other students could go on to start American Muslim nonprofits, or become Islamic scholars through advanced study at other schools, said Hatem Bazian, a Zaytuna adviser who teaches at the University of California-Berkeley and Saint Mary's College of California.
But administrators aim to teach analytical skills, along with ethics and theology, that can prepare students for many professional careers.
Zaytuna will start in rented space in Berkeley and will seek accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. All faiths will be welcome, academic freedom will be protected, and there will be no separation of men and women, Bazian said.
"It is a daunting task, there is no question about it," Bazian said. "But I'm completely confident and comforted that almost every major private university began with one classroom and possibly one building and sometimes it was a rented facility to begin with."
The college needs $2 million to $4 million to launch, a fundraising goal Bazian says organizers will comfortably meet by next year. Zaytuna will soon start raising the tens of millions of dollars needed for an endowment and a capital fund to build a campus in the Bay Area years from now, Bazian said.
Mahmoud Ayoub, a retired professor of Islamic studies Temple University, is among those who don't support the idea of a U.S. Muslim college, not only because of the enormous expense and risk involved, but also because he believes Muslims are better off attending established American schools. He said U.S. Muslims badly need a seminary since there are none in the country.
"I don't know that I would send my child to go to a college where they can only learn tradition. Young people have to live," said Ayoub who has worked with the U.S. State Department, representing America in the Muslim world. "I like mixing people. I don't like ghettos."
But Zaytuna considers the state of Muslim scholarship in the West so "anemic" that a crisis is looming. The Muslim community in North America and Europe, now in the millions, is growing, and has few properly trained leaders to guide them.
"Who will talk for the religion?" Shakir asked. "We have to train a generation."
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Wild Thing's comment........
Good grief!
Zaytuna will start in rented space in Berkeley
Berkeley, what a surprise.....NOT.
can see the course catalog now:
Hijacking 101 - how to fly an airliner, no pre-requisite for take-offs or landings.
Suicide Bombing 401 - Only graduating seniors are allowed to take this course. Course ends with a “community project”.
Jihadism 203 - How to arouse fellow muzzies to fight the Great Satan.
“Headchopping 101”
“Stoning for Beginners”
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (15)
Changing of the Guard:Man Crosses rail gets yelled at!
To visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is truly a humbling and awe-inspiring event. In all the time I have spent there, I have never seen this happen or even heard of it happening until now. The people that were there probably witnessed something more rare than winning the Powerball lottery. They saw a guard break ranks to challenge and warn a tourist who “crossed the line”.
( Lower LEFT side of the screen ) A man drops his water bottle during the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns and gets yelled at by a guard for crossing the rail.
The Guard says "IT IS REQUESTED THAT ALL VISITORS REMAIN BEHIND THE CHAINS AND RAILS".
Wild Thing's comment..........
I never saw this happen before or heard of something like this happening. I bet the man that droped his water bottle was shook up. hahahhahaha
God bless our troops!!!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (20)
Obama Seeks Favor With Palestinians in Talk with Netanyahu
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Obama prods Netanyahu, Iran in Mideast foray
Netanyahu said he was ready to resume peace talks with the Palestinians immediately but he also said any agreement depended on their acceptance of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. It was not immediately clear in the way he phrased the response whether Netanyahu was demanding that as a precondition for talks.
"There's never been a time when Arabs and Israelis see a common threat the way we see it today," Netanyahu said, speaking of a sense of urgency felt throughout the Arab world about Iran's nuclear program.
The Israeli leader did not respond publicly to Obama's demand on an end to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and refused again to say he was ready to negotiate a so-called two-state solution to the nearly 60-year dispute with the Palestinians. The plan, endorsed by the United States and other parties pushing for peace between the historic foes, calls for establishment of a Palestinian state side by side with Israel.
Palestinians offered praise for Obama but expressed disappointment with Netanyahu's remarks.
Netanyahu "did not mention a commitment to a two-state solution, and we need to see American action against this policy," said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who visits the White House on May 28.
Saeb Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator, issue a similar assessment:
"Mr. Netanyahu failed to mention the two-state solution, signed agreements and the commitment to stop settlement activity. He said he wants the Palestinians to govern themselves. The question to Mr. Netanyahu is, 'How can I govern myself while your occupation continues everywhere in the West Bank and Gaza, and how can I govern myself under your wall, roadblocks and settlement activities?'"
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Iran Welcomes Obama “Realistic Comments”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said Monday that American practices were the main yardstick to judge real change in Washington’s policy towards Tehran. The Iranian official welcomed President Barack Obama’s recent statement in an interview with the NewsWeek that Washington had adopted a wrong approach vis-à-vis Iran during the past three decades.
Qashqavi referred to President Obama’s assessment as “realistic comments” and stressed that Iran was to give a chance to the US new administration to correct its previous mistakes towards Iran and create “practical changes.”
Asked what kind of changes Iran expects from Washington, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said, “We are not to prejudge. The US officials have to decide whether to make a real, strategic or tactical change regarding Iran and we just wait and see.”
Meanwhile, Qashqavi suggested the White House to avoid being influenced by propaganda of the US-based Zionist lobby. Referring to the current visit to US by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, The Iranian spokesman called on American officials to take into consideration their own national interests in their talks with him.
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Wild Thing's comment........
I really love BiBi's voice. And there is augh, the jerk Obama in the White House that can barely get his thoughts out.
MUSLIMS = Iran wants is for us is to throw Israel under the bus.
MUSLIMS= Palestinian's call for establishment of a Palestinian state and no more occupation from the Israeli's.
MUSLIMS = ISLAM
ISLAM = death cultL, destruction
The Israel-must-do-more argument is dishonest.
Already it has done plenty. It pulled out of Lebanon in 2000, soon found itself facing 10,000 terrorist rockets and mortars, and in 2006 was forced into war with Hezbollah. In 2000, Israel offered the most generous terms imaginable to create a Palestinian state, and in return got a suicide-bomb campaign aimed at civilians. In 2005, Israel shut down all settlements in the Gaza Strip and pulled out, only to be confronted with a Hamas terrorist statelet and more warfare.
Where are bold moves by the Arabs? They point to the "Saudi peace initiative." That offers peace if Israel gives up everything it won in the 1967 defensive, existential war -- and more. It demands "a right of return" for Palestinians who fled their homes, often at the urging of invading Arab armies, in 1948. That demand includes descendants of the refugees -- millions of people who weren't born in 1948.
So the only ones that have done anything to try and get along, the only ones that have kept their word for cease fire till they had to fight back, the only ones that can or should be trusted are the Jews, the Israeli's......certainly NOT the Muslims, not the followers of Islam!
Note how many attacks around the world since 9-11. All done by ISLAM, by Muslims.
Once again there are demands on Israel and not the Palestinians ( Muslims).
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (4)
Saudi 'Killer Chip' Implant Would Track, Eliminate Undesirables
Saudi 'Killer Chip' Implant Would Track, Eliminate Undesirables
It could be the ultimate in political control — but it won't be patented in Germany.
German media outlets reported last week that a Saudi inventor's application to patent a "killer chip," as the Swiss tabloids put it, had been denied.
The basic model would consist of a tiny GPS transceiver placed in a capsule and inserted under a person's skin, so that authorities could track him easily.
Model B would have an extra function — a dose of cyanide to remotely kill the wearer without muss or fuss if authorities deemed he'd become a public threat.
The inventor said the chip could be used to track terrorists, criminals, fugitives, illegal immigrants, political dissidents, domestic servants and foreigners overstaying their visas.
"The invention will probably be found to violate paragraph two of the German Patent Law — which does not allow inventions that transgress public order or good morals," German Patent and Trademark Office spokeswoman Stephanie Krüger told the English-language German-news Web site The Local.
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Wild Thing's comment........
When Arabs actually invent something, they invent this.......sheesh
Obama already has Americorps and ACORN and he probably would drool over something like this.
.......Thank you Richard for this article.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:46 AM | Comments (8)
Girl Scouts Exposed: Communists, Radical Feminists and Lessons in lesbianism
Girl Scouts exposed: Lessons in lesbianism
Communists, radical feminists cited as role models for troops
By Chelsea Schilling
When many parents think of Girl Scouts, they imagine young girls in uniform selling Thin Mints and Tagalong cookies – not learning about stone labyrinths, world peace, global warming, yoga, avatars, smudging incense, Zen gardens and feminist, communist and lesbian role models.
But that's exactly what many of 2.7 million Girl Scouts will learn about with a new curriculum called "Journeys" released last year.
Patti Garibay spent nearly two decades in Girl Scouts – six years as a girl member and 13 years as a volunteer. She was also a recruiter, camp coordinator and area delegate winning outstanding leader and volunteer in both councils in which she served. In Garibay's words, she "bled green."
But in 1993 when Girl Scouts USA decided to make God optional in its program at the national convention in Minneapolis, an idea known as "Proposal 3: Flexibility in Spiritual Wording," Garibay chose to leave the organization.
"I had always used Girl Scouts as part of my life's ministry, modeling my faith while serving girls," she told WND. "However as this change became policy, mandates were made against Christmas caroling, praying at meetings and singing hymns. I had a true moral dilemma and felt that I could not uphold the GSUSA's rules and remain a Christian never denying my Lord."
In the Girl Scout curriculum, the organization's promise now includes an asterisk with the following disclaimer:
Girl Scouts of the USA makes no attempt to define or interpret the word "God" in the Girl Scout Promise. It looks to individual members to establish for themselves the nature of their spiritual beliefs. When making the Girl Scout Promise, individuals may substitute wording appropriate to their own spiritual beliefs for the word "God."
Garibay said it appears that Girl Scouts has taken a stance toward religion – the religion of the New Age – despite its proclaimed secular scouting program. WND asked Girl Scouts USA spokeswoman Michelle Tompkins if the organization is shifting its focus toward a New Age agenda.
No, Girl Scouts isn't headed into a New Age direction," she said. "We're just looking for new ways to get through to girls."
Following are books in the Girl Scouts' new "Journeys" curriculum:
'Amaze: The Twists and Turns of Getting Along'
In "Amaze: The Twists and Turns of Getting Along," girls from the sixth to the eighth grade will read a quote from Buddha and be encouraged to explore mazes and stone or dirt labyrinths – symbols rooted in pagan mythology and popular within the New Age movement as meditation tools.
They will be briefly introduced to Polish poet Anna Swir, known for her feminist and erotic poems, and Jane Addams, an ardent feminist and pacifist who received a Nobel Peace Prize.
The text features a quote from Harriet Woods, former president of the National Women's Political Caucus – a bipartisan group that endorses pro-abortion female candidates who run for public office.
'Girltopia'
In the next age group, for teens in the ninth and tenth grades, girls are taught about wage disparities between the sexes, and a lack of assets and senior management positions held by women.
"Girltopia" poses the questions, "When women don't earn enough, what happens to their children?" and "How could everyone help create a Girltopia?"
"This book was so depressing that I don't know what I would have done as a teen reading it," Garibay said. "The sense of hopelessness abounds in 'Girltopia.' The positivity, the enthusiasm and the vigor of youth is completely destroyed by data found to further the Girl Scout USA's feminist agenda. It plants seeds of despair and hopelessness in today's girls."
You can continue reading HERE for the rest of the article........And check out the photos of the various women ( ?? ) they have at the article.
Wild Thing's comment........
I was never a Girl Scout instead I was in a group at chruch called Pioneer Girls. It was more like the Boy Scouts were we would learn about camping things, how to survive if lost in the woods etc. And there was always a prayer to start each meeting.
I always liked their Girl Scout cookies that they sell, I think it is once a year.
To see this kind of thing happening is sickening. They really are following the communist agenda to get a hold of the minds of the youth. These horrible people always go for the childrens organizations. This is so sad to see this happening and an outrage as well.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (6)
Marine Corps Values Honor, Courage, Commitment
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Wild Thing's comment..........
I love the video.
....Thank you DH for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (6)
Obama Trashed Travel to Vegas and Now Won't Meet NV. Gov. Gibbons
Gibbons criticizes Obama over denied meeting request
Gov. Jim Gibbons said today that President Obama has denied his request to meet with him in Las Vegas later this month.
The governor had sent the president a letter last month saying he wanted to discuss the economic difficulties facing the state's tourism industry.
Gibbons said today that he was notified Obama won't meet with him while the president is in Las Vegas on May 26 for a fundraiser for Sen. Harry Reid.
"I am disappointed at the hypocrisy shown by this administration," Gibbons said in a prepared statement. "President Obama is coming to Las Vegas later this month for a political fundraiser, but he will not help the struggling families in Las Vegas and Nevada who are out of work because of his reckless comments."
Gibbons is referring to comments Obama made earlier this year regarding business trips to Las Vegas by companies receiving federal bailout money.
"This is politics, pure and simple, President Obama stood for change, but all he has done is brought negative economic change to Nevada," Gibbons said.
Obama plans massive Vegas fund raiser for Reid
Obama plans Las Vegas getaway to help Harry Reid get big money
Harry Reid's no slouch in the fundraising department, with $3.3 million already on hand for next year's reelection campaign, which has thus far drawn lots of press too. And no viable opponent from the state's battered Republican Party. Still, in politics these days you can never have too much money, as someone showed last fall by raising $750 million, which is even more than those outrageous AIG bonuses.
Though the Democratic Senate majority leader's May 26 fundraiser at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace will feature Strip headliner Midler and songstress Crow, the biggest draw will be the commander in chief himself.
All in the name of Money.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is still huffing and puffing over an offhand remark in which Obama appeared to link Sin City to corporate excess.
Well, now that they have finished the $357,012 taxpayer-funded photo op over the Statue of Liberty, Air Force One is coming to the capital of neon with the somewhat-less-new president, who'll become the fundraiser in chief at least for a night.
Goodman recently said that, during Obama's trip, he's hoping "somebody places me close to him so I can get him to do the right thing and tell people that he recognizes Las Vegas as a great spot for serious meetings."
And what better way for a new Democratic administration to symbolize cutting out excess in a time of hardship for millions of Americans than to hold a mega-fundraiser in Las Vegas, that urban personification of understatement, for a guy with millions in hand already and no one to spend it against?
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Part of Democrat Mayor Goodman's letter to Obama back in February:
"Las Vegas hosts 22,000 meetings and six million business travelers annually for an economic impact of $8.5 billion.
“The assumption that all meetings, event and incentive travel are wasteful is wrong. Now more than ever, we need businesses to ravel and hold meetings and events. As we move forward, I would caution all federally elected officials to use temperance in their comments. Failure to deed the principles will damage an entire industry, and select cities, causing people to lose their jobs and homes,” wrote Goodman.
Yep that is what Obama has caused, unemployment went up, homes put up for sale, and bankruptcies.
Obama is UN-American and hasn't a clue how the economy works, but he sure as heck knows how to destroy our economy, discourage travel to resorts for business meetings which has always been a huge plus for the economy in Vegas, Atlantic City and other places.
Now he snubs the Gov. of Nevada!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (12)
May 18, 2009
Obama Wants Statehood and Netanyahu says Palestinians must accept Israel
Netanyahu says Palestinians must accept Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he is ready to resume peace talks with the Palestinians immediately, but any agreement is contingent on their acceptance of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.
Netanyahu and President Barack Obama met for more than two hours at the White House and focused on Mideast peace talks, Iran's nuclear program and the U.S.-Israeli relationship.
Obama said he expects a positive response from his diplomatic outreach to Iran on stopping its nuclear program by the end of the year.
The president said the United States wanted to bring Iran into the world community, but declared "we're not going to have talks forever."
At the same time, Obama said bluntly that it was important that Netanyahu, a hard-liner on peace negotiations with the Palestinians, get back to the negotiating table.
While his language was gentle, Obama's words were notable nonetheless for being made in public.
"We have seen progress stalled on this front, and I suggested to the prime minister that he has a historic opportunity to get a serious movement on this issue during his tenure," Obama said. "That means that all the parties involved have to take seriously obligations that they have previously agreed to."
Added Obama: "I think that there is no reason why we should not seize this opportunity and this moment."
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Obama: U.S. backs Palestinian statehood
Barack Obama voiced support for creation of a Palestinian state in talks on Monday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held back from endorsing the main cornerstone of Washington's Mideast policy.
With Israeli leaders mostly skeptical of Obama's efforts to engage Iran diplomatically, Netanyahu had planned to stress Israel's growing concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Israeli officials said before the talks.
Obama, speaking along with Netanyahu to reporters in the Oval Office, said after the two-hour meeting that he saw no reason to set an artificial deadline for diplomacy with Iran, but the U.S. would like to see progress with Tehran by the end of the year.
Obama also reminded Israel of its commitment, under a 2003 U.S.-backed peace road map agreement to cease settlement activity in the West Bank.
"We talked about restarting serious negotiations on issues of Israel and the Palestinians," Obama said, adding that it was in the interests of both sides "to achieve a two-state solution."
Netanyahu, in his remarks, reiterated that he supported self-government for the Palestinians but made no mention of a state, a position underscoring a rare rift in U.S.-Israeli relations.
"We don't want to govern the Palestinians. We want them to govern themselves," Netanyahu said, echoing statements he has made in the past.
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Wild Thing's comment......
Listening to Bibi and Obama on FOX now. Bibi doesn’t look happy. I can't blame him he knows how Obama has bowed to Saudi and favors the Hamas and Palestinians .
Netanyahu has already agreed to the formula, started in the Oslo Accords, for giving the Palestinians their own country. That’s what the whole thing was about, and Netanyahu has already said that he and Israel will abide by their agreements (from Oslo forward).
Neither Netanyahu or Israel wants a “one-state solution” where Israel has all the land and all the Palestinians that go with the land. And they are not going to set up an “Apartheid State” either, so that will never work.
A one-state solution would be national suicide for Israel.
I hate that Netanyahu even had to sit down and discuss life and death issues for Israel with this incompetant community organizer. I don’t think he is buying what the Neville Chamberlain of our times is saying. There was no confrontation and no blowup but the US and Israel have clear differences. That much is obvious from the end result of today's talks between the leaders of the two countries at the White House. God Help the USA! God Help Israel!
Posted by Wild Thing at 02:55 PM | Comments (9)
Holy Joe's Cafe ~ Afghanistan
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CAMP BARBER, Afghanistan
Sometimes it’s the simple pleasures in life that can make a difference when deployed.
Service members carrying out their duties in support of counterinsurgency operations aboard Camp Barber, Helmand province, Afghanistan, can now enjoy the fresh smell of coffee and a relaxing lounge to sip a “cup of Joe” at Holy Joe’s Café, April 29, 2009.
The Camp Barber café originally opened in March, providing free coffee, hot tea and breakfast snacks to service members and civilians serving at Camp Barber, but the moniker “Holy Joe’s” isn’t an entirely new name to forward-deployed service members.
The café at Camp Barber derived its name from the Holy Joe’s Café project, which was started in 2006 by the First Congregational Church in Wallingford, Conn., as a coffee drive, providing military chaplains in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait the opportunity to further support U.S. service members deployed overseas.
In an effort to support her fellow service members in what she calls “a little piece of home,” Navy Lt. Karen J. Rector, the Combat Logistics Battalion 3 chaplain, collected matted flooring, put up camouflage netting for shade, and gathered benches and tables to give coffee and tea-drinking patrons a comfortable and appealing place to take a break. CLB-3 Sgt. Maj. Danny Duvall volunteered a bit of his spare time and artistry, decorating the café’s tables and benches with an eclectic holy-Hawaiian-desert-patriotic motif to make things interesting for the patrons as they enjoy their “cup of Joe” or tea.
“Coffee in the morning helps you face the adversities that you’re going to face that day,” said 1st Lt. Jason D. Ryan, the supply officer assigned to Headquarters Company, CLB-3. “If you get a bad cup of coffee, you know it’s going to be a bad day,” joked Ryan.
Ryan said his day would be incomplete if he wasn’t able to get his cup of coffee and feels it’s an important part of his morning.
“Holy Joe’s has the best coffee on Camp Barber,” Ryan said. “There are some things in Afghanistan that are always tough, but it should never be your first cup of coffee.”
Coffee isn’t the only sustenance provided at Holy Joe’s. The café also provides juices, cereal and cold milk and various breakfast foods to start off the day.
Rector attributes much of the café’s success to the donated supplies she receives through the “Adopt-a-Chaplain Program” and the individuals who donate their time and effort to support the troops through the chaplains’ services.
Holy Joe’s recently held its official grand opening April 20, 2009, announcing its place in the camp and all that it has to offer. Those who participated in the social event were welcomed with a barbeque picnic, refreshments and a raffle of prizes to top the night.
Combat Logistics Battalion 3 is the logistics combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan whose mission is to conduct counterinsurgency operations, and train and mentor the Afghan national police.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Fantastic! I am so glad they have this for our troops.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (7)
NO To Two State Solution For Israel and NO to Funding Terrorists
As the time nears for PM Netanyahu’s May 18 visit to the U.S., there are worrisome signs that the U.S. administration will pressure Israel to make dangerous, premature concessions.
Israel must have the right to define its security needs and to ensure its survival.
Israel wants peace and an agreement with the Palestinians. But a lasting solution cannot be rushed, unconditional, or externally imposed.
Premature withdrawal from the West Bank may gravely risk Israeli lives, society and economy.
* The Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to host terrorist cells within a few kilometers of Israel’s major cities. With independent freedom of movement and air space, they will be in a position to easily attack Israelis.
* Terrorist operations, including suicide bomb plans, have been launched from the PA jurisdiction without detection or restraint from Abbas’s PA government.
* The PA government has proven unable or unwilling to block the influx of arms from Iran and other rogue states.
* A Palestinian state, under today’s conditions, would likely become an Iranian proxy, just as southern Lebanon did. Iran openly seeks a genocidal military campaign to “wipe Israel off the earth” and funds and arms anti-Israel terror groups in the Palestinian areas and southern Lebanon.
* Hamas could easily take over the West Bank, where Fatah is unpopular and weak. The heart of Israel’s population, economic centers, and Ben Gurion airport would be in direct, short-rocket range from key West Bank heights like Baal Hazor.
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Obama’s Supplemental Bill Passes, Gives Billions to Enemies?
from Creepingi Sharia
Barack Obama’s 2009 Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Pandemic Flu was revised and “passed by the full committee”. Not sure what the next step is, but based on the summary, it gives billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to countries and entities that support sharia law and/or harbor, hide and support those who want to destroy the U.S. and our allies.
From David Obey’s (D-WI) office: This is a PDF file
* 3.6 billion, matching the request, to expand and improve capabilities of the Afghan security forces
• $400 million, as requested, to build the counterinsurgency capabilities of the Pakistani security forces
• Afghanistan: $1.52 billion, $86 million above the request
• West Bank and Gaza: $665 million in bilateral economic, humanitarian, and security assistance for the West Bank and Gaza
• Jordan: $250 million, $250 million above the request, including $100 million for economic and $150 million for security assistance
• Egypt: $360 million, $310 million above the request, including $50 million for economic assistance, $50 million for border security, and $260 million for security assistance
• Pakistan: $1.9 billion, $591 million above the request
• Iraq: $968 million, $336 million above the request
• Oversight: $20 million, $13 million above the request, to expand oversight capacity of the State Department, USAID, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan to review programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq
• Israel: $555 million of the $2.8 billion 2010 request for security assistance, $555 million above the supplemental request. (Note: that means Obama’s original request did not include any money for Israel in 2009)
• Lebanon: $74 million
• International Food Assistance: $500 million, $200 million above the request, for PL 480 international food assistance to alleviate suffering during the global economic crisis
• Refugee Assistance: $343 million, $50 million above the request, …including humanitarian assistance for Gaza. Funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency programs in the West Bank and Gaza is limited to $119 million (Note: Gaza = Hamas)
• Disaster Assistance: $200 million to avert famines and provide life-saving assistance during natural disasters and for internally displaced people around the world, including Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, the Middle East and South Asia
• Peacekeeping: $837 million for United Nations peacekeeping operations, including an expanded mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a new mission in Chad and the Central African Republic
• HIV/AIDS: $100 million, $100 million above the request, for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to address a funding shortfall for grants in key countries such as Haiti, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Afghanistan. (Note: That means Obama’s original request didn’t include any money for AIDs)
• Africa: $151 million, $18 million above the request, for economic and security assistance for Kenya, Somalia, Southern Sudan, and Zimbabwe
* Mexico: $470 million, $404 million above the request, to address growing violence along the United States-Mexico border by supporting the Government of Mexico’s war against organized crime and drug-trafficking
• Georgia: $242 million to fulfill the United States commitment to the people of Georgia
• Global Financial Crisis: $300 million, $148 million below the request, to address the global financial crisis in developing countries
• Nuclear Non-Proliferation: $55 million, $34.5 million below the request, for the National Nuclear Security Administration to safeguard nuclear material in Russia and other sites world-wide
• Department of Justice: $17 million, matching the request, for counter-terrorism activities and to provide training and assistance for the Iraqi criminal justice system
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There's an online "SAY NO TO U.S. PRESSURE ON ISRAEL" Petition.
It's been put up by the Stand With Us people. It opposes "U.S. pressure on Israel for premature concessions that will put Israeli security at risk".
To see the petition click here.
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And there is also this........
http://www.cfoic.com/saveisrael.jspChristian Friends of Israel Communities
Wonderful video , please click HERE
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Obama favors Islam over Israel. It is insane to be giving money to countries that harbor terrorists and help them in anyway. Last month on Obama's trip he said " we are strengthening our hand by reaching out to enemies of the United States ".
I agree witih KNOW your enemy, but to reach out to our enemy, hmmmmm I don't think so.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (6)
Hot In Recession: Cheaper Wine, Chocolate, Spam
Hot in recession: Cheaper wine, chocolate, Spam
It's not all doom and gloom in the U.S. economy. Some products are bucking the recession and flying off store shelves.
Sales of chocolate and running shoes are up. Wine drinkers haven't stopped sipping; they just seem to be choosing cheaper vintages.
Gold coins are selling like hot cakes. So are gardening seeds. Tanning products are piling up in shopping carts; maybe more people are finding color in a bottle than from sun-worshipping on a faraway beach.
Strong sales of Spam, Dinty Moore stew and chili helped Hormel Foods Corp. post a 6 percent increase in first quarter sales in its grocery products unit.
Consumers have trimmed household budgets and postponed buying cars, major appliances and other big-ticket items. Yet they still are willing to shell out for small indulgences and goods that make life more comfortable at home, where they are spending more time.
Recession shoppers also are drawn to items that make them feel safe, both personally and financially.
"The focus on the family hearth is something that has happened in nearly every recession. It's, `How can I have more fun at home?'" said Paco Underhill, whose company, Envirosell, monitors the behavior of shoppers and sellers across the U.S. and in other countries.
"People are much more focused on their homes and their immediate happiness and they're buying things that they can use themselves — seeds, fishing equipment. Lipstick and chocolate are small rewards that make you feel better."
Profits in the first three months of 2009 at Hershey Co., the nation's second-largest candy maker, surged 20 percent and beat Wall Street's expectations. Kraft Foods Inc. reported double-digit growth in macaroni and cheese dinners — the consummate comfort food.
Recessions, it seems, are good for love, too. Over the final three months of 2008, condom sales rose 5 percent and Match.com reported its strongest performance in seven years.
But economic woes are as rough on the tummy as they are on the wallet. Chicago-based market researcher Information Resources Inc. reports that sales of laxative liquids and powders rose 11.5 percent for the 52 weeks ending April 19. Sales of stomach remedy tablets, including Pepto-Bismol and Phillips brands, climbed 8 percent.
As expected during any economic slump, recession shoppers looking for deals have boosted sales at discount chains such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Dollar Tree Inc. sneaked into this year's Fortune 500 for the first time, at No. 499.
There's a general tendency to trade down, according to Leo J. Shapiro & Associates, a consulting firm in Chicago. That means eating dinner at the kitchen table instead of restaurants, buying used cars and shopping at do-it-yourself auto parts stores. It means spending less on clothes. Sales at luxury retailer Saks Inc. fell 32 percent last month. Sales at Goodwill Industries International stores in the U.S. and Canada jumped by 7 percent in March.
"If you're used to eating out, maybe you're now buying a high-end steak at the supermarket," said Bill Patterson, a senior analyst in Chicago with Mintel International, which supplies consumer, product and media intelligence. "If you eat at home mostly, maybe you are going down from the branded product to a private label."
People are not drinking as much beer or wine at bars and restaurants, but they haven't stopped drinking. The Wine Institute says that despite the recession, U.S. sales of California wines totaled about 467 million gallons last year — 2 percent more than the year before. But people are looking more closely at cheaper selections: The overall retail value of California wine sales fell slightly from 2007, the institute said.
Those on the go are not shying away from footing the bill for sturdy running shoes. Sales increased 2 percent in 2008, said Tom Doyle at the National Sporting Goods Association in Mount Prospect, Ill.
"Runners aren't going to hurt themselves to save a few bucks," he said. Likewise, sales of bicycle helmets are up as parents continue to spend money to protect youngsters, he said.
The financial meltdown produced more interest in home safes. Coin dealers are awash in customers as investors big and small see the safety of gold.
Sunshine Minting Inc. in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, which supplies gold blanks to the U.S. Mint, doubled its work force in 2008.
"It just came on like gangbusters," said president Tom Power, who struggled to hire, train and get new equipment to handle demand that doubled, then tripled. "You can't just flip a switch and jump up production overnight."
Guns are selling well, too. Total firearms sales rose 27.5 percent at Smith & Wesson for the three months ending Jan. 31. It's not a sudden interest in hunting behind the increase; hunting firearm sales at the company declined during the quarter by 46 percent.
Gun sales are being driven by concern that the Obama administration will tighten gun laws. But people also are feeling a level of fear and heightened interest in self-reliance as they weather the recession.
"They are looking down the road going `What could happen here?'" Underhill said. "I think a lot of Americans are truly scared. One of the things that tickles is our pioneer ethos, which is, `I feel better with a year's supply of toilet paper' and `Maybe I should start canning and pickling.'"
Many people already are.
The number of home vegetable gardens is predicted to jump more than 40 percent this year, compared with two years ago, according to the National Gardening Association. Sales of vegetable seeds such as green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and lettuce climbed 30 percent as of March at W. Atlee Burpee, a large seed company in Warminster, Pa. It organized a basic training course called "root camp" for hundreds of would-be gardeners this month outside Philadelphia.
Still, when the economy grinds to a halt, people clench their teeth. That could mean spending money at the dentist.
There's no statistical evidence, but dentists such as Dr. Matthew Messina in Cleveland, Ohio., are seeing more people with tooth-grinding injuries.
"The body responds the same way to a real threat, `There's a burglar in the house,' as it does to a perceived stress like `I'm worried I'm going to lose the house,'" Messina said.
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As they say, there are lies, damn lies, and statistics.
And the class-warfare Democrats are really good at those lies. If they weren't, there wouldn't be one in the White House right now, nor would there be a Democrat-majority House and Senate.
When Democrats tell you that "the rich" aren't paying their fair share, they are lying to you.
When Democrats tell you that our society is one dominated by "selfishness" and "greed," they are lying to you.
When Democrats tell you that the tax policies of George W. Bush's unfairly favored "the rich" and penalized the poor, they are lying to you. (It was quite the opposite.)
The Marxist-socialist who currently occupies the White House, thanks in part to a liberal media who supported him, rode a wave of economic lies that all Americans will wind up paying for in the end.
Let's look at a real-life example of the liberal/Democrat lie.
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Wild Thing's comment...........
Well at least there’s no shortage of chocolate. Ammo, that’s another story. I’d say guns and ammo are the hottest items. It has little to to with recession, and most to do with the dem controlled gov’t. and OBama.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (14)
Don't Bite The Hand That's Feeding You
This is an actual recording (with photos) of the 1929 song of immigrants to the United States. It should be re-recorded and released today. It applies to both the U.S. and Australia.
1929 Immigration Song
It must have taken a lot of digging to pull this one out! Really reaches back into the past. Happened back then but sure isn't happening now.
This is a video and song about immigration that was very popular around the late 1920's, and early - 30's. Maybe this should be our Immigration National Anthem, but that wouldn't be politically correct today would it?
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Wild Thing's comment........
Amazing! I love it. I never heard this song before, it was way ahead of my time, I was born in 1947, but still music really is ageless and I still have not heard of it till now.
It really says a lot in the words.
Can we send Obama back to Kenya and his wife with him? They don't like America, they want to change her, our beloved beautiful awesome America.
.....Thank you Chief.
Chief Petty Officer
BM-0164-Assault Boat Coxswain
Vietnam 1964- 1970
1970-1988 US Coast Guard
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (5)
Obama’s U.N. Mistake ~ America On Collision Course With Israel
Obama’s U.N. Mistake
America is now on a collision course with Israel.
By Anne Bayefsky
In advance of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States on Monday, President Obama unveiled a new strategy for throwing Israel to the wolves. It takes the form of enthusiasm for the United Nations and international interlopers of all kinds.
Instead of ensuring strong American control over the course of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations or the Arab-Israeli peace process, the Obama administration is busy inserting an international mob between the U.S. and Israel. The thinking goes: If Israel doesn’t fall into an American line, Obama will step out of the way, claim his hands are tied, and let the U.N. and other international gangsters have at their prey.
It began this past Monday with the adoption of a so-called presidential statement by the U.N. Security Council. Such statements are not law, but they must be adopted unanimously — meaning that U.S. approval was essential and at any time Obama could have stopped its adoption. Instead, he agreed to this: “The Security Council supports the proposal of the Russian Federation to convene, in consultation with the Quartet and the parties, an international conference on the Middle East peace process in Moscow in 2009.”
This move is several steps beyond what the Bush administration did in approving Security Council resolutions in December and January — which said only that “The Security Council welcomes the Quartet’s consideration, in consultation with the parties, of an international meeting in Moscow in 2009.” Apparently Obama prefers a playing field with 57 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, 22 members of the Arab League — most of whom don’t recognize the right of Israel to exist — and one Jewish state. A great idea — if the purpose is to ensure Israel comes begging for American protection.
The U.N. presidential statement also makes laudatory references to another third-party venture, the 2002 Arab “Peace” Initiative. That’s a Saudi plan to force Israel to retreat to indefensible borders in advance of what most Arab states still believe will be a final putsch down the road. America’s U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice, announced to the Security Council that “we intend to integrate the Arab Peace Initiative into our own approach.”
Make no mistake: This U.N. move, made with U.S. approval, sets America on a well-calculated collision course with Israel. U.S. collusion on this presidential statement was directly at odds with Israel’s wishes and well-founded concerns about the U.N.’s bona fides on anything related to Israel. Israeli U.N. ambassador Gabriella Shalev issued a statement of Israel’s position: “Israel does not believe that the involvement of the Security Council contributes to the political process in the Middle East. This process should be bilateral and left to the parties themselves. Furthermore, the timing of this Security Council meeting is inappropriate as the Israeli government is in the midst of conducting a policy review, prior to next week's visit by Prime Minister Netanyahu to the United States. . . . Israel shared its position with members of the Security Council.”
By contrast, Rice told reporters: “We had a very useful and constructive meeting thus far of the Council. We welcome Foreign Minister Lavrov’s initiative to convene the Council, and we’re very pleased with the constructive and comprehensive statement that will be issued by the president of the Council on the Council’s behalf. This was a product of really collaborative, good-faith efforts by all members of the Council, and we’re pleased with the outcome.”
The Obama administration’s total disregard of Israel’s obvious interest in keeping the U.N. on the sidelines was striking. Instead of reiterating the obvious — that peace will not come if bigots and autocrats are permitted to ram an international “solution” down the throat of the only democracy at the table — Rice told the Council: “The United States cannot be left to do all the heavy lifting by itself, and other countries . . . must do all that they can to shore up our common efforts.” In a break with decades of U.S. policy, the Obama strategy is to energize a U.N. bad cop so that the U.S. might assume the role of good cop — for a price.
On Tuesday the Obama administration did it again: It ran for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council. As expected, the administration won election to represent the Council’s Western European and Others Group — it was a three-state contest for three spaces.
The Council is most famous, not for protecting human rights, but for its obsession with Israel. In its three-year history it has:
* adopted more resolutions and decisions condemning Israel than condemning the 191 other U.N. members combined;
* entrenched an agenda with only ten items, one permanently reserved for condemning Israel and another for condemning any other U.N. state that might “require the Council’s attention”;
* held ten regular sessions on human rights, and five special sessions to condemn only Israel;
* insisted on an investigator with an open-ended mandate to condemn Israel, while all other investigators must be regularly renewed;
* spawned constant investigations on Israel, and abolished human-rights investigations (launched by its predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights) into Belarus, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Moreover, every morning before the Human Rights Council starts, all states — and even observers like the Palestinians — get together in their regional blocs for an hour to negotiate, share information, and determine positions. All, that is, except Israel. The Western European and Others Group refuses to give Israel full membership. Now the U.S. will be complicit in this injustice.
Joining the Council has one immediate effect on U.S.-Israel relations: It gives the Obama administration a new stick to use against Israel. Having legitimized the forum through its membership and participation, the U.S. can now attempt to extract concessions from Israel in return for American objections to the Council’s constant anti-Israel barrage.
Obama administration officials may believe they can put the lid back on Pandora’s box after having invited the U.N., Russia, the Arab League, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to jump into the process of manufacturing a Palestinian state while Israel is literally under fire. They have badly miscalculated. By making his bed with countries that have no serious interest in democratic values, the president has made our world a much more dangerous place.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
This is a really good article.
Notice how clever our Mellifluous leader once again dis's an old friend of America's without ever getting his own hands dirty. Vintage Obama. But you and I know it is all OBAMA, he could have said no like Bush did to the UN!
My heart goes out to Israel. I hope they know that we citizens do NOT agree with him.
Israel is an outpost of democracy and western civilization on the edge of a savage region which has major security implications for all of us. I am afraid that the traditional ties with Israel as an ally are about to end. We have been a good team and even more since we have been fighting the same enemy.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (6)
82nd Combat Aviation Brigade Arrive in Southern Afghanistan
U..S. Army paratroopers jump from a C-17 Galaxy aircraft over Holland Drop Zone on Fort Bragg, N.C., May 5, 2009. The paratroopers are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, and will be part of the first active-duty brigade combat team to fully partner with Afghan national security forces
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82nd Combat Aviation Brigade Arrive in Southern Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan
Task Force Pegasus, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division, assumed control of aviation operations on May 15 in southern Afghanistan. In a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, TF Talon, a subordinate unit of TF Pegasus, relieved TF Wings, 159th CAB, 101st Airborne Division.
The 82nd CAB has deployed early as part of the United States forces troop increases in southern Afghanistan. They are the first to arrive in Afghanistan as part of this plan.
The arrival of TF Pegasus, and its subordinate units, marks the first U.S. aviation brigade to commence operations in southern Afghanistan. The TF will conduct aviation operations in support of International Stabilization Force and coalition forces in order to support GIRoA in achieving a safe and secure Afghanistan.
"It goes without saying that rotary wing aviation is the coin of the realm here in Afghanistan," said Col. Paul Bricker, commander of TF Pegasus. "The distances, harsh terrain, counterinsurgency environment and sheer size of the battle-space, make battlefield circulation a significant challenge. Without rotary wing aviation; command and control, sustainment, and combat operations can be severely challenged."
As part of the ceremony, TF Wings cased their colors as a symbol of their departure. TF Pegasus and its subordinate units then uncased their colors, symbolizing their establishment of control over aviation operations in southern Afghanistan.
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Wild Thing's comment...........
The build up continues, hello Taliban....bye bye Taliban!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (4)
In Country with Our Marines in Afghanistan
Marines exit a forward operating base on a mounted security patrol in Bakwa, Farah province, Afghanistan. The Marines of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan, routinely patrol and interact with the local populace of Bakwa to maintain security in the area. U.S. Marines are in Afghanistan to reinforce success and sustain the momentum of the ongoing progress by alliance forces. Company I's mission is to conduct counterinsurgency operations while training and mentoring the Afghan national police.
Marines of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment
Story by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones
BAKWA, Afghanistan
Through binoculars, a Marine spotted suspicious men in the distance. Over the radio, he passed the word. The security convoy circled around and pushed up to investigate. As they moved in closer, shots rang out from the ridge ahead.
The insurgents' rounds impacted close to the Marines' vehicles. On the order, the Marines returned fire causing the insurgents' retreat. The insurgents had completely fled before a quick-reaction force and air support arrived on scene. Shortly afterward, the Marines dismounted and went up the ridge. They found no traces of casualties, just fresh tracks and probable bunkers that may have been used as outposts.
This was not a typical patrol for the Marines of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan. They have successfully kept security under control in Bakwa, Farah Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and such events are rare.
"None of them hesitated," said Cpl. Josh B. Reasbeck, the squad leader who led the patrol that day. "They were all employed the way they were supposed to be. They all did exactly what they were taught to do. I'm really proud of all them, and I have full confidence of their abilities."
Prior to alliance forces arriving in Bakwa, insurgent intimidation destroyed the community and pushed many people away. From testimonies of locals, the Marines know insurgents are still active in the area but have little influence.
"The security has increased tremendously with us being here and with the Afghan national police starting to step up," said Cpl. Chris L. Parra, a 3rd Civil Affairs Group non-commissioned officer attached to Co. I. "The people actually feel more secure now that they see the local government taking time to put in effort in providing security for the locals in the area."
The Marines of Co. I are operating from Forward Operating Base Bakwa and two combat outposts. They continually conduct mounted and dismounted security patrols, maintain quick reaction force teams and keep a 24-hour watch over the immediate areas.
"The threat out here is improvised explosive devices," said Reasbeck. "We don't really worry about direct fire so much."
Occasionally, the Marines will catch a local, who was persuaded by insurgents, planting an improvised explosive device in the road, said Reasbeck.
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Marines in the middle of a sand storm make their way back to their vehicles after dismounting and patrolling a nearby mountain ridge in Bakwa, Farah province, Afghanistan, May 3. The Marines of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan, are operating in Bakwa to maintain security in the rural area. U.S. Marines are in Afghanistan to reinforce success and sustain the momentum of the ongoing progress by alliance forces. Company I's mission is to conduct counterinsurgency operations while training and mentoring the Afghan national police.
Marines Prepare for Counterinsurgency in Southern Afghanistan
Story by Cpl. Aaron Rooks
"Past history has shown that to fight and win in the south of Afghanistan, it is essential to know all aspects of the localized terrain, including human and political factors," Khodaidad said. "It is necessary to treat every village as a separate entity and know the personalities with influence there. Every village is a separate military campaign."
The Marines approached the firing line with ease, cooled by a calm breeze under blue skies all around, still quite familiar with the process to follow. The only difference this time, was that they were in an unfamiliar land, with an even more unfamiliar mission ahead.
Then the service members of Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan began, each firing round after round from their respective M-4 Carbine and M-16 A-4 rifles, improving their accuracy with each shot.
But the rifle sight adjustment exercise lost its simplicity when a powerful sand storm engulfed the Marines and sailors as they lay across the firing line. Sand filled their mouths and nostrils, covered their weapons and eliminated all visibility of their targets ahead.
Being outside the protective wire for the first time, the events symbolized the unpredictability of Afghanistan, as well as that of their future missions to follow. The storm cleared off and returned for hours to follow. The sun later set under blue skies.
"Afghanistan can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable," said Maj. Tom Clinton, a senior watch officer with the brigade's command element. "Some call this country the 'graveyard of empires.'"
Clinton used this phrase in reference to other nations, such as Britain and Russia, which have tried, and failed, to gain a foothold in the country of Afghanistan by use of force. He said the U.S. cannot afford to make the same mistakes as their predecessors.
"We are not looking to stay here in Afghanistan," the Swampscott, Mass., native said. "We're looking to help the country and its people. The others were looking to build their empires. We have to allow the Afghan government and Afghan security forces to take things over. Yes, we want people to trust U.S. forces and their partners, but they need to trust their own government and security forces."
Afghanistan features many complexities that Marine veterans of Iraq are not familiar with. The land and terrain of Helmand province, MEB-Afghanistan's area of operations, may seem somewhat the same, but the needs and interests of Afghans; their culture, infrastructure and economy; are worlds apart.
Helmand is a land of extremes, according to the Helmand Provincial Handbook, which is used as a field guide for deployed internationals. It's the largest and arguably the most volatile province in Afghanistan today.
"At one time, we would engage no more than seven to 15 enemies in firefights," Clinton said. "Once in Garmsir, that number was at least if not more than 300."
Pashtuns constitute the overwhelming majority in Helmand, according to the manual, making up 94 percent of the population. The Pashtun ethnic group is unique in comparison to other groups around the world. Society is very conservative and strictly follows the Islamic religion.
The code of ethics within their tribe, Pashtunwali, meaning the way of the Pashtuns, stands out the most. The pre-Islamic code structures four of their core beliefs in society: nang (honor), melmastia (hospitality), nanawaty (sanctuary), and badal (revenge).
Pashtuns are known for their hospitality and will go to great lengths to treat their guests with honor and respect. At the same time, everything leads to honor. Any insults to themselves or their families can often lead to a desire for revenge. Their sanctuary beliefs will sometimes lead them to forgiveness of acts, if forgiveness is requested. But at the same time, Pashtuns are known for being quick to exact revenge for wrongdoings to restore their honor, even for a crime committed decades ago.
If Marines forces hope to stabilize the security situation in southern Afghanistan during their time here, it's necessary that they truly understand the people and their culture.
"The big challenge we face is that we want to help and do things right away," said Clinton, who spent much of his deployments around local Afghan leaders. "But in order to be successful, you have to get to know the people. It took me more than one month in one case just to get one of the village elders to speak to me. We must have patience."
Security has become the dominant issue in Helmand. According to the manual, there has been ongoing fighting in the province since 2006, which has produced significant loss of life and displacement of the local populace. The deterioration of security is most prominent in areas being contested by the Afghan government and insurgents.
The manual states that today, a relatively small percentage of Helmand locals actively support insurgent forces; another minority actively supports the Afghan government and coalition forces. The majority are neutral, simply trying to survive day to day and support their families.
The outcome of the brigade's counterinsurgency arguably sits in the hands of that majority.
The service members have been given Law of War and Rules of Engagement briefs in cohesion with weapons training to be better informed of the difficulties ahead and the issues to avoid.
The briefs touched on the basic issues of armed conflict, such as actions made in self defense, the prevention of unnecessary suffering, the use of force, humanity and the treatment of those wounded and captured.
1st Lt. Ian Mckinnon, operational law officer, MEB-Afghanistan, said the briefs would possibly be "the most important briefs the Marines will have while in Afghanistan."
Marines were advised on certain issues that will help them achieve success during operations, such as always displaying respect for Afghan traffic and pedestrians on roadways, avoiding reckless driving and always refraining from making any obscene gestures or insults to the local populace.
"Does shouting obscenities from the top of a turret hurt your mission?" asked Capt. Korvin Kraics, brigade operational law chief. "It certainly doesn't help you and there's certainly something to lose. You are not going to gain anything from that."
Recent studies identified different issues concerning U.S. and coalition forces that the Afghans have shown disapproval for. Afghans, according to the manual, have expressed dissatisfaction with international forces and have accused them of entering houses without permission of the home owner and lacking respect for Afghan culture and traditions. Mckinnon said, in Afghan culture, entering a house unannounced is a sign of disrespect, stating that making an uninvited entry is "a huge slap in the face," to locals.
But one complaint stands out the most, the alleged lack of security and rule of law.
Kraics said many of the choices the brigade is making for future missions to achieve U.S. goals in Afghanistan stem from lessons learned in Iraq's Al Anbar Province, where Marines have had clear successes in counterinsurgency.
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Wild Thing's comment........
God bless these Marines and all our troops, and keep them safe.
I hate IED's!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 17, 2009
Gaffe Machine Biden Reveals Location of Secret VP Bunker
Biden Reveals Location of Secret VP Bunker
The vice president, well-known for his verbal gaffes, confirms at a dinner the existence and location of a secret hidden bunker that Cheney is believed to have used after the 9/11 attacks.
Joe Biden, well-known for his verbal gaffes, may have finally outdone himself, divulging potentially classified information meant to save the life of a sitting vice president.
According to a report, while recently attending the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, an annual event where powerful politicians and media elite get a chance to cozy up to one another, Biden told his dinnermates about the existence of a secret bunker under the old U.S. Naval Observatory, which is now the home of the vice president.
The bunker is believed to be the secure, undisclosed location former Vice President Dick Cheney remained under protection in secret after the 9/11 attacks.
Eleanor Clift, Newsweek magazine's Washington contributing editor, said Biden revealed the location while filling in for President Obama at the dinner, who, along with Grover Cleveland, is the only president to skip the gathering.
According to the report, Biden "said a young naval officer giving him a tour of the residence showed him the hideaway, which is behind a massive steel door secured by an elaborate lock with a narrow connecting hallway lined with shelves filled with communications equipment."
Clift continued: "The officer explained that when Cheney was in lock down, this was where his most trusted aides were stationed, an image that Biden conveyed in a way that suggested we shouldn't be surprised that the policies that emerged were off the wall."
In December 2002, neighbors complained of loud construction work being done at the Naval Observatory, which has been used as a residence by vice presidents since 1974.
The upset neighbors were sent a letter by the observatory's superintendent, calling the work "sensitive in nature" and "classified" and that it was urgent it be completed "on a highly accelerated schedule."
Residents said they believed workers were digging deep into the ground, which would support Biden's report of a secret bunker, but officials never confirmed the purpose of the work performed.
The revelation is the latest from Biden, who has a long history of political blunders.
Most recently, he said in a televised interview that if a family member asked him about traveling he'd advise staying away from public transportation or confined spaces to avoid swine flu -- a remark described as "borderline fearmongering" by an airline spokesman.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
My gosh, I can't get over that these morons are running the country. What in the name of everything that is holy, were people thinnking when they voted these nitwits into office. And it doesn’t just stop with the President and the Vice President, it allllll the way down through the chain of command, or shall we say, the chain of ascension.
So he’s given away the location of his own secret hidey-hole, ay. What a doofus. He just made the game of hide-and-seek much easier, if the day ever comes that he has to make like Saddam Hussein and scuttle down his Spider Hole. Finding him will be much more efficient.
Its not the real, secret bunker. IT’s just the one they told him about. heh heh
Secret service agent on the phone “Hey chief, the VP asked where the secret bunker is. No sir! I’m not that foolish. I just told him it was in his basement and he went away.”
There used to be a day when the Russians would have to get a female spy to sleep with and drug a target in order to get him to divulge info.
With Biden, all they have to do is to have a television camamra & pretend to admire him , hang on every word he says and they could get the codes to our nuke missle launchers.
.......Thank you Lynn for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:25 PM | Comments (6)
Incompetent and Liar Nancy Pelosi
Waterboarding allegedly ordered by Leon Panetta .
Allegedly the "torturers" were heard singing an improvised "beer" song: 99 bottles of Perrier on the wall, 99 bottles of Perrier, take one down pass it around, 98 bottles of Perrier on the wall.
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What Speak Pelosi said about Saddam's chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction
January 16, 2004
National Press Club
Note DATE above this is from 2004
Sam Husseini Questions House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
QUESTION [Sam Husseini]: Ms. Pelosi, this is you on "Meet the Press" on November 17th, 2002, quote: "Saddam Hussein certainly has chemical and biological weapons. There's no question about that."
Wasn't it your job to ask questions about that? And doesn't that make you a rather weak person, in contrast to some of your colleagues in the House -- in the Democratic House -- who did ask those questions as the Bush administration pushed towards war, that you said, quote, "Saddam Hussein certainly has --"
PELOSI: I heard your question.
QUESTION: "-- chemical and biological weapons. There's no question about that," and none have been found?
PELOSI: That was the evidence is that Saddam Hussein had had chemical and biological weapons and he used them. However, that was when they were asking about nuclear, and I said there was no evidence of any nuclear weapons.
In fact, thank you for bringing up this question, because you give me an opportunity to say that, as the senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee in the debate leading up to the vote, I said that the intelligence does not support the threat that the administration is putting forth in Iraq, and that while there may be chemical and biological weapons, because they're rampant in the region, there was no imminent threat that would justify our going to war; that we had not exhausted all of our remedies.
PELOSI: I want to also announce that my colleague on the Intelligence Committee, Congresswoman Jane Harman, the senior Democrat, will be making a speech, I think, noon in California to the World Affairs Council. They are questioning the national intelligence estimate and the intelligence going into the war.
But I voted against the war because I said the intelligence did not support the threat. Sixty percent of the House Democrats voted against the war. And that is my response to your question.
QUESTION: I'd just like to clarify, please, are you still not conceding that this is a false statement, to this day, that "Saddam Hussein certainly has chemical and biological weapons, there's no question about that?" Are you not conceding that that's a false statement?
PELOSI: The point is is there an imminent threat to the United States? Is there a nuclear plume? What I was responding to there is that the intelligence did not support the threat. And while you might concede that in the region there was programs to develop chemical and biological, there was no reason to go to war and we had not.
Now that is my response. If you want to ask it three times, that's up to the audience if they want --
MODERATOR: Thank you sir. Let's go to the next question please.
Nancy Pelosi Goes Into Hiding
By Emily Goodin
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) turned down invitations to be on several Sunday morning talk shows and is instead spending the weekend with her family.
The Speaker was invited to appear on NBC's "Meet the Press,” ABC's "This Week,” “Fox News Sunday” and CNN’s “State of the Union,” according to sources at the networks.One source said Pelosi (D-Calif.) will be attending her granddaughter's first communion in Phoenix on Sunday.
Pelosi's office confirmed she is with her family this weekend.
"We have turned down Sunday shows many, many times before," Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said.
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, kept the pressure on in a CNN interview:
Newt Gingrich continued his attacks on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Saturday, saying she "defamed everyone" in the intelligence community and he can't "see how she can serve as speaker if it turns out that she has lied about national security both to the House and to the rest of the country.”
"I would expect at that point a motion of censure, and I think under the rules of the House, you can't serve for the rest of that term if you've been censured," Gingrich, a former Republican speaker of the House, said in an interview with CNN.
Gingrich, R-Ga., said Pelosi, D-Calif., “has lied to the House” in claiming that she was never briefed by the CIA about the Bush administration’s use of waterboarding and other harsh tactics.
"I think she has lied to the House, and I think that the House has an absolute obligation to open an inquiry, and I hope there will be a resolution to investigate her. And I think this is a big deal. I don't think the Speaker of the House can lie to the country on national security matters,” Gingrich said.
He continued: "I think this is the most despicable, dishonest and vicious political effort I've seen in my lifetime."
"She is a trivial politician, viciously using partisanship for the narrowist of purposes, and she dishonors the Congress by her behavior."
"Speaker Pelosi's the big loser, because she either comes across as incompetent, or dishonest. Those are the only two defenses,” Gingrich said. “The fact is she either didn't do her job, or she did do her job and she's now afraid to tell the truth.”
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Pelosi Statement on Panetta Message to CIA Employees
Washington, D.C.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today in response to a message today to CIA Employees from Director Leon Panetta:
“We all share great respect for the dedicated men and women of the intelligence community who are deeply committed to the safety and security of the American people. My criticism of the manner in which the Bush Administration did not appropriately inform Congress is separate from my respect for those in the intelligence community who work to keep our country safe. What is important now is to be united in our commitment to ensuring the security of our country; that, and how Congress exercises its oversight responsibilities, will continue to be my focus as we move forward.”
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Wild Thing's comment........
If things play out the way I suspect they will, Pelosi’s armor is going to look more like she took a direct hit from a late-model RPG.
"turned down invitations to be on several Sunday morning talk shows and is instead spending the weekend with her family"
She doesn't want to face any tough questions and besides right now she has both feet in her mouth.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (15)
Obama to Bibi: No Surprises On Iran
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Obama to Bibi: No surprises on Iran
Rick Moran
It may be indicative just how low US-Israel relations have sunk that Barack Obama is warning Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu not to make any military moves against Iran without telling him.
"Barack Obama has sent a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that Israel not surprise the U.S. with an Israeli military operation against Iran. The message was conveyed by a senior American official who met in Israel with Netanyahu, ministers and other senior officials. Earlier, Netanyahu's envoy visited Washington and met with National Security Adviser James Jones and with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and discussed the dialogue Obama has initiated with Tehran.
The message from the American envoy to the prime minister reveals U.S. concern that Israel could lose patience and act against Iran. It is important to the Americans that they not be caught off guard and find themselves facing facts on the ground at the last minute.
Obama did not wait for his White House meeting with Netanyahu, scheduled for next Monday, to deliver his message, but rather sent it ahead of time with his envoy."
The likelihood of an Israeli strike without US knowledge just became a dead certainty.
No doubt if the Israelis informed the Obama White House in advance, news of the attack would leak. And Netanyahu must have figured out by now that Obama is more concerned with pursuing his "Grand Bargain" with Iran that with the security of Israel.
What's worrisome about this is that it calls into question just what steps an Obama administration would take to "punish" Israel if they attacked Iran. Given the hostility towards the Jewish state exhibited by several of his advisors, nothing would be unthinkable as a reaction by Obama.
Wouldn't you love to be in that room next week when Bibi sits down with our naive president?
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As Obama and Netanyahu prepare to meet, US-Israeli relations are sinking toward an all-time low.
The White House seems to be intentionally slighting Israel in advance of the summit, even as it raises the stakes. Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, and National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones appear to have linked US willingness to stop Iran’s nuclear program to receiving Israeli concessions regarding the two-state solution.
This is both immoral and counterproductive. Immoral, because it is dangerously close to blackmailing the Jewish state with a nuclear holocaust, planned by the Holocaust denier-in-chief, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Counterproductive, because potential Iranian nukes would threaten American interests and allies in the Middle East, including the oil-producing Gulf states.
The Obama administration is advocating steps that would jeopardize Israeli security.
There is concern that it might approve an Arab-backed plan that could compel Israel to withdraw to indefensible 1967 cease-fire lines. The late, dovish Israeli foreign minister, Abba Eban, called these lines “the borders of Auschwitz.”
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Wild Thing's comment.........
If Netanyahu even wanted to tell Obama, Israel better not trust Obama nor Obama’s Administration. Obama would somehow make sure Iran found out ahead of time. Our moronic administration shouldn’t be trusted with anything.
Unfortunately, US intelligance will have a head’s up about an hour before the jets take off. On the bright side, it’ll take Obama hours to get his act together to try and figure out what to do next. Just as he held off being leader a good president during the Capatins hostage we witnessed for days , 5 days it went on.
God bless the IDF, the Mossad , BiBi and our troops as they know what these terrorists are about unlike the jerk in our Oval Office that favors the enemy.
This is going to all get very interesting - very rapidly - hoping that Bibi stands up to Obama, and informs him that Israel will do whatever is in their collective best interests .
At the Battle of the Bulge, Gen McAuliffe gave the Germans a four letter reply...”NUTS” I suspect that Bibi will also give Obama a four letter reply...”PUTZ”
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (10)
China 'canceled US Credit Card and Obama Picks Moderate Rep. for Ambassador
China has 'canceled US credit card': lawmaker
WASHINGTON (AFP)
China, wary of the troubled US economy, has already "canceled America's credit card" by cutting down purchases of debt, a US congressman said Thursday.
China has the world's largest foreign reserves, believed to be mostly in dollars, along with around 800 billion dollars in US Treasury bonds, more than any other country.
But Treasury Department data shows that investors in China have sharply curtailed their purchases of bonds in January and February.
Representative Mark Kirk, a member of the House Appropriations Committee and co-chair of a group of lawmakers promoting relations with Beijing, said China had "very legitimate" concerns about its investments.
"It would appear, quietly and with deference and politeness, that China has canceled America's credit card," Kirk told the Committee of 100, a Chinese-American group.
"I'm not sure too many people on Capitol Hill realize that this is now happening," he said.
The Republican lawmaker said that China was justified in concerns about returns from finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were bailed out by the US government due to the financial crisis.
Kirk said he was the first member of Congress to tour the Bureau of Public Debt, which trades bonds, and was alarmed at how much debt was being bought by the US Federal Reserve due to absence of foreign investors.
"There will come a time where the lack of Chinese participation may have a significant impact," Kirk said.
"We should track that, because up until last month they were the number one provider of currency to the United States and now they're gone."
With China's economy also hit by the global economic crisis, Premier Wen Jiabao has openly voiced concern about the status of his country's investments in the United States.
China has also floated replacing the dollar as the key international currency with a basket of units bringing in the euro, sterling and yen.
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And also this about China..............
Obama Names Republican Utah Governor Envoy to China
FOX news
Obama named Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a potential Republican presidential contender in 2012, to the sensitive diplomatic post of U.S. ambassador to China.
Fluent in Mandarin Chinese from his days as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan, the 49-year-old Huntsman is a popular two-term governor who served in both Bush administrations and was national co-chairman of Arizona Sen. John McCain's campaign against Obama last year. Huntsman has made a name for himself advocating a moderate agenda in one of the most conservative U.S. states.
Obama's 2008 campaign manager, David Plouffe, said Huntsman is a Republican who "seems to understand the party has to adjust -- not stubbornly believe that everything is OK and it is the country that has to change."
Huntsman's positions on the environment and other issues have led some to consider him a potential contender for president in 2012.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Correction, that is Obama’s Credit card being Cancelled.
Americans do NOT want to spend Trillions on Building a Bigger Nanny Government....A Obama Government that uses “Flu” to Scare Americans, and a Government that uses “Scare force One” to fly around New York scaring New Yorkers, and wants a 3.5 Trillion dollar Deficit on Credit.
China is simply doing what any other creditor would do when they see that a borrower is maxed out. They would be suckers to keep buying our debt when they already have nearly a trillion and we show no signs of pushing ourselves away from the trough.
If they did, then China is simply doing what any other creditor would do when they see that a borrower is maxed out. I guess Obama will ask his other friend Hugo Chevez.
And regarding Utah's Gov. Jon Huntsman , good pick the rino, he won't be missed.
......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (10)
Pelosi Gets Utterly Krauthammered
Krauthammer: Pelosi Is Now At War With The CIA; I Suspect They Will Destroy Her
"Her charge of the CIA lying to her is utterly implausible. Why would it lie to her and tell all the others the truth? It makes no sense at all; and it was refuted by the black and white Obama CIA memo –– not a memo out of the Prince of Darkness: Bush and Cheney; but Obama CIA –– would show that in the briefing in which she says none of this simulated drowning occurred, they had specifically told her about the Enhanced Interrogation Techniques that had been used on a prisoner, obviously, a month earlier."
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Krauthammer is no less then awesome.
The next in line for Pelosi’s job is Steney Hoyer (D-MD) an enemy of Pelosi’s.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (10)
2nd Congressman: Prove Eligibility
2nd Congressman: Prove Eligibility
Virginia representative signs onto plan to demand evidence
A Virginia congressman, very quietly, has signed onto a measure in Congress that would require presidential candidates to verify their eligibility to hold the highest elected office in the United States.
WND earlier reported when freshman Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., filed H.R. 1503, an amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.
According to the Library of Congress' bill-tracking website, H.R. 1503 would:
"require the principal campaign committee of a candidate for election to the office of president to include with the committee's statement of organization a copy of the candidate's birth certificate, together with such other documentation as may be necessary to establish that the candidate meets the qualifications for eligibility to the Office of President under the Constitution."
The plan has been referred to the House committee on House administration, where it has remained.
Now, Virginia Republican Bob Goodlatte has signed on as a co-sponsor, putting a notice on his website that it's one of the efforts in which he's joining.
"Another man with a spine – there are at least two up there on the Hill," wrote a WND reader who has followed the Posey plan.
George Cecala, a spokesman for Posey's office, told WND that constituents had been calling, questioning whether Barack Obama – who has publicized a Certification of Live Birth, but not his official birth certificate – has demonstrated that he meets the Constitution's requirement to be a natural-born citizen.
"Those are legitimate constitutional concerns," Cecala said. "Folks have brought the issue up, and the court really hasn't clarified. And I think American citizens have a right to have answers from their government."
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Wild Thing's comment.........
I really want to know why this guy was even allowed to run without proof.
The framers of the Constitution understood very well how power affects human nature. That is one of the reasons for the 2nd Amendment!
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (2)
Photo Visit of Our Troops
Paths of blue head lamps can be seen as a team of Artillerymen from 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery work swiftly to expend artillery rounds into a known enemy location in northeasten Afghanistan. The Artillerymen are ready to fire 24 hours a day, providing fire support to Forward Operating Base’s and Combat Outposts within their sector of fire.
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Afghan citizens await further instructions from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment Soldiers at a traffic control point in southern Afghanistan. The purpose of the TCP is to reduce Improvised Explosive Device emplacements and restrict Taliban movement in the area.
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All-female Marine team conducts first mission in southern Afghanistan
FARAH PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan, now have a special group of individuals to help them complete their mission in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The Marines employ a select group of all-female Marines from within SPMAGTF-A who are trained to interact with the Afghan female population – a task considered culturally unacceptable for their male Marine brethren operating in the Islamic republic.
A similar program has been used in combat operations in Iraq, but this is the first time Marine forces in Afghanistan have employed the concept.
“If the women know we are here to help them, they will likely pass that on to their children,” she said. “If the children have a positive perspective of alliance forces, they will be less likely to join insurgent groups or participate in insurgent activities.”
The 3rd Battalion, 8th Regiment has begun to use the unit as it deploys into villages in hopes of winning hearts and minds. Cultural taboos would largely keep male Marines from speaking to Afghan women and girls.
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1-26 Infantrymen patrol rocky cliffs of Waygal Valley
Army Pfc. William Drikell, scans the valley walls for suspicious activity during a combat patrol near the village of Walo Tangi, in Kunar province, Afghanistan. Driskell is a member of 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
The soldiers move forward, almost shoulder to shoulder, with live ammunition while practicing team movement drills at an advanced marksmanship course on Camp Beuhring, Kuwait, May 13, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's Company F, 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Travis Zielinski
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U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Michael Oates fields a question from an Iraqi reporter at a ceremony marking the transfer of the Ziggurat of Ur, a stepped pyramid in Iraq, from U.S. to Iraqi control as Maj. Chad Carroll monitors the interview, May 14, 2009. The Ziggurat, closed to the public since 2003, was constructed in 2100 B.C. Oates is the commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division's Multinational Division South and Carroll is assigned to the1st Cavalry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Myles Caggins
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Wild Thing's comment........
Fantastic top photo, the colors in it are awesome and it was captured at the exact moment.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (2)
May 16, 2009
Democrat 'Zombie" Voters (Dead People) Get Stimulus Checks
Dead People Get Stimulus Checks
This week, thousands of people are getting stimulus checks in the mail. The problem is that a lot of them are dead. A Long Island woman was shocked when she checked the mail and received a letter from the U.S. Treasury -- but it wasn't for her.
Antoniette Santopadre of Valley Stream was expecting a $250 stimulus check. But when her son finally opened it, they saw that the check was made out to her father, Romolo Romonini, who died in Italy 34 years ago. He'd been a U.S. citizen when he left for Italy in 1933, but only returned to the United States for a seven-month visit in 1969.
The Santopadres are not alone. The Social Security Administration, which sent out 52 million checks, says that some of those checks mistakenly went to dead people because the agency had no record of their death. That amounts to between 8,000 and 10,000 checks for millions of dollars.
The feds blame a rushed schedule, because all the checks have to be cut by June. The strange thing is, some of the checks were made out to people -- like Romonini -- who were never even part of the Social Security system.
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Wild Thing's comment........
What the heck are they using anyway, ACORN files? hahaha sheesh! This is such a typical way that Democrats run things. It should just say.....Stimulus checks for ACORN registered 'zombie' democrat voters.
No one could be more deserving. No one in our society is more disadvantaged. The dead suffer, by far, the worst wage and housing discrimination, and have the least access to medical care and education. And not one state permits the dead to marry. Heh heh
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:55 AM | Comments (19)
~ Armed Forces Day ~
President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.
We celebrate our Armed Forces, in the work they do, the tasks they accomplish, the hope and freedom they bring to the world, and the outstanding people who comprise our military services. Join us on Saturday May 16th, in honoring those tremendous individuals: The Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Guards [Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard] in their efforts to safeguard our freedoms, the world and our future!
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:50 AM | Comments (8)
Challenger the Bald Eagle ~ This Is America!
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Wild Thing's comment..........
I have lived in the greatest country in the world, and a beacon in a storm to so many around the world. To sing our anthem with tears in my eyes thinking along with the words of the song telling of the lives that paid the price for our country to be the land of the free, and see our Flag and what it stands for feeling like my heart will burst from the pride one feels that we all are able to say, " I am an American".
This video touched my heart and caused feelings to soar just as the Eagle named Challenger does around the stadium.
God bless our country and the men and women that serve in our military as they put their lives on the line every day for the Freedoms we all enjoy. And for our Veterans before them leading the way, the charge, the brotherhood of warriors.
.... Thank you John for sending this to me.
John
US Navy
62-68
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:48 AM | Comments (8)
Maj. Steven Hutchison a Vietnam Vet and Served in Iraq ~ R.I.P.
Army Maj. Steven Hutchison fought battles in the jungles of Vietnam and then Hutchison served in Afghanistan for a year before deploying to Iraq in October, heading a 12-soldier team that trained the Iraqi military. Later, he was assigned to help secure Iraq’s southern border. He died in Basra, Iraq, of wounds from a roadside bomb in Al Farr.
He was part of the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan.
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Scottsdale soldier, 60, oldest to die in Iraq
Army Maj. Steven Hutchison, a senior soldier who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, wanted badly to defend his country after the Sept. 11 attacks, but his wife, Kandy, did not want him to re-up.
When breast cancer claimed Kandy Rohde's life in 2006, Hutchison, then 57, jumped at the chance to return to service, according to his brother, Richard.
Hutchison, 60, of Scottsdale, got his wish - but it ended tragically this week when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Al Farr, Iraq. He died Sunday in Basra, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Hutchison, who would have turned 61 on June 5, was the oldest soldier to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to Defense officials. He was there through a military Retiree Recall program that permits older, experienced warriors to return to action.
"He'd been a soldier all his life, and that's what he wanted to do," his brother said.
Richard Hutchison of Mesa finds little solace in the fact that his sibling was the oldest Iraq war soldier to give his life.
"Doesn't make me feel much better," he said. "He was probably my best friend. I loved him very much. I'm going to miss him."
The incident surrounding Hutchison's death is still under investigation. He was the only soldier killed in his vehicle, according to his brother.
Hutchison was one of roughly 700 officers and senior non-commissioned officers now on active duty as part of the military's Retiree Recall program. Hutchison had previously served in Afghanistan from August 2007 to August 2008.
"He hadn't been drafted, he didn't have to go, and he chose that he felt that he could serve and make a difference," said Lt. Col. Nathan Banks, an Army spokesman.
As a member of the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Team, Hutchison was an adviser on an Army Military Training and Transition Team that trains Iraqi army and police units.
But the mission had recently changed, according to Hutchison's niece, Lori Hutchison, and her uncle found himself defending Iraq's borders near Basra.
According to Pentagon officials, the armed forces can reinstate retirees voluntarily up to age 64 for general officers, age 62 for warrant officers and age 60 for all others. The Army has an age limit of 42 for new soldiers who do not have prior service.
Lt. Col. George Wright, an Army spokesman and a retired soldier who rejoined the Army through the recall program, said Hutchison's decision was not hard.
"In volunteering, it's not a difficult choice," Wright said. "It's something we choose to do. It's because we love our country, and we love the Army, and we love the soldiers who are in it."
Retiree Recall soldiers, Wright said, maintain an online message board.
"I read about the dedication and the high level of professionalism and the desire to be of continuous service, and our major was doing just that," Wright said of Hutchison.
Such soldiers, Wright said, must maintain a physical, mental and moral state similar to when they previously served.
Members of the armed forces, including the National Guard and the Army Reserve, also must pass fitness tests every six months, meeting requirements in push-ups, sit-ups and the 2-mile run, among other areas.
"He was more than capable," Richard said his brother. Steven was always a runner, Richard said, running 2 to 4 miles per day, multiple times each week.
The two brothers would go hiking together, with Steven wearing a backpack.
Steven Hutchison previously served two tours of duty in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970 as member of the 101st Airborne Division. A Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal recipient, he also was an Army instructor during his previous 20 years of service.
After earning an experimental-psychology degree in 1982, Hutchison served his final years in the Army as a research-and-development coordinator studying human engineering.
Upon retirement, Hutchison earned a doctorate in organizational psychology and went on to teach psychology at various California universities.
"If there's any definition of a lifelong learner, that would definitely have been him," Lori said of her uncle.
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Wild Thing's comment............
God bless you Major Steven Hutchison, we owe you so much a debt that can never be repaid. You have a special place set aside for you in heaven.
....Thank you Jim for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:47 AM | Comments (7)
TAX Imposed on Second Amendment Rights in Florida
From : Marion P. Hammer
USF Executive Director
NRA Past President
When government takes money from citizens for general use by government, IT'S A TAX.
When government confiscates user fees from trust funds intended to be used to administer specific programs and converts it to government use for other purposes, IT'S A TAX.
When government leaders claim to oppose tax increases and promise not to create new taxes but then raid trust funds, they have deceived you because THEY HAVE CREATED A NEW TAX.
In a last minute sneak attack on gun owners, the Florida Legislature raided the concealed weapons and firearms licensing trust fund and CREATED A TAX ON THE EXERCISE OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
They took $6 million from the Division of Licensing Concealed Weapons and Firearm Trust Fund that is intended, by law, to be used solely for administering the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program. THAT IS A DEFACTO TAX ON GUN OWNERS.
BACKGROUND:
Because legislative budget officials have refused to allow the Division of Licensing to use their own trust fund money to hire necessary staff and upgrade equipment, the Concealed Weapons and Firearms Licensing program is in crisis.
It is a crisis created by the legislature and anti-gun budget staffers. They refused to allow gun owners' money to be used to administer the gun owner program -- as required by law -- then confiscated gun owners' money for their own political purposes. THEY CREATED A SECOND AMENDMENT TAX.
Right now, the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program is backlogged and overloaded due in part to the refusal of budget officials and the Legislature to allow the Division of Licensing to use its own trust fund money to hire more employees and expand/upgrade equipment.
Crates of unopened mail containing license and license renewal applications sit in storage. The backlog of mail sitting unopened, at times, has extended beyond 90 days while existing licenses are expiring because renewal applications haven't been opened and processed.
Currently (although the Division of Licensing has been working weekend shifts to clear the backlog), it is taking 13-14 weeks to process a "perfect" application once it has been opened. That is an unequivocal violation of the law that requires issuance or denial of a license by a time certain –– a violation of law that legislative leaders are condoning by their actions.
THE LAW REQUIRES THE DIVISION OF LICENSING TO ISSUE A LICENSE WITHIN 90 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THE APPLICATION -- or deny the license "for cause," based upon the criteria set forth in the law. Theft of operating funds by the Legislature is not "just cause" for failure to issue licenses or renewals within 90 days.
Theft of those operating funds IS A TAX ON THE EXERCISE OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
While applications sit gathering dust, legislative leaders took $6 million of approximately $8 million held in the trust fund. That $6 million is supposed to be used to pay employees, buy upgraded equipment, upgrade or replace computers or software, and to otherwise administer the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program.
BUT, feigning a desperate need for funds for education and health care, legislative leaders recklessly and ruthlessly confiscated gun owners’ trust fund money. Why? Because they were building a so-called "working capital" fund for the 2010-12 legislative term, reported now to be in the neighborhood of $1.8 BILLION DOLLARS. This so-called "working capital fund" is for the use of future legislative leaders. THAT MAKES IT A TAX ON THE EXERCISE OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
While Senate leadership reportedly fought to stop the ruthless raids on trust funds, in the end, they simply caved and HELPED the House of Representatives CREATE A SECOND AMENDMENT TAX.
The bad behavior doesn't end there.
Obviously fearing the Governor would use his line-item veto to stop THE SECOND AMENDMENT TAX, proviso language was inserted in the bill in a clear attempt to intimidate the Governor.
The proviso language says that if any portion of the moneys swept from this and other trust funds does not become law (meaning it is vetoed), that portion of the money shall be deducted from the EDUCATION BUDGET. This is clearly designed to keep the Governor from vetoing THE SECOND AMENDMENT TAX, and prevent trust fund money from being taken back out the House leadership's so-called "working capital" fund.
Money in the concealed weapons trust fund came from gun owners. No money to administer and run the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program has ever come from general revenue, or any other state fund or revenue source. The taking of these gun owner user fees is a de facto tax on the exercise of the Second Amendment.
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Whether you are a resident or non-resident holder of a Florida Concealed Weapons and Firearms License, this affects you!
You can Call, Fax, or Email Governor Charlie Crist IMMEDIATELY, and ask him to VETO THE SECOND AMENDMENT TAX created by the confiscation of $6 million from the Division of Licensing Trust Fund.
Phone number: (850) 488-4441 or (850) 488-7146
Fax number: (850) 487-0801
Send your email to the Governor at this address:
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Wild Thing's comment........
I have never been a huge fan of Charlie Crist. I just don't trust Crist to ever do the right thing. When they are more rino then conservative that is the feeling that has to be constantly there. Will he do the right thing or not.
“”The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” — (Thomas Jefferson)”
....Thank you Richard for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:45 AM | Comments (10)
'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle "
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama.
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The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle .''
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'. The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. 'You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put him up there to begin with'.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
I LOVE this! The poor turtle though, but this is the ONLY Democrat turtle in existence, see that is the way to
not feel so bad about the turtle. heh heh
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:44 AM | Comments (4)
Obama Says U.S. Long-Term Debt Load ‘Unsustainable’
Obama Says U.S. Long-Term Debt Load ‘Unsustainable’
Barack Obama, calling current deficit spending “unsustainable,” warned of skyrocketing interest rates for consumers if the U.S. continues to finance government by borrowing from other countries.
“We can’t keep on just borrowing from China,” Obama said at a town-hall meeting in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, outside Albuquerque. “We have to pay interest on that debt, and that means we are mortgaging our children’s future with more and more debt.”
Holders of U.S. debt will eventually “get tired” of buying it, causing interest rates on everything from auto loans to home mortgages to increase, Obama said. “It will have a dampening effect on our economy.”
Earlier this week, the Obama administration revised its own budget estimates and raised the projected deficit for this year to a record $1.84 trillion, up 5 percent from the February estimate. The revision for the 2010 fiscal year estimated the deficit at $1.26 trillion, up 7.4 percent from the February figure. The White House Office of Management and Budget also projected next year’s budget will end up at $3.59 trillion, compared with the $3.55 trillion it estimated previously.
Two weeks ago, the president proposed $17 billion in budget cuts, with plans to eliminate or reduce 121 federal programs. Republicans ridiculed the amount, saying that it represented one-half of 1 percent of the entire budget. They noted that Obama is seeking an $81 billion increase in other spending.
In his New Mexico appearance, the president pledged to work with Congress to shore up entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He also said he was confident that the House and Senate would pass health-care overhaul bills by August.
“Most of what is driving us into debt is health care, so we have to drive down costs,” he said.
Obama prodded Congress to pass restrictions on credit-card issuers, saying consumers need “strong and reliable” protection from unfair practices and hidden fees.
“It’s time for reform that’s built on transparency, accountability, and mutual responsibility, values fundamental to the new foundation we seek to build for our economy,” the president said.
Taking questions from the audience, Obama repeated his stance that he wants legislation to overhaul the health-care system finished before the end of the year, saying it is vital to the economy.
Health-care costs are driving up the nation’s debt and burdening entitlement programs such as Medicare, the government- run insurance program for those 65 and older and the disabled.
The programs’ trustees reported May 13 that the Social Security trust fund will run out of assets in 2037, four years sooner than forecast, and Medicare’s hospital fund will run dry by 2017, two years earlier than predicted a year ago.
Wild Thing's comment.........
Obama has been spending gazillions of dollars on everything…except the military. A proposal to cut more than $1 billion from the Missile Defense Agency’s budget is but one example.
Barack Obama, calling current deficit spending 'unsustainable,' warned of skyrocketing interest rates for consumers if the US continues to finance government by borrowing from other countries.
'We can't keep on just borrowing from China,' Obama said at a town-hall meeting in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, outside Albuquerque. 'We have to pay interest on that debt, and that means we are mortgaging our children’s future with more and more debt.' Holders of US debt will eventually 'get tired' of buying it, causing interest rates on everything from auto loans to home mortgages to increase, Obama said. 'It will have a dampening effect on our economy.'"
Obama saddled us with $11 trillion in budget deficits for the next ten years, warning that his own policies have wrecked the US economy and that they cannot be continued. As Rush Limbaugh said, Obama has thrown himself under his own bus!!!
This whole thing is about Obama getting money for his Socialized Medicine.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:40 AM | Comments (9)
May 15, 2009
Hiding in plain sight
Hi everyone. It's me, LindaSoG, and I'm butting in for a minute or two, to help Chrissie deal with a situation that needs some airing out.
I know those of you who come to Theodore's World day after day to read about what's happening out there, and to see what Chrissie has to say about it do so because you've come to respect her opinions and her ideas. Theodore's World is Chrissie's place, but is not really about Chrissie, it's about the world, and what's going on, how we feel about it and what we're going to do about it. Still, over time, you've come know about Chrissie, because she has shared little bits about herself with you.
If you were curious enough, you could alway peek at her personal website, which talks about her life and career as a model and an actress, and her husband's military service in the Navy, and his career as an actor and as a stunt man. She didn't hide these things, she just didn't make a big deal out it. After all, you don't come here because Chrissie used to be an actress, because she knew Hugh Hefner and hung out at the Playboy Mansion. You don't come here because she knew Bob Hope or Jack Klugman, or Adam West or anyone else in Hollywood. You don't come here because her husband did movies with Elvis Presley, or Charles Bronson, or James Colburn. You come here because of Chrissie's politics, her opinions, her thoughts and her ideas.
So, why talk about Hollywood now? Well, because Chrissie has attracted the attention of a left wing blogger, and not just any left wing blogger, but, the former "field organizer for the Obama campaign in Sarasota County," although jeepers, he wasn't very effective. He had that great big title and he only managed to earn one point out of a possible 10 and it looks like he didn't manage to even raise a dime for the messiah, but.... I digress. Anyways, being who he is, Chrissie likely ticked him off bad enough so that he did a little research into Chrissie's movie career. And now, he believes he has "discovered" what he thinks is a secret and he's harassing Chrissie about it. It's become annoying. So, we thought addressing it here might shut the situation down before it goes any further.
This is the film clip he is making a fuss about... our Chrissie appears first in the pink dress and then changes into shorts. She does a brief dance and then does her thing with the phone and drives off...
This was in the 1970s, the movie was Russ Meyer's Super Vixens, and back then, it was considered quite risque. Nowadays, it has become a cult classic with a large following. Chrissie was the only woman in the movie who kept her clothing on, and despite the fact that she was basically a walk on with like 7 minutes of camera time, she was so adorable that Russ used her on the movie poster.
It's no big secret but this guy thinks he's done a brilliant bit of detective work. Sorry but no, it's no big deal, no big discovery. Cooper is not the first to figure it out, he's just the first to be such an ass about it.
I think my favorite leftie to figure it out was this guy:
There's an actress named Christy Hartburg. Or "Christina Cummings", as she was listed for her appearances in NATIONAL LAMPOON GOES TO THE MOVIES, BJ AND THE BEAR and SHERIFF LOBO.
But under the name "Christy Hartburg", she appeared in Russ Meyers' SUPERVIXENS. She's got about 8 minutes of screen time, and she's the pinnacle of the curvy, healthy, early 70's pinup girl, before everyone started starving themselves into rib-tastic bonerkillitude:
Good Lord! Oh, where are you, Christy?Well, turns out she's alive and well and a RAGING NEOCONSERVATIVE, living somewhere in Las Vegas. Her views on America, and George W. Bush, and the direction this country's been taking make Ann Coulter look like Janeane Garofalo.
Which intrigues me all the more. How do you reconcile ideas -- ideas which are so repellent to you -- being inside such an angelic package? "Christy Hartburg" would hate me. HATE ME. And I'd probably hate her. But somewhere in my mind, she'd still be SuperLorna, the motorist who go-go's at the gas station at the beginning of SUPERVIXENS. Sigh.
What bothers me the most about this Cooper guy is that he's writing these sweet little notes to Chrissie, "I've been reading your blog a long time, I would love to talk to you about your career, please call me." and then she finds that post in her site stats where at the same time he's writing about her site being a hate site and saying that she's unhinged. That's scary stuff right there, and he's wondering why she refuses to have any contact with him?
So, anyways, there you have it. There are no secrets to expose, and Cooper, sorry, but no interviews will be given.
Now. It's back to business as usual.
Posted by LindaSoG at 06:35 AM | Comments (68)
Soldier Battles Taliban in Pink Undies
Specialist Zachary Boyd, from the US Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry, takes defensive position at firebase Restrepo after receiving fire from Taliban positions in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan's Kunar Province.
Soldier Battles Taliban in Pink Undies
A soldier from North Texas is making national headlines and proving that real men do wear pink undies.
An Associated Press photographer captured 19-year-old Army specialist Zachary Boyd fighting off a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan -- in his underwear.
The photo of Boyd, clad in the pink "I *heart* NY" printed boxers ended up on Tuesday's front page of the New York Times.
His mother, who lives in Keller, said her son was sleeping when someone opened fire on his base and he didn't have time to put on his uniform or boots.
Boyd called his parents on Monday to let them know he might be in the paper. His father said that after he logged onto the New York Times' Web site he laughed for the next five minutes.
"I knew he was a boxer guy, I knew that for sure," Tommy Boyd told WBAP. "I did not know they were pink, and I didn't know they said, 'I love New York.'"
Wild Thing's comment..........
LMAO I love it, this is so adorable!!
I LOVE this guys heart, he is 19 years old, loves his country and New York too apparently. And is trying the best he can to be a good soldier.
Gosh our troops ROCK!!!!!!!
Actually I am much more concerned with that red shirt he has on. Like a siren to the terrorists Here I am !
Godspeed Specialist Zachary Boyd!!
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:55 AM | Comments (12)
Liar, Liar Pantsuit On Fire Pelosi Says the CIA Are Liars
Nancy Pelosi: CIA was misleading The U.S. Congress about torture methods- 05-14-09
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Pelosi says she learned of waterboarding in 2003
Under strong attack from Republicans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the CIA and Bush administration of misleading her about waterboarding detainees in the war on terror and sharply rebutted claims she was complicit in its use.
"To the contrary ... we were told explicitly that waterboarding was not being used," she told reporters, referring to a formal CIA briefing she received in the fall of 2002.
Pelosi said she subsequently learned that other lawmakers were told several months later by the CIA about the use of waterboarding.
"I wasn't briefed, I was informed that somebody else had been briefed about it," she said.
The House's top Democrat made her comments at a news conference where she was peppered with questions about her knowledge of a technique she and others have called torture. Republicans have insisted in recent weeks that Pelosi and other Democrats knew waterboarding was in use, but made no attempt to protest.
In a written response issued moments after Pelosi spoke, an official at the CIA neither disputed nor accepted the California Democrat's statements.
Instead, George Little, head of the CIA office of public affairs, said it would be up to Congress to determine whether notes made by agency personnel at the time they briefed lawmakers were accurate. He said the notes could be made available at the CIA "for staff review."
Pelosi renewed her call for a so-called truth commission to investigate the events in the Bush administration that led to the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques. While President Barack Obama has banned waterboarding, calling it torture, he has been notably cool toward an independent inquiry that might distract attention from his domestic agenda.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also has expressed opposition, as have congressional Republicans.
Pelosi was particularly harsh in describing the CIA.
"They mislead us all the time," she said. And when a reporter asked whether the agency lied, she did not disagree.
She also suggested that the current Republican criticism marked an attempt to divert attention from the Bush administration's actions.
"They misrepresented every step of the way, and they don't want that focus on them, so they try to turn the attention on us," she said.
Pelosi contended that Democrats did what they could to stop the use of waterboarding. The senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, who received the 2003 briefing on the practice, sent the CIA a formal letter of protest, she said.
But Pelosi defended her own lack of action on the issue, saying her focus at the time was on wresting congressional control from Republicans so her party could change course.
"No letter could change the policy. It was clear we had to change the leadership in Congress and in the White House. That was my job—the Congress part," Pelosi said.
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Storm center over Pelosi
( snipets from the article)
During a tense press conference, Pelosi sought to deflect criticism to the CIA, which she said lied to her about the practice.
Her accusation in her weekly press conference Thursday raised the stakes in that fight, pitting her against the agency charged with fighting international terrorism. And she twisted the knife when she compared the agency’s interrogation briefings to its faulty intelligence about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, a sensitive topic at the CIA.
“Those briefings gave me inaccurate and incomplete information,” Pelosi told reporters at her weekly news conference.
“I think the problem is that the Speaker has had way too many stories on this issue,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said at his weekly news conference. “It’s pretty clear that [Democratic leaders] were well-aware of what these enhanced interrogation techniques were, they were well-aware that they had been used, and it seems to me that they want to have it both ways.”
He also said he found Pelosi’s assertion that she was misled by the CIA highly dubious.
“I’ve dealt with our intelligence professionals for the last three and a half years on an almost daily basis, and it’s hard for me to imagine that our intelligence area would ever mislead a member of Congress ... I don’t know what motivation they would have to mislead anyone.”
The CIA stood by the account of its briefings, which were released last week after a request from Republicans.
“The language in the chart — ‘a description of the particular EITs [enhanced interrogation techniques] that had been employed’ — is true to the language in the agency’s records,” said George Little, a CIA spokesman.
The CIA records indicate Pelosi was briefed specifically about interrogation methods used on suspected terrorist Abu Zubaydah. But the records don’t specifically cite the practice of waterboarding.
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Wild Thing's comment.............
LOL Can you imagine Nancy Pelosi as a CIA Spook. I think it would be a short career. hahahaha They have to remember who, what, where, when and Nancy is falling apart trying to keep up with her lies.
Hello, I’m Nancy Pelosi, and I’ve got a secret.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:50 AM | Comments (19)
Palin Backs Miss Calif., Blasts 'Liberal Onslaught'
Palin Backs Miss Calif., Blasts 'Liberal Onslaught'
In a strongly worded statement relased late Wednesday, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin defended Miss California Carrie Prejean and ripped into "the liberal onslaught of malicious attacks" against Prejean for her response to a question about gay marriage.
"I can relate as a liberal target myself," Palin said. "What I find so remarkable is that these politically-motivated attacks fail to show that what Carrie and I believe is also what President Obama and Secretary Clinton believe — marriage is between a man and a woman."
"I applaud Donald Trump for standing with Carrie during this time. And I respect Carrie for standing strong and staying true to herself, and for not letting those who disagree with her deny her protection under the nation's First Amendment Rights," the former vice presidential candidate said.
"Our Constitution protects us all — not just those who agree with the far left," Palin said.
Wild Thing's comment..........
There is an effort to shut down conservative viewpoints on certain issues via intimidation. It is important to point out that those defending free speech are the people on the right not the left. The left only believes in freedom of speech as long as you think exactly like they do.
Interesting too, the right supports the troops and Veterans more then the left and the Veterans and troops are the very ones that have paid the price for our freedoms.
More and more anyone who deviates from the party line of the left can find themselves demonized, slandered or threatened. What the left did with Miss California, or anyone else that does not think like the left does, they will intimidate, with their goal being to warn any future individual who might be asked about same sex marriage or one of their other issues, they better answer with the left talking points or we will come after you to destroy you.
We can bet that there are people that observed what happened to Miss California, Sarah Palin, Joe the Plumber and others that sit back and make the decision NOT to speak out, NOT to answer from their heart or speak out. So in the end with those making that decision give the left a win and the halt of discussion and freedom of speech.
Over the years we have seen less and less stand up to the left and that is why those coming in now to speak up for Miss California and those that did the same for Sarah Paliln and Joe the Plumber and others need to be applauded.
This blog is not PC as it states and pays tribute each day to those that gave us our freedoms.
Thanks to Gov. Palin for being someone we all can admire and God bless her for speaking out.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:48 AM | Comments (8)
Ghost Riders In The Sky......
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An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw
A-plowin' through the ragged skies and up a cloudy draw
Yippee-yi-yay, yippee-yi-yo
The ghost herd in the sky...
A ghost herd in the sky? Where did that come from? From a guy called Stan Jones - and it was, as they say on the TV movies, based on a true story. Stan was born in 1914 near Douglas, in southeastern Arizona, and by the age of 12 was working at the D Hill Ranch. "I'd been sent out to do a chore," he recalled, "so I saddled up my horse and took off. After I'd finished my work, it was beginning to blow up a storm, and, not having my poncho along, I decided to take an old path up over the mountain, which was between me and the ranch house. I was hoping to beat the rain, 'course. Well, right up on top of the ridge, I met an old, old cowpuncher, sort of a weird old fellow."
This was a leathery cuss called Cap Wells, and, without even turning his head to look at young Stan, he said, "Son, look up into the sky and you'll see the red-eyed cows of the devil's herd." And the boy looked up, and, by golly, there they were:
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel...
It was, in fact, a meteorological effect: a peculiar cloud formation caused by the collision of hot and cold air currents. The clouds darkened, and lightning flashed, and it really did look like a ghost herd pursued by ghost riders:
A bolt of fear shot through him as he looked up in the sky
For he saw the riders comin' hard and he heard their mournful cry...
And the "bolt of fear" was certainly real. The old cowboy told the 12-year old that if he wasn't careful he'd be joining the ghost riders, accursed to chase steers across the desert sky for all eternity. "I was scared," said Stan. "You never saw a horse or boy get off a mountain so fast in your life."
Jones grew up, left Douglas, worked in the copper mine in Jerome, Arizona, then as a logger in the Pacific Northwest, and eventually joined the National Park Service - which is when the ghost riders rode back into his life. "It was when I was stationed with the park rangers in Death Valley," he remembered. "I happened to look up into the sky. Well, sir, I saw that same kind of a cloud formation as I had way back the other time, and it sort of all came back to me. And I went inside and wrote the song":
An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way...
"Riders In The Sky" is one of those compositions whose creation we can date precisely: June 5th 1948. It was Stan Jones' 34th birthday, and with the help of his guitar he fleshed out the scene he'd first witnessed on top of the mountain 22 years earlier - the thundering herd of hot-breathed, red-eyed cattle, pursued by the eternally damned cowboys:
Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat
They're riding hard to catch that herd but they ain't caught 'em yet
'Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snortin' fire, as they ride on hear their cry:
Yippee-yi-yay, yippee-yi-yo
Ghost Riders In The Sky...
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Wild Thing's comment..........
I have loved this song since I was a little girl. I used to sing it when I rode my bicycle, and sometimes when I rode on one of my parents horses.
Vaughn Monroe is the one singing it on this video.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:47 AM | Comments (6)
A Little of This and That for Today
Lawn Sign
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Lifetime Carbon Offsets
U.S. Armed Forces have always been environmentally conscious, but now they’re starting a new program that should really make liberals happy. They’re going to be selling lifetime carbon offsets. You pay them their fee, and they will then kill a terrorist in a foreign land, effectively offsetting your entire carbon footprint.
......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
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......Thank you SSGT Steve
SSgt Steve
1st MarDiv, H Co., 2nd Bn, 5th Marine Regiment
2/5 Marines, Motto: "Retreat, Hell"
VN 66-67
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Obama Country
A man is sitting in a bar far from home when Barack Obama comes on TV. The man looks at the TV and says, "Obama is a horse's ass." Out of nowhere, a local jumps up and punches him in the face, knocking the him off his bar stool, then stomps out.
He gets up, rubbing his cheek and orders another beer. Shortly after, Michelle Obama appears on the TV. He looks at the TV and says, "She's a horse's ass, too!"
Out of nowhere, another local punches him on the other side of the face, knocking him off his bar stool again.
He gets back up and looks at the bartender, "I take it this is Obama country."
"Nope," replies the bartender. "Horse country."
.....Thank you Larry for sending this to me.
Larry
tuy hoa nah trang duc pho chu lai
39TH COMBAT ENGRS BN
Dec 66 - Dec 67
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Now booking for prom season in Lancaster County, PA
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
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....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
United States Army
1965-1971
Vietnam
1968-1969
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
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Posted by Wild Thing at 04:45 AM | Comments (2)
Sights unseen: Blind Veteran Reflects on Mount Rainier Climb
Blind ex-Navy SEAL Ryan Job (center) climbs Mount Rainier in July 2008 with the help of guides Curtis Fawley (left) and Art Rausch.....Photo By: Mark Seacat
Guide Curtis Fawley leads Ryan Job (red shirt) toward the snow fields on Mount Rainier in 2008. Following Job are Camp Patriot founder Micah Clark and Fawley's son, Keagan Fawley.
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Wounded Vets Reach Mt Rainier Summit
May 8, 2009, By Bob Reinert, FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- As they climbed higher, Ryan Job closely followed chief guide Curtis Fawley. Art Rausch, another guide, brought up the rear, and a rope kept the three within feet of each other.
The 14,410-foot summit of Mount Rainier lay ahead.
"Every step they told me to take, I took," Job recalled. "Trust was the key ... factor to my success. I totally trusted the team."
A formidable challenge for an able-bodied climber, the Rainier climb represented the experience of a lifetime for Job, an ex-Navy SEAL blinded when shot by a sniper Aug. 2, 2006, in Iraq. At 8:30 a.m. on July 9, 2008, he stood atop the mountain.
"The summit was amazing, even for a blind man," Job said. "I could sense that nothing was above my head because of the wide-open sound and wind."
Giving combat-injured veterans outdoor adventures has been the mission of "Camp Patriot," a nonprofit organization founded in Montana, since 2006. While most of the outings revolve around hunting, fishing, hiking and camping, the annual Mount Rainier Climb has become the organization's signature event. The third annual climb will take place July 5-10.
"It's a great adventure for these guys," said Micah Clark, an ex-Navy corpsman who founded Camp Patriot. "It's neat to see the excitement in them. It's become an annual event. It keeps growing each year."
Camp Patriot took two veterans up the first year, three in 2008. Rausch, a Lakewood firefighter and a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve assigned to Vancouver Barracks, served as a guide both years and will be back for the 2009 ascent.
"It is so intensive," said Rausch of climbing with the injured veterans. "It has to be guides that are used to working with people and that have the patience and the know-how."
On the first trip in 2007, Rausch and Fawley guided Scott Smiley, who is blind, and Ed Salau, an above-the-knee amputee. Smiley made it all the way to the summit.
"He didn't want to be something that we were dragging up there, a football for us to slam at the top and say, 'Hey, we got the blind guy up,'" Rausch said. "I looked at every step he made for eight hours going up."
Rausch pointed out that the summit marks the halfway point of the effort.
"Every trip is a round trip," Rausch said. "Getting down is the real important part. Getting up is optional, but getting down is mandatory."
Rausch, who has guided at Mount Rainier since 1989, places safety above all else on the mountain.
"If you live in the area, you know that people die up there quite often, some years more than others," Rausch said. "And even if you're on top of it, stuff happens. There's no climb that's ... worth risking a life on."
Job, now a spokesman for Camp Patriot, said Fawley and Rausch did a great job.
"Never did I feel unsafe on the mountain because of the expert guiding of Curtis and Art," Job said. "The people of Camp Patriot are the most passionate people devoted to a mission - the same work ethic and moral conviction that I saw from my own SEAL platoon teammates."
Rausch said he suspected that he might be getting more out of these climbs than the veterans he guides.
"They are like national treasures," said Rausch of the veterans. "Being able to work with them was just a really special opportunity to give back a little bit."
Job and the other veterans have been on the receiving end.
"My trip on Mount Rainier with Camp Patriot caused me to realize that I can still live a lifestyle of my choosing," said Job, "that is, a life as an outdoorsman just as I had before losing my sight.
"I learned from Camp Patriot that life is about people and that living is something that we as people must choose to do. Life is a choice and self-pity has no place in mine."
Bob Reinert is a reporter with Fort Lewis' Northwest Guardian.
Wild Thing's comment......
God bless these heroes. It is so wonderful to learn about these things available for our deserving troops. They need to know that they are not forgotten when they come home with injuries, and many that they will have the injuries for the rest of their lives. They sacrificed so much, and words are so little in saying thank you, but it comes from the heart. Our troops did all of this for our country, for their love of the USA, for their families and loved ones, and also for their brother in arms next to them as they fought the enemy.
Prayers for our troops more then ever.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:44 AM | Comments (4)
Dictionary Online Says 'Narrow-minded' Means 'conservative'
Dictionary.com: 'Narrow-minded' means 'conservative'
Reference book equates terms without comment
When you hear the word "narrow-minded," does "extremely conservative" pop into your head?
It might if you use Dictionary.com as a reference tool.
The listing provides three definitions for "narrow-minded":
1. having or showing a prejudiced mind, as persons or opinions
2. biased. not receptive to new ideas; having a closed mind
3. extremely conservative and morally self-righteous.
It also features a list of synonyms, specifically "bigoted, partial, intolerant, illiberal."
Entries from other dictionaries, including the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language and Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, make no mention of "conservative" in their definitions.
WND contacted Random House in New York City for an explanation of how "extremely conservative" was placed into its dictionary as a descriptor for "narrow-minded," but no one was available to provide an answer. WND was told, though, the company is not working on any updated versions.
"While Random House Reference has no updated editions of our dictionaries currently planned, we continue to actively publish and market our existing editions," said Meg Rushton of Random House Information Group.
When WND entered the term "conservative" into Dictionary.com, results from eight different dictionaries were returned, with none using the word "narrow-minded" as a definition.
The Random House definitions include as an adjective:
* disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
* cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.
* traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.
As a noun, it includes:
* a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc.
* a supporter of conservative political policies.
On its "About" page, Dictionary.com explains it doesn't produce all the dictionaries appearing on its site. It merely makes them available.
"In that respect we are more like a bookstore or library than a publisher," it states. "Thus any comments regarding the content of the definitions that appear on our site should properly be directed to the publisher or copyright holder."
Wild Thing's comment.........
LOL What the heck willl they do next. They have re-wrtten hiistory in so many books, attacked our Founding Fathers in how they teach at schools......and now they are messing with the Dictionary.
The reprinted 1828 Websters Dictionary, is the best I think. Most of the Homeschooling parents use it and say it is fantastic. It is uncorrupted by political correctness.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:42 AM | Comments (7)
The Swine Flu and Winnie the Pooh
Swine flu vaccine won't be ready for next wave
A Vaccine against the Mexican swine flu is likely to arrive too late for most people, vaccine officials told New Scientist between a flurry of high-level industry meetings this week.
The US has one vaccine plant, owned by French drug giant Sanofi-Aventis, which could in theory produce enough for the US population. However, the US has no advance purchase order in place.
"It only takes three days to grow the virus in eggs, but weeks for testing and formulating," Hessel adds. That means no vaccine until September, and no real quantities until October. Then countries have to administer millions of doses, which take weeks to take effect.
In theory, countries that place new orders now might get vaccine in November.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
LOL I love this Winnie the Pooh graphic.
I have only posted about this flu once, when it first happened. Mostly I was just trying to see how much of it was the crisis thing the democrats love to push or how bad it really was.
This is just an update on the latest news.
....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
United States Army
1965-1971
Vietnam
1968-1969
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:40 AM | Comments (2)
May 14, 2009
Obama Fires Top General in Afghanistan
US fires top General in Afghanistan as war worsens
Barack Obama fired the top U.S. general in Afghanistan on Monday, replacing him with a former special forces commander in a quest for a more agile, unconventional approach in a war that has gone quickly downhill. With the Taliban resurgent, Obama's switch from Gen. David McKiernan to Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal suggests the new commander in chief wants major changes in addition to the additional troops he's ordering into Afghanistan to shore up the war effort.
McKiernan, on the job for less than a year, has repeatedly pressed for more forces. Although Obama has approved more than 21,000 additional troops this year, he has warned that the war will not be won by military means.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates echoed that view at a grim Pentagon news conference announcing the leadership overhaul. "As I have said many times before, very few of these problems can be solved by military means alone," he said. "And yet, from the military perspective, we can and must do better."
"It's time for new leadership and fresh eyes."
A new team of commanders will now be charged with applying Obama's revamped strategy for challenging an increasingly brutal and resourceful insurgency. The strategy, still a work in progress, relies on the kind of special forces and counterinsurgency tactics McChrystal knows well, as well as nonmilitary approaches to confronting the Taliban. It would hinge success in the seven-year-old war to political and other conditions across the border in Pakistan.
McKiernan, named to his post by former President George W. Bush, had expected to serve into next year but was told he was out during Gates' visit to Afghanistan last week.
Gates said he asked for McKiernan's resignation "with the approval of the president." The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, and McKiernan's military boss, Gen. David Petraeus, both said they supported the switch.
The White House said the recommended change came from the Pentagon.
"The president agreed with the recommendation of the secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the implementation of a new strategy in Afghanistan called for new military leadership," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
McChrystal is a former special forces chief credited with nabbing one of the most-wanted fugitives in Iraq. Taking a newly created No. 2 slot under his command will be Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, a veteran of the Afghanistan fight who has been Gates' military shadow, the top uniformed aide who travels with him everywhere.
Asked if McKiernan's resignation would end his military career, Gates said, "Probably." But he praised the general's long service, and when pressed to name anything McKiernan had failed to do, Gates demurred.
"Nothing went wrong, and there was nothing specific," he said.
McKiernan issued a short statement in Kabul.
"All of us, in any future capacity, must remain committed to the great people of Afghanistan," McKiernan said. "They deserve security, government that meets their expectations, and a better future than the last 30 years of conflict have witnessed."
In June 2006 Bush congratulated McChrystal for his role in the operation that killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq. As head of the special operations command, McChrystal's forces included the Army's clandestine counterterrorism unit, Delta Force.
He drew criticism for his role in the military's handling of the friendly fire shooting of Army Ranger Pat Tillman - a former NFL star - in Afghanistan. An investigation at the time found that McChrystal was "accountable for the inaccurate and misleading assertions" contained in papers recommending that Tillman get a Silver Star award.
McChrystal acknowledged he had suspected several days before approving the Silver Star citation that Tillman might have died by fratricide, rather than enemy fire. He sent a memo to military leaders warning them of that, even as they were approving Tillman's Silver Star. Still, he told investigators he believed Tillman deserved the award.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
They dumped this guy for bombing the Taliban Insurgents. No kidding. He was killing the enemy so Obama puts him under his bus.
Why does this freaking idiot refuse to understand that the ONLY think Islam understands and fears is BRUTE FORCE!
This General has been asking for more troops as long as he has been there!!!!!!!! Now Obama/Gates say here are your troops and oh by the way, you are fired. Not transferred or re-assigned mind you but fired!!!! There is something we are not being told about GEN McKiernan.( just a gut feeling) Did he perhaps have something derogatory to say to or about the CIC? The truth will come out in time, and I’ll bet it wont make Obama look good. Four Stars don’t get fired everyday.
From what I have heard 65% of the active duty troops detest Obama!
This is nothing against Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal , I jsut feel badly about what Obama has done to Gen McKennan....to fire him that is horrible to do to him.
Here is something about Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal. And a big God bless to our black ops people. I am not a fan of Newsweek and they did out this Gen. regarding the Black ops, but I hate to say this, but Bush outed him first , I will never forget that and I saw it live back in 2006, as well as poor Gen. Caldwell later trying to answer without answering.
The Hidden Genenral
June 26, 2006 issue
No one would have mentioned his name at all if President George W. Bush hadn't singled him out in public. Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, West Point '76, is not someone the Army likes to talk about. He isn't even listed in the directory at Fort Bragg, N.C., his home base. That's not because McChrystal has done anything wrong—quite the contrary, he's one of the Army's rising stars—but because he runs the most secretive force in the U.S. military. That is the Joint Special Operations Command, the snake-eating, slit-their-throats "black ops" guys who captured Saddam Hussein and targeted Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi.
JSOC is part of what Vice President Dick Cheney was referring to when he said America would have to "work the dark side" after 9/11. To many critics, the veep's remark back in 2001 fostered his rep as the Darth Vader of the war on terror and presaged bad things to come, like the interrogation abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo Bay. But America also has its share of Jedi Knights who are fighting in what Cheney calls "the shadows."
And McChrystal, an affable but tough Army Ranger, and the Delta Force and other elite teams he commands are among them.
After the Zarqawi strike, multinational forces spokesman Gen. Bill Caldwell refused to comment on JSOC's role, saying, "We don't talk about when special operating forces are involved." But when Bush revealed to reporters that it was McChrystal's Special Ops teams that had found Zarqawi, Caldwell had to gulp and say (to laughter), "If the president of the United States said it was, then I'm sure it was."
McChrystal has checked all the right career boxes, serving as an unflappable military briefer during the Iraq invasion, and doing fellowships at Harvard and at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York (where he would run to work from Brooklyn, about six miles away). Still, the secrecy surrounding McChrystal's role worries some who note that Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have given clandestine operations the lead in the war on terror--with little public accountability, including in the interrogation room.
Rumsfeld is especially enamored of McChrystal's "direct action" forces or so-called SMUs--Special Mission Units--whose job is to kill or capture bad guys, say Pentagon sources who would speak about Special Ops only if they were not identified. But critics say the Pentagon is short-shrifting the "hearts and minds" side of Special Operations that is critical to counterinsurgency--like training foreign armies and engaging with locals. (Special Operations Command spokesman Ken McGraw says the Pentagon is "significantly increasing" those units.)
Experts like former Deputy Defense secretary John Hamre are also concerned that Special Ops now has generic authority to deploy where it wants without case-by-case orders. Without proper civilian oversight, a Zarqawi-style success can easily become a "Black Hawk Down." Keeping that from happening is McChrystal's most important mission.
"Experts like former Deputy Defense secretary John Hamre are also concerned that Special Ops now has generic authority to deploy where it wants without case-by-case orders. Without proper civilian oversight, a Zarqawi-style success can easily become a "Black Hawk Down." Keeping that from happening is McChrystal's most important mission."
Screw this guy John Hamre! He is wrong, he was a typical Clintonoid social activist who found the military "distasteful" at best.
Leftist Political type, he is never willing to accept the blame for the consequences of his stupidity.
The Leftist Presidents from LBJ to Carter to Clinton fumbled just about EVERY time they demanded "Civilian Over Sight" of Operations.
What ever their other flaws, bless Bush 1 and 2 with the brains to manage the politics and leave Operations to the pros.
"Blackhawk Down" become a "Black Hawk Down" because of the "civilian oversight" not wanting to do soemthing un-PC, rather than just letting the military do its job! warriors kicked ass that day - When things went to sh*t our guys cowboy'd the hell up and took the fight to'em - They did not lose whatsoever that day or that battle - They got their marks that were at the hit location and they brought them in
OK so bottom line is, this guy will be great it seems. But I still am ticked about what they did to General McKiernan.
Just one more thing, General Petraeus endorsed this change. So again there may be things we don't know about. I trust Petraeus to know what is best.
....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
United States Army
1965-1971
Vietnam
1968-1969
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (9)
Smoking Gun Memo on C02 Myth It's NOT a Pollutant and White House Knows It
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Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) Uncovers EPA Deception
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).Holds ‘Smoking Gun’ Memo from the White House
Today I exposed a “smoking gun” White House memo to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The memo warns that regulation of small CO2 emitters will have “serious economic consequences” for businesses and the overall economy. I was questioning EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson during the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee budget hearing.
I received the memo this morning, that’s marked ‘Deliberative: Attorney-Client Privilege’. In this memo Counsel for the White House repeatedly, repeatedly suggests a lack of scientific support for this proposed finding. This is a smoking gun, saying that the EPA findings were political and not scientific.
The EPA has failed to release the memo and has ignored the advice.
The nine-page White House memo undermines the EPA’s reasoning for a proposed finding that greenhouse gases are a danger to public health.
This misuse of the Clean Air Act will be a trigger for overwhelming regulation and lawsuits based on gases emitted from cars, schools, hospitals and small business. This will affect any number of other sources, including lawn mowers, snowmobiles and farms. This will be a disaster for the small businesses that drive America.
To quote from the memo to the EPA, “making the decision to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act for the first time is likely to have serious economic consequences for regulated entities throughout the US economy, including small businesses and small communities.”
The memo is an amalgamation of findings from government agencies’ sent from the Office of Management and Budget to the EPA.
This smoking gun memo is in stark contrast to the official position presented by the Administration and the EPA Administrator.
Despite the findings in the memo, the White House has given the EPA the green light to move ahead with regulation under the Clean Air Act.
According to government records, the document was submitted by the OMB as comment on the EPA’s April proposed finding that greenhouse gases are a danger to public health and welfare.
The memo - marked as “Deliberative-Attorney Client Privilege” - doesn’t have a date or a named author. But an OMB spokesman confirmed to news agencies that it was prepared by Obama administration staff.
BACKGROUND: The White House brief questions the link between the EPA’s scientific technical endangerment proposal and the EPA’s political summary. Administrator Jackson said in the endangerment summary that “scientific findings in totality point to compelling evidence of human-induced climate change, and that serious risks and potential impacts to public health and welfare have been clearly identified…”
The White House memo notes, the EPA endangerment technical document points out there are several areas where essential behaviors of greenhouse gases are “not well determined” and “not well understood.”
It warns about the adequacy of the EPA finding that the gases are a harm to the public when there is “no demonstrated direct health effects,” and the scientific data on which the agency relies are “almost exclusively from non-EPA sources.”
The memo contends that the endangerment finding, if finalized by the administration, could make agencies vulnerable to litigation alleging inadequate environmental permitting reviews, adding that the proposal could unintentionally trigger a cascade of regulations.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Yesterday EPW Committee hearing, Senator Barrasso asked EPA administrator Lisa Jackson about a "smoking gun" OMB Memo on the Serious Economic Impact Likely From EPA CO2 Rules.
This memo admits that CO2 is not a pollutant. Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. This memo alludes to the fact that there is no proof. This memo debunks everything environmental wackos and global warming people have been saying. And THE BEST THING OF ALL IT COMES FROM THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATIOIN.!!!
LOL how great is that! hahahha
God bless Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming!
Rush talked about it on his show yesterday.
RUSH:
She didn't answer the question. She did not answer the question in any way, shape, manner, or form. She said, nah, this is somebody's opinion, precursor to cap-and-trade, then she throws in this business that they're not going to tax people who can least afford to pay it. But the dirty little secret is that that's who always gets hurt with liberalism. That's who always gets hurt, the people who can least afford it. The little guy either loses his job, increased taxes or what have you. But there you've heard it, this memo is out, attorney-client privilege from the White House, the Obama White House, and just to paraphrase what Barrasso said, it's nine pages, Lisa Jackson, the EPA administrator mentioned on every page, the memo questions the lack of scientific support for the finding that CO2 is a pollutant. It's a smoking gun memo saying that the findings were political, not scientific.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (8)
Chicago Family " Buy Black" Just Spreading Their Racism As Best They Can
Chicago Family's 'Buy Black' Experiment Becoming a Nationwide Movement
Atlanta
It's been two months since 2-year-old Cori pulled the gold stud from her left earlobe, and the piercing is threatening to close as her mother, Maggie Anderson, hunts for a replacement.
It's not that the earring was all that rare — but finding the right store has become a quest of Quixotic proportions.
Maggie and John Anderson of Chicago vowed four months ago that for one year, they would try to patronize only black-owned businesses. The "Empowerment Experiment" is the reason John had to suffer for hours with a stomach ache and Maggie no longer gets that brand-name lather when she washes her hair. A grocery trip is a 14-mile odyssey.
"We kind of enjoy the sacrifice because we get to make the point ... but I am going without stuff and I am frustrated on a daily basis," Maggie Anderson said. "It's like, my people have been here 400 years and we don't even have a Walgreens to show for it."
So far, the Andersons have spent hundreds of dollars with black businesses from grocery stores to dry cleaners. But the couple still hasn't found a mortgage lender, home security system vendor or toy store. Nonetheless, they're hoping to expand the endeavor beyond their Chicago home.
Plans are under way to track spending among supporters nationwide and build a national database of quality black businesses. The first affiliate chapter has been launched in Atlanta, and the couple has established a foundation to raise funds for black businesses and an annual convention.
"We have the real power to do something, to use the money we spend every day to solve our problems," Maggie Anderson said recently at a meet-and-greet in Atlanta. "We have to believe that black businesses are just as good as everybody else's."
Now, the Andersons are following up with 4,000 people who signed up for the experiment on their Web site to gauge their commitment and set up online accounts to track their spending. Hundreds have also joined the experiment's Facebook page, Maggie Anderson said.
Gregory Price, chairman of the economics department at Morehouse College, said black visionaries like Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey made similar calls to action.
"The idea is a sound one, given that black Americans are still underrepresented in the ranks of the self-employed and that entrepreneurship is a key component to wealth," Price said.
There are one million black businesses in the United States accounting for more than $100 billion in annual sales, according to the National Black Chamber of Commerce. The latest U.S. Census numbers report that blacks have more than $800 billion in expendable income each year.
The Andersons track their spending on their Web site and estimate about 55 percent of their monthly spending is with black businesses for things like day care, groceries, car maintenance and home improvements.
One of the businesses highlighted by the Empowerment Experiment is Brenda Brown's Atlanta wine boutique, a shop with a growing black clientele. She said the project can help overcome the problems many black consumers lament.
"When we were a community of black folks who could not go to the white stores, our community of black stores flourished," Brown said. "When we were given the opportunity to go into the white store, it was like nothing else mattered anymore and we wanted to go to the white store, regardless of what the black store provided. We could have the same or better products if we supported (black businesses) in the same way."
Lewis Peeples, 45, lives in a black neighborhood in southwest Atlanta but didn't think to spend his money with black businesses until a friend told him about the project.
"So often, we make purchases and decisions and aren't even mindful that there is a a need to support our own businesses," said Peeples. "Now, I'm reaching out and making sure I know that I have an option when I look to make a purchase."
Two months ago, he committed to patronizing black businesses and found a black dry cleaner 10 minutes from home. Even when he was dissatisfied with his black doctor, he was able to find a new one. He suggests both to friends and refers others to the experiment's Web site, where he tracks his expenses.
Dallas Smith, who owns a commercial real estate firm in Atlanta, said mainstream retailers have undervalued black consumers. He lives in a black neighborhood in southwest Atlanta, where he tries to dine at black restaurants. He lamented the lack of quality businesses catering to black customers and said blacks should appreciate such businesses more.
"We've still got that 'the white man's water is colder' mentality," he said. "We can't take us for granted. When we go to our establishments, it's almost like we're doing a favor. That ought to be a given for us."
The Andersons remain encouraged by their momentum online and in the media. At the end of 2009, they hope to show $1 million in spending with black businesses among supporters across the country.
"The response has been so huge," Maggie Anderson said. "We think so much can come out of this. We're in movement-making mode now."
Price, the Morehouse professor, said defining the project's success won't be easy, since the real barriers to black advancement are poor access to capital and lack of training opportunities.
"It would be nice to see some real, hard data," Price said. "Otherwise, it could just be an episode of ethnic cheerleading."
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Wild Thing's comment..........
It’s their money, they can do with it as they see fit. But it should be labeled racism, because that is what it is.
Imagine if a white person said they were only going to shop at white owned businesses.
The ignorance of some people is astounding, but they are also so racist, and imo they chose to be. She says that after 400 years they don’t even have a Walgreen’s? What does she mean? There are many black owned businesses. Not enough to suit them, and perhaps not enough to meet every need they have.
They have a black president now, and there have been many black governors, congressmen, mayors, Supreme Court justices, college professors, professional people in all the professions.
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about a society where people were judged on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin; these black people referenced in the article are doing the exact opposite.
Actor Morgan Freeman about race
......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (9)
" I Shoot You Because I Care" by VAMPIRE 06
Dear Mr Taliban (ACM, AAF, Booger Eater, EOP, Bad Guy or whatever),
Over time I’ve received emails and comments on this blog that I’m insensitive to your culture. Evidently, I should endeavor to be more tolerant and politically correct in my quest to kill you with every means at my disposal.
After much self reflection I’ve seen the error in my ways and thought I’d write you a brief note to apologize for my actions and those of my compatriots in Team Vampire. I now see how my attempts to incinerate, ventilate and generally cause mayhem could possible hurt your feelings and offend your sensibilities. For that I apologize.
First, let me complement you on the bunker complex that we saw the other day. It seemed very nice and looked like you’d chosen wisely on the size. It appears to me that you didn’t overextend yourself financially building it. That’s great! I also hope that you didn’t use a subprime lender or an adjustable rate mortgage. This should alleviate any issues in the future about defaulting; having to walk away from the bunker complex.
The downside is that you selected this outstanding piece of real estate to launch rockets at American and Afghan soldiers. Thus, I had to destroy it. Maybe we should have served you with a notice to vacate but that didn’t seem prudent at the time. Really if you want to blame someone it should be the Air Force as they’re the ones that actually dropped the bombs. But, seeing as I’m a personal accountability guy I’ll take the blame for it. Sorry.
I also, thought that your headquarters were nice. Blowing it up on Christmas Eve may have seemed arbitrary and unfair. I can see how you’d think that. Really, let’s try to be honest with each other. Is there really a good day to have your building blown up? I don’t think there is. I also now realize that you don’t celebrate Christmas so the holiday season had minimal impact on you.
It did for me as I have a family at home who I’d rather be with; instead hunting you through the mountains. However, I’m here so it seemed like a good thing to do for the holidays. I may not see you on the 4th of July so I thought it best to have fireworks for Christmas. I empathize with you now that it may have been inconvenient for you. Once again sorry.
These people have pointed out for me that my culture is different from yours and that just because it’s different it’s not bad. I guess there may be some upside to throwing acid in little girl’s faces when they try to go to school, I just don’t see it though. I think I’d prefer to build schools for them and protect them as they learn to read and write. This probably offends you and my new life course shows me that I need to see the positives in everyone. If you’d like to explain this to me, I’d like to hear it.
It also may be confusing to you when I broke down your door in the middle of the night and arrested you for killing your fellow countrymen. This probably disrupts your sleep and thus you’re tired once you reach detention. In the future I’ll try to schedule these at times better suited to your rest cycle.
As far as the Geneva Convention goes, I have to follow it. This is nonnegotiable. Your actions though lead me to believe that you’d prefer to have your head cut off on the internet. This is what you do to anyone you capture, combatant or non combatant. I can’t accommodate this desire. I apologize for the fact that you’ll be given medical treatment and treated with dignity. Again I apologize profusely.
I’d also like to clear up some reasons why I’m here. There may be some confusion about this from all the claims swirling around in the news. Let me take you back about eight years when you were letting Osama chill out here.
“We should crash some planes into the World Trade Center” Osama suggested tentatively
“Gee Osama, won’t that piss off the Americans”? You must have asked.
“Yes” Osama stated with glee.
“They’ll probably come here and jack us up” you replied.
“No way bro, they’ll never come here and do anything to us” Osama claimed confidentially.
“Um; I don’t think that’s right, they’ll probably come here and be pretty pissed off” attempting to dissuade him.
“Don’t worry about it they’ll never do anything, you’re a nervous nelly” OBL replied dismissively
I hate to tell you this but you were right. It did piss us off and now Osama lives in some cave, can’t use a cell phone or email and craps his pants every time he hears an airplane. I know the nervous tick crapping is annoying but it’ll clear up once we kill him.
You should have gone with your gut and said no. Once we got here we decided it’s not that great that you kill and subjugate people and thus you’ve got me in your backyard. I really can’t take responsibility for your poor judgment on this one. But, I understand it was a persuasive discussion. Thought this might assist in a little self discovery. I’m a giver after all.
I won’t even go into the way you treat women. You’re just lucky it’s not my wife here because if you think I’m determined; she would lay waste to your ass and never stop. So, I did you a favor on that one. See, I can be nice.
Well, I just wanted to touch base with you on a couple of perceived issues and apologize for my poor behavior. In the future I’ll try to be more understanding as I hunt you to the ends of the earth and destroy you any chance I get. It will be with kindness and understanding.
If you’d like to discuss and resolve any of these issues just send me a grid to your location and I’ll be happy to meet you; or I could arrange for a delivery from the US Air Force it you’d prefer that. I can accommodate most requests.
So, have a great day. But don’t sleep too soundly because that noise you hear in the night may just be me. Oh yeah, if you ever get tired of picking on little girls or civilians you can come find us, but that might not be culturally sensitive.
Bottom line, I just want to say I’m sorry. Next time I shoot at you; it’s with love!
Sincerely,
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Wild Thing's comment......
LOL I love it. hahahaahahaha
Thank you to Vampire 06 for this. And thank you for serving our country.
Our troops ROCK!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (4)
EDITORIAL EXEGESIS
EDITORIAL EXEGESIS
The Washington Examiner via The Patriot Post
"Give President Obama credit -- he at least made the proverbial offer Chrysler's secured creditors couldn't refuse. The way Obama strong-armed creditors who rightfully expected to be treated justly under the law was right out of Juan Peron's playbook.
Like the Argentinian strong man, Obama muscled the owners and creditors out of a productive private company and gave it to union leaders, who will then fill his campaign coffers in gratitude for his generosity. The Examiner's Michael Barone -- who has forgotten more about American government and politics than most Washington political experts know -- was correct to dub Obama's Chrysler heist 'an episode of Gangster Government.'
Forget what anybody in the White House or what is left of the Chrysler executive corps claims to the contrary because the UAW effectively owns the company now, holding 55 percent of its stock.
True, the union doesn't get an explicit controlling majority of the board of directors, but who needs that when you've got the White House guaranteeing your work and the U.S. Treasury Department making sure you never have to worry about the bottom line. ... Contrasting mightily with the Pennsylvania Avenue Gang's thuggery is the quiet confidence of Ford Motor Company's president and CEO, Allan Mullaly. He had the foresight three years ago to strengthen his firm's cash and credit reserves in anticipation of the inevitable decline of auto sales.
When GM and Chrysler headed hats-in-hand to Washington last fall, Mullaly said Ford didn't want a bailout and then watched quietly as his two cross-town rivals committed corporate suicide. Now Ford is positioned strongly to be the last great American car company. With a guy like that at the helm, it's enough to make people who love American free enterprise go out and buy a new Ford."
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Obama is on the side of the Unions, he probably celebrated his vicotry with all of this with the Unions getting more power then even before.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (6)
Obama and Democrats Want To Tax Health Care to Pay for Health Care?
Tax Health Care to Pay for Health Care?
Most people with job-based health insurance don't think of their benefits as a form of income. But Uncle Sam might just change that.
Senators are considering limiting -- but not eliminating -- the tax-free status of employer-provided health benefits to help pay for President Barack Obama's plan to provide coverage to 50 million uninsured Americans.
Employer-provided health insurance technically is considered part of workers' compensation, but unlike wages, it is not taxed. The forgone revenue to the federal government amounts to about $250 billion a year.
So even if they're lucky enough to avoid going to the doctor or hospital, and never use their job-based health insurance, some Americans may find themselves paying taxes on at least part of its value.
Senators on Tuesday held a round-table discussion to begin grappling with how to finance guaranteed coverage, a cornerstone of Obama's plan to overhaul the health care system. Independent experts put the costs at about $1.5 trillion over 10 years.
Obama sees a world in which doctors and hospitals compete to offer quality service at lower costs, and the savings help cover the uninsured. Turning that vision into reality remains the biggest challenge for the president and his backers, because hard cash -- not just ideas -- is required to cover upfront costs of expanding coverage.
The final financing package is likely to include a mix of tax increases and spending cuts in federal health programs. Among the possibilities are tax increases on alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and sugary soft drinks, and restrictions on other health care-related tax breaks, such as flexible spending accounts.
But some taxes don't seem to be on the table, such as a federal sales levy to pay for health care or a new payroll tax.
Congressional leaders say they want to pass legislation in the Senate and House this summer.
On the question of taxing health benefits, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., who chaired Tuesday's round table, is staking out a position that could put him at odds with Obama.
The president adamantly opposed such taxes during the campaign, arguing they would undermine job-based coverage. Obama's aides now say he's open to suggestions from Congress, even if he criticized Republican presidential rival John McCain for proposing a sweeping version of the same basic idea.
Baucus said he wants to modify the tax break, not abolish it.
"We are not going to repeal it," he said.
Baucus suggested that the benefit could be limited by taxing health insurance provided to high-income individuals, although he did not specify at what income levels. He also said that plans offering rich benefits -- for example, no co-payments or deductibles -- might be taxed once their value exceeded a yet-to-be-determined threshold.
Many experts say Congress won't be able to come up with the kind of money needed to provide coverage for all unless limitations on the health care tax break are part of the mix.
Wild Thing's comment...........
The evil of socialism is on the march. Obama and the democrats will destroy whatever they touch, and their hands are everywhere.
So they plan to tax the crap at of those of us who have insurance through our employers, so we CANNOT afford it anymore.
Mike Pence, R-Ind., said that despite the cooperation of private insurers, hospitals and doctors, the health care plan will still hurt the private insurance system and put Americans on the government dole.
“That is simply a pathway to socialized medicine and the American people aren’t buying it,” he said.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said offering a government option to buy health care will starve out the private option.
“I think we have to be very careful here that we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water,” he said. “Let’s go in and figure out how we can better control costs. Let’s go in and figure out how we can better provide access to affordable high quality insurance.”
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.....Thank you Richard for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (6)
Rumsfeld Greeted by Screams from Code Pinko's
Rumsfeld Greeted by Screams of ‘War Criminal’ at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
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Wild Thing's comments...........
To bad it isn't' ok to shoot the Code Pinko's on sight.
Code Pinko's Medea Benjamin and Desiree.
The tall dark haired one, Desiree, is the same one who confronted Condi Rice at a subcommittee hearing ...with bloodied hands.
So why aren’t they calling for Obama's impeachment. He failed to live up to his campaign promise to the lefties to immediately pull troops out of Iraq. He has escalated our use of rockets into Pakistan, and he’s increasing the number of personnel nn Afghan. Clearly, a war criminal to the Code Pinko's!
What a bunch of commie losers.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (5)
May 13, 2009
Thank You Cheney!! Military Hater Obama Changes Mind About Releasing Detainee Photos
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Obama Reverses Course on Releasing More Detainee Abuse Photographs
Jack Tapper
Obama met with White House counsel Greg Craig and other members of the White House counsel team last week and told them that he had second thoughts about the decision to hand over photographs of detainee abuse to the ACLU, per a judge's order, and had changed his mind.
The president "believes their release would endanger our troops," a White House official says, adding that the president "believes that the national security implications of such a release have not been fully presented to the court."
At the end of that meeting, the president directed Craig to object to the immediate release of the photos on those grounds. In an Oval Office meeting with Iraq Commander General Ray Odierno, the president told him of his decision to argue against the release of the photographs.
The move is a complete 180. In a letter from the Justice Department to a federal judge on April 23, the Obama administration announced that the Pentagon would turn over 44 photographs showing detainee abuse of prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq during the Bush administration.
The photographs are part of a 2003 Freedom of Information Act request by the ACLU for all information relating to the treatment of detainees -- the same battle that led to President Obama's decision to release memos from the Bush Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel providing legal justifications for brutal interrogation methods, many of which the International Committee of the Red Cross calls torture.
"The reversal is another indication of a continuance of the Bush administration policies under the Obama administration," ACLU attorney Amrit Singh told ABC News. "President Obama's promise of accountability is meaningless, this is inconsistent with his promise of transparency, it violates the government's commitment to the court. People need to examine these abusive photographs, but also the government officials need to be held accountable."
It's unclear what step the White House will now take, whether the administration will challenge the release in appellate court with new arguments or whether it will take the case to the Supreme Court.
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VP Dick Cheney Spoke Out
Poison Photo-Drop .. decision to release photographs .. will imperil nation .. its defenders.
Andrew C. McCarthy Spoke Out!!
American soldiers, American civilians, and other innocent people are going to die because Pres. Barack Obama wants to release photographs of prisoner abuse. Note: I said, “wants to release” — not “has to release,” or “is being forced to release,” or “will comply with court orders by releasing.” The photos, quite likely thousands of them, will be released because the president wants them released. Any other description of the situation is a dodge.
Not a word about his notion that Abu Ghraib inspired new terrorist recruitment but that, for the pleasure of trying to destroy the previous administration, he would do what he condemns.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Cheney ROCKS! Andew C. McCarthy Rocks! Rush Rocks too for getting the word out. I don't care if Obama and his ilk don't give him credit. It is obvious the biggest, loudest words against release of the photos has been VP Dick Cheney.
Obama will try to get the creidt for the change not to do this but if the lefties for one second would stop and admit to themselves in the dark corners of their sick liberal brains they know, oh yes they know it was wrong and would put every one of our service members in grave danger, more then they are already.
Obama puts HIS political self-preservation first, this is NOT about the troops in danger or American citizens in danger. And he knows that, however controversial the release of of these photos the backlash to the release of these photos would be far greater to HIM.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:55 PM | Comments (5)
Che-Guevarrios Obama's FDA Battles CHEERIOS
FDA Blasts General Mills Over Cheerios Claim
Cereal Makers Scolded Because Claim Of Lowering Cholesterol 10 Percent In Month Makes It A "Drug"
Company Fires Back: This Is About Language, Not Science
The Food and Drug Administration scolded the makers of Cheerios about the way they promote the cereal's health benefits. The FDA sent a letter of warning to General Mills accusing them of making unauthorized health claims.
Current boxes of Cheerios are touting what the company calls exciting news -- the cereal's ability to help lower cholesterol 10 percent in one month.
According to a letter from the FDA General Mills' advertising violates the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The agency said claims that Cheerios ingredients can lower cholesterol within a certain amount of time, all while providing cancer-fighting and heart-healthy benefits, essentially makes Cheerios "a drug" by their definition. And no drug in this country can be legally marketed without an approved new drug application.
As a certified dietetic nutritionist, Keri Glassman often recommends foods high in soluble fiber for patients looking to lower their cholesterol.
"Because of the oats, because of the soluble fiber in Cheerios, it may help you reduce cholesterol and I think the FDA is still acknowledging that ... I just think they are saying but you can't really say that because you are a food product, not a drug," Glassman said.
"It doesn't change what's in the box," added Michael Zorek of the Upper West Side. "It's healthy no matter what they say."
The FDA gave General Mills 15 days to explain how it will correct the statements on Cheerios boxes.
In a statement issued Tuesday, General Mills said this dispute is over language, not science. The company pointed out that the FDA'a complaint doesn't actually question whether Cheerios can help lower cholesterol levels -- it only talks about how the health benefits are advertised.
Wild Thing's comment.......
Oh good grief!! While they’re at it go after Quaker Oats for their cholesterol lowering claims on oatmeal.
Go get ‘em Obama! Take on those evil rolled oats! They’re destroying America! Cheerios must be stopped!
Next, it’ll be Shredded wheat and Quaker Oats.
Next comes Maypo and Wheaties.
You have been warned, America. No more breakfast cereal for you!
Cheerios is a drug? I’m an addict? LOL, seriously, I have just about met my limit with this BS.
Since their stock is up, I’m assuming that they didn’t donate heavily to Obama. I mean how obvious is that! Cheerios have been around forever and it is only NOW that they are making something out of how they advertise. So they are they are aiming for the big food corporations now????
The FACT is that Oats do lower cholesterol levels. Not if a person has some a few times a year. But if they are consistent with it then it works.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:55 AM | Comments (11)
Obama Finds Humor In "Multiple organ failure for my critics"
Multiple organ failure for my critics?
When Silvio Berlusconi made a light-hearted joke last year about the new president's 'suntan' the Obama-besotted American press corps expressed outrage at what they tried to blow-up to be a racist remark from a right-wing politician.
Yet last Saturday night, when Obama made a joke about the skin colour of John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives -- the president said it was 'not a colour that appears in the natural world' -- the journalists thought it was frightfully witty.
And when a performer called Wanda Sykes stood up at the dinner to do what was supposed to be a comedy turn, she attacked the Conservative radio broadcaster Rush Limbaugh, one of Obama's most on-target critics. She said Limbaugh's opinions were treason and that he was no better than Osama bin Laden. There were big grins from the president through all of this. Then Sykes said she wished Limbaugh's kidneys would fail. The president laughed through it all.
Which only goes to show that Limbaugh's observation on this administration is correct: they don't want to debate, he says. They only want to destroy.
I should also mention something everyone at that dinner, including the president, would have known. Eight years ago Limbaugh suffered sudden hearing loss. Remember, this man makes his living on radio. After struggling with hearing aids and teleprompters in the studio that would let him know what callers were saying -- and still staying on top of his job -- he finally had a cochlear implant. Now he has part-hearing in one ear, but is still deaf in the other. And he is still on top of his job.
Limbaugh has overcome physical afflictions the like of which few journalists in that room have known, struggling to go on with his work. But the president and his court jester Sykes thought it was a hoot to wish him organ failure.
The White House correspondents thought so, too. Or at least, they laughed when the president laughed. It is what courtiers through the ages have done: when the king laughs, we laugh.
What a bunch of toadies. I'd say that White House correspondents dinner told us everything we need to know about Washington journalists.
The thing was a spaniel-fest. Remember, this is the press corps that was so 'objective' that it would not stand when George W Bush walked to the podium at the press briefing room. Now the same hacks jump to their feet the moment Obama arrives.
And laugh when he laughs. Let's wish organ failure on a deaf Republican! What a hoot!
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Wild Thing's comment........
This is a good article about what happened and the kind of person Obama is, also I was glad to see someone that wrote about what Rush has gone through with his hearing.
Obama is an evil man and things like this underlilne just how evil.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:50 AM | Comments (8)
Barack HUSSEIN Obama (USA) Gets First Seat on UN "rights" Council
US wins first seat on UN rights council
The United States won a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the first time along with four countries accused of serious human rights violations - Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia.
Former President George W. Bush's administration boycotted the council over its repeated criticism of Israel and its refusal to cite flagrant rights abuses in Sudan and elsewhere.
But the Obama administration has reversed its predecessor's policy of boycotting the Geneva-based body.
The US was one of 18 countries elected to the 47-seat council in a vote by the UN General Assembly.
It received 167 votes, far more than the 97 votes needed in the secret ballot.
The Obama administration announced in March that it would be seeking to join the Human Rights Council as part of a broader strategy to create a "new era of engagement" with the rest of the world.
Previously, the US government had accused the council of being hijacked by countries with a strong bias against Israel, and had criticised it for its failure to condemn perceived human rights violations by the Sudanese government in Darfur.
After the vote, the US Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, told the BBC America was not blind to the council's flaws.
"Obviously there will always be some countries whose respect and record on human rights is sub-par," she said.
"We have not been perfect ourselves but we intend to lead based on the strong principled vision that the American people have about respecting human rights and supporting democracy."
A number of countries whose human rights records have been criticised by the US - including Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia - are also represented on the council.
The council was set up in 2006 to replace the UN Commission on Human Rights, which had also been dogged by accusations of anti-Israeli prejudice.
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The UN is no friend to American ideals...The UN’s Founders were known Communists
Of the 17 individuals identified by the US State Department as having helped shape US policy leading to the creation of the United Nations, all but one were later identified as secret members of the Communist Party USA.
Joining them at the UN’s founding conference were 43 members of the ultra influential, ultra pro-socialist, globalist think-tank the Council On Foreign Relations, of the 43 CFR members having the additional distinction of membership in the Communist Party USA) . And, importantly, the UN’s first Secretary General and orchestrator of the San Francisco conference was the man later convicted as a Soviet agent - Alger Hiss.
Following in the footsteps of that unhallowed class of ‘46, the ideological makeup of the UN’s leadership has been constant. In its 54 year history all seven Secretary Generals of the UN have been either dedicated socialists or communists , all 15 of the UN Under-Secretary-Generals for Political and Security Council Affairs (the UN’s military boss) have been communists (all but one from the Soviet Union/Russian Federation).
Twenty years later, the "anti-American, anti-freedom” flavor of the UN continued unabated, which prompted former UN enthusiast Republican Senator Barry Goldwater to call for US withdrawal from the UN, and the re-stationing of its headquarters to a place "more in keeping with the philosophy of the majority of its voting members, somewhere like Peking or Moscow .
Things were no different by the 1980’s, so Republican President Ronald Reagan, expressed the same conviction; adding that the UN was the host of the greatest concentration of spies in the world and thus he vowed to withdraw the US from the UN. (He did boot UNESCO out of the US)
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Wild Thing's comment.......
"The council had been shunned by the Bush administration, which accused it of admitting states with poor rights records and having an anti-Israel bias. "
I'm not surprised, Obama loves those who hate Israel.
Hmmm human rights like the ones that unborn babies should have as Obama wants to murder an aborted baby if a miracle happens and the baby manages to live he want it DEAD! OH and our Veterans, Conservatives, Gun Owners, right -wing extremists, God fearing American loving you and I???? You know the ones the DHS likes to keep adding to the list. Yes those NON rights.
The UN has always had to have a communist as their iGeneral Secretary. So Obama will fit right in. The bad thing is he is not just one entity. He represents the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. And HE should be kicked out our country for wanting to join this horrible group. This is NOT what America is about, nor stands for. The American people have more understanding of human rights then any other people on Earth. Individual freedom is the cornerstone of human rights and liberty; concepts this country was built on.
Unfortunately, it will bee Obama’s government that speaks in America’s name on this council.
The United States has been elected to a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the first time.
What a great honor. For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country. (cough.)
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:48 AM | Comments (12)
Miss California Carrie Prejean & Donald Trump Press Conference
Carrie Prejean & Donald Trump's Full Remarks ...........................
Donald Trump Commends Miss CA; Lets Her Keep Crown
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Here is Carrie Prejean's full speech:
"I am proud to be an American. I'm proud of the freedoms we enjoy because of the brave men and women serving this great country and who have served."
"My grandfather served under General Patton during World War II, and is someone I admire greatly. He never spoke about the Battle of the Bulge that he participated in as a rifleman, or the honorary medals he received because of his bravery. But he did speak about the freedoms he fought for and taught me to never back down. And never let anyone take those freedoms away from you."
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Wild Thing's comment......
Big difference in the two speeches, Trumps had no substance and Carrie's speech was moving and a lesson as well for those on the left to hear.
Her speech had me crying when I saw it on TV, as you will see why as it gets half way into it and what she has to say, VERY POWERFUL. I am so glad it is on YouTube so I can share it with you.
God bless her, she is a special person.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:45 AM | Comments (8)
Tea Party 'extremists' Rock and Reload July 4th
Tea party 'extremists' rock and reload July 4
Independence Day fireworks of protest cover all 50 states
The American Family Association is now sponsoring Independence Day tea parties in more than 640 U.S. cities in all 50 states.
The Taxed Enough Already, or TEA, parties will be held at 12 p.m. in front of city halls across the nation.
"Our goal is simply to keep the grassroots organizations mobilized," said Michael DePrimo, special counsel to AFA President Tim Wildmon. "We don't want people to think of it as a one-time event and then have it fall by the wayside."
AFA is hosting a Tea Party Day website so volunteer organizers may register their protests.
The group encourages tea party attendees to bring cell phones and call the president, 202-456-1414, and Congress, 202-224-3121, while attending the rallies.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
...rock and reload...
I like this turn of phrase. It is obviously just a few consonants removed from "lock and load", which pretty much sums up the situation.
Potential Right-wing Extremist bumper sticker . heh heh
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:44 AM | Comments (8)
House Majority Leader:Congressional Hearings Should Explore Pelosi's Interrogation Briefing
House Majority Leader: Congressional Hearings Should Explore Pelosi's Interrogation Briefing
Democrats will hold a series of hearings on Justice Department memos released last month that justified rough tactics against detainees, including waterboarding -- simulated drowning -- and sleep deprivation.
The House majority leader reluctantly agreed Tuesday that congressional hearings should investigate Speaker Nancy Pelosi's assertion that she wasn't informed, more than six years ago, that harsh interrogation methods were used on an Al-Qaeda leader.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., called Republican challenges to Pelosi's assertion a diversion from the real question of whether the Bush administration tortured terrorist suspects. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the controversy should be resolved.
Democrats will hold a series of hearings on Justice Department memos released last month that justified rough tactics against detainees, including waterboarding -- simulated drowning -- and sleep deprivation.
While Democrats want the hearings to focus on what they call torture, Republicans have tried to turn the issue to their advantage by complaining that Pelosi and other Democrats knew of the tactics but didn't protest. Pelosi was briefed in 2002 while on the House Intelligence Committee.
Hoyer, asked at a news conference whether Democrats were inviting political problems for themselves by holding hearings, said, "I think the facts need to get out.
"I think the Republicans are simply trying to distract the American public with who knew what when. My response to that is, look, the issue is not what was said or what was known; the question and focus ought to be on what was done."
But he added that the controversy over "what was said and when it was said, who said it ... is probably what ought to be on the record as well."
Hoyer also was asked whether he believes Pelosi's support has been undermined among Democrats.
"No, I don't," he said.
A Senate Judiciary subcommittee holds the first hearing on the interrogation policy on Wednesday, but has scheduled testimony unrelated to the Pelosi matter.
A CIA document made public last week shows that Pelosi received a briefing in September 2002 on the tactics used on Abu Zubaydah, an Al Qaeda leader and one of three prisoners subjected to waterboarding. Pelosi said she was told the agency was discussing its legal right to use the tactic in the future.
"We were not -- I repeat -- were not told that waterboarding or any of these other enhanced interrogation methods were used," said Pelosi, D-Calif.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
They create the smoke screens and then accuse the “Republicans” of creating the Democrat smoke screen?
They play both sides of the street, talk out of both sides of their heads, and then blame the Republicans?
Whatever the TEA Parties do, we need to be sure that the Conservatives who are elected to Congress in 2010 and beyond are not mealy-mouth wimpy-fraidy-cats with a bunch of skeletons in their closets.
I know I’ve emailed the Republican Leadership many many times and FINALLY after OUR prodding, they’ve begun to speak up. But their voices are tentative, soft, showing fear.
I think we need a tuff as nails truth talking Conservative who has The Constitution and Federalist Papers memorized who will quote them and cut the liberals off at the knees. That’s ALL it will take, I believe, to wake the masses up from their pie-eyed mesmerized slumber. Confound the Liberals with the Constitution.
When it comes to fighting back for our coungtry, walk softly and carry a big stick? NO. Walk loudly and carry a big GUN.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:42 AM | Comments (8)
Gov. Sarah Palin Radio
Governor Palin's own "friendly" media
Executive Producer of Sarah Palin Radio is LaDonna Hale Curzon
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Wild Thing's comment........
Wonderful idea, I like that she is not the Executive Producer that way she is freed to be the Gov. and keep being Sarah making a difference.
I check out the site and if you click around the next page has a little list of some of the shows that have aired in the past.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 12, 2009
Nancy Pelosi Lie of the Day
OK I could not help it, when I saw the photo of Nancy Pelosi with the article below my very first thought was how she looks like Michael Jackson. Look at the nose especailly. This is so weird. ~ Wild Thing
This was the original photo with the article.......
Pelosi: Torture protest improper in '03
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi learned in early 2003 that the Bush administration was waterboarding terror detainees but didn’t protest directly out of respect for “appropriate” legislative channels, a confidant of the San Francisco Democrat said Monday.
The Pelosi camp’s version of events is intended to answer two key questions posed by her critics: When, precisely, did she first learn about waterboarding? And why didn’t she do more to stop it?
Pelosi has disputed a CIA document, released last week, that shows she was briefed in September 2002 on the “particular” interrogation techniques the United States had used on Al Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah. Pelosi has said she was told then only that the Bush administration was considering using certain techniques in the future — and that it had the legal authority to do so.
But there’s no dispute that on Feb. 4, 2003 — five months after Pelosi’s September meeting — CIA officials briefed Pelosi aide Michael Sheehy and Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), then the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, on the specific techniques that had been used on Zubaydah — including waterboarding.
Harman was so alarmed by what she had heard, she drafted a short letter to the CIA’s general counsel to express “profound” concerns with the tactic — going so far as to ask if waterboarding had been personally “approved by the president.”
According to the Pelosi confidant, Sheehy told Pelosi about the briefing — and later informed Pelosi, the newly elected minority leader, that Harman was drafting a protest letter. Pelosi told Sheehy to tell Harman that she agreed with the letter, the Pelosi insider said. But she did not ask to be listed as a signatory on the letter, the source said, and there is no reference to her in it.
Republicans aren’t buying it.
“If Nancy was so concerned about the waterboarding, why did she let someone else write the letter?” asked Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), the ranking Republican on the intelligence committee. “If she was so upset, why did she let someone else raise objections?”
Democratic insiders acknowledge that Pelosi has not handled the media furor surrounding the interrogation briefings — and what she was told and when — in a timely or aggressive manner.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
The lying, cheating Liberal loon is at it again. She is saying....“I was going to protest it, I really, really was!”
Like Hanoi John Kerry’s I was against the war, before I was for it, but then I didn’t fund it” nonsense.
LOL Nice try Pelosi, hahaha but it doesn’t explain you lying through your teeth saying you hadn’t heard they were using these techniques.
And I love it, Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) is not letting go.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:55 AM | Comments (21)
Has Obama Cut Off Information To Israel?
Lack of communication 'not normal practice'
JERUSALEM
Unlike the Bush administration, the staff of President Obama is not coordinating its policy on Iran or the greater Middle East with Israel and has not been informing the Jewish state of its plans or recent diplomatic developments in the Mideast, according to sources in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
The silence extends to U.S. talks with the Palestinians, the sources said.
"Our intention and our hope as we go to Washington is to establish close intimate cooperative relationships on these sensitive matters," a top Netanyahu official told WND yesterday.
The official was speaking about Netanyahu's May 18 visit to the White House.
According to other sources in the prime minister's office, Israel has been obtaining the vast majority of its information regarding U.S. plans and advances for the Middle East from third parties, mostly European diplomats.
This is in stark contrast to Bush's eight-year presidency, during which the White House and State Department routinely briefed Israeli counterparts on Middle East affairs to the extent that the majority of official U.S. and Israeli statements on various policy issues were heavily coordinated.
A recent example of the Obama administration leaving Israel in the dark was information received by Jerusalem officials of a U.S. deadline of October for Iran to show progress in talks over their nuclear program. That deadline was apparently set by Obama's Middle East envoy Dennis Ross.
The information of the deadline – first reported by Haaretz yesterday and confirmed by WND – was discovered in Jerusalem not via U.S. sources but from third party European diplomats who were briefed on the matter.
"Right now there is next to no communication coming to us from the White House," said a source in Netanyahu's office.
The source warned against interpreting the matter as evidencing an anti-Israel bias from the Obama administration.
"Look, there is a new administration in the U.S. and a new one here (in Israel)," the source said. "There hasn't been so much time yet to establish channels."
Still, the source noted the extent of the blackout on information from the U.S. was "not usual practice."
A second source said the lack of communication between Israel and America extends to Israeli-Palestinian affairs. That source described a meeting last month between Netanyahu and another of Obama's Middle East envoys, George Mitchell. The source said the meeting largely was a one-way street, with the prime minister sharing his intended approach to Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He said Mitchell outlined Obama's overall strategy for the region but did not update Netanyahu on any talks with the Palestinians or specifics of Obama's intentions.
"Other than the Mitchell meeting, basically there wasn't much other communication at all, period," said the second source. "And we were not informed beforehand of policy statements that were made by Obama or his administration regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including statements Obama made after meeting Jordan's King Abdullah (last month)."
Obama trumpets 'anti-Israel' Arab plan
One thing Mitchell did convey to Netanyahu was Obama's alleged plan to help create a Palestinian state in hopes of normalizing relations between Israel and the Arab world in line with the "Arab Peace Initiative." The source said Mitchell relayed that Obama's Middle East strategy would be based on the concept of the "initiative" but with security guarantees for Israel.
Following scores of denials he would trumpet the plan, Obama in January hailed the Arab initiative, which offers normalization of ties with the Jewish state in exchange for extreme Israeli concessions.
"Well, here's what I think is important. Look at the proposal that was put forth by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. ... I might not agree with every aspect of the proposal, but it took great courage to put forward something that is as significant as that. I think that there are ideas across the region of how we might pursue peace. I do think that it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan."
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Netanyahu: Israel ready to renew peace talks
May 11, 2009
JERUSALEM
Benjamin Netanyahu told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that Israel plans to renew peace talks with the Palestinians soon.
Israel's prime minister met with Mubarak in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheik Monday morning after greeting Pope Benedict XVI at Ben Gurion International Airport upon his arrival in Israel.
"We want, as soon as possible, to resume the peace talks with the Palestinians and I hope they will indeed resume in the coming weeks," Netanyahu told a joint news conference following the meeting.
Netanyahu said Israel's peace with Egypt "withstood all the tests of time, and as far as we're concerned, and I know that for Egypt, too, it is a strategic asset, a cornerstone of the stability and hope in the region."
Mubarak added that the three-decade peace between the two countries has "proven that peace is not impossible."
Mubarak said he and Netanyahu raised important issues during their talks, "including the settlements and the threat they pose to peace. We also spoke of the need for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that will exist alongside Israel in peace and security."
Mubarak told reporters that the leaders also discussed strengthening the Israel-Hamas cease-fire and opening up the Gaza border crossings, which he said would lead to a prisoner exchange to bring home kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
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Key UN nations call for Palestinian state
Russia, the US and key UN nations are urging stepped-up efforts to create a Palestinian state that would exist peacefully alongside Israel and an overall Mideast peace settlement.
Speakers at Monday's meeting of the UN Security Council noted the challenges ahead but warned of renewed violence unless sustained efforts are made to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, reconcile the divided Palestinian factions, and renew talks between Israel and Syria.
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Wild Thing's comment........
The whole world turning against Israel, they are in for a rude awakening from Almighty God.
The arabs are scared of Bibi, they know they can’t push him around.
When Bibi comes to see Obama next week, I think Bibi’s going to tell Obama how the world REALLY works, outside of Academia, and he’s not going to like it.
Obama was a member of the Chicago New Party and the Chicago DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) and to no one’s surprise the Chicago New Party is not exactly a pro-israel party. In actuality it is a party profoundly hostile to Israel.
There is the DSA’s resolution on the conflict which calls for an end to all US military aid to Israel
Finally, pro-peace forces in both Palestine and Israel cannot succeed without the aid of the international community. Therefore, DSA calls upon the United States immediately to abide by its stated policy of ending all military aid to Israel used directly for purposes of the occupation. Furthermore, the United States should cut off all military aid if Israel al refuses to end all settlement activity and withdraw from the occupied territories as an integral part of the peace process.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:50 AM | Comments (15)
Soda Tax Being Considered By Obama the Taxing Addict!
Senate leaders are considering new federal taxes on soda and other sugary drinks to help pay for an overhaul of the nation's health-care system.
The taxes would pay for only a fraction of the cost to expand health-insurance coverage to all Americans and would face strong opposition from the beverage industry. They also could spark a backlash from consumers who would have to pay several cents more for a soft drink.
On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee is set to hear proposals from about a dozen experts about how to pay for the comprehensive health-care overhaul that President Barack Obama wants to enact this year. Early estimates put the cost of the plan at around $1.2 trillion. The administration has so far only earmarked funds for about half of that amount.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based watchdog group that pressures food companies to make healthier products, plans to propose a federal excise tax on soda, certain fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks and ready-to-drink teas. It would not include most diet beverages. Excise taxes are levied on goods and manufacturers typically pass them on to consumers.
Senior staff members for some Democratic senators at the center of the effort to craft health-care legislation are weighing the idea behind closed doors, Senate aides said.
The Congressional Budget Office, which is providing lawmakers with cost estimates for each potential change in the health overhaul, included the option in a broad report on health-system financing in December. The office estimated that adding a tax of three cents per 12-ounce serving to these types of sweetened drinks would generate $24 billion over the next four years. So far, lawmakers have not indicated how big a tax they are considering.
"Soda is clearly one of the most harmful products in the food supply, and it's something government should discourage the consumption of," Mr. Jacobson said.
The main beverage lobby that represents Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc., Kraft Foods Inc. and other companies said such a tax would unfairly hit lower-income Americans and wouldn't deter consumption.
"Taxes are not going to teach our children how to have a healthy lifestyle," said Susan Neely, president of the American Beverage Association. Instead, the association says it's backing programs that limit sugary beverage consumption in schools.
The beverage-tax proposal would apply to drinks that many Americans don't consider unhealthy -- such as PepsiCo's Gatorade and Kraft's Capri Sun -- based on their calorie content.
Health advocates are floating other so-called sin tax proposals and food regulations as part of the government's health-care overhaul. Mr. Jacobson also plans to propose Tuesday that the government sharply raise taxes on alcohol, move to largely eliminate artificial trans fat from food and move to reduce the sodium content in packaged and restaurant food.
The beverage tax is just one of hundreds of ideas that lawmakers are weighing to finance the health-care plans. They're expected to narrow the list in coming weeks.
The White House, meanwhile, is pulling together private health groups to identify cost savings that will help fund the health overhaul. Mr. Obama on Monday held a White House meeting with groups that represent doctors, hospitals, insurers, pharmaceutical companies and medical-device makers. They pledged to help restrain cost increases in the health-care system in an effort to save $2 trillion over the next decade.
"When it comes to health-care spending, we are on an unsustainable course that threatens the financial stability of families, businesses and government itself," Mr. Obama told reporters.
Wild Thing's comment......
Can we tax democrats for being democrats or something?? History proves over and over that the Democrats are the party of taxing people to death. Heck even after death.
If they tax soda, Nicholas is going to have a fit. He drinks a lot of diet Coke.
How much more does Obama think half of this country will stand for his being the worst president our country has ever had!!!!! No one comes close to how bad he is, imo. Carter runner up followed by Bill Clinton.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:47 AM | Comments (10)
Godspeed Crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis to Save the Hubble!
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After a smooth countdown and picture-perfect liftoff, space shuttle Atlantis and a crew of seven astronauts are in space, beginning their 11-day mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis lifted off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida today at 2:01 p.m. EDT.
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NASA launch to Hubble (STS-125)
After months of delay, NASA cleared space shuttle Atlantis for a Monday launch to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The 19-year-old Hubble needs new batteries, gyroscopes, cameras and other equipment that NASA hopes will keep the telescope operating — at a higher than ever scientific level — for another five to 10 years.
Hubble has been left unattended for seven years. It's the longest gap ever between servicing missions, created in large part by the 2003 Columbia disaster. A telescope breakdown last fall led to the most recent seven-month delay.
"We have seven years of accumulated maintenance work to do," Hubble program manager Preston Burch said. "So you can imagine if you had a car and you were driving it every day for seven years and never took it into the shop. You would have quite a list of things to do on it."
The 11-day mission is packed and includes unprecedented camera repairs. In all, five spacewalks are planned.
Because this is the final visit to Hubble, "we're going for broke," Leckrone told reporters.
This last repair mission was considered so dangerous in the wake of the Columbia accident that it was canceled in 2004.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
This is cool, The NASA.gov website coverage trails the NASA TV coverage by about 30 seconds.
LINK is NASA TV.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:45 AM | Comments (2)
HBO New Film "Into the Storm" About Winston Churchill in World War II
HBO to Air New Film "Into the Storm" About Winston Churchill in World War II
For five years, Winston Churchill played perhaps the single most important role in thwarting the Nazis during WWII, with his intrepid leadership and rhetoric inspiring millions of Britons and other members of the free world to fight Hitler's Germany to the bitter end.
Continuing the story of Churchill told in HBO's award-winning film, "The Gathering Storm," INTO THE STORM is set against the backdrop of World War II, and offers an intimate look at the making of a nation's hero, whose prowess as a great wartime leader ultimately undermined his political career and threatened his marriage to his lifelong supporter, Clemmie.
Wild Thing's comment........
Obama should watch this, maybe he can learn a little about history. I have not seen this, it will air for the first time on May 31st. I am hoping this film will be as good as the series called " John Adams " was , because that was an amazing series.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:40 AM | Comments (6)
May 11, 2009
Sheikh Attacks Israel and the Pope Walks Out!
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A leading Palestinian cleric commandeered an evening devoted to interfaith dialogue with Pope Benedict XVI on Monday to rant against Israel for "killing Gaza's children," "bulldozing Palestinian homes" and "destroying mosques."
In an impromptu speech, delivered in Arabic at the Notre Dame Pontifical Institute in Jerusalem, Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi, chief Islamic judge in the Palestinian Authority, launched a 10-minute tirade against the State of Israel for confiscating Palestinians' land and carrying out war crimes against the residents of Gaza.
He also called for the immediate return of all Palestinian refugees, and called on Christians and Muslims to unite against Israel.
Following the diatribe and before the meeting was officially over, the pope exited the premises. Army Radio reported that the pope shook Tamimi's hand before walking out.
He was visibly uncomfortable with the tone of Tamimi's discourse. Even those who did not understand his Arabic quickly understood that the Muslim cleric was giving a militant speech.
When Tamimi finished, applause could be heard from a few dozen in an audience of a few hundred.
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And this from Atlas Shrugs blog
Minutes after the embarrassing occurrence, Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, released a response to the incident.
"The intervention of Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi was not previewed by the organizers of the interreligious meeting that took place at Notre Dame Centre in Jerusalem," the message read. "In a meeting dedicated to dialogue, this intervention was a direct negation of what [it] should be," it continued.
"We hope that such an incident will not damage the mission of the Holy Father aiming at promoting peace and interreligious dialogue, as he has clearly affirmed in many occasions in this pilgrimage," Father Lombardi added.
"We hope also that interreligious dialogue in the Holy Land will not be damaged by this incident," the message concluded.
The Tourism Ministry and the Foreign Ministry both denounced Tamimi's remarks.
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Wild Thing's comment........
Just one question, why shake the terrorists hand while he was leaving. I would not have done that. But then I am not the Pope. I am glad he walked out though.
If I could tell the Pope something it would be to learn what Islam is about, he is not going to change the hearts of these people. In the Old Testament God told the Jews to destroy the sons of Ishmael and for a reason. The Pope needs to read more of the Old Testament. Sometimes Mr. Pope a person just has to walk away or let the good armies take the trash out like the IDF, Mossad and our military are doing.
And what the heck is this about interreligious dialogue. There is NO way to have interreligious dialogue with the CULT OF ISLAM the DEATH CULT. Sorry about yelliing there but sometimes the stupidy amazes me.
If it was Obama, he would have just sat there an smiled and would have rec’d a book on jihad as a gift.
Kahane Was Right
"Never, ever deal with terrorists. Hunt them down and, more important, mercilessly punish those states and groups that fund, arm, support, or simply allow their territories to be used by the terrorists with impunity." - Rabbi Meir Kahane
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:44 PM | Comments (11)
Attention Hungry Obama To Hold Yet Another Town Hall Meeting
Obama to hold town hall meeting on credit cards
Barack Obama will hold a town hall meeting next week in New Mexico to promote congressional efforts to reform credit card practices, the White House said on Friday.
Banks such as Bank of America Corp (BAC.N)>, JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Citigroup Inc (C.N) and Capital One Financial Corp (COF.N) face a new set of rules issued by the Federal Reserve last year aimed at reining in abusive credit card practices.
The rules are to be implemented by July 2010, a date some lawmakers and consumer groups complain is too far away to help struggling consumers.
U.S. lawmakers are trying to codify those rules in legislation and send it to Obama this month to sign into law. Legislative efforts are aimed at stopping credit card companies from imposing certain late fees, restricting retroactive rate increases, as well as other questionable billing practices and marketing to minors.
The Senate is expected to begin debating on Monday on legislation. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved its own legislation last month.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters on Friday that Obama will focus on legislation and urge lawmakers to "get something done on an issue of tremendous importance to middle class families.
"For many people credit cards provide an opportunity to finance purchases," Gibbs said. "But we think there's a more equitable way to do that and I think that those reforms are on their way through Congress."
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Wild Thing's comment........
Geez every freakin week he holds a town hall meeting..He is still in campaign mode!
Demonrats believe that our the Constitution is a living document but your credit card contract should be fixed.
Something tells me Obama will use this town hall meeting to once again attack on capitalism.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (9)
RINO Michael Steele Responds To Obama's Speech
RNC Chair Michael Steele responds to Barack Obama's joking at last night's White House Correspondents Dinner. Obama mocked Steele for his "urban" slang and Steel responds.
What Obama said about Michael Steele:
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And Michael Steele responds when asked about this happening:
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Wild Thing's comment........
I am convinced Steele is riding two horses. I’m tired of these RINO’s. too much of a jack-ass to be head of the GOP.
Michael needs to go, he is not only a RINO, but he does not have the makeup to be a leader. He is far too anxious to be liked by Obama.
Three times I have listened to when he did Bill Bennet's radio show on a Friday and all three times he said " Obama is a good man and a man of honor." Word for word and there is no way Obama is either of those two things.
If the GOP wants to win again, wants to be back in power, then the first step is to have Michael step down.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (5)
VP Dick Cheney: Powell no longer a Republican
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WASHINGTON (CNN)
Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday he no longer views Colin Powell as a Republican.
Appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation," Cheney was asked about a dispute between Powell — who was secretary of state in the Bush-Cheney administration — and radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh over the role each plays in the GOP.
"My take on it was Colin had already left the party," Cheney said. "I didn't know he was still a Republican."
The former vice president noted that Powell endorsed then-Sen. Barack Obama in last year's presidential race. "I assume that that's some indication of his loyalty and his interests," Cheney said.
Powell, in a speech last week, said "the Republican Party is in deep trouble" and said the GOP would be better off without Limbaugh, according to a report by the National Journal.
Limbaugh fired back on his program Wednesday, saying, "What Colin Powell needs to do is close the loop and become a Democrat instead of claiming to be a Republican interested in reforming the Republican Party."
But, he added, "I don't think the party ought to move dramatically to the left, for example, in order to try to redefine its base. We are what we are. We're Republicans. We have certain things we believe in. And maintaining our loyalty and commitment to those principles is vital to our success."
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Wild Thing's comment.......
HAHAHAHA......I LOVE IT! At least someone besides Rush tells the MSM the truth!!!
Let us also note the Secretary Powell condemned the harsh rhetoric of the GOP-- but he was utterly silent when Democratic Congressmen were comparing President Bush (43) to Adolf Hitler.
This will drive the RINO’s crazy. Good for Cheney. Calling it like it is.
Powell is a member of The Self-Promotion Party. Whatever get's Powell promoted. No principles, no core values, no beliefs.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (14)
General Petraeus: Al Qaeda's Base is Pakistan
WASHINGTON
Senior leaders of al Qaeda are using sanctuaries in Pakistan's lawless frontier regions to plan new terror attacks and funnel money, manpower and guidance to affiliates around the world, according to a top American military commander.
Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said in an interview that Pakistan has become the nerve center of al Qaeda's global operations, allowing the terror group to re-establish its organizational structure and build stronger ties to al Qaeda offshoots in Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, North Africa and parts of Europe.
The comments underscore a growing U.S. belief that Pakistan has displaced Afghanistan as al Qaeda's main stronghold. "It is the headquarters of the al Qaeda senior leadership," said the general, who took the helm of the military's Central Command last fall.
In the interview, Gen. Petraeus also warned of difficult months ahead in Afghanistan, saying Taliban militants are moving weapons and forces into areas where the U.S. is adding troops, planning a "surge" of their own to counter the U.S. plan.
The commander said the U.S. had intelligence showing that the Taliban were deploying new fighters to southern Afghanistan, appointing new local commanders, and prepositioning weapons and other supplies.
"We have every expectation that the Taliban will fight to retain the sanctuaries and safe havens that they've been able to establish," he said.
Gen. Petraeus said U.S. intelligence information suggested that al Qaeda has re-emerged as a centrally directed organization capable of helping to plan attacks in other countries. "There is a degree of hierarchy, there is a degree of interconnection, and there is certainly a flow of people, money, expertise, explosives and knowledge," he said.
Gen. Petraeus painted a picture of a globalized al Qaeda that maintains extensive logistical and communications links to terror groups in Morocco, Somalia and other countries. He said militants and supplies pass through southern Iran, helped by Sunni Arab "facilitators" in the predominantly Shiite Persian country.
A ring of Tunisian suicide bombers who were recently apprehended in Iraq appear to have received their directions from al Qaeda figures in Pakistan as well, he said. "There's absolutely no question about these links," he said.
The Pentagon has looked at possible changes in Afghanistan amid concern over the course of the conflict -- some of which have met resistance from current military leaders including Gen. Petraeus. A task force formed by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is conducting a broad review, according to a copy of its agenda. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to appoint an additional general to handle day-to-day operations there, senior defense officials say. A spokesman for Gen. Petraeus has declined to comment.
Gen. Petraeus spent the past week in Washington as part of the Obama administration's summit with presidents Karzai and Zardari.
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Pakistan Again Faces a Test It Has Often Failed Before
Pakistan faces a dual test it has often failed before as soldiers again square off against Taliban militants in the Swat Valley: The country is fighting a counterinsurgency campaign while caring for those displaced by the conflict.
For the past several days, Pakistan's army and the Taliban have been fighting sporadically along the mountain ridges of Swat after a peace deal collapsed. Pakistani officials say they are determined that the offensive will continue until the military asserts control over the 400-square-mile area.
The Pakistani army said Friday it had lost 13 of its own men in the past 24 hours and killed 143 militants. There was no word on civilian casualties. But front-line officers report only slight gains against the thousands of militants in Swat and two neighboring districts, Buner and Lower Dir.
"This is going to be hard fighting, no quarter here. These miscreants know the terrain. They are formidable," said an army major in a telephone interview.
Pakistan's military, built for tank battles and artillery duels against Indian forces on the plains of the subcontinent, has in the past four years struggled through a series of campaigns against the Taliban across the mountains of northwestern Pakistan. Most, like the 18-month battle in Swat, ended in standstill.
The U.S. is stepping up its efforts to try to reshape Pakistan's military into a force that can fight insurgents in the rugged terrain along the Afghan border, where the Taliban and al Qaeda have flourished.
U.S. and Pakistani officials say the Americans will provide night-vision goggles and more helicopters. There are also plans to train Pakistani soldiers in counterinsurgency doctrine and wean them from their reliance on artillery and air power, which often flattens villages and kills more civilians than insurgents.
Still, U.S. officials privately question whether Pakistan's top brass, many of whom still see India as the real threat, are committed to reorienting their forces.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Just a gut feeling here, but I honestly don't think Pakistan has been giving it i100% going after the Taliban. I see in the article it says they did not have all the right kind of equipment so I will give them a break on that. But still, these terrorists needed to be sought and taken out. And they have had so many years at least do even half of what was promised when Bush was President.
God bless General Petraeus for speaking up and sticking to his guns. I liked when it said that General Petraeus had no comment, that says all we need to know in how he felt about what was planned.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (6)
"Obama Man" by Greg Morton
Canadian comedian Greg Morton weighs in on the current financial crisis and how President Obama plans to get us out of it.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Hahahaha the guy did a good job on this.
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......Thank you SSGT Steve
SSgt Steve
1st MarDiv, H Co., 2nd Bn, 5th Marine Regiment
2/5 Marines, Motto: "Retreat, Hell"
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (2)
Huge U.S. Camp Arises in Afghan Desert ~ Camp Leatherneck
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates conducts a town hall meeting with U.S. troops in front of MRAP armoured vehicles at the Forward Operating Base Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, May 7, 2009.
On Monday, March 9, 2009, Brigadier General Larry Nicholson officially took the reins of the 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade - Task Force Leatherneck. He and his soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan
A huge U.S. military camp is taking shape in the baking heat of southern Afghanistan for thousands of extra U.S. troops charged with defeating a resurgent Taliban.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Camp Leatherneck, with concrete blast walls and semi-cylinder sand-colored tents, on Thursday as he surveyed preparations for what will be the biggest wave yet in a year that is seeing U.S. troop numbers doubled.
The camp is being constructed in Helmand province next to a British base, Camp Bastion, as Marines and other forces dramatically expand their presence in the most violent area of Afghanistan and heartland of the Taliban movement.
Construction workers clambered on the wooden frame of a new headquarters building as Gates spoke at the camp, where the majority of more than 8,000 marines now flowing into southern Afghanistan are expected be based.
"This place was desert at the end of January. I mean: nothing, said Navy Captain Jeff Borowy," the top U.S. military engineer in southern Afghanistan.
"Now you've got a 443-acre secure facility," he told reporters traveling with Gates.
Miles of sand walls topped with coils of barbed wire line the roads at the camp, linked to its British neighbor by a street nicknamed Atlantic Way.
If placed end to end in the United States, the sand walls at Leatherneck and eight other sites being built for the troop influx in southern Afghanistan would stretch for a distance of 175 km (110 miles).
The Marines at Camp Leatherneck are also building a giant parking area for helicopters and airplanes by laying down a mat of metal alloy on the desert floor. With a length of 4,860 feet a width of 318 feet, the mat will be the second largest of its kind in the world and the biggest in a combat zone, said Marine Lieutenant Colonel David Jones, commander of the Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, based in Yuma, Arizona.
Getting supplies to the remote desert -- named the Desert of Death by local tribesmen because of its extreme summer heat and desolation -- and building the camps in time for the influx of troops has posed challenges, Borowy said. In one innovative attempt to deal with the conditions, marines bagged up recycled water from camp showers and kitchens and used it to prepare sand for the aircraft parking area.
"We're in the middle of the desert so getting water's pretty interesting," Borowy said.
Seaman Viviana Mesa (left) and Petty Officer 3rd Class Dan J. Kinion measure the distance between support pedestals at Camp Leatherneck, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, April 18. Camp Leatherneck is currently under construction and will be used by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade as a hub for the reception, staging, onward-movement and integration of Marine forces into southern Afghanistan and is the largest Marine Corps Camp in Afghanistan.Mesa is a constructionman and Kinion is builder. Both are assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5.
Marines in Southern Afghanistan Build for Future, Construct Camp Leatherneck
The camp will eventually be able to house about 10,000, including members of U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and civilian contractors.
According to Capt. Bart Lecher, the Headquarters Company commander assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan, Leatherneck is designed to be a hub for the reception, staging, onward movement and integration of Marine forces into southern Afghanistan.
Camp Leatherneck is currently under the operational control of Col. Duffy W. White, the commander of SPMAGTF-A until the arrival of the camp's main tenant – the headquarters of the 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
"The project started in January with nothing but dirt and currently, four months later, the camp is fully capable, housing nearly 5,000 personnel," Lecher said.
Currently residing in the camp, Navy Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 are supporting much of the construction.
"They're the best at their jobs, and the amount of work they do can't be matched," said Marine Capt. Joshua Guide, the company commander of Co. B, NMCB-5, and the Marine liaison with the SPMAGTF-A mayor cell for the camp. "They're a valuable asset to the Marine expeditionary brigade who will be taking over Camp Leatherneck."
"The contractors have been absolutely huge," said 1st Lt. Kieran R. O'Neil, the camp commandant for Brigade Headquarters Group. "They are a vital component to this base. Their mission is getting all the buildings set up."
O'Neil said that up to 10,000 personnel will be rolling through the camp to receive equipment and push out to the forward operating bases located throughout southern Afghanistan.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
OK this is great, now the next thing on my agenda anyway is to let the military run things, and Obama stay the heck out of it and let our troops win! Because they can and they will if Obama keeps his Muslim brained camel breath to himself.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (10)
May 10, 2009
Obama Bans the Commonfolk from Normandy
Obama Bans the Commonfolk from Normandy
A lot of the difference, the change if you will, between Obama and Bush has much to do with the word humility.
George Bush is and was a humble man. Obama thinks the world counts on him and him alone to lead us. Bush went to church and prayed often. Obama puts out press releases about his supposed piety. The left sold a great bill of goods to the American people claiming that Bush, et al. were arrogant while insisting that Obama was a “man of the people.”
The 65th Anniversary of D-Day is fast approaching. Barack Obama will attend the events on June 6th as George Bush did in 2004 for the sixtieth memorial service. Here is the rub, as of now Obama’s State Department has asked (read demanded) the French government not allow tour guide services to operate that day. It is a big day for Normandy tourism. Yet, the king will not allow those not connected with government to enjoy the day. Obama is very important you know. This is an unprecedented request. I hope the French come to their senses and deny it.
Compare that with 2004. Security was tight as President Bush and other world leaders were in attendance, but the event was still open to all. A friend relayed the story of waiting in line to use a port-a-potty (a French port-a-potty no doubt, yuck, believe me.) She looks to her left and who he is in the next line waiting patiently? President Bush. Sure he had Secret Service nearby, but he waited like everyone else.
Contrast that with Team Obama not even allowing regular people near Colleville-Sur-Mer that day. A shame indeed. Especially as the last of our WW II vets are expiring.
As the Bamsters unemployment rate pushes 10% (double the Bush average) and his 3.5 trillion dollar budget breaks the USA (the press of course focuses on his 17 billion in “savings.” Way to go 4th Estate.), Obama has more to worry about then denying people the right to attend a memorial service on June 6th.
It’s as if Obama has to let it be known that he is more important than honoring the events and the 9,387 mostly young Americans who died invading Normandy 65 years ago. Will Obama apologize for American actions during WW II at the event?
I think the following quote from Obama himself sums it all up: “a light will shine down from somewhere…. You will experience an epiphany. And you will say to yourself, ‘I have to vote for Barack.’” Watch for yourself:
The guy can’t even bring himself to say “shine down from heaven.” Do you really expect him to line up to use the can with the commoners at a Normandy celebration? Americans may start to miss the guy with the humility.
Universal Healthcare, unchecked unions, government run banks, government run autos, cap and trade, turning the 20 million undocumented Democrats into voters: That isn’t America and it surely isn’t what those young boys died at Normandy for.
We elected a fairy tale. We can start the road back to reality in 2010 with the mid-term elections.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
This will be the 65th anniversary of D-Day.
For Obama to go to Normandy is ABSOLUTE sacrilege!!!!!! Obama hates our history, he doesn't even have enough interest in it to read and know that more then one bomb was dropped at Pearl Harbor. Rev. Wright and his preaching constantly lied and re-wrote history their way packed with propaganda.Obama never has shown respect for our military, our troops today or for our Veterans. He went to a gym instead of visiting the wounded in Germany. He walks past our troops on stage only shaking the hands of officers because he has to. Not even a glance in the troops in the stands watching him.
His trip in June to Normandy is nothing more then a photo op and of the worst kind.
Those men died to stop fascism. Now our country has a fascist going there as president. One of my Uncles was at Normandy D-Day and I'm glad he's not around to see this.
It was bad enough when Slick Willie walked on the Normandy beach and played with those little stones in the sand while a battle ship floated in the distance behind him and a tear rolled down his fat, red cheek for that phony, staged photo.
When President Bush went there :
Security was tight as President Bush and other world leaders were in attendance, but the event was still open to all. A friend relayed the story of waiting in line to use a port-a-potty.
She looks to her left and who he is in the next line waiting patiently? President Bush. Sure he had Secret Service nearby, but he waited like everyone else.
Contrast that with Obama not even allowing regular people near Colleville-Sur-Mer that day. A shame indeed. Especially as the last of our WW II vets are expiring.
For him to walk among all these brave heroes .. I could just cry. God rest their souls.
Here is the story about Bill Clinton's visit there from someone that was there.
" It was the fiftieth anniversary of the Normandy landings. We were standing with a group of veterans and their wives on the bluff overlooking Omaha Beach, where they had come ashore on that historic morning at what cost only they could really know. All of them had visited the military cemetery where so many of their buddies lay, and all of them were deeply moved by the day and by the memories it brought to the surface.
As we stood there some of the Clinton advance crew, the public relations arm of the administration, came along and asked the veterans to move off. These were the men, some walking with canes, a couple in wheelchairs piloted by wives or children, many feeble, in whose honor we were supposed to be there. But there was another agenda for the White House staff.
The veterans never understood why they’d been moved away, but as accredited correspondents we were allowed—no, encouraged—to stay there, along with press photographers and reporters. And what we witnessed was a couple of White House aides surveying the beach, looking around to find something, then picking up some stones, studying them and finally choosing one which they placed with care at a strategic spot near the shoreline. Moments later President Clinton arrived, was escorted to the spot, and as the entourage stepped back out of camera view, he looked around at the scene and then down at his feet where he seemed to spy something—yes, a stone—which he picked up, looked at and then held in his grasp as he bit his lip and let a tear dampen his cheek. Deeply moved, you see.
There was some grumbling among the more assertive of the veterans who had been shunted away from the important action, but the pictures in the French press of Bill Clinton spontaneously picking up a stone on Omaha Beach and then staring out at the sea as he teared up and bit his lip were very effective.
The New York Times never described the scene or the staging by the keepers of the Clinton image."
Posted by Wild Thing at 08:55 AM | Comments (12)
Happy Mother's Day To All Mom's and Mom's Who Serve Our Country
There are more than 10,000 mothers in the U.S. military who are celebrating this day in Iraq.
On this special day Mothers Day, all the best to those who have served, who are serving as I write this, and who are preparing to serve in the U.S. military. A special prayer of thanks for all the mothers who are not with their families this Mother's Day because they are serving and protecting in the military.
And to all of you that are mothers and are not in the military Happy Mothers Day to you too.
From everyone here at Theodore's World
~ Wild Thing
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Tech. Sgt. Tracey McArdle of Edinboro embraced her son, Tyler, 7, minutes before being deployed
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U.S. Army National Guard Capt. Monica McGrath, 29, a communications specialist at Camp Speicher, a U.S. base near Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad
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Posted by Wild Thing at 08:50 AM | Comments (12)
White House Correspondents Dinner 2009 ~ History, Write up and Video's
White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington DC.
by Wild Thing
The White House Correspondents Association represents the White House press corps. They hold an annual dinner to raise money for scholarships and to honor recipients.
The White House Correspondents' Association was born on Feb. 25, 1914, after the White House let it be known that President Woodrow Wilson was interested in having an unprecedented series of regularly scheduled press conferences but was unsure how to pick the reporters to invite to these sessions.
In 1924, Calvin Coolidge became the first of 14 presidents to attend the dinner.
Until World War II, the annual dinner was an entertainment extravaganza, featuring singing between courses, a homemade movie and an hour-long, post-dinner show with big-name performers. During the War years the dinner tradition continued, but the event was more subdued. A 1944 article in the Charlotte Observe reported:
"The most complete turnout of the Nation's war leaders since Pearl Harbor ate unrationed duck and traded off-the-record political wisecracks with the Capital's press last night at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association. President Roosevelt, attending the only party outside the White House that he allows himself in wartime, sang loud when the entertainers called for audience participation, and laughed louder at some of the fourth term jokes which flew thick all evening."
The idea of this dinner is that the current president poke fun at himself and his administration, and that the comedian poke "lighthearted fun" at the current administration.
This night occurs once a year and was supposed to be a night of fun. A night when both sides, along with the press, poke fun at one another without the nastiness.
The comedians asked to perform there seem to do best when they joke with gentle jibes rather than go for the jugular.....but then there is Wanda Sykes.
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She kissed up to Obama and Michelle and then went after George W. Bush, John McCain, Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. C-SPAN cameras caught Fox News commentator Glenn Beck sitting stone-faced after Sykes had singled out one conservative after another for her insults.
"This is amazing, you're the first black president. I'm proud to be able to say. But that's unless you screw up. And then it's going to be, 'What's up with that half-white guy? Who voted for the mulatto. What the hell?' "
She also poked fun at Nancy Pelosi, saying it was the House Speaker's idea for Obama and VP Joe Biden to grab hamburgers for lunch the other day. "You guys can't hang out together. What'd she say, 'Why don't you boys go out and get a bite'? You know she was a Hillary supporter."
President George W Bush. "I gotta say, he broke a lot of stuff. You thought you were moving into a new home, and you've got a fixer-upper. And there are a lot of things that need to be fixed."
ON Sarah Palin she was totally horrible with that disgusting "pulled out too soon" 'joke' referencing Sarah Palin's daughter... (Todd Palin is in the audience with Greta Van Sustern and her husband)
Dick Cheney, Sykes commented, "Oh my god, that's a scary man. Scares me to death. I tell my kids if two cars pull up, and one has a stranger, and the other car has Dick Cheney, you get in the car with the stranger." And she criticized the former VP for "trying to defend torture".
Rush Limbaugh. "Rush Limbaugh said he hopes this administration fails. That's like saying, 'I hope America fails.' Or that 'I don't care if people are losing their homes, their jobs, our soldiers in Iraq.' He just wants the country to fail. To me, that's treason. He's not saying anything differently than what Osama Bin Laden is saying." Then, turning to the president, Sykes added, "You might want to look into this, sir. Because I think maybe he was the 20th hijacker. But he was just so strung out on Oxycontin that he missed his flight."
Realizing she shocked the crowd with that remark, she said, "Too much? But you're laughing on the inside..."
And when she first referenced Rush and Oxycontin or whatever, the audience seemed uncomfortable. Because whether they like him or not, he is EXACTLY what ALL of them hope to be...they wished they were HALF as powerful with HALF his audience...alas, they remain more sheep in the stable of lies, deceit, and fairy tales
But she wasn't done. "Rush Limbaugh says 'I hope the country fails." I hope his kidneys fail. How about that? He needs some waterboarding, that's what he needs."
Obama was laughing his ass off during the Palin “Jokes” and laughed even harder when he heard that disgusting comment about wanting Rush’s kidneys to fail..
Just a pure lack of class. Remember in Clinton’s first dinner, he made some reference to Limbaugh defending Janet Reno against John Conyers. “He only did that because she was attacked by a black guy”. That was disgusting and offensive and Sam Donaldson told Rush to go confront Clinton right there.
Clinton’s a sleaze, but at least he didn’t wish death upon Limbaugh. And Obama thinking it was funny makes it that much more disgusting.
On the subject of Sean Hannity, Sykes noted that the Fox News commentator has offered to be waterboarded for charity. "Let Keith Olbermann waterboard him. He can't take a waterboarding. I can break Sean Hannity just by giving him a middle seat in coach."
I can’t remember a journalists’ dinner like this where the comedian spent more than half the time dissing the previous administration. And her attacks of the talk show hosts, Rush and Sean , especially Rush were beyond acceptable on any level.
White House senior adviser David Alexrod had this reaction to Wanda Sykes's humor:
"I thought she was very entertaining. She walked it to the line, but I thought she pulled it back."
Bill O' Reilly, meanwhile, walked passed photographers without giving his take.
"I got nothing to say. I got nothing to say."
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OMG, Obama joked about the Air Farce One flight that scared the hell out of New Yorkers. Remember how he said he was so outraged by the Flyover and now he is joking about it. That of course was ALL LIES and his joking about it proved it to the world that caught this dinner last night.
Watching the videos you can notice something. Not all are laughing or smiling, maybe it is just me but I have a gut feeling there was a high percentage in his audience that did NOT vote for Obama and especially when he went after Rush Limbaugh there was a lot of silence and non laughter and even some booing.
This was so disgraceful! Barack Obama is a low-class street hustler. That’s how he got where he is today. He is amoral, narcissistic, power-hungry and just plain evil. has NO sense of humor at all. His sense of humor consists of mean, snide remarks that he thinks are funny. He is NOT a nice person. He’s mean and hateful.
The dinner last year with Bush was very funny, the jokes all had a response and Bush was a natural with comedy and having a good time and sense of humor. There is something about Obama, his coldness and detachment to humans it is just weird. He is all the things I have called him and the ones I have not posted here that I say offline but he is more then that. He was the perfect puppet for Soros, someone that had already been molded to hate America to love communism and to love himself more then anyone else. His ego is bigger then I have ever seen in anyone.
Glenn Beck said during this last week he had been dreading this all week.
Now for the feel good stuff hahaha Bush was great at this LOL
President George Bush at his last White House Correspondents Dinner
This one was a classic LOL
President George Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner 2006...with impersonator is saying his thoughts.
Posted by Wild Thing at 08:48 AM | Comments (13)
A New Gun Law Being Considered in Congress
Next step? No guns allowed for right-wing 'extremists'
Bill empowers attorney general to forbid firearms for those 'suspected dangerous'
A new gun law being considered in Congress, if aligned with Department of Homeland Security memos labeling everyday Americans as potential "threats," could potentially deny firearms to pro-lifers, gun-rights advocates, tax protesters, animal rights activists, and a host of others – any already on the expansive DHS watch list for potential "extremism."
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., has sponsored H.R. 2159, the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2009, which permits the attorney general to deny transfer of a firearm to any "known or suspected dangerous terrorist."
The bill requires only that the potential firearm transferee is "appropriately suspected" of preparing for a terrorist act and that the attorney general "has a reasonable belief" that the gun might be used in connection with terrorism.
Gun rights advocates, however, object to the bill's language, arguing that it enables the federal government to suspend a person's Second Amendment rights without any trial or legal proof and only upon suspicion of being "dangerous."
"Rep. King would deny citizens their civil liberties based on no due process," objected Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America. "A 'known terrorist?' Look, if the guy has committed an act of terrorism, we shouldn't have to worry about him being able to buy a gun; he should be in jail!"
Pratt further warned of the potential overlap of H.R. 2159 and a recent DHS memo that warned against potential violence from "right-wing extremists," such as those concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty.
"By those standards, I'm one of [DHS Secretary] Janet Napolitano's terrorists," Pratt said. "This bill would enable the attorney general to put all of the people who voted against Obama on no-gun lists, because according to the DHS, they're all potential terrorists. Actually, we could rename this bill the Janet Napolitano Frenzied Fantasy Implementation Act of 2009."
Pratt's biggest concern, however, is the sidestepping of the Constitution and due process that the nebulous language of this bill could permit.
"Unbeknownst to us, some bureaucrat in the bowels of democracy can put your name on a list, and your Second Amendment rights are toast," Pratt said. "This is such an anti-American bill, this is something King George III would have done."
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Wild Thing's comment.........
I never knew Rep. Peter King was anti-gun. Who needs liberals when RINOS do the job for them!! What is it in the water in Washington that gives even Republicans harebrained ideas?
Our rights as Americans are being stripped away at a speed I never thought I’d see in my lifetime. If ever an American needed to be an armed citizen, it is now. This is not a Bill put through yet, but we sure as heck need to know about it and what is going on. This is the kind of thing that they could pass and non of us would know about it till it was too late. The 2nd Amendment as the rest of the Constitution means nothing to these characters.
Bills like this will turn “potential threats” into real ones....but that might also be the intent.
And, the nefarious deeds of a crafty terrorist need not involve guns at all. I’m sure they would be happy to produce a mushroom cloud rather than a hail of bullets.
It appears due process is being thrown out the door. This is a flexible bill of attainder that can be twisted any way the bureaucrat sitting in the Attorney General's office desires.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 08:47 AM | Comments (13)
DHS Deputy Secretary to Keynote Civil Rights Awards Lunch at ADC
DHS Deputy Secretary to Keynote Civil Rights Awards Lunch at ADC (The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee ) Annual National Convention
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is proud to announce that Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Jane Holl Lute will deliver the keynote remarks during this year’s Civil Rights Awards Lunch headlining an outstanding program of awards and speakers at one of the anchor events during the ADC Annual National Convention.
The Deputy Secretary, the second-ranking official at DHS after Secretary Napolitano, has over 30 years of dedicated military and executive experience and has served as Assistant Secretary General to the United Nations responsible for the support of international peacekeeping operations. ADC is pleased to welcome Deputy Secretary Lute to discuss the ongoing challenges facing law enforcement and the post-9/11 communities and the struggle to maintain and promote civil rights and security simultaneously.
Also confirmed to deliver special remarks at the Saturday June 13 lunch is Chair of the House Judiciary Committee Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). Congressman Conyers has been a tireless advocate for civil rights and most recently championed legislation to provide resources to law enforcement to combat hate crimes. Since the days when he marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Congressman Conyers has been working to protect the rights of all Americans and the integrity of our Constitutional values.
Also, ADC is proud to present this year’s Excellence in Advocacy Award to the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) for their outstanding work toward substantively and constructively addressing challenges facing the Arab and Muslim community post-9/11. The Award will be accepted by MPAC Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati who has successfully spearheaded MPAC’s excellent advocacy efforts on multiple levels.
Other confirmed speakers during this year’s ADC Annual National Convention include Surprise Special Guest ***, Congressman Keith Ellison, Congressman John Dingle, Congressman Brian Baird, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Archbishop Cappucci of Jerusalem, Dean of the White House Press Corps Helen Thomas, Professor John Mearsheimer, J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami, Palestinian Member of the Kenesset Said Naffaa, Professor Saad Eddine Ibrahim, ACLU National Board Member Preetmohan Singh, FBI Assistant Director John Miller, and AFL-CIO Middle East and North Africa Director Heba El-Shazli.
Wild Thing's comment........
This administration and Obama are reaching out to every connection to the enemy of our country there is. And this is another example of how they do not care at all about our security, protecting the citizerns of our country and instead think it is acceptable to associate with the enemy and friends of the enemy.
And check out the list of the other confirmed speakers, in the last paragraph.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 08:46 AM | Comments (4)
It All Started With a Butterfly
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Wild Thing's comment......
LOL well done and funny! hahahaahha That poor guy with his roof. oh my!
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.... Thank you GM Cassel for sending this to me.
GM Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RETIRED
US Navy
1973- 1993
Posted by Wild Thing at 08:45 AM | Comments (5)
Obama Set to Revive Military Commissions
Guantanamo Bay's military commissions were frozen by the Obama administration. Now it appears they will reappear in a different venue.
Obama Set to Revive Military Commissions
The Obama administration is preparing to revive the system of military commissions established at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, under new rules that would offer terrorism suspects greater legal protections, government officials said.
The rules would block the use of evidence obtained from coercive interrogations, tighten the admissibility of hearsay testimony and allow detainees greater freedom to choose their attorneys, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The military commissions have allowed the trial of terrorism suspects in a setting that favors the government and protects classified information, but they were sharply criticized during the administration of President George W. Bush. "By any measure, our system of trying detainees has been an enormous failure," then-candidate Barack Obama said in June 2008.
In one of its first acts, the Obama administration obtained a 120-day suspension of the military commissions; that will expire May 20. Human rights groups had interpreted the suspension as the death knell for military commissions and expected the transfer of cases to military courts martial or federal courts.
Officials said yesterday that the Obama administration will seek a 90-day extension of the suspension as early as next week. It would subsequently restart the commissions on American soil, probably at military bases, according to a lawyer briefed on the plan.
"This is an extraordinary development, and it's going to tarnish the image of American justice again," said Tom Parker, a counterterrorism specialist at Amnesty International.
The administration's extension would allow it to meet a requirement to provide Congress with 60 days' notice of any rule changes in the way the commissions function, officials said. Congress established the commissions in 2006 after the Supreme Court struck down a system of military tribunals created by the Bush administration.
The Obama administration's plan to reinstate the commissions with modifications reflects the fear that some cases would fail in federal courts or in standard military legal settings.
"It looks a lot more difficult now than it did on Jan. 20," said one government official.
Civil liberties advocates, who insist that federal courts can handle terrorism cases, vowed to challenge any new process.
"We'll litigate this before they can proceed, absolutely," said Anthony D. Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. "Any effort to tinker with military commissions would be an enormous mistake. There is no way to fix a flawed process that has not rendered justice."
Wild Thing's comment.......
“It would subsequently restart the commissions on American soil, probably at military bases, according to a lawyer briefed on the plan.”
This is an end run around the objections to having the terrorists released here. Once they are acquitted, they will be released here. The others will by default be detained here and become a cause celeb for looney activists.
Andrew McCarthy at National Review Online calls this Obama's Commission Farce
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:44 AM | Comments (2)
Muslim Brotherhood: "Obama's Egypt trip 'useless'"
Muslim Brotherhood: Obama's Egypt trip 'useless'
CAIRO (AP)
Egypt's most powerful opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, on Saturday called President Barack Obama's upcoming trip to Egypt "useless" unless the U.S. shows dramatic change in its policies toward Arab and Islamic countries.
The White House on Friday announced that Obama would deliver a speech in Egypt on U.S. relations with the Muslim world on June 4 as he seeks to repair damaged ties between America and Islamic countries.
But the Brotherhood's deputy leader, Mohammed Habib, said he was skeptical about Obama's intentions, according to comments posted on the group's Web site.
The trip will be "useless unless it is preceded by real change in the policies of the U.S. administration toward the Arab and Islamic world," Habib said.
"The U.S. administration is attempting to recruit all the Arab states ... to implement its permanent agenda that favors the Zionist entity," he added, referring to the United States' close ties to Israel.
In recent years, Egypt has cracked down on the hard-line Islamic group, jailing hundreds of its members and prohibiting it from officially taking part in political activities.
Though the Brotherhood is banned in Egypt, its members continue to operate hospitals, schools and other charities and has considerable sway among many of the country's 76 million people. Its lawmakers, who run as independents, hold 88 seats in Egypt's 454-seat parliament.
It also has close ties to the militant Hamas, which began as an offshoot of the Brotherhood in the 1970s and now controls the Gaza Strip.
In late December, Israel launched a three-week offensive on Gaza that killed about 1,400 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Israel, which says the death toll was lower, launched the attack in response to militant rocket fire, but the destruction in the coastal strip caused outrage among many Arabs.
The Obama administration has refused any dealings with Hamas but has reached out to U.S. adversaries Syria and Iran, which were isolated by former President George W. Bush.
Obama, whose father was a Muslim from Kenya, said in Turkey last month that the United States "is not and never will be at war with Islam."
In his inaugural address in January, he told the Muslim world "we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist," and he gave his first televised interview as president to the Arabic satellite TV station Al-Arabiya.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Friday that Obama chose Egypt because it "in many ways represents the heart of the Arab world."
While the Brotherhood was critical of Obama's decision, Egypt's state-run media praised it.
"Pictures of Obama and President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country since 1981, were splashed on the front page of the daily newspaper Al-Gomhoria. In the front-page story, the paper's editor-in-chief said Obama's choice to speak in Egypt "affirms that Washington is opening a new page with Arabs and Muslims."
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Wild Thing's comment..........
“..unless the U.S. shows dramatic change in its policies toward Arab and Islamic countries.”
They must have missed the bow and apology tour.
They only thing they will be satisfied with is our surrender into submission to them.
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 09, 2009
"Currihee" Shout Out by General Petraeus Awakens 101st Air Borne Wounded Soldier
Lt. Brian Brennan was severely wounded in Iraq and faced unbeatable odds but, as David Martin reports, he made a remarkable recovery with a little help from a special Cherokee word...........CURRAHEE !!!!
Thier motto "Currahee!" is an Indian word for "stand alone" which had significant meaning for paratroopers as they parachute behind the lines and are always surrounded.
"Currahee, my brothers, I stand alone with you."
A Soldier's Miracle
Lt. Brian Brennan is a walking, talking miracle. There are no other words for it. One year ago today, he lost both his legs to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, and now his mother is watching him learn to run all over again.
The 44 pounds of explosives which tore off his legs and killed three fellow soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division also left Brennan with a brain injury so traumatic there seemed little hope for recovery.
"He didn’t wake up," said Joanne, his mother. "That's when the real terror struck us all. Oh my, he may never wake up. They said on scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst, he was a 1."
Then one day last June he had a visitor.
"It was a very, very grim situation, very tough one," said General David Petraeus.
Petraeus, who once commanded the 101st Airborne, tried the usual words of encouragement.
"Hang tough, big guy," he said. "Your troopers need you back out there."
But Petraeus' four stars carried no weight.
"There was absolutely no response whatsoever," Petraeus said.
"Did you think there was any hope?" Martin asked.
"Not really," Petraeus said.
"I see his beautiful blue eyes but he's staring straight right through me, and he doesn't know who I am and he doesn’t know I'm there," Joanne said.
Petraeus turned to leave, then decided to give it one last try.
"I just decided to shout out 'Currihee.'"
That's right, "Currihee." It's a Cherokee Indian word that the was the motto for the famous "Brand of Brothers" regiment in the 101st.
"We counted 'One, two, three, Currihee,'" Petraeus said.
"That's when he kind of sat up in the bed as best as he could," said Brennan's dad Jim.
"Like saying, 'I'm in here, I'm in here,'" Joanne said.
"All of a sudden, the lieutenant, his stumps are banging up and down on the sheets," Petraeus said. "His head is moving around and very clearly responding to his unit's nickname."
"Everybody in the facility was clapping and crying," Joanne said. "The doctors who had been working on him and giving us all the bad news came running down the hall, 'We heard, we heard.'"
For three weeks, he had not responded to the voices of his family, but that Band of Brothers motto brought him back from the living dead.
"It's just so awesome to be part of that historic unit," Brennan said. "It's just always in the back of my head."
"And then it came to the front," Martin said.
"Yes it did," Brennan said.
"After that, he just every day got a little better, a little better, a little better," Jim said.
Just last week, Petraeus introduced Brennan as the unsung hero of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. That walk across the stage brought the house down, and overwhelmed his father.
"I know how tough he is," Jim said. "If there was anybody in this world who could do it, he was the one."
Less than a year after being comatose and unresponsive, he delivered an acceptance speech to a crowd of 2,000.
And guess what happened next.
"One, two, three, Curihee," shouted the crowd.
Know what Currihee means?
It means "stand alone." How perfect is that?
1st Lt. Brian Brennan, a 23 year old Howell resident and graduate of Howell High School, N.J., and The Citadel, was severely injured on May 7, 2008 from an IED attack, while leading a patrol in Afghanistan.
Brian had been in Afghanistan for only two months when an IED exploded under the Humvee that he and four other men were traveling in. Brian and the gunner, Spc. Ryan Price of California, were the only ones to survive. However, they suffered similar fates.
Brian was found in cardiac arrest. If not for the quick response of his fellow soldiers, Brian’s story might have a different ending.
Brian was transferred to a field hospital, where it was found that he had sustained an acute brain injury, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding, a ruptured spleen, multiple compound fractures of his left arm, fractured shoulder blade and pelvis, and a shattered femur bone. In addition, both of Brian’s legs had to be amputated. It is truly a miracle that Brian survived his injuries.
Once Brian regained consciousness he was transferred to James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida, which specializes in traumatic brain injuries, to begin his rehabilitation. Brian was fitted with prosthetics and is currently re-learning to walk. Brian has made remarkable strides in his recovery due to his determination and positive attitude, but he has a long rehabilitative process ahead of him.
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Wild Thing's comment........
Thank you God! God bless Lt. Brian Brennan and his family and General Patraeus.
God Bless Soldiers everywhere for putting THEIR lives on the line to protect us ALL from terrorism!
General Patraeus has also been saved by miracles:
Twice, accidents almost ended his career, or even his life. In 1991, as a battalion commander at Fort Campbell, Ky., he was shot in the chest with an M-16 rifle when a soldier tripped during a training exercise. Rushed into surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he underwent five hours of surgery by Bill Frist, who a decade later became Senate majority leader. While skydiving in 2000, Petraeus survived the abrupt collapse of his parachute 60 feet up. His shattered pelvis was reassembled with a plate and long screws.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (11)
Senate Receives 200K Letters Regarding Hate Bill Section S. 909
'Pedophile Protection Act' stirs 200K letters to Senate
Congressman: 'Hate crimes' would 'break' Constitution
The "hate crimes" plan pending in the Senate that has been dubbed the "Pedophile Protection Act" would "break" the U.S. Constitution if adopted and enforced, according to an Arizona congressman. And citizens are expressing their concern by dispatching hundreds of thousands of letters to senators.
U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., was interviewed today on WND columnist Janet Porter's radio program for the Faith2Action Christian ministry.
"They have to necessarily break the Constitution for this bill to have any effect," Franks said.
An analysis by Shawn D. Akers, policy analyst with Liberty Counsel, said the proposal, formally known as H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act bill in the House and S. 909 in the Senate, would create new federal penalties against those whose "victims" were chosen based on an "actual or perceived… sexual orientation, gender identity."
Americans, meanwhile, are bombarding members of the Senate with their opposition to the "Pedophile Protection Act."
Porter organized the effort to utilize reduced rates for individual letters delivered by Fed Ex to individual senators in bulk quantities. Overnight letters not only have more impact, but can be assured of delivery in time to impact pending legislation.
More than 2,000 people have utilized the procedures and more than 200,000 letters have been dispatched to members of the Senate.
In part, the letter says:
"I am writing to urge you to do all in your power to oppose passage of S.909, also known as 'The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.'
"Passage of this bill by the U.S. Senate would be reckless and irresponsible not only because of the 'chilling effect' it would have on First Amendment-guaranteed rights to free speech, but also because it would provide, for the first time ever, special legal protections for pedophiles and other sexual offenders.
"If there was ever a time for the Senate to stand and fight with a filibuster, that time is now. We are calling for members of the Senate, Republicans and Democrats alike, to stop S. 909.
.....the rest of the article HERE.....
S. 909 Pedophile Protection Act
Democrats Ensure Hate Crimes Bill Includes Protecting Pedophiles
As expected with the creeping incrementalism of the degradation of morality in America, under this sinister bill that accompanies H.R. 1913 (Hate Crimes Bill), S. 909 will give heightened protection to pedophiles.
Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa said: "As the bill stands, if it passes for law, if you catch an adult in the act of raping a child, and use force to remove that person from the child, the pedophile can turn around and accuse you of assault, and claim it was a hate crime."
Wild Thing's comment........
The Democrats were caught red-handed trying to pass special rights legislation for pedophiles. Of course the liberal media is not reporting about it, but we can still get the word out.
All of this and everything Obama and the democrats have been doing really is beyond the pale and insane. They have no integrity or conscience as to right and wrong at all. And not to want to protect innocent children is sickening.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (7)
White House Aide Louis Caldera Resigns (Forced?!) After Flyover
White House aide Louis Caldera loses job over Manhattan flyover fiasco involving Air Force One
The White House aide who okayed the $328,835 Air Force One photo-op flight around the Statue of Liberty last week was sacked Friday.
President Obama accepted the resignation of Louis Caldera, director of his military office, after an internal probe found Caldera disregarded recommendations the public be notified about the trip.
Initially, plans called for warning New Yorkers in advance a military aircraft would be in the air. Instead, the military office decided to react to media inquiries, not to make a prior announcement, according to the review by Jim Messina, White House deputy chief of staff.
"The FAA warned the military office that the media needed to be advised of the flight," said an administration source. "There were red flags."
Caldera's office insisted the flyover was a "classified" mission.
The review also discovered concerns about the plan in e-mails that Caldera said he did not open for days because he was taking pain medication for severe back spasms.
The low-flying aircraft scared some people on the ground and in buildings, fearing another 9/11 attack. An F-16 fighter jet, which took the photo, trailed Air Force One in the skies above New York and New Jersey, adding to the drama.
A prominent Republican official who specializes in damage control said: "This is a message from [chief of staff] Rahm Emanuel that you won't be fired for a mistake or a policy disagreement - but you will be fired for embarrassing the President. That's a good, strong message that needed to be sent."
Federal officials notified Mayor Bloomberg's office and NYPD officials in advance, but Bloomberg was not informed, infuriating the mayor.
"We deeply regret the anxiety and alarm that resulted from this mission," Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said in a letter to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
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Wild Thing's comment........
Oh, okay. He resigns and that makes it all better...sure. Nice Timing: Friday, end of the week, when news viewing is at its lowest. I wonder if any of the Sunday shows will touch upon this....doubt it. The White HOuse released this bit of news and also his trip to speak to his fellow Muslims in Cairo, both stories, late on a Friday.
Nope not good enough, Hussein made the decision and gave the order. Caldera is his fall guy. IMO Last fall I saw a special on TV all about Air Force One. It was really interesting, it was a tour of the plane, most of it and the pilot gave the tour and answered questions. That plane does not leave the cement unless the President knows about it as well as his SS. The SS and the President still has to approve any of Air Force One or Air Force Two’s flights.
Obama’s fall guy. No way do I believe this guy is responsible for the ‘trip over NY’; just, merely, taking orders. And Obama says he didn’t know. Like his bow wasn’t a bow, and his counterfeit BC is real, etc. Louis went to West Point while Hussein Obama rolled around the streets of chicago ‘thug style’.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (12)
Sultan Knish: Obama's Plan to Destroy Israel
( Daniel Greenfield is a New York City based writer and freelance commentator. “Daniel comments on political affairs with a special focus on the War on Terror and the rising threat to Western Civilization. He maintains a blog at Sultanknish.blogspot.com)
Obama's Plan to Destroy Israel
If there’s one thing that the Carter Administration can be given credit for, it’s creating the new wave of Islamist terrorism, both Sunni, operating out of Afghanistan, and Shiite, operating out of Iran. The Carter Administration cracked down on Israel and put its “faith” in Muslim terrorists, who then went on to wage war on America, even while Carter was in office.
28 years after Carter was removed from office, we’re in reruns again with the Obama Administration, which is not only following the Carter line, but whose plans greatly exceed it. 28 years ago, Wahhabi Sunni and Shiite terrorists were generally an afterthought when compared to the standard USSR backed Marxist terrorist groups, such as the PLO.
Today, thanks in part to the Carter Administration, they control several countries and have designs on several more. From Pakistan to Afghanistan, from Gaza to Lebanon, from the Middle East to Southeast Asia, the threat is very real and bigger than ever particularly as the race by both Sunni and Shiite groups to build and deploy nuclear weapons continues.
Like Carter before him, Obama has chosen to cut backdoor deals with the Mullahs in Iran, offering them power over Iraq and Afghanistan, in exchange for quieting things down enough to let him hang up a Mission Accomplished banner and pull the troops out. “Peace with honor”, preferably before the next election. The rape law for Shiites in Afghanistan, the push for a US funded Hamas/Fatah Unity government in the territories and the rising expansion of the Taliban are all fruits of this arrangement.
If Iran is to be our new best friend under this arrangement, Israel is to be our new best enemy.
Obama stacked the deck by deploying Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State in a position that gave her an important title, but absolutely no power to go with it, while stacking the National Security Council and even the Pentagon with oil appointees in the pockets of the Saudis or his own left wing radical friends.
Israel electing a conservative government really put the ball into play, freeing up even more resources for attacking Israel. The strategy runs something like this.
The Obama Administration has broken down the Israel problem into two subsections, Israel itself, and American Jews.
Obama’s people have studied the problem and understand where Carter went wrong. Obama does not want to have the same image problems as Carter in the Jewish community. Should that happen, the Beloved Leader and his lapdog press are fully prepared to unleash a Chavez style hate-on targeting American Jews. But that would be inconvenient and messy. Even with the changing face of America, there are significant differences between the average American and European or Venezuelan, and what kind of ugliness they are willing to tolerate. So Obama’s people have split their attention in handling the two factors as two different problems.
American Jews - Obama has been clever about putting his Jewish appointees front and center. Like many minorities, some American Jews suffer from self-esteem problems that are soothed when they see a seeming acceptance. Of course what they fail to realize is that exploitation is not acceptance. And that Obama’s appointees are creatures of his backers, Nazi collaborators like Soros, who have nothing but contempt for Jews, individually or collectively.
While outwardly courting Jews, Obama’s people have also been quietly shoving Jewish organizations and their leaders into a corner. Within the Jewish organizational world there has been a silent but deadly takeover of major Jewish groups by left wing radicals. Former alumni of the far left wing and anti-Israel groups like Breira or Coname in the 70’s have been elevated to key positions in such organizations as the UJA Federation. Behind the scenes any Jewish leaders who expressed even doubts about Obama during the primaries were intimidated and silenced.
Much as with conservatives, a list has been drawn up of those figures who can be won over, and those who cannot. The ones who can be won over are described as “moderates”, the ones who cannot be won over are described as “extremists” .
Meanwhile a bevvy of left wing Jewish In Name Only groups have been organized to play their part. Key among them is the Soros funded J Street, a group created as an anti-Israel lobby meant to eventually replace AIPAC. Meanwhile AIPAC itself has been kept on the ropes with such things as the well timed Harman leak. The message once again is fairly clear, cooperate and keep quiet, or we’ll destroy you.
The multi-layered approach to American Jews can then be summed up as follows;
1.) Co-opt existing Jewish organizations and swing them to the left using old school 70’s leftists.
2.) Create new “progressive” organizations to appeal to a younger generation of ethnically Jewish youth detached from any actual identity. Have these organizations generate attacks on the Israeli government and pro-Israel Jews, while creating phony polls indicating that most American Jews are behind them and Obama.
3.) Silence and intimidate remaining Jewish organizations and leaders behind the scenes.
The overall idea is to keep a happy face pasted on American Jewry while the knives are out in the dark.
Israel - The basic understanding in the Obama Administration is that Israel Must Go. In the worldview of the more moderate Obama appointees, Israel is a destabilizing factor in the Middle East. To the more left wing Obama advisors, Israel is a Western imperialist colonialist state that must be destroyed in the name of revolutionary justice. To the Islamist mindset, Israel is a Kufir state that has no right to exist in the Dar Al Islam.
While intractably hostile to Israel, the Obama Administration wants to avoid the kind of public confrontations that marked the Carter and Bush Sr administrations. Instead they would much rather model the way that the Clinton Administration waged a quiet war against Israel, removing one government, and forcing extensive concessions to terrorists, all the while keeping a happy face pasted on the whole affair.
On the one hand that means avoiding harsh public attacks on Israel, but keeping the pressure up for Israel to make extensive far reaching one sided concessions, to accept Saudi and Arab League “peace plans”, to legitimize Hamas as the new government of the Palestinian Authority, and to insure that Israel does not reply to any rocket or terrorist attacks.
There are two forms of quiet leverage that the United States has on Israel, the first is financial and the second is military.
On the financial side, the goal will be to bring down the Netanyahu government coalition by destabilizing Israel economically. This is the surest and most direct path to bringing down Israel’s conservative government and replacing it with a left of center coalition. The Obama Administration has a wide variety of tactics at its disposal for doing so, from the overt, such as targeting Israeli exports and imports, to the covert, that would involve targeting the Shekel. Additionally fundraising in the US could be investigated and groups such as the Jewish National Fund, prevented from raising money in the US. All of these have been in play before at one time or another.
On the military side, Obama’s people will make their non-existent efforts to stop Iran’s nukes conditional on more concessions to terrorists. Since Israel will never be able to make enough concessions and since Obama is working with Iran, rather than working to stop Iran’s nukes, this is a hollow charade.
Furthermore while Israel has already been locked out of the military technology pipeline for anything cutting edge, it still remains dependent on US military equipment for parts and supplies. The decades of US foreign aid have also served to create dependency. Unlike many other countries, including even Sweden, Israel does not have its own jet fighter. Israel’s Air Force is heavily dependent on US weapons, parts and equipment. Cutting Israel off, would leave the Israeli military dangerously vulnerable in the case of a war. This is an effective chokehold that has been used before to prevent Israel from attacking Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War, as well as preventing Israel from carrying out a preemptive strike against its enemies before the Yom Kippur War.
The overall Obama policy will be to push Israel to the brink, using financial and military blackmail against the Netanyahu government, while maintaining control over American Jews to prevent any protests or backtalk.
The more Israel will offer, the more the Obama Administration will tighten the screws. No offer will be good enough, and Israel will be blamed for every breakdown in talks and every bit of violence that takes place. The media will portray Israel and particularly Netanyahu as extremist and intransigent. Hamas will be slowly whitewashed in the media, the same way that Arafat’s goons were, (assuming that they prove more willing to cooperate in creating a positive media image of themselves than Ahmadinejad is.)
The plan is to destroy Israel, and to do it by pushing Israel to the edge of the cliff and then over the cliff. Israel’s enemies will be getting top of the line US military equipment. Israel will not. Israel will be squeezed economically until the Netanyahu government collapses, leaving a weak left wing leader like Livni in charge of Israel, and in charge of acceding to the new Pharaoh’s demands.
Meanwhile so-called American Jewish groups will support Obama all the way, some because they were created precisely for that purpose, e.g. J-Street, and others because they have been hijacked, cowed or subverted.
That is the game plan and some of it’s coming. The rest is already here.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Excellent analysis of Obama's final solution for Israel.
This is very sad!
He's right on. Some of us see it clearly. Some don't want to see. Most are drinking KoolAid and won't see until it's too late. God help Israel. God help America.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (4)
Howard Dean Says America Has Had "Enough of Capitalism"
Howard Dean on CNBC where he made the statement, among other things, that "we have had enough capitalism the past 8 years; what we need now is some regulation."
Dean was discussing with Jason Lewis the $17 Billion in Budget Cuts announced by President Obama out of a $3.55 Trillion 2010 Budget.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
LMAO this guy is nuts!!! Howie, just go scream at the moon and leave us alone.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (3)
Cheney to GOP: Don't Go Changin'
Cheney to GOP: Don't Go Changin'
Former Vice-President Dick Cheney told a North Dakota radio audience this week that in his opinion it would be a mistake for the struggling Republican Party to change in any fundamental way, according to a report in Politico.
“I think it would be a mistake for us to moderate,” Cheney said. “This is about fundamental beliefs and values and ideas … what the role of government should be in our society, and our commitment to the Constitution and constitutional principles.
“You know, when you add all those things up, the idea that we ought to moderate basically means we ought to fundamentally change our philosophy. I for one am not prepared to do that, and I think most of us aren’t,” he added.
“Most Republicans have a pretty good idea of values, and aren’t eager to have someone come along and say, ‘Well, the only way you can win is if you start to act more like a Democrat,’” Cheney concluded.
Cheney covered a host of other subjects during the interview by host Scott Hennen, where he was for the most part defensive of the Bush administration and skeptical of some of the emerging policies of the administration of President Barack Obama.
On Prosecuting Lawyers for Terror Advice
"Talk about putting a wet blanket on anybody in government’s willingness to be bold in their recommendations, and so forth. Just forget that. Anybody who sees that kind of thing happen is going to pull their head in and they’ll be reluctant to take responsibility for anything. They’ll be reluctant to recommend the kind of actions that were necessary to defend the country over the last eight years.”
On Closing Guantanamo
“We were not a perfect administration – none ever is – but I think what we did in the counter-terrorist area was extremely effective. I think Obama needs to be careful because he appears to want to cancel out some of those most important policies. Then you get into this whole thing of closing Guantanamo and of course the bottom line there is ‘What are you going to do with all these terrorists that are in Guantanamo?’”
On the GOP Disposing of Dead Wood
“I think periodically we have to go through one these sessions. It helps clear away some of the underbrush ... some of the older folks who’ve been around a long time – like yours truly – need to move on and make room for that young talent that’s coming along.”
On Waterboarding as a ‘Last Resort’
“That assumes that we didn’t try other ways, and in fact we did. We resorted, for example, to waterboarding, which is the source of much of the controversy ... with only three individuals. In those cases, it was only after we’d gone through all the other steps of the process. The way the whole program was set up was very careful to use other methods and only to resort to the enhanced techniques in those special circumstances.”
On Air Force One Buzzing NYC
“I would assume that some senior staffer signed off on that. Especially a mission with, with in effect what is the backup for Air Force One; there are two of those planes, big 747’s. Either one can function as Air Force One anytime the President is on it. I used them a couple of times during our administration for special trips. You know, they don’t turn a wheel without a lot of people knowing about it and signing off and approving it. A pilot can’t just go out there and get on board and take it for a spin.”
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Giggle, I just love how Cheney is speaking up like this. He has been on a roll basically since Obama was sworn in.
I would bet Obama would love for Cheney to just go away, be silent or maybe go hunting or something. heh heh.
Sure Obama why don't you go on a hunting trip with Cheney he can show you the ropes.
hahahaha
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (2)
May 08, 2009
Hussein Obama to Address Muslim World From Egypt ~ Apology Tour, Part Deux
Obama to Address Muslim World From Egypt
By Anne E. Kornblut
President Obama will make his promised speech to the Muslim world from Egypt, a White House official said on Friday.
Obama pledged during the campaign to address the Muslim world from a Muslim capital within the first few months of taking office. Picking a site proved challenging for a range of reasons -- from diplomacy to security -- and the decision took longer than expected, with Obama commissioning options from a research team.
Having settled on Egypt, the White House today announced that he is adding a stop there to his early June overseas trip. That trip will also take him to Normandy, France, for the anniversary of D-Day, and to the Buchenwald concentration camp and Dresden, Germany.
Choosing Egypt will inevitably bring comparisons with a major speech that then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave in Cairo 2005, urging democracy and reform in the Middle East.
In that speech, Rice specifically urged the Egyptian government to "put its faith in its own people," calling on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to end violent attacks on pro-democracy demonstrators, stop "arbitrary justice" and lift emergency decrees allowing the police to break up gatherings of more than five people. She also made similar demands on Saudi Arabia, another close U.S. ally. However, Rice tempered her comments by saying the United States had "every reason for humility" because of its history of slavery and racism.
Mubarak, who will meet with Obama at the White House later this month, was so angered by the democracy push that he did not make his annual spring visit to Washington for all of Bush's second term. The Obama administration, in its budget released this week, has already loosened restrictions imposed by Bush to ensure some U.S. aid went to democracy groups not approved by the Egyptian authorities.
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Wild Thing's comment........
The clear and present danger continues.
Here it is, folks, the first sentence of his speech: ʾašhadu ʾal lā ilāha illa l-Lāh, wa ʾašhadu ʾanna muḥammadar rasūlu l-Lāh
(I testify that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet).
More from this POS would be ...Muslim’s are wonderful and are responsible for all good things that have happened to America. America is evil and responsible for all the suffering in the Muslim world
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:25 PM | Comments (7)
Jew Hatered at UC Irvine
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Photos Taken May 6, 2009, Campus at West Peltason. OC Independent Task Force on anti-Semitism (all rights reserved).
ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE SECTION 92000-92001:
a) The name "University of California" is the property of the state. No person shall, without the permission of the Regents of the University of California, use this name, or any abbreviation of it or any name of which these words are a part, in any of the following ways:
(1) To designate any business, social, political, religious, or other organization, including, but not limited to, any corporation, firm, partnership, association, group, activity, or enterprise.
(2) To imply, indicate or otherwise suggest that any such organization, or any product or service of such organization is connected or affiliated with, or is endorsed, favored, or supported by, or is opposed by the University of California
(3) To display, advertise, or announce this name publicly at, or in connection with, any meeting, assembly, or demonstration, or any propaganda, advertising, or promotional activity of any kind which has for its20purpose or any part of its purpose the support, endorsement, advancement, opposition, or defeat of any strike, lockout, or boycott or of any political, religious, sociological, or economic movement, activity, or program....."
These are the tools of Islamic jihad:
To: UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake
Posted on May 4, 2009 by TDB
“We have 1,000 guest speakers on campus every year. Could I evaluate them and say this one is anti-Semitic? I could not. What I could say is that as a person and a campus, we abhor hate speech, period.” –Chancellor Michael Drake.
Read it here
This petition is being circulated by a concerned community member. Please sign it.
To: UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake
We, the undersigned, call on you to speak out and publicly condemn the annual Israel-bashing event on campus that is being sponsored by UC Irvine’s Muslim Student Union from May 5-21, 2009. The title alone – “Israel: The Politics of Genocide” – reflects that this event, like previous Muslim Student Union events, will demonize Israel and make false and hateful accusations against Israel and Jews. Individuals scheduled to speak at this event have a record of making hateful and vilifying statements about Jews, Zionism and Israel. A program like this one can promote violence against Jews on campus and beyond.
In addition to publicly condemning this event that will promote hatred of Jews and Israel, we call on you to condemn the Muslim Student Union, the perpetrators of the anti-Semitic bigotry. This group continues to violate the values and principles of the UC Irvine community that specifically call for “a learning climate free from expressions of bigotry.”
As an American, you have the right to speak out and explicitly denounce anti-Semitism, especially when it occurs on your campus. As an educational leader, you have the moral obligation to speak out.
Sincerely,
.......
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Why do they allow this, I really can't stand this hate they have. This kind of thing should not be allowed anywhere!
Does Janet Nappy know about this, but of course she does. At least her office does, we can bet on that. Does she care, of course not!
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:20 PM | Comments (4)
Keep Terrorists OUT Of America
House Republicans are committed to preventing the release or transfer of terrorists to American soil.
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Center welcomes House GOP video illuminating folly of Obama approach to Gitmo
Washington, DC: Tonight, the Center for Security Policy applauded the release, by leaders of the House Republican Conference, of a video reminding every American of the dangers of the unlawful enemy combatants currently being securely detained at the Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba.
"This video raises the central questions," Center President Frank Gaffney asked. "'What is President Obama's plan for detaining or releasing prisoners once Guantanamo is closed? And how does it make us safer?'"
"The President has made a terrible mistake in closing the finest, most secure and best-run detention and interrogation facility in the world-- with no clue as to what will be done with its prisoners in the next six or seven months."
"Worse still, a number of them are expected to be turned loose on the American people by releasing them into Alexandria, Virginia or some other unsuspecting-- and highly vulnerable-- community in this country."
"A proposal was announced this week to send 100 Yemeni detainees to Saudi Arabia to undergo a Saudi government 'rehabilitation program' for Jihadists. This is a preposterous idea; violent Jihad against "infidels" is a central obligation for those, like the Gitmo detainees, who adhere to the program authoritative Islam calls Shariah."
"Even if detainees are shipped to one or more federal penitentiaries, they will pose a grave danger. They can teach terrorist technique and ideology to others in prison communities already rife with Islamist proselytization. And their neighbors beyond the prison walls will become new soft targets for the detainees' friends."
The Center urges a public repudiation and congressional prohibition on any Obama administration plan to transfer Guantanamo detainees-- let alone, their release into the United States.
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The Obama administration overruled objections by federal agencies and moved ahead with their plans to release Chinese Uighur terrorists into the United States.
White House Overrides FBI and DHS on Gitmo Release
Moving quickly to release Chinese Uighur terrorists into the United States, Obama administration officials have -- for the second time -- overridden objections of federal agencies responsible for national security.
The first time the White House overrode the inter-agency panel it created from all the national security agencies to review all the cases of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners.
That panel found that the seventeen Uighurs -- members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement captured at an al-Queda training camp in Pakistan -- were too dangerous to release in the United States.
Now -- according to a federal agency source who requested anonymity -- the White House has also overridden opposition to the release from both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
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These Gitmo terrorists will likely receive welfare after they are released.
Welfare for Freed Gitmo Detainees?
During his news conference, Blair also said the Obama administration is still wrestling with what to do with the remaining 240 detainees at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which the president has ordered closed.
Some of the detainees, deemed non-threatening, may be released into the United States as free men, Blair confirmed.
That would happen when they can't be returned to their home countries, because the governments either won't take them or the U.S. fears they will be abused or tortured. That is the case with 17 Uighurs (WEE'-gurz), Chinese Muslim separatists who were cleared for release from the jail long ago. The U.S. can't find a country willing to take them, and it will not turn them over to China.
Blair said the former prisoners would have [to] get some sort of assistance to start their new lives in the United States.
“We can't put them out on the street,” he said.
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Keep Terrorists Out of America
GOP
House Republicans introduced the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act, which aims to stop the transfer or release of terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States. House Republican Leader John Boehner said this:
"This bill has a straightforward but vital purpose: to ensure that the terrorists held in the Guantanamo Bay prison are not imported into the United States. We are giving every Member of Congress an opportunity to stand with the American people by affirming their opposition to bringing these terrorists into our communities, and we hope they join us. Equally asimportant, this bill holds the Administration accountable if it acts unilaterally against the will of the American people.
“The world did not suddenly become safe in January 2009. There are still terrorists around the world who are committed to killing Americans and destroying our way of life. A number of those terrorists are being held at the prison in Guantanamo Bay right now. If the Administration is allowed to proceed, they won’t be there for long. In fact, they may be right here, in the United States. I have been urging the Administration to finally present to the American people its plan for what to do with the terrorists held at Guantanamo and for confronting and defeating the global terrorist threat. Right now, that plan does not exist, and the safety of our nation depends on it.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Keep it up Republicans this is excellent. The enemy within is in our Oval Office and he needs to know all blood shed by the terrorists will be on HIS hands! That of our troops and any American anywhere in the world that is attacked by terrorists.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:14 PM | Comments (3)
Aloha Turns Into Allah As Hawaii Approves of Islam Day
Hawaii lawmakers back the creation of 'Islam Day'
Hawaii's state Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday to celebrate "Islam Day" — over the objections of a few lawmakers who said they didn't want to honor a religion connected to Sept. 11, 2001.
The Senate's two Republicans argued that a minority of Islamic extremists have killed many innocents in terrorist attacks.
"I recall radical Islamists around the world cheering the horrors of 9/11. That is the day all civilized people of all religions should remember," said Republican Sen. Fred Hemmings to the applause of more than 100 people gathered in the Senate to oppose a separate issue — same-sex civil unions.
The resolution to proclaim Sept. 24, 2009, as Islam Day passed the Senate on a 22-3 vote. It had previously passed the House.
The bill seeks to recognize "the rich religious, scientific, cultural and artistic contributions" that Islam and the Islamic world have made. It does not call for any spending or organized celebration of Islam Day.
"We are a state of tolerance. We understand that people have different beliefs," said Sen. Will Espero, a Democrat. "We may not all agree on every single item and issue out there, but to say and highlight the negativity of the Islamic people is an insult to the majority" of believers "who are good law-abiding citizens of the world."
But Republican Sen. Sam Slom argued that the United States has become too sympathetic toward Islamic extremists.
"I don't think there's any country in the history of the world that has been more tolerant than the United States of America, and because of that tolerance, we've looked the other way a lot of times, and many thousands of our citizens have been killed by terrorists," said Slom, a Republican.
The lone Democrat voting against the bill opposed it on church-state separation fears.
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Wild Thing's comment...........
WTF
Well hell’s bells! Why not just go ahead and make it on Sept. 11th you idiots! Liberalism is a mental disorder, characterized by unwarranted feelings of guilt, extreme naivete, massive stupidity, and suicidal tendencies, they are are psychotic. So the official celebrations includes rape, pillage, beheading, or all of the above?
I really don't get it! Do they have a ton of Muslim's living there? How could they, I have been to Hawaii many times, lost count of how many times for work in the past and a Muslim would be offended by all the bare arms there. LOL Not to mention the bare stomachs and backs and legs walking around in swimsuits. hahahaha What are they going to do make everyone on the island cover up? No freakin way. This is beyond stupid!
Here is an appropriate Hawaiian Islam Day celebration:........Sacrifice a Muslim to the volcano!
"The bill seeks to recognize "the rich religious, scientific, cultural and artistic contributions" that Islam and the Islamic world have made. It does not call for any spending or organized celebration of Islam Day."
What a bunch of total BS!
Rich religious = beheadings, suicide bombers, children taught to kill Americans and Israeli's.
And as far as a religion their ALLAH is a pagan god after the Moon -god, and Mecca was in fact built as a shrine for the Moon-god. Muhammad was raised in the religion of the Moon-god Allah. But he went one step further than his fellow pagan Arabs. While they believed that Allah, i.e. the Moon-god, was the greatest of all gods and the supreme deity in a pantheon of deities, Muhammad decided that Allah was not only the greatest god but the only god.
The pagan Arabs worshipped the Moon-god Allah by praying toward Mecca several times a day; making a pilgrimage to Mecca; running around the temple of the Moon-god called the Kabah; kissing the black stone.
The Muslim's claim that Allah is the God of the Bible and that Islam arose from the religion of the prophets and apostles is refuted by solid, overwhelming archeological evidence. Islam is nothing more than a revival of the ancient Moon-god cult.
Scientific = how to build a bomb
Just a few of the Muslim Atrocities
Cultural contributions = check this quote by Obama out and he just said it this last Wednesday!!!!!!
"We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country."--Barack Obama to the Turkish Parliament April 6, 2009
..."including my own country? " Are you frickin' serious?
Islam has done nothing to contribute anything but misery, persecution, and despair to the world. It is a barbaric cult of backwards savages that detracts from the world, not contributes to it.
Besides rearranging the New York City skyline, what has Islam contributed to the US?
Historically, besides forcing the creation of the US Marines in the 1800's to combat Islamic, Barbary Coast pirates, what has Islam contributed to the US?
Have any new inventions, medicines, architecture, innovations, art, technological advances, or anything useful, anything at all come from the part of the world that practices radical Islam?
What did Obama mean by the statement, "including my own country"? I mean if he considers himself American, and not Indonesian.
Artistic contributions = designing websites for terrorists to gather and pass on information
WAIT, maybe I am wrong on this, maybe what we ought to do is.....celebrate it just like the English celebrate Guy Fawkes Day!!
Burn effigies of the false Prophet. Throw Korans down the toilet. Lead parades to remember all the millions of people murdered by Muslims, including 9/11.
Make people remember yearly just how evil the Religion of Peace is.
......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (10)
602nd Maintenance Co.Save a Piece of History
Jesse James (center, w/coveralls) watches as service members work on a hybrid humvee at the "Skunk Werks" welding shop at Logistical Support Area Anaconda, Iraq, December 2005. The mechanics were challenged to create a unique humvee for the Discovery Channel show, Monster Garage.
Ordnance Soldiers Save "Skunk Werks"
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq
When Soldiers of the 602nd Maintenance Co. leave Iraq this summer they'll be taking a piece of history with them: the "Skunk Werks" welding shop from here.
Starting in 2003, the "Skunk Werks" was one of the first locations where Level II up-armor kits - more commonly known as "hillbilly armor" - were installed on military vehicles. It's because of this historical significance that Mr. Richard Killblane, the transportation corps historian, plans to move the "Skunk Werks" to the transportation museum at Fort Eustis, Va.
"'Skunk Werks' was at its peak before all of the factory-made armor had made it into the system," said Master Sgt. Scott W. Berndt, support operations maintenance noncommissioned officer in charge, 259th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
Berndt's former unit, the 457th Transportation Bn. (which was part of the 3rd Corps Support Command at the time), ran the welding shop in 2004 and 2005. "We spent many long days and nights fabricating armor for anyone that would come in," he said.
Before 2003, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Lee A. Rowland, the current officer in charge of the "Skunk Werks", said he did not believe Soldiers in his career field got a lot of the recognition they deserved; there was even talk of slowly phasing the job out of the Army altogether.
Operation Iraqi Freedom changed all that, he said.
Welders suddenly found themselves fabricating improvised armor for humvees, trucks and armored personnel carriers; cutting patterns out of Armox ballistic steel (or sometimes even salvaged metal); and figuring out the best way to protect Soldiers.
"Now our mission has changed, but back in the day we actually provided a lot of protection for Soldiers," said Rowland, who remembers up-armoring vehicles himself during his last deployment to Mosul, Iraq. "Saving lives was the ultimate goal."
The 402nd Army Field Support Brigade has since taken over the responsibility of up-armoring military vehicles. The "Skunk Werks" returned to its primary mission as a simple welding shop, making everything from radio mounts to shelves to satellite dish brackets.
In 2006, the "Skunk Werks" was featured in the season finale of the popular Discovery Channel show Monster Garage, hosted by Jesse G. James. A crew of handpicked Soldiers and Airmen were given a timed challenge to create a humvee hotrod, complete with custom-made 28-and 26-inch wheels.
The show's crew added their signatures to the shop's walls, another reason why they're being preserved. Ironically, as Rowland pointed out, James's signature, which was written on the concrete portion of the wall, may not make it to the transportation museum with everything else. Only the temporary walls made out of wood will be torn down and moved, not any part of the permanent structure.
Although no longer involved in the up-armor process, Rowland said his unit is still proud of being a part of the shop's legacy, and they strive to maintain that reputation by doing the best work they can.
Preserving the "Skunk Werks" is important, he said, because it's a piece of history. A different kind of history most people might not be aware of, he went on to say.
"Protecting our troops is what 'Skunk Werks' was designed for," Berndt said. "Provide armor, even if it was makeshift, for our troops on the road. In my eyes, that's what needs to be preserved."
Wild Thing's comment......
Cool story, and what an opportunity for our troops to do something like this.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (1)
Government to Condemn Land for Flight 93 Memorial
Very brave Americans on flight 93 fought back and averted another massive Islamic terror attack on the capital on 911. United Flight 93 was traveling from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco when it was diverted by hijackers with the goal of crashing it into the White House or Capitol. The official 9/11 Commission report said the hijackers crashed the plane as passengers tried to wrest control of the cockpit.
Government to condemn land for Flight 93 memorial
The government will begin taking land from seven property owners so that the Flight 93 memorial can be built in time for the 10th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the National Park Service said.
In a statement obtained by The Associated Press, the park service said it had teamed up with a group representing the victims' families to work with landowners since before 2005 to acquire the land.
"But with few exceptions, these negotiations have been unsuccessful," said the statement.
Landowners dispute that negotiations have taken place and say they are disappointed at the turn of events.
The seven property owners own about 500 acres still needed for what will ultimately be a $58 million, 2,200-acre permanent memorial and national park at the crash site near Shanksville, about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
"We always prefer to get that land from a willing seller. And sometimes you can just not come to an agreement on certain things," park service spokesman Phil Sheridan said.
"Basically, at this point, we have not been able to acquire all the land we need," he said.
Even with willing sellers, Sheridan said title questions, liens and other claims can arise that would have to be worked out and could delay the project.
"We had a group of people who took some very heroic actions. It's just fitting and right that we get this done in time for the 10th anniversary," he said.
"We've been working with (the park service) all along. We've given them rights to come on the property" to do planning, he said.
"All it's going to do is cost a huge amount of money for attorneys," he said.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
This memorial which looks like a giant crescent facing towards Mecca! Why don't those doing this just build the entire thing as a tribute to the terrorists, this is an outrage what they are making and that it faces toward Mecca.
Does the left have to get their hands on everything that has meaning in our country? Anyone that cared even a little about what happened would never even have this kind of design enter their mind.
And now add into this the land grab.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (8)
Iraq Blames Al Qaida Revival on U.S. Release of 4,000 Insurgents
Iraq blames Al Qaida revival on U.S. release of 4,000 insurgents
Iraq has launched another offensive against Al Qaida, raiding suspected AQI strongholds throughout the Diyala province, capturing insurgents and confiscating suicide vests.
The Iraqi offensive was launched amid an AQI suicide bombing campaign in Baghdad and Mosul. Officials said AQI has revived its operational cells and intensified operations as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw from cities by June 30.
Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Atta Qassim said the resurgence of Al Qaida was fueled by the U.S. release of nearly 4,000 insurgents in 2009. Qassim said the released insurgents have been returning to both Al Qaida and organized crime.
On May 6, at least 17 people were killed in a two car bombings at a market in southern Baghdad, populated mostly by Sunnis. Officials acknowledged that security at the market was light.
Officials said the Iraqi security forces were capable of battling AQI. But they acknowledged that authorities were hampered by a shortage of intelligence.
Officials said more than 50 suspected insurgents were killed in nearly one week of the Iraqi operation.
"We've seized weapons, included suicide vests," Iraqi Col. Salam Ahmed Naji said.
Security forces also captured more than 60 suspects, including three women, in Diyala. Officials said the province has been the launching pad for AQI insurgency attacks in Baghdad.
On May 4, 31 insurgency suspects were killed in Iraqi operations. Officials said scores more were injured and killed since the operation began on May 1.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Things in Iraq were calming down. Our troops were making huge progress with the surge........right up until the Obamaeffect! Yes the Obamaeffect, he just had to go further then speak of a withdrawal as Bush did, he had to give a date and top that off with releasing terrorists. Then in the next Obamaeffect he brings up the interrogation memos and then the photos.
Obama has empowered the terrorists with his Obamaeffect. And in doing so he has pulled the trigger aimed at our troops.
Dear God please make Obama let the military run this war and NOT Obama!!!
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (12)
Intelligence Report: Pelosi Briefed on Use of Interrogation Tactics in Sept. ’02
Intelligence Report: Pelosi Briefed on Use of Interrogation Tactics in Sept. ’02
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was briefed on the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” on terrorist suspect Abu Zubaydah in September 2002, according to a report prepared by the Director of National Intelligence’s office and obtained by ABC News.
The report, submitted to the Senate Intelligence Committee and other Capitol Hill officials Wednesday, appears to contradict Pelosi’s statement last month that she was never told about the use of waterboarding or other special interrogation tactics. Instead, she has said, she was told only that the Bush administration had legal opinions that would have supported the use of such techniques.
The report details a Sept. 4, 2002 meeting between intelligence officials and Pelosi, then-House intelligence committee chairman Porter Goss, and two aides. At the time, Pelosi was the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee.
The meeting is described as a “Briefing on EITs including use of EITs on Abu Zubaydah, background on authorities, and a description of particular EITs that had been employed.”
Democratic Leaders of Congress were briefed at more than 30 meetings on enhanced interrogation techniques since 2002.
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Republicans Claim Top Lawmakers Were in the Loop on Interrogations
FOX News has learned there were more than 30 meetings and briefings with members of Congress on the subject since 2002.
The first such briefing dealt with the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, the Al Qaeda operations chief who ran the training camps in Afghanistan where the Sept. 11 hijackers were trained. Sources said California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, now the speaker of the House, attended the meeting with then-Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla. (who later became CIA director), and she did not raise any objections.
The briefings were given to the chairmen and ranking members of the intelligence committees in the House and Senate until 2006. That could cover Sen. John Rockefeller, W.Va., and Rep. Jane Harman, Calif., both Democrats, as well as Sen. Pat Roberts, Kan., Sen. Lindsey Graham, S.C., Sen. Richard Shelby, Ala., and Rep. Pete Hoekstra, Mich., all Republicans.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
There are career people on both sides of the aisle over at CIA. Some very very good ones and some very bad.
They are united in their defense of the CIA, however. You do not attack the spook house unless you are loaded for bear. I am sure they have enough "stuff" on Pelosi to burn her from hell to breakfast.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (6)
Obama’s $100 Million Budget Cuts, Visualized
A great, short video showing what $100 million means in the context of a $3.5 trillion budget.
How much is the $100 million dollars in budget cuts compared to the federal budget as a whole? This video imagines the budget at $100 in pennies to provide the answer.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Clever idea how to explain this.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (5)
Employees and Robots at Lunchtime at the Ford Factory
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:42 AM | Comments (6)
"Being Ann" ~ by Lisa De Pasquale
Being Ann
by Lisa De Pasquale
When Ann Coulter was a little girl she wanted to be “head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with a Republican president.” Or a “fairy princess.”
Instead, Coulter became the Rush Limbaugh of the printed word. She is author of six (soon to be seven) New York Times best sellers, a nationally syndicated columnist and one of the most popular speakers among young and old alike. Coulter has become the most successful conservative writer working today, with more than 3 million books sold. No 21st century conservative writer—male or female—comes even close. Like Limbaugh, her audience keeps growing. When a new book is released, liberals and delicate self-proclaimed conservatives say that “this time she’s gone too far” and predict the end of her career. The book then sells better than her last. She drives the Left into a sputtering rage, and she loves it.
I first met Coulter at the 2000 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, D.C. Following the success of her first book, “High Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Case Against Bill Clinton,” Coulter was given CPAC’s Conservative Journalist of the Year Award. That year she also spoke at Young America’s Foundation’s journalism lunch. She has remained a favorite of young conservatives for her tenacity, wit and accessibility. Like many of them, she became active in the conservative movement during her college years.
During a time when famous people brag about their difficult childhood and airing family secrets become a badge of honor, Coulter doesn’t apologize for having a normal childhood in New Canaan, Conn. She says her parents, John and Nell, were “immeasurably important” in shaping her beliefs and career choices.
After years of boisterous political discussions with her parents and brothers around the dinner table, Coulter would blossom in the liberal stronghold of higher education. As one of Coulter’s close friends told Time magazine, “For a younger girl with two older brothers, you’ve got to learn to mix it up, stand up for yourself. Older brothers are not going to cut you any slack. If you say something stupid, you figure, next time, I’m going to be better at it.”
Coulter left Connecticut to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. She said, “During my first few years of college, I was a community organizer of sorts—I went to sorority and fraternity parties, met lots of new friends, played lacrosse, went to church, chatted in the library and danced at Ujama House parties.”
It wasn’t long before she started making waves on campus. Cornell, which continues to be a breeding ground (or cemetery) for liberal thought, was the perfect environment for Coulter: “My junior year I became more of a think-tank- type political activist upon noticing I was at a world class university and hadn’t really been taking advantage of it.”
Coulter co-founded the conservative Cornell Review, which still exists today. She then went on to the University of Michigan School of Law. “I founded the University of Michigan chapter of this kooky, radical fringe group that believed in individual rights, the rule of law, and the Constitution of the United States of America, known as ‘the Federalist Society.’”
One of the highlights of her time in law school was bringing in Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia through the Federalist Society. Much like she does when faced with a hostile crowd or commentator, Coulter thrived in the liberal campus atmosphere. “To quote Bill Ayers,” she told me, “I don’t regret one minute of my student activism. In fact, I wish we had done more.”
A few years ago, I met the niece of Ambassador Clare Boothe Luce, who also attended Cornell around the same time as Coulter. Though they didn’t know one another, Luce’s niece was the photographer for the Cornell Review and other campus publications. Like Coulter, Ambassador Luce reached the height of success within the conservative movement. She was a playwright, managing editor of Vanity Fair, staunch anti-Communist, ambassador to Italy and congresswoman from Coulter’s hometown district. While at the University of Michigan School of Law, Coulter became a fan of Ambassador Luce and her smart-aleck writing.
One summer afternoon in 2000, Coulter and I spent hours in the Manuscript Room of the Library of Congress, combing through some of the more than 800 boxes of personal and professional papers that had belonged to Ambassador Luce. Coulter was keen on finding a biting line she remembered then-Congresswoman Luce saying on the House floor to a liberal congressman. She found the line and quoted it in her weekly column a few months later.
Coulter loves finding a tidbit of information or unknown fact. Though it goes unnoticed by right- and left-wing commentators alike, many of Coulter’s “outrageous” statements tend to become conventional thinking. “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” impeached a President. “Slander” busted the elite media. “Treason” vindicated Sen. Joe McCarthy and put Democrats’ patriotism into the public square. “Godless” shed light on the religious cult of liberalism. Her newest book, “Guilty,” goes a step further to expose the phony “victims” propped up by the Left.
On March 23, 1999, Coulter gave her first college speech for Young America’s Foundation (YAF) at Brandeis University. She has since spoken on more than 60 college campuses and is YAF’s most popular speaker. The foundation also says that their Ann Coulter poster is the most popular in their poster series. It graces the walls of campus dorms, military barracks across the world, and my office.
This is a wonderfully written 2 page article on Ann Coulter, to continue reading PLEASE CLICK HERE.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
I am glad we have people like Ann on our side. What a huge difference in the two parties, we just need to make the gap wider like it used to be.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 07, 2009
Awesome 2nd of the 503rd 173rd Airborne
Joe has a sense of humor, and typically one that most outside the military will never fully appreciate. Here is a great video made by Joe about Joe.
These Joes are from the awesome 2nd of the 503rd 173rd Airborne's Joes in action .
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Chosen Company 2nd of the 503rd 173rd Airborne in a firefight. Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan
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Wild Thing's comment........
These guys are great, I am so glad I am able to show you these videos of them. God bless and protect all of them.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:55 AM | Comments (5)
Obama's Apology To Leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan
Barack Obama, meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Wednesday, May 6, 2009, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington
Obama expresses regret for Afghan civilian deaths
Flanked by the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan, President Barack Obama expressed deep U.S. regret Wednesday for civilian casualties in a deadly incident this week in western Afghanistan, promising "every effort" to avoid recurrences in the war against a rising Taliban insurgency.
Obama had a more upbeat and determined tone as he lauded "unprecedented cooperation" between the two neighbors in fighting Taliban and other extremist threats. But he cautioned that success will not come quickly.
"Along the border, where insurgents often move freely, we must work together with a renewed sense of partnership to share intelligence and to coordinate our efforts to isolate, target, and take out our common enemy," Obama said after a day of meetings with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
Obama met separately with Karzai and Zardari, followed by a three-way session that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton portrayed as an embodiment of a central tenet of the administration's new Afghan war strategy - that Pakistan and Afghanistan are linked problems.
The latest report of Afghan civilian casualties came at an especially awkward time for the administration, which is stepping up its military campaign inside Afghanistan while also seeking to emphasize the importance of nonmilitary efforts to stabilize the country. The U.S. has pledged, for example, a major increase in civilian expertise in farming and other specialties, along with an increase of 21,000 U.S. troops.
Gen. Jim Jones, Obama's national security adviser, told reporters that the president began his meeting with Karzai by addressing reports that dozens of civilians had been killed by American bombs on Sunday.
Jones said Obama commented "with great sympathy" and expressed regret for the loss of innocent life. Earlier, before her meetings with Karzai and Zardari at the State Department, Clinton said the U.S. "deeply, deeply" regrets the losses.
Both Obama and Clinton stopped short of accepting U.S. blame for the deaths.
Obama told Karzai that investigations "will be pursued aggressively with full intent to discover what in fact did happen, how it happened and how we can make sure that things like that do not happen again.
And it was clear that President Karzai was moved by that ... and he thanked the president for starting off the meeting with that expression of condolence."
Karzai did not ask that U.S. airstrikes be suspended or reduced in intensity pending the outcome of the investigation, Jones said.
Nor did Zardari raise an equally sensitive topic on his side of the border - the use of U.S. Predator aircraft to attack extremist targets, Jones said. Pakistanis have strongly protested those attacks, saying they have killed innocent civilians.
In Afghanistan, the U.S. forces commander said it wasn't a certainty that Sunday's deaths were a result of U.S. military action. Gen. David McKiernan said American forces came to the aid of Afghans who may have been ambushed by the Taliban. He said the Taliban beheaded three civilians, perhaps to lure police.
"We have some other information that leads us to distinctly different conclusions about the cause of the civilian casualties," McKiernan said. He would not elaborate.
Karzai, whose public criticism of U.S. airstrikes has grown increasingly indignant, thanked Clinton politely for her concern.
"We appreciate that," Karzai said. "And we hope we can work together toward reducing and eventually completely removing the possibilities of civilian casualties."
The United States has estimated that 80 percent or more or civilian deaths are caused by militants, not U.S. or allied forces, but Obama and his advisers say they know the corrosive effect the airstrikes have on civilian support for the military mission.
In his remarks at the White House, Obama emphasized the progress he said was achieved in the Washington meetings.
"We have advanced unprecedented cooperation," Obama declared. "We will work for the day when our nations are linked not by a common enemy but by a shared peace and prosperity."
Veteran diplomat Richard Holbrooke, the administration's point man for Afghanistan and Pakistan and a participant in the meetings, was upbeat in brief remarks after Obama summarized the day's talks. "It was a day that exceeded our expectations," Holbrooke said. "We turned a corner" in improving coordination.
Gathering the three leaders together at one table, along with lower-level officials from the three countries, "reflects the kind of concrete cooperation and detail that is going to ultimately make a difference in improving opportunity and democracy and stability in Pakistan and in Afghanistan," Obama said.
The stakes couldn't be higher, he said.
"We have learned time and again that our security is shared," the president said. "It is a lesson that we learned most painfully on 9/11, and it is a lesson that we will not forget."
The president said all three governments must cooperate in fighting insurgents who control parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan and must "deny them the space" to threaten local residents - or Americans.
Earlier in the day, Clinton told reporters that Karzai and Zardari made specific commitments of how they would increase the fight against militants. She wouldn't name their promises yet, but said the talks were "producing some very promising early signs" of greater cooperation.
"I am very optimistic that this process is making a difference," she said in remarks in the White House briefing room.
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Wild Thing's comment...........
Their leadership shouldn’t be mingling with civilians, if they do the deaths are their responsibility.
"Obama told Karzai that investigations "will be pursued aggressively with full intent to discover what in fact did happen, how it happened and how we can make sure that things like that do not happen again."
OMG if this doesn't come close to a JOHN MURTHA statement I don't know what does.
This POS Obama needs to learn he is the CIC and we are at WAR and he is pretending to be an American and he better freaking start to act like one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If this was during D-Day, Obama would have focused on civilian deaths rather than how the Allies were liberating France.
....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
United States Army
1965-1971
Vietnam
1968-1969
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:50 AM | Comments (14)
The Torture of American Soldiers
The Torture of American Soldiers
By: Jamie Glazov
"Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Dave Gaubatz, the first U.S. civilian (1811) Federal Agent deployed to Iraq in 2003. He is currently the Director of the Mapping Sharia Project and the Owner of DG Counter-terrorism Publishing
FP: Dave Gaubatz, welcome to Frontpage Interview.
There has been an enormous amount of talk about torture of Islamic terrorists who have been captured, specifically since the war in Iraq (2003); what are your thoughts?
Gaubatz: I believe it is time intelligence officers and other agents who were involved in obtaining evidence from terrorists on the ground in Iraq at the start of the war (2003) begin helping one another out and telling it like it was.
In April – July 2003, while in Nasiriyah, Iraq, I had the opportunity to talk with the Director of Saddam’s Nasiriyah Hospital, several doctors, and nurses who actually attended to Private Jessica Lynch when she was a POW. In addition another agent and I had the opportunity to 'interrogate' the Director of the 'Red Crescent' who was located across the road from the hospital. This Director was responsible for the torture and death of American soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, TX, and many other service members throughout Iraq.
FP: What guidance were you and your team of counter-terrorism officers provided for conducting interviews or interrogations?
Gaubatz: Jamie, it is important to note many of the interrogations our team conducted were not within the safe confines of a ‘friendly’ base or inside a prison. The vast majority of our interrogations were in the field. The only guidance other agents and I had received was the enemy we were fighting were specifically Islamic terrorists (Saddam civilian Fedeyeen and supporters of Al Qaeda); neither who wore military uniforms.
When I was deployed to Iraq, I was an 1811 U.S. Federal Agent. I had been briefed by our government that since I was a civilian, but would have identification indicating I was a Major, be carrying an M16, a 9mm, and other weapons. If the enemy captured me I would be considered a spy under the ‘Geneva Convention’ and would likely be executed. Our government leaders advised me during briefings they would have no legal authority to prevent this. I acknowledged I understood these rights and was willing to take the risks for our country.
These were essentially our rules of engagement in the field as well. If the enemy had no uniform they were not soldiers and were considered terrorists. They had no rights. This did not mean we abused captured enemies, but it does mean we thought we had the support of our government to obtain all and any information that would protect our ‘troops’ and our country. And we did collect an enormous amount of intelligence.
FP: Can you name politicians who were aware of intelligence that was being obtained during interrogations?
Gaubatz: It would be easier to name the ones who were not concerned. In early 2003, Americans fighting in Iraq felt we had the support of all politicians, regardless of political affiliation. We had inquires from politicians of all levels about the intelligence we were collecting. These politicians had constituents who wanted answers on the war and I believe deserved answers. Our teams wrote hundreds of intelligence reports and we briefed many through other electronic means. One such person at the time was then Senator Joe Biden (now VP Biden). I still have my war notes taken from the field, and his name was written in my book on 7 June 2003.
Biden was aware of intelligence we were obtaining from the field, and never did anyone question our methods of obtaining the intelligence. We were professionals and collected intelligence using the best method one could when surrounded by enemies sometimes 6 to our 2.
FP: Can you provide some specific intelligence you were able to obtain during filed interviews and interrogations?
Gaubatz: Yes, it is time American intelligence officers begin bringing forth the truth of the realities of how our brave troops were treated during Operation Iraqi Freedom by the same people who are now being protected and soon to be released by President Obama and with the support VP Biden, who knew the truth about our soldiers being tortured.
Why will he not speak about it? Did Biden know Iranians were entering Iraq and providing sophisticated weapons to Islamic terrorists to kill our brave troops? I am not trying to single out Biden who knew what was going on, but to let the American people understand both Republicans and Democratic leaders were aware of the situation in Iraq.
We were being encouraged by both parties to obtain intelligence to protect our troops and country.
When we went to war in 2003, we were facing an enemy we were not prepared for, and still aren’t. The enemy was not simply the Army of Saddam, but the Islamic terrorists who were residing in Iraq well before 2003. Once we entered Iraq, the Iranians began entering southern Iraq and were paying Islamic suicide bombers to kill Americans. VP Biden and all key government leaders were provided reports of these acts.
Now I watch television daily and hear our liberal leaders whining about Islamic terrorists who may have been ‘slapped’, or put into a box with a caterpillar. None of these liberals were standing up for civilian intelligence officers in 2003 that were being deployed to Iraq with misleading identification and weapons.
When we went to war in 2003, we were facing an enemy we were not prepared for, and still aren’t. The enemy was not simply the Army of Saddam, but the Islamic terrorists who were residing in Iraq well before 2003. Once we entered Iraq, the Iranians began entering southern Iraq and were paying Islamic suicide bombers to kill Americans.
I mentioned in my first question, I had interrogated ‘Enemy Prisoners of War’ (EPWs) in the field during the war. One was the Director of the Red Crescent in Nasiriyah, Iraq.
Below is the reality of what our troops faced and the tortures they endured. We obtained intelligence during interrogations. We subsequently saved lives.
Below is a sampling of the results of the interrogations agents and I obtained: I have the documents, photographs, and contact information of Iraqis and U.S. personnel who were also aware. Anything I write or speak about can be verified. Simply ask VP Biden and our President to release the complete intelligence reports my team and I wrote in 2003.
1. When the members of the 507th were ambushed in Nasiriyah, Iraq, Private Jessica Lynch was initially taken to an Iraqi military base hospital in the Nasiriyah area (not the civilian hospital). Some of the other 507th were killed during the ambush, and others were captured and then murdered.
2. I visited the military hospital Private Lynch was held and it can be best described as 'filth'. Jessica suffered physically and psychologically at this military facility.
3. When our brave troops began bombing this Iraqi base, the Iraqis decided to move Private Lynch to the Nasiriyah civilian hospital. The leaders of the Baath Party were using the basement of the hospital and its many tunnels as sanctuary.
4. Jessica Lynch was drugged, tied up, and placed under the stretcher in a Red Crescent vehicle. The Director of the Red Crescent was a senior member of the Baath Party and was allowing the use of ambulances to transport weapons and Saddam supporters (military and Saddam's civilian Fedeyeen forces) throughout Iraq. Our U.S. military on the ground had been informed the 'Rules of Engagement' did not allow searching mosques, schools, or Red Crescent ambulances. U.S. military personnel died as a result of this.
5. A few days before Private Lynch was rescued, she was placed in Saddam’s civilian hospital.
6. The doctor of Jessica Lynch and a brave Iraqi lady was 'Hameeda'. She is the sister-in-law of my good friend Mohammed Odeh Al Rehaief. Mohammed is the Iraqi lawyer who had provided intelligence to U.S. forces which enabled Jessica to be rescued.
7. Jessica Lynch's hospital bed was located near a window overlooking a soccer field near the grounds of the hospital. She had been forced to watch as some of her team members were tortured, beheaded and buried.
8. One agent and I had interviewed the Saddam Hospital staff and determined the location of the dead Americans who had been killed during the 507th ambush.
9. The Director took us to a position on the soccer field and said the 507th members had been buried in front of the soccer goal posts, so the children would run over their graves while playing soccer. This was to dishonor our ‘troops’.
10. The Director informed us the 507th members had been beheaded and many had been dragged through the streets of Nasiriayh.
11. The night before Jessica Lynch was rescued; the Fedeyeen had threatened to take Jessica Lynch from her hospital bed, use a ‘Red Crescent vehicle, and go into the desert area outside of Nasiriyah. The Fedeyeen were going to bury Jessica alive in the vehicle. The doctor of Jessica was able to talk the Fedeyeen out of removing her this night. The next day our troops rescued her.
12. I wrote numerous intelligence reports pertaining to these tragedies and others. Senator Biden and many others were aware of the tortures our troops underwent, and the ‘interrogation results I and others had conducted on Enemy of Prisoners of War (EPW), and the results.
FP: Can you mention any other intelligence you were able to obtain during interrogations?
Gaubatz: I have hundreds of pages of personal notes, photographs, names, dates, locations, and yes, VP Biden was aware of intelligence we were obtaining from EPWs. He nor any politician ever asked how we were obtaining.
EPWs informed our teams of hidden weapons, the locations of Fedeyeeen forces, the locations and methods of ‘suicide bombers, and the Iranians who were entering southern Iraq to provide specialized weapons to insurgents, and paying Iraqis to conduct ‘suicide bombings against our troops’.
I still have the listing of insurgents, their locations, and the type weapons they had to use against our troops. These notes were written in Arabic, translated into English and then forwarded to all levels of our government.
Our troops knew in 2003 we were facing an ‘evil ideology’ of Islamic terrorists, many died, and many more will likely sacrifice their lives because we have politicians who care more for their careers than they do the security of our nation.
I am releasing several never before seen documents and photographs I obtained while working counter-intelligence/counter-intelligence in 2003. Why? Because the intelligence gathering abilities of our brave officers is being hampered, this translates into our country facing a national security threat from Islamic terrorists. This means our children will become their targets.
I believe it disturbs many Americans and the intelligence officers that now we have liberal Democrats in office who know the truth about the sufferings of our troops, and now stand up for the rights of Islamic terrorists who may have to be pushed around to save our troops. I will not be one responsible for their deaths and the sufferings their parents will go through simply because a politician wants to placate the liberals who care more for Islamic terrorists than they do for their neighbor’s son or daughter fighting for our country.
FP: Final words?
Gaubatz: I have never written or said anything I can’t substantiate under oath when required to do so. Will VP Biden, Pelosi or others do the same under oath? I believe it is time the American public demand they begin answering our questions; with their right hand raised, using a Bible, not the Quran. Thank you.
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"'TORTURE' REGRETS CHEER OUR ENEMIES"
by Adam Brodsky
(SNIPPETS):
Now the Obama folks will hand out scores of new photos from investigations at US prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan.
They will be again, no doubt, by the hand-wringing and calls for prosecution over tactics described in the memos and whatever is in the new photos.
Consider those tactics: throwing cold water at prisoners, sleep deprivation, slamming them against walls and, of course, waterboarding -- pouring water on a cloth over the prisoner's nose and mouth for no more than 40 seconds.
Will the head-choppers and acid-bathers be deterred by this -- or entertained?
The New York Times describes one technique, "the facial hold," as "essentially what grandma does to a visiting grandchild who misbehaves -- with hands holding the sides of the head as questions are asked."
Huh? Were prisoners supposed to fear being kissed?
Indeed, the photos alone may set off more calls for legal action and inquiries. How high up the chain of command was such behavior condoned?
The left insists that we not stoop to our enemies' level, lest we become no better than them. But that's flawed moral logic. "Harsh" questioning is meant to save lives and protect freedoms; terrorists practice butchery to inflict pain, usurp power and drive innocents into submission.
America will never be in the same moral swamp as terrorists, no matter how "harsh" our interrogations, because our intent is to fight evil, not conduct it. And terrorists forfeit any claim to civilized treatment when they abandon it themselves.
Still, we nonsensically continue to regard them as morally equal. When pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama recently, the ship's crew struck a deal: It would release a pirate it had captured, and the pirates would hand back the ship's captain. The crew then carried out its half of the deal, releasing their prisoner. Guess what? The pirates reneged and kept the captain.
Well, duh. Pirates shouldn't be trusted or accorded the good faith shown others. Nor should terrorists. The Navy sharpshooters who killed three of the brigands displayed the more appropriate response.
Our new enemies require us to adopt new standards. But never for a moment should anyone think such changes compromise our moral standing.
Self-flagellation and restraint won't make us more noble. But they might just make us more . . . dead.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
There are plenty of articles about how the terrorists have been treated, blogs that cater to the enemy, raise money to send to the enemy as Code Pink did with their check for some $600,000 they delivered to the al quada.Politicians with treason in their very souls siding against our troops by their comments and lies.
There is something that has embedded itself into these people that is so sick, so twisted I don't think anything can change their minds unless it was a lobotomy.
We hear them speak out big time with the help of the media how many have been killed in Iraq, and doing this with full knowledge that the numbers are mostly including the lives of the terrorists that have been killed. But instead of telling the truth they round them all up, terrorists and civilians one and all and throw that number around as FACT of how many lives our troops murdered... yes murdered. That is how they make it seem as they work their propaganda on the dummies watching on TV and nodding oh yessss aren't we just so horrible to kill all those civilians.
Screw That!
Now we are stuck with Obama as he does his unnecessary kind of diplomacy by kissing up to the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan as he tells them please I beg of you, we are so sorry to have killed your civilians and I promise to get to the bottom of who these killers in our military are. This coming from the CIC!
THAT is just not going to cut it with me. Don't mess with our military Hussein!
We have had beheadings, real not imagined torture, cutting up a body so badly it could only be identified by DNA and on and on done to our troops that were kidnapped. There was not one once of outrage about any of that, NONE from the media, nor the politicians.
Only from bloggers that care enough about our military to rant about these nightmares and insanity done to our troops.
This whole thing with the interrogation memos and now the photos to be released, all of it will back fire. I don't care if it backfires on Obama and his ilk it should. BUT what I am concerned about it that it will hurt our troops. They are the ones out there, they are the ones in danger. And they are the ones Obama is sticking a knife into their hearts and souls and morale.
Our troops are warriors, American Heroes all of them and they deserve better!!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:48 AM | Comments (11)
Obama's ACORN and Census GPS-tagging Your Home's Front Door
Census GPS-tagging your home's front door
Coordinates being taken for every residence in nation
According to an online Yahoo program, the Global Position System coordinates for the White House, probably one of the best-known publicly owned buildings in the world, are 38.898590 Latitude and -77.035971 Longitude. And since you know that, it's no big deal for the White House to know the coordinates for your front door, is it?
Some people think it is, and are upset over an army of some 140,000 workers hired in part with a $700 million taxpayer-funded contract to collect GPS readings for every front door in the nation.
The data collection, presented as preparation for the 2010 Census, is pinpointing with computer accuracy the locations and has raised considerable concern from privacy advocates who have questioned why the information is needed. The privacy advocates also are more than a little worried over what could be done with that information.
Enhancing the concerns is the Obama administration's recent decision to put White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in an oversight role over the census, which will be used to determine a reapportionment of congressional seats and could be used to solidify a single political party's control over the nation, its budget, military and future.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke recently told the Washington Post: "The census director reports to me, and, of course, I serve at the pleasure of the president." He added the White House told him "it has no interest in politicizing the census."
But at American Daily Review, blogger Douglas Gibbs had more than a few doubts.
"GPS coordinates of your front door will make it easier for the government to monitor you," he said. "The U.S. Census Bureau is simply an excuse – a harmless looking means of obtaining the front door coordinates. The creation of GPS coordinates for front doors has nothing to do with the census, in all honesty, no matter how much the United States government tries to convince you that it does."
He recalled wondering why, just weeks ago, the Obama administration announced its oversight of the census, "literally taking control of the census away from the Commerce Department."
He put that together with Obama's longtime push for national service.
"The Obamites, thirsty to serve their new messianic figure, have lost enough of their objectivity to be willingly recruited into such an insidious program like gaining these coordinates for the U.S. government. … I ask again, what would be the purpose of shooting the GPS coordinates of American doorways?" he wrote.
Please continue HERE for the rest of the article
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Census Bureau Adopts GPS to Find American Homes
by Dan Charles
July 31, 2006
Two-and-a-half years from now, in early 2009, the Census Bureau plans to send an army of 100,000 temporary workers down every street and dusty, dirt road in America. They will be armed with handheld GPS devices.
Robert LaMacchia, head of the Census Bureau's geography division, says they'll capture the latitude and longitude of the front door of every house, apartment and improvised shelter they find.
"We will actually knock on doors and look for hidden housing units," he says. "We will find converted garages; from the outside, it may not look like anybody lives there."
But census workers will add each dwelling, legal or not, to the Census Bureau's Master Address File.
Recent proposed budget cuts have put part of this plan in jeopardy. But if Congress restores the money, the census will end up with the geographic coordinates — accurate to within 10 feet — for about 110 million residences.
But the Census Bureau can't, by law, share that list with anyone, even local governments. LaMacchia says the information has to be treated as confidential. Otherwise, people might lie, and the census wouldn't be accurate.
"People would not tell us about hidden housing units," LaMacchia says. "People would not respond to the questionnaire if they believed that that information would be turned over to law enforcement or code enforcement and become public information."
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ACORN to count heads for Census
First it was President Obama trying to break all precedent and run the 2010 census from within the White House. While the administration finally backed down from that politicization of the census, it clearly hasn't learned its lesson. Now it is having ACORN officially "partner" with the Census to help count the number of Americans in the country. It's like Santa trusting a child to tell him how many times he or she has been good in the past year.
We could write a book on the false voter registrations submitted by ACORN. There are bizarre stories, such as one from Cleveland, where ACORN employees reregistered the same individual 77 times, even though the individual kept on telling the ACORN workers that he was already registered. But ACORN's people kept offering to bribe him with cigarettes or money to get him to fill out another form. Similar examples from across the United States are too numerous to count.
Last year alone, voter fraud investigations took place in 12 states: Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Giving it any type of official role in the process, including making it a so-called "Census Bureau partner," is disturbing. We worry about how ACORN may misuse this affiliation in representing itself to others.
What is at stake from an accurate census is huge. The allocation of seats in Congress, and ultimately questions of who controls it, depend on an accurate count. Much of the money Congress spends is allocated based on the census. Requiring that the census be non-partisan is the first requirement that must be met.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
The fact that this was on the planning board since 2006 and now they are doing it but with Obama at the helm. Now that is concerning.
"But the Census Bureau can't, by law, share that list with anyone, even local governments."
This 'can't by law" stuff means nothing when we have thugs like Obama, Rahm and Holder etc. in charge. They have no honor, no integrity and laws mean nothing to these jerks. And being that Obama is ACORN, he insists on their being the ones to do this. now that is concerning.
I realize they are supposed to get an accurate count of the population. Good grief, hahahah BUT ACORN?
What are they going to do about the addresses of the corpses voting for Democrats LMAO, group them all together in one massive cemetary I suppose.
Google earth has coordinates of whatever you want on the planet. There’s no point in getting GPS coordinates for each house manually.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:47 AM | Comments (4)
Welcome To The Future
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Wild Thing's comment........
LOL this is so well done. You can feel the relief and then the anxiety of the couple through all the questions.
On the reality side this could be happening sooner then we think.
......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:45 AM | Comments (3)
House Bypasses Governor’s Veto to Claim Oklahoma’s Sovereignty
House bypasses governor’s veto to claim Oklahoma’s sovereignty
Although Gov. Brad Henry vetoed similar legislation 10 days earlier, House members Monday again approved a resolution claiming Oklahoma’s sovereignty.
Unlike House Joint Resolution 1003, House Concurrent Resolution 1028 does not need the governor’s approval.
The House passed the measure 73-22. It now goes to the Senate.
"We’re going to get it done one way or the other,” said the resolutions’ author, Rep. Charles Key, R-Oklahoma City.
"I think our governor is out of step.”
House Democrats objected, saying the issue already had been taken up and had been vetoed, but House Speaker Pro Tempore Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, ruled the veto is not final action.
Key said he expects HCR 1028 will pass in the Senate. HJR 1003 earlier passed the House 83-18 and won approval in the Senate 29-18.
Henry vetoed HJR 1003 because he said it suggested, among other things, that Oklahoma should return federal tax dollars.
Key said HCR 1028, which, if passed, would be sent to Democratic President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress, would not jeopardize federal funds but would tell Congress to "get back into their proper constitutional role.” The resolution states the federal government should "cease and desist” mandates that are beyond the scope of its powers.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Great news! Bless those Okies!
I hope this state sovereignty thing is a growing trend. States rights have been stripped away from us for years.
The American people are no longer being represented, and they know it! The tea parties are going to get bigger and bigger. Thank God, people are finally speaking up.
"House Democrats objected, saying the issue already had been taken up and had been vetoed”
Dem’s just hate it when they have to follow the ‘rule of law’ and the Constitution (State or U.S.).
Unless, of course, it’s in their favor.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:44 AM | Comments (3)
May 06, 2009
Iran Launches Airstrikes Into Iraq
Iranian aircraft attacked three villages inside Iraq over the weekend. The airstrikes — Iran’s first on Iraqi soil since the U.S. invasion — could complicate the Obama administration’s efforts to normalize relations with Tehran.
“The bombardments appeared to have targeted the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), an Iranian Kurdish separatist group which has launched attacks on Iran from rear-supply bases in the mountains of northern Iraq,” AFP reports. Iran has attacked the Kurdish group before, with artillery. But this is the first time the Iranians followed up, with assaults from the air.
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Iran Launches Airstrikes on Iraqi Villages
Iranian aircraft attacked three villages inside Iraq over the weekend. The airstrikes — Iran’s first on Iraqi soil since the U.S. invasion — could complicate the Obama administration’s efforts to normalize relations with Tehran.
“The bombardments appeared to have targeted the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), an Iranian Kurdish separatist group which has launched attacks on Iran from rear-supply bases in the mountains of northern Iraq,” AFP reports. Iran has attacked the Kurdish group before, with artillery. But this is the first time the Iranians followed up, with assaults from the air.
Details on the airstrikes remain sketchy. Voice of America says the attacks were carried out by helicopters, which remained in Iranian airspace. Al-Arabiyah television, on the other hand, says it was “Iranian planes [that] raided those villages.”
It is a serious development because the Iraqi airspace is under the control of the US Air Force and under US protection. So the raids are either approved by the United States, as was the case when a US nod was previously given to the Turkish Army, or such operation was a surprise by the Iranians. According to eyewitnesses, the planes were flying at very low altitudes, which may indicate that they were trying to escape detection by radars. So these planes were able to attack many locations. Eyewitnesses and official Kurdish sources said that the raids were carried out by fighter jets and not helicopters.
In February, American fighter jets shot down an Iranian drone flying over Iraq. Such an incursion would’ve likely provoked an angry response from the previous administration. But the reaction to the drone incident was muted — perhaps in the interest of keeping the dialogue with Tehran going.
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Iran shells Iraqi Kurdistan village
Iran shelled a Kurdish village in a remote area of northern Iraq's largely autonomous Kurdistan region on Monday, causing damage to buildings but no casualties, the region's border police said. Brigadier-General Ahmed Ghraib, head of the border police of Kurdistan's Sulaimaniya province, where the shelling took place, said the shells landed in a mountainous area bordering Iran.
On Saturday, Iran shelled Kurdish rebel positions in Iraqi Kurdistan and used helicopters to fire on them on the Iranian side of the border.
"Iranian shelling started at 11 a.m. (0800 GMT) until 1:15 p.m. (1015 GMT) against the villages of Penjwin. No casualties occurred except damage (to buildings)," Ghraib told Reuters
"The people of these villages have deserted the area because of the shelling," he added.
The Iranian attacks followed clashes between Iran's police and guerrillas from the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which took up arms in 1984 for an ethnic homeland in southeast Turkey.
Gunmen killed 10 Iranian police in that firefight in western Iran on April 25. Ten PJAK fighters were also killed, Iranian state media said.
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Wild Thing's comment........
Here is my quesdtion, this happened over the weekend, so why hasn't Obama made a statement. And why didn't FOX news have something on this. I know Obama controls all the other media but he can't stand FOX. Maybe they mentioned it and I missed it but it wasn't in any of my news alerts I get . Just weird!!!! Has anyone heard anything about this??????
Homeland Security has the same stories as above.
And there is this.....................
I blame Obama YEP! Obama with his withdrawl BS. Obama is trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in Iraq. Bombings increasing everyday..now Iran and Turkey acting out. The Arab League is now upset over the Iranian bombings:
Special Report: Tension escalates in Iraq
CAIRO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) expressed Wednesday its concerns about the Iran's shelling on Kurd villages in northern Iraq.
The AL considered the Iran's shelling as a violation to Iraq's territory and is not in line with good neighborhood policies, adding that these actions will not serve regional stability, said an AL statement.
Iranian warplanes and artillery carried out a predawn bombardment on Iraqi villages near the Iranian-Iraqi border on Monday.
Iraq Foreign Ministry Tuesday condemned Iranian shelling of border villages in northern Kurdistan region, requesting Iran to immediately halt such violations, and warning of "severe negative impact on overall relations between the two countries."
Iran and Turkey often attack areas inside Iraq, targeting Kurdish rebels who use Iraq's Kurdistan as a safe haven and a launch pad for their attacks against authorities in Iran and Turkey.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 PM | Comments (6)
Racist Obama Zombie Colin Powell Attacks Rush Limbaugh
Colin Powell Attacks Rush Limbaugh
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell blasted Rush Limbaugh Monday during a speech in which he said the Republican Party is in a state of collapse.
The GOP is "getting smaller and smaller" and "that's not good for the nation," Powell said, according to the National Journal. He also said he hopes that emerging GOP leaders, such as House Minority Whip Cantor, will not keep repeating mantras of the far right.
Powell lashed out at Limbaugh and conservative icon Ann Coulter. Neither serves the party well, Powell said during a speech to corporate security executives at a conference in Washington sponsored by Fortify Software Inc.
"I think what Rush does as an entertainer diminishes the party and intrudes or inserts into our public life a kind of nastiness that we would be better to do without," Powell said.
And Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate last year, is "a very accomplished person" but became "a very polarizing figure," he said, adding that Palin's advisers created the polarization.
“The Republican Party is in deep trouble," he said, according to the Journal. “The party must realize that the country has changed. Americans do want to pay taxes for services. Americans are looking for more government in their life, not less."
Powell stirred controversy last year when he came out for the Democratic presidential candidate, then-Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. Powell said he told the GOP candidate, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, that the party had developed a reputation for being mean-spirited and driven more by social conservatism than the economic problems that Americans faced, the Journal reported.
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Rush LImbaugh must really bother this POS Colin Powell. hahahahahaa
He lashed out at him last December as well........
Colin Powell Lashes Out at Rush Limbaugh
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Former Sec. of State Colin Powell blames Rush Limbaugh and conservative talk radio for Republican electoral woes in a CNN interview to be broadcast this weekend.
"Can we continue to listen to Rush Limbaugh?" Powell asked, according to a transcript of the interview on the “Fareed Zakaria GPS” show released by CNN.
"Is this really the kind of party that we want to be when these kinds of spokespersons seem to appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts?" Powell continued.
Powell told Zakaria that he still considers himself a Republican, but said that his party should quit listening to Limbaugh for advice. Instead, it needs to look more to minority groups if it wants to win elections in the 21st Century.
The week before the presidential election, Powell crossed party lines to endorse Barack Obama during an appearance on NBC’s "Meet the Press."
During the appearance, Powell, the first African-American to hold the Sec. of State position, made clear that race had played a role in his decision to back Obama, "because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America."
Ironically, conservatives like Limbaugh had strongly opposed John McCain during his presidential campaign, while Powell donated $2,300 to McCain during his primary effort.
"I think the party has to stop shouting at the world and at the country," Powell said. "I think that the party has to take a hard look at itself, and I've talked to a number of leaders in recent weeks and they understand that."
"There is nothing wrong with being conservative. There is nothing wrong with having socially conservative views — I don't object to that,” Powell said in the interview, which was taped Wednesday. “But if the party wants to have a future in this country, it has to face some realities. In another 20 years, the majority in this country will be the minority."
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Colin Powell is a pompous self-serving self-promoter. He is not the kind of person he has been passing himself off to be for many years. He is no war hero that's for damn sure. And that is just for starters.
So many rino's, and democrats telling we conservatives actually how we need to step aside and let the moderates run the party.
It’s a giant ploy to turn us all into Arlen Specters. They are scared to death of real conservatives. That’s who can beat them. The problem is that when the Republicans toughen up, they win and then they soften up and disgust the people who elect them. They listen to the mental softies in the party and try to get along. We don’t vote for them to get along. We vote for them to be partisan and to represent integrity and decency.
I agree 100% with Senator Jim DeMint when he was interview on CNN the other day.
"I would rather have 30 Republicans in the Senate who really believe in principles of limited government, free markets, free people, than to have 60 that don't have a set of beliefs." -- Jim DeMint
And of course always my favorite:.
“A political party cannot be all things to all people. It cannot compromise its fundamental beliefs for political expediency.” – Ronald Reagan
.....Thank you BobF, for sending this to me.
BobF
SMSgt, USAF
1973 - 1999
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:28 PM | Comments (8)
Teenagers Gather to Support Gun Ownership Rights
Second Amendment Wheaton Forum
Second Amendment Wheaton Forum
Future Leaders and Special Guests:
Olivia Snow and Christos Dimoulis
Megan Liddy
Nik Powell
Greg Pfauth
Collen
Don Castella
Teenagers gather to support gun ownership rights
A group of young people Tuesday night chimed in on the old debate over gun control.
And the message they stressed during a Second Amendment forum at Wheaton city hall was that gun-control measures won't reduce firearm-related violence.
"Additional laws and taking away the rights of the people to bear arms simply will never work," said Christos Dimoulis, a 15-year-old South Barrington resident.
The home-schooled student served as master of ceremonies during the meeting, which was held in response to an April 21 gun control forum sponsored by several League of Women Voters chapters and the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Because last month's forum was held for Wheaton North High School students, the organizer of Tuesday's event said she wanted local teenagers to participate.
"We must have high school students addressing the other side and their peers," said Rosanna Pulido, who invited several teens to speak.
Olivia Snow said she decided to participate because she wanted to talk about the value of the U.S. Constitution.
"We stand here today as young Americans feeling that it is our duty - not only to protect our own rights - but to protect the rights of the generations to come," the 17-year-old Wheaton resident told the crowd of more than 100 people.
Unlike last month's gun control forum, which was cut short because of hecklers, Tuesday night's forum was calm. Members of the audience interrupted speakers only to applaud, cheer or voice agreement.
While several gun-rights experts spoke, the teenagers got a huge response.
Nik Powell, a 16-year-old sophomore at Lake Park High School in Roselle, said he enjoys shooting guns with his father and uncle. "It's a good experience for the whole family as long as you know what you are doing," he said.
And 15-year-old Megan Liddy said shooting sports and hunting have helped boost her confidence.
"I haven't always been good at school and I haven't always been good at sports," the Wheaton Warrenville South High School student said. "But I have always been good at shooting and I have always been able to beat people at it."
Dimoulis argued that increased gun-control measures will only make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to obtain firearms. At the same time, criminals will find a way to arm themselves.
"The government fails to realize that they cannot legislate morality," Dimoulis said. "If a person is immoral, no law will make that person do what is right."
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Wild Thing's comment........
This was a totally Awesome event. The Students were wonderful and a thanks also to the Daily Herald for a Fair and Balanced article!
A very bright spot in our furture leaders reading and knowing the Constitution!
The video above is part one that has been posted so far at YouTube.
Posted by Wild Thing at 01:05 PM | Comments (5)
Obama Will Be MIA for from the National Day of Prayer
Obama cuts prayer-day service
Obama is distancing himself from the National Day of Prayer by nixing a formal early morning service and not attending a large Catholic prayer breakfast the following morning.
All Mr. Obama will do for the National Day of Prayer, which is Thursday, is sign a proclamation honoring the day, which originated in 1952 when Congress set aside the first Thursday in May for the event.
For the past eight years, President George W. Bush invited selected Christian and Jewish leaders to the White House East Room, where he typically would give a short speech and several leaders offered prayers.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that the president simply is reverting to pre-Bush administration practice.
"Prayer is something the president does every day," he said. "We're doing a proclamation, which I know that many administrations in the past have done."
Pressed by reporters as to the lack of a formal ceremony, Mr. Gibbs said the proclamation was Mr. Obama's choice.
"That's the way the president will publicly observe National Prayer Day -- privately he'll pray as he does every day," he said.
Shirley Dobson, chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer Committee, said the group was "disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration."
"At this time in our country's history, we would hope our president would recognize more fully the importance of prayer," said Mrs. Dobson, who occupied a prominent seat in the front row for the ceremonies during the Bush administration.
Wild Thing's comment..........
What a difference to have a real American in OUR White House and Sores's WHORE the Muslim from Kenya who's claim to fame is in is that he was once a community organizer.
He says the call to prayer in the death cult of Islam is the most beautiful thing he ever heard, he sought out Rev. Wright's church because they believed in the same things he did. Hate hate hate and lies! He is a Muslim and as the weeks drag on he shows us just how much he puts his being a Muslim first he plans to do.
President Washington declared a National Day of Prayer after the Whiskey Rebellion, as did President John Adams when France threatened war, and President Madison during the War of 1812.
President Tyler declared a Day of Prayer when President Harrison died, and as did President Taylor during a cholera epidemic.
President Buchanan proclaimed a Day of Prayer to avert civil strife, as did Lincoln during the Civil War.
President Andrew Johnson proclaimed a Day of Prayer when Lincoln was shot, as did President Wilson during World War I.
In 1952, President Truman made the National Day of Prayer an annual event, stating: “In times of national crisis when we are striving to strengthen the foundations of peace…we stand in special need of Divine support.”
President Reagan made it the first Thursday in May, saying: “Americans in every generation have turned to their Maker in prayer…We have acknowledged both our dependence on Almighty God and the help He offers us as individuals and as a Nation…Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States…do…proclaim MAY 5, 1988, as a National Day of Prayer. I call upon the citizens of our great Nation to gather together on that day in homes and places of worship to pray.”
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (12)
GITMO Photos YES But Obama's Terrorizing New Yorkers With Flyover Photos NO
Phantom Air Force Pictures
The $328,835 snapshots of an Air Force One backup plane buzzing lower Manhattan last week will not be shown to the public, the White House said yesterday.
"We have no plans to release them," an aide to President Obama told The Post, refusing to comment further.
The sole purpose of the secret photo-op, which sent thousands of New Yorkers running for cover, was to take new publicity shots of the presidential jet over the city.
"The photos . . . are classified -- that's ridiculous," Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., said.
The photos have not technically been "classified," a White House aide said, but they are being kept from public view.
New Yorkers said they could not understand how a president who shares intimate snapshots from the White House could justify keeping these secret.
"So we're not gonna see the fruits of this cruel joke?" said Frank Antonelli, 39, one of the Wall Street traders spooked by last week's flyover.
"I'm not surprised. Obama . . . wouldn't further all the bad publicity by putting out those pictures."
Wild Thing's comment.......
Obama will release 2,000 "torture" pictures to further disgrace the US military to Americans and to the world. But he won't release his 911 terror stunt of the flyover of NY last week that sent New Yorkers fleeing and screaming in fear.
The financial cost of the Obama screw up was $328,835 in taxpayer money .
The ONLY reason Obama does not want to release the photos of the Flyover imo is because he is to blame for the entire horrible event, that scared all those New Yorkers. And he wants to show the 2,000 "torture" pictures because he is trying to go after our military and Bush/Cheney.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (10)
Obama and Democrats SOCIALIZED Medicine aka Health Care Rationing
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On April 20, 2009, Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to President Obama laying out their commitment to mark-up comprehensive health care reform legislation by early June. The senators' joint letter expressed an intention to take a shared approach to health care reform legislation, so that the measures the committees report can be quickly merged into a single bill for consideration by the full Senate. “We have a moral duty to ensure that every American can get quality health care. We must act to contain the growth of health care costs to ensure our economic stability; to help American businesses deal with the health care challenge; and to make sure we are getting our money’s worth,” the senators wrote.
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Senate Democrats already are holding hearings and hammering out legislative language expected to be introduced in June. A tentative timetable sets floor debate and votes for late July or August.
The House, with its oversized Democratic majority, would follow the Senate action, setting the stage for conference committee negotiations by the end of the year.
Americans are going to go off on vacation and come back to a completely made-over health care system that will ration services and interpose the government between the doctor and the patient. Incredibly, MSM is almost wholly silent on the details of the radical restructuring of American medicine. Reporters know all of the slogans and none of the details, and they haven't been pushing for answers.
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Senator Baucus is not the only one interested in keeping options open. The senator joined the Center for American Progress on Monday to announce the re-formation of Doctors for America, a grassroots organization of over 11,000 doctors in support of health care reform. Formerly known as Doctors for Obama, the group during the 2008 campaign advocated Barack Obama's proposal for a government-managed option.
So, "Doctors for Obama" became "Doctors for America," and it supports "a government-managed option." What a surprise. There are about 800,000 doctors in the US, so the 11,000 Obama docs are less than 1.5% of docs. Where's the AMA? And the silence from AARP is deafening as its core constituency gets pushed closer and closer to a rationing system that will deny them treatment first.
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American Universal Health Care Exists NOW for the Indians and its Killing People
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Wild Thing's comment.........
This is going to be very negative and I am not a negative person. But this subject, well, there is no way not to be. The reality is almost beyond words how it will change our country.
Obama continues to show his twisted mind and cold heart that shows greater compassion for captured terrorists than for American citizens. We should abolish the “Congressional Entitlement” health coverage and retirement and se how they like it when they have to be under the same health care they are pushing.
Government run health care will dispose of the excellent American medical system as most of us have known it all our lives.
Long periods of training are required for excellent medical care and under a medical run system which dictates who gets care and what kind of care is given, the brightest and best will no longer choose to go into medicine.
As I understand it, the first leg of the Obama plan will be to limit pay to hospitals and doctors (most people think doctors are rich which is a myth.They make up only about 15% of the cost of medical care). The consequences to that is that a lot of hospitals will go out of business and many doctors will stop practicing medicine to do other things.
The next leg of the Obama care as I understand it will be to ration care. Forget a parents scans and treatments if she is over 55. If she is no longer a working part of the “collective” society, she may be toast and on her own medically. I have two friends that died because of socialized medicine, one in England and one in Canada.
The horrible consequences to all this may not be recognized until Obama and this Congress are no longer in office. The President and Congress at that time will be blamed for it.
In the end, poor and rationed medical care will effect society in many ways. Chronically sick people cannot be productive, creative or happy. Life will be drained of energy and hope for millions. Americans do not comprehend this now because most, whether insured or not, get the most excellent medical care and attention the world has ever known.
It is too bad that those physicians have to learn first hand that their profession is about to be changed in a way which will not be anything like what they envisioned when they chose it.
God bless all our medical personnel and God help the medical academic centers who undoubtedly see the future and grieve for it.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (10)
Scholarship Students Slam Obama
The recipients of the DC Opportunity Scholarships — Obama supporters, mind you — directly ask the president why he is allowing their scholarships to be taken away.
Obama voters slam Obama for destroying a very successful school choice program in the name of politics. The parents are furious and plan to ask Obama he is doing this when they marched for him... can he take this wonderful program away.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
This is something the Republicans could be doing right now. Speak out about this, pay for billboards along roads about this. Push the fact that these people have been LIED to by their Messiah of thugville.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (6)
Congress Votes to Protect Pedophiles, But Not Veterans
Congress votes to protect pedophiles, but not veterans ( regarding the Hate Crime iBill H.R. 1913)
This is really kind of mind numbing and demonstrates what is wrong with Congress.
During a House Judiciary Committee meeting, Congressman Steve King (R-IA) offered up an amendment to the hate crimes bill to exclude pedophiles from being a protected category under the hate crimes legislation.
Every single Democrat voted it down.
In the same meeting, Congressman Tom Rooney (R-FL) offered an amendment to include veterans as a class protected under the hate crimes bill. Not only did the Democrats vote it down, but Cogresswoman Debbie Waasserman Schultz attacked the Republicans for even thinking veterans might need protection under hate crimes legislation. After all, who but Democrats in Congress hate veterans?
Wild Thing's comment........
If anyone questions whether these Democrats are on the side of evil this settles the matter. The direction the government is headed now that was to be expected. Every devant and perverse act known to man and some that are not will soon be legal and protected by law. Only those who speak out against them will be prosecuted.
I don’t care what these congress pukes put into law. I will continue to practice the truth and speak it.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (8)
Obama and White House Threats Over Chrysler
Megyn Kelly and Neil Cavuto Interview Tom Lauria Over Fascist White House Threats To Chrysler Creditors
Laurie has said :
"One of my clients was directly threatened by the White House and, in essence, compelled to withdraw its opposition to the deal under the threat that the full force of the White House press corps would destroy its reputation if it continued to fight." --Attorney Tom LauriaAs I posted about in this post, an interview that Mark Levin had done.
Chrysler Lender Attorney "White House Directly Threatened My Client"
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From the May 4 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: Now we know, ladies and gentlemen, I was right. Now we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I was right; option number three: They are scared to death. My buddy Frank Beckmann at WJR in Detroit interviewed one of the bankruptcy lawyers for one of the bondholders at Chrysler, one of the clients. His name is Tom Lauria.
Tom Lauria said, "Let me tell you, it's no fun standing on this side of the fence opposing the president of the United States. In fact, let me just say people have asked me who I represent. That's a moving target. I can tell you for sure that I represent one less investor today than I represented yesterday. One of my clients was directly threatened by the White House and, in essence, compelled to withdraw its opposition to the Chrysler deal under the threat that the full force of the White House press corps would destroy its reputation if it continued to fight. That's how hard it is to stand on this side of the fence."
And Frank Beckmann said, "Was it Perella Weinberg?" Lauria says, "It was Perella Weinberg."
Now, this happened in Friday -- on Friday in Detroit. It's made the news throughout the weekend. I -- so here's -- now the White House, by the way, is denying all of this, but there's a pattern here, ladies and gentlemen, that sort of gives the lie to the denial. I mean, this is -- we've referred to the situation that's going on in Washington as loan-sharking, Obama loan-sharking people.
Basically what happened was, as we mentioned last week, the bondholders, the investors at Chrysler, were leaned on by Obama and called out personally by the name of hedge funds and they were selfish and they were holding out for a better deal. These people were forced to settle for 20 to 30 cents on the dollar, while the UAW was made whole in the whole thing. And the lawyer, Thomas Lauria, now says that his client was threatened with reputation ruination from the White House press corps.
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Wild Thing's comment...........
This guy is scared one can feel coming from him. and so are the clients he is representing on this.
And lastly look at this:
New Allegations Of White House Threats Over Chrysler
"The sources, who represent creditors to Chrysler, say they were taken aback by the hardball tactics that the Obama administration employed to cajole them into acquiescing to plans to restructure Chrysler. One person described the administration as the most shocking “end justifies the means” group they have ever encountered. Another characterized Obama was “the most dangerous smooth talker on the planet- and I knew Kissinger.” Both were voters for Obama in the last election."
"One participant in negotiations said that the administration's tactic was to present what one described as a "madman theory of the presidency" in which the President is someone to be feared because he was willing to do anything to get his way. The person said this threat was taken very seriously by his firm."
The White House has denied the allegation that it threatened Perella Weinberg.
Last week Obama singled out the firms that continue to oppose his plan for Chrysler, saying he would not stand with them. Perella Weinberg says it was convinced to support the plan by this stark drawing of a line between firms that have the president's backing and those that did not. They didn't want to be on the wrong side of Obama. Privately, administration officials have expressed confidence that other firms will switch sides for this reason.
These allegations add to the picture of an administration willing to use intimidation to win over support for its Chrysler plans--and then categorically deny it.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (4)
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Afghanistan
Pfc. Timothy Gustafson looks out over the peaceful countryside at Forward Operating Base Bostic in the Konar province of northeastern Afghanistan, enjoying a well-deserved break from his time at Combat Outpost Lowell. Gustafson, from Phoenix Ariz., is currently deployed with 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas.
JALALABAD AIR FIELD, Afghanistan
by Staff Sgt. David Hopkins
The Soldiers who man Combat Outpost Lowell near the Pakistan border see combat action almost daily.
Army Pfc. Timothy Gustafson is one of these Soldiers and his story of his time at COP Lowell is about survival and brotherhood. However, he will tell you he's just like any other American Soldier, fighting for his country and the Afghan people.
Gustafson, a cavalry scout with 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, has been living and fighting at the remote outpost since early July 2008 and has many stories about what he's done and seen.
The broad-shouldered, battle-worn Soldier leaned back against a stack of sandbags during a much-needed rest at Forward Operating Base Bostic as he explained his first days at COP Lowell.
"On my second day there I spent the night in a C-hut with the finance guys and some KBR employees. I woke up to the sound of gunfire. At first, I didn't know what it was and then bullets were coming through the wood walls. I couldn't believe it was happening," Gustafson said, shaking his head. "I ran through the building to make sure everyone else was getting up. I found a KBR guy sleeping. He must have thought it wasn't real or he's a heavy sleeper. I grabbed him and pulled him up. Right when I lifted him a bullet landed where he was lying. It was very intense."
The day's events seemed a lifetime away from the 22-year-old's hometown of Phoenix, Ariz., where his wife Katheryn waits for him to return at the end of his deployment.
"I miss a lot of things being out at Lowell, but I would have to say I miss my family and friends the most," Gustafson said.
Gustafson enlisted in the Army to take care of his family and have a stable life, but his start in the Army was a little rough.
"I joined the Army in 2006, but was medically discharged from Basic Training after an injury on the Victory Tower," Gustafson said, but he was determined to serve his country and after a year of rehabilitation he was ready to give it another try. He enlisted again in 2007 and that time made it work.
Gustafson worked hard to build himself back up and dedicated himself to serve in the Army and fight. He considers himself a hard worker and feels that's what helps him make it through the hard days on the front lines.
He said he takes comfort in the days where he and his fellow cavalrymen are able to fight off an attack or save someone who was hit in an attack.
Gustafson still isn't sure if the Army is going to be a career for him, but he knows what he wants to do after the Army.
"I just want to get stable when I get out," Gustafson explained. "When I get out I plan to go to college and be an electrician journeyman. I want to start my own business."
Until the day Gustafson gets out of the Army, he said he will continue to work hard and make a difference in the lives of the Afghan people and his brothers in arms.
"I feel we are helping the Afghan people have a better life," Gustafson said, "and it feels good to make a difference. I will keep doing this for the rest of the deployment. It isn't easy, but knowing that my friends and battle buddies are out there makes me do this every day. We are a family out there...brothers."
Wild Thing's comment........
God bless Pfc. Timothy Gustafson and his family. I love how he went back and enlisting a second time.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (5)
May 05, 2009
Charges Dropped Against Innocent Haditha Marine LtCol Chessani
Gov Decides Not to Appeal Further in LtCol Chessani Case; Decision to Re-Charge Still Pending
ANN ARBOR, MI
Thomas More Law Center’s official statement says that the military has dropped its appeal of an appeals court ruling.
Here’s the good news:
A government official has informed the Thomas More Law Center that the government will not seek to appeal the recent unanimous decision by the Navy Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) in favor of LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, USMC.
The decision makes permanent the ruling by the trial court judge, Colonel Steven A. Folsom, USMC, dismissing the charges against LtCol Chessani, without prejudice, due to Unlawful Command Influence. The government could have sought an appeal to the civilian Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces (CAAF), and then to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Here’s the bad news:
In order for the government to start the process of recharging LtCol Chessani, the Commandant, General James Conway, USMC, would have to appoint a new convening authority (the rank of General) that was not precluded by Col Folsom’s ruling, which was based on Unlawful Command Influence.
Col Folsom precluded the commands of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT), and General James Mattis, USMC in particular. Whoever is named the new convening authority (the new General) would have to make an independent decision on whether or not to bring new charges against LtCol Chessani. If the General did desire to bring charges, LtCol Chessani would be subject to a new Article 32 Hearing.
The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, along with detailed military attorneys LtCol Jon Shelburne, USMC, and Capt Jeffrey King, USMC, have represented LtCol Chessani throughout the criminal process.
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Wild Thing's comment........
I pray and hope that the NCIS admit that the persecutions of the Haditha Marines was a political witch hunt that was ignited by Tim McGirk’s farcical Time Magazine article and John ( not longer a Marine imo) Murtha!
Posted by Wild Thing at 07:27 PM | Comments (9)
Snipers' Dream - Million Dollar Shot
Sgt. 1st Class Brandon McGuire briefs his sniper platoon.
The four man sniper team hardly dared to breathe. For two days and nights they had waited for the right situation, and it was finally here.
To Sgt. 1st Class Brandon McGuire it seemed that all his prior experiences such as serving on the 82nd Airborne Division's marksmanship team, being a sniper and reconnaissance platoon observer and shooting sniper weapons for a scout platoon, had prepared him for the moment.
"I even managed to talk an Explosive Ordnance Detonation unit out of their sniper rifle since they didn't know how to use it," laughed McGuire.
Taking one last look, McGuire calmly squeezed the trigger of his Barret .50 caliber, Sniper Weapon System (SWS).
A platoon sergeant in 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, McGuire had deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom nine months earlier and was stationed at Forward Operating Base, Iskandaryia, in Iraq.
Four days before his current mission, McGuire's platoon had been ordered to the western sector of their area of operations (AO) to locate and destroy an enemy mortar team.
Rebels were firing shells into the city, critically wounding people and destroying property. The shelling compromised faith in McGuire's unit to protect and keep Iraqi citizens safe.
"Losing trust in us to take care of the situation could prompt the locals not to help us anymore, and that only makes for more enemies," said McGuire. "This was also a mission we welcomed since it was a crucial one and not what we called a 'Groundhog Day,' which is a regular everyday patrol."
During the mission, two of McGuire's Soldiers had been wounded by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED); one critically.
The road they were on had been the backdrop for numerous Americans getting attacked and killed, which prompted McGuire and his platoon leader to decide enough was enough. After evacuating one Soldier to Baghdad and the other to their medical unit at the Forward Operation Base (FOB), they began formulating plans to end the problem once and for all.
Heading to a location they called the "tractor factory" which had many vantage points, McGuire assumed his post in one tower while his platoon leader headed for the other.
Although it was night, the men knew they had an excellent view of the road in question and a wall around the factory provided protection for their vehicles.
Windows were quickly camouflaged and a platform built for the sniper weapon system, an Improved Target Acquisitioning System (ITAS). "Best of all, no one knew we were there," added McGuire.
Because dismounted radios could not reach back to the battalion tactical operations center (TOC), a communications platform was also assembled. "Commo," according to McGuire, was their best weapon in addition to individual Soldiers retrieving information.
Combined observation reports provided excellent clues to enemy behavior and operations. And because they were usually outnumbered during missions, contacting the TOC and aircraft for additional help was their lifeline.
In keeping with the military tradition of carrying a special good luck item along with the rest of his military gear, McGuire had packed away a family picture.
His hope was that should he be kidnapped, realizing he had a family might earn him some leniency.
For the next two days and nights all eyes focused on the road that had been declared "black," meaning no one was allowed on it unless they had route clearance.
His crew of four to five Soldiers rotated every so often, but McGuire stayed in the tower occasionally taking time to sleep and eat.
"You have to sleep sometimes or you become ineffective," said McGuire. "And to pass the time we played this game called 'if.' Everybody takes turns making up a fantasy about where they would most like to be right now. The obvious answer is home and family so that's not allowed. We wanted to hear about sensational places with good food and company to go with it. The other rule was that everyone had to take their time describing the scene to make the hours pass more quickly."
Sunrise on the third day brought McGuire and his crew the prey they had been stalking. The target was walking on the canal which ran east and west of their position. For over an hour they watched his suspicious behavior which included digging an item out of the canal's embankment.
Agreeing it was a mortar tube McGuire contacted the battalion TOC and requested permission to engage. Receiving an affirmative answer, the team quickly arranged the spotter's scope while McGuire set up behind the SWS.
The range finder indicated the insurgent was over 1,300 meters away, a precarious distance for even the best of snipers. And a high wind required the crew to do wind calculations. Despite the problems McGuire's "cool" attitude prevailed. Too much was at stake to fail now.
"You only get one shot," said McGuire. "That means you have to keep your self-control because if you miss your position is uncovered. I also reminded myself that if I was successful, my Soldiers as well as other Americans and the people we're trusted to protect would finally be safe."
McGuire's sights bore down on the rebel for another hour as he carried his tube up and down the canal.
Because it was a rolling terrain, he kept dropping in and out of sight. Several times McGuire had the insurgent's head in focus, but didn't believe he could shoot accurately with so much distance between them.
He was also unsure about the wind and his calculations, not to mention the adrenalin rush that was penetrating his entire body.
Suddenly, the target area McGuire desperately wanted appeared. Called the "triangle measurement," the rebel's throat down to his upper chest, was now in plain view.
Hearing the spotter yell "fire!" McGuire pulled the trigger. He was immediately lost in the smoke from the weapon's powerful outburst in the small building.
Scrambling for another attempt, McGuire already knew it would be too late. There was only a cloud of smoke where the rebel had been.
McGuire's spotter, however, had kept his visual and was yelling, "Tango down, Tango Down, he's gone!"
McGuire had accomplished the near impossible. Though the rebel was nearly a mile away, he had successfully made what came to be known throughout his unit as the "million dollar shot."
"They even put that in my record," laughed McGuire.
After high fives and congratulations the team quickly turned its attention back to the mission. Now they realized the wind had been a blessing by muffling the sound of the shot. No other insurgents would be able to learn their location.
The battalion TOC was quickly notified and a request made for the Iraqi Army to retrieve the body. A firefight on their arrival made it impossible for the Soldiers to acquire the target. The rebel, however, was identified a few days later by a local Iraqi official.
"We weren't sure what happened to the mortar tube, but about a week later we captured a truck with a similar one so maybe that was it. More importantly, after our platoon's engagement there were no more mortar attacks on that road," said McGuire.
While the "million dollar shot" earned much praise for McGuire and his sniper team, he insists the driving force for their success was their injured battle buddies and other Americans hurt on the road.
"Camaraderie is what keeps your Soldiers together and at their best," said McGuire.
"Platoon Soldiers become lifelong friends. You share so many experiences together which you can never explain to someone else. They would never get it. However, you always have your fellow Soldiers to go to. Just to give you an example, my platoon leader left the service, but we're godparents to each other's children."
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Wild Thing's comment.........
GREAT story, God bless Sgt. 1st Class Brandon McGuire and his platoon and all our troops. I loved the way the writer walked us through the entire thing.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (8)
Obama Pushes Anti-Gun Treaty
Obama supports an international treaty creating sweeping gun control efforts.
As Lou Dobbs notes here, Obama is in favor of the ratifying CIFTA, the Inter-American Convention Against Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms. On its face, the treaty sounds reasonable because it would “prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials”. However, upon reading the bill we discover the following:
Stressing the need, in peace processes and post-conflict situations, to achieve effective control of firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials in order to prevent their entry into the illicit market.
Obama has promised Mexican President Felipe Calderon that he would urge the Senate to take up CIFTA. He is doing this under the cover of the drug cartel violence in Mexico. Obama and Calderon quoted a statistic echoed by the corporate media that 90% of the weapons seized in Mexican raids were purchased from U.S. gun shops and a reason why the U.S. needs to ratify this treaty. In fact, this is a lie — only a mere 17% of guns found at Mexico crime scenes have been traced to the U.S.
CIFTA would bury the Second Amendment under “pertinent resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.” It would criminalize ammunition reloading (defined as explosives manufacture) and gun assembly (including firearm kits and presumably breaking down weapons for cleaning or transport).
Language contained in the CIFTA treaty insists it respects “the principles of sovereignty, nonintervention, and the juridical equality of states.” Not mentioned is the fact the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties has a superior rank to national laws. If the CIFTA treaty is ratified without exception, it would kill U.S. sovereignty and lead the way to destroying the Second Amendment.
It should be noted that only the Senate needs to ratify the treaty. Article II, section 2, of the Constitution states that the president “shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.”
The United States was one of the first signatories to CIFTA in November, 1997. The Convention was transmitted to the Senate in June 1998 and to this day awaits the Senate’s advice and consent. 29 of the 34 OAS member states have ratified CIFTA. Only the US, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and St. Vincent & Grenadines have yet to do so.
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Treaty Endangers Second Amendment and U.S. Sovereignty
On April 16, 2009, President Obama emerged from a meeting with Mexico’s President Calderón to announce his support for the “Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms” treaty (CIFTA): an international gun control treaty signed by President Bill Clinton in 1997 but never ratified by the U.S. Senate.
Unlike Clinton, Obama has no plans to let the treaty languish without ratification. Thus he promised to push the treaty through the Senate quickly as a means of curtailing the border violence and arms trafficking in Mexico’s current drug wars. Yet the text of CIFTA indicates that the treaty would do very little to curtail violence in Mexico, unless creating a national gun registry in the United States is something that will cut crime south of the border.
For example, the preamble of the treaty describes “the urgent need for all states, and especially those states that produce, export, and import arms, to take the necessary measures to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms.” To accomplish this, the preamble calls for the “exchange of information” and “effective control of firearms [and] ammunition” between nations that sign treaty.
The “exchange of information” implies that our government would not simply have a gun registry that is nationally accessible, but internationally accessible as well.
When I contacted Larry Pratt, Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, about this aspect of the treaty, he said, “It would clear the way for imposing a national gun registry [and] would overturn the current prohibition on keeping centralized firearms records by the federal government.”
But this isn’t even the scariest part of the CIFTA. Once you get past the preamble, you see that another goal of the treaty is to ensure a special “marking" on “firearms…at the time of manufacturing.” Article VI of the treaty explicitly states that the purpose behind “marking” the weapon is to make “tracing the firearms” back to the store or firearm dealer who first sold the weapon easier (even if the dealer sold the weapon legally to someone who passed the NICS background check in the United States).
Lest we underestimate the danger of this aspect of treaty, note that Article XIII of the treaty calls for signatories to make available to other signatories the names of “authorized producers, dealers, importers, exporters, and, whenever possible, carriers of firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials.” In other words, even though your local gun-store owner sells his weapons legally by following all federal guidelines, any gun he sells that is taken across a border illegally could result in a knock on his door by international investigators. Making matters even worse, Article XIX of the treaty provides for “extradition” of those in violation of CIFTA.
Pratt was especially leery of this aspect of the treaty, saying: “Our government has [already] been doing all it can to reduce the number of firearms dealers [in this country]. CIFTA would make dealers vulnerable to extradition to such paradigms of due process as [exist in] Mexico.”
When HUMAN EVENTS contacted U.S Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) to get their views on the treaty, they were both emphatic on their commitment to defend the Second Amendment and U.S. sovereignty in matters relating to guns and gun ownership.
Cornyn said he was “concerned that the inter-American arms trafficking treaty may lead to infringement of our Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms [without providing any] solution to…the problems occurring along the U.S.-Mexico border.” He said he “will vigorously oppose the ratification of any treaty that impinges on the constitutional rights of the American people affirmed by the Supreme Court last year.”
While Inhofe believes “violence in Mexico is no doubt expanding and must be firmly addressed,” he rejected the idea of addressing it though “a treaty that may be used to impose further restrictions on law-abiding citizens of the United States.” Inhofe also shared Pratt’s concern over what this treaty would mean for lawful firearms dealers in the United States. According to Inhofe: “CIFTA…is not aimed at the criminals. It is aimed at U.S. manufacturers who sell firearms legally to American citizens.”
Like Cornyn, Inhofe made it clear that he could “not support the ratification of CIFTA or any international treaty that places limitations on our constitutional rights.” He believes “our national sovereignty must be respected and…will not allow another country or international body to dictate our gun polices.”
So what does all this mean for freedom loving Americans? It means we need to be grateful for the work Cornyn and Inhofe (and others) are doing. But it also means we need to do our duty as informed citizens and act.
When President Obama asks the Senate to ratify CIFTA, we must call our Senators and implore them to oppose it.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Obama and the Democrats are pushing many different programs through as fast as they can in the hopes the people will be overwhelmed and can’t react to all of them.
Obama is an Enemy of the Republic.
I contacted both Senators. The GOP Sen. lists a category in the pull down menu for the email section, “GUNS” while the Democrat has “Gun Control”. Tells you something doesn't it!
Senators of the 111th Congress
Here is what I sent via their Web Mail:
"PLEASE VOTE AGAINST:
“Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms” treaty (CIFTA): an international gun control treaty signed by President Bill Clinton in 1997 but never ratified by the U.S. Senate.
It would impinge upon the 2 nd Amendment.
Thanks"
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (10)
Next on Senate agenda? 'Pedophile Protection Act'
Next on Senate agenda? 'Pedophile Protection Act'
'Hate crimes' law definitions would protect 547 sex 'philias'
The leader of a pro-family organization says families across the nation need to contact their U.S. senators now to try to derail a legislative plan that already has passed the U.S. House and is being awaited by President Obama – after a Democrat confirmed that it would protect "all 547 forms of sexual deviancy or 'paraphilias' listed by the American Psychiatric Association."
Janet Porter, who also heads the Faith2Action.org Christian ministry, today cited S. 909, dubbed the "Pedophile Protection Act" as an extreme danger to America.
As H.R. 1913, the House version of the so-called "hate crimes" bill was adopted on a 149-175 vote, but not before several amendments were proposed by Republicans trying to mitigate the impact of the draconian law.
Democratic Sens. Edward Kennedy and Patrick Leahy immediately introduced a matching plan in the U.S. Senate, and activists say a vote in committee could come as early as tomorrow.
The proposal, formally called the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act after a Wyoming homosexual who was killed in a horrific robbery and beating in 1998, creates a special class for homosexuals and others with alternative sexual lifestyles and provides them protections against so-called "hate."
It specifically denies such protections to other targeted classes of citizens such as pastors, Christians, missionaries, veterans and the elderly.
Wrote Porter, "I've written extensively about how this bill would criminalize Christianity and turn those who disagree with the homosexual agenda into felons, but criminalizing Christianity is just the beginning of what this bill would do. It would also elevate pedophiles as a special protected class – since the term 'sexual orientation' which has been added to the 'hate crimes' legislation includes them in the American Psychiatric Association's definition of various 'sexual orientations."
Porter cited the amendment offering from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, in committee that was very simple:
The term sexual orientation as used in this act or any amendments to this act does not include pedophilia.
But majority Democrats refused to accept that.
Congressman Louis Gohmert, R-Texas, then explained what that means, Porter wrote.
There are only 242 crimes where there is actually some – truly – an assault, and we just rejected an amendment to including pedophilia from being a part of this protected class. Do you realize what that means?
If a mother hears that their child has been raped and she slaps the assailant with her purse, she is now gone after as a hate criminal because this is a protected class. There are other protected classes in here. I mean simple exhibitionism. I have female friends who have told me over the years that some guy flashed them, and their immediate reaction was to hit them with their purse. Well now, he's committed a misdemeanor, she has committed a federal hate crime because the exhibitionism is protected under sexual orientation.
I know my friend said that we have a definition in the law, but there is nothing in this bill that references the definitions in the Hate Crimes Statistical Act…it's not there. We asked that it be added so we could get a specific definition. It is not there.
And having reviewed cases as an appellate judge, I know that when the legislature has the chance to include a definition and refuses, then what we look at is the plain meaning of those words. The plain meaning of sexual orientation is anything to which someone is orientated. That could include exhibitionism, it could include necrophilia (sexual arousal/activity with a corpse) … it could include Urophilia (sexual arousal associated with urine), voyeurism. You see someone spying on you changing clothes and you hit them, they've committed a misdemeanor, you've committed a federal felony under this bill. It is so wrong.
King, Porter wrote, also told the full U.S. House that the APA has a list of 547 different "paraphilias" that would be protected by members of Congress under the "hate crimes" plan.
U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., a "hate crimes" supporter, agreed, saying:
This bill addresses our resolve to end violence based on prejudice and to guarantee that all Americans regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability or all of these 'Philias' and fetishes and 'ism's' that were put forward need not live in fear because of who they are. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule…"
Porter said families, parents, Americans, anyone interested in the future of the nation, needs to contact their members in the Senate and demand hearings, then demand a filibuster.
"Pushing away an unwelcome advance of a homosexual, transgendered, cross-dresser or exhibitionist could make you a felon under this law. Speaking out against the homosexual agenda could also make you a felon if you are said to influence someone who pushes away that unwelcome advance. And pedophiles and other sexual deviants would enjoy an elevated level of protection while children, seniors, veterans, and churches would not," Porter said.
The "hate crimes" proposal not only sets up criminal charges against those whose actions or words offend homosexuals but also provides money "to improve the education and training of local officials to identify, investigate, prosecute and prevent hate crimes."
President Obama, supported strongly during his campaign by homosexual advocates, appears ready to respond to their desires.
"I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance," he said.
Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said H.R. 1913 will create "thought crimes," and U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., said it will end equality in the U.S.
Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel has spoken out against H.R. 1913 a number of times.
"As has proved to be true in both Europe and Canada, this Orwellian piece of legislation is the direct precursor to freedom killing and speech chilling 'hate speech' laws. It represents a thinly veiled effort to ultimately silence – under penalty of law – morally, medically and biblically based opposition to the homosexual lifestyle," he said.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
We officially have the Congress from HELL. Satan himself couldn’t plan evil as well.
They are saying that any orientation will become federally protected. Saying something derogatory about a convicted child rapist will be a hate crime.
Last Wednesday I posted the video of Rep. King speaking out about how awful this bill is and specifically this part of it. He had offered an amendment that barred pedophiles from receiving special protection. Democrats said no.
Hate Crimes Bill H.R. 1913 Threatens Innocent Americans
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:49 AM | Comments (8)
Sarah Palin Honored by NRA With Assault Rifle
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was bashed for her pricey wardrobe, but now she's getting a lethal accessory.
The National Rifle Association Foundation will present Sen. John McCain's ill-fated running mate with a military-style assault weapon next week.
The all-white "Alaskan Hunter" - fashionable until Labor Day - is the civilian version of a modified M-4 rifle carried by U.S. troops overseas.
Alaska's feisty Republican governor, who is weighing a potential 2012 presidential bid, will receive the rifle made by Templar Consulting at a May 14 NRA banquet.
It's engraved with Palin's name and adorned with a map of the state on the collapsible stock - made legal after the expiration of the assault weapons ban in 2004. The Big Dipper from the state flag is etched on the magazine well behind a vented barrel guard.
The rifle is chambered in .50-caliber "Beowulf." It's the same caliber used by heavy machine guns, which can take down big game, and in war zones "can disable both motor vehicles and assailants with body armor," according to ammo manufacturer Alexander Arms' Web site.
Templar gun designer Bob Reynolds told the NRA's magazine that Palin had stood up for Second Amendment gun rights and "I just wanted to do something to give back."
Wild Thing's comment.........
Wow, outstanding news. Congrats to Sarah! God bless Sarah Palin.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (12)
Obama Wants $190 Billion Tax Increase on Companies
Obama proposed to raise about $190 billion over the next decade by outlawing three offshore tax-avoidance techniques used by U.S. companies such as Caterpillar Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. He also would make it riskier for Americans to stash money in tax-haven banks.
The tax system is “full of corporate loopholes,” Obama said at the White House today, as he outlined the plan along with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The tax proposals, which will be part of a detailed budget the administration releases later this week, would raise a total of about $210 billion over the next decade.
Geithner said that in addition to the tax changes, the Internal Revenue Service is making an unprecedented effort to strengthen.
The administration is going after a strategy that allows U.S.-based multinational companies to effectively hide from the Internal Revenue Service the role their foreign subsidiaries play in shifting profits into low-tax jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, according to the administration.
The proposal, affecting tax rules known as “check the box,” would net $86.5 billion in revenue between 2011-2019 by overhauling regulations created in Democrat Bill Clinton’s administration and later written into law by a Republican- controlled Congress after Clinton tried to withdraw the rules.
Tax Changes
The proposal, combined with a $60.1 billion plan to limit many expense deductions for American companies that take advantage of laws allowing them to defer tax on foreign profits and a $43 billion crackdown on abusive foreign tax credits, would be the biggest tax increase on U.S. corporations since 1986. Obama also would shift the burden of proof to individuals when the IRS alleges assets are being hidden in certain offshore bank accounts, the White House said in a statement.
“This is bad stuff,” Kenneth Kies, a tax lobbyist at the Washington firm Federal Policy Group, said of Obama’s plans. “This is going to be the biggest fight for the corporate community in the next two years.” Kies represents General Electric Co., Anheuser-Busch Cos. and Microsoft Corp., among others.
While the administration expects companies to lobby against the proposals, the president said his plan strikes loopholes that give multinational companies an unfair advantage over companies that operate only within the U.S.
In 2004, U.S.-based multinational corporations paid about $16 billion in U.S. taxes while earning about $700 billion offshore, or an effective tax rate of about 2.3 percent, according to the administration statement. The top marginal tax rate for U.S. companies is 35 percent; drug companies such as Amgen Inc. and technology companies such as Microsoft are among companies that make the biggest use of tax-deferral benefits.
Four Proposals
Obama and Geithner outlined the tax proposals before the White House releases a more detailed budget later this week.
The biggest of the requests is the repeal of the check-the- box rules, which took effect in 1997. The rules were designed to reduce paperwork for companies and the IRS by allowing companies to classify entities within their corporate structure in the most tax-efficient manner without inviting a tax challenge.
The Clinton administration realized that the rules made it easy for multinationals to create entities whose only purpose was to shift profits into low-tax countries and out of reach of the tax authorities, according to a January Government Accountability Office report that found 83 of the 100 biggest companies had subsidiaries in tax havens.
Repeal Recommendation
Once the assets were in the haven, the U.S. parent company borrowed from the subsidiary. The interest payments were deductible in the U.S. and tax-free in the haven, the GAO said. The nonpartisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation recommended in 2005 that the rules be repealed.
The Clinton administration intended the rules to help U.S. companies minimize their foreign tax liability, not to avoid the IRS, said Andrew Lyon, a former Treasury Department tax official who is now a principal at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s Washington office.
As a package, Obama’s proposal “is just a massive change and targeting what really has been a growth area for the U.S. economy: the overseas activities of U.S. firms,” Lyon said.
Stephen Shipman, a portfolio manager at Century Management, an Austin, Texas, hedge fund, said the result would be double- taxation for many companies that operate overseas.
“The simple thinkers in the White House will learn that such policies will result in less economic exchange, both overseas and here in the United States,” Shipman said.
When the Clinton administration tried to rescind the benefits of the tax rules in such cases, companies mounted a lobbying effort and got Congress to back the rule, a White House official said. Obama believes the rules have no economic substance other than avoiding U.S. tax, the official said.
Passive Income
“Check-the-box was responsible for a lot of currently taxable passive income disappearing from the system,” said Lee Sheppard, a tax lawyer and contributing editor at Tax Notes, a weekly industry journal.
Obama’s plan will be “surprising and cause a lot of pain” to U.S. companies, said Pamela Olson, a former top tax policy official in President George W. Bush’s Treasury Department. Many companies structured their international operations over the last decade based on rules such as check-the-box.
“Everything they’ve done is going to get wiped out,” Olson said. The Obama Treasury Department could have made most of the changes administratively, she said. By making it a legislative proposal, the new administration can count any revenue that results from the policy change in its budget.
Obama’s other corporate tax plans are patterned on those made in 2007 by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat, an administration official said.
Expense Deductions
The first would defer most expense deductions, including those for interest paid, for U.S.-based multinationals, until U.S. tax is paid on the foreign income.
That would end a practice where companies deduct 35 cents of a dollar of interest paid to a foreign subsidiary that owes little or no tax in the country where it is located, the Obama administration official said. Such tax arbitrage, while now legal, reduces companies’ overall tax burdens often at the expense of the U.S. Treasury.
The proposal stopped short of an outright repeal of U.S. tax-deferral rules, as feared by a coalition of 200 companies and trade groups ranging from Alcoa Inc. to Yum! Brands, Inc. that was spearheaded by the Business Roundtable, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Foreign Trade Council, all Washington- based trade associations.
Letters to Leaders
In letters to congressional officials including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the trade groups warned such a repeal would hurt U.S. companies’ competition with their foreign rivals by increasing operating costs. That would make U.S. companies vulnerable to takeover and cost American jobs, they said.
Obama’s proposal would divert the revenue it collects to making permanent a research and experimentation tax credit that is popular with many of the same businesses protesting the end of the tax-deferral rules, the administration official said. That credit, which has expired 13 times, is due to expire again Dec. 31; while the research credit is renewed only temporarily, there has been only one year since 1986 when it and the tax deferral rules haven’t been on the books at the same time.
Another Obama proposal would end abuses of foreign tax- credit rules. U.S. tax law gives companies a dollar-for-dollar credit for taxes paid for foreign governments, but companies are projected to use techniques over the next decade to artificially inflate or accelerate those credits by $43 billion, the administration official said. The Obama budget would recoup that revenue, the official said.
Offshore Money
For individuals, Obama will propose shifting the burden of proof when the IRS believes money is being hidden offshore. In cases where individuals bank with financial institutions that haven’t agreed to report certain account information to the IRS, the individual will have to prove he or she doesn’t own the account, rather than requiring the IRS to prove ownership.
The change is projected to generate about $9 billion in new revenue between 2011 and 2019, and Obama believes it will yield substantially more, the administration official said.
Obama’s proposals could be superseded by recommendations by a panel led by Paul Volcker, whom the president named to make recommendations on tax overhaul by December, the administration official said. The panel won’t be constrained by the budget’s proposals, the official said.
Wild Thing's comment......
OH sure Hussein, that will sure pump some life into the economy.
Tax increases on companies are NOT paid by those companies. They pass along increased taxes, just like other increased costs, to their customers, and ultimately to the final consumers. So, when Obama tells us that he’s not raising taxes on individuals... he’s full of it.
I guess because he spent so much time in foreign countries growing up he never heard the old but true saying, “You can’t get blood out of a turnip”. Or “nothing from nothing leaves nothing.”
Obama is coming for the turnip. U.S. based multi-nationals will close the U.S. part of the business and operate as foreign companies. That breaks the access for the IRS to try to tax the profits made in a foreign country. It also kills revenue to the IRS from the part of the company that ceases to exist on U.S. soil.
More corporations will reincorporate off-shore and then import their goods into the USA. The big breweries are foreign owned. Most “big Pharma” is foreign owned, Fiat will soon own Chrysler operating assets. the list goes on and on. Why be an American corporation and put up with this crap? There are more stable countries with less political risk in the world.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:45 AM | Comments (8)
Meeting one of Bataan Death March POW's
Here are a few pictures from the Bataan Death March in White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico that a group of us from Brooke Army Medical Hospital finished a few weeks ago.
The race is a tribute race to honor our American POW's who were captured in the Philippines by the Japanese military during World War II. Our boys had to march many miles to the POW Camps where they were held for over three years.
I was even lucky enough to meet a small group of the surviving POW's that are now in their 90's. They're a great bunch of Veterans and it's hard to break away from them when they start to tell you how they overcame the POW Camps. They have many stories about how they survived those dreadful camps.
There were a total of three injured Marines including myself from BAMC at the race. I have seen some pretty amazing things in my life. However, nothing compares to witnessing two injured Marines that I personally know, finish this extremely difficult race. Less than a year has passed by since I visited Corporal Piram in the Intensive Care Unit.
The other injured Marine that has been down here in San Antonio, Texas at the military hospital as long as I have, is Lance Corporal Bradford. LCpl Bradford is blind and he is also a bi-lateral amputee. However, this tough and stubborn Marine marched 10 miles in the mountains that day! Next year he is going to shoot for 15 miles. Both of these injured Marines inspired me and many others that day.
For those of you who are crazy enough to want to complete this race next year, here is a link for you to register. One piece of advice...Bring plenty of moleskin for your feet.
Semper Fi
Sgt TJ Edwards
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Wild Thing's comment.......
What a great write up and photos too. Thank you Sgt TJ Edwards!
The 21st Annual Bataan Memorial Death March
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:44 AM | Comments (3)
"CHECK, PLEASE! " by Mark Steyn
CHECK, PLEASE!
Steyn on the World
Tuesday, 05 May 2009
HAPPY WARRIOR
At the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, they’re premiering a new ballet about a young French boy who’s befriended by a giant helium-filled balloon. Any balletomanes at the US embassy might be forgiven for assuming it to be some hastily concocted metaphor to Euro-American harmony in the Age of Obama: a lithe young Continental prancing around the stage enraptured by his dazzling bag of gas. But, as it happens, The Red Balloon is an adaptation of some fey French movie from the Fifties, when a twirling Euro-ninny and his novelty gasbag were the stuff of cinematic whimsy and not the twin pillars on which western civilization has come to rest.
As is now well known, President Obama’s outreach to the Europeans – talking up the Continent’s “leadership” in the world and managing to keep a straight face while doing it – went unreciprocated.
When it came to the good war – Afghanistan, the one the anti-Iraq types claim to be in favor of – Nato, a “military” “alliance” of 28 countries, rewarded the impeccable multilateralist with an extra 5,000 troops - or approx 180 soldiers per nation. And by “soldiers” they don’t mean men with guns who fire them at the enemy but “non-combat” forces who man the photocopier back at the barracks while the Third Infantry Division and a few brave lads from Britain, Canada and a couple of other places are up in the hills sticking it to the Taliban all day long. Our allies are happy to stand shoulder to shoulder with us, as long as there are a couple of provinces between their shoulders and ours.
On the other hand, the Obama happy talk seemed to go down well with the North Koreans, who promptly held one of their missile tests, and with members of the piratical community, who seized an American vessel for the first time in a couple of centuries. As the New York Times headline writer put it: “Standoff With Pirates Shows U.S. Power Has Limits.”
Well, all power has limits. Today, the salient feature of the modern world is the urge to self-limit. The wealthiest jurisdictions on the planet have no “power” as it’s conventionally understood – and, indeed, that’s the point: They’re projecting post-power power, which, being that it’s non-existent, has no limits whatsoever.
In 2002 the Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen gave a speech in London saying that “the EU must not develop into a military superpower but must become a great power that will not take up arms at any occasion in order to defend its own interests.”
Good luck with that. Mr Lipponen objected to my derision by suggesting I’d missed some subtle nuances of his along the way, but for the life of me I can’t see what they are. Aside from anything else, anyone urging a Continent capable of “taking up arms” would be up against basic Euro-math: You can have massive welfare or a credible military, but not both. Indeed, with Europe’s deathbed demography, the former is barely affordable even without the latter.
Shortly after 9/11, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, John Manley, conceded that his country was dining in the best restaurants without paying its way – or, as he put it, "You can't just sit at the G8 table and then, when the bill comes, go to the washroom." That’s the sort of straight talk politicians do when they want to sound as if they’re getting real but have no intention of doing so. And so the horrors of 9/11 faded, and Canada and Europe resumed their habit of dining at the Nato table and stampeding for the washroom when the check came. The idea that Continental nations are going to find money to upgrade their militaries any time soon is delusion: A few years ago, the US spent 3.4 per cent of GDP on defense, the other Nato members spent on average 1.9 per cent. The most recent figures show the US spends 4 per cent, while the rest of Nato now averages 1.7 per cent – and it’s mostly high wages for unionized armies keeping it even at that level: The Continental country with the highest defense spending is Greece, and that’s almost all on personnel. The average age of a Belgian soldier is 40 – which at least ensures that the eternal Democrat plaint that we’re sending “our children” into harm’s way is replaced with the faintly surreal alternative of sending our late middle-aged into harm’s way.
Meanwhile, Susan Rice, America’s UN ambassador, urges Iran to “halt its illicit nuclear program” and “take the steps that would enable it to be a responsible member of the international community”.
You mean like Belgium or Finland? Lacking the exquisitely refined sensibilities of Mr Lipponen, the mullahs can’t see what’s in it for them.
My old colleague at The Daily Telegraph in London, the historian Sir John Keegan, likes to say that “without armed forces a state does not exist”.
The European Union exists only because for half-a-century they’ve been under American military protection: Promoted as a counterweight to the US hegemon, the EU in fact exists only because of it.
So what happens when America embraces Euro-sized government? The US can’t buck the basic arithmetic any more than Sweden can: A social-democratic America at home presupposes cuts in Pax Americana abroad. Those allies in tough neighborhoods – Israel next to Iran; India next to Pakistan; Japan next to North Korea; Eastern Europe in the shadow of a resurgent Russia – have already noted America’s passivity in the face of explicit threats. But eventually Western Europe will, too: at the top table, the big guy is heading for the washroom.
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Wild Thing's comment........
"The Red Balloon is an adaptation of some fey French movie from the Fifties, when a twirling Euro-ninny and his novelty gasbag were the stuff of cinematic whimsy and not the twin pillars on which western civilization has come to rest."
Obama...the Red Buffoon.
"Any balletomanes at the US embassy might be forgiven for assuming it to be some hastily concocted metaphor to Euro-American harmony in the Age of Obama: a lithe young Continental prancing around the stage enraptured by his dazzling bag of gas."
LOL Steyn can really turn a phrase .
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:40 AM | Comments (4)
May 04, 2009
USAF Staff Sgt. Eric Began Brings Calm Over Camp, Beethoven Brings in Buyers
NCO Brings Calm Over Camp, Beethoven Brings in Buyers
by Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan
Strings of classical music stream from the doorway of a weather-beaten building in the middle of the Afghan countryside.
Housed within these whitewashed walls is a lone store on base to restock supplies. Staff Sgt. Eric Began, Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team, is responsible for stocking the shelves, seeing to the needs of those on FOB Gardez as well as adding a little culture to the desolate base housed within a niche of the Afghan mountainside.
"There is little to come by here but people donate supplies on their way out or the extra goodies from packages from home that get mailed in," said Began, a Lancaster, Pa., native finishing up his 6-year enlistment. "Someone needs to be here to make sure what little we have is available. It's the small comforts of home that are stocked."
With only a few stragglers entering the Army and Air Force Exchange Service outpost, the staff sergeant has idle time on his hands. Intent on making the most out of his time, Sergeant Began has started learning the piano.
"In January, I decided that I would teach myself how to play so I ordered some beginner books and started to learn how to read music," he said. "Once I felt comfortable with the notes, I started out with easy Christmas music. At first it took almost a minute to find each key."
After a while the sergeant decided to move on to other types of music. After hearing some classical music, he decided to learn a ballad by Ludwig van Beethoven. Before long, that became too easy and he moved onto the concerto version of Fur Elise.
It is this melody that can be heard most streaming from the listing doorway attracting the attention of the FOB wayfarers.
"I like the spirit of [the music]," said Army 1st Lt. Justin Roman, 549th Military Police Company at FOB Gardez. "It takes discipline to [learn the piano] and is a very productive use of his time. It's important to make the most out of this time away from home."
A self-confirmed jack-of-all-trades, Began is on his third deployment in support of the Global War on Terror. On all three deployments, he has been tasked as an Army asset. During his first deployment to Iraq, the sergeant provided convoy security as a driver and later as a .50 caliber gunner for anyone who needed a gun truck when leaving the confines of the base. On the second deployment, Began was stationed in Kuwait as a line haul truck convoy driver.
Both previous deployments dealt Began his fair share of frustration, often without an outlet to relieve the stresses of everyday life dealing with difficult missions and different personalities.
"On my last deployment, I was angry for an entire month and it took me a while to get over a lot of things," he said. "On this deployment, I was reaching that point where I was getting angry at certain situations so when this opportunity presented itself for me to do something for me, I took it. Teaching myself how to play the piano has given me a certain calm that is helping me get through this deployment."
One night in the early stages of learning the basic fundamentals of playing the piano, the power went out in his building. The ivory of the piano keys were luminous in the pale green glow of the keyboard's reserve battery. This light allowed the sergeant to continue playing.
"Only the shadows of the keys were visible but there was enough lit that I continued to play," Sergeant Began said. "In that moment, alone in the dark with the rain pouring down, I was able to forget where I was at. It was so peaceful."
With only a few months left on his enlistment, Sergeant Began has already set his mind on his next adventure.
"This will be my last deployment and that's a good thing," he said. "I have learned a lot about myself and what I want [in life] from my time wearing this uniform. I'm ready to move on to college and other pursuits. Life is short and being [in Afghanistan] has showed me I need to experience everything life throws my way."
Wild Thing's comment.......
How cool for him to do this, I love classical music. He is also bringing something to an area in the world that never heard the sounds of Beethoven and other wonderful classical music.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (11)
Guess how DHS defines who is a terrorist now?
Guess how DHS defines who is a terrorist now?
2nd 'domestic extremism' report includes 'alternative media,' 'tax resisters' in lexicon
Two weeks before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security penned its controversial report warning against "right-wing extremists" in the United States, it generated a memo defining dozens of additional groups – animal rights activists, black separatists, tax protesters, even worshippers of the Norse god Odin – as potential "threats."
Though the "Domestic Extremism Lexicon" was reportedly rescinded almost immediately, Benjamin Sarlin of The Daily Beast recently obtained and published online a copy of the unclassified memo, dated March 26, 2009.
While many of the groups listed in the lexicon – such as Aryan prison gangs and neo-Nazis – may indeed be widely considered extremists, others will likely take offense at being described as a potential "threat."
For example, the memo defines the "tax resistance movement" – also referred to in the report as the tax protest movement or the tax freedom movement – as "groups or individuals who vehemently believe taxes violate their constitutional rights. Among their beliefs are that wages are not income, that paying income taxes is voluntary, and that the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allowed Congress to levy taxes on income, was not properly ratified."
The report, however, continues in its assessment of tax protesters, asserting that members "have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence and terrorism in an attempt to advance their extremist goals."
Similarly, the lexicon concludes its definition of "black separatists" by asserting, "Such groups or individuals also may embrace radical religious beliefs. Members have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence directed toward local law enforcement in an attempt to advance their extremist goals."
In his blog piece titled "Who You Calling an Extremist?" Sarlin writes, "Partisans leapt to decry the first DHS memo as part of a Democratic conspiracy to marginalize right wingers. But it became clear that DHS's broad descriptions of extremists were symptomatic of an ongoing agency problem that crossed ideological lines."
The lexicon states its purpose is to provide "definitions for key terms and phrases that often appear in DHS analysis that addresses the nature and scope of the threat that domestic, non-Islamic extremism poses to the United States."
Apparently, the DHS analyzes the "threat" level of Internet news websites like WorldNetDaily, for the lexicon defines "alternative media" as "a term used to describe various information sources that provide a forum for interpretations of events and issues that differ radically from those presented in mass media products and outlets."
The term "black power," widely used in a variety of contexts, also merits a definition in the lexicon: "A term used by black separatists to describe their pride in and the perceived superiority of the black race."
The DHS memo also includes precursors to the ill-fated "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment" report, which prompted outrage from legislators and a campaign calling for the resignation of DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano.
For example, the lexicon contains virtually the same broad-stroke language the right-wing extremism report used.
"Rightwing extremism," the lexicon defines as those "who can be broadly divided into those who are primarily hate-oriented, and those who are mainly antigovernment and reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority. This term also may refer to rightwing extremist movements that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."
The lexicon further points to those who oppose driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.
"Anti-immigration extremism," the lexicon defines as "a movement of groups or individuals who are vehemently opposed to illegal immigration, particularly along the U.S. southwest border with Mexico, and who have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence and terrorism to advance their extremist goals. They are highly critical of the U.S. Government's response to illegal immigration and oppose government programs that are designed to extend 'rights' to illegal aliens, such as issuing driver's licenses or national identification cards and providing in-state tuition, medical benefits, or public education."
Unlike the right-wing extremism report, however, the lexicon includes definitions of extremism across a broad spectrum of issues: anarchy, animal rights extremism, black nationalism, Cuban independence, environmentalism, Jewish extremism, Mexican separatism, right-wing militias, white supremacists, the anti-war movement and more.
Among the more curious groups the DHS appears to be monitoring is the "racial Nordic mysticism" group, defined as "an ideology adopted by many white supremacist prison gangs who embrace a Norse mythological religion, such as Odinism or Asatru."
Among the more comical definitions is the description given of what "racist skinheads" wear, enabling law officers, it appears, to identify skinheads by their preferred brand of footwear:
"Dress may include a shaved head or very short hair," the report states, "jeans, thin suspenders, combat boots or Doc Martens, a bomber jacket, and tattoos of Nazi-like emblems."
Sarlin, who first publicized the memo, reports that a spokesperson for DHS told him the memo was recalled "within minutes" of being issued but declined to offer any details on the reasons for its withdrawal.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
How interesting that this document manages to include specific black, white, Christian, Jewish, Cuban and Puerto Rican organizations, but doesn’t include a single term or organization related to Islamic terrorism? Evidently that’s no longer a problem.
"Tax protesters, Doc Martens, a bomber jacket,"....... well that is just great! I have Doc Martens, I love them and wear them when I hike or with shorts and a t-shirt in the summer. , And a bomber jacket??? My gosh I have a bomber jacket my Uncle gave me a thousand years ago that I love.
Oh and the animal rights activists well I might be ok on that one, but there was that ONE time in my early days that I participated along with 4 other Playboy models in a fund raiser
for " Fund for Animals" with ( actor) Fred McMurray and his wife ( actress) June Haver and some other celebs. Does that count, other then that I have nothing to do with the wackos in the animals rights movement at all.
Let's see I am pro Military, married to a Navy Veteran, am for FAIR Tax and against the tax system we now have, loved the Tea Parties that went on across our red, white and blue land, wear Doc Martens, have a Bomber jacket, have been in counter protests against Code Pink and other RADICAL left groups that hate our military, told Hanoi Jane off in no uncertain terms in person up close and personal, own a t-shirt with Muhammad on it with a bomb in his turban ( only for home use), and have a blog that is NOT Politically correct, and have conservative DNA running in my veins.
The tide is already turning on Obama and that Flyover in New York the other day went against him. It didn't bother the dedicated communists in our country but surely among the democrats that are beginning to see the light even in a small way about Obama. The media down played that but it was HUGE. Obama is in deep doo doo and he knows it. That is another reason he is doing all his damage sooooo fast. He knows if he slows down and gives people a chance to REALLY fight back he is sunk.
One of Obamas many flaws and there are many, is his personality. He is more like Pee Wee Herman then Joseph Stalin or Genghis Khan. He is NO leader, is a wimp, limp wrists included. He is NOT a man's man in any way. Look at his campaign it was filled with threats to anyone that disagreed with him. Packed with lies and his not being able to withstand truth in his face he had to put a separate website up just to whine about those of us telling the truth about him. LOL Now that was about as presidential as a doorknob. He is a cry baby communist.
We can take the power away from the words used in these hate mongering memos. When a liberal calls me an “extremist”, I just tell him/her “Hell yeah!” and explain that when a Marxist calls me an extremist, that means I’m doing something right. That’s what these DHS memos tell me. We are scaring them, so they are resorting to name-calling, trying to make us back off with their putting Veterans on the DHS list and all the other things. They think people don't realize that many democrats have guns too and they will defend themselves, it is not just the Veterans that have guns and know how to use them. There are people in their own party they are going to offend.
They actually could simplify that list: A terrorist is anyone who does not worship Obama. Their list is so broad that unless you sit home and never say a word against the govt. you will be on the list. The Founders were certainly extremists and certainly on the 18th century DHS list. They knew they were creating something based on liberty. They recognized the need for revolution in order to gain their freedom.
Today's liberal thinks just the opposite. He's opposed to freedom by supporting govt. Most of them don't realize it but that's what they are doing. They can't think for themselves. If they could they would realize that they are actually building the chains that will bind them in the future.
Yes put me on your hate list Janet Nappy I would be proud.
Oh just one more thing, my Mother doesn't wear ARMY boots I do, I have a pair of those too.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (22)
Obama to Roll Out International Tax Proposals
Obama to roll out international tax proposals
Washington
Barack Obama plans to roll out a set of proposals on international tax policies on Monday, in an announcement with potential implications for U.S. multinational firms.
The White House said Obama will be joined by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner for the event.
Obama's budget outline released in February made reference to proposals to change the tax treatment of U.S. firms with overseas operations and measures to crack down on international tax evasion.
The White House said at the time the measures would bring in $210 billion in additional revenue over the next decade.
During his campaign last year, Obama spoke out against provisions in the tax code that allow U.S. firms with overseas operations to defer payment of taxes on corporate profits if they plowed the money back into their foreign subsidiaries.
Obama said this gave companies incentives to ship jobs overseas.
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Wild Thing's comment......
This idiot is charging head long into the abyss and dragging the country with him.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:49 AM | Comments (10)
Sec.Of Defense Gates Agrees With Obama on America's Arrogance
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Sec. Of Defense Gates talks to the Obama supporter posing as a journalist Fareed Zakaria on Cnn.
Robert Gates with the Obama supporter posing as a journalist Fareed Zakaria GPS, talks about Obama apologizing for America.
Transcript of entire interview
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Wild Thing's comment........
Sickening to hear this, I am so sick of these people and what they say about America.
Gates mentions how other countries don't do the apology thing...... well yes did you ever think that maybe they love their countries?????? He not only agrees with Obama but he also is all for cut backs in things our military needs.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (16)
Obama Socialist Journalist vs. American Herors! What a Difference!
Different Presidents, A Different Corps
This video was taken after the worst days of the war and after the surge created major progress in the region. The president is visiting the troops in Anbar Province, the home of the infamous Falluja and Ar Ramadi killing grounds. This visit took place after the province had been pacified. In other words, the Marines showed their love of Bush even after the darkest days of the war.
The Lejune video, on the other hand, shows Obama entering with all the pomp and circumstance of a royal visit to the peasants. Hail to the Chief plays in the background; something that President Bush didnt allow during his military visits.
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WH Reporters Stand For Obama But Not For Bush
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Wild Thing's comment......
Screw YOU Obama!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (8)
Obama: Wall Street Will Play Less Dominant Role
Wall Street is not going to play as dominant a role in the economy, president says.
WASHINGTON
Wall Street is not going to play as dominant a role in the economy as regulations reduce "some of the massive leveraging and the massive risk-taking that had become so common," President Barack Obama says.
The changes in the role of Wall Street and the huge profits that came from that risk-taking could mean other adjustments as well, Obama said in an interview in this week's New York Times Magazine.
"That means that more talent, more resources will be going to other sectors of the economy," he said. "I actually think that's healthy. We don't want every single college grad with mathematical aptitude to become a derivatives trader. We want some of them to go into engineering, and we want some of them to be going into computer design."
The Obama administration is trying to restore more regulations on the financial sector to avoid some of the risk-taking that helped cause the current economic problems.
"Wall Street will remain a big, important part of our economy, just as it was in the '70s and the '80s," he said. "It just won't be half of our economy."
Obama said he expects that government efforts to fix the economy will cause long-term changes.
"What I think will change, what I think was an aberration, was a situation where corporate profits in the financial sector were such a heavy part of our overall profitability over the last decade," he said.
Obama said he's confident that people will regain trust and confidence in the financial system, but he believes it will take time.
"I think it's important to understand that some of that wealth was illusory in the first place," he said.
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Wild Thing's comment........
Forget socialism. This guy is going straight for communisim. This Soutpiel puppet has perpetrated one of the biggest cons the world has ever seen.
Translation: “Wall Street, you better cough up big for Democrats in 2010 and for me in 2012 if you want us to stay off your back.”
Wall Street IS the free economy. If Wall Street declines it can mean only one thing. Government grows = communisim.
What a flaming hypocrite. If you look closely, HALF of his administration or more has worked on Wall Street at some point. I just read yesterday that Rahm Emanuel had a brief career as an investment banker. What the heck does Rahm Emanuel know about banking?
Rahm Emanuel’s profitable stint at mortgage giant [Freddie Mac]
Chicago Tribune
"Before its portfolio of bad loans helped trigger the current housing crisis, mortgage giant Freddie Mac was the focus of a major accounting scandal that led to a management shake-up, huge fines and scalding condemnation of passive directors by a top federal regulator.
One of those allegedly asleep-at-the-switch board members was Chicago's Rahm Emanuel—now chief of staff to President Barack Obama—who made at least $320,000 for a 14-month stint at Freddie Mac that required little effort."
Rahm made $19 MILLION during his short time on Wall Street. He wired the state bond deals and reaped the harvest.
Obama and his soros communism will 'crowd out' capitalism. (which all here see as plain as the noses on our tea party faces). What he left out is...as goes Wall St, so goes Main St. (at least while he's president, or until we can elect a Congress WITH a brain to replace this cursed Congress WITHOUT a brain, whichever comes first).
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (10)
Gates: 100 at Gitmo could wind up in U.S.
The defense chief says that many could not be sent abroad or put on trial if the prison shuts.
By Elisabeth Bumiller and William Glaberson
Defense Secretary Robert Gates suggested Thursday that as many as 100 detainees would be held without trial on U.S. soil if the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were closed, a situation that he acknowledged would create widespread, if not unanimous, opposition in Congress.
The estimate was the most specific yet from the Obama administration about how many of the 241 detainees at Guantanamo could not be safely released, sent to other countries or appropriately tried in U.S. courts.
In January, President Barack Obama ordered the prison closed by the end of the year, but his administration is still trying to decide what to do with the detainees.
Gates said discussions had started this week with the Justice Department about determining how many of the Guantanamo detainees could not be sent to other countries or tried in courts.
He did not say which detainees might be in that group, but independent experts have said it probably would include terrorism suspects from Yemen — whose ability to provide adequate rehabilitation and security to supervise returned prisoners is in doubt — and al-Qaeda figure Abu Zubaydah, who was subject to brutal interrogations in secret prisons run by the CIA.
"What do we do with the 50 to 100 — probably in that ballpark — who we cannot release and cannot try?" Gates said in a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
He did not say whether the detainees would be imprisoned temporarily or indefinitely or under what law they would be held.
The Obama administration is debating how to establish a legal basis for incarcerating detainees deemed too dangerous to be released but not appropriate to be tried because of potential problems posed by their harsh interrogations, the evidence against them or other issues.
Some Republicans have become increasingly vocal in asserting that Washington has not come up with a viable alternative to the Guantanamo prison.
"The question of where the terrorists at Guantanamo will be sent is no joking matter," Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said Thursday. "The administration needs to tell the American people how it will keep the terrorists at Guantanamo out of our neighborhoods and off of the battlefield."
At the hearing, Gates said he had asked for $50 million in supplemental financing in case a facility needed to be built quickly for the detainees. He did not specify what kind of facility or where it might be, but he acknowledged that it would be unpopular in most places.
"I fully expect to have 535 pieces of legislation before this is over saying 'not in my district, not in my state,' " Gates said. "We'll just have to deal with that when the time comes."
Members of Congress were already pleading with Gates on Thursday not to send the detainees to their states. "Please not at Leavenworth," said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan.
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Montana Town Wants Its Empty Jail to Be the New Guantanamo Bay
BILLINGS, Mont.
President Obama has 240 terror suspects he has said will be moved out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year. The city of Hardin has a brand-new empty jail.
A match made in heaven? Hardin officials think so; Montana's congressional delegation thinks not.
The development authority in Hardin, a city of 3,400 people bordering the Crow Indian Reservation, built the $27 million, 460-bed jail two years ago and has been looking for tenants ever since. Its construction loans are in default.
The City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday in favor of a resolution supporting a proposal to house terror suspects currently detained at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay while they await trial.
"Somebody has to stand up and put (the Guantanamo prisoners) in their backyards. It's our patriotic duty," said Greg Smith, director of the city's Two Rivers Authority.
"Not on my watch," U.S. Sen. Max Baucus said.
The Montana Democrat said the detainees' presence would be a security risk to the community and exceed the capacity of the U.S. District Court in Billings, which would have jurisdiction over their cases.
The rest of the state's congressional delegation -- Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg -- agreed that bringing Guantanamo prisoners to Montana is a bad idea, though they support efforts to find some other use for the jail.
Wild Thing's comment.......
After spending millions $$$$ upgrading Gitmo into a first class prison, Obama Gates are closing it and want to spend millions more on building another prison since nobody wants the terrorist in their "back yards," despite all the previous rhetoric about "values" and "rule of law."
Why not just turn them lose on condition they swim home? Saudi Arabia? A few breast strokes, some Gatoraide and bingo, you’re there!
I swear to god, the sheer IDIOCY of these people is absolutely staggering. So let me guess, they build the new prison, Fort Liberal, or some such, then the Code Pinkos can go and protest their and serve lunch to the terrorists.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:44 AM | Comments (4)
Nancy Pelosi Works To Obstruct Justice
EDITORIAL: Pelosi confronts justice
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is working to buffer lawmakers from federal investigators. This is a bad idea. Special legal protections for politicians encourage unethical conduct.
Irvin B. Nathan, general counsel of the House of Representatives, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Monday about establishing a protocol on how to handle "hopefully rare searches and electronic surveillance involving members of Congress." Mr. Nathan previously failed to negotiate such an agreement with the George W. Bush administration when Republicans controlled the House. His return to this effort isn't surprising given the number of congressional Democrats facing accusations of ethical misconduct.
Democrats facing scrutiny include the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, for his close ties to the defense lobby firm PMA Group, which is under federal investigation; House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel of New York about a number of tax issues; Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. of Illinois over his reported effort to persuade ousted Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to appoint him to fill President Obama's former Senate seat; and Rep. Jane Harman of California, who reportedly was taped in 2005 by the National Security Agency purportedly agreeing to help seek leniency for two accused Israeli spies in exchange for help in lobbying her appointment to chair the House Intelligence Committee.
Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, on Thursday invoked the separation of powers as justification for the move. Mrs. Pelosi, who has acknowledged being aware previously of Mrs. Harman's controversial dialogue, claims the stance is a matter of principle. "Whether it's invading an office or wiretapping a conversation, it's important for us to have the separation of powers and the respect for individual liberties, again, while not harboring information that would be useful under the speech [or] debate clause," she said.
Wild Thing's comment.........
These people already get to do anything they want with zero accountability. She wants to be able to unilaterally grant “Above the Law” status to HER favorites.
Hmmmm, Is she getting a little nervous after lying about her knowledge of interrogation techniques?
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (10)
"How Republicans Can Build a Big-Tent Party" ~Senator Jim DeMint
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) speaks on the U.S. Senate floor as he speaks about the Tea Parties and the need for FREEDOM to increase not Government.
This was an excellent speech.
How Republicans Can Build a Big-Tent Party
It's the Democrats who won't tolerate a diversity of views
Sen. Arlen Specter's defection to the Democratic Party this week is no reason for Republicans to cheer. But his reason for leaving -- he faced an unwinnable primary election next year -- is no cause for soul searching. There is a question Republicans do need to ask: What is it that binds our party together?
In the wake of two successive electoral defeats and the likelihood of a 60-vote Democrat majority in the Senate, what does it even mean to be a Republican today? Moderate Republicans are right to remind conservatives that they cannot build a center-right coalition without the center part. And conservatives are right to remind moderates that Republicans only succeed when we rally around clear principles.
The real mistake is that Republicans became more concerned with staying in D.C. than reforming it.
Despite notable successes at both ends of Pennsylvania Ave., it seems to me that Republicans in Congress and in the Bush administration forgot a simple truth. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, if you aim for principled reform, you win elections in the bargain; if you just aim for elections, you get neither.
No Child Left Behind didn't win us "soccer moms," but it did cost us our credibility on locally controlled education. Medicare prescription drugs didn't win us a "permanent majority," but it cost us our credibility on entitlement reform. Every year, another Republican quality was tainted: managerial competence, fiscal discipline and personal ethics.
To win back the trust of the American people, we must be a "big tent" party. But big tents need strong poles, and the strongest pole of our party -- the organizing principle and the crucial alternative to the Democrats -- must be freedom. The federal government is too big, takes too much of our money, and makes too many of our decisions. If Republicans can't agree on that, elections are the least of our problems.
If the American people want a European-style social democracy, the Democratic Party will give it to them. We can't win a bidding war with Democrats.
Freedom will mean different things to different Republicans, but it can tether a diverse coalition to inalienable principles. Republicans can welcome a vigorous debate about legalized abortion or same-sex marriage; but we should be able to agree that social policies should be set through a democratic process, not by unelected judges. Our party benefits from national-security debates; but Republicans can start from the premise that the U.S. is an exceptional nation and force for good in history. We can argue about how to rein in the federal Leviathan; but we should agree that centralized government infringes on individual liberty and that problems are best solved by the people or the government closest to them.
Moderate and liberal Republicans who think a South Carolina conservative like me has too much influence are right!
I don't want to make decisions for them. That's why I'm working to reduce Washington's grip on our lives and devolve power to the states, communities and individuals, so that Northeastern Republicans, Western Republicans, Southern Republicans, and Midwestern Republicans can define their own brands of Republicanism. It's the Democrats who want to impose a rigid, uniform agenda on all Americans. Freedom Republicanism is about choice -- in education, health care, energy and more. It's OK if those choices look different in South Carolina, Maine and California.
A Republican recommitment to freedom and limited government will foster an agenda that will strengthen and invigorate our party. Freedom has worked for our party and our country before. It will again, if we let it.
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Wild Thing's comment........
talking about "the big tent," he is clearly talking about returning to Reagan's vision of a big tent where everyone supports core conservative principles and that less government will solve the other issues. He is NOT talking about a big tent of appeasing the liberals or accepting the false Democrat premise that Republicans need to be like them in order to win. The term big tent has been corrupted by the Left and all DeMint is redefining it. .
Sen. Jim DeMint is one of the conservatives to keep watching.
He spoke out against The Flaws of the National Service Act.
He voted against Bush's Bailout.
He was one of the Senate GOP heroes who helped drive a stake through the Bush-Kennedy shamnesty bill.
A few things below regarding DeMint:
In one corner is Sen. Jim DeMint, perhaps the most conservative member of the upper chamber. In a speech to party activists last fall, DeMint became the first Republican to publicly blast John McCain after he lost the presidential election, accusing the Arizona senator of betraying core GOP principles in his quest for the White House.
Appearing on CNN Tuesday, DeMint, a hero of the conservative grassroots, denied that his party has tilted too far to the right.
"I would rather have 30 Republicans in the Senate who really believe in principles of limited government, free markets, free people, than to have 60 that don't have a set of beliefs." -- Jim Demint
DeMint is less willing to compromise with Democrats than many in his party, and some Senate Republicans doubt his fiery tactics can lead their party out of the political wilderness when the public is seeking an end to legislative gridlock.
“A political party cannot be all things to all people. It cannot compromise its fundamental beliefs for political expediency.” – Ronald Reagan
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:47 AM
May 03, 2009
'Ugly Angels' Deploy From Iraq to Afghanistan
Service members with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 board an Air Force C-17 at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, for a flight to Afghanistan, April 10. The squadron's Marines have been deployed to Iraq since January and will finish the remainder of their deployment in Afghanistan
Cpl. Ryan Bertucci, a flightline mechanic with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, right, and Cpl. Shane Potter, an airframes mechanic with HMH-362, navigate a CH-53D to a loading point on the flightline aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, April 10. The squadron's ten helicopters are being shipped to Afghanistan to be used in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spreading Their Wings: 'Ugly Angels' Deploy From Iraq to Afghanistan
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 Takes the Fight From Iraq to Afghanistan
by Sgt. Juan D. Alfonso
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
On April 15, 1962, a squadron of Marines launched from the USS Princeton to Soc Trang, Vietnam, becoming the first Marine helicopter squadron in-country. Those Marines began a proud tradition of combat deployments that day. Today the same unit continues their combat tradition in Afghanistan.
Unlike the majority of units serving in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, part of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan's aviation combat element, didn't deploy from its home station at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii – it deployed to Afghanistan from Al Asad, Iraq.
Originally deployed to Iraq, Jan. 23, to conduct assault support, logistics and movement of personnel missions, the unit was given a new mission shortly after arriving: pack up and go to Afghanistan.
"Afghanistan is where the fight is now," said Lt. Col. Jeffrey A. Hagan, HMH-362's commander. "There was a planned drawdown in Iraq and an increasing need for medium lift capabilities in Afghanistan. So we begin making arrangements to move from Al Asad to Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan."
Though the unit was motivated and prepared for their new mission, environmental differences between the two theaters coupled with operational requirements called for major modifications to the Ugly Angels' CH-53D Sea Stallions.
The unit's maintenance Marines began working around the clock to exchange the T64-GE-413 engines, typically found in CH-53Ds, to hotter burning T64-GE-416 engines used in CH-53E Super Stallions, according to Master Sgt. Robert Webb, the maintenance section chief.
In addition to the modifications, the Marines had to partially dismantle their aircraft for transportation to Afghanistan; each bird was sent one at a time. But despite their daunting task, the Marines pulled together, rolled up their sleeves and went to work.
"Our maintenance Marines are the best in the Marine Corps," said Maj. Gary W. Thomason, HMH-362's aircraft maintenance officer. "On their backs is how we made this happen. I think I speak for everyone involved when I say, fantastic job."
After more than two months of backbreaking work, the Ugly Angels are in Afghanistan, eager to take the fight to the enemy.
"This deployment has been a great experience," said Cpl. Jorge Toledo, a crew chief and flight line mechanic with HMH-362. "We've been able to operate in both areas of operation and it's been a good training opportunity with the demanding terrain and climate differences. Since arriving in Afghanistan, I personally was able to be a part of testing seven aircraft in twelve days. I have gained more experience on this one deployment than my whole time in the Marine Corps."
Today, the Marines and their Sea Stallions are ready to tackle whatever the insurgency and Afghanistan's terrain throw at them.
"We expect the mission set to remain relatively the same," Hagan said. "Given the more kinetic nature of this theater, I would expect to see more raid and quick reaction force support than was executed during our time in Iraq. But the Marines are excited and eager to do what Marines do. This deployment has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that my Marines can, are eager and willing to accomplish any task thrown at them."
On April 15, the 47-year anniversary of the unit's Vietnam deployment, The Ugly Angels arrived in Afghanistan. HMH-362 began combat operations, April 22.
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Wild Thing's comment......
God bless these warrios and keep them safe.
Here is their website:
A little history of the "Ugly Angels" they are a Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, stationed at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, recently celebrated its 55th birthday. Activated on 30 April 1952 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 362, it is a squadron rich in tradition.
And into the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s HMH 362 was involved in numerous training exercises, as well as contingency and combat operations overseas. These include deploying to Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and the first and only Marine helicopter squadron deployed aboard an aircraft carrier (USS Theodore Roosevelt) during Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti. In 1995 HMH 362 relocated to MCAF Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii as pat of Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
"Many stories have been told through the years of how the squadron received the name Ugly Angels, but only a few have proven to be true. It is said that the helicopter herself was so ugly, yet she was called an angel because she descended from the heavens to save the souls of her war weary men. It has also been told that a Marine while being rescued made the statement: " You are the ugliest angel I have ever seen", and from there the name was adopted the "Ugly Angels". Before the squadron gained their well-known name they were referred to as Archie's Angels, after their first commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Archie Clapp. They arrived in Vietnam in April of 1962 and answered the prayers of many wounded Marines until August of 1969. The Ugly Angels were the longest serving squadron in Vietnam and during a seven-year service, 33 brave crewmen gave the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow Marines. "
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 AM | Comments (12)
31 Horsemen of Talk Radio's Apocalypse?
FCC anoints 'diversity' panel with 'Fairness Doctrine' mission
The Federal Communications Commission has announced the roster of a new advisory committee on "diversity" in communications, a move many critics have warned would mark the beginning of government regulation of talk radio and a reinstallation of the "Fairness Doctrine" by another name.
A think tank headed by John Podesta, co-chairman of Obama's transition team, mapped out a strategy in 2007 for clamping down on conservative talk radio by requiring stations to be operated by female and minority owners, which the report showed were statistically more likely to carry liberal political talk shows.
Therefore, the report concluded, the best strategy for getting equal time for "progressives" on radio lies in mandating "diversity of ownership" without ever needing to mention the former FCC policy of requiring airtime for liberal viewpoints, known as the "Fairness Doctrine."
Now, Michael J. Copps, acting chairman of the FCC has announced that the "Commission's Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age" will meet at the FCC headquarters on May 7 with a purpose closely paralleling step one of Podesta's plan for "balancing" talk radio.
The mission of the new diversity committee, according to the FCC website, is to "make recommendations to the FCC regarding policies and practices that will further enhance the ability of minorities and women to participate in telecommunications and related industries."
Seton Motley, director of communications for the Media Research Center, further commented on the lineup of 31 activists and media moguls chosen to form the committee.
"Not a single conservative organization is taking part in this commission," Motley writes. "More than a dozen leftist groups are. A little ironic for a 'diversity' panel, is it not?"
"The Obama administration confirmed the worst fears of talk radio by appointing Henry Rivera chairman," writes WND commentator Roger Hedgecock. "Rivera was the 1980s FCC commissioner who championed the 'Fairness Doctrine.' President Reagan replaced him on the FCC to get a majority to repeal the 'Fairness Doctrine' and usher in the talk radio era, which has given conservative Americans for the first time a media outlet with real clout."
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has joined up with other influential Democrats, including President Bill Clinton, Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, in calling for a resurrection of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine."
Obama's speech before he was elected president in which the former Illinois legislator says, "I'm committed to having the FCC review what our current policies are in terms of media diversification. And part of what I want to do is to expand the diversity of voices in media, or have policies that encourage that."
In a statement regarding the new diversity committee, Acting FCC Chairman Copps expressed enthusiasm for fulfilling Obama's commitment.
"I am extremely pleased to announce the membership of this vital Advisory Committee," Copps stated, "which will provide an important and independent voice for strengthening our commitment to diversity. The sad truth is that the diversity of this great nation is not reflected in the ownership of its media and telecommunications facilities. The time has come to chart a new course, to roll up our sleeves and get to work to craft sustainable solutions."
The full membership of the committee is listed below:
Henry Rivera, Emma Bowen Foundation for Minority Interests in Media
Raul Alarcon, Jr., Spanish Broadcasting System
Jenny Alonzo, Mio.TV
James M. Assey, Jr., National Cable and Telecommunications Association
Geoffrey C. Blackwell, Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc.
Matthew Blank, Showtime Networks
Maria E. Brennan, American Women in Radio and Television
Kathy Brown, Verizon
Toni Cook Bush, Virgin Mobile
Alan B. Davidson, Google, Inc.
Ralph de la Vega, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets
Steve Hillard, Council Tree Communications
David Honig, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council
Rodney Hood, National Credit Union Administration
Ronald Johnson, Ronson Network Services
Debra Lee, BET Holdings, Inc.
Jane Mago, National Association of Broadcasters
Robert Mendez, ABC Television Network
Marc H. Morial, National Urban League
Karen K. Narasaki, Asian American Justice Center
Melissa Newman, Qwest
Jake Oliver, Afro-American Newspapers
Susan K. Patrick, Patrick Communications
Lisa Pickrum, The RLJ Companies
Rey Ramsey, One Economy Corporation
Michael V. Roberts, Roberts Broadcasting Companies LLC
Andrew Schwartzman, Media Access Project
Anita Stephens Graham, Opportunity Capital Partners
Diane Sutter, Shooting Star Broadcasting
Charles Warfield, Inner City Broadcasting
James Winston, National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters
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Wild Thing's comment.........
This advisory committee is being formed not for fairness, but specifically to muzzle conservatism. Its member choices reflect that mission. The diversity in communications is Federal Government speak for there is not enough interest in the “market” for liberal radio, gay radio, islamic radio etc. So they have no choice but to force it down our throats.
And when their ratings go down, and the radio stations are losing money, what happens then? A radio station itself has little value, with the studios and antennas and all the hardware. What they sell is airtime in the form of commercials, which in turn is based on the number of listeners. Fewer listeners = fewer ad dollars = less value for the radio station as a business investment.
Does that mean then Government, BIG Brother will take over after they all fail and then own all radio?? Just curious.
If they want a fight...they’re going to get one.
Here's the link to the "advisory committee's" website.
The reintroduction of the Fairness Doctrine, in any form, is an incredible denial of human rights, worthy of Stalin, Hitler, Mao and Castro. It is to crush dissent, and thwart any questioning of the powers that be. This is a sour stew of sour grapes - the left cannot stand the debate and they don’t have the confidence in themselves to ignore it because the arguments are two strong. This is sickening. Something Hugo Chavez would do, or Daniel Ortega. So blatant, so obvious that only a tin horn Latin American dictator or dyed in the wool communist, would pull a move like this, but not a President of the US.....oh wait......change that to yesss Obama would do this.
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:50 AM | Comments (17)
Rest in Peace Jack Kemp
Jack Kemp, football star and politician, dies
Jack Kemp, the former pro quarterback who turned fame on the gridiron into a career in national politics and a crusade for lower taxes, has died of cancer at age 73.
Family spokeswoman Marci Robinson said Kemp died shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday, surrounded by his family. Kemp died at his home in Bethesda, Md., in the Washington suburbs, friends said.
Kemp's office announced in January that he had been diagnosed with an unspecified type of cancer. By then, however, the cancer was in an advanced stage and had spread to several organs, former campaign adviser Edwin J. Feulner said. He did not know the origin of the cancer.
Kemp, a former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, represented western New York for nine terms in Congress, leaving the House for an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988.
Eight years later, after serving a term as President George H.W. Bush's housing secretary, he made it onto the national ticket as Bob Dole's running-mate.
With that loss, the Republican bowed out of political office, but not out of politics. In speaking engagements and a syndicated column, he continued to advocate for the tax reform and supply-side policies — the idea that the more taxes are cut the more the economy will grow — that he pioneered.
Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation, a Kemp family friend and his former campaign deputy chief of staff, said Kemp's legacy will be his compassion.
"The idea that all conservatives really should regroup around and identify with is that this is not an exclusive club," Feulner said. "Freedom is for everybody. That's what Jack Kemp really stood for."
Praise rolled in from fellow politicians.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Kemp "one of the nation's most distinguished public servants. Jack was a powerful voice in American politics for more than four decades."
Former President George W. Bush expressed his sorrow after hearing of Kemp's death.
"Laura and I are saddened by the death of Jack Kemp," he said. "Jack will be remembered for his significant contributions to the Reagan revolution and his steadfast dedication to conservative principles during his long and distinguished career in public service. Jack's wife Joanne and the rest of the Kemp family are in our thoughts and prayers."
Kemp's rapid and wordy style made the enthusiastic speaker with the neatly side-parted white hair a favorite on the lecture circuit, and a millionaire.
Kemp also signed on with numerous educational and corporate boards and charitable organizations, including NFL Charities, which kept him connected to his football roots.
Kemp was a 17th round 1957 NFL draft pick by the Detroit Lions, but was cut before the season began. After being released by three more NFL teams and the Canadian Football League over the next three years, he joined the American Football League's Los Angeles Chargers as a free agent in 1960. A waivers foul-up two years later would land him with the Buffalo Bills, who got him at the bargain basement price of $100.
Kemp led Buffalo to the 1964 and 1965 AFL Championships, and won the league's most valuable player award in 1965. He co-founded the AFL Players Association in 1964 and was elected president of the union for five terms. When he retired from football in 1969, Kemp had enough support in blue-collar Buffalo and its suburbs to win an open congressional seat.
In 11 seasons, he sustained a dozen concussions, two broken ankles and a crushed hand — which Kemp insisted a doctor permanently set in a passing position so that he could continue to play.
"Pro football gave me a good perspective," he was quoted as saying. "When I entered the political arena, I had already been booed, cheered, cut, sold, traded, and hung in effigy."
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said "Kemp was an extraordinary American leader who became a trusted colleague and exceptional friend to countless NFL owners, team personnel and commissioners after his MVP playing career with the Buffalo Bills."
Kemp was born in California to Christian Scientist parents. He worked on the loading docks of his father's trucking company as a boy before majoring in physical education at Occidental College, where he led the nation's small colleges in passing.
He became a Presbyterian after marrying his college sweetheart, Joanne Main. The couple had four children, including two sons who played professional football. He joined with a son and son-in-law to form a Washington strategic consulting firm, Kemp Partners, after leaving office.
Wild Thing's comment........
Prayers for his family and friends. Kemp was a real American patriot and a genuine good guy, as far as I remember he was a Conservative.
May he rest in peace and may God comfort his family.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:48 AM | Comments (5)
Obama Is To Blame As Iraq Bloodshed Rises as U.S.Allies Defect
A US soldier of Bravo Company, 1-18 Infantry Battalion stands guard during a patrol at a market in Mosul
US troops may have to stay in Iraq's third largest city, Mosul, beyond a June 30 deadline, the spokesman for US forces in Iraq said on Friday.
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Iraq bloodshed rises as US allies defect
Obama’s withdrawal pledge is at risk as militias paid by the US begin to rejoin the insurgency
IRAQ is threatened by a new wave of sectarian violence as members of the “Sons of Iraq” – the Sunni Awakening militias that were paid by the US to fight Al-Qaeda – begin to rejoin the insurgency.
If the spike in violence continues, it could affect President Barack Obama’s pledge to withdraw all combat troops from Iraqi cities by the end of June. All US troops are due to leave the country by 2012.
A leading member of the Political Council of Iraqi Resistance, which represents six Sunni militant groups, said: “The resistance has now returned to the field and is intensifying its attacks against the enemy. The number of coalition forces killed is on the rise.”
The increase in attacks by such groups, combined with a spate of bombings blamed on Al-Qaeda, has had a chilling effect on the streets of Iraq. More than 370 Iraqi civilians and military – and 80 Iranian pilgrims – lost their lives in April, making it the bloodiest month since last September. On Wednesday, five car bombs exploded in a crowded market in Sadr City, Baghdad, killing 51 people and injuring 76. Three US soldiers were killed on Thursday and two more yesterday when a gunman in Iraqi army uniform opened fire near Mosul.
The resistance council recently issued a call to disaffected Sons of Iraq to take up arms against US and Iraqi troops after the government of Nouri al-Maliki failed to integrate them into the national security forces.
Many fighters have abandoned their security posts, allowing militant groups to fill the gap. Abu Omar, the leader of an Awakening militia in northern Baghdad, said more than 50 out of 175 fighters had quit.
Ginger Cruz, America’s deputy inspector-general for Iraq reconstruction, warned that disillusioned Sunnis could join forces with Al-Qaeda as well as resistance groups.
“The Sons of Iraq provided a critical turning point for Iraq, so the question now becomes: what will the Iraqi government do with them?” Cruz said. “In fragile states, you need to take unemployed young men with access to weapons and give them something to do to ensure they don’t turn to Al-Qaeda or other groups.”
The gradual emergence of the Shi’ite Maliki as an Iraqi strongman has alienated some Sunnis and corruption is worse than ever, according to Cruz.
There is also growing Sunni anger about arrests of Awakening leaders, including Adil al-Mashhadani, from Baghdad, who warned recently: “There’s a 50-50 chance that Awakening guys who are not very loyal to Iraq or who need to support their families will join Al-Qaeda again.”
Iraq has already begun negotiating with the United States about exceptions to the June 30 deadline, according to press reports.
In Karrada, an affluent district of Baghdad where a suicide bomber killed dozens 10 days ago, Esam Omar, 44, a father of two, said: “I fear the violence is back. Sectarian war may be the next step.”
The Iraqi security forces were not yet ready to assume control, he said, even if the US was worried about the cost of the war. “I think American forces will have to stay here much longer. It will be shameful if the Americans leave us sinking in blood, simply to escape their economic crisis.”
Wild Thing's comment........
And what did they think would happen when we announce we are leaving? Obama has demonstrated weakness to the enemies of our country and prostrated himself before them. Things like that send the wrong message to to Iraqis.
OH but Obama did pretty send ONE clear message to America that he controlled domestic law enforcement when he sent Air Force One over New York City along with a couple of F-16s. That show of military force for domestic purposes was coordinated right out of the White House by The Obammunist's Military Commissar.
The Iraqi security forces were not yet ready to assume control, he said, even if the US was worried about the cost of the war. “I think American forces will have to stay here much longer. It will be shameful if the Americans leave us sinking in blood, simply to escape their economic crisis.”
Hey bub, it is NOT the economic crisis that is the reason there has been given a date for leaving Iraq. Get real! It is the freaking military hating Obama that wants to pull out and not listen to the military on how bad it is to give a date, a timeline and listen to them when they feel Iraq is ready. Every drop of blood is on OBAMA'S hands in this matter and don't kid yourself!
" ... President Barack Obama’s pledge to withdraw all combat troops from Iraqi cities by the end of June."
I heard a simular phrase last night on the radio and it scared the crap out of me.
Hussein Obama's decision has made every life voluntarilly given for freedom and righteousness a mat to be trampled by the enemy. NOT form any of us, we know the cost of freedom and the cost of the lives of our Warriors and are grateful more then words can say for all they do. But Obama could care less.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:47 AM | Comments (8)
Marine Christian Baez Needs Our Prayers
Marine Christian Baez 25 years of age. On Feb 28th Chrisitian was taken to the hospital due to 2nd and 3rd degree burns and is still in critical condition.. His mom had to quit her job to be able to see Christian every day at the hospital..
Our Hero did two tours of duty in Iraq, and received several awards.
Was honorably discharged Jan.17 2009 . He had a tragic accident on Feb. 28 th. 2009 and was burned over 75% of his body.
Has 2nd. and 3rd. degree burns , was not expected to live, and remains in critical and unstable condition.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Please say keep this Marine in your prayers and his family too. Thank you.
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......Thank you SSGT Steve
SSgt Steve
1st MarDiv, H Co., 2nd Bn, 5th Marine Regiment
2/5 Marines, Motto: "Retreat, Hell"
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:46 AM | Comments (4)
Dallas Cowboys Dome Collapses
Dome Of Practice Facility Falls In Because Of Storm
Dallas Cowboys Dome Collapses: Dome Of Practice Facility Falls In Because Of Storm in Irving, Texas
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7 people were injured, 1 critically, at the Dallas Cowboys practice arena including special teams coach Joe DeCamillis . As many as 80 people may have been inside the dome when it collapsed shortly before 3:30 p.m. CST yesterday.
Latest UPDATE:
An air-supported roof over the Dallas Cowboys' practice field collapsed during a heavy thunderstorm Saturday afternoon, leaving 12 people injured, authorities said.
About 70 people, including more than two dozen of the team's rookies, were in the facility when it was blown down.
Former coach Dan Reeves, DeCamillis' father-in-law, said the first-year Dallas coach has a couple of broken vertebrae in his lower back.
"They say he's lucky not to be paralyzed," said Reeves, adding that DeCamillis probably will have surgery. The coach was seen being removed on a stretcher wearing a neck brace.
Cowboys scout Rich Beam is reportedly was in surgery Saturday night. Assistant secondary coach Brett Maxie was also injured, a gash on his leg was stitched up.
Names and details of other injuries were not released due to privacy issues. Players were told not to discuss the episode with reporters.
The storm hit while 27 players were going through workouts. There were about 70 people in the facility, counting coaches, other team personnel and media, officials said.
Witnesses said lights started flickering and shaking minutes before the collapse, prompting players, coaches, staff members and reporters to vacate the building. Several people were trying to exit the facility when the roof collapsed.
"I saw it coming down and didn't have time to react," secondary coach Dave Campo said. "I hit the ground and was able to get back up."
Just before the facility was flattened, winds were clocked at 64 mph, a single mph shy of the threshold for a weak tornado.
However, National Weather Service meteorologist Gary Woodall said a "microburst" may have pushed the wind beyond 70 mph at the top of the structure.
Wild Thing's comment......
Thank God no one was killed. Prayers for those injured!
This is the Cowboys Blog at the Dallas Morning news where they are discussing it.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:45 AM | Comments (4)
Doctors in Montana Face Orders to 'kill on demand'
New assisted suicide law requires physicians to act
Physicians in Montana could be facing "kill-on-demand" orders from patients who want to commit suicide if a district court judge's opinion pending before the state Supreme Court is affirmed.
The case has attracted nominal attention nationwide, but lawyers with the Christian Legal Service have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the pending case because of what it would mean to doctors within the state, as well as the precedent it would set.
The concern is over the attack on doctors' ethics and religious beliefs – as well as the Hippocratic oath – that may be violated by a demand that they prescribe deadly chemicals or in some other way assist in a person's death.
M. Casey Mattox, a lawyer with the CLS, told WND that states allowing a "right to die" across the country – Oregon and Washington – include an opt-out provision for physicians with ethical or religious opposition to participating in killing a patient.
Montana's situation, created late last year in a decision from First District Court Judge Dorothy McCarter in the Baxter et al. v. Montana case, is different. There is no provision for a doctor to refuse such "treatment" for a patient.
In that case, Robert Baxter, 75, a retired truck driver from Billings who suffers from lymphocytic leukemia, filed the lawsuit along with four physicians in the state's district court system. They were aided in the case by the assisted suicide advocacy group Compassion & Choices, formerly known as the Hemlock Society.
Baxter told the organization's magazine that society already provides death when animals are suffering.
"I just feel if we can do it for animals," Baxter said, "we can do it for human beings."
The CLS, joined by the Christian Medical Association, yesterday filed briefs asking the state Supreme Court to protect the conscience rights of healthcare professionals.
The groups, representing more than 18,000 Christian medical and legal professions, are urging the court to reverse the district court's decision and recognize a right not to participate in assisted suicide.
"The trial court's decision to create a constitutional right to 'obtain assistance from a medical care provider in the form of obtaining a prescription for lethal drugs' threatens the rights of healthcare professionals and institutions that hold sincere ethical, moral, and religious objections to participating in the intentional killing of their patients," Mattox said.
"Medical professionals should not be coerced to violate the Hippocratic Oath in order to practice in Montana," he said.
If a "right to die" is to be recognized, it should be developed from the people through the legislative process, not imposed by a single judge, the brief also argues.
The district decision, the groups also point out, would seriously undermine the relationship between doctors and patients. Patients could be uncomfortable knowing their doctor had provided a lethal dose to another patient, and doctors would have concerns about such demands from patients.
"At a time when states are experiencing a healthcare shortage, making Montana the only state in the union to coerce professionals to assist in suicides could jeopardize the state's healthcare system," Mattox said.
He told WND that the effort clearly is part of a nationwide agenda to impose and mandate ethical standards on Americans. Similar are the Obama administration's suggestions that that pharmacists may not have the right to refuse to dispense abortion-inducing medications, and doctors may not have a conscience right to refuse to do abortions, he said.
"I don't know where it's coming from, but there is certainly a push from government to tell people to set aside religious or ethical qualms and to abide by whatever the government tells you is appropriate," he said.
Mattox said the state still has several weeks to file its briefs in the Montana case, and then there will be further arguments on behalf of requiring doctors to provide terminal treatment.
"A mentally competent, terminally ill Montanan should have the right to choose a peaceful death, when confronted by death," Kathryn Tucker, Compassion & Choices director of legal affairs, told KTVQ-TV, Billings.
But Montana Assistant Attorney General Anthony Johnston disagrees.
Johnston told the television station, "The laws governing the medical profession say the medical profession is to heal, not to kill."
Wild Thing's comment.......
If someone is determined to kill themselves, there is no stopping them. But *forcing* a doctor to do this against religious/ethical beliefs is just beyond stupid.
Using fear to kill someone is murder. That's what's going on here ~ threat of judicial retribution if you don't kill someone is the use of fear to kill.
The judge should be ignored, then removed from office by the state legislature, then tried on a variety of charges by the governor.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:44 AM | Comments (10)
Troops At GITMO Watch National Geographic Gitmo Documentary
Members of Joint Task Force Guantanamo gather at O'Kelly's Irish Pub to view the National Geographic Channel's, "Explorer: Inside Guantanamo," April 5, 2009. The program was a behind-the-scenes look at life "inside the wire" of the detention facilities. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees, including those convicted by military commission and those ordered released. The JTF conducts intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination for the protection of detainees and personnel working in JTF Guantanamo facilities and in support of the Global War on Terrorism. JTF Guantanamo provides support to the Office of Military Commissions, to law enforcement and to war crimes investigations. The JTF conducts planning, and on order, responds to Caribbean mass migration operations.
Guantanamo Service Members Watch National Geographic Gitmo Documentary
by Staff Sgt. Emily Russell
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba
You could hear a pin drop in the unusual silence at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay's O'Kelly's Irish Pub, April 5, when National Geographic Channel aired the two-hour show, "Explorer: Inside Guantanamo."
The documentary, which reveals the day-to-day life of the detention center guards at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, provided a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the world's most talked about detention operation.
The show was highly anticipated by members of the JTF. The pub was full – standing room only – for two hours. With special consideration from Morale, Welfare and Recreation Food and Beverage Manager Eric Nikkel, Troopers were able to watch the special, which aired only on satellite TV.
As the show began, Troopers held their breath in anticipation of how the JTF would be portrayed.
"I believe that this show was created with an un-biased perception," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Thomas Cougill, a member of the Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants. "It showed the truth about the lives and emotions of the guards here at GTMO, while at the same time it had to be 'politically correct,' showing the lawyers' and detainees' point of view that they were being 'unlawfully confined and mistreated.' I had a lot of mixed emotions."
National Geographic Channel's ability to capture the story while maintaining an overall delicate political balance was evident, yet made some viewers question the message of the documentary.
"I thought [National Geographic] did a good job representing the guards and what they do," said JTF Guantanamo Senior Enlisted Advisor, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Brian T. Schexnaydre. "However, I was disappointed by some of the comments the lawyers made. I felt that they put a negative spin toward the end of the show on what the reality is here, leaving the general public in question as to whether we're doing the right thing, or whether it should be closed."
According to JTF Commander, Navy Rear Adm. David M. Thomas Jr., there is no question when it comes to doing the right thing. Our mission is safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees.
"Showing the public that these guards aren't all big burly men mistreating detainees was a relief," Cougill said. "These guards can be young males or females with families, who are not able to live a normal life outside the wire. My heart and prayers go out to these young troopers who have this on their shoulders, and their minds."
"We as a joint task force know what the guards go through and what they do on a daily basis," Schexnaydre said. "I think the coverage on what they do was pretty thorough; however, I don't feel they should take any negativity from the show to heart because they do a hell of a job here, regardless of what is portrayed to the public."
Wild Thing's comment........
I realize they are holding back with their comments,but I don't have to.
The ONLY reason there would be a docu made about GITMO is to try and do a trash piece on our troops. IF the docu said anything good it was only a cookie handed out to someone after they were beat up. Like that would take away the beating. I am so sick of this attacking our miltiary and it needs to be pointed out whenever it is seen or done. Shame on National Geographic !
Hey National Geographic , not do a documentary on the Kenya Muslim POS unConstitutional president. Let's see how much truth you are trying to seek out and document.
God bless our troops and thank God for each one of them.
Posted by Wild Thing at 04:40 AM | Comments (6)
May 02, 2009
GI Film Festival
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The only film festival in the nation to honor the service and sacrifices of the men and women in uniform.
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The GI Film Festival is a non-profit organization, is the first film festival in the nation to exclusively celebrate the successes and sacrifices of the American military through the medium of film. They will present films from new and established international and domestic filmmakers that honor the heroic stories of the American Armed Forces and the worldwide struggle for freedom and liberty.
Some of the films screened will be fan favorites. Others will be screened for the first time. All will in some way express the courage and selflessness of our fighting men and women and the value of their work.
The GI Film Festival is open to filmmakers of every experience level, from first-timers to veteran directors and producers. Prizes will be awarded to winners of three main categories: feature, documentary, and film shorts.
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Warriors...In Their Own Words ( Trailer )
What does it take to be a Warrior? Who fights for our freedom? Why do they do it? Hear it in their own words. Stories of Courage, Honor, Love.
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The Artists in War
Eight World War II artists/veterans recount their service experience and their use of art for journalism, as a tactical tool and to preserve their own sanity. Their powerful imagery will enlighten, challenge, even amuse, showing that war is hell but that creativity can exisit in the face of destruction.
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Everymans War (Trailer)
As the seasoned infantry and tank units of the German 11th Panzer 'Ghost' division move silently into position on the snowy hills around Nennig Germany ,a battle weary GI and his unit stand ready to defend the small town, a key position in the Allied advance to win the war. Outgunned and outnumbered, Sgt. Don Smith (Cole Carson) struggles to find hope and courage against overwhelming odds in one of the decisive confrontations in the 'Battle of the Bulge'.
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Perfect Valor (Trailer)
Perfect Valor
Narration: Fred Dalton Thompson
Producer: David Bossie
Writer/Director: David C. Taylor
In 2004, coalition forces in Iraq launched Operation Phantom Fury, the battle for control of Fallujah. American troops fought through a city of enemy insurgents, moving house to house and street to street to seize control of the most dangerous city in the world. Perfect Valor is the story of the price paid by U.S. forces and the legacy of that campaign as seen through the eyes of the men and women who were there, risking their lives in service to their country.
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Let Freedom Ring ( Trailer )
George Ciampa, a veteran of five campaigns in Europe diuring WW II ,decided in 2006 at the age of 81 years, to take four Southern California high school history teachers and several WW II vets to Belgium, in the area of the Battle of the Bulge, for the purpose of exposing the teachers to stories from citizens and freedom fighters who lived during the Nazi occupation as well as stories from the vets who served there. The purpose was to film the event emphasizing the importance of FREEDOM and more specifically to show what it is like to lose one's FREEDOM.
Mr Ciampa served with the 607th Graves Registration Company that landed in Normandy during the Invasion and later served in the Battle of the Bulge as well as three other campaigns. For eleven consecutive months from D-Day to the end of the war in Europe, his company gathered the dead on the battlefields without reprieve. He was eighteen years old when he landed in Normandy and has never forgotten the experience of that duty.
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The Way We Get By (Trailer)
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Lioness (Trailer)
When I was a kid, it was considered a huge insult to say “your mother wears combat boots!” They even made a TV movie with the same title. And who can forget the bumbling 1980’s Private Benjamin where Goldie Hawn’s character was initially more interested in shopping and make up than conducting proper drill and ceremony. These were my first images of women in the military. (Naively, I entered West Point thinking it was going to be more like summer camp and less like Full Metal Jacket).
Fast forward 30 years post Judy Benjamin.
Enter the age of “Lioness.” In this gripping documentary, a female solider on foot patrol with the Marines in Iraq is caught up in a deadly firefight against enemy insurgents. In another scene, a female soldier in full combat gear, is searching house to house in enemy territory; patting down the Iraqi women looking for hidden weapons.
Filmmakers Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers bring us the incredible untold story of the first group of women soldiers who were sent into direct ground combat. Through intimate accounts, journal excerpts, and archive footage, this films follows five women who served together for a year in Iraq. With captivating detail, this probing documentary reveals the unexpected course of events that began when US women soldiers were used to defuse tensions among local Iraqi civilians, but resulted in them fighting in some of the bloodiest counterinsurgencies battles of the war.
Lioness bridges the gap between the perception and the reality regarding the role women in the military are playing in Iraq.
Lioness will premiere at the GI Film Festival in May in Washington DC. For more information about the GI Film Festival please visit our website at www.gifilmfestival.com. The GI Film Festival is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization whose mission is to honor the services and sacrifices of the men and women in uniform. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help support our mission.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
I posted about this GI Film Festival last year. I am so glad it is still going strong and they are doing it again this year.
There are many films that are entered, these are just a few of them, but I thought you might like to see the trailers of some of the films entered in the Festival.
....Thank you Marty for reminding me about the GI Film Festival this year.
Marty Rice
US Army
'71 to '74
" ex-treadhead tank commander"
Marty's A Tribute to Veterans....a GREAT article!
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:55 AM | Comments (10)
"10 Ways Obama Is a Direct Threat to Israel" by Aaron Klein
10 ways Obama is a direct threat to Israel
JERUSALEM – The Obama administration is a direct threat to Israel and Middle East regional stability, charges a blockbuster new book released this week.
In "The Late Great State of Israel", author and WND Jerusalem bureau chief Aaron Klein draws urgent attention to the unprecedented, mortal danger that Israel faces.
The subtitle of the book – released yesterday as Israel celebrated its independence – reads, "How enemies within and without threaten the Jewish nation's survival."
In a section of the work, Klein documents more than 10 ways President Obama's policies are likely to cause grave harm to the Jewish state. Prominent among the list are Obama's proposed talks with Iran, his approach toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and his policy toward foes like Syria. Klein shows how these policies and actions may lead to disaster.
Klein also exposes some shocking revelations, such as specific ways the Obama White House is helping to physically divide Jerusalem and exclusive information the U.S. president may open dialogue with the Hamas terrorist organization.
During the recent presidential campaign, Klein broke some of the most important stories about Obama, including the politician's associations with Weatherman terrorist William Ayers and anti-Israel personalities such as PLO supporter Rashid Khalidi. It was during an exclusive interview with Klein that the Hamas terrorist organization infamously endorsed Obama.
Now Klein is back with an emergency message, a clarion call for all supporters of Israel. The great Mideast democracy faces catastrophe, he warns.
"The greatest threat, the one that magnifies all others exponentially, is that only a few in Israel or abroad are aware of the real extent of the dangers facing the Jewish country – both from within and without," writes Klein.
Klein pulls no punches, fingering the Israeli government as often being its own worst enemy. He also shows how policies from the U.S. and international community harm Israel's interests and how Iran, Hamas, Palestinian terrorists and a host of other players are poised to end the Mideast democracy once and for all.
If Israel falls, America will be next in line, argues Klein.
Among the highlights of "The Late Great State of Israel":
How the Israeli government has turned a blind eye as Islamic authorities physically erase archaeological evidence on the Temple Mount, including actual Temple artifacts.
How Jerusalem ALREADY has been divided.
* Is Obama poised to legitimize Hamas terrorists? Plus, how Obama's Mideast policies, including talks with Iran and Syria, threaten the Jewish state and, ultimately, America.
* How Iran is positioning its proxies to wreck havoc on Israel while Tehran inches toward nuclear weapons.
* How the U.N. fuels a fake "refugee crisis" that directly threatens Israel's existence.
* How and why Israel failed in its recent 22-day war in Gaza.
* How the U.S. funds and fuels Mideast terrorism
* How the news media is covering for terrorists and playing a dangerous lying game about the Mideast and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In doing so, how they are emboldening the enemies of the U.S. and Israel
* Israel's peace partner exposed; and much more.
"Unless these perils are countered soon," writes Klein, "the only remnant of the Jewish country may soon be an epitaph: 'The Late, Great State of Israel.'"
Wild Thing's comment.......
I agree, I think Obama all on his own is a threat to Israel.
Obama the church of kill-the-Jews for 20 years.
Obama and his wife palled around with anti-semite Louis Farrakhan.
Obama made explicit, on the record, promises to Palestinian Arab groups.
He has had viriulent anti-zionists in his campaign and has appointed them to positions of power in the government.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:50 AM | Comments (8)
Chrysler Lender Attorney "White House Directly Threatened My Client"
Chrysler Lender Attorney "White House Directly Threatened My Client"
Attorney Tom Lauria who represents a group of lenders that object to the Chrsyler sale says to WJR Frank Beckmann that the Obama White house directly threatened his client
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The interview between WJR’s Frank Beckman and Tom Lauria, attorney for most of (at the moment) Chrysler’s non-TARP creditors snnipet from the transcript :
Beckman: So what’s the matter with your vulture clients who are so greedy and selfish. Why won’t they go along with this?
Lauria: Well, they bought a contract that says that they get paid before anyone else does by Chrysler. And they have been told by the government who is in complete control of Chrysler, oddly enough, that despite their contractual right, they do not get paid before everyone else.
So they are standing on their rights, standing on the law, trying to defend in effect what is the Constitution of the United States, to make sure that they get what they’re entitled to for their investors.
Beckman: Tom, let me make the argument against you in another way. We’ve heard the President say this, "I wouldn’t want to stand on their side." Ron Gettelfinger says "Everyone else has made concessions. These people won’t; they’re greedy." Why not take a concession that is being asked of everybody else and is being accepted by everybody else, including other hedge funds that had bought some of these bonds in Chrysler?
Lauria: Well that’s a great question, because let me tell you it’s no fund standing on this side of the fence opposing the President of the United States. In fact, let me just say, people have asked me who I represent, and that’s a moving target.
I can tell you for sure that I represent one less investor today than I represented yesterday. One of my clients was directly threatened by the White House, and in essence compelled to withdraw its opposition to the deal under threat that the full force of the White House press corps would destroy its reputation if it continued to fight. That’s how hard it is to stand on this side of the fence.
Beckman: Was that Perella Weinberg?
Lauria: That was Perella Weinberg.
Beckman; All right.
Lauria: Now let me just tell you, to be clear, that we do not oppose the rehabilitation of Chrysler. We think it is vitally important that a company like Chrysler be protected to the extent that it can be within the framework of the law. I want to also say that we do not oppose the government backstopping or supporting the pensioneers and retirees and workers of Chrysler.
I actually think that in a troubled economic time like we’re in, that is an appropriate role for the government to perform. What we do oppose, however, is the abuse of the bankruptcy law to coerce first-lien lenders subsidize the rehabilitation of Chrysler or the backstop of the obligations to the pensioneers and retirees beyond what they will do voluntarily.
And just to be clear, these clients of mine have agreed to compromise 50% of their first-lien position to help support the rehabilitation of Chrysler — Contrary to what the President said yesterday in his new conference that "these people will not give to support the effort," they have agreed to compromise 50% of what they’re owed to support the rehabilitation of Chrysler, despite the fact that they’re under no obligation whatsoever to do so.
That is what we stand for, and that is what we’re going to go to court to fight for.
Beckman: OK, so they have offered to take 50 cents on the dollar. What are they being offered in return, and how does that compare to what other stakeholders, say the UAW, are going to be receiving?
Lauria: Here’s the troubling circumstance here. My clients bought a position in the Chrysler capital structure that entitles them to be paid "first dollars out." That is, they’re to be paid 100 cents of what they’re owed before any junior creditors get a penny.
The government has offerend them 29 cents on the dollar, in the context of a restructuring of Chrysler that will send over $10 billion of value to junior claims. And when I say $10 (billion), that’s a floor. As we’re continuing to review the papers that Chrysler has filed in the bankruptcy court, that number may actually be more like $20 billion. So in other words, my clients, who are contractually entitled to 100 cents on the dollar, are being asked to take 29 cents on the dollar, while junior creditors are being offered somewhere between $10-$20 billion of value in the Chrysler rehabilitation.
Now I ask your listeners, what would they do if they were in our position?
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New York Times article
The Lenders Obama Decided to Blame
Peter A. Weinberg and Joseph R. Perella are part of a band of Wall Street renegades — “a small group of speculators,” President Obama called them Thursday — who helped bankrupt Chrysler.
That, anyway, is the Washington line.
In fact, Mr. Weinberg and Mr. Perella, with sparkling Wall Street pedigrees, are the epitome of white-shoe investment bankers. And their boutique investment bank, a latecomer to Chrysler, played only a small role in the slow-motion wreck of the Detroit carmaker.
But now the two men, along with a handful of other financiers, are being blamed for precipitating the bankruptcy of an American icon
As Chrysler’s fate hung in the balance Wednesday night, this group refused to bend to the Obama administration and accept steep losses on their investments while more junior investors, including the United Automobile Workers union, were offered favorable terms.
Chastened, and under intense pressure from the White House, the investment firm run by Mr. Weinberg and Mr. Perella, Perella Weinberg Partners, abruptly reversed course. In a terse statement issued shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, Perella Weinberg Partners announced it would accept the government’s terms.
It was too late.
Wild Thing's comment.......
What attorney Tom Lauria describes is nothing short of chilling. Obama is on the side of the Unions in this and forget about anyone else. His heavy handed deal and threats like this are a disgrace and he is a disgrace.
Mark Levin and Rush too were talking about this on their shows.
Quote from Rush:
"these people hold investments of average people. It's not these two guys single-handedly putting their own money into Chrysler and extending debt to Chrysler. It is people who invested with them. So it's not just these two guys that are going to lose; it's everybody who invested with them, and yet they are portrayed as the villains! Obama favored the UAW at the expense of the bondholders.
I vote that the big banks rolled over 'cause they're scared to death because wherever I go, I don't care who I interact with, they're scared to death of this administration.There is genuine fear of the government from average Americans buying up guns and ammunition like they never have before, to people on Wall Street, to big businesses, there is abject fear. So I vote for number three. We'll never really know. What we do know is that Obama got angry at the holdouts. What we have here is a new Fairness Doctrine, the Obama Fairness Doctrine. Didn't need Congress, didn't need the courts for this. It's not about radio, it's about everything. Here's the scenario. Obama listens to all sides, and all sides end up thinking Obama understands and agrees with them. Obama, after listening to all sides, then plays Solomon and pronounces what's fair. And if you don't accept his fairness -- he-he-he -- you are dispatched to Messiah Park, not Fort Marcy Park, you are dispatched to Messiah Park. Sure, of course the listing is just an exercise. He's got his mind made up. He brings these people in the room just to do a snow job on them to make them think they've got a chance at changing his mind. That's why he had dinner with the conservative columnists. It's all for show; it's all PR. This guy is a committed ideological, liberal leftist who's putting on a show for everybody. "
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:49 AM | Comments (12)
Obama To Harry Reid " I have a gift"
Sen. Reid Says Obama Told Him, 'I Have a Gift'
WASHINGTON -- Everyone knows President Barack Obama can deliver a great speech, including the president himself, according to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
The paperback version of Reid's memoir, "The Good Fight," is coming out May 5 with an epilogue called "The Obama Era." Reid said he was impressed when Obama, then a first-year senator from Illinois, delivered a speech about President George W. Bush's war policy.
Democrat Reid writes: "`That speech was phenomenal, Barack,' I told him. And I will never forget his response. Without the barest hint of braggadocio or conceit, and with what I would describe as deep humility, he said quietly: `I have a gift, Harry."'
A copy of the book's 15-page epilogue was provided to The Associated Press. Reid said in an interview he hesitated about citing Obama's comment because he knew it could be interpreted as bragging.
Wild Thing's comment.........
Satan gave him temporary power. cannot tolerate that sing-song cadence he uses when speaking, with a goofy inflection at the end of every sentence. It screams, “I AM A CON MAN!”.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:48 AM | Comments (7)
FCC Announces May 7 'Diversity Committee' Meeting - Behold a New 'Fairness' Doctrine
FCC Announces May 7 'Diversity Committee' Meeting - Behold a New 'Fairness' Doctrine
Behold one of the new "Fairness" Doctrines - "media diversity" - coming soon to a radio station near you.
President Barack Obama's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released the names of the thirty-one members of their Advisory Committee On Diversity For Communications In The Digital Age. This May 7 gathering is made up of a laundry list of left-wing grievance groups, with a smattering of radio and television companies included to break up the monotony.
Not a single conservative organization is taking part in this Commission - more than a dozen Leftist groups are. A little ironic for a "diversity" panel, is it not?
Chairing the meeting is Henry Rivera, a former FCC Commissioner who was (and presumably still is) a strong proponent of the Censorship Doctrine, also mis-known as the "Fairness" Doctrine.
Many, many liberals in Washington have over the last several years called for a reinstatement of the Doctrine. But push-back from people who have read and actually understand the First Amendment led the Left to realize that the political price to bring it back was too high, so they MovedOn.org.
Of course, their desire to silence the lone voices of their opposition had not lessened in the slightest. They're still just as dictatorial, just pragmatically so.
On February 26, Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin - one of the myriad past "Fairness" Doctrine champions - sponsored an amendment, passed via a 57-41 Party-line vote, which forces the FCC to "take actions to encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership and to ensure that broadcast station licenses are used in the public interest."
About which Durbin said at the time: ""No one is suggesting that the law for the FCC says that you can give this license to a Republican and this one to a Democrat and this one to a liberal and this one to a conservative. When we talk about diversity in media ownership, it relates primarily to gender, race and other characteristics of that nature."
As to his first statement, we have our doubts (see below).
And with the second, Color-Blind-America notion in mind, here is just a fractional listing of the organizational attendees of next week's gathering:
Emma Bowen Foundation for Minority Interests in Media (Rivera's outfit)
Minority Media and Telecommunications Council
Black Entertainment Television Holdings, Inc.
Afro-American Newspapers
Inner City Broadcasting
National Urban League
National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (yes, again, NABOB)
Spanish Broadcasting System
American Women in Radio and Television
Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc.
Asian American Justice Center
Rivera got the gig heading up this racial grumble group because he has long championed the concept of "media diversity."
The proponents of station owner affirmative action are the same Leftists who were so ardently in favor of reinstating the Doctrine. One can thusly be forgiven for seeing this as an alternative route for the Left to reach their long-sought original destination - the silencing of conservative and Christian talk radio via governmental regulatory fiat.
And it's not just our imagination - it's also our lying eyes. The Center for American Progress is a left-wing hack outfit headed by former Clinton Administration and Obama Transition Team adviser John Podesta. And they released on January 22, 2007 a report entitled "Local Media Diversity Matters - Measure Media Diversity According to Democratic Values, Not Market Values."
The name of the report is right up this Committee's alley and instantaneously gives any sensible person the Willies. So anti-free market a title is but a prelude - the recommendations are a series of assaults on the broadcast industry so as to effect their desired ideological outcome - less conservatives on the air.
Many on the Left see the media pantheon as fraught with racism and sexism. And of course the airwaves are dominated by ideological monopol-ism. There are too many white men owning too many radio and television stations that broadcast too many conservatives to suit liberal tastes.
They truly believe the former is the only possible explanation for the latter. The existence of Laura Ingraham, Monica Crowley, Tammy Bruce and other un-white males in the talk radio universe fails to persuade them. Neither does the ratings argument - thems that get the ratings get the airwaves. Conservatives have listeners; liberals do not.
According to the Left, these white male station owners don't put conservatives on the air because they make them money, they put them on the air because they are conservatives. The anti-free speech/anti-free marketeers remain as always steadfastly impervious to facts.
Again, the CAP report's subtitle is "Measure Media Diversity According to Democratic Values, Not Market Values." Why would the Left care about the bottom line of a bunch of white male station owners? There's a media world to be re-made, and these liberals don't care how many billions it it costs these racist-sexist bigots to make it happen. Besides, they deserve to get the shaft; it's only fair.
The broadcast license is of course a station's lifeblood; take it away, or make it impossible to meet the regulatory obligations to keep it, and they are literally out of business. The Left, no longer comfortable with trying the top-down, all-out assault that is the "Fairness" Doctrine, intends instead to silence conservative and Christian talk via this broadcast license manipulation.
If they can succeed in making it impossible for talk radio to operate as a business, talk radio will cease to operate. Leftist problem solved.
"Media diversity" is just the latest Leftist attempt to get this done.
Henry Rivera (Chair) Emma Bowen Foundation for Minority Interests in Media
Barbara Kreisman (Designated Federal Officer) Federal Communications Commission
Jamila Bess Johnson (Deputy Federal Officer) Federal Communications Commission
Carolyn Fleming Williams (Deputy Federal Officer) Federal Communications Commission
Raúl Alarcon, Jr. Spanish Broadcasting System
Jenny Alonzo Mio.TV
James M. Assey, Jr. National Cable and Telecommunications Association
Geoffrey C. Blackwell Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc.
Matthew Blank Showtime Networks
Maria E. Brennan American Women in Radio and Television
Kathy Brown Verizon
Toni Cook Bush Virgin Mobile
Alan B. Davidson Google, Inc.
Ralph de la Vega AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets
Steve Hillard Council Tree Communications
David Honig Minority Media and Telecommunications Council
Rodney Hood National Credit Union Administration
Ronald Johnson Ronson Network Services
Debra Lee BET Holdings, Inc.
Jane Mago National Association of Broadcasters
Robert Mendez ABC Television Network
Marc H. Morial National Urban League
Karen K. Narasaki Asian American Justice Center
Melissa Newman Qwest
Jake Oliver Afro-American Newspapers
Susan K. Patrick Patrick Communications
Lisa Pickrum The RLJ Companies
Rey Ramsey One Economy Corporation
Michael V. Roberts Roberts Broadcasting Companies LLC
Andrew Schwartzman Media Access Project
Anita Stephens Graham Opportunity Capital Partners
Diane Sutter Shooting Star Broadcasting
Charles Warfield Inner City Broadcasting
James Winston National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters
For those that might want to call and express outrage:
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: 1-866-418-0232
E-mail: fccinfo@fcc.gov
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Clarence Thomas : Fairness Doctrine 'unconstitutional'
Fairness Doctrine 'unconstitutional'
Clarence Thomas: Controversial policy 'deep intrusion' into broadcasters' rights
For the first time, a U.S. Supreme Court justice is offering some legal insight about the so-called Fairness Doctrine, suggesting the off-the-books policy could be declared unconstitutional if it's revived and brought before the bench.
In written discussion on yesterday's ruling cracking down on indecent language on television, Justice Clarence Thomas called the policy "problematic" and a "deep intrusion into the First Amendment rights of broadcasters."
The doctrine requiring broadcasters to air opposing viewpoints on controversial issues was brought to an end in the 1980s under the direction of President Ronald Reagan's Federal Communications Commission.
There has been widespread fear, though, the policy could be resurrected during the term of President Barack Obama.
Don't be silent! Sign the petition to block federal government attacks on freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
The Pacific Justice Institute, a California-based legal group specializing in the defense of religious freedom and other civil liberties, is calling the remarks by Thomas "very significant."
"To my knowledge, this is the first time a sitting Supreme Court justice has weighed in on this issue," Matt McReynolds, a PJI staff attorney, told WND.
"It could potentially take a lot of steam out of the movement from those who want to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. It also provides a lot of ammo to those who have been saying it's unconstitutional. Now we have some validation from a member of the court."
Thomas is questioning the viability of Supreme Court precedents dating back to the 1960s, long before the explosion of media sources beyond radio airwaves.
"The text of the First Amendment makes no distinctions among print, broadcast, and cable media, but we have done so," Thomas noted.
"It is certainly true that broadcast frequencies are scarce but it is unclear why that fact justifies content regulation of broadcasting in a way that would be intolerable if applied to the editorial process of the print media."
He also noticed "the number of over-the-air broadcast stations grew from 7,411 in 1969 ... to 15,273 by the end of 2004."
If Congress and the president bring the doctrine back to life, there is no doubt lawsuits will fly.
"We are prepared to take legal action should it be reinstated," said Brad Dacus, president of PJI. "Justice Thomas' opinion is very encouraging to everyone who believes in free speech and government non-interference with public debate."
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Wild Thing's comment........
Importanrt to know too, we do have people on the right fighting back on this from happening, there are several in congress are pushing the fight hard too. Mike Pence for one.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:47 AM | Comments (9)
Middle Georgia Tea Party and Vietnam Veteran Group
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State Representative Tony Sellier speaks at the Middle Georgia Tea Party in Macon, GA, April 15, 2009.
Wild Thing's comment.......
The a great video from Middle, George from the day of the Tea Party, April 15th. I love this one it is one that interviews the people there and you will hear a lot of referrence to DHS and all of us being labeled as terrorists.
.....Thank you Larry for sending this to me.
Larry
tuy hoa nah trang duc pho chu lai
39TH COMBAT ENGRS BN
Dec 66 - Dec 67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:46 AM | Comments (6)
Alaska's 50th Anniversary Chopper
The first part of the video is the part I showed you the other day telling about how American Cholpper was doing a bike for Alaska.
Rodger was so kind to send me this and it has the bike on it, the finished product. Fantastic!!
"Alaska commissioned OCC (Orange County Choppers) to build a custom chopper in honor of its 50 years as a state. Paul confers with Governor Sarah Palin, and funally delivers the goods. I filmed it all for you. "
~ Rodger and his awesome blog is Curmudgeonly & Skeptical blog
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:45 AM | Comments (2)
A Little Of This and That
.....Thank you Chief.
Chief Petty Officer
BM-0164-Assault Boat Coxswain
Vietnam 1964- 1970
1970-1988 US Coast Guard
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....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
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Leg Trying To Steal Bone ( This must be a Democrat dog, I'm thinking Pelosi here. ~ Jack)
....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
United States Army
1965-1971
Vietnam
1968-1969
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:40 AM | Comments (2)
May 01, 2009
A Must Read~ Andrew McCarthy's Letter to Attorney General Holder
Andrew McCarthy's Letter to Attorney General Holder
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Attorney General of the United States
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530-0001
Dear Attorney General Holder:
This letter is respectfully submitted to inform you that I must decline the invitation to participate in the May 4 roundtable meeting the President’s Task Force on Detention Policy is convening with current and former prosecutors involved in international terrorism cases. An invitation was extended to me by trial lawyers from the Counterterrorism Section, who are members of the Task Force, which you are leading.
The invitation email (of April 14) indicates that the meeting is part of an ongoing effort to identify lawful policies on the detention and disposition of alien enemy combatants -- or what the Department now calls “individuals captured or apprehended in connection with armed conflicts and counterterrorism operations.” I admire the lawyers of the Counterterrorism Division, and I do not question their good faith. Nevertheless, it is quite clear -- most recently, from your provocative remarks on Wednesday in Germany -- that the Obama administration has already settled on a policy of releasing trained jihadists (including releasing some of them into the United States). Whatever the good intentions of the organizers, the meeting will obviously be used by the administration to claim that its policy was arrived at in consultation with current and former government officials experienced in terrorism cases and national security issues. I deeply disagree with this policy, which I believe is a violation of federal law and a betrayal of the president’s first obligation to protect the American people. Under the circumstances, I think the better course is to register my dissent, rather than be used as a prop.
Moreover, in light of public statements by both you and the President, it is dismayingly clear that, under your leadership, the Justice Department takes the position that a lawyer who in good faith offers legal advice to government policy makers—like the government lawyers who offered good faith advice on interrogation policy—may be subject to investigation and prosecution for the content of that advice, in addition to empty but professionally damaging accusations of ethical misconduct. Given that stance, any prudent lawyer would have to hesitate before offering advice to the government.
Beyond that, as elucidated in my writing (including my proposal for a new national security court, which I understand the Task Force has perused), I believe alien enemy combatants should be detained at Guantanamo Bay (or a facility like it) until the conclusion of hostilities. This national defense measure is deeply rooted in the venerable laws of war and was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in the 2004 Hamdi case. Yet, as recently as Wednesday, you asserted that, in your considered judgment, such notions violate America’s “commitment to the rule of law.” Indeed, you elaborated, “Nothing symbolizes our [administration’s] new course more than our decision to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay…. President Obama believes, and I strongly agree, that Guantanamo has come to represent a time and an approach that we want to put behind us: a disregard for our centuries-long respect for the rule of law[.]” (Emphasis added.)
Given your policy of conducting ruinous criminal and ethics investigations of lawyers over the advice they offer the government, and your specific position that the wartime detention I would endorse is tantamount to a violation of law, it makes little sense for me to attend the Task Force meeting. After all, my choice would be to remain silent or risk jeopardizing myself.
For what it may be worth, I will say this much. For eight years, we have had a robust debate in the United States about how to handle alien terrorists captured during a defensive war authorized by Congress after nearly 3000 of our fellow Americans were annihilated. Essentially, there have been two camps. One calls for prosecution in the civilian criminal justice system, the strategy used throughout the 1990s. The other calls for a military justice approach of combatant detention and war-crimes prosecutions by military commission. Because each theory has its downsides, many commentators, myself included, have proposed a third way: a hybrid system, designed for the realities of modern international terrorism—a new system that would address the needs to protect our classified defense secrets and to assure Americans, as well as our allies, that we are detaining the right people.
There are differences in these various proposals. But their proponents, and adherents to both the military and civilian justice approaches, have all agreed on at least one thing: Foreign terrorists trained to execute mass-murder attacks cannot simply be released while the war ensues and Americans are still being targeted. We have already released too many jihadists who, as night follows day, have resumed plotting to kill Americans. Indeed, according to recent reports, a released Guantanamo detainee is now leading Taliban combat operations in Afghanistan, where President Obama has just sent additional American forces.
The Obama campaign smeared Guantanamo Bay as a human rights blight. Consistent with that hyperbolic rhetoric, the President began his administration by promising to close the detention camp within a year. The President did this even though he and you (a) agree Gitmo is a top-flight prison facility, (b) acknowledge that our nation is still at war, and (c) concede that many Gitmo detainees are extremely dangerous terrorists who cannot be tried under civilian court rules. Patently, the commitment to close Guantanamo Bay within a year was made without a plan for what to do with these detainees who cannot be tried. Consequently, the Detention Policy Task Force is not an effort to arrive at the best policy. It is an effort to justify a bad policy that has already been adopted: to wit, the Obama administration policy to release trained terrorists outright if that’s what it takes to close Gitmo by January.
Obviously, I am powerless to stop the administration from releasing top al Qaeda operatives who planned mass-murder attacks against American cities—like Binyam Mohammed (the accomplice of “Dirty Bomber” Jose Padilla) whom the administration recently transferred to Britain, where he is now at liberty and living on public assistance. I am similarly powerless to stop the administration from admitting into the United States such alien jihadists as the 17 remaining Uighur detainees. According to National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair, the Uighurs will apparently live freely, on American taxpayer assistance, despite the facts that they are affiliated with a terrorist organization and have received terrorist paramilitary training. Under federal immigration law (the 2005 REAL ID Act), those facts render them excludable from theUnited States. The Uighurs’ impending release is thus a remarkable development given the Obama administration’s propensity to deride its predecessor’s purported insensitivity to the rule of law.
I am, in addition, powerless to stop the President, as he takes these reckless steps, from touting his Detention Policy Task Force as a demonstration of his national security seriousness. But I can decline to participate in the charade.
Finally, let me repeat that I respect and admire the dedication of Justice Department lawyers, whom I have tirelessly defended since I retired in 2003 as a chief assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. It was a unique honor to serve for nearly twenty years as a federal prosecutor, under administrations of both parties. It was as proud a day as I have ever had when the trial team I led was awarded the Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award in 1996, after we secured the convictions of Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman and his underlings for waging a terrorist war against the United States. I particularly appreciated receiving the award from Attorney General Reno—as I recounted in Willful Blindness, my book about the case, without her steadfastness against opposition from short-sighted government officials who wanted to release him, the “blind sheikh” would never have been indicted, much less convicted and so deservedly sentenced to life-imprisonment. In any event, I’ve always believed defending our nation is a duty of citizenship, not ideology. Thus, my conservative political views aside, I’ve made myself available to liberal and conservative groups, to Democrats and Republicans, who’ve thought tapping my experience would be beneficial. It pains me to decline your invitation, but the attendant circumstances leave no other option.
Very truly yours,
ISI
Andrew C. McCarthy
cc: Sylvia T. Kaser and John DePue
National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section
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He has defended the practice of waterboarding as not necessarily being torture in some situations to prosecute the War on Terror whilst admitting that "waterboarding is close enough to torture that reasonable minds can differ on whether it is torture".
During the 2008 Presidential election campaign, Andrew McCarthy has written a number of posts on the National Review's Corner stating that he thinks that the Democratic Presidential candidate is not serious about protecting U.S. national security against threats from radical Islam and elsewhere, and that Obama has a number of troubling ties and associations with leftist radicals.
In an opinion posted on the blog 'the Corner' on 10/22/08 Mr. McCarthy wrote "I believe that the issue of Obama's personal radicalism, including his collaboration with radical, America-hating Leftists, should have been disqualifying."
Wild Thing's comment...... This IS chilling....I heard Rush read this letter and it gave me goosebumps. To hear someone speak up to Obama and Holden like this is no less then awesome. "he Justice Department takes the position that a lawyer who in good faith offers legal advice to government policy makers—like the government lawyers who offered good faith advice on interrogation policy—may be subject to investigation and prosecution for the content of that advice, in addition to empty but professionally damaging accusations of ethical misconduct. . . . I deeply disagree with this policy, which I believe is a violation of federal law and a betrayal of the president’s first obligation to protect the American people. " "I am similarly powerless to stop the administration from admitting into the United States such alien jihadists as the 17 remaining Uighur detainees. According to National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair, the Uighurs will apparently live freely, on American taxpayer assistance, despite the facts that they are affiliated with a terrorist organization and have received terrorist paramilitary training. Under federal immigration law (the 2005 REAL ID Act), those facts render them excludable from the United States. The Uighurs’ impending release is thus a remarkable development given the Obama administration’s propensity to deride its predecessor’s purported insensitivity to the rule of law. I am, in addition, powerless to stop the President, as he takes these reckless steps, from touting his Detention Policy Task Force as a demonstration of his national security seriousness. But I can decline to participate in the charade"
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:55 PM
| Comments (14)
Moving quickly to release Chinese Uighur terrorists into the United States, Obama administration officials have -- for the second time -- overridden objections of federal agencies responsible for national security. The first time -- as I reported on April 20 -- the White House overrode the inter-agency panel it created from all the national security agencies to review all the cases of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners. That panel found that the seventeen Uighurs -- members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement captured at an al-Queda training camp in Pakistan -- were too dangerous to release in the United States. Now -- according to a federal agency source who requested anonymity -- the White House has also overridden opposition to the release from both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. Beginning yesterday and continuing today, Obama administration officials are briefing key members of Congress on the release, which may happen as early as next week.
Wild Thing's comment....... Unfreakinbelievable, this is despicable. Muslim Obama is declaring war on the United States without firing a shot. Add one more impeachable offense against Hussein Obama. First the release of the CIA interrogations memos, now this, this month of May will also be the pictures release of captured terrorists and the fabricated lies that they have been tortured. He started the week with a terrorist fly-over of downtown NYC and he's heading into the final stretch by overriding the FBI and DHS on Uighur release in the U.S. His terrorist supporters are getting good bang for their buck so far. IMPEACH HIM, because he is abandoning the oath of office to protect America! Everything he does is more and more proof he is on the side of the terrorists. He's not stupid, it's deliberate, he hates and detests everything America has stood for and so do the politicians in power behind him in congress. They will stop at nothing to destroy our country and our rights. Our constitution is a roll of toilet paper for them. The black letters on paper meaningless, since it is a “living breathing document”. I do not believe this usurper is a natural born American citizen. I do not see this heading anywhere good, and I believe the man is laughing at all of us, including those who voted for him. The Muslim, White House squatter is the most dangerous person in our country.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:55 AM
| Comments (12)
"Given your policy of conducting ruinous criminal and ethics investigations of lawyers over the advice they offer the government, and your specific position that the wartime detention I would endorse is tantamount to a violation of law, it makes little sense for me to attend the Task Force meeting. After all, my choice would be to remain silent or risk jeopardizing myself. "
For me this letter was the best thing I have read for years. He gets right to the point and tells exactly how it is with Obama and his agenda. The dangers, the distrust, the threat to America, so many things.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Obama Overrides FBI and DHS on Gitmo Release
by Jed Babbin There apparently has been no decision on where the Uighurs will be turned loose. Earlier reports suggested they could be released in Alexandria, Virginia or Washington, D.C.
ABC Outs Psychologists Who Developed CIA Waterboarding Program
ABC's Brian Ross, Matthew Cole, and Joseph Rhee have exposed Them and their families are at dire risk now.
ABC's Shame
ABC runs a report showing the names and faces of two CIA contractors who may have had a role in the waterboarding of KSM and Abu Zubaydah. The network apparently outsourced this report to a freelancer named Matthew Cole, whose record in Nexis includes just three bylines -- two stories for Salon (one of which about "how Bush administration aid to Pakistan helps fund insurgents who kill U.S. troops"), and one for the San Jose Mercury News just two days after 9/11 reporting "anxiety about a backlash" among Muslims, who assure the reporter that the attack "has nothing to do with Islam."
In other words, Cole is a left-wing partisan with questionable reporting chops. This is obvious from the quality of the story tonight. Cole repeats the now throughly debunked claim that Zubaydah and KSM were waterboarded 83 and 183 times respectively. He posts video of the two refusing to answer questions in what is staged as a faux perp walk with no discernible news value other than to portray them as criminals. And, most amazingly, Cole indicts the two men for not having any experience prior to their work for the CIA -- as though being "previously involved in the U.S. military program to train pilots how to survive behind enemy lines and resist brutal tactics" isn't relevant.
ABC's conduct here, exposing two men who will now become obvious targets for terrorists and left-wing extremists, is deplorable. Will the Obama administration investigate who leaked their identities? Or is it now open-season on Americans who were only doing what their government asked of them in order to protect their country from attack?
ABC news it is a 3 page article, pleaae click link to read it there, thank you.
ABC’s piece is about how these two guys masterminded the CIA’s program — while allegedly not really knowing what they were doing.Both Mitchell and Jessen were previously involved in the U.S. military program to train pilots how to survive behind enemy lines and resist brutal tactics if captured.
But it turns out neither Mitchell nor Jessen had any experience in conducting actual interrogations before the CIA hired them.
“They went to two individuals who had no interrogation experience,” said Col. Kleinman. “They are not interrogators.”
The new documents show the CIA later came to learn that the two psychologists’ waterboarding “expertise” was probably “misrepresented” and thus, there was no reason to believe it was “medically safe” or effective. The waterboarding used on al Qaeda detainees was far more intense than the brief sessions used on U.S. military personnel in the training classes.
“The use of these tactics tends to increase resistance on the part of the detainee to cooperating with us. So they have the exact opposite effect of what you want,” said Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich).
The new memos also show waterboarding was used “with far greater frequency than initially indicated” to even those in the CIA.
At the LINK OF THE STORY...... to see revenge motive here by ABC
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Wild Thing's comment.........
ABC News just pushed these two men to the top of Al Qaeda’s hit list. If anything happens to them, Brian Ross will have their blood on his pathetic hands.
God bless Mark Levin, he talked about this on his show and he was screaming and cussing about it.
Over on Drudge it was titled:
ABCNEWS OUTS 'ARCHITECTS' BEHIND CIA WATERBOARDING, INTERROGATIONS... NAMES NAMES, SHOWS THEIR FACES...
ABC meant to endanger these people. While all this is going on violence in Iraq and Pakistan is ramping up. The terrorists have to be encouraged by the turn of US politics aided by the media.
When we are successfully attacked again, the reason for our enemies' success will be because of malignant fools like Brian Ross and Co., who apparently don't believe in self defense.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:50 AM | Comments (11)
Obama's War on Free Speech
Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are intent on nationalizing media in the U.S. much the same way they nationalized the U.S. auto industry and the nation's banking and financial institutions.
This isn't the so-called "Fairness Doctrine."
It's much worse.
Here's what you can expect in the coming weeks and months:
* a new appointment to the position of chairman of the Federal Communications Commission who will implement a plan to create "community advisory boards" of community activists to monitor the content of talk-radio programs, threatening stations that carry dissenting content with broadcast license challenges;
* billions of additional dollars to be invested in so-called "public broadcasting" – those entities already funded and controlled by government;
* bailouts of failing newspapers perceived as essential propaganda tools for the party.
It's a program worthy of the old Soviet Union – where the old joke noted there was no truth in Pravda and no news in Izvestia.
But this is no joking matter.
The First Amendment is at stake.
The FCC is currently composed of two Democrat and two Republican commissioners. Obama has nominated a new chairman, Julius Genachowski, which would give Democrats a 3-2 majority once he is confirmed.
But the nominee is not just another Democrat. He's a Democrat with a plan.
Genachowski advocates creating new media ownership rules that promote a diversity of voices on the airwaves. In fact, Genachowski is credited with helping craft the Obama technology agenda, which states:
"Encourage diversity in the ownership of broadcast media, promote the development of new media outlets for expression of diverse viewpoints, and clarify the public interest obligations of broadcasters who occupy the nation's spectrum."
Translation? Government control of broadcast media – particularly the kind of talk radio Democrats find so annoying.
The party in power wants to remain in power perpetually. And to do so, like so many other power-hungry parties of the past, it seeks to control the debate and stifle dissent.
Because the party in power looks to National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting System as the models of fairness and balance, look for massive new "investments" in these official voices.
And, lastly, look for the bailout model to be used to keep the party's choice newspapers on life support.
Just last week, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., all but assured employees of the deeply troubled Boston Globe, a newspaper owned by the New York Times, that he will not allow the paper to go out of business despite falling revenues.
All of these may seem like unrelated developments. But they are not. They are part of a sophisticated plan to socialize the media – preserving with taxpayer dollars failing media institutions that support the party in power and using the coercive power of government to crush those media institutions that are critical of the party in power.
The plot was not hatched inside the White House or even in the halls of Congress. It was developed by John Nichols of the Nation magazine and Robert McChesney, a self-described neo-Marxist media theoretician.
The essence of their program – "the need to promote an understanding of the urgency to assert public control over the media."
"Our claim is simply that the media system produces vastly less quality than it would if corporate and commercial pressures were lessened," they wrote in "Our Media, Not Theirs: The Democratic Struggle Against Corporate Media."
Amazingly, they cite the founders' commitment to a free press as their inspiration.
I guess they forgot to absorb the literal meaning of the First Amendment that begins: "Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech or of the press. …"
That's the origin of the game plan.
You can watch it unfold soon.
Or, you can put your foot down and say boldly, "Not with my money, you don't."
Wild Thing's comment........
Hussein and his people understand the First and Second Amendments, implicitly. What they understand the most, is that those Rights stand in their path to totalitarian rule. As such, they also understand that those amendments must be subverted, any way possible. Without free speech, there is no true dissent. Without dissent, Obama has total control.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:48 AM | Comments (12)
Supreme Court Justice David Souter to Retire
Souter to Retire From Supreme Court
Supreme Court Justice David Souter has reportedly decided to retire from the Supreme Court, a move that will provide President Barack Obama his first opportunity to nominate someone to the nation's highest court.
The White House has been told that Souter will retire in June, when the court finishes its work for the summer, a source familiar with his plans said Thursday night. He almost certainly would remain on the bench until a successor is confirmed.
Souter, 69, is widely regarded as one of the most liberal members of the bench. As such, his departure would not likely lead to a significant change in the close idealogical split that currently defines the Court.
A number of Souter's former law clerks reached late Thursday night were unaware of the news and said they had no advance knowledge of Souter's departure. "A tremendous loss," says Georgetown University law professor Rebecca Tushnet who clerked for Souter a decade ago.
Just a few weeks ago at a speech in Washington, Souter described his annual ritual of preparing for the upcoming Supreme Court term as "a lobotomy of the mind." That comment suggesting the Court's business was intellectually listless combined with the fact that he had yet to hire clerks for the upcoming fall term prompted much speculation that he would step down.
Souter's presence in the current liberal block of the Court is a long-standing matter of frustration for conservatives who feel his appointment in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush — a Republican — was a missed opportunity.
Wild Thing's comment.......
And so it begins.... with the Judges.
Can we hope the replacement can be delayed for 3 1/2 years until Obama is voted out of office ???
Just a thought..... yes I know, that won't happen.
I could say it will be a very liberal Judge replaced by another very liberal Judge. Except for one thing, if we
use the ruler on what Obama would do, the Judge Obama will pick will be off the charts a very liberal Judge.
He has not picked one person yet for anything that is not a communist, nut case that wants to destroy our country.
Soros will let him know who to pick probably.
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:47 AM | Comments (4)
'Arctic blast' Against Free Speech Coming
Censors for talk radio expected within 90 days
Leader of public awareness campaign warns of 'Arctic blast' against free speech
The leader of a newly formed public awareness campaign to alert U.S. citizens about an effort to stifle free speech says he expects local "boards" will be assembled within 90 days to begin censoring talk radio, a move that will come as an "Arctic blast" against the expression of opinion in the United States.
WND reported just days ago on a meeting at which more than two dozen principals of the nation's top talk radio shows held a private strategy meeting to discuss government plans to squelch critical political speech on radio.
Organized by Brad O'Leary, author of the new book, "Shut Up, America! The End of Free Speech," and Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WND, the group chose one attendee to be spokesman and chairman of the coalition – syndicated host Roger Hedgecock of San Diego.
The American Radio Free Speech Foundation was adopted as the name, and leaders now have announced a public awareness campaign and educational initiative, called Don't Touch My Dial.
The announcement said the U.S. now is facing "an insidious attack on its First Amendment Rights that is being cloaked in legislation and regulation evidenced by the recently circulated draft FCC regulations … to impose 'localism' and 'media ownership diversity' on talk radio."
"In addition, under the guise of 'cyberspace security,' Sens. Rockefeller, Snowe and Nelson have introduced S773 which would, critics say, give the federal government control over the Internet including, under emergency conditions, the right of the president to shut down the whole Internet or sites on it, including the interruption of e-mail," the announcement said.
"When the public is informed about what is happening behind the scenes to threaten their First Amendment rights, they will be outraged. As shown in a recent poll that was commissioned by the coalition and is part of the 'Zogby/O'Leary Report's First 100 Days Poll' when 3,937 voters from the last election were asked: 'Four members of the U.S. Senate recently introduced a bill that would allow the president of the United States to turn off the Internet nationally in the event of an emergency, however the Bill does not DEFINE what constitutes an emergency. Do you support or oppose this bill?'" the announcement said.
Roger Hedgecock told WND that most people simply don't understand what the government appears to be demanding.
"I think the FCC is on the cusp of enacting regulations that would fundamentally alter the traditional American assumption that we have the right to share and debate political opinions," he said.
"I believe the strategy is to make the current state of compliant journalism that prevails in the mainstream media the norm as well on the Internet and in talk radio," he said.
And it's coming soon.
"I think in the next 90 days we will see the imposition of the local advisory boards. They will immediately become complaint departments staffed by the Left on all local and nationally syndicate talk programs," Hedgecock warned.
The underlying threat, of course, would be to the license the business needs to operate as a radio station.
"The threats of those complaints to the viability of the underlying station licenses will be immediate and will force corporations that own these stations into a very defensive posture," he said.
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Wild Thing's comment......
This is all overwhelming, I get emails from Roger Hedgecock, I signed up for them at his website for his talk show. I seldom get to hear his talk show so this way I can still stay informed. He has been talking about this for days and is on fire about it. Thank God.
I have no idea who the other talk show hosts were at the meeting but I am sooo glad they had a meeting.
This article in WND has a lot more infomation that we need to be aware of. Thank God we can have articles like this one and others. At least so far.
"WND reported just days ago on a meeting at which more than two dozen principals of the nation's top talk radio shows held a private strategy meeting to discuss government plans to squelch critical political speech on radio. "
This was my post about this:
Nation's Talkers Meet On 'imminent threat'
.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:45 AM | Comments (4)
Excellent GOP Ad ~ " Do You Feel Safer?"
John Boehner thinks the road back for the GOP begins with the issue of national security. And they are coming out swinging.
Here is Boehner explaining that Obama's policy for dealing with terrorism is literally unknown and that a lack of a coherent strategy, leaves the United States wide open for attack.
The ad helpfully reminds the public how chummy Obama is with Totalitarian thugs like Chavez and how he bows and scrapes to foreign leaders, while at the same time dismantling our ability to interrogate and detain the people who would kill us all.
Ads like this are great for two reasons. First, they are accurate. Making "friends" with your countries enemies and hoping we can all just get along, is a recipe for a knife in the back. Normal people will recognize that risk when they see it. Second, these ads remind people that George W. Bush kept kept the country safe for 7 years without so much as a trash can blowing up at a mall. This sets the bar at maximum height for Obama. He has to pitch a no-hitter. One terrorist strike, of any kind, and the GOP can say, "See, we told you this guy can't be trusted."
Posted by Wild Thing at 06:44 AM | Comments (4)
Toby Keith Entertains Troops in Afghanistan
Country music performer Toby Keith, right, grabs the outstretched hand of U.S. Air Force 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Senior Airman Brent Contratto during a concert for U.S. military service members at Balad Air Base, Iraq, April 28, 2008, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter
Country singer/songwriter Toby Keith salutes more than 1,000 service members who came to see his concert at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, April 27. This was Keith’s seventh tour with the United Service Organizations. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Michael Greenberger
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan
by Capt. Michael Greenberger
Country singer and troop supporter Toby Keith finished up a 15-show tour in Afghanistan yesterday as he drew near the end of his seventh tour with the United Service Organizations.
Keith spent five days criss-crossing the war-torn country visiting bases large and small in a whirlwind of handshakes, autographs, photo-ops and of course – country music shows.
Whether it’s hundreds of Marines at Camp Bastion or a crowd of thousands at Kandahar Air Field, countless hours of preparation and manpower go into making each show special.
“It’s a three-pronged attack,” said Rachel Tischler, USO vice president of entertainment operations. “The crews get to work setting everything up for the larger shows as most of the band goes to see people at the larger bases. While they are doing that, [Toby] and a few others visit the more remote locations.”
Keith’s tour visited Forward Operating Bases Tillman and Boris, near the Pakistan border, in addition to the larger bases, like FOBs Sharana and Salerno.
“It was important to Toby and the crew to visit as many of the smaller, remote locations as possible,” said Tischler. “Never mind getting entertainers – some of them don’t have running water!”
Keith, was taught early on to respect the military and those who serve in it.
“My father was a soldier. He taught his kids to respect veterans,” said Keith. “It’s that respect and the thank-you that we have a military that’s in place and ready to defend our nation; our freedom.”
Since 2002, Keith and company have visited war zones, military bases and ships at sea to bring a little levity and light into the lives of those in harm’s way. He loves his job, he said.
“It’s a break from the monotony in their life,” Keith said of his duty to the troops. “They’re under fire and tremendous workloads trying to accomplish their goals, so when we show up, it changes that for a little while. We try to put smiles on their faces.”
According to the roaring crowd in the “clamshell tent” on Bagram, he succeeded.
“The energy level was so high,” said Army Spc. Jennifer Cook. “It brought all the soldiers in, no matter what kind of music they liked.”
Keith’s forte is playing country music. He’s been doing it for more than 23 years. Some of the hits he poured into the night sky over Afghanistan have been staples of country music for years – as well as favorites of those in uniform, such as “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” and “American Soldier.”
Written after his first visit to Iraq, “American Soldier” is a tribute to service members everywhere. Keith salutes military mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters -- ordinary people all over who volunteer to serve their country and give their lives for it if necessary. Keith took many of his first interactions with the military in Iraq, such as a remembrance ceremony for a fallen service member, and turned it into something many could understand.
“Those kinds of things just bore into your soul,” Keith said. “I would have never been able to complete ‘American Soldier’ if it weren’t for the experiences I had.”
The troops appreciate Keith just as much as he appreciated them.
“This show was awesome,” said Air Force Senior Airman Patrick McGuire. “I saw Toby Keith stateside and it was smoky and the crowd was just different. Here, it’s like he was here for us, not just a show. It just felt like he was here for us.”
Keith doesn’t just raise spirits though, he raises awareness too.
“It’s great to be supported by someone in the music business,” Cook said. “It also keeps us on people’s minds back home.”
Keith ended more than an hour of guitar whompin’, foot stompin’ music with a promise he’s echoed over 150 times: “I’ll see you next year.”
Wild Thing's comment......
More good feeling spreading around and lots of thank you's and appreciation for our awesome troops! Yesss that makes me so happy!!!
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:40 AM | Comments (4)
“When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,” - VP Dick Cheney
A toast to each of you 
