GlobalSecurity.org has some before and after satellite images of the devastation caused by the tsunami. The video on TV really doesn't give you a sense of the destruction like these images do.
Hat tip to The Templar Pundit.
Friday, December 31, 2004
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Orson Scott Card to write Ulitmate Iron Man
Marvel Comics has announced the Sci-Fi legend Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game) will be penning their new Ulitmate Iron Man title. Art will be by Andy Kubert (1602). The book is slated for launch in March 2005. I'll be adding this one to my collection.
The Today Show with Matt Lauer and Ann Curry?
Katie Couric, co-anchor of NBC's Today Show, has been on vacation this week, and I certainly haven't missed watching America's Sweetheart at all.
I read all the time on the internet and blogs about campaigns to boycott Target or Ocean's Twelve so forth and so on.
How about we start a campaign to get Katie Couric replaced with Ann Curry, the current news anchor?
I find Ann Curry much more personable and has a great chemistry with the other co-anchor, Matt Lauer. Ann usually fill in for Couric when she is out, so she has the co-anchor experience. Katie should be the news anchor, so we would only see her at the top of each half hour for five minutes or less.
And even that would be too much.
I read all the time on the internet and blogs about campaigns to boycott Target or Ocean's Twelve so forth and so on.
How about we start a campaign to get Katie Couric replaced with Ann Curry, the current news anchor?
I find Ann Curry much more personable and has a great chemistry with the other co-anchor, Matt Lauer. Ann usually fill in for Couric when she is out, so she has the co-anchor experience. Katie should be the news anchor, so we would only see her at the top of each half hour for five minutes or less.
And even that would be too much.
2005 Predictions by NRO
The fine folks over at National Review Online have made their predictions for 2005. Some hightlights:
Iran will test a Bomb.
Some moderate will take over leadership of the Palestinian Arabs... and be assassinated by Hamas.
Dan Rather will leave CBS entirely, in part because the internal investigation of Memogate will be too embarrassing to allow his continued tenure at precisely the organ which committed these travesties.
NBC's "Must See" TV will be renamed "Must Saw" by critics and comics as its ratings continue to slide.
Iran will test a Bomb.
Some moderate will take over leadership of the Palestinian Arabs... and be assassinated by Hamas.
Dan Rather will leave CBS entirely, in part because the internal investigation of Memogate will be too embarrassing to allow his continued tenure at precisely the organ which committed these travesties.
NBC's "Must See" TV will be renamed "Must Saw" by critics and comics as its ratings continue to slide.
We find Osama bin Laden, dead.
Major liberals will start admitting that Maureen Dowd is an embarrassment.
The Red Sox will be accursed again — all will be right in the World Series world.
West Wing ends.
Despite whining about American free-speech restraints, Michael Moore, Susan Sarandan, Barbra Streisand & co. will remain free to espouse silly political ideas.
Howard Dean will not become DNC chairman.
Ahmad Chalabi will make a comeback.
John Edwards will not.
Michael Moore will put on a little weight.
New Life for the Left?
Victor Davis Hanson's latest piece is up at NRO.com. His thoughts on how the Left can get a new lease on life.
What has happened? Sometime around the 1980s, the Right saw the demise of the Soviet Union as an opportunity to evolve beyond realpolitik to promote not just anti-Communism but grassroots democracy, coupled with free-market globalism from Eastern Europe to Latin America and Asia. In contrast, the hard Left stayed in its knee-jerk suspicion of the West and continued to give a pass to authoritarians from Cuba to Iran who professed socialism, thinking that the world was a static zero-sum game in which somebody's gain spelled another's loss — oblivious that real wealth could be created by a change of mentality and technology and not mere exploitation.
As the old politics lie in ruin from hypocrisy and incoherence, the Left needs to get a new life. Here are a few more suggestions:
- Remember that multilateral inaction — whether in the Balkans, Rwanda, or Darfur — is often calculated, selfish, and far more lethal to millions than risky interventions like removing the Taliban and Saddam.
- Quit idolizing Europe. It was a far larger arms merchant to Saddam than was the United States; it supplied most of Dr. Khan’s nuclear laboratory; it financed much of the Oil-for-Food scandal; and it helped to create and tolerate the Balkans genocide. It has never freed any country or intervened to remove fascism and leave behind democracy — silly American notions that are to be caricatured except when it is a matter of saving Europeans.
- Stop seeing an all-powerful United States behind every global problem. China is on the move and far more likely to disrupt environmental protocols, cheat on trade accords, and bully neighbors. The newly expanded Europe has a larger population and aggregate economy, stronger currency, and far less in trade and budget debts than does the United States — and is already using that economic clout for its own interests, not global freedom from dictators and autocrats.
- Don't believe much of what the U.N. says anymore. Its secretary general is guilty of either malfeasance or incompetence, its soldiers are often hired thugs who terrorize those they are supposed to protect, and its resolutions are likely to be anti-democratic and anti-Semitic. Its members include dozens of nations whose odious representatives we would not let walk inside the doors of the U.S. Congress. The old idea of a United Nations was inspiring, the current reality chilling.
- Stop seeing socialists and anti-Americans as Democrats. When a Michael Moore compares beheaders to our own Minutemen and laments that too many Democrats were in the World Trade Center, he deserves no platform alongside Wesley Clark or a seat next to Jimmy Carter or praise for his pseudo-dramas from high Democrats. Firebrands like Al Sharpton and Michael Moore are the current leftist equivalents of 1950s right-wing extremists like the John Birchers. They should suffer the same fate of ostracism, not bemused and tacit approval.
- Ignore most grim international reports that show the United States as stingy, greedy, or uncaring based on some esoteric formula that makes a Sweden or Denmark out as the world's savior. Such "studies" always ignore aggregate dollars and look at per capita public giving, and yet somehow ignore things like over $100 billion to Afghanistan and Iraq or $15 billion pledged to fight AIDS in Africa. These academic white papers likewise forget private donations, because most of the American billionaires who give to global causes of various sorts do so as either individuals or through foundations. No mention is made of the hundred of millions that are handled by American Christian charities. And the idea of a stingy America never mentions about $200 billion of the Pentagon's budget, which does things like keeping the Persian Gulf open to world commerce; protecting Europe; ensuring that the Aegean is free of shooting and that the waters between China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan are relatively tranquil; and stopping nasty folk like the Taliban and Saddam from blowing up more Buddha monuments, desecrating Babylon, or ruining the ecology of the Tigris-Euphrates wetlands.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas everyone. Off for the next couple of days to celebrate Christmas with various family members.
I love my cat...
...but $50,000 to have him cloned seems a bit extreme. Now, I am no tree-hugging, sign-waving animal rights activists, but they seem to have a point on this one. $50,000 could supply lots of homes and neutering for the thousands of strays that get euthanized each year.
$66,334
The total cost of all 364 items given in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. $4,400 is the cost of nine ladies dancing for a single day, which is the most expensive gift. (Courtesy of Time)
Monday, December 20, 2004
Like trying to find a needle in a haystack, counting on the fact you are looking in the right one
A marine explorer is trying to find a proverbial needle in a very large haystack, namely the Pacific Ocean. The needle is Amelia Earhart's airplane that disappeared 70 years ago. And the explorer is from my own beloved state of Maine. From the article:
At 17,000 feet beneath the surface, the temperature of ocean water is just above freezing, oxygen is sparse and currents are relatively calm. In other words, ideal conditions for preserving an airplane that might have crashed into the depths nearly 70 years ago, according to marine explorer David Jourdan, who hopes to answer one of aviation's greatest mysteries — the fate of famed pilot Amelia Earhart.
Jourdan and his Maine-based company, Nauticos, plan to launch an expedition in the spring using sonar to sweep a 1,000-square-mile swath of ocean bottom west of tiny Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean.
It is the latest in a string of missions to learn what happened to Earhart when she, her navigator and their Lockheed Electra plane disappeared on a flight around the world.
"Things tend to last a time" in the deep ocean, said Jourdan. "Our expectation is the plane will be largely, if not completely, intact."
That is, if the plane is even in the ocean.
There is a host of theories about what befell Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan in 1937 as they made one of the final legs of their widely heralded flight. Some have searched the sea, believing the plane ran out of gas. Others think she survived a crash landing but died on a deserted island. Another theory is that the Japanese captured and executed her. The conspiracy-minded claim Earhart survived and lived out her life under an assumed name as a New Jersey housewife.
This much is agreed on — Earhart and Noonan vanished July 2, 1937, as they approached an air strip on Howland Island, roughly midway between Australia and Hawaii. They had taken off from Papua New Guinea, just 7,000 miles short of their goal to make Earhart the first woman to fly around the world.
The chances are slim, but I hope he finds it.
At 17,000 feet beneath the surface, the temperature of ocean water is just above freezing, oxygen is sparse and currents are relatively calm. In other words, ideal conditions for preserving an airplane that might have crashed into the depths nearly 70 years ago, according to marine explorer David Jourdan, who hopes to answer one of aviation's greatest mysteries — the fate of famed pilot Amelia Earhart.
Jourdan and his Maine-based company, Nauticos, plan to launch an expedition in the spring using sonar to sweep a 1,000-square-mile swath of ocean bottom west of tiny Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean.
It is the latest in a string of missions to learn what happened to Earhart when she, her navigator and their Lockheed Electra plane disappeared on a flight around the world.
"Things tend to last a time" in the deep ocean, said Jourdan. "Our expectation is the plane will be largely, if not completely, intact."
That is, if the plane is even in the ocean.
There is a host of theories about what befell Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan in 1937 as they made one of the final legs of their widely heralded flight. Some have searched the sea, believing the plane ran out of gas. Others think she survived a crash landing but died on a deserted island. Another theory is that the Japanese captured and executed her. The conspiracy-minded claim Earhart survived and lived out her life under an assumed name as a New Jersey housewife.
This much is agreed on — Earhart and Noonan vanished July 2, 1937, as they approached an air strip on Howland Island, roughly midway between Australia and Hawaii. They had taken off from Papua New Guinea, just 7,000 miles short of their goal to make Earhart the first woman to fly around the world.
The chances are slim, but I hope he finds it.
The Silent Majority
Arthur Chrenkoff has a round up of the good news out of Iraq for the last couple of weeks. Here are some numbers to ponder:
The election campaign officially kicked off on Dec. 15, the day voter registration finished across Iraq. In the words of the current prime minister, Iyad Allawi, who announced his candidacy at the head of his Iraqi National Accord movement: "We strongly reject the injustice and separation of the past and we are working towards national unity." Allawi called the election a "precious dream."
Iraqis seem to agree. The latest poll of 5,000 people in and around Baghdad suggests that an overwhelming majority are prepared to make a clean break with the past and pursue democracy--now. Some of the specific results:
What will you base your vote on?
Political agenda - 65%
Factional origin - 14%
Party Affiliation - 4%
National Background - 12%
Other reasons - 5%
Do you support dialog with the deposed Baathists?
Yes - 15%
No - 84%
Do not know - 1%
Do you support postponing the election?
Yes - 18%
No - 80%
Do not know - 2%
Do you think the elections will take place as scheduled?
Yes - 83%
No - 13%
Do not know - 4%
This is good news as the violence against the inhabitants of Iraq is increasing, with the latest attack killing 62 and injuring 120. But the people of Iraq will prevail, not without some casualties, but in the end they want to experience the greatness of democracy and change the tyranny that they have been living under for so long.
The election campaign officially kicked off on Dec. 15, the day voter registration finished across Iraq. In the words of the current prime minister, Iyad Allawi, who announced his candidacy at the head of his Iraqi National Accord movement: "We strongly reject the injustice and separation of the past and we are working towards national unity." Allawi called the election a "precious dream."
Iraqis seem to agree. The latest poll of 5,000 people in and around Baghdad suggests that an overwhelming majority are prepared to make a clean break with the past and pursue democracy--now. Some of the specific results:
What will you base your vote on?
Political agenda - 65%
Factional origin - 14%
Party Affiliation - 4%
National Background - 12%
Other reasons - 5%
Do you support dialog with the deposed Baathists?
Yes - 15%
No - 84%
Do not know - 1%
Do you support postponing the election?
Yes - 18%
No - 80%
Do not know - 2%
Do you think the elections will take place as scheduled?
Yes - 83%
No - 13%
Do not know - 4%
This is good news as the violence against the inhabitants of Iraq is increasing, with the latest attack killing 62 and injuring 120. But the people of Iraq will prevail, not without some casualties, but in the end they want to experience the greatness of democracy and change the tyranny that they have been living under for so long.
The Blogs Vs. Rather
La Shawn Barber over at NRO highlights some of the Blogosphere’s lesser known stars and their roll in the now infamous RatherGate.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
I'm Alive! But just barely.
Sorry, there hasn't been any posts this week. I have slipped in the TTLB Ecosystem from An Adorable Little Rodent to a Flappy Bird and my average daily hits is abysmal (Why wouldn't be? Nobody wants the same old stuff to read everyday.) Between my regular job, a birthday party for my mother-in-law, three Christmas parties, a DVD project, several photo restorations, and reading The Stand (I'm on page 749), there hasn't been much time to breathe let alone blog. I love Christmas, but as I get older, this time of year just gets busier and I get more tired out. But this is the real reason for the season, for which I am glad.
Here is something I plan to check out in the near future. I was reading my latest issue of Photographic, and I came across an ad for MPIX.com. They print digital images for you on what looks like some spectacular paper, and the prices don't seem that bad, especially for professionally printed images.
Here is something I plan to check out in the near future. I was reading my latest issue of Photographic, and I came across an ad for MPIX.com. They print digital images for you on what looks like some spectacular paper, and the prices don't seem that bad, especially for professionally printed images.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Oh what fun! The longer you wait, the bigger the splat! Some people obviously have way too much time on their hands.
Monday, December 13, 2004
I'm lost. I've been infected by Captain Trips.
A few weeks ago, Hugh Hewitt pondered whether there were any modern novels worth reading more than once and asked for suggestions. One of my own suggestions was The Stand by Stephen King.
Well, I started reading The Stand this morning, and King has his hooks in me and I can't get away. An epic story about good and evil. An deadly new strain of the flu virus is released at a military facility, which is named Captain Trips, and wipes out approximately 94% of the world's population. The story is about the remaining people that are immune to the virus and the evil that rises up to wipe out the rest of hummanity.
Love him or hate him, Stephen King is an amazing author. He is a horror writer by trade; his subjects are grim and the violence very graphic, but he just has a way with telling a story. He immerses you in his world and you are so fascinated by it you don't want to leave, urged on to read "just one more page". This book is not for everyone, but if you do want a tale woven by a master storyteller and don't mind a little violence, this is the one for you.
I have to say that posting will be almost non-existent until The Stand is finished. I have been sucked into King's world, and Captain Trips and the Dark Man are waiting for me.
Only 900 pages to go.
Well, I started reading The Stand this morning, and King has his hooks in me and I can't get away. An epic story about good and evil. An deadly new strain of the flu virus is released at a military facility, which is named Captain Trips, and wipes out approximately 94% of the world's population. The story is about the remaining people that are immune to the virus and the evil that rises up to wipe out the rest of hummanity.
Love him or hate him, Stephen King is an amazing author. He is a horror writer by trade; his subjects are grim and the violence very graphic, but he just has a way with telling a story. He immerses you in his world and you are so fascinated by it you don't want to leave, urged on to read "just one more page". This book is not for everyone, but if you do want a tale woven by a master storyteller and don't mind a little violence, this is the one for you.
I have to say that posting will be almost non-existent until The Stand is finished. I have been sucked into King's world, and Captain Trips and the Dark Man are waiting for me.
Only 900 pages to go.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Red Dirt Blog
Here is a newer blog to check out (started in late October). Originating from the Sooner State, Red Dirt has reported on the Oklahoma City bombing from minutes after the explosion to the McVeigh verdict. Definitely worth checking out. I have added the Red Dirt Blog to my Blog links at the right for easy access.
Apparently I do live in a cave
Not only did I miss the whole thing about Spielberg remaking War of the Worlds, but now I find out that Peter Jackson is breathing new life into King Kong. When did this happen? Is this information that I knew about previously and just slipped away, much like the One Ring? This should be way cool. Better than LOTR? No way. A cool movie? Oh yeah. And for those of you who are not up on this King Kong thing, get this, Jack Black is in the movie. This should be interesting.
Newsweek has a sneak peak at the film with Peter Jackson and posted below is a cool concept art piece that features Kong fighting a T-Rex. Courtesy Gus Hunter/Weta Workshop.
Newsweek has a sneak peak at the film with Peter Jackson and posted below is a cool concept art piece that features Kong fighting a T-Rex. Courtesy Gus Hunter/Weta Workshop.
Spielberg looses “extras” in river while filming
Steven Spielberg is making a new version of War of the Worlds based on the H.G. Wells novel. Apparently a couple of adult-sized mannequins were lost in the Connecticut River and have yet to be found.
I wonder which mannequin was playing Tom Cruise’s character in the movie. The dummy probably was tired of Tom trying to copy him and jumped in the river. On the other hand, maybe the mannequin was just a better actor than Cruise and Tommy pushed him in the river to get rid of him.
I wonder which mannequin was playing Tom Cruise’s character in the movie. The dummy probably was tired of Tom trying to copy him and jumped in the river. On the other hand, maybe the mannequin was just a better actor than Cruise and Tommy pushed him in the river to get rid of him.
Five Pacers to be charged
The five members of the Indiana Pacers that were involved in the brawl with fans are not only going to be disciplined by the NBA, but are now going for face charges for the scuffle. Pacer Jermaine O’Neil will likely face to charges two of misdemeanor assault and battery while Ron Artest and the other Pacer players will face one count each. The five Pistons fans involved will also face charges.
And why not? When Marty McSorley, playing with the Boston Bruins at the time, swung his hockey stick like a baseball bat resulting in a concussion to Donald Brashear, then with the Vancouver Canucks, he was convicted of assault although he didn’t get any jail time. He did 18 months of probation and was kicked out of the NHL for good.
This isn’t any different, except that it exploded over from the basketball floor into the seats and it involved fans, where there is an even greater risk of injury. No, the fans were not justified in their actions, but they are not seasoned athletes that strength train and are jostled around for an entire season. One good shot by a player and one of these fans could have been seriously injured if not dead. I think the league’s stance was just and now it is time for the world off the court to have their hand at dolling out punishment.
And why not? When Marty McSorley, playing with the Boston Bruins at the time, swung his hockey stick like a baseball bat resulting in a concussion to Donald Brashear, then with the Vancouver Canucks, he was convicted of assault although he didn’t get any jail time. He did 18 months of probation and was kicked out of the NHL for good.
This isn’t any different, except that it exploded over from the basketball floor into the seats and it involved fans, where there is an even greater risk of injury. No, the fans were not justified in their actions, but they are not seasoned athletes that strength train and are jostled around for an entire season. One good shot by a player and one of these fans could have been seriously injured if not dead. I think the league’s stance was just and now it is time for the world off the court to have their hand at dolling out punishment.
Wictory Wednesday
It’s Wictory Wednesday again. Now, it would seem that the 2004 election is over, but vote counting still continues in the Washington State gubernatorial race. Democrats, continuing to show their reluctance to do the right thing, have fought for a statewide hand recount. Dino Rossi, the Republican candidate for governor, has a slim 42-vote lead. The Washington State GOP needs volunteers to monitor the hand recount to make sure the Democrats don’t steal the election. If you live in Washington State and wish to help, contact the state GOP at 425-646-7202.
Today is Wictory Wednesday. If you have a blog and want to participate, go to Wictory Wednesday and get yourself on the blogroll.
Blogs that participate in Wictory Wednesday:
Today is Wictory Wednesday. If you have a blog and want to participate, go to Wictory Wednesday and get yourself on the blogroll.
Blogs that participate in Wictory Wednesday:
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
December 7, 1941- A Date That Will Live in Infamy
63 years ago today Japanese forces attacked U.S. Forces stationed on Oahu, more specifically Navy warships in Pearl Harbor, resulting in a tremendous loss of life and material.
President Roosevelt's response (courtesy of the University of Oklahoma Law Center) to this act of war by a country we were at peace with:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
As I browsed for news related to this date in history I was surprised that I found very little. I am afraid this day of remberance is slipping away from the minds of the American People as more and more of the Greatest Generation pass away.
Let's make sure it doesn't.
President Roosevelt's response (courtesy of the University of Oklahoma Law Center) to this act of war by a country we were at peace with:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
National Geographic has a great site recounting the events of the day the will live in infamy.As I browsed for news related to this date in history I was surprised that I found very little. I am afraid this day of remberance is slipping away from the minds of the American People as more and more of the Greatest Generation pass away.
Let's make sure it doesn't.
Monday, December 06, 2004
Hockey Anyone?
Does anyone miss the NHL? I am really starting to. Their cancelled season finally became a reality when scrolling through channels on Saturday night I landed on CBC, and the guy who usually hosts Hockey Night in Canada announces that tonight’s TV lineup is going to be Lilo and Stitch (which I watched) followed by Legally Blonde. Is there any hockey hope in sight?
Joe Thorton (Boston Bruins) and Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets) seem to be humbled by the lockout experience, both playing for HC Davos of the Swiss Elite League. Bus trips through the Alps lasting up to six and half hours, packing their own bags, and stowing their sweaty gear on the bus themselves can be a real eye opener for players that get flown from city to city and have multiple staff members packing their bags and stowing gear. Rick Nash sums it up best:
"I think we get spoiled in the NHL," said Rick Nash, the first player picked in the 2002 draft.
The NHL and the Players’ Association have decided to go back to the table, but I am not hopeful that the season or league can be saved, especially with Gary Bettman in charge. Both sides are scheduled to meet next week. But with arenas booking 45 days out at this point, no games could be played before the middle of January.
If the league and season are saved, I think we might see a better game. Players are keeping their skills sharp by playing for minor league teams or in Europe. Hopefully, it will be a wake up call and many will return to the place where they first fell in love with the game, where they were carrying their own bags and riding the bus.
Joe Thorton (Boston Bruins) and Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets) seem to be humbled by the lockout experience, both playing for HC Davos of the Swiss Elite League. Bus trips through the Alps lasting up to six and half hours, packing their own bags, and stowing their sweaty gear on the bus themselves can be a real eye opener for players that get flown from city to city and have multiple staff members packing their bags and stowing gear. Rick Nash sums it up best:
"I think we get spoiled in the NHL," said Rick Nash, the first player picked in the 2002 draft.
The NHL and the Players’ Association have decided to go back to the table, but I am not hopeful that the season or league can be saved, especially with Gary Bettman in charge. Both sides are scheduled to meet next week. But with arenas booking 45 days out at this point, no games could be played before the middle of January.
If the league and season are saved, I think we might see a better game. Players are keeping their skills sharp by playing for minor league teams or in Europe. Hopefully, it will be a wake up call and many will return to the place where they first fell in love with the game, where they were carrying their own bags and riding the bus.
Good News Roundup from Iraq
Despite the doom and gloom the MSM continues to broadcast, good things are happening in Iraq, and Arthur Chrenkoff has a roundup of the latest developments. Of course, I must point out one more jab at the quickly falling giant known as the Main Stream Media:
It takes a lot to get a man of God annoyed, and Louis Sako, the Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk, is a very frustrated man these days. "It is not all death and destruction," says the archbishop. "Much is positive in Iraq today. . . . Universities are operating, schools are open, people go out onto the streets normally. . . . Where there's a kidnapping or a homicide the news gets out immediately, and this causes fear among the people. . . . Those who commit such violence are resisting against Iraqis who want to build their country."
Check out all the news here. Check out Chrenkoff's blog here.
It takes a lot to get a man of God annoyed, and Louis Sako, the Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk, is a very frustrated man these days. "It is not all death and destruction," says the archbishop. "Much is positive in Iraq today. . . . Universities are operating, schools are open, people go out onto the streets normally. . . . Where there's a kidnapping or a homicide the news gets out immediately, and this causes fear among the people. . . . Those who commit such violence are resisting against Iraqis who want to build their country."
Check out all the news here. Check out Chrenkoff's blog here.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Death by Committee
Hugh Hewitt's latest article where he continues to discuss the horrid Groningen Protocol currently being used in the Netherlands:
The Groningen Protocol is the proposal of doctors in the Netherlands for the establishment of an "independent committee" charged with selecting babies and other severely handicapped or disabled people for euthanasia. The original article provides some of the key details:
Under the Groningen protocol, if doctors at the hospital think a child is suffering unbearably from a terminal condition, they have the authority to end the child's life. The protocol is likely to be used primarily for newborns, but it covers any child up to age 12.This is very disturbing news. A "committee" that decides whether an infant lives or dies, with the parents having little or no say. The decision would be in the sole hands of the "Professionals". This is very scary and just plain wrong.The hospital, beyond confirming the protocol in general terms, refused to discuss its details.
"It is for very sad cases," said a hospital spokesman, who declined to be identified. "After years of discussions, we made our own protocol to cover the small number of infants born with such severe disabilities that doctors can see they have extreme pain and no
hope for life. Our estimate is that it will not be used but 10 to 15 times a year."
A parent's role is limited under the protocol. While experts and critics familiar with the policy said a parent's wishes to let a child live or die naturally most likely would be considered, they note that the decision must be professional, so rests with doctors.
For the Spider-Man Fan
Seeing that I enjoy both comics and movies, I get really excited when a comic-based movie gets made. Especially a good one. A really good one is Spider-Man 2. A great story about responsibility and the sacrifices that sometimes come with it, especially when you have the power to make a difference. Plus, the fight scenes between Spidey and Doc Ock are awesome, especially the train sequence. It is also a very emotional scene when the people on the runaway train attempt to defend the exhausted, unmasked Peter Parker from Doc Ock. The movie is well worth the rental whether a comic book fan or not. If you decide to buy it (which I highly recommend), it's a 2 disc DVD set with some 10 hours of extras.
As a young boy I read Spider-Man (the Todd MacFarlane era, before Spawn was released and he went out on his own), but never read a series about the mulit-limbed evil scientist Otto Octavius, so I went looking for some background info. After Googling Doc Ock, I found this great site called SpiderFan.org. Character Bios, a comic index, and so much more can be found here. With a single click I can find all the issues that were written by my favorite Spidey author Paul Jenkins and artist Huberto Ramos. There is an example of a Ramos cover featuring the Green Goblin below. SpiderFan.org is definitely worth checking out for info about our beloved Wall-Crawler. I've added a link on the right for easy access.
As a young boy I read Spider-Man (the Todd MacFarlane era, before Spawn was released and he went out on his own), but never read a series about the mulit-limbed evil scientist Otto Octavius, so I went looking for some background info. After Googling Doc Ock, I found this great site called SpiderFan.org. Character Bios, a comic index, and so much more can be found here. With a single click I can find all the issues that were written by my favorite Spidey author Paul Jenkins and artist Huberto Ramos. There is an example of a Ramos cover featuring the Green Goblin below. SpiderFan.org is definitely worth checking out for info about our beloved Wall-Crawler. I've added a link on the right for easy access.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Modern Novels Worth Reading Twice
Hugh Hewitt wonders if there was any modern novels worth reading more than once as the holiday gift giving season rolls around. Here is my list of books that I have deemed worthy of more than one time through.
The first and most beloved books among my re-reads is The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I read these every year.
Next would be the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. Yearly re-reads (obviously not in the league as Tolkien though). Now some of you will cringe upon reading this. Some Christians have marked the Harry Potter series as evil books of witchcraft to be avoided at all costs. I am a Christian and disagree. I'm in the Hugh Hewitt camp on this one. It is simply a great story about good and evil. The first book of the series, The Sorcerer’s Stone, is the weakest of the lot, since it was “Americanized” for release here. Not so with the rest of the series. Rowling’s writing continues to evolve and improve as the series progresses. The characters are complex, and you either love them or hate them. I would definitely recommend the read. Not for young children though, especially because the books get more intense and darker with each installment of the series.
Another perennial favorite is Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. If you saw the movie, don’t use it as a basis for the book. About the only things in common between the two is the title, a character or two, and nasty aliens. An incredible work that must be read multiple times.
In the same vain as Starship Troopers is The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Another incredible futuristic Sci-Fi war story.
And my final book worthy of rereading is The Stand by Stephen King. My buddy Peter thinks it’s worth more than one time through as well. King is by trade a horror writer, but his writing skills are unrivaled. The Stand is a classic epic about good and evil. I have read more than a couple times, and as soon as I am done with my current book, The Stand is going to be read again.
The first and most beloved books among my re-reads is The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I read these every year.
Next would be the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. Yearly re-reads (obviously not in the league as Tolkien though). Now some of you will cringe upon reading this. Some Christians have marked the Harry Potter series as evil books of witchcraft to be avoided at all costs. I am a Christian and disagree. I'm in the Hugh Hewitt camp on this one. It is simply a great story about good and evil. The first book of the series, The Sorcerer’s Stone, is the weakest of the lot, since it was “Americanized” for release here. Not so with the rest of the series. Rowling’s writing continues to evolve and improve as the series progresses. The characters are complex, and you either love them or hate them. I would definitely recommend the read. Not for young children though, especially because the books get more intense and darker with each installment of the series.
Another perennial favorite is Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. If you saw the movie, don’t use it as a basis for the book. About the only things in common between the two is the title, a character or two, and nasty aliens. An incredible work that must be read multiple times.
In the same vain as Starship Troopers is The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Another incredible futuristic Sci-Fi war story.
And my final book worthy of rereading is The Stand by Stephen King. My buddy Peter thinks it’s worth more than one time through as well. King is by trade a horror writer, but his writing skills are unrivaled. The Stand is a classic epic about good and evil. I have read more than a couple times, and as soon as I am done with my current book, The Stand is going to be read again.
Can anyone identify this patch?
I was wondering if anyone out there recognizes this patch? It is from my grandfather's WWI Army uniform. I believe it is on the left shoulder. He was a motorcycle courier in the war.
If anyone has any information, I would greatly appreciate it. My email address is worldoftomorrow@hotmail.com or you can leave a comment at the bottom of this post by clicking on the "comments" link.
Thanks.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Happy Holidays
I am going to be taking a little bloggin' break this week. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Lt. Col. Dave Bellon from Fallujah
Thankfully, Lt. Col. Dave Bellon, USMC, survived the Fallujah Offensive and here's his latest email.
Just came out of the city and I honestly do not know where to start. I am afraid that whatever I send you will not do sufficient honor to the men who fought and took Fallujah.
Shortly before the attack, Task Force Fallujah was built. It consisted of Regimental Combat Team 1 built around 1st Marine Regiment and Regimental Combat Team 7 built around 7th Marine Regiment. Each Regiment consisted of two Marine Rifle Battalions reinforced and one Army mechanized infantry battalion.
Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) consisted of 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (3rd LAR), 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (3/5); 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (3/1)and 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry (2/7). RCT-7 was slightly less weighted but still a formidable force. Cutting a swath around the city was an Army Brigade known as Blackjack. The Marine RCT's were to assault the city while Blackjack kept the enemy off of the backs of the assault force.
The night prior to the actual invasion, we all moved out into the desert just north of the city. It was something to see. You could just feel the intensity in the Marines and Soldiers. It was all business. As the day cleared, the Task Force began striking targets and moving into final attack positions. As the invasion force commenced its movement into attack positions, 3rd LAR led off RCT-1's offensive with an attack up a peninsula formed by the Euphrates River on the west side of the city. Their mission was to secure the Fallujah Hospital and the two bridges leading out of the city. They executed there tasks like clockwork and smashed the enemy resistance holding the bridges. Simultaneous to all of this, Blackjack sealed the escape routes to the south of the city. As invasion day dawned, the net was around the city and the Marines and Soldiers knew that the enemy that failed to escape was now sealed.
3/5 began the actual attack on the city by taking an apartment complex on the northwest corner of the city. It was key terrain as the elevated positions allowed the command to look down into the attack lanes. The Marines took the apartments quickly and moved to the rooftops and began engaging enemy that were trying to move into their fighting positions. The scene on the rooftop was surreal. Machine gun teams were running boxes of ammo up 8 flights of stairs in full body armor and carrying up machine guns while snipers engaged enemy shooters. The whole time the enemy was firing mortars and rockets at the apartments. Honest to God, I don't think I saw a single Marine even distracted by the enemy fire. Their squad leaders, and platoon commanders had them prepared and they were executing their assigned tasks.
As mentioned, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry joined the Regiment just prior to the fight. In fact, they started showing up for planning a couple of weeks in advance. There is always a professional rivalry between the Army and the Marine Corps but it was obvious from the outset that these guys were the real deal. They had fought in Najaf and were eager to fight with the Regiment in Fallujah. They are exceptionally well led and supremely confident.
2/7 became our wedge. In short, they worked with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. We were limited in the amount of prep fires that we were allowed to fire on the city prior to the invasion. This was a point of some consternation to the forces actually taking the city. Our compensation was to turn to 2/7 and ask them to slash into the city and create as much turbulence as possible for 3/1 to follow. Because of the political reality, the Marine Corps was also under pressure to "get it done quickly." For this reason, 2/7 and 3/1 became the penetration force into the city.
Immediately following 3/5's attack on the apartment buildings, 3/1 took the train station on the north end of the city. While the engineers blew a breach through the train trestle, the Cavalry soldiers poured through with their tanks and Bradley's and chewed an opening in the enemy defense. 3/1 followed them through until they reached a phase[line deep into the northern half of the city. The Marine infantry along with a few tanks then turned to the right and attacked the heart of the enemy defense. The fighting was tough as the enemy had the area dialed in with mortars. 3/5 then attacked into the northwest corner of the city. This fight continued as both Marine rifle battalions clawed their way into the city on different axis.
There is an image burned into my brain that I hope I never forget. We came up behind 3/5 one day as the lead squads were working down the Byzantine streets of the Jolan area. An assault team of two Marines ran out from behind cover and put a rocket into a wall of an enemy strongpoint. Before the smoke cleared the squad behind them was up and moving through the hole and clearing the house. Just down the block another squad was doing the same thing. The house was cleared quickly and the Marines were running down the street to the next contact. Even in the midst of that mayhem, it was an awesome site.
The fighting has been incredibly close inside the city. The enemy is willing to die and is literally waiting until they see the whites of the eyes of the Marines before they open up. Just two days ago, as a firefight raged in close quarters, one of the interpreters yelled for the enemy in the house to surrender. The enemy yelled back that it was better to die and go to heaven than to surrender to infidels. This exchange is a graphic window into the world that the Marines and Soldiers have been fighting in these last 10 days.
I could go on and on about how the city was taken but one of the most amazing aspects to the fighting was that we saw virtually no civilians during the battle. Only after the fighting had passed did a few come out of their homes. They were provided food and water and most were evacuated out of the city. At least 90-95% of the people were gone from the city when we attacked.
I will end with a couple of stories of individual heroism that you may not have heard yet. I was told about both of these incidents shortly after they occurred. No doubt some of the facts will change slightly but I am confident that the meat is correct.
The first is a Marine from 3/5. His name is Corporal Yeager (Chuck Yeager's grandson). As the Marines cleared and apartment building, they got to the top floor and the point man kicked in the door. As he did so, an enemy grenade and a burst of gunfire came out. The explosion and enemy fire took off the point man's leg. He was then immediately shot in the arm as he lay in the doorway. Corporal Yeager tossed a grenade in the room and ran into the doorway and into the enemy fire in order to pull his buddy back to cover. As he was dragging the wounded Marine to cover, his own grenade came back through the doorway. Without pausing, he reached down and threw the grenade back through the door while he heaved his buddy to safety. The grenade went off inside the room and Cpl Yeager threw another in. He immediately entered the room following the second explosion. He gunned down three enemy all within three feet of where he stood and then let fly a third grenade as he backed out of the room to complete the evacuation of the wounded Marine. You have to understand that a grenade goes off within 5 seconds of having the pin pulled. Marines usually let them "cook off" for a second or two before tossing them in. Therefore, this entire episode took place in less than 30 seconds.
The second example comes from 3/1. Cpl Mitchell is a squad leader. He was wounded as his squad was clearing a house when some enemy threw pineapple grenades down on top of them. As he was getting triaged, the doctor told him that he had been shot through the arm. Cpl Mitchell told the doctor that he had actually been shot "a couple of days ago" and had given himself self aide on the wound. When the doctor got on him about not coming off the line, he firmly told the doctor that he was a squad leader and did not have time to get treated as his men were still fighting. There are a number of Marines who have been wounded multiple times but refuse to leave their fellow Marines.
It is incredibly humbling to walk among such men. They fought as hard as any Marines in history and deserve to be remembered as such. The enemy they fought burrowed into houses and fired through mouse holes cut in walls, lured them into houses rigged with explosives and detonated the houses on pursuing Marines, and actually hid behind surrender flags only to engage the Marines with small arms fire once they perceived that the Marines had let their guard down. I know of several instances where near dead enemy rolled grenades out on Marines who were preparing to render them aid. It was a fight to the finish in every sense and the Marines delivered.
I have called the enemy cowards many times in the past because they have never really held their ground and fought but these guys in the city did. We can call them many things but they were not cowards.
My whole life I have read about the greatest generation and sat in wonder at their accomplishments. For the first time, as I watch these Marines and Soldiers, I am eager for the future as this is just the beginning for them. Perhaps the most amazing characteristic of all is that the morale of the men is sky high. They hurt for the wounded and the dead but they are eager to continue to attack. Further, not one of them would be comfortable with being called a hero even though they clearly are.
By now the Marines and Soldiers have killed well over a thousand enemy. These were not peasants or rabble. They were reasonably well trained and entirely fanatical. Most of the enemy we have seen have chest rigs full of ammunition and are well armed are willing to fight to the death. The Marines and Soldiers are eager to close with them and the fighting at the end is inevitably close.
I will write you more the next time I come in about what we have found inside the city. All I can say is that even with everything that I knew and expected from the last nine months, the brutality and fanaticism of the enemy surprised me. The beheadings were even more common place than we thought but so were torture and summary executions. Even though it is an exaggeration, it seems as though every block in the northern part of the city has a torture chamber or execution site. There are hundreds of tons of munitions and tens of thousands of weapons that our Regiment alone has recovered. The Marines and Soldiers of the Regiment have also found over 400 IEDs already wired and ready to detonate. No doubt these numbers will grow in the days ahead.
In closing, I want to share with you a vignette about when the Marines secured the Old Bridge (the one where the Americans were mutilated and hung on March 31) this week. After the Marines had done all the work and secured the bridge, we walked across to meet up with 3rd LAR on the other side. On the Fallujah side of the bridge where the Americans were hung there is some Arabic writing on the bridge. An interpreter translated it for me as we walked through. It read: "Long Live the Mujahadeen. Fallujah is the Graveyard for Americans and the end of the Marine Corps."
As I came back across the bridge there was a squad sitting in their Amtrac smoking and watching the show. The Marines had written their own message below the enemy's. It is not something that Mom would appreciate but it fit the moment to a T. Not far from the vehicle were two dead enemy laying where they died. The Marines were sick of watching the "Dog and Pony show" and wanted to get back to work.
Dave
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Semper Fi
Excellent editorial from OpinionJournal.com on the shooting of an unarmed insurgent by a Marine:
Some 40 Marines have just lost their lives cleaning out one of the world's worst terror dens, in Fallujah, yet all the world wants to talk about is the NBC videotape of a Marine shooting a prostrate Iraqi inside a mosque. Have we lost all sense of moral proportion?
The camera man who shot the notorious footage of a Marine dispatching a wounded terrorist in Fallujah is Kevin Sites. He is being denounced on WorldNet Daily as a left-wing activist. Interestingly, Sites is a blogger; his site is here.
This is one story of many that people normally don't hear, and one that everyone does.
Some 40 Marines have just lost their lives cleaning out one of the world's worst terror dens, in Fallujah, yet all the world wants to talk about is the NBC videotape of a Marine shooting a prostrate Iraqi inside a mosque. Have we lost all sense of moral proportion?
The al-Zarqawi TV network, also known as Al-Jazeera, has broadcast the tape to the Arab world, and U.S. media have also played it up. The point seems to be to conjure up images again of Abu Ghraib, further maligning the American purpose in Iraq. Never mind that the pictures don't come close to telling us about the context of the incident, much less what was on the mind of the soldier after days of combat.
Put yourself in that Marine's boots. He and his mates have had to endure some of the toughest infantry duty imaginable, house-to-house urban fighting against an enemy that neither wears a uniform nor obeys any normal rules of war. Here is how that enemy fights, according to an account in the Times of London:
"In the south of Fallujah yesterday, U.S. Marines found the armless, legless body of a blonde woman, her throat slashed and her entrails cut out. Benjamin Finnell, a hospital apprentice with the U.S. Navy Corps, said that she had been dead for a while, but at that location for only a day or two. The woman was wearing a blue dress; her face had been disfigured. It was unclear if the remains were the body of the Irish-born aid worker Margaret Hassan, 59, or of Teresa Borcz, 54, a Pole abducted two weeks ago. Both were married to Iraqis and held Iraqi citizenship; both were kidnapped in Baghdad last month."
When not disemboweling Iraqi women, these killers hide in mosques and hospitals, booby-trap dead bodies, and open fire as they pretend to surrender. Their snipers kill U.S. soldiers out of nowhere. According to one account, the Marine in the videotape had seen a member of his unit killed by another insurgent pretending to be dead. Who from the safety of his Manhattan sofa has standing to judge what that Marine did in that mosque?
In addition, Power Line has an excellent post relating to the incident, and the man who recorded it, Kevin Sites.The camera man who shot the notorious footage of a Marine dispatching a wounded terrorist in Fallujah is Kevin Sites. He is being denounced on WorldNet Daily as a left-wing activist. Interestingly, Sites is a blogger; his site is here.
It's actually a pretty interesting blog. I don't doubt that Sites is a liberal, but I can't agree that he comes across as unsympathetic to our troops or as anti-American. True, his last post, the only one that deals with the Fallujah offensive, is defeatist at best. It describes the first day of the fighting in Fallujah, and ends as follows:
The Marines know they are being hunted. Boxed from the east and the west in a treacherous kill zone by an enemy they can feel -- but can't see. Their superior firepower is checked by the insurgent's knowledge of the city -- their cunning in using blind alleyways and the crooks and crannies of buildings to pick off the Marines.The gun battle continues late into the night -- eventually an AC-130 gunship is called in and strafes Elizabeth Street with its mini guns. With eight of their men wounded--it is a bloody and disappointing start for the Marines -- and a reminder that to win the battle for Falluja -- they will likely have to fight as they did today block by block, street by street.
I admit, it's a little over the top to describe the Marines as "hunted" occupants of a "kill zone," given what happened over the next week. But I don't think this passage is representative of Sites's site as a whole. You can read it and judge for yourself.
More interesting to me were some of the posts by commenters on Sites's blog. As with most comments sections, they tend to degenerate into name-calling between pro-war and anti-war posters. But I thought this comment, by a woman named Monir Kazemi, is worth repeating. She is responding to a comment from another woman who ridiculed her criticisms of the Islamofascists:
Jana says: "Monir you dont know anything about Iraq or Islam or the Koran ...."Dear Jana, I was born in the Middle East and went to Islamic school and at one time I memorized parts of the Koran. I am from a neighboring country to Iraq.
The Koran says Sureh 4, Verse 35: Men have authority over women (not just the wife but sisters, daughters, maids, etc.). If they disobey, "first admonish them, then refuse to sleep with them, and then beat them". You can read it for yourself at http://www.light-of-life.com/eng/reveal/ or other sites. Also try http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/index.html to see the 2nd class citizenship of women in Islam (for example they are counted as half of one witness, or receive inheritence half of a man).
Now Jana you are wrong that this is a matter of interpretation. When the Koran says women receive half the inheritence of a man, then this is not an issue of interpretation. It says Sureh 4:11 - "A male shall inherit twice as much as a female". Now how can you interpret mathematics in multiple ways?
You say that I am "not allowed" (by whom may I ask?) - that I am not allowed to say that the Koran has recommended to beat women or to disinherit women because of their gender. And why can't I say this? What stops me and other open minded people to say that the Koran contains nonsense of this sort? If it offends you that I say this, well then take a cold shower, and if you are a moslem (by the sound of it) then change your religion instead of being so embarrased about it, as I am just repeating what is in there complete with verse numbers and am exercizing my right to free speech, and I can say all I wish about Islam, including facts about the Koran - and this is exactly why the Marines are in Fallujah beating the hell out of these Islamofascists - because they want to stop me from saying the facts, and no Jana, you cannot stop me as those Marines are protecting me, the Iraqis, and ultimately America, and neither can you stop the good Marines who are risking their lives, to bring out the truth about this decrepit religion. You should be ashamed of yourself to undermine our men and women in danger in the battlezone who are fighting tyranny, while people like you suck up to it.
I wish I knew this Monir Kazemi. I just read her words again, and I think they are the most eloquent defense of America's commitment to freedom that I have read in a long time. If she ran for office, I'd vote for her in a heartbeat.
Hindrocket also posts an email from a Marine in the 11th MEU:This is one story of many that people normally don't hear, and one that everyone does.
This is one most don't hear:
A young Marine and his cover man cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with Ak-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded, lying in a pool of his own blood. The Marine and his cover man slowly walk toward the injured man, scanning to make sure no enemies come from behind. In a split second, the pressure in the room greatly exceeds that of the outside, and the concussion seems to be felt before the blast is heard. Marines outside rush to the room, and look in horror as the dust gradually settles. The result is a room filled with the barely recognizable remains of the deceased, caused by an insurgent setting off several pounds of explosives.
The Marines' remains are gathered by teary eyed comrades, brothers in arms, and shipped home in a box. The families can only mourn over a casket and a picture of their loved one, a life cut short by someone who hid behind a white flag.
But no one hears these stories, except those who have lived to carry remains of a friend, and the families who loved the dead. No one hears this, so no one cares.
This is the story everyone hears:
A young Marine and his fire team cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with AK-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insugent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded. Suddenly, he pulls from under his bloody clothes a grenade, without the pin. The explosion rocks the room, killing one Marine, wounding the others. The young Marine catches shrapnel in the face.
The next day, same Marine, same type of situation, a different story. The young Marine and his cover man enter a room with two wounded insurgents. One lies on the floor in puddle of blood, another against the wall. A reporter and his camera survey the wreckage inside, and in the background can be heard the voice of a Marine, "He's moving, he's moving!"
The pop of a rifle is heard, and the insurgent against the wall is now dead. Minutes, hours later, the scene is aired on national television, and the Marine is being held for commiting a war crime. Unlawful killing.
And now, another Marine has the possibility of being burned at the stake for protecting the life of his brethren. His family now wrings their hands in grief, tears streaming down their face. Brother, should I have been in your boots, i too would have done the same.
For those of you who don't know, we Marines, Band of Brothers, Jarheads, Leathernecks, etc., do not fight because we think it is right, or think
it is wrong. We are here for the man to our left, and the man to our right. We choose to give our lives so that the man or woman next to us can go home and see their husbands, wives, children, friends and families.
For those of you who sit on your couches in front of your television, and choose to condemn this man's actions, I have but one thing to say to you. Get out of your recliner, lace up my boots, pick up a rifle, leave your family behind and join me. See what I've seen, walk where I have walked. To those of you who support us, my sincerest gratitude. You keep us alive.
I am a Marine currently doing his second tour in Iraq. These are my opinions and mine alone. They do not represent those of the Marine Corps or of the US military, or any other.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Wictory Wednesday
Wictory Wednesday continues to roll. Republicans picked up four Senate seats during this election, and the organization that helped make this a reality is the Republican National Senatorial Committee. For the work to continue in 2006, please donate to the RNSC online.
Today is Wictory Wednesday. If you have a blog and want to participate, go to Wictory Wednesday and get yourself on the blogroll.
Blogs that participate in Wictory Wednesday:
Today is Wictory Wednesday. If you have a blog and want to participate, go to Wictory Wednesday and get yourself on the blogroll.
Blogs that participate in Wictory Wednesday:
A Plague of Locusts
A plague of biblical porportions descended upon Egypt from the heavens this week, literally. Pink locusts swarmed through Cairo, Egypt, sending people running for cover.
The locust swarms have already traveled on the wind from North Africa to Cyprus. They can form swarms of tens of millions, occupying hundreds of square kilometers (miles).
Say it isn't so!
The unthinkable is happened at my house for the Wednesday night television viewing: I am watching Lost and taping Smallville. It is usually the other way around. Smallville, about the teenage years of Clark Kent, better known as Superman, is the usual favorite for the 8:00 P.M. block at my house. Lost is taped and watched later. Not tonight though.
Smallville has not been that good as of late. Last week’s witch episode was horrible. This week’s show seems to be better, but Lost is just awesome. This week, Sayid, a former Iraqi Republican Guard, finds the source of the French distress signal, and he doesn’t want to.
Given how good this show is, and how lackluster Smallville has been, Lost gets the nod tonight.
Smallville has not been that good as of late. Last week’s witch episode was horrible. This week’s show seems to be better, but Lost is just awesome. This week, Sayid, a former Iraqi Republican Guard, finds the source of the French distress signal, and he doesn’t want to.
Given how good this show is, and how lackluster Smallville has been, Lost gets the nod tonight.
Come Clean, Kofi!
Claudia Rosett continues to dig and get to the root of the Oil-for-Food Scandal and the guilty party at the U.N. who allowed Saddam to embezzle $17.3 billion between 1997-2003 alone, namely Kofi Annan:
With estimates soaring of graft and fraud under the United Nations Oil for Food program in Iraq, we are hearing a lot about the need to "get to the bottom" of this scandal, the biggest ever to hit the U.N. To get to that bottom will need a much harder look at the top--where Secretary-General Kofi Annan himself resides.
That violates all sorts of taboos. But so, one might suppose, does a United Nations that allowed Saddam Hussein to embezzle at least $21.3 billion in oil money during 12 years, with the great bulk of that sum--a staggering $17.3 billion--pilfered between 1997-2003, on Mr. Annan's watch.
These are the record-breaking new estimates released Monday by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, whose staffers, despite Mr. Annan's refusal to cooperate, have spent the past seven months voyaging deep into the muck of Oil for Food. At a hearing Monday, these investigators surfaced to tell us the theft and fraud under Oil for Food was at least twice as bad as earlier reports had suggested, and that all this is just a preview of yet more appalling disclosures they expect to release early next year. Sen. Norm Coleman, the subcommittee's chairman, underscored the urgency of such investigations, noting not only that the size of the fraud "is staggering," but that some of Saddam's vast illicit stash might right now be funding terrorists and costing American lives.
Mr. Annan, by contrast, seems to inhabit a different universe--one in which the chief problem lies not in the U.N.'s complicity, including his own, in the biggest fraud in the history of humanitarian relief, but rather in the attempts to shine any light on all that sleaze. In Annan Land, there was earlier this year no need for any probe into Oil for Food; and even now there is no need for any investigating beyond the U.N.'s own "independent inquiry" into itself, led by former Fed chairman Paul Volcker, required to funnel its findings first through Mr. Annan, funded to the tune of $30 million out of one of the old Oil for Food accounts it is supposed to be investigating, and not planning to clock in with any specific results until sometime next summer.
Read the whole thing here.
With estimates soaring of graft and fraud under the United Nations Oil for Food program in Iraq, we are hearing a lot about the need to "get to the bottom" of this scandal, the biggest ever to hit the U.N. To get to that bottom will need a much harder look at the top--where Secretary-General Kofi Annan himself resides.
That violates all sorts of taboos. But so, one might suppose, does a United Nations that allowed Saddam Hussein to embezzle at least $21.3 billion in oil money during 12 years, with the great bulk of that sum--a staggering $17.3 billion--pilfered between 1997-2003, on Mr. Annan's watch.
These are the record-breaking new estimates released Monday by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, whose staffers, despite Mr. Annan's refusal to cooperate, have spent the past seven months voyaging deep into the muck of Oil for Food. At a hearing Monday, these investigators surfaced to tell us the theft and fraud under Oil for Food was at least twice as bad as earlier reports had suggested, and that all this is just a preview of yet more appalling disclosures they expect to release early next year. Sen. Norm Coleman, the subcommittee's chairman, underscored the urgency of such investigations, noting not only that the size of the fraud "is staggering," but that some of Saddam's vast illicit stash might right now be funding terrorists and costing American lives.
Mr. Annan, by contrast, seems to inhabit a different universe--one in which the chief problem lies not in the U.N.'s complicity, including his own, in the biggest fraud in the history of humanitarian relief, but rather in the attempts to shine any light on all that sleaze. In Annan Land, there was earlier this year no need for any probe into Oil for Food; and even now there is no need for any investigating beyond the U.N.'s own "independent inquiry" into itself, led by former Fed chairman Paul Volcker, required to funnel its findings first through Mr. Annan, funded to the tune of $30 million out of one of the old Oil for Food accounts it is supposed to be investigating, and not planning to clock in with any specific results until sometime next summer.
Read the whole thing here.
Margaret Hassan Likely Dead
Her kidnappers have likely killed the British-Iraqi aid worker, but conclusive evidence has yet to be found. If her abductors have killed her, it will be a real tragedy. Here is a woman that has dedicated her life to helping people, and more recently the people of Iraq.
I hope this is a wake up call to any in Iraq that think these cowardly insurgents have their best interest in mind (as if their was any doubt that they don't). These pigs kill because they can. They attack innocents because their tools are fear and the threat of death to their victims. These cowards are no match for the military, so the attack civilians.
However, joint U.S and Iraqi operations are continuing to rid the country of the insurgents. In Fallujah, 1,000 –2,000 insurgents have been killed, and 1,000 have been detained, and troops are further consolidating their control of the city. Conditions are stabilizing in Mosul.
I hope this is a wake up call to any in Iraq that think these cowardly insurgents have their best interest in mind (as if their was any doubt that they don't). These pigs kill because they can. They attack innocents because their tools are fear and the threat of death to their victims. These cowards are no match for the military, so the attack civilians.
However, joint U.S and Iraqi operations are continuing to rid the country of the insurgents. In Fallujah, 1,000 –2,000 insurgents have been killed, and 1,000 have been detained, and troops are further consolidating their control of the city. Conditions are stabilizing in Mosul.
This is a Lawsuit Waiting to Happen
Hardee’s introduced a burger that contains 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat. It’s called the “Monster Thickburger”. I can feel my arteries clogging just looking at the picture of it. Now, I will never eat this beast, but if you want to, go ahead.
Moreover, I don’t think anyone should stop you. However, don’t sue Hardee’s when you have to have a quadruple bypass. You ate it, so take responsibility when it comes to the results of such a decadent delight. Please help keep healthcare costs somewhat reasonable by working out for several hours after eating the Monster Thickburger.
Here ar the contents of this bad boy:
Moreover, I don’t think anyone should stop you. However, don’t sue Hardee’s when you have to have a quadruple bypass. You ate it, so take responsibility when it comes to the results of such a decadent delight. Please help keep healthcare costs somewhat reasonable by working out for several hours after eating the Monster Thickburger.
Here ar the contents of this bad boy:
- Two-thirds of a pound of beef ... 664 calories
- Three slices of cheese ... 186 calories
- Four pieces of bacon ... 150 calories
- Mayonnaise ...160 calories
- Butter ... 30 calories
- Bun ... 230 calories
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Spectacular Spider-Man #21
It’s finally here. Written by Paul Jenkins and drawn by Aspen’s own Talent Caldwell.
Let me start off by picking on a book that is near and dear to me, namely Superman. Currently Brian Azzarello is doing the writing and Jim Lee the pencils. Well, Azzarello just stinks in this title, so therefore the book relies on not much more than Jim Lee’s amazing drawing ability. Some issues have no action in them whatsoever, so its only saving grace is the art. It’s tough to read a crappy script even with great illustrations. Now on to Spidey.
Jenkins is an excellent writer to start with. Here are two stand alone issues (Spectacular Spider-Man #21 and #22) with a guest penciler. Never have a read a comic that had so little action yet was so entertaining and a joy to read. There are no major battles in issue #21. No Doc Ock. No Dr. Doom. NoVenom. No climatic battle for Spider-Man with fists flying and webs shooting. Only a card game.
The book opens with Angel (X-Men) descending toward an open balcony, where Sue Richards (Fantastic Four) is waiting for him. He enters the apartment to sit down to a game of cards. Each year some superheroes get together to play a little poker. The winner donates the money to the charity of their choice. Players in this year’s game include Angel, Black Cat, Dr. Strange, the Human Torch, Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, and Spidey. Dr. Strange, who is new to playing poker, is losing miserably. The beautiful Black Cat instantly distracts Angel. Reed Richards is the dealer.
Then the game takes an unexpected turn. There is a knock at the door, but all the expected players are already in attendance. Sue Richards opens the door and who should be standing there but Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin. As the heroes jump to their feet, he does not attack. He simply wants to join the card game. He offers a nice sum if the heroes win, and if they don’t he gets the satisfaction of sticking it to some superheroes in a game of poker.
As I mentioned early, never have I read a comic with no action in it and have been so impressed. The writing is fabulous, and the art is spectacular. This is just a thoroughly entertaining story. Talent Caldwell is, well, talented. He stuck with the cartoony style that Huberto Ramos starting this title with back in issue #1 and keeps it going here. Excellent work by everyone involved.
Let me start off by picking on a book that is near and dear to me, namely Superman. Currently Brian Azzarello is doing the writing and Jim Lee the pencils. Well, Azzarello just stinks in this title, so therefore the book relies on not much more than Jim Lee’s amazing drawing ability. Some issues have no action in them whatsoever, so its only saving grace is the art. It’s tough to read a crappy script even with great illustrations. Now on to Spidey.
Jenkins is an excellent writer to start with. Here are two stand alone issues (Spectacular Spider-Man #21 and #22) with a guest penciler. Never have a read a comic that had so little action yet was so entertaining and a joy to read. There are no major battles in issue #21. No Doc Ock. No Dr. Doom. NoVenom. No climatic battle for Spider-Man with fists flying and webs shooting. Only a card game.
The book opens with Angel (X-Men) descending toward an open balcony, where Sue Richards (Fantastic Four) is waiting for him. He enters the apartment to sit down to a game of cards. Each year some superheroes get together to play a little poker. The winner donates the money to the charity of their choice. Players in this year’s game include Angel, Black Cat, Dr. Strange, the Human Torch, Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, and Spidey. Dr. Strange, who is new to playing poker, is losing miserably. The beautiful Black Cat instantly distracts Angel. Reed Richards is the dealer.
Then the game takes an unexpected turn. There is a knock at the door, but all the expected players are already in attendance. Sue Richards opens the door and who should be standing there but Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin. As the heroes jump to their feet, he does not attack. He simply wants to join the card game. He offers a nice sum if the heroes win, and if they don’t he gets the satisfaction of sticking it to some superheroes in a game of poker.
As I mentioned early, never have I read a comic with no action in it and have been so impressed. The writing is fabulous, and the art is spectacular. This is just a thoroughly entertaining story. Talent Caldwell is, well, talented. He stuck with the cartoony style that Huberto Ramos starting this title with back in issue #1 and keeps it going here. Excellent work by everyone involved.
Leonid Meteor Shower
It’s time again for the Leonid Meteor Shower, November 16th-19th. Find a dark place (no city lights) and enjoy the show.
A Bombardier's Reflections
James Earl Jones reminisces on the 40th Anniversary of “Dr. Strangelove”. Jones played Lt. Lothar Zogg, the B-52’s bombardier.
This is one of the coolest movies I have ever seen. The satirical humor is great. Of course, the full title of the film is “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”. If you haven’t seen it, this should give you some indication of the type of humor involved. Characters include Gen. Jack D. Ripper, Maj. T.J. "King" Kong, Col. "Bat" Guano, and Gen. "Buck" Turgidson (played by George C. Scott). Peter Sellers played three roles in the film: Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake, a British Exchange Officer; Dr. Strangelove himself; and U.S. President Merkin Muffley.
Make sure you check this film out, especially if you have a warped sense of humor.
Secretary of State Rice
President Bush has named Condoleezza Rice to replace Colin Powell as Secretary of State. Rice’s deputy, Stephen J. Hadley, will move into her spot.
I’m just an EMT
Sung to the tune of “I’m just a Gigolo”. That’s right. David Lee Roth is training to be an EMT.
Can you imagine him standing over you yelling “clear”?
Can you imagine him standing over you yelling “clear”?
Monday, November 15, 2004
CBS News Producer Fired
But not because of anything related to Rathergate. Anthony Surace over at the Templar Pundit picked up on this story last week, but CNN just got to it today.
As I was watching CSI: New York last week, I was awestruck that the CBS News broke in with less than five minutes to go in their highly rated drama to tell us the old terrorist Arafat was dead. Well, the producer got fired:
The news report came during the last five minutes of the forensics mystery last Wednesday, prompting viewer complaints and leading CBS to repeat the show Friday.
When is CBS going to give the boot to The Dan for irresponsibly reporting fake news?
As I was watching CSI: New York last week, I was awestruck that the CBS News broke in with less than five minutes to go in their highly rated drama to tell us the old terrorist Arafat was dead. Well, the producer got fired:
The news report came during the last five minutes of the forensics mystery last Wednesday, prompting viewer complaints and leading CBS to repeat the show Friday.
The producer responsible ignored network policy to contact a senior executive before interrupting a regularly scheduled program for a news report, the source said.
Also, with Arafat reportedly near death for several days, CBS News had left explicit instructions for how to deal with that event: run a news "crawl" at the bottom of the screen and direct viewers to the next newscast for more information.
That's how CBS's competitors at ABC and NBC handled the news. The interruption came five minutes before local newscasts in eastern and central time zones.
CBS issued an apology to viewers the next day, blaming the "overly aggressive" producer for the interruption.
Now, the producer didn't make the best choice in the world on when to air this news, but at least it was real news. Dan Rather and those who used faked memos, or created news, to try and slander the president in an election year are still employed.When is CBS going to give the boot to The Dan for irresponsibly reporting fake news?
Arafat’s Legacy
Charles Krauthammer (via Power Line) explains what Yasser Arafat’s true legacy is:
It is a legacy in two parts: means and ends. The means? Violence. Arafat invented modern terrorism: airplane hijackings, kidnappings and the spectacular mass murder, like the Olympic massacre of 1972. Others had tried it. Arafat perfected it. He turned terrorism into a brilliantly successful political instrument, a vehicle to international recognition and respect. The man who murdered more innocent Jews than anyone since Hitler died an international hero. The president of France bowed to his casket. The secretary general ordered U.N. flags to fly at half-staff.
Arafat also bequeathed a legacy of ends: uncompromising, irredentist ends. He didn't just reject any settlement that would leave Israel intact, thereby setting a precedent that any successor dare not violate. He also raised a new generation to ensure that rejection. Deploying every instrument of propaganda -- television, radio, newspapers and, most importantly, schools and summer camps for children -- his Palestinian Authority fed his people a diet of such virulent anti-Semitism and denial of the Jewish connection with the land that no successor will even be in position to contemplate breaking Arafat's rejectionist precedent.
Arafat's most cherished achievement was to so poison the well that the revolution -- until total victory -- continues long after he is gone. As soon as he died, the most murderous terrorist wing of his Fatah movement, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, changed its name to the Yasser Arafat Martyrs Brigades.
They understood their master. Which is why the prospects for peace upon his death are far more distant than the naifs (who got him wrong all through his life) now insist. Arafat's legacy -- the romanticization of violence, the rejection of Israel, the indoctrination of a new generation in intolerance and hatred -- will require a long time to undo. It will require years, perhaps even generations. It will require brave new Palestinian leaders who are the very antithesis of Yasser Arafat.
Arafat was single-minded, not indecisive as his apologist would proclaim. His goal was not an independent state for his people, but to eradicate Israel. Palestine was a convenient location for him to attack his enemy. Ramallah was not his intended burial plot. He wanted to be buried in Jerusalem. And the reason for his triumphant burial there would be because he had destroyed the Jews, not because of their permission. Thankfully, he was unable to achieve his endgame. But the people of Palestine that he has poisoned with hatred for Israel for the last 40 years will continue the fight. Peace in the Middle East is far off. Many generations must come and go before the Arafat doctrine will be a thing of the past.
With the election of a new Palestinian leader, the slow process of draining the poison of hate from the people of Palestine can begin, and must begin.
It is a legacy in two parts: means and ends. The means? Violence. Arafat invented modern terrorism: airplane hijackings, kidnappings and the spectacular mass murder, like the Olympic massacre of 1972. Others had tried it. Arafat perfected it. He turned terrorism into a brilliantly successful political instrument, a vehicle to international recognition and respect. The man who murdered more innocent Jews than anyone since Hitler died an international hero. The president of France bowed to his casket. The secretary general ordered U.N. flags to fly at half-staff.
Arafat also bequeathed a legacy of ends: uncompromising, irredentist ends. He didn't just reject any settlement that would leave Israel intact, thereby setting a precedent that any successor dare not violate. He also raised a new generation to ensure that rejection. Deploying every instrument of propaganda -- television, radio, newspapers and, most importantly, schools and summer camps for children -- his Palestinian Authority fed his people a diet of such virulent anti-Semitism and denial of the Jewish connection with the land that no successor will even be in position to contemplate breaking Arafat's rejectionist precedent.
Arafat's most cherished achievement was to so poison the well that the revolution -- until total victory -- continues long after he is gone. As soon as he died, the most murderous terrorist wing of his Fatah movement, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, changed its name to the Yasser Arafat Martyrs Brigades.
They understood their master. Which is why the prospects for peace upon his death are far more distant than the naifs (who got him wrong all through his life) now insist. Arafat's legacy -- the romanticization of violence, the rejection of Israel, the indoctrination of a new generation in intolerance and hatred -- will require a long time to undo. It will require years, perhaps even generations. It will require brave new Palestinian leaders who are the very antithesis of Yasser Arafat.
Arafat was single-minded, not indecisive as his apologist would proclaim. His goal was not an independent state for his people, but to eradicate Israel. Palestine was a convenient location for him to attack his enemy. Ramallah was not his intended burial plot. He wanted to be buried in Jerusalem. And the reason for his triumphant burial there would be because he had destroyed the Jews, not because of their permission. Thankfully, he was unable to achieve his endgame. But the people of Palestine that he has poisoned with hatred for Israel for the last 40 years will continue the fight. Peace in the Middle East is far off. Many generations must come and go before the Arafat doctrine will be a thing of the past.
With the election of a new Palestinian leader, the slow process of draining the poison of hate from the people of Palestine can begin, and must begin.
Internet Explorer out, Firefox in
Still using IE? Well, stop. Make the switch to Firefox today. It’s fast and more secure than Internet Explorer.
I’ve been using Firefox for quite awhile now, especially since Microsoft stopped supporting and releasing new updates of IE for the Mac, and it’s awesome. I like it even better than Safari. Firefox blocks popup ads and doesn’t use Microsoft’s Active X software.
Well worth the download.
I’ve been using Firefox for quite awhile now, especially since Microsoft stopped supporting and releasing new updates of IE for the Mac, and it’s awesome. I like it even better than Safari. Firefox blocks popup ads and doesn’t use Microsoft’s Active X software.
Well worth the download.
Secretary of State Powell Resigns
There has been some speculation the Colin Powell wouldn’t do a second term, and he won’t. He gave the president his letter of resignation on Friday. His replacement will likely be either U.N. Ambassador John Danforth or National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.
American Music Awards
I wasted several hours last night watching one of the worst award shows ever. Most of the performances were very disappointing. Highlights included performances by Rod Stewart, Alicia Keys, and Maroon 5, and awards going to Toby Keith, Linkin Park, Sheryl Crow, and Alicia Keys. Even Snoop Dog was pretty good. Jessica Simpson belted out her single “With You”, demonstrating that she is definitely the more talented of the Simpson girls.
Gwen Stefani, who I usually adore, was appalling in her ruffled white skirt and white stockings performing her new single, “What You Waiting For?” Maybe she shouldn’t have stepped out without No Doubt. The song is hideous, and her performance not much better.
However, the truly tragic portion of the show last night was Anna Nicole Smith. Anna, though looking fabulous, was completely out of her mind. She could hardly string together words to make a coherent sentence. Kimmel was funny when he suggested she stay out of Snoop’s “brownies” (a skit from earlier in the evening), but the fact she was even let on stage in her condition is sad. There needs to be a major intervention by the Hollywood Elite, or maybe even her friends (you’d think), or she is going to end up dead, which would be a shame.
You can find a full list of last nights winners here (if you really want to).
Gwen Stefani, who I usually adore, was appalling in her ruffled white skirt and white stockings performing her new single, “What You Waiting For?” Maybe she shouldn’t have stepped out without No Doubt. The song is hideous, and her performance not much better.
However, the truly tragic portion of the show last night was Anna Nicole Smith. Anna, though looking fabulous, was completely out of her mind. She could hardly string together words to make a coherent sentence. Kimmel was funny when he suggested she stay out of Snoop’s “brownies” (a skit from earlier in the evening), but the fact she was even let on stage in her condition is sad. There needs to be a major intervention by the Hollywood Elite, or maybe even her friends (you’d think), or she is going to end up dead, which would be a shame.
You can find a full list of last nights winners here (if you really want to).
Harry Lampert, creator of “The Flash”, dead at 88
The illustrator that created the DC superhero “The Flash” and drew such characters as Popeye and Betty Boop is dead at 88. He was suffering from cancer. Lampert began drawing professionally at 16 and in 1940 teamed with writer Gardner Fox to create “The Flash”, a character that still flourishes today.
Friday, November 12, 2004
A Day Off
Sorry there hasn't been any posts today. I had today off, and spent the day running around doing things that don't usually get done because of work. When I did get home, I worked on an iMovie project for my mother-in-law's 50th birthday. In fact, I am taking a break right now from feverishly scanning photos.
I guess there are only two really newsworthy events to take notice of today.
The first is the burial of Yasser Arafat. Inspirational leader to some, a "thug" by other accounts. He was a terrorist, no matter how much the MSM tries to make him sound human.
The other newsworthy event: Scott Peterson is found guilty. The way the jury deliberations have been going, I thought he was going to get acquited for sure. That is not the case. And it's a good thing.
Alright, back to scanning photos.
I guess there are only two really newsworthy events to take notice of today.
The first is the burial of Yasser Arafat. Inspirational leader to some, a "thug" by other accounts. He was a terrorist, no matter how much the MSM tries to make him sound human.
The other newsworthy event: Scott Peterson is found guilty. The way the jury deliberations have been going, I thought he was going to get acquited for sure. That is not the case. And it's a good thing.
Alright, back to scanning photos.
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Honoring All Who Served
Today is November 11th, Veterans Day, a time to honor and thank those who have served this great country.
Many in my family have served. One grandfather fought in Europe with the Army during WWI. My other grandfather fought in the South Pacific during WWII with the Marines. My uncle serviced B-24s in Italy during WWII and my aunt served with the WAVES. My dad served in the Navy during the Korean War.
Many in my family have served. One grandfather fought in Europe with the Army during WWI. My other grandfather fought in the South Pacific during WWII with the Marines. My uncle serviced B-24s in Italy during WWII and my aunt served with the WAVES. My dad served in the Navy during the Korean War.
Some of these persons mentioned above have passed away, but today is a day for me to honor their memories and thank those remaining for their service to this country. I encourage you to thank a veteran today for fighting for your freedom and for freedom around the world.
Here is a little history on Veteran's day (from the Department of Veteran's Affairs).
Official recognition of the end of the first modern global conflict -- World War I - - was made in a concurrent resolution (44 Stat. 1982) enacted by Congress on June 4, 1926, with these words:
WHEREAS the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most
destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the
resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with
other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and
WHEREAS it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should
be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to
perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between
nations; and
WHEREAS the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already
declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by
the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the President of the
United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to
display the flag of the United States on all Government
buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to
observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with
appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.
Iraq News and Commentary
Make sure you check the Belmont Club for the latest news and views from Iraq and Fallujah.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Wictory Wednesday
Wictory Wednesday continues! Now that the White House is secure and the Republicans have a majority in the House and Senate, it’s no time to relax.
The Republican National Committee successfully orchestrated a 72-hour Get-Out-The-Vote effort, but the work doesn’t end there. Your continued support is needed. You can donate to the RNC online.
Today is Wictory Wednesday. If you have a blog and want to participate, go to Wictory Wednesday and get yourself on the blogroll.
Blogs that participate in Wictory Wednesday:
The Republican National Committee successfully orchestrated a 72-hour Get-Out-The-Vote effort, but the work doesn’t end there. Your continued support is needed. You can donate to the RNC online.
Today is Wictory Wednesday. If you have a blog and want to participate, go to Wictory Wednesday and get yourself on the blogroll.
Blogs that participate in Wictory Wednesday:
Semper Fidelis
The United States Marine Corp is celebrating its 229th birthday today. General M.W. Hagee is the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He has issued the following birthday message:
Two hundred and twenty-nine years ago, the Second Continental Congress established a Corps of Marines to fight for a democratic people's independence. Since then countless Marines have raised their hand and sworn to defend our Nation's freedoms and preserve its liberties. This year's anniversary again finds Marines engaged throughout the globe for the same noble purposes. The bravery, heroism and selflessness of all Marines—wherever they are serving—have added significantly to our rich legacy and measured up to the high standards that have come to epitomize all who wear the eagle, globe and anchor.
The current battlefields of the global war on terror are linked to the storied campaigns of our past by an unbroken tradition of proud and loyal service. At New Providence, Chapultepec, Belleau Wood, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, Con Thien, Kuwait and now in places like Fallujah, Marines have consistently demonstrated a dedication to duty, a commitment to warfighting excellence, and a devotion to each other that has instilled a fierce determination to overcome seemingly impossible challenges. Our warrior ethos is and will continue to be the Corps' hallmark.
The fortitude and sacrifices of Marines and their families have been vital in protecting our Nation from those who would do us harm. Whether preparing and sustaining our agile force or engaged in battle, the esprit de corps, tireless energy, calm courage and inspired leadership of Marines continue to make a monumental difference in this world. Your unselfish dedication and significant accomplishments—demonstrated repeatedly over this past year in numerous places such as the Anbar province of Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, Haiti and in the crucial job here at home supporting our deployed forces—are deeply respected and valued by your fellow Americans.
Marines, as we celebrate with friends and families the founding of our beloved Corps, you should take pride in our long history of distinguished service to this great Nation and its citizens. I ask you to remember especially the sacrifices of our fallen and wounded comrades. Finally, rededicate yourselves to taking care of one another and ensuring we remain the finest warfighting organization in the world.
Happy Birthday, Marines. Semper Fidelis, and Keep Attacking!
Via Power Line.
Two hundred and twenty-nine years ago, the Second Continental Congress established a Corps of Marines to fight for a democratic people's independence. Since then countless Marines have raised their hand and sworn to defend our Nation's freedoms and preserve its liberties. This year's anniversary again finds Marines engaged throughout the globe for the same noble purposes. The bravery, heroism and selflessness of all Marines—wherever they are serving—have added significantly to our rich legacy and measured up to the high standards that have come to epitomize all who wear the eagle, globe and anchor.
The current battlefields of the global war on terror are linked to the storied campaigns of our past by an unbroken tradition of proud and loyal service. At New Providence, Chapultepec, Belleau Wood, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, Con Thien, Kuwait and now in places like Fallujah, Marines have consistently demonstrated a dedication to duty, a commitment to warfighting excellence, and a devotion to each other that has instilled a fierce determination to overcome seemingly impossible challenges. Our warrior ethos is and will continue to be the Corps' hallmark.
The fortitude and sacrifices of Marines and their families have been vital in protecting our Nation from those who would do us harm. Whether preparing and sustaining our agile force or engaged in battle, the esprit de corps, tireless energy, calm courage and inspired leadership of Marines continue to make a monumental difference in this world. Your unselfish dedication and significant accomplishments—demonstrated repeatedly over this past year in numerous places such as the Anbar province of Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, Haiti and in the crucial job here at home supporting our deployed forces—are deeply respected and valued by your fellow Americans.
Marines, as we celebrate with friends and families the founding of our beloved Corps, you should take pride in our long history of distinguished service to this great Nation and its citizens. I ask you to remember especially the sacrifices of our fallen and wounded comrades. Finally, rededicate yourselves to taking care of one another and ensuring we remain the finest warfighting organization in the world.
Happy Birthday, Marines. Semper Fidelis, and Keep Attacking!
Via Power Line.
No Party Man
Jonah Goldberg continues to expand on an article at NRO from a couple of days ago. This time he talks about being a conservative first, a Republican second.
Well, here's the thing: I don't take any giant amount of pride in being a Republican. I'm a conservative.
This is a distinction lost on the mainstream media. Most cable-news networks consider conservatives, Republicans, and — even more egregiously — libertarians utterly interchangeable. I get booked to debate liberals on TV all the time. In about half the circumstances, my opponent is a Democratic-party operative, or "consultant." The same happens to liberal journalists who are booked with various GOP activists. The problem with this arrangement is that, by their very nature, party apparatchiks care about their party more than ideas.
Let me put it this way: I want the Democratic party to move to the center on cultural and economic issues. Yes, it would mean that the Democrats would win more elections. That's pretty much beyond dispute. Bill Clinton was the only Democratic president to be reelected since Roosevelt, and it was because he moved his party to the political center.
If the Democrats won more elections by moving to the middle, it would be bad news for the Republican party, to be sure. But it would be good news for America — if you believe, as I do, that America would be better off moving in a more conservative direction. Keep in mind that when the Democrats move to the left, the Republicans move leftward to the middle — that is, to the left. So Republicans who cheer the leftward tilt of the Democrats shouldn't be surprised when the entire political center of gravity moves to the left as well.
Remember when that court declared the "under God" portion of the pledge of allegiance unconstitutional? Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle immediately denounced the decision. I'm sure they were sincere. But even if they weren't, it was smart politics because no politician wants to run against the pledge of allegiance. Now, someone who puts the interests of the Republican party ahead of everything else would have been disappointed by the Democrats' maneuver. But no conservative in his right mind would have been upset about it, because the whole point of conservatism is to conserve those customs, institutions and values we consider essential for a healthy society.
Well, here's the thing: I don't take any giant amount of pride in being a Republican. I'm a conservative.
This is a distinction lost on the mainstream media. Most cable-news networks consider conservatives, Republicans, and — even more egregiously — libertarians utterly interchangeable. I get booked to debate liberals on TV all the time. In about half the circumstances, my opponent is a Democratic-party operative, or "consultant." The same happens to liberal journalists who are booked with various GOP activists. The problem with this arrangement is that, by their very nature, party apparatchiks care about their party more than ideas.
Let me put it this way: I want the Democratic party to move to the center on cultural and economic issues. Yes, it would mean that the Democrats would win more elections. That's pretty much beyond dispute. Bill Clinton was the only Democratic president to be reelected since Roosevelt, and it was because he moved his party to the political center.
If the Democrats won more elections by moving to the middle, it would be bad news for the Republican party, to be sure. But it would be good news for America — if you believe, as I do, that America would be better off moving in a more conservative direction. Keep in mind that when the Democrats move to the left, the Republicans move leftward to the middle — that is, to the left. So Republicans who cheer the leftward tilt of the Democrats shouldn't be surprised when the entire political center of gravity moves to the left as well.
Remember when that court declared the "under God" portion of the pledge of allegiance unconstitutional? Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle immediately denounced the decision. I'm sure they were sincere. But even if they weren't, it was smart politics because no politician wants to run against the pledge of allegiance. Now, someone who puts the interests of the Republican party ahead of everything else would have been disappointed by the Democrats' maneuver. But no conservative in his right mind would have been upset about it, because the whole point of conservatism is to conserve those customs, institutions and values we consider essential for a healthy society.
Specter Clarifies
Arlen Spector attempts to clarify his position in regards to pro-life judicial appointments over at OpinionJournal.com.
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Fallujah Operations Update
Latest news release from Centcom. I guess Al Jazeera has been making up stories again.
RESPONSE: AL JAZEERA STORY, "HOSPITAL HIT AS FIGHTING RAGES IN FALLUJA."
Al Jazeera released a story today alleging US-led forces bombed an unspecified hospital clinic in Fallujah. This allegation is unsubstantiated.
Insurgents have used allegations of civilian deaths as part of disinformation efforts in the past.
This same Al Jazeera story also reported a US helicopter shot down in Fallujah, which is false. No coalition helicopter has been shot down over Fallujah during “Operation al-Fajr.”
RESPONSE: AL JAZEERA STORY, "HOSPITAL HIT AS FIGHTING RAGES IN FALLUJA."
Al Jazeera released a story today alleging US-led forces bombed an unspecified hospital clinic in Fallujah. This allegation is unsubstantiated.
Insurgents have used allegations of civilian deaths as part of disinformation efforts in the past.
This same Al Jazeera story also reported a US helicopter shot down in Fallujah, which is false. No coalition helicopter has been shot down over Fallujah during “Operation al-Fajr.”
Gamers Delight
This month marks (finally) the release of some highly anticipated video games, most notably Halo 2. H2 will definitely be on my Christmas list.
Bad News for the Democrats
Michael Medved gives the Democrats the bad news: if they continue to get the support of the Hollywood Elitists, they are not going to remotely connect with the people that actual elect the president.
If Democrats intend to compete for support in "fly-over country," generating fresh appeal to hardworking, religiously committed red-state voters who shop at Wal-Mart without guilt, they must escape their identification as the party of Beverly Hills dilettantes and self-righteous celebrities. This means learning to live without Hollywood money, and focusing less obsessive attention on fighting Ralph Nader (or other radical leaders) for a handful of high-profile endorsements on the marginal left.
A future standard-bearer might even strengthen his appeal if fashionable former Naderites like Ms. Sarandon, Michael Moore, Tim Robbins and Peter Coyote once again abandoned practical politics and embraced a chic, purist fringe party, leaving the Democrats to compete for the decidedly unglamorous voters who can actually elect a president of the United States.
Raging rants by the stars are not going to help the Democratic party get voters. It will just further alienate the “regular” people, you and I. I categorize myself as a conservative, and I am a Republican. Now, should the Democratic Party put forth a candidate that was a conservative, and I found this person a better choice than the Republican candidate, I might be swayed to vote that way. However, the important point here is that the Democrat would be a conservative. John Kerry is not a conservative. President Bush is. The choice for me was clear.
Johan Goldberg also highlights some of the post-election activities of the Hollywood left. He writes these comments after watching Bill Maher’s show on HBO:
For example, Saturday night, my wife forced me to watch Bill Maher's HBO show because we'd heard that Andrew Sullivan tore Noam Chomsky apart. That's not actually what happened. Maher actually did a one-on-one interview with Chomsky. It was more like Maher was granted an audience with Chomsky. Maher's style was only slightly less deferential than our own Kathryn Lopez's would be with the pope. Which only makes sense, since Chomsky is something akin to the Black Pope of America-Hatred. Sullivan did a fine job ridiculing Maher about all that, but ultimately the show wasn't worth its price in agita. I had to listen to Susan Sarandon — Hollywood's Patron Saint of Sore Losers — explain that maybe Kerry really did win and that some grassy-knoll Republicans absconded with the election.
But even worse was Maher's mindless righteousness about his own atheism. For years Maher has been auditioning for his Profile in Courage award by saying "brave" things about the unreality of Jesus and the silliness of religion. Every mention of religion causes a dirty smile and joyful sneer to spawn across his face. The other night he was pounding the table with great satisfaction for having the courage to be a "rational" person and hence an unbeliever — and of course the audience was applauding like so many toy monkeys.
There's no time here to dismantle fully the edifice of condescension and ignorance constructed by Maher and Smiley (I put Dowd in a different category). But what offends them so much about religion is that it is a source of authority outside — and prior to — politics. What has offended the Left since Marx, and American liberalism since Dewey, is the notion that moral authority should be derived from anyplace other than the state or "the people" (conveniently defined as citizens who vote liberal). Voting on values not sanctified by secular priests is how they define "ignorance." This was the real goal of Hillary Clinton's "politics of meaning" — to replace traditional religion with a secular one that derived its authority not from ancient texts and "superstitions" but from the good intentions of an activist state and its anointed priests. Shortly before the election, Howell Raines fretted that the worst outcome of a Bush victory would be the resurgence of "theologically based cultural norms" — without even acknowledging the fact that "theologically based cultural norms" gave us everything from the printing press and the newspaper to the First Amendment he claims to be such a defender of.
Goldberg, a self proclaimed not very religious guy, makes this interesting point:
I didn't intend to get off on the tangent of religion. I'm not particularly religious myself, after all. Nevertheless, I think the great irony of this election is that for all the talk of how the bigoted Right won, the Left's loss has sparked far more bigotry. Their clever trick is to defend their hatred of the religious by calling it a hatred of bigotry itself — a rationalization no liberal would tolerate from any other kind of bigot.
In order for the Democrats to have a candidate that actually connects with the people, they need to shed the Hollywood crowd. Maybe the Sarandons, Penns, Moores, and Mahers need to form their own party of hate so the Dems have a fighting chance to get elected. The Democrats might need to even say to these individuals, “Don’t do us any favors by campaigning for us.”
If Democrats intend to compete for support in "fly-over country," generating fresh appeal to hardworking, religiously committed red-state voters who shop at Wal-Mart without guilt, they must escape their identification as the party of Beverly Hills dilettantes and self-righteous celebrities. This means learning to live without Hollywood money, and focusing less obsessive attention on fighting Ralph Nader (or other radical leaders) for a handful of high-profile endorsements on the marginal left.
A future standard-bearer might even strengthen his appeal if fashionable former Naderites like Ms. Sarandon, Michael Moore, Tim Robbins and Peter Coyote once again abandoned practical politics and embraced a chic, purist fringe party, leaving the Democrats to compete for the decidedly unglamorous voters who can actually elect a president of the United States.
Raging rants by the stars are not going to help the Democratic party get voters. It will just further alienate the “regular” people, you and I. I categorize myself as a conservative, and I am a Republican. Now, should the Democratic Party put forth a candidate that was a conservative, and I found this person a better choice than the Republican candidate, I might be swayed to vote that way. However, the important point here is that the Democrat would be a conservative. John Kerry is not a conservative. President Bush is. The choice for me was clear.
Johan Goldberg also highlights some of the post-election activities of the Hollywood left. He writes these comments after watching Bill Maher’s show on HBO:
For example, Saturday night, my wife forced me to watch Bill Maher's HBO show because we'd heard that Andrew Sullivan tore Noam Chomsky apart. That's not actually what happened. Maher actually did a one-on-one interview with Chomsky. It was more like Maher was granted an audience with Chomsky. Maher's style was only slightly less deferential than our own Kathryn Lopez's would be with the pope. Which only makes sense, since Chomsky is something akin to the Black Pope of America-Hatred. Sullivan did a fine job ridiculing Maher about all that, but ultimately the show wasn't worth its price in agita. I had to listen to Susan Sarandon — Hollywood's Patron Saint of Sore Losers — explain that maybe Kerry really did win and that some grassy-knoll Republicans absconded with the election.
But even worse was Maher's mindless righteousness about his own atheism. For years Maher has been auditioning for his Profile in Courage award by saying "brave" things about the unreality of Jesus and the silliness of religion. Every mention of religion causes a dirty smile and joyful sneer to spawn across his face. The other night he was pounding the table with great satisfaction for having the courage to be a "rational" person and hence an unbeliever — and of course the audience was applauding like so many toy monkeys.
There's no time here to dismantle fully the edifice of condescension and ignorance constructed by Maher and Smiley (I put Dowd in a different category). But what offends them so much about religion is that it is a source of authority outside — and prior to — politics. What has offended the Left since Marx, and American liberalism since Dewey, is the notion that moral authority should be derived from anyplace other than the state or "the people" (conveniently defined as citizens who vote liberal). Voting on values not sanctified by secular priests is how they define "ignorance." This was the real goal of Hillary Clinton's "politics of meaning" — to replace traditional religion with a secular one that derived its authority not from ancient texts and "superstitions" but from the good intentions of an activist state and its anointed priests. Shortly before the election, Howell Raines fretted that the worst outcome of a Bush victory would be the resurgence of "theologically based cultural norms" — without even acknowledging the fact that "theologically based cultural norms" gave us everything from the printing press and the newspaper to the First Amendment he claims to be such a defender of.
Goldberg, a self proclaimed not very religious guy, makes this interesting point:
I didn't intend to get off on the tangent of religion. I'm not particularly religious myself, after all. Nevertheless, I think the great irony of this election is that for all the talk of how the bigoted Right won, the Left's loss has sparked far more bigotry. Their clever trick is to defend their hatred of the religious by calling it a hatred of bigotry itself — a rationalization no liberal would tolerate from any other kind of bigot.
In order for the Democrats to have a candidate that actually connects with the people, they need to shed the Hollywood crowd. Maybe the Sarandons, Penns, Moores, and Mahers need to form their own party of hate so the Dems have a fighting chance to get elected. The Democrats might need to even say to these individuals, “Don’t do us any favors by campaigning for us.”
Fallujah Operations Update
Latest update from the U.S. Central Command:
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) launched an assault Nov. 8 against terrorists and foreign fighters in an operation dubbed "Al Fajr," the Iraqi word for dawn.
The combined force is committed to restoring security and the rule of law in Fallujah and removing the threat of terrorism from the area, said Gen. George Casey, commander of Multi-National Forces-Iraq.
"The Iraqi people are fighting to throw off the mantle of terror and intimidation so that they can elect their own government and get on with building a better life for all Iraqis," Casey told reporters Nov. 8. "The elimination of Fallujah as a terrorist safe haven will go a long way toward those goals."
Multi-National Forces are hitting anti-Iraqi forces where they show themselves, using artillery and aircraft to hit terrorist positions in the city. In many recent strikes, secondary explosions are noted. This often signifies that ammunition or explosives were at the site that was struck.
At the direction of the Interim Iraqi Government, combined Iraqi Security Forces and MNF forces over the weekend isolated Fallujah and are controlling movement in and out of the city.
The combined forces also moved to occupy key locations to the south and west of Fallujah, supported by MNF ground forces, armor, artillery, close air support and air strikes.
Iraq’s 36th Commando Battalion successfully secured the Fallujah General Hospital on Nov. 7, freeing it from terrorist control and ensuring its availability to provide medical care for the Iraqi people.
In concert with operations in Fallujah, the MNF-I today is also conducting additional simultaneous missions throughout the country that show strong resolve against elements who attack the Iraqi government, the Iraqi people, and the MNF-I.
Although the worldwide media focus is on Fallujah operations, MNF-I continues to conduct stability and security operations throughout Iraq.
In the last 24 hours, the MNF-I conducted more than 1,700 patrols and missions, including searches of sensitive areas, locating and removing weapons caches, finding and destroying improvised explosive devices, and countering mortar and rocket attacks. More than 185 missions were conducted jointly with Iraqi Security Forces.
Operations are being conducted in support of and in full partnership with the Iraqi government. Multi-National Forces also continue to conduct humanitarian and civil military operations to improve infrastructure in many cities and regions.
Multi-National Forces will also continue precise intelligence-based raids to kill or capture high-value insurgents, and to attack non-compliant forces.
In Baghdad, MNF-I continue offensive operations to contact and deny insurgents safe-haven, mortar positions and rocket operations in key areas.
Lastly, Iraqi government and MNF-I sponsored reconstruction work began in the northern part of Thawra, where more than 8,000 people went back to work Nov. 6.
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) launched an assault Nov. 8 against terrorists and foreign fighters in an operation dubbed "Al Fajr," the Iraqi word for dawn.
The combined force is committed to restoring security and the rule of law in Fallujah and removing the threat of terrorism from the area, said Gen. George Casey, commander of Multi-National Forces-Iraq.
"The Iraqi people are fighting to throw off the mantle of terror and intimidation so that they can elect their own government and get on with building a better life for all Iraqis," Casey told reporters Nov. 8. "The elimination of Fallujah as a terrorist safe haven will go a long way toward those goals."
Multi-National Forces are hitting anti-Iraqi forces where they show themselves, using artillery and aircraft to hit terrorist positions in the city. In many recent strikes, secondary explosions are noted. This often signifies that ammunition or explosives were at the site that was struck.
At the direction of the Interim Iraqi Government, combined Iraqi Security Forces and MNF forces over the weekend isolated Fallujah and are controlling movement in and out of the city.
The combined forces also moved to occupy key locations to the south and west of Fallujah, supported by MNF ground forces, armor, artillery, close air support and air strikes.
Iraq’s 36th Commando Battalion successfully secured the Fallujah General Hospital on Nov. 7, freeing it from terrorist control and ensuring its availability to provide medical care for the Iraqi people.
In concert with operations in Fallujah, the MNF-I today is also conducting additional simultaneous missions throughout the country that show strong resolve against elements who attack the Iraqi government, the Iraqi people, and the MNF-I.
Although the worldwide media focus is on Fallujah operations, MNF-I continues to conduct stability and security operations throughout Iraq.
In the last 24 hours, the MNF-I conducted more than 1,700 patrols and missions, including searches of sensitive areas, locating and removing weapons caches, finding and destroying improvised explosive devices, and countering mortar and rocket attacks. More than 185 missions were conducted jointly with Iraqi Security Forces.
Operations are being conducted in support of and in full partnership with the Iraqi government. Multi-National Forces also continue to conduct humanitarian and civil military operations to improve infrastructure in many cities and regions.
Multi-National Forces will also continue precise intelligence-based raids to kill or capture high-value insurgents, and to attack non-compliant forces.
In Baghdad, MNF-I continue offensive operations to contact and deny insurgents safe-haven, mortar positions and rocket operations in key areas.
Lastly, Iraqi government and MNF-I sponsored reconstruction work began in the northern part of Thawra, where more than 8,000 people went back to work Nov. 6.
Monday, November 08, 2004
The Revenge of the Sith
The teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode III is now available at StarWars.com. No matter how much George Lucas hates us, I am excited about this film. Darth Vader on the big screen again. This should be a dark little romp no matter what kind of gimmicks Lucas uses (e.g. Jar Jar Binks and Ewoks).
The rise of the Empire and the fall of the Jedi. This has to be good.
The rise of the Empire and the fall of the Jedi. This has to be good.
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