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.

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.

Happy Holidays

I am going to be taking a little bloggin' break this week. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

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

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 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.

Ssssshhhhhhhh

Peggy Noonan's latest offering over at OpinionJournal.com.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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:

• 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

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.

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”?

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

Specter Clarifies

Arlen Spector attempts to clarify his position in regards to pro-life judicial appointments over at OpinionJournal.com.

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.”

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.”

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.

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.

Finally Underway

U.S. and Iraqi troops are finally storming Fallujah in an attempt to wipe out the insurgents and restore control of the city to the government.

Make sure to check Central Command for updates on the Fallujah offensive.

The Incredibles

I went and saw The Incredibles this weekend. Opening weekend brought in $70.7 million dollars.

The movie is well written, with enough to keep both grown-ups and kids enthralled. I wouldn't recommend The Incredibles for really young children though. This is not a Finding Nemo or Monsters Inc. Plenty of action and violence. What you get is a really cool super hero flick with plenty of eye-popping animation. Pixar kicks up computer animation another notch with this one.

Anyway, how can you beat super heroes facing the challenges of a mid-life crisis?

This film is definitely worth the full price of admission.

Update: Great review over at NRO by Frederica Matthewes-Green on The Incredibles. The reviewer makes some good points about the movie in the article:

Pixar sets the bar high, and this latest film sails over it like a speeding bullet. I went expecting to screen a kids' movie, but gradually the fact that I was watching an animation melted away. The wall of the theater melted away. As the plot unfolded, revealing unexpected dangers and surprises, it looked worthy of James Bond. And as the pro-family themes appeared (middle-aged boredom, temptation, fidelity), it looked worthy of James Dobson. Yes, this is a superhero action movie about the sanctity of marriage. As Mr. Incredible's daughter Violet (voiced by Sarah Vowell) tells her little brother, "Mom and Dad's life could be in danger. Or worse-their marriage!"

Most kids' entertainment is about kids. Pixar movies are about adults. They show children what adults are supposed to do — to be brave and self-sacrificing, to defend children even at risk to themselves, to give even in the face of ingratitude. This is wise because, after all, children aren't going to remain children. Just as we encourage them daily to grow in the practical skills of adulthood, they'll need these kind of skills too if they are going to be faithful, responsible spouses and parents.

Many kids sitting in theater seats don't have a daddy like Nemo's, who would go to the end of the ocean to save their lives. They don't have a daddy like Dash and Violet's, who can be crushed only by the thought that he has lost them, and whose strength rebounds instantly when he learns they need his help. These kids don't have daddy-figures like Woody and Mike and Sullivan, who love and guard the children who enter their care. They don't have a daddy like that, but one day they may be a daddy like that, or have a clear idea of the kind of future daddy they need to marry. If this is all that Pixar has done, it has done a most eminent thing.

Update: Dark Horse is also releasing a comic book version of The Incredibles. The first issue of a four part series will be on shelves on November 10th. I was a little disappointed to see that this title is an adaptation of the movie. I was hoping for an ongoing original series. Depending on sales and interest, maybe Dark Horse will start a monthly title.

Maine’s tax troubles make it to the national news

I was browsing MSNBC.com when I came across this piece that was on the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. Small towns in Maine are dissolving in an attempt to lower their tax base. 9 towns have dissolved since 1980, most of which felt some tax relief.

Governor Baldacci has promised that the next legislative session will work on bringing property tax relief to Maine. They had better make good on that claim. Many are skeptical. There are plenty of citizens in the wings eager to get some tax relief, and not all of their ideas are good ones. The Palesky Tax Cap Initiative was easily defeated in this election, but the Palesky group is going to try again. Two other citizen initiatives are out gathering signatures for the next election. The Governor and the State need to get this done.

So Much to Savor

Check out Peggy Noonan's latest over at OpinionJounal.com.

Who was the biggest loser of the 2004 election? It is easy to say Mr. Kerry: he was a poor candidate with a poor campaign. But I do think the biggest loser was the mainstream media, the famous MSM, the initials that became popular in this election cycle. Every time the big networks and big broadsheet national newspapers tried to pull off a bit of pro-liberal mischief--CBS and the fabricated Bush National Guard documents, the New York Times and bombgate, CBS's "60 Minutes" attempting to coordinate the breaking of bombgate on the Sunday before the election--the yeomen of the blogosphere and AM radio and the Internet took them down. It was to me a great historical development in the history of politics in America. It was Agincourt. It was the yeomen of King Harry taking down the French aristocracy with new technology and rough guts. God bless the pajama-clad yeomen of America. Some day, when America is hit again, and lines go down, and media are hard to get, these bloggers and site runners and independent Internetters of all sorts will find a way to file, and get their word out, and it will be part of the saving of our country.

The numbers are in. All the votes have been counted. And I think it is pretty safe to say the biggest loser of the 2004 Election is the Mainstream Media.

Where is Dan Rather's concession speech?

Superman/Batman #13

I picked up the last installment of Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner's Supergirl from Krypton series. Awesome ending to an awesome run by this combo. Supes opens a can of you know what on Darkseid after apparently obliterating Supergirl with his Omega Beams. Superman takes big D to the Sun (literally) and beats him. He then takes him to the "Source Wall" and leaves him there, trapped. (What is the Source Wall? I don't know. There is a brief explanation in the book, and those of you who have been Superman readers for a long time might know.)

I won't tell you the whole story as not to reveal the ending for anyone who wants to read this issue, but Loeb wrote in a part in the story where all the major DC teams come together, such as the JLA, JSA, Outsiders, and so forth. Kind of corny, but it does the trick. The real thing to note here is Turner's vision of these characters, especially the Outsiders. Great art.

DC Comics. Mr. Loeb. Mr. Turner. How about a run on the Outsiders? Just something to think about.

The Green Side

Latest email from Lt. Col. David Bellon, USMC, who is stationed in Fallujah, Iraq.

As you have no doubt been watching, we have had our hands full around Fallujah. It would seem as if the final reckoning is coming. The city has been on a consistent down hill spiral since we were ordered out in April. It's siren call for extremists and criminals has only increased steadily and the instability and violence that radiates out of the town has expanded exponentially. If there is another city in the world that contains more terrorists, I would be surprised. From the last two years, I just don't see a way that we can succeed in Iraq without reducing this threat. The cost of continuing on without taking decisive action is too high to dwell on.

The enemy inside the town have come to fight and kill Americans. Nothing will sate their bloodlust and hatred other than to kill everyone of us or at least die trying. It is hard to fathom as a Westerner as rational thought would dictate that we will only be here for a relatively short blip in their history and while we are here, billions of dollars in investments will pour in and opportunity that is beyond comprehension will open up for anyone willing to work. This is not Kansas and this enemy does not think like that.

If we build a school or clinic, they destroy it. They would rather deny medical care or education for the children of the citizens who live nearby than to have any symbol of the West in general and America specifically among them. It is hard to comprehend. Frankly, we are done trying.

For eight months, we have been on our chain. The enemy has fooled itself misinterpreting our humanity and restraint for lack of will and courage. For eight months, we have watched Marines, Soldiers and Sailors maimed and killed by invisible cowards hiding behind some wall or in a canal as he detonates another IED. For eight months, we have been witness to suicidal sociopaths driving vehicles laden with explosives into crowds of Iraqis and into our own convoys.

Just last week, we lost another nine Marines killed and an equal number of wounded as the result of some ignorant extremists who was able to convince himself that killing himself and as many Americans as possible would send him to paradise where he could finally get his virgins.

Now, their own ignorance and arrogance will be their undoing. They believe that they can hold Fallujah. In fact, they have come from all over to be part of its glorious defense. I cannot describe the atmosphere that exists in the Regiment right now. Of course the men are nervous but I think they are more nervous that we will not be allowed to clean the rats nest out and instead will be forced to continue operating as is.

Its as if a window of opportunity has opened and everyone just wants to get on with it before it closes. The Marines know the enemy has massed and has temporarily decided to stay and fight. For the first time, the men feel as though we may be allowed to do what needs to be done. If the enemy wants to sit in his citadel and try to defend it against the Marine Corps and some very hard Soldiers... then the men want to execute before the enemy sobers up and flees.

It may come off as an exceptionally bellicose perspective but where the Marines live and operate is a war zone in the starkest reality. When the Marines leave the front gate on an operation or patrol, someone within direct line of sight of that gate is trying to kill them. All have lost friends and watched as the enemy hides within his sanctuary that has been allowed out of what one must assume is political necessity. The enemy has been given every advantage by our sense of morality and restraint and by a set of operational rules that we are constrained to operate under. The Marines feel like their time has come and we will finally be ordered to do what must be done and be given the latitude to do it. Even though the price will be high, there is not a man here that would chose status quo over paying the price.

Every day, the enemy takes more hostages, assassinates developing Iraqi leaders and savagely beats suspected collaborators. I will give you just one recent example that happened last week. One of our patrols was moving down a street when they saw what looked like a fight. The Marines closed with the scene. It was a family that had come to Iraq on religious pilgrimage that was taken hostage and was being taken into Fallujah. The muj stopped for some reason and the father began fighting. The Marines interdicted and captured two of the kidnappers. Two more ran and the Marines could not get a shot without fear of killing/wounding others.

Every day, insurgents from inside Fallujah drive out and wait for Iraqis that work on our bases. Once the Iraqis leave they are stopped. The lucky ones are savagely beaten. The unfortunate ones are killed. A family that had fled Fallujah in order to get away from the fighting recently tried to return. When they got to their home, they found it taken over by terrorists (very common). When the patriarch showed the muj his deed in order to prove that the house was his, they took the old man out into the street and beat him senseless in front of his family.

Summary executions are common. Think about that. Summary executions inside Fallujah happen with sobering frequency. We have been witness to the scene on a number of occasions. Three men are taken from the trunk of a car and are made to walk to a ditch where they are shot. Bodies are found in the Euphrates without heads washed downstream from Fallujah. To date we have been allowed to do nothing.

I have no idea the numbers of beheadings that have occurred in Fallujah since I have been here. I have no idea the number of hostages that have ended up in Fallujah since we have been here. I just don't know that Americans would be able to comprehend the number anyway. Unfortunately, the situation has only gotten worse. There is no hope for any type of reasoned solution with an enemy like this.

Once again, we are being asked by citizens who have fled the city to go in and take the city back. They are willing for us to literally rubble the place in order to kill the terrorists within. Don't get me wrong, there are still many inside the town that support the terrorists and we cannot expect to be thanked publicly if we do take the city. There is a sense of de ja vu with the refugees telling us where their houses are and asking us to bomb them because the muj have taken them over. We heard the same thing in April only to end up letting the people down. Some no doubt have paid with their lives. The "good" people who may ultimately buy into a peaceful and prosperous Iraq are again asking us to do what we know must be done.

The Marines understand and are eager to get on with it. The only lingering fear in them is that we will be ordered to stop again. I don't know if this is going to happen but if it happens soon, I will write you when its over.

Now that President Bush has been re-elected, I'm betting that the Marines are going to get the green light very soon to go in and clean out Fallujah.

Winners and Losers

Slublog does a great job evaluating the winners and losers from this election.

Wictory Wednesday

George W. Bush has won the 2004 Election, so it truly is Wictory Wednesday.

Thanks to Polipundit for organizing WW and keeping it going. Here is the list of blogs that have participated in Wictory Wednesday and the re-election of President Bush:

Election Night

November 2nd is finally here, and we the people get to have our say. If you haven't voted already today, make sure you go do it now before the polls close.

Fox News has a great tracker that refreshes every couple of minutes with the latest election info. Make sure you keep checking Power Line and the Kerry Spot for election coverage. Hugh Hewitt is also a must, but not much posting from Hugh yet.

I know I am probably way behind the times, but I just went over to Jib Jab and watched "This Land!" and found "It's Good to be in DC". We definitely need some entertainment tonight as well.

I went early this morning to vote, and it was very uneventful. For the first time ever, I actually had to stand in line. The wait was only about 20 minutes and worth it.

Make sure the coffee is on and get ready for a late night.

The Legend of Tora Bora

Jed Babbin with the real deal about Tora Bora. Not the version Kerry is trying to use in his campaign.

Should I be surprised?

My buddy Slublog lost his Bush/Cheney sign again last night. I shouldn't be surprised. As my wife and I walked our usually route this morning, I noticed that all the Bush/Cheney signs had been stolen in the night. Of course, last night was Halloween, and troublemakers tend to be afoot, and I would tend to believe this if the Kerry/Edwards signs had been stolen too. But they weren't. All were safely standing in people's yards, untouched. More attempts voter intimidation. As if stealing a lawn sign is going to change somebody's vote.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have had about enough of this campaign. I turned the news on this morning and turned it right back off because I am just tired of hearing the same thing everyday. I am very glad that tomorrow morning I am going to get up, go to my local polling place, and cast my vote.

Of course, now for all the Election night results. I can see a late night coming tomorrow. Power Line's Hindrocket is going to be part of the NBC election night festivities, so make sure you watch.