The Election

Here's a link to my original post regarding election news. It has been updated with current news!

And lest we forget, here's a report from the last time Iraq held an election.

This one may not be perfect, but what a long way they've come! Congratulations Iraq!

Additionally, WHY are all the leftist bloggers totally silent about the election? I can only assume it's like their silence on the day after our own election in November....they are sitting around scratching their heads and wondering how they got it all wrong.....AGAIN??

Remembering Auschwitz-Liberated January 27, 1945

Remembering the Wannsee Conference and the Liberation of Auschwitz

This article is posted by participants of the January 27, 2005, BlogBurst (see list at end of article), to remember the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, sixty years ago, on January 27, 1945.

On January 20th, we marked the anniversary of the 1942 Wannsee Conference. In the course of that Conference, the Nazi hierarchy formalized the plan to annihilate the Jewish people. Understanding the horrors of Auschwitz requires that one be aware of the premeditated mass-murder that was presented at Wannsee.

Highlighting these events now has become particularly important, even as the press reports that '45% of Britons have never heard of Auschwitz' (see this article at the Jerusalem Post).

So, in case you're one of 45%, or even if you just need a reminder....here's some history for you:

The Holocaust, symbolized by Auschwitz, the worst of the death camps, occurred in the wake of consistent, systematic, unrelenting anti-Jewish propaganda campaign. As a result, the elimination of the Jews from German society was accepted as axiomatic, leaving open only two questions: when and how.

As Germany expanded its domination and occupation of Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, the Low Countries, Yugoslavia, Poland, parts of the USSR, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Italy and others countries, the way was open for Hitler to realize his well-publicized plan of destroying the Jewish people.

After experimentation, the use of Zyklon B on unsuspecting victim was adopted by the Nazis as the means of choice, and Auschwitz was selected as the main factory of death (more accurately, one should refer to the “Auschwitz-Birkenau complex”). The green light for mass annihilation was given at the Wannsee Conference, January 20, 1942, and the mass gassings took place in Auschwitz between 1942 and the end of 1944, when the Nazis retreated before the advancing Red Army. Jews were transported to Auschwitz from all over Nazi-occupied or Nazi-dominated Europe and most were slaughtered in Auschwitz upon arrival, sometimes as many as 12,000 in one day. Some victims were selected for slave labour or “medical” experimentation. All were subject to brutal treatment.

In all, between three and four million people, mostly Jews, but also Poles and Red Army POWs, were slaughtered in Auschwitz alone (though some authors put the number at 1.3 million). Other death camps were located at Sobibor, Chelmno, Belzec (Belzek), Majdanek and Treblinka.

Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army on 27 January 1945, sixty years ago, after most of the prisoners were forced into a Death March westwards. The Red Army found in Auschwitz about 7,600 survivors, but not all could be saved.

For a long time, the Allies were well aware of the mass murder, but deliberately refused to bomb the camp or the railways leading to it. Ironically, during the Polish uprising, the Allies had no hesitation in flying aid to Warsaw, sometimes flying right over Auschwitz.

There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel’s very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.

If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.

Experiments on children at Auschwitz

For a complete list of the over 150 blogs participating in this "blogburst", see this list.

Iraqi Election Update!

Keep checking - I will be adding to this post as I find relevant information on the Iraqi elections.

This is a historical moment in history....a people subjected to tyranny and oppression for decades are breaking free and on the road to democracy. Sorry if that sounds melodramatic, but it IS pretty dadgum dramatic. Here's what I've found so far:

Baghdad Dweller has comments from Iraqi's worldwide and what they've gone through to vote.

Friends of Democracy has live election news in English. They will be posting voter turonout info here as it becomes available.

This website has info for Iraqi Ex-Patriots living elsewhere to vote in their resident countries.

Iraq Election Diatribe is a blog devoted to election items and news and has some very interesting poll results from Iraqi's regarding the upcoming elections.

The AP has a surprisingly even-handed account of some Iraqis' opinions of the elections and what they hope to achieve through them.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has issued these election videos to promote the elections in Iraq. Worth your time for viewing! (hat tip to my buddy at American Conservative Blog for the link)

MORE: Hill Country News has a link to this article at The Moderate Voice regarding the elections. Great point of view!

READ THE WORDS OF IRAQI'S:

Iraq the Model
The Mesopotamian
Hammorabi
Free Iraqi
Iraqi Humanity
Democracy in Iraq

Way Better than a Yellow Ribbon

You NEED this bumper sticker. Here it is:

Sign America's Thank-you note!

Defend America is going to send a list of names to the troops at the end of this month of all the people who sign this Thank You note to the troops. GO SIGN! It takes all of 2 seconds!

Major hat tip to The Politburo Diktat via Argghhh!!!

Life Means So Much - A Personal Side of Roe V Wade

Rae at A Likely Story shares this very personal story from her past, and how lives have been affected by the Roe V. Wade decision. It is a beautiful and touching story, well written and sincere. Please take a moment to stop by a read it.

UPDATED: American Soldier Subject of Protesters Anger

An angry bunch of students planning on protesting the inauguration this past Thursday, instead aimed their venom at an Army Recruiting Officer sitting at a table nearby. They were even successful in having him removed from campus by security!

As a parent, I can say that their parents should be ashamed of themselves. These students have not even been taught the most basic of human behavior. I still do not believe that the leftists "support the troops but not the war", and incidences like this just prove my point. They are anti-military, anti-troops and anti-anyone who does support the troops. Too bad we can't really live in their world, where all we need to do is sit around a campfire and smoke some reefer with the terrorists and then they'll forget about their little "jihad" thingy and we'll all just love each other. I think they've participated in a similar scene one too many times, and the effects of reefer-madness are starting to show.....

UPDATE: You can send an email of support to SFC Jeff Due at this Blackfive post

Republic of Texas Bloggers

If you're a blogger from the Lone Star State, check out Texasblogs and leave your mark! A great new place for Texans to gather and share stories. Enjoy!

Photos from Galveston Bay

These were taken today:


Mr. Texasbug at the helm of our boat





photos by kOoK.

Captain Daniel Gade Needs Your Help

Blackfive has done it again with this post containing a prayer request for the recovery of Captian Daniel Gade. Please take a moment to read about Cpt. Gade and his situation, add him to your prayer list, and visit the site linked by Blackfive to sign the guestbook for Cpt. Gade and his family to read.

These men and their families are sacrificing SO MUCH for our families and our freedom. We need to tell them we support them and pray for them so they can be encouraged!

Urgent Prayer Request from the Troops

I completely blog-lifted the following letter from Blackfive's blog, but this is too important for just a link. Please read this and commit to praying for these requests daily until the election is over and successful! Thanks!

As a transportation battalion, my unit will be delivering the voting machines and the ballots to villages and cities throughout Iraq during the upcoming elections. (January 30/31) Our convoys are prime targets for the insurgents because they do not want the equipment to arrive at the polling stations nor do they want the local Iraqi citizens to have the chance to vote; timely delivery must occur so that the elections occur.

Encourage your friends and family members and those within our churches to pray specifically for the electoral process. Historically, the previous totalitarian regime would not allow individual citizens to vote.

Democracy will not be realized in Iraq if intelligent and competent officials are not elected to those strategic leadership positions within the emerging government; freedom will not have an pportunity to ring throughout this country if the voting process fails. Announce this prayer! request to your contacts throughout your churches, neighborhoods, and places of business.

Those with leadership roles within the local church post this message in as many newsletters and bulletins as possible. There is unlimited potential for God's presence in this process but if we do not pray then our enemy will prevail (See Ephesians 6:10-17). A prayer vigil prior to the end of the month may be an innovative opportunity for those within your sphere of influence to pray.

This is a political battle that needs spiritual intervention. A powerful story about God's intervention in the lives of David's mighty men is recorded in 2 Samuel 23:8-33. David and his warriors were victorious because of God's intervention. We want to overcome those who would stand in the way of freedom. David's mighty men triumphed over incredible odds and stood their ground and were victorious over the enemies of Israel. (Iraqi insurgents' vs.! God's praying people). They don't stand a chance. I will pray with my soldiers before they leave on their convoys and move outside our installation gates here at Tallil.

My soldiers are at the nerve center of the logistic operation to deliver the voting machines and election ballots. They will be driving to and entering the arena of the enemy. This is not a game for them it is a historical mission that is extremely dangerous. No voting machines or ballots. No elections. Your prayer support and God's intervention are needed to give democracy a chance in this war torn country. Thank you for reading this e-mail. Please give this e-mail a wide dissemination.

Thank you for your prayer support for me and my family. Stand firm in your battles.

Blessings,
Lyle CH (CPT) Lyle Shackelford
Battalion Chaplain
HHD, 57th Transportation Battalion

Reversal of Roe v. Wade?

Apparently that's what the "Roe" half (Norma McCorvey) is hoping and filing for. Big hat tip to blogging newbie LifeSteward for his posting about her press conference today.

WorldNetDaily reports as follows:

As WorldNetDaily reported, Norma McCorvey began a quest in 2003 to reopen the case, based on changes in law and new scientific research that make the prior decision "no longer just." She cites the sworn testimony of more than 1,000 women who say they were hurt by abortion.

At a news conference at the Supreme Court tomorrow at 11 a.m. Eastern, McCorvey will announce she wants the high court to reverse Roe vs. Wade, or at least, order a trial on the merits.

"This is the day I've longed for," she said in a statement issued by her legal representation, the San Antonio-based Justice Foundation.

"Now we know so much more, and I plead with the court to listen to the witnesses and re-evaluate Roe vs. Wade," McCorvey said. "It was a dreadful day in America when the Supreme Court allowed a woman to kill her own child."

What perfect timing, as evangelicals nation wide kick-off Sanctity of Life Week this week, focusing on (what else?) the sanctity of human life as provided by God.

Other bloggers who are discussing Ms. McCorvey's press conference include:
Booker Rising
enterMYmind
Pajama Hadin
The Caretaker
Liberals are Intellectual Morons
Elephants to the Right


There are more, and if I've left you off, let me know and I'll add you to the list. Where is this in the news you ask? I'm offended! This IS the news, my friend!

To Celebrate MLK Day....An Interview with Alveda King

Alveda King, niece of the late Martin Luther King, Jr. gave an incredible interview to Newsweek. Here are some excerpts, but I encourage you to read the whole thing:

What is the most pressing issue facing African-Americans today?
If we were in the 1990s, I would have said that school choice is the most pressing civil-rights issue. We're now in the new millennium, and the battle for life, in my heart, has equal place. By that, I'm speaking of the pro-life movement. I am a member of a group called Silent No More, of mostly women who say they regret their abortion. I'm post-abortive so I know this, when we abort the child, we violate his or her rights, we as the mothers suffer tremendously, and our families suffer. I remember my children saying, "You killed our brother or our sister, how could you do that? Did you want to kill us, too?" My uncle said that "the Negro cannot win if he is willing to sacrifice the lives of his children for personal comfort and safety.” Now if you look at the issue of abortion, that's immediately sacrificing the life of a child for personal comfort and safely.

What about a young, single woman growing up in a poor neighborhood, with few resources? A lot of people would say that it is better for her to have an abortion than to raise a child in poverty and perpetuate the cycle of poverty for another generation.
I had an abortion in my early twenties. I was married, but the father did not want the child. He was very emphatic about that, and somewhat threatening, and I felt under tremendous pressure, and so I made that choice. At the time, we had one son, and [the father] did not want other children. And it was so convenient, because Roe v. Wade had just passed, and my medical insurance paid for it. I would say in retrospect, we have a greater responsibility as a compassionate society to teach our young people, male and female, the responsibility of parenting, what happens when you have sex, and to teach again like we used to: be prepared to raise a child if you have sex. People stopped saying that. And so I do have compassion for the young person who says, “If I have this baby, my life will be ruined.” But I believe the answer is: Think about that before you have the sex. I would say to that young lady, if she's already pregnant, then we go into intervention and look for opportunities to have the child adopted, or to strengthen her with maybe a scholarship to finish school so she doesn't feel deserted or abandoned.


Bill Cosby has been very outspoken about the need for better parenting and self-improvement in the African-American community. Many were outraged by his suggestion that blacks need to take more personal responsibility and stop "blaming the white man." What's your take on this?
I admire him for what he's doing. People were upset: “Why are you knocking our people? It's the white man's fault.” Of course it isn't. White privilege aside, we as African Americans have an opportunity to be successful. Look at Dr. Cosby himself and his wife. We have many examples of African-American men and women who have succeeded without blaming others for their plight. This message can be taught in the family and it can be taught in the church, and there is a responsibility to do that.

Coretta Scott King has said that if Martin Luther King were alive today, he would be a champion of gay rights.
No, he would champion the word of God. If he would have championed gay rights today, he would have done it while he was here. There was ample opportunity for him to champion gay rights during his lifetime, and he did not do so. His daughter, Elder Bernice King has been recorded as saying, “I know in my sanctified soul that he did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage.”

Hat tip to The Dawn Patrol for the link to this article.

UPDATE: More MLK Blogging at Pajama Hadin, and La Shawn Barber's Corner

Another Thwarted American Hijacking??

I was looking for this article on Michelle Malkin's website when I stumbled on the article about the Hero Bands

Anyway, Michelle cannot verify that the story is true, but physician/blogger Dr. Bob has a patient that says it is. Scary!!

Hero Bracelets

Oh, I love this! Michelle Malkin says this about Hero Bracelets, which are black and list the one of now 1,350 American Troops lost in the Iraqi war. One of these happens to be a great friend of mine.

Purchasing the bracelets insures a minimum of $2 to be donated to the Fallen Heroes Fund which provides aid to the families.

Help me spread the word!

Hey Blue-staters......sing this!

First of all, country music sales were up 12% in 2004. Part of that is due to the incredible success of country's newest Gretchen Wilson, whose first song, Redneck Woman, was the fastest debut song to hit the top 10 in Radio & Records history!. For those wondering what life in the red states is all about....here's Gretchen Wilson's

Redneck Woman:

Well, I ain't never been the Barbie doll type
No, I can't swig that sweet Champagne, I'd rather drink beer all night
In a tavern or in a honky tonk or on a four-wheel drive tailgate
I've got posters on my wall of Skynyrd, Kid and Strait
Some people look down on me, but I don't give a rip
I'll stand barefooted in my own front yard with a baby on my hip
'cause I'm a redneck woman
I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raising
I say, 'hey ya'll' and 'yee-haw'
And I keep my Christmas lights on
On my front porch all year long
And I know all the words to every Charlie Daniels song
So here's to all my sisters out there keeping it country
Let me get a big 'hell yeah' from the redneck girls like me, hell yeah
Victoria's Secret, well their stuff's real nice
But I can buy the same damn thing on a Wal-Mart shelf half price
And still look sexy, just as sexy as those models on TV
I don't need no designer tag to make my man want me
Well, you might think I'm trashy, a little too hardcore
But in my neck of the woods I'm just the girl next door
I'm a redneck woman
I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raising
I say, 'hey y'all' and 'yee-haw'
And I keep my Christmas lights on
On my front porch all year long
And I know all the words to every Tanya Tucker song
So here's to all my sisters out there keeping it country
Let me get a big 'hell yeah' from the redneck girls like me, hell yeah
I'm a redneck woman
I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raising
I say, 'hey y'all' and 'yee-haw'
And I keep my Christmas lights on
On my front porch all year long
And I know all the words to every ol' Bocephus song
So here's to all my sisters out there keeping it country
Let me get a big 'hell yeah' from the redneck girls like me, hell yeah
Hell yeah, hell yeah
Hell yeah
I said hell yeah!

lyrics from LyricsTop.com

It's time for Rodeo Houston! YeeHa!

Check the official entertainment calendar here. The dates are quite a bit later this year (March 1 thru 20th) than the usual February....this'll be the first year I can't go for my birthday! My guess is they're trying to get more weekday traffic by having it during Spring Break.....ya think?

Anyway, it looks like The Muzic Mafia has made the list....and they're not even sharing a show, they all got their own. Awesome!

So here it is folks....the official Rodeo Houston 2005 Star Lineup:


* Tuesday, March 1 - Brooks & Dunn
* Wednesday, March 2 - Alan Jackson
* Thursday, March 3 – Armed Forces Salute - Neal McCoy, Charlie Daniels Band, Lee Greenwood
* Friday, March 4 – Black Heritage Day - Alicia Keys
* Saturday, March 5 - Gretchen Wilson
* Sunday, March 6 – Spring Break Stampede - Hilary Duff
* Monday, March 7 – Spring Break Stampede - Jeff Foxworthy, Big & Rich
* Tuesday, March 8 – Spring Break Stampede - Keith Urban
* Wednesday, March 9 – Spring Break Stampede - Kenny Chesney
* Thursday, March 10 – Spring Break Stampede - Rascal Flatts
* Friday, March 11 – Spring Break Stampede - Miller Lite presents Pat Green
* Saturday, March 12 – Spring Break Stampede - Martina McBride
* Sunday, March 13 – Go Tejano Day - Duelo, Jimmy G y El Grupo Mazz
* Monday, March 14 – Spring Break Stampede - Steve Miller Band
* Tuesday, March 15 – Spring Break Stampede - Brad Paisley
* Wednesday, March 16 – Spring Break Stampede - Maroon5
* Thursday, March 17 – Spring Break Stampede - Montgomery Gentry
* Friday, March 18 – Spring Break Stampede - Lynyrd Skynyrd
* Saturday, March 19 – RODEOHOUSTON™ Finals - Clint Black
* Sunday, March 20 – RODEOHOUSTON Collegiate Championship - Clay Walker

So....I can't decide.....Gretchen Wilson, Martina McBride, Pat Green...

I'm pretty sure it's gonna be Martina McBride. I've been dying to see her in concert and I still haven't. I've seen Clint at the rodeo several times, but being that he's a hometown boy, he IS the perfect rodeo concert. Pat Green, I'd love to see but somehow it doesn't seem like a "rodeo" show, kwim? More of a smaller-venue, more intimate kind of thing. And Gretchen, well, she's just getting started so I'll have plenty of chances to see her in the future. So Martina it is! The only problem is that it's a Saturday night show, so tickets will be hard to get.

And since I'm NOT going to participate in the likes of this:

Most Ticketmaster locations in the Houston area will be distributing linestubs beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 15. Drawings will be held at each of the locations at approximately 9:30 a.m. to determine the linestub number which will start the line for ticket purchases at these locations.

At all ticket locations, linestubs will be available only to persons ages 12 and older, and each person will receive only one linestub. Linestubs that have been tampered with will not be honored. Ticket buyers should be aware that the only Show-authorized ticket outlets are Ticketmaster outlets.

My chances are not good. Hopefully Mr. Texasbug will get some from a client or something....better start polishing those boots!

Drink Coffee....Help the Tsunami Victims

Tully's coffee has teamed up with World Vision to offer their Tsunami Response Blend from which 100% of the proceeds will go to Tsunami relief efforts!

World Vision says:

Starting Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, and running through Apr. 15, purchases may be made at all Tully's Coffee stores in Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho. For those elsewhere, Amazon.com is the exclusive online retail location for the Tsunami Response coffees, at www.amazon.com/tullys.

Tully's Chairman Tom O'Keefe explains, "We at Tully's Coffee are dedicated to supporting our local communities and by partnering with World Vision, we are all helping the global community in this time of need."

World Vision is grateful for Tully's corporate leadership and quick response to the people who have been so devastated by the events of Dec. 26, 2004

Buy your coffee from Tully's and help out!

Posters That Should Not Exist

Check out This ad for a poster with the slogan: "You Can't Be All You Can Be If You're DEAD". The poster used the exact fonts and colors of the Army recruiting poster, with a slight difference:

Poster picturing Tombstones of Unknown Soldiers with title text.


Becky Johnson / SCW

The site description is as follows:

A blunt re-work of the Army recruitment slogan designed for wide distribution at schools, youth centers, or on the streets. One side is a poster; the reverse discloses the real story on money for college, depleted uranium munitions, �Who Fights, Who Doesn't�, and letters and quotes from veterans. SCW resources and national counter-recruitment contacts also listed. Poster/Leaflet: 17x22, folded 8 x 11

Also available as a postcard


hat tip to My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, who had an email from someone who has seen the poster in their workplace!

So much for supporting the troops, huh? And to think they are willingly fighting to protect rights such as these...God Bless them.

Millions Die Worldwide for Nothing

As a follow-up to an earlier post, and thanks to a tip from C-Pol, here is an article about The Enviro's Flip-flop on DDT. Yes, now even the World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace are saying that DDT should be used in countries with problems with malaria.

Tell that to the 10's of millions who have died from malaria since DDT was banned in the early 1970's (intenseley pushed by the Environmental Defense Fund).

This is appalling. When will we learn to check the facts before responding with politically correct legislation that has not been properly researched?

And far more importantly....when will DDT be used to kill mosquitoes in countries where millions have died from malaria?

I'm all for a more eco-friendly way to kill mosquitoes, but once again the environmentalists have shown that they value "nature" more than human life. Until there is a more eco-friendly alternative, DDT must be used to save lives!

Incredible Tsunami Satellite Photos

Check out this link for a series of 14 different locations with before & after shots of the tsunami. On each page, the "before" button at the top of the page is actually a toggle between before and after shots. Then click on the "Next" button to go to the next set (different location). The damage gets more and more shocking the closer to set 14 you get. In the last few, there isn't even grass left afterwards.

Please remember to Pray for the tsunami survivors and see this post for ways you can help.

G.I. J

I couldn't resist sharing....here's a pic of TexasBug's own Big J, enjoying his recently installed bunk beds (tent compliments of mommy) and his new army gear (rank of 2nd Lieutenant compliments of his Iraqi vet cousin 1st Lt. Snelgrove) Ain't it great to be 3?

Andrea Yates' Conviction Overturned

This one hits close to home, because the Yates' lived just a few miles from my home. In case you've been living under a rock, Andrea Yates was convicted in 2001 for drowning all 5 of her children in the bathtub in their home.

Today, a judge has overturned that conviction based on a ruling that a proscution witness gave false testimony at the trial.

When this story first happened, I had trouble sleeping for weeks. Images of the oldest, 7 year old son, seeing his siblings and trying to run for his life would haunt me. This woman is deeply disturbed, and whether or not she is insane (seems like a no brainer!) or what, she has no business out of confinement of some kind.

Having said that, I think another tragedy of this story is that the father was not also held accountable. Mrs. Yates had a history of severe mental illness. She had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression, which had gotten more severe with each childbirth. Yet her husband insisted that they homeschool their children and not use birth control because that's "what they agreed to when they married". Even though he was an engineer at NASA, he had his family of 7 living in an RV until after Andrea's second unsuccesful suicide attempt, when he finally bought them a house to live in. And the clincher....he had taken Andrea to her doctor and had her taken off of her drugs just a few days before she took her children's life. Why is this man able to walk around free??

I was talking with a good friend of mine today while our kids were at gymnastics and she had an interesting point. She said she actually thought the death penalty would be the most humane thing for Andrea because if she is ever treated in a mental facility and has a lucid moment to remember and realize what she's done....how would she ever cope with it? It's a lose lose situation not matter what.

You can read some people's reactions here. What's yours?

America's Best Sniper? Over 1,000 yards!

I think so! Check out this article about a Marine Corps News> Marine sniper credited with longest confirmed kill in Iraq. His name is Sgt. Herbert B. Hancock, and he rocks!

I was reading about him at blackfive and Argghhh! when I read the part about him being a Marine who is also a police officer in Bryan, Texas and it jogged my memory...

After a bit of checking around to confirm....sure enough, his cousin attends the same church I do and we had spoken about Sgt. Hancock and his awesome sharpshooting skills just a couple of weeks ago! Small world, huh?

Thank God for men like Sgt. Hancock who are fighting daily to keep us free.

If you'd like to support the efforts of our fine snipers, please visit Adopt A Sniper

Abortion Regret TV Ads

Silent No More Awareness campaign and VirtueMedia have produced these video commercials which are currently running in Arizona and Wisconsin. The 60-second one incorporates both of the 30-second ones so you can get it all by just watching the longer one. I urge you to watch it.

I think it's important for those who want to make a choice to have this kind of information....and they're certainly not going to get it from Planned Parenthood.

If you're reading this and you or someone you know has had an abortion, please visit Silent No More Awareness for help and healing.

Aggie List Eater Video

I know I'm a little behind, here, but I just stumbled on this List Eater Video at another Aggie Blog, Deep and Wide.

For those of you unfamiliar with this story (non-Aggies), it is a long standing tradition at A&M (and you know how we love our traditions!) to camp out for big-game tickets. It's a way of standing in line first....starting several days before tickets go on sale. Now to prevent ourselves from *actually* standing in a line for many days, we form a list. First come, first served as far as getting on the list. To make sure folks don't sign the list and then go home, there are frequent, random roll-calls taken. This way you can relax in the comforts of your own tent instead of standing in a line for days on end. And who says Aggies aren't smart, huh??

Well there always has to be a crybaby, now doesn't there? This year, some young idiot marches herself up to the ticket counter the day tickets go on sale and declares herself first in line at 4am. Never mind the hundreds of peacefully sleeping Aggies in their tents who are resting in the fact that their place in line has been determined by their order on The List. As extra insurance for when the sleeping Aggies wake up, said chick decides to EAT The List!

Yes, you heard me. She actually consumed it so there was no record of those who had been camping out for weeks for Cotton Bowl tickets. In hindsight, was the meal really worth it? I digress...

And to my fellow Ags.....BTHO The List eater!!

DDT Saves Lives??

Apparently so! Check out this article at Ogre's View. Very interesting observation! What do you think?

Howdy Aggie Bloggers!

I got tired of waiting for someone else to do it, so....I've started a Webring for Aggie Bloggers. You can see the logo on the right and underneath you can click on "join" to....you guessed it, join.

Hopefully we can make quite a list of fellow Ags in the blogosphere...

The Human Cost

Here's what one warrior thinks of the Media's portrayal of the war in Iraq. Go get 'em Greyhawk!

UPDATED: More Great Poetry...

When the World Dials 911

Disaster strikes a world away We get the call, what do we say? We move at once, to ease their plight, To aid them through their darkest night. But come shrill cries from carping Press, That’s not enough to fix this mess. We know that, fools, but give us room, To counter Mother Nature’s doom.
America gives to those in need, With no regard to faith or creed. We’re there for all when need is great A helping hand to any state, That’s fallen under Nature’s wrath And needs a lift back to the path. So what they may have mocked our ways? We’ll turn our cheek ‘til better days.
But there are those who hate us so, They’ll carp and snipe and hit us low, Who’ll bend disaster to their needs, And try to choke us on our deeds. They’ll play their dirty liberal tricks, For them it’s only politics. In the face of massive human pain, They only think of their own gain.
But the world knows sure whom it must call, When disaster strikes, when nations fall. America is the beaming light That fades, dispels disaster’s night, And standing firm provides relief To salve the pain, allay the grief. So to Hell with what our critics say, America’s fine, still leads the way.
Russ Vaughn

Hat tip to Blackfive

UPDATE: You can read more of Russ Vaughn's great poetry at Esoteric*Diatribe

Could it be?

Seems doubtful, but Drudge is saying that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is reportedly arrested in Iraq. Let's send him to Abu Ghraib....

more here

More on Helping Tsunami Victims

Apparently, due to overwhelming response, The Red Cross website is crashing at times.

As a result, I've decided to re-post links to places for donations:

World Vision (you can also adopt a child here from one of the affected areas!)

Samaritan's Purse (run by Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham)

International Mission Board (Southern Baptist global missions program; incredible record for efficient, effective humanitarian response)

Video clip just released Because missionaries already live on the field, the IMB is able to give hurting people every cent of the money Southern Baptists are generously sending for tsunami relief. In the photo above, the local Baptist church will provide rice for a month to the 95 families in this fishing village. The church will use help from Southern Baptist funds

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Urgent Prayer Request


For updated news from people involved and located in the areas of crisis, be sure to check SEA-EAT (South East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami)

Most importantly, please remember to pray daily for the rescuers, the survivors and those who lost loved ones in this tragedy.

"God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. God, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out." Psalm 30:2-3 (The Message)

Help a Fellow Blogger?

I need help with this blog! I need to add a second sidebar on the right (as you can see, I've already spaced it out) but I need help with the HTML code. I've managed to add a second sidebar, but then my main content drops to the bottom below the longest sidebar. Suggestions anyone? Thanks in advance, and if you help me and are not already on my blogroll, you will definitely be added as well as given credit at the top of the new sidebar :-)

UPDATED: 2004: The Year of the Blog

And not just the year of my blog, either.

I've been wanting to do a post like this for some time, and I guess the time has come. When I started this blog in November of 2004, I didn't have any real goals in mind...it was just a little experiment. I'v always had a passion for news and politics, especially those items that don't make it in the media. I had taken it upon myself to keep all my friends and family updated via emails on those items I was afraid everyone would miss. Then I decided to start a blog and put it all there and spare everyone my frequent emails.

Now, after just a couple of short month, I've learned so much more about the "blogosphere" and how important it is going to be in the future, not just in the US but especially around the world. Here's my brief-as-possible story of why:

First of all, for most of my visitors anyway, (especially the ones visiting here for the first time because of our Christmas newsletter!) the first question is "what the heck is a blog anyway?" I know that's the question of the year because it was the most looked-up term of 2004 at Merriam-Webster's website. Oh, and their definition?

Merriam-Webster defines a blog as: "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks".

So there you have it! Now that you know what it is, the question that begs to be asked is....WHY? Why on earth start a personal journal online? Who supposes that anyone gives a rats rear-end what they have to say? And WHO does, anyway? Does anyone actually read this stuff??

Well apparently someone read them because Fortune.com just said

Freewheeling bloggers can boost your product—or destroy it. Either way, they've become a force business can't afford to ignore.

in this article about blogs and their influence. The article goes on to say

It all used to be so easy; the adage went "never pick a fight with anyone who buys ink by the barrel." But now everyone can get ink for free, launch a diatribe, and—if what they have to say is interesting to enough people—expect web-enabled word of mouth to carry it around the world

The article goes on to list lots of example of how blogs have influenced products available for sale, news items, etc.

As a matter of fact, this article lists the Top 10 blogging accomplishments of 2004. Here's the short list:

10. The Passion versus Fahrenheit 911 - bloggers posted about their faves and gave us a taste of how the blue vs. red would continue to polarize over the year.
9. Winter Soldier - as soon as he's the offical nominee, John Kerry's speech before congress in 1971 is quoted all over the blogosphere and the military records search is unleashed.
8. Iraq then and Now - Bloggers ripped up Al Gore's accusations against President Bush and his mentioning of Osama Bin Ladin.
7. Den Beste's Fall Preview - Blogger Steven Den Beste correctly predicts the Fall comeback for the Bush campaign.
6. The Exit Polls - Once again, fact checking bloggers declare the exit polls to be hog wash long before the final results are in.
5. Political Conventions - Bloggers were invited to attend the events, they live-blogged them and then were interviewed on TV afterwards....all starting the trend of making blogging a household word.
4. Campaign Violence - when the MSM (main stream media) was silent, the bloggers brought to the light all the acts of violence committed by the democratic supporters across the country.
3. The New York Times announces it's liberal - in an article that went, once again, unnoticed by the MSM, the NYT confirmed what everyone already suspected...and the bloggers had a field day.
2. Christmas in Cambodia - With prominent bloggers linking to their publicity videos and making them some of the most-watched campaign ads, the SwiftVets had their say with Kerry and his heroic Vietnam claims.
1. RatherGate - The Big Kahoona. Within a couple of hours, the supposed smoking-gun docs against Bush were completely nullified by investigative bloggers. Some of the more prominent ones were interviewed and mentioned on TV and "bloggers" officially became a household word!
(this list was excerpted from TechCentralStation)

As if that weren't all enough to give credit to blogging and it's worth today, there's even more. A far greater achievement for bloggers is the simple democracy they represent. Anyone can start a blog and write about whatever they want: gardening, parenting, war, politics, bicycling, and even...politics in Iraq! Matt, who has the blog Blackfive says this about blogging in Iraq:

Imagine what would happen to the spin of the Main Stream Media and Al Jazeera if there were thousands of Iraqi bloggers. Imagine what that would do for Freedom and Democracy. Imagine what that would do for Peace.

That's what Spirit of America is all about...Freedom, Democracy, Peace. And they are doing something about bringing those concepts into reality.

They developed an Arabic Blogging Tool prototype (with help from Iraq the Model and Jeff Jarvis) that will help to stimulate discourse in Iraq. Not pro-American discourse, just free and open discourse

.
What if Bloggers' voices could be heard, not only in Iraq, but also in Iran, China, Cuba, North Korea....you get the picture. If fact-checkers could anonymously post from their homes about what's really going on, the impact on freedom and democracy could be huge. Read Blackfive's entire article on the subject. Matt attended a conference, along with the Iraqi blogging brothers of Iraq the Model, on this very subject and it's worldwide impact.

So now, maybe I've convinced you that blogging can be very important for the simple fact that it IS just regular ole folks talking about what interests them....for the world to read, if it so chooses. Ready to join the ranks?

I'm not going to re-invent the wheel, so here are some great links for anyone interested in getting starting with a blog:

Understanding and Reading a Blog

Everything You Wanted to Know About Blogging But Were Afraid to Ask

Summary of Blogging Articles

Now if you're ready to start ivestigating blogs for the first time (surely not, but you never know) you can always start with my blogroll favorites, or you can check out The 2004 Weblog Award Winners for the best of the blogs listed by category.

Well there you have it. I'm not even going to go back over this post and start re-wording it, etc. because that's the beauty of blogging. I'm not a writer or a journalist...I'm not looking to get a book deal. I'm just writing whatever comes to mind and putting it out there. Enjoy!

UPDATE: More bloggers blogging about blogs (I love saying that!):

Pajama Hadin

Mudville Gazette

UPDATED: Tsunami Victim's Relief Aid

Scrappleface has this post regarding victims' relief aid for south Asia and areas hit by this weekend's deadly tsunami. Scott has a great point....so many people will contribute to large orgs like the Red Cross, but if you're looking for a very experienced, efficient group that will also tell these folks about God, then these are some awesome Christian organizations to donate to.

Samaritan's Purse is an organization I have a permanent link to on the left side of my blog, and they are starting relief action right away. You can donate here

Please see Scott Ott's links in the above referenced article as well.

UPDATE: WorldVision has a place to donate for tsunami relief as well.

UPDATE: The South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami blog is up and running at TsunamiHelp. Go visit!!

And yet another UPDATE: I guess they'll accept aid from Christians at this point, but obviously not from Jewish volunteers. So religious bigotry outweighs the acceptance of aid in a world disaster? Nice. So why not the rejection of Christian aid? My guess is that it constitues too much of the aid they are receiveing, while the Jewish aid is small enough to reject without too much effect. Unbelievable.

More Holiday Spirit

This song by Amy Grant, "Heirlooms", captures everything dear to me about Christmas:

Up in the attic,
Down on my knees.
Lifetimes of boxes,
Timeless to me.
Letters and photographs,
Yellowed with years,
Some bringing laughter,
Some bringing tears.

Time never changes,
The memories, the faces
Of loved ones, who bring to me,
All that I come from,
And all that I live for,
And all that I’m going to be.
My precious family
Is more than an heirloom to me.

Wisemen and shepherds,
Down on their knees,
Bringing their treasures
To lay at his feet.
Who was this wonder,
Baby yet king?
Living and dying;
He gave life to me.

Time never changes,
The memory, the moment
His love first pierced through me,
Telling all that I came from,
And all that I live for,
And all that I’m going to be.
My precious Savior
Is more than an heirloom to me.

My precious Jesus
Is more than an heirloom to me.

For some more holiday cheer, please go visit Mudville Gazette for lots of poetry and holiday greetings from and for the troops!

The Big Picture of Christmas

Pastor Rick at Serenity Thru Hope has a great article on the true meaning of this blessed holiday. Please take a moment to read it and understand WHY we celebrate. It's more than a birth, more than a star, more than shepherds and wise men.....there's a bigger picture that goes back to the beginning of time.

Thanks Pastor Rick, for this great reminder!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Shop at Wal-Mart TODAY!!

Check out Wal-Mart's awesome reaction to their competitor, Target Corp., who banned the salvation bell ringers from their stores this Christmas. Wal-Mart is going to match, dollar for dollar, all donations made to the kettels!

I realize it's late in the season, but get out there and finish up your shopping at Wally World and toss some change in the kettles while you're at at! Merry Christmas!

Hat tip to Hidden Nook for the story.

Prayer Request from the Troops

Sgt. Missick posts this prayer request from the troops in Mosul. Please take time out of your holiday preparations (which are possible because of them) and say a prayer for these men and women and their families.

UPDATE: Hat tip to The Swanky Conservative for this link to a chaplain's blog called Training for Eternity. He (the chaplain) had a remarkable post yesterday about the attack in Mosul. I can't see where he has permalinks on his blog, so I'm going to copy the entire section about the patients he encountered below:

The scene was little more than controlled chaos. Helicopters landing, people shouting, wounded screaming, bodies everywhere. As the staff began to triage the dead and wounded I found the chaplain and offered my assistance. He directed me to where he needed me and I dove in. I would be hard pressed to write about every person I had the opportunity to pray with today but I will try to relate a few.

I found "Betty" on a stretcher being tended by nurses. I introduced myself and held her hand. She looked up at me and said, "Chaplain, am I going to be alright?" I said that she was despite the fact that I could see she had a long road to recovery ahead of her. Most of her hair had been singed off. Her face was burnt fairly badly, although it didn't look like the kind of burns that will scar. What I do know is that it was painful enough to hurt just by being in the sun. I prayed with Betty and moved on.

"Ilena" (a made up name. She spoke very softly and had a thick accent so I couldn't really hear her) had been hit by a piece of shrapnel just above her left breast causing a classic sucking chest wound. The doctors said she had a hemothorax (I think that's what they called it) which basically meant her left lung was filling with blood and she was having a very hard time breathing. For the next 20 minutes I held her hand while a doctor made an incision in her left side, inserted most of his hand and some kind of medical instrument and then a tube to alleviate the pressure caused by the pooling blood. It was probably the most medieval procedure I have ever been privy to. In the end she was taken to ICU and will be OK.

"Mark" was put on a stretcher and laid along a wall. A small monitor on his hand would tell the nurses when he was dead. Even a cursory glance said it was inevitable. Mark had a head wound that left brain matter caked in his ear and all over the stretcher he was lying on. I knelt next to Mark and placed a hand on his chest. His heart was barely beating but it was beating so I put my face close to his ear to pray with him. If you've never smelled human brain matter it is something unforgettable. I had something of an internal struggle. He's practically dead so why stay? He probably can't hear anything! A prayer at that point seemed of little value. But I couldn't risk it. I prayed for Mark and led him in the sinners prayer as best I could. There are few things in this life that will make you feel more helpless. After that, I needed some fresh air.

I stepped outside and found the situation to be only slightly less chaotic. The number of body bags had grown considerably since I first went inside. I saw a fellow chaplain who was obviously in need of care himself. I stopped him and put my arm around him and asked how he was doing. A rhetorical question if ever I asked one. He just shook his head so I pulled him in close and prayed for his strength, endurance, a thick skin, and a soft heart. Then I just stood and breathed for a few minutes.

Regardless of what some may say, these are not stupid people. Any attack with casualties will naturally mean that eventually a very large number of care givers will be concentrated in one location. They took full advantage of that. In the middle of the mayhem the first mortar round hit about 100 to 200 meters away. Everyone started shouting to get the wounded into the hospital which is solid concrete and much safer than being in the open. Soon, the next mortar hit quite a bit closer than the first as they "walked" their rounds toward their intended target...us. Everyone began to rush toward the building. I stood at the door shoving as many people inside as I could. Just before heading in myself, the last one hit directly on top of the hospital. I was standing next to the building so was shielded from any flying shrapnel. In fact, the building, being built as a bunker took the hit with little effect. However, I couldn't have been more than 10 to 15 meters from the point of impact and brother did I feel the shock. That'll wake you up! I rushed inside to find doctors and nurses draped over patients, others on the floor or under something. I ducked low and quickly moved as far inside as I could.

After a few tense moments people began to move around again and the business of patching bodies and healing minds continued in earnest. As I stood talking with some other chaplain, an officer approached and not seeing us, yelled, "Is there a chaplain around here?" I turned and asked what I could do. He spoke to us and said that another patient had just been moved to the "expectant" list and would one of us come pray for him. I walked in and found him lying on the bed with a tube in his throat, and no signs of consciousness. There were two nurses tending to him in his final moments. One had a clipboard so I assumed she'd have the information I wanted. I turned to her and asked if she knew his name. Without hesitation the other nurse, with no papers, blurted out his first, middle, and last name. She had obviously taken this one personally. I'll call him "Wayne". I placed my hand on his head and lightly stroked his dark hair. Immediately my mind went to my Grandpa's funeral when I touched his soft grey hair for the last time. And for the second time in as many hours I prayed wondering if it would do any good, but knowing that God is faithful and can do more than I even imagine. When I finished I looked up at the nurse who had known his name. She looked composed but struggling to stay so. I asked, "Are you OK?" and she broke down. I put my arm around her to comfort and encourage her. She said, "I was fine until you asked!" Then she explained that this was the third patient to die on her that day.

"Rachel" was sitting in a chair with no injuries. She was worried about two friends that had been moved to other hospitals in country. So we prayed.

"John", a First Sergeant, asked me, "How does my face look?" knowing he had been badly burned and would probably have some scaring. He was covered in blood, pus, and charred skin so I said, "First Sergeant, you look better than some people I know back home." He laughed and we prayed.

One of the many American civilian workers had been hit in the groin. He was happy to be alive and even happier to be keeping, "all my equipment." It was a light moment in a very heavy day.

As my assistnt and I walked away at the end of the day I saw another chaplain and a soldier standing among the silent rows of black body bags. The soldier wanted to see his friend one more time. We slowly and as respectfully as possible unzipped the bag to reveal the face of a very young Private First Class. His friend stared for a few seconds then turned away and began to cry.

The last count was 25 dead, and around 45 wounded. Nevertheless, our cause is just and God is in control even when the crap is a yard deep. I'm where God wants me and wouldn't change that for anything, even if it means death. After all, "to die is gain".

Post Script: all patient names are ficticious

What an amazing man this chaplain is for serving in this way. Please keep him and all the troops in your prayers, not just at Christmas but every day!

I HATE to be cold!

And yes, I mean hate. Just ask my hubby. I'm miserable and grouchy when it's super cold. That's why I live in Texas for the love of Pete!

But now I'm stuck in it. Yesterday I was wearing a t-shirt, tonight it's getting down to the 40's and into the low 20's by Christmas Eve. Yes, I said the low 20's. I think the last time that happened here was in 1989, and no i'm not kidding.

Most people think I'm crazy and that I should be enjoying the "Christmas weather". It's not Christmas weather, I tell you. I like comfortably cool Christmas weather...not frigidly cold.

I can't wait for summer!!! Until then I'm going to overdose on hot tea and hot chocolate and ruin my skin in hours-long hot baths.....

UPDATE: here are some other whining Texans: Blue Eyed Infidel, The Swanky Conservative

Here's the forecast for us here in South Texas:
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy...breezy...and cold. A 30 percent chance of rain...snow...or sleet after midnight. Lows in the upper 20s. North winds 15 to 25 mph.
Friday
Mostly cloudy...windy...and cold with a 50 percent chance of snow. Highs in the mid 30s. North winds 20 to 30 mph. Wind chill readings 16 to 20.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow in the evening then partly cloudy after midnight. Very cold with lows in the lower 20s inland...in the upper 20s coast. North winds 10 to 15 mph.
Christmas Day
Partly cloudy in the morning then clearing. Highs in the lower 40s.

Holy Camoley!! I *might* actually concede the cold if we get some snow for my kiddos on Christmas Eve. I can't believe I'm even saying such a thing!

Philadelphia Christians Jailed for Protesting

OK, I think my head just might explode on this one. A group of 11 Christians were staging a protest at the Philadelphia "OutFest", a gay pride event, by "preaching God's Word" and displaying banners with Biblical messages. After being confronted by a group called The Pink Angels, all 11 Christians were arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways!! Read it here and be sure and watch the live video of the arrest, which is linked in the article.

Responding to the riot charge, the group's statement said: "Despite the fact that our behavior was above reproach and we were attacked by a mob of whistle-blowing, obscenity-screaming God haters, the Christians, and only the Christians, were charged."

A statement from the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, whose attorneys are representing the Christians, said, "The Philadelphia 11 face a maximum penalty of 47 years each in jail for exercising their constitutional rights."

Charles Ehrlich, the city prosecutor in the case, has called the Christian protestors "hateful" and referred to preaching the Bible as using "fighting words."

Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge William Austin Meehan has banned the protestors from doing any type of evangelism within 100 yards of any "gay and lesbian event."

Read more about this outrageous situation here, here, here, and see the video here.



Hat tip to my friend Kathryn and her sister Paula for this story.

2004 20 Most Annoying Liberals

Right Wing News has this post listing their 3rd Annual 20 Most Annoying Liberals. They have a quote from each one that captures the reasons for their ranking. Warning: If some of the quotes are new to you, you may be shocked and appalled...read at your own risk.

Hat tip to Peace For Our Time for the link.

Merry Christmas Troops - And God Bless You!

This Very Moving Tribute to the troops is one of kind. I only hope that some of America's Finest will stumble upon it and feel appreciated, thanked and honored....as they should.

Thanks to my friend at American Conservative for posting this and letting others copy from him.

As they sang, "Until then..."

Sharon Osbourne Tells of her Biggest Regret: An Abortion

Sharon shares her touching and emotional recount of her experience as a 17 year old posted at After Abortion.

My favorite quote from Sharon in her article is "In life, whatever it is, you pay somewhere down the line. You have to be accountable." How true. We wish it weren't true, and that we could just live for the moment without a thought of the future, but that's just not reality.

My heart breaks for women who have shared this experience with Sharon, and I applaud her for her courage in sharing her story with the world.

Is Christmas for Christians?

I hear a lot of talk this time of year of how Christmas is actually a pagan holiday, has only been celebrated in the last few centuries, has no roots with the first Christians, etc. If found the following article at Christianity Today to be especially informative as to the real origins of the holiday.

It seems that from the beginning, the early Christians made every attempt to positively affect the culture they were living in. This included taking originally pagan holidays and re-vamping them with Christian meaning. The second, and perhaps most important reason for this was that Christians were being persecuted and killed for their beliefs. They could not publically celebrate a "Christian" holiday, so to celebrate at all they just coincided the dates with existing pagan holidays. Thus, their celebrations went unnoticed by those who would do them harm.

In the beginning, not all early Christians wanted to celebrate Christ's birth, or any birth for that matter. But by about the year 273 a regular annual celebration of the birth of Christ had taken hold.

While many of the customs of Christmas that we see now have pagan origins, in a holiday so rooted in spiruality it seems to me it's all about what's in your heart. If I see the giving of gifts as a symbol of my love for Christ and His being the Ultimate Gift to us from God, then that's what it means to me despite what it meant to some pagan thousands of years ago. Same goes for any other Christmas customs that my family observes. Our kids will gleafully look for signs that Santa has "been here" on Christmas morning, and they know that Santa does this because of his love for Jesus Christ and his wanting to celebrate His birth by giving to children.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the meaning of Christmas in your family and how you stay focused during this holiday season....

Check out this Promising Young Writer

Chase is, by my calculation, a senior in high school and this is the Preface to the book he is writing. What talent! I'm definitely going to get a copy when it comes out. You've got to read this young man's story of how he became a conservative, and you can't miss appreciating his talent in the process. Enjoy!

Great Photos from Iraq

Sgt. Missick has posted some awesome photos from Iraq here. Check them out!

Add Denzel Washington to the "I Can Watch" List...

Now if only he and Patricia Heaton would co-star, I could go to the movies again!

No, seriously, major kudos to Denzel for this awesome effort for the troops.

Hat tip to Mudville Gazette for the story.

No One Says it Like The Gipper

You and I have the courage to say to our enemies, "There is a price we will not pay." "There is a point beyond which they must not advance." And this -- this is the meaning in the phrase of Barry Goldwater's "peace through strength." Winston Churchill said, "The destiny of man is not measured by material computations. When great forces are on the move in the world, we learn we're spirits -- not animals." And he said, "There's something going on in time and space, and beyond time and space, which, whether we like it or not, spells duty."
You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.

We'll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.

Read more from Ronald Reagan's 1964 speech in support of Barry Goldwater titled "A Time For Choosing" at Peace For Our Time. Thanks, Chase, for such an inspiring post!

Send a Marine a letter!

Blackfive has done it again. Check out this post describing how you can send a Marine an actual letter printed out (not an email) for FREE! Now, anyone can do this, so I don't want to hear any excuses, ok? Use that computer for something other than games and surfing!

Me....A Superhero?

Love to be! And here's the first TexasBug, Superhero illustration (created at HeroMachine:



Look out, you pack of spineless cowardly terrorists....here I come!

(hat tip to The Swanky Conservative for the idea)

UPDATE: I showed my 3 year old son this pic and said "who does this look like?" His answer...."Is that YOU, mommy?"

Man, I love this kid!!

Travel Plans for the Holidays?

If you'll be travelling over the holidays, then it's just possible you could have the chance to offer encouragement and support to some of America's finest...whether they be coming home permanently or for R&R, or heading back overseas. Here's a first-hand account (Thanks Blackfive) from a soldier's recent travelling experience and how much it meant to him.

UPDATED: Soldier's Last Request

Blackfive has the post of a letter written by a soldier "just in case".....and then it happened. Read the soldier's letter and then help out. This time not with money, but with a simple email.

UPDATE: Toby Keith cannot attend the soldier's funeral, but he IS cutting a special dedication version of his song "American Soldier" in his honor. Read about it here.

Unmarried gay couples lose health benefits

The Boston Globe has this article today, discussing the perhaps unintended results of the recent gay marriage legalization in Massachusetts. It seems there were many large companies who offered full benefits including health, dental, etc. to gays and their domestic partners. Now that marriage, in the same vein as heterosexuals, is available, some of these companies are saying they will now drop the benefits for those couples who choose to remain unmarried. After all, unmarried heterosexuals are not eligible for such benefits.

As you can imagine, there are some homosexuals upset with this idea.

Cathleen Finn, an IBM employee in Cambridge, said she hasn't heard any complaints from colleagues. Finn, a lesbian who married her longtime partner on July 17, said, "It's not fair to offer a benefit to one group and exclude another group."

Oh sure....we'll just make the companies pay for benefits for both married and unmarried homosexual couples....and what the heck, while you're at it, why not add benefits for unmarried heterosexual couples too? After all, we don't want to "exclude a group", do we? And people wonder why companies want to relocate overseas.

I don't understand the constant attempt to "drain" corporations as if they are bottomless pits of money. I don't think many people stop to realize that shareholders expect a little notion called profits in order to continue investing in a company. Why should I care as long as I get what I want, right?

This is just one of a plethera of complications that arise when a cultural standard like marriage is re-defined. I predict this is just the beginning of the repurcussions, even though the re-definition of marriage is not widely available. Did anyone stop to think of these things in advance, or was it just a goal of making a point for "the principal of it"? We'll see how it all plays out.

Hat tip to commenter Jim at La Shawn Barber.

Positive News from Iraq You Won't Hear in the MSM

Military Blogger "Dagger Jag" has posted an awesome story about halfway houses for Iraqi detainess that are being released from US prisons. Apparently the Iraqi's themselves started this program. The former detainees are given new clothes, checked out by an Iraqi doctor, and assigned a host family. They attend classes at the halfway house that include computer & internet but are mostly Iraqi national history,etc. to try and educate them and get them to help work for the future of their country, Iraq. It's a fascinating description of this process with very cool anecdotes of people who have been through the program.

Why isn't anyone reporting this stuff? Ahh, that's a whole other post....

Marine Corporal Bobby Warns

Blackfive has an article about another amazing & brave young hero that our country has lost. Be sure to view This Tribute....the 5 minute video is the best I've ever seen and you can post comments to his family.

Godspeed, and thank you for your brave service, Cpl Warns.

Yellow Ribbons or Phone Cards?

Several bloggers have been buzzing about the significance (or lack thereof) of having the "Support the Troops" magnet on your car, a yellow ribbon on your tree, etc. I haven't really gotten into the debate because I DO think those things are a means of support. They let the troops who are coming home know that they are appreciated and that someone is willing to make a statement on their behalf on their car or yard. I'll bet the guys and gals returning from Vietnam would have loved to see more sights like that!

Anyway, I'm bringing it up today because there IS so much more we can do, and here is a simple idea. The number one request at Walter Reed Hospital, where injured Iraq Vets are being sent, is for paid phone cards. They do not have long distance available and many of the injured will be spending the holidays alone in the hospital with their families miles away. According to Hugh Hewitt, they need an endless supply of the cards, even in amounts as low as $5. They are very inexpensive at places like Walmart & Sams, and they make a great gift in someone's memory or honor! Pick up a couple of extra phone cards next time you're at the store, and send them here:

Medical Family Assistance Center
Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

I can't think of anyone who deserves it more than those who have been injured fighting for our peace, security & freedom.

Dec 7th, 1941, 0753 Hours - Attack Erupts at Pearl Harbor

Read the entire Time line of events here. The following is an excerpt:

0342 Minesweeper CONDOR sights periscope off Honolulu Harbour ...notifies patrol destroyer WARD to investigate. 0458 Minesweeper CROSSBILL and CONDOR enter Pearl Harbor... defective submarine net remains open.
0600 - 200 miles south of Oahu carrier ENTERPRISE launches 18 aircraft to scout ahead...then to land at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor...ETA 0800.
0610 - 220 miles north of Oahu Admiral Nagumo orders launching of 1st wave of 183 aircraft off three carriers...2 are lost during takeoff.
0630 Destroyer WARD again notified of submarine sighting this time by supply ship ANTARES off Pearl Harbor entrance...Navy patrol plane (PBY) dispatched to the scene.
0645 WARD opens fire on target hitting conning tower...as she closes in drops depth charges..air attack by PBY follows.
0653 WARD'S commander Captain Outerbridge sends message to Commandant 14th Naval District: 'We have attacked, fired upon and dropped depth charges upon submarine operating in defensive sea area'.
0700 Commander Fuchida flying towards Oahu directs his pilots to home in on local radio station. 0702 Private's Lockhard and Elliott of Opana Radar Station pick up what appears to be a flight of unidentified aircraft bearing in 132 miles north of Oahu...discussion follows.
0706 Private Elliott phones switchboard operator Joseph McDonald at Information Center, Ft. Shafter, telling of a large formation of aircraft approaching the Island.
0715 Capt. Outerbridge's attack message, delayed in decoding is delivered to duty officer, 14th Naval District, and to Admiral Kimmel's duty officer...Japanese launch 2nd wave of 168 assault aircraft...
0720 Joseph McDonald finding Lt. Tyler in Information Center, calls Opana and patches Lt. Tyler thru to Private Lockard who describes the large flight picked up on radar and is told, 'Well don't worry about it.'
0755 Attack Erupts at Pearl Harbor

There is also an awesome media show/map at National Geographic that is very moving.

Having parents that remember Pearl Harbor as a day that changed their lives forever, I cannot let it go by unremembered. It is to them what September 11th is to me. And there are so many similarities....althought it was the Japanese who attacked, we had to join the fight in both the Pacific and the European fronts to guarantee the peace and safety of our homeland. (Read a fabulous essay about the similarities here) There are differences too....back then, everyone supported the troops and made personal sacrifices in their daily lives to help them. My parents still have their ration books with coupons for flour and sugar still there. My mom remembers everyone in the neighborhood pooling their sugar rations to make a birthday cake when it was someone's birthday. Would we do that today? I don't even know half my neighbors. My dad joined the Navy at 17, when he had never been out of his hometown of 1,200 people. He still remembers the sights and smells of San Francisco as he shipped out, as it made such an impression on him. He also remembers the Sunday dinner at a stranger's house before he left....the invitation extended to him based on his uniform alone, and the fact that he had worshipped in their church that morning. Would someone feed him in their home like that today?

There is a reason they are called The Greatest Generation. If only we could learn from them and emulate them in the similarly perilous days we find ourselves in now.

Argghh! and other bloggers report on Pearl Harbor.

More Reasons to Be Thankful

As you read this article about what a female Marine has to be thankful for, it's an even bigger wake up call for those of us back here in the States. We have SO much to be thankful for, and the our first thanks should go to those like Jessica, fighting for our behalf. If I said it once, I'll say it again......find a way to show your suppport for the troops! They deserve our appreciation, thoughts, and prayers. I've seen several requests at AnySoldier.com for just letters or emails. Anyone can do that! Hat tip to Blackfive for introducing to this special lady.

...And a Bowl Full of Cotton

Looks like the Aggies will be facing Tennesse at the Cotton Bowl this year on New Year's Day. Just a big of Aggie Bowl history...

A&M’s first bowl appearance was actually in Dallas as E. King Gill, the original 12th Man, and head coach Dana X. Bible beat Centre College, 22-14, on Jan, 2, 1922 at Fair Park Stadium. Gill came out of the press box and stood ready on the A&M sideline but never entered the game. Since that time, the A&M student body “stands ready” throughout football games as the 12th Man.

AggieAthletics.com has this article about the upcoming bowl.

Gig 'Em Aggies and Beat the Hell Outta Tennessee! WHOOP!

The Grinch Who Stole the Bell Ringers

Apparently they are returning to Mervyn's after a slight change of heart on their part. Check out this article, hat tip Hugh Hewitt

Target, on the other hand, still hasn't, and it's estimated to cost the Salvation Army $9 Million. Where are you doing your "Winter Solstice" shopping, which is what Target has labelled their holiday tablewares. Feel free to send a polite email to Target and let them know at guest.relations@target.com.

Customer complaints and emails prompted a reversal by Mervyn's...let's make it work for Target too.

UPDATE: The following is a form letter I received in response to my complaint to Target. I know it's a form letter because my friend Kathryn received the exact same letter, word for word:

Like many nationwide retailers, Target Corporation has a long-standing "no
solicitation" policy that it consistently applies to all organizations
across all of its stores.

We receive an increasing numberof solicitation inquiries from non-profit
organizations and other groups each year and determined that if we continue
to allow the Salvation Army to solicit then it opens the door to any other
groups that wish to solicit our guests. While some of our guests may
welcome the opportunity to support their favorite charity or cause,
allowing these organizations to solicit means that Target would also have
to permit solicitation by organizations whose cause or behavior may be
unacceptable to our guests.

We notified the Salvation Army of our decision in January 2004, well in
advance of the holiday season, so the organization would have time to find
alternative fundraising sources. Target also asked the Salvation Army to
look at other ways that we could support their organization under our
corporate giving guidelines. To this date they have not provided a proposal
that fits those guidelines.

Local Salvation Army chapters can apply for grants through their local
Target stores. For decades, many non-profit organizations across the
country have successfully worked with Target in this manner. We are asking
the Salvation Army to work with us in the same exact manner as the other
groups and organizations who ask to solicit our guests.

This decision in no way diminishes Target Corporation's commitment to its
communities. Target has one of the largest corporate philanthropy programs
in America, donating more than $2 million per week and hundreds of
thousands of volunteer hours each year to the communities in which it does
business.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hanson
Target Executive Offices

Angel Decoy Photos

These are photos of an Air Force C-130 (I LOVE these bad boys!) releasing flares to repel heat seeking Missiles. The pattern formed by these "decoys" are how they got
their name . . . . . Angel decoy. It's absolutely awesome!

Maneuvers are usually in remote areas and over water, therefore the general
public does not get to view these exercises.









Photos are thumbnails; click on them for an enlargement.
(Courtesy of an unknown email source.)

Are You in the Christmas Spirit?

Well if you are, then I've got just the opportunity for you to spread some holiday cheer. And if you're not, then this is just what you need to get ready for the real meaning of the holiday. As we celebrate the birth of Christ, God's greatest gift to the world, it is only right that we pass along His gift of Love to others. There are troops fighting for our freedom to celebrate, who may or may not hear from home this holiday. Helping them is SOOO easy, I've done all the work for you (well, actually anysoldier.com did it) Just follow the link to AnySoldier.com. At the top of the page, click on "Where to Send" and a list will appear on your left of soldiers names. Click on any name and you'll see their posted message, listing their requests. Once you start reading them, you can't stop. I wanted to go out and buy everything on every list! I can't stand it that there are soldiers out there fighting for my family who don't have a coffee pot, or deodorant, or shampoo, etc. because they're stationed far from the PX and/or haven't been receiving packages. Once you've selected a soldier and are ready to help, you MUST re-check that soldier's page the day you're mailing the package to verify that the address is still accurate (a.k.a. they haven't been moved). All the instructions for mailing, including proper addressing and customs forms info can be found at the site under the "how to send" section. If you have any trouble, leave a comment here and I'll gladly help you out. Check out the FAQ before you begin and let's spread some holiday cheer to those who need it most!



UPDATE:
You can now get flat-rate priority shipping boxes from the USPS that will cost $7.70 to ship. You can ship as much as will fit in the box, regardless of weight, for the flat price. The boxes can be ordered (for free in lots of 25) online here at the USPS Store. You then pay the $7.70 when you ship it. It doesn't get any more convenient than this!

Pray for Lance Cpl. Travis Pollok

My husband got the following email from an employee of one of his clients, telling him of Tavis Pollok who was wounded in battle in Fallujah:

Also wanted to let you know that I have a nephew, Travis Pollok, that is in
the Marines and he was in Iraq (has been there since September--his second
time there) and he was shot 5 times and is critically injured. It happened
on November 15th. He was shipped from Iraq to Germany on the 16th and then
he was shipped to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda Maryland on
the 19th. He turned 24 on the 18th of November. One of the bullets missed
his heart by a "hair"; one bullet took off part of his left lung (they
opened him up in the field and saved his life from the lung injury); one
bullet shattered his leg and hip (where your leg attaches to your hip--they
had to put in 5 rods and pins to put it back together and they had to remove
part of his left buttock because the bullet pretty much ate it up on the way
out of his body); another bullet just about blew up his left shoulder and
the last bullet was in his left arm. He pretty much had his whole left side
shot up. He and his platoon were sweeping a town (he was the leader of his
platoon) and he saw a sniper on top of a building and Travis shot him and
the sniper when down. They turned to continue their mission and then next
thing he heard was pop, pop, pop and he knew he was shot. Has little memory
after that until he got to Germany. Remembers them working on him in the
field. When he arrived at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, he had a letter
taped to him that was put on him in Germany on the 19th before he left from
a guy in his platoon that had also been injured (we don't know how bad and
we are trying to find out) that told Travis that he killed the SOB that shot
him. He just got out of intensive care (praise the God). My sister and
her husband have been in Maryland since he arrived on the 19th. I am more
than likely going to Maryland one day next week (I think on Tuesday the
7th). I am seeking any and everyone who prays or knows someone who prays to
put him on their prayer list. I know that he has survived only by the
"GRACE OF GOD". My family and I would greatly appreciate any and all
prayers.

Thanks,

Susan

You can read articles about Travis Pollok here and here

If you'd like to help the family out with travel expenses to be with Pollok as he recovers, an account has been established at Falls City National Bank to help defray the Polloks’ travel expenses. Donations can be sent to Falls City National Bank, P.O. Box 339, Falls City, TX 78113.



Please keep this brave young hero in your prayers.

UPDATED: Services for Captain Sean P. Sims

The final services for Cpt. Sims have been planned and will be held in College Station, TX as follows:

1. Rosary - Sunday, November 28th 4pm

2. Funeral - Monday, November 29th 1pm, St. Mary's Catholic Church, College Station.

You can read about the very moving services held for Cpt. Sean Sims here. Cpt. Sims was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his service.

May his memory live on forever in our hearts and minds.