Critical :Situation for Terri Schiavo

Today, the courts rejected the pleas of Terri’s parents to stop her husband, Michael, from withholding food and water from her. He has promised to begin starving her tomorrow at 1 pm.

Most of you are aware that Terri is not a "vegetable" or "brain-dead" as Michael and his lawyers claim, but responds to others and is aware of her surroundings. She laughs, smiles and, according to her nurses, has a small vocabulary.

Terri is not on life support and is healthy. She needs help eating and is fed through a tube (helping someone eat and drink who is impaired has never been considered artificial life support).

While Michael asserts he is carrying out Terri's wishes, he waited until after he received a large sum of money from a lawsuit against her doctors before making this claim . During the lawsuit, he alleged negligence and motivated a financial award with the potential cost of Terri’s rehabilitation.

However, Terri has been denied rehabilitation that experts testify could allow her to eat and talk. The courts in Florida have consistently blocked appeals to give Terri proper tests and therapy that would improve her life.

Terri may not have the capabilities she once had, but she is no less valuable and no less a person.

Here is what you can do to help Terri:

Pray for Terri and her family.
Blog - communicate the truth about what is going on and rally support for Terri and the Schindlers.
Visit Blogs for Terri ( http://www.blogsforterri.com) for information and to join the team of blogs for Terri.
Deluge Gov. Jeb Bush with emails and phone calls. He has the power to intervene. Here is his contact information:

Governor Jeb Bush
jeb.bush@myflorida.com
850 / 488-4441
850 / 487-0801 (fax)


Support HB701click here.
Important - Bypass the Mainstream Media - Pledge support a paid advertisement in the St. Petersburg Tribune to inform its 450,000 paid subscribers about what is really happening to Terri. Blogs for Terri
Your participation in help is desperately needed.

Local Friendswood, Texas Government Corruption

Boy it's getting crazy here. It seems local officials in Friendswood have taken it upon themselves to lobby AGAINST a property tax cap, all the while enjoying a lack of increase in their own property taxes because their homes mysteriously do not increase in appraised value like everyone else's. Sound fishy? That's what most other Texans think too.


The following is an article copied in it's entirety from Lonestar Times

Tuesday, February 22, 2005
EXCLUSIVE: Friendswood officials fight lower tax caps while avoiding appraisal increases
by David Benzion | 02/22/2005 7:00 am

A LoneStarTimes.com investigation has determined that many of the Friendswood-area officials using taxpayer resources to argue in Austin against a reduction in annual appraisal caps have themselves avoided any increase in their property tax burden in recent years.

LST’s review of Galveston County Appraisal District records revealed that during a period when the average Friendswood homeowners tax appraisal increased by 32%…

* Councilman Jerry Ericsson’s increased by only 9%;
* Mayor Kimball Brizendine’s increased by just 6%; AND
* Councilmembers David Smith, Laura Ewing, and Mel Measeles saw no increase whatsoever in their appraised property taxes (0%).

Measles, in addition to serving on City Council, is currently the regional president of the Texas Municipal League, a highly influential special-interest group comprised of government officials and bureaucrats. The TML is a key lobby group in Austin fighting against a reduction of property tax appraisal rates from 10% to 3% annually.

LST’s research also revealed that Friendswood City Manager Ron Cox’s property tax burden did not increase by a single penny in the past three years.

Cox recently testified in Austin on behalf of the Texas Municipal League that, in regard to the appraisal system, "I personally don’t think it’s broken."

UPDATE– A knowledgeable source in Friendswood city government informs us that although councilman Tracy Goza and Mayor Kim Brizendine live in the same subdivision, Goza’s appraisal has gone up in proportion to the average Friendswood homeowner’s, while the Mayor’s has not.

Councilman Goza– 8.3% annually, 33.2% 2000-2004
Mayor Brizendine– 1.6% annually, 6.3% 2000-2004

Goza does not support the Mayor’s legislative agenda to oppose a reduction in appraisal caps from 10% to 3%.

10:58 a.m. UPDATE– Councilman Goza has agreed to come to the live broadcast with Dan Patrick and Edd Hendee at Friendswood’s DoubleDave’s Pizza at FM 528 and 518 (behind the Texas First Bank building) today at 4 p.m. to address this controversy.

As promised this morning, he will receive free breadsticks. The offer remains open to all other councilmembers, as well as city manager Ron Cox.

The public is encouraged to attend as well.


For more information on the property tax cap proposal, visit Clout Texas.

The Death Penalty

Anselm, over at Hill Country Views posted about his views on the Death Penalty, and I completely concur. What do you think?

US escalates tensions with Syria

President Bush says US relationship with Syria is deteriorating and Dr. Rice says while the US favors using diplomatic pressure, force has not been ruled out.

Anyone care to make a prediction?

Videos Clips of Terry Schiavo

There's quite a flurry of activity around the blogosphere regarding Terry Schiavo, especially since the recent story in the news of another brain-damaged patient speaking after years of silence.

Terry's husband, Michael Schiavo, wants to have her feeding tube removed which will result in her death by starvation. Not a pleasant, peaceful way to go.

Is Terry in such a vegetative state that improvement is impossible? Here are some video clips that may help you decide: (hat tip to Hyscience)

Terri Responds to Father
Terri Watching a Balloon
Terri's Alert Eyes
Terri Responds to Cold
Terri Responds to Her Mom
Terri Responds to Music (and laughs!)
Terri Reponds to Touch

So why is she not improving at a faster rate? The following questions & answers were taken from terrisfight.org:

If Terri hasn’t recovered after all these years of therapy, why not let go?
Terri hasn’t had meaningful therapy since 1991, but many credible physicians say she can benefit from it.

Why can’t Terri just divorce?
Terri’s husband/guardian speaks for her. She cannot divorce without his permission


Does Terri have an advanced directive or any wishes about her healthcare?
Terri never signed any directive or living will and there is no evidence that she foresaw her present situation.


Why do Terri’s family fight to keep her alive? Shouldn’t they let her husband decide?
Terri’s husband has started another family and probably has gone on with his life. Terri’s family want to provide her therapy and a safe home.


Is Terri receiving life support?
Not in the traditional sense. Terri only receives food and fluids via a simple tube.


Isn’t removing her tube a natural and dignified way to die?
No. Dehydration and starvation cause horrific effects and are anything but peaceful.


If, after reading all this, you are convinced that Terri is about to be wrongly killed by her husband, here's you can contact to do something about it: (hat tip to My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy)

Florida Attorney General’s Charlie Crist, AG Citizen’s Services & Office
1-850-414-3990 / 850-414-3300
ag@oag.state.fl.us

Bernie McCabe, State Attorney Pinellas and Pasco Counties
727-464-6221
bmccabe@co.pinellas.fl.us

Gov. Jeb Bush
850-488-4441
jeb@jeb.org, jeb@myflorida.com

St Pete Times President - timespresident@sptimes.com

Customer Service - custserv@sptimes.com

Letters to the Editor - letters@sptimes.com
Letters to the Editor
P.O. Box 1121
St. Petersburg, FL 33731

Mr. Bill Levesque - levesque@sptimes.com

Troops Find Major Weapons Cache

I received this via an email alerting me to this discovery that did NOT make the MSM news....big shock. It's truly fascinating as to the amount of weapons found and destroyed by our troops.

Here you will find a URL to the Fox news website. If you open your windows
media player (found on the start menu)
choose file, open URL and paste this URL into the box; you will be able to
see the news report by Geraldo.

mms://66.232.154.15/012605/usw_ammo_geraldo_012605_300.wmv

OR you can go there directly by clicking here

The Fireant's Bookmark Meme

Eric, over at the Fireant Gazette posted this meme and I thought it was a good idea, so here goes:


1. Open the bookmarks list in your favorite web browser and note the bottommost entry (which may or may not be the last one you added), even if it's inside a folder. Copy the bookmark title, along with the URL, into a post or comment.

2. Count up your list from there, and select every fourth bookmark, until you've picked another four. Add them to your post or comment.

3. Publish the list of five bookmarks and wait for the world to marvel at your eclectic and sophisticated interests!

Here are my answers:

1. Clear Creek Community Church
2. Houston Beagle Rescue
3. Identify Feeder Birds
4. Contact Your Congressman
5. Google Catalog Search

Apparently the above have no relation to each other, whatsoever. :-) Can't wait to see yours....

Are You Ready for an IRS Audit?

Well maybe you should be, according to an article at the Washington Times. This was also a topic discussed at my recent CPE conference as well. Apparently the new IRS Commissioner, Mark Everson, has promised to step up the audit efforts.

So who's at risk of being audited? According to the Times, taxpayers who make more than $100K have a 1 in 20 risk of being audited. How do you prepare for the possibility? In a word, have your receipts in order. And here's what the article suggests:

To prepare for a possible audit, "Make sure that you have included all of your tax reporting and income documents, such as W2s, 1099s, etc., in your return and retain those records," said Gloria Huffman, analyst for Liberty Tax Service. "Keep a logbook of any business mileage and expenses to substantiate any deductions."
After an audit, defending against an IRS inquiry is more complex but still manageable, according to tax preparers.
"There are no sure-fire ways to avoid an audit," said Mark Steber, vice president of tax resources for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.
He offers the following tips to anyone who is audited:
•Always provide clear, concise answers and documentation. Include copies of your documents.
•Never send in originals without making copies.
•Be timely with your response. Most notices and inquiries from the IRS have a deadline. It is important to be aware of that deadline and respond promptly to prevent an escalation.
•Consider using registered mail with your responses to document your communications.
•Be aware that the IRS usually is looking for simple answers to simple questions. It is often easy to provide the information and resolve the matter quickly. For more complicated situations, it is best to hire a professional.


Of course, I would suggest hiring a tax professional no matter what. In every audit in which I've represented a client, the IRS worker has been less than knowledgeable about the applicable tax law. In each case, it was up to me to prove the legality of my clients' case. Without such a representative, the client's would simply taken the IRS employee's word as to what was allowed and what wasn't and would not have known that IRS employee was mistaken. I'm just saying.....

On a Personal Note

I don't do personal posts often, but today I'm entitled....it's my birthday! Yes, I share the day with Abraham Lincoln, a fact I've always loved. What do I want? First, exactly what I got....2 precious homemade cards from my 3 & 4 year old featuring birds and flowers. They know what Mama likes!

Second, I would like for every reader (and I wish there were 10,000 today!) to go to AnySoldier.com and send a package to the troops this week. Or, if you can't afford it, send a letter. Or become and email penpal...there's something for any budget.

Changing the subject, I just finished 2 days of Continuing Professional Education on the new Tax Law for 2004 tax returns. Yeah, tax season is upon us and the hubby and I share this glorious career. There's a lot of new stuff, mostly beneficial tax cuts, so make sure you know what you're doing or consult a professional if you own your own business this year. Also, for individuals who itemize, make sure you understand the new sales tax deduction. Please note...this blog does not constitute professional tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor.

Alrighty, well, I'm off to enjoy the day with my family. Have a great one!

Operation I CAN

"OPERATION I CAN” is not just another clever Army acronym; it’s short for “Iraqi Children Assistance Network.”
I CAN connects thousands of Iraqi children to people throughout the world who donate school supplies. Thanks to deployed Soldiers, these supplies reach schools in villages and cities throughout Iraq.

Many donors have implemented the project in their local neighborhoods, lobbying for support from others.

Individual donations of $3.59, a small amount by U.S. standards, pay the average cost of one Arabic schoolbook and have significantly increased Iraqi children’s opportunities to learn.

You can buy books directly from OperationICan.com

You can read more about the origins of the opearation here

Hat tip to American Dinosaur

Hakeem Olajuwon's Mosque Donated to Terror Fronts

The following story is from KHOU.com, a local Houston television station's website. Because it's a registry site, I've just copied the entire text for you here:

Olajuwon's mosque donated to alleged terror fronts

01:59 PM CST on Wednesday, February 9, 2005

Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- A mosque established and funded by basketball star Hakeem Olajuwon gave more than $80,000 to charities the government later determined to be fronts for the terror groups al-Qaida and Hamas, according to financial records obtained by The Associated Press.

AP

Olajuwon told the AP he had not known of any links to terrorism when the donations were made, prior to the government’s crackdown on the groups, and would not have given the money if he had known.

“There is no way you can go back in time,” Olajuwon said in a telephone interview from Jordan, where he is studying Arabic. “After the fact, now they have the list of organizations that are banned by the government.”

A Treasury Department spokeswoman, Molly Millerwise, declined to discuss Olajuwon’s contributions but said, “In many cases donors are being unwittingly misled by the charities.”

Federal law enforcement officials said they were not investigating Olajuwon, a 7-foot center born in Nigeria who played 17 seasons for the NBA’s Houston Rockets before retiring in 2002.

Olajuwon, who became a U.S. citizen in 1993, was known as “The Dream” and won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 1994, when he led the Rockets to the first of back-to-back championships.

The Olajuwon-founded Islamic Da’Wah Center gave more than $60,000 in 2000 and $20,000 in 2002 to the Islamic African Relief Agency, the center’s tax records show.

The government shut down the relief agency in October, saying it gave money and other support to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida.

But the agency and its possible ties to terrorism had been in news stories years earlier, before Olajuwon’s contributions:

· The U.S. Agency for International Development cut off two government grants to the Islamic African Relief Agency in 1999, saying funding the group “would not be in the national interest of the United States.”

· A former fund-raiser for the relief agency, Ziyad Khaleel, was named in a federal trial in 2001 as the man who bought a satellite telephone that bin Laden used to plan the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

· Numerous news organizations reported shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks that the relief agency was among more than two dozen Islamic charities under scrutiny for possible terrorist ties.

Olajuwon also participated in a 1999 celebrity bowling tournament for the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which the U.S. government shut down in 2001, accusing it of sending money to Hamas. The Islamic Da’Wah Center gave more than $2,000 to the Texas-based Holy Land Foundation in 2000, according to its tax returns.

At the time, Olajuwon was vice president of the mosque—which was named after him—and provided more than three-quarters of its money. Olajuwon heads the separate foundation that now controls the Islamic Da’Wah Center.

All the donations came before the government designated the Holy Land Foundation and the Islamic African Relief Agency as terrorist fronts. Vipul Worah, an accountant for Olajuwon’s charities, said U.S. authorities have never asked about the contributions.

Olajuwon, who is married with four daughters, became a Muslim during his professional career and was known for playing in key games while observing dawn-to-dusk fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Tax returns for Olajuwon’s Islamic Da’Wah Center show it gave the Islamic African Relief Agency $61,250 in 2000 and $20,000 in 2002.

Those donations accounted for 2.2 percent of the $2.8 million the Islamic African Relief Agency received during 2000 and 1.4 percent of the $1.4 million it raised in 2002, records show.

Olajuwon said the donations came after fund-raisers from the Islamic African Relief Agency visited Houston. He said the group told him donations would help the needy in Africa.

“They came and approached us and everything was legitimate. I had no knowledge of their activity,” Olajuwon said.

The Treasury Department alleged in October that several top officials of the group’s branches overseas are al-Qaida members or associates and the group gave bin Laden hundreds of thousands of dollars in 1999.

The federal government says the Sudan-based Islamic African Relief Agency’s U.S. branch is IARA-USA, based in Columbia, Mo. That group has challenged the terrorist designation in court, saying it is separate from the Sudanese group.

Shereef Akeel, a lawyer for IARA-USA, acknowledged the U.S. group and the Sudanese group “may be in a partnership together” and some people with links to IARA-USA have terrorist associations.

“Just because someone traveled in the same circles, just because one employee was at the same conference as someone who supported terrorism, doesn’t mean the organization sponsors or condones acts of terrorism,” Akeel said.

The Holy Land Foundation was shut down in December 2001. Federal authorities say it was the main U.S. fund-raiser for Hamas and sent $12.4 million to the Palestinian terrorist group from 1995 to 2001. Hamas has claimed responsibility for dozens of suicide bombings in Israel that have killed scores of people, including Americans.

The Holy Land Foundation and several leaders are awaiting trial on criminal charges of supporting terrorism—charges they deny. U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler rejected the group’s 2002 lawsuit challenging its terrorist designation, ruling federal officials had “ample evidence” of financial support for Hamas.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said in July that an indictment against several officers was “neither a reflection on the well-meaning people who may have donated funds to the foundation, nor is it a reflection on the Muslim faith and its adherents.”

In 2000, the year after Olajuwon participated in the Dallas bowling tournament for the Holy Land Foundation, the Islamic Da’Wah Center gave the group $2,430, tax records show. That money was a tiny fraction of the $13 million the foundation raised that year.

Olajuwon said the bowling tournament was one of many charitable events he has attended.

“I get all sorts of requests from charitable organizations,” Olajuwon said. “It was a bunch of kids and I gave them autographs.”

Revocation of Marines' Medals Adds Insult to Injuries

The following article is reprinted from the Kansas City Star website:


ATCHISON, Kan. (Feb. 9) - Nearly two years ago, Marine Cpl. Travis Eichelberger watched as his commandant pinned a Purple Heart to his hospital gown at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Now the same commandant, Gen. William Nyland, is revoking that medal and removing it from Eichelberger's record because he was run over by a tank driven by an American.

Eichelberger, 22, of Atchison, is one of 11 Marines who have received "letters of error" within the past two months telling them that they were given their medals by mistake.

Nyland said it was necessary to revoke Eichelberger's medal because his injuries weren't "caused directly or indirectly by enemy action."

"I'm disappointed," Eichelberger said Tuesday. "I don't understand how a mistake like that could happen."

Eichelberger was sleeping in a shallow foxhole in the sand of Iraq when he was run over by a 67-ton Abrams tank.

It was mid-March 2003 after he and the rest of the 200 Marines in his unit crossed into Iraq from Kuwait on their way to Baghdad.

"I laid there and saw my pants and other clothes twisted (around my body)," Eichelberger told The Topeka Capital-Journal in March 2004. "I didn't feel severe pain. I was in shock. I was paralyzed from the chest down and started dragging myself on my hands."

He suffered a crushed pelvis, shredded internal organs and legs that were swollen to twice their normal size.

After being dismissed from the hospital, he came home to a hero's welcome, complete with an outpouring of support from his community and extensive media coverage.

But now that his medal has been revoked, he said, he feels kind of awkward.

"I got injured, my hometown rallied behind me and helped out my family," he said. "To have (the Purple Heart) taken away, it makes you feel like you're a liar."

Charles Mugno, head of the Marine Corps Awards Branch, said the 11 injured Marines were among the first wave of casualties to return from Iraq and there was a rush to honor them.

Mugno said the Purple Heart errors were caused by confusion over the circumstances of how the Marines were injured, adding that there's a difference between being wounded in a combat zone and being wounded by hostile action.

Officials said they had to revoke the medals after they realized the mistake.

"The most important point is that the revocation was the right thing to do in order to maintain the sanctity and the specialness of the award," Marine spokesman Lt. Col. T.V. Johnson said. "You don't want to be identified as someone wearing their medals incorrectly, or worse, wearing something you don't deserve."

Eichelberger said, "If I really don't deserve it, I don't want it. But the problem is that they (military commanders) decided to give them to us. ... Get it right next time."

Eichelberger will receive a medical discharge from the Marines later this month. While he doesn't want people to think he's complaining about losing his medal, he doesn't want any other soldiers to be put in a position of explaining why they've been stripped of a military honor.

"What am I supposed to tell my town?" he said.

You can read more here

Anheuser Busch - More Than Just a Superbowl Commercial

I wasn't even going to mention my favorite SuperBowl commercial because it kinda goes without saying. However, it seem Anheuser Busch is thanking the troops in another way as well. They offer free admission to any of their parks for active duty, active reserve, ready reserve, or National Guardsmen. What a great program! The parks include Sea World San Antonio, Sesame Place, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Sea World Orlando, Busch Gardesn Tampa Bay and Sea World San Diego. Check it out!

Hat tip Blackfive.

My Hero Bracelet Arrived Today

I ordered a Hero Bracelet a few weeks ago and it arrived today. I am honored to be wearing a bracelet in memory of Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck, who was killed in action on 1/18/04.

A few notes of interest: Master Sgt. Hornbeck was injured by an IED on 1/16/04, and then died from the injuries on 1/18/04, which happens to be my wedding anniversary. He and my husband are the same age and from the same graduating year of high school. Incidentally, on our anniversary in 2004, our then 3 year old fell and broke her arm and was in the hospital having emergency surgery. It was a day that will always stand out in our memory....even before I received the bracelet today.

Without further ado, here's his story:



Master Sgt.

Kelly L. Hornbeck

sustained injuries on

January 16, 2004

when an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle

Died of those injuries

two days later on

18 January 2004


Special Forces Soldier killed in Iraq

While in South America fighting drug dealers for the U.S. military, Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck flew a Texas flag over his camp.

When asked by a friend, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Callahan, why the banner was chosen, Hornbeck replied: "When those guerrillas attack, I want them to know there's a Texan here."

Hornbeck, 36, was wounded Jan. 16, 2004, when an explosive device hit his vehicle near Samarraon. The soldier, who was stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., died two days later.

Born in Selma, Ala., Hornbeck graduated high school in 1985 in Fort Worth, and left Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, after a year to join the military.

"Dad was a great friend," one of Hornbeck's daughters, 11-year-old Jacqueline McCall, said at her father's funeral. "He died for his country and he was the best soldier because he was brave."

Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck sent signals to his parents when he went on a classified mission.

Once, through a vague letter, Hornbeck let them know that he would be out of touch for a while but that they should not worry and that he loved them very much.

"My training is not only limited to that which has been bestowed on me by the mightiest military in the world but also by the greatest set of parents in the world," the 36-year-old Special Forces soldier wrote to his parents, Jeff and Camille Hornbeck of Fort Worth.

"I am who I am because ya'll made me that way, and for that I thank you." Kelly Hornbeck's parents learned late last week that their only surviving child had been gravely wounded in Iraq. The Defense Department later reported that an explosive device struck his vehicle on Friday while he was on patrol with his unit south of Samarra. He died two days later at a hospital in Baghdad.

On Wednesday, his parents spoke about his life, their loss and their love of country.

"He was doing a job he was called to do," Camille Hornbeck said during a news conference in the front yard of their southwest Fort Worth home.

"We just want to celebrate Kelly's life as a hero and to let the world know he is a special young man."

Kelly was buried with full military honors. He leaves behind two daughters, Jacqueline McCall, 10, of Frederick, Md., and Tyler Rae Hornbeck, 7, of Lumber Bridge, N.C.

On Wednesday, the Hornbecks offered thanks for the support they have received since learning of their son's death. They also wanted to speak out in support of the soldiers in Iraq and to remind Americans to be patient.

"We feel it is important to support the guys still doing their job," said Jeff Hornbeck, a retired Air Force major.

"It is a very difficult task to build a democracy," he said.

Kelly Hornbeck was born in Selma, Ala., but he lived around the world while his father -- a pilot and a Vietnam veteran -- served at several military posts. The family moved into and out of Fort Worth, returning to stay in 1983.

Hornbeck graduated from Paschal in 1985. He attended Tarleton State University for one year, playing on the college's football team, before enlisting in the Army in 1987.

At first he trained as an infantryman, but he was eventually promoted to drill sergeant. He volunteered for duty with the Special Forces in 1990 and served as a combat diver, a free-fall parachutist and a jump master.

It was a dangerous way to make a living, his parents said.

"You knew you had to function, so you put it in another place," Jeff Hornbeck said about his knowledge of the perils his son faced daily. "There was a lot of denial that something may happen.

"They were always where the pot was bubbling," he added.

In recent years, Kelly Hornbeck did one tour of duty in Afghanistan and was serving his second tour in Iraq when he was killed. His friends said he didn't talk much about his work during visits home.

But Graves and others said they began corresponding with Hornbeck and members of his unit in Iraq. Graves said it was a grassroots effort to show support for the military's work through letters and "goody bags."

Camille Hornbeck, an English teacher at Daggett Montessori School, said students sent seven big boxes of items after her son mentioned that Iraqi children didn't have soccer balls.

Daggett Principal Judy Seymour said the students are dealing with Kelly Hornbeck's death "pretty well."

"Even though we have a heavy heart, we are ready to celebrate the wonderful life of a wonderful soldier," Seymour said.

During the news conference, the Hornbecks repeatedly said that they endorse the work being done by armed forces in Iraq and that they will say so again today during a memorial service for their son at Fort Carson.

Many soldiers at the base are either returning from or leaving for Iraq.

Jeff Hornbeck said the family wants to "encourage the soldiers who still have a job to do."

Those sentiments are echoed in the letter Kelly Hornbeck wrote that his parents made public Wednesday.

"If ya'll are reading this, then I am on my way to help do my part to ensure the future security of our great nation," Hornbeck wrote. "I don't take this charge lightly or with a cavalier attitude, rather with a resolute heart and a clear conscience.

"I am strongly convinced that what we are doing is just and worthy of all that could be spent in the effort. I am not afraid and neither should either of you be."

He ended the message with thoughts of his family.

"If anything untoward should befall me please insure that the qualities you raised me with get passed onto my children," he wrote. "I love you both very much and intend to see you soon!"

He will be buried next to his older brother, Kurt Lee Hornbeck, who died more than 10 years ago.

In addition to his parents and his daughters, survivors include his grandmother, Camille Lee, and an uncle, Dr. Bill Lee, both of Fort Worth.

Hornbeck funeral

The funeral for Army Master Sgt. Kelly Hornbeck was at 2 p.m. Saturday at Travis Avenue Baptist Church, West Berry and Hemphill streets. Burial followed in Greenwood Cemetery.

Kelly Hornbeck's letter home

Here is an undated letter from Kelly Hornbeck to his parents:

Dear Mom and Dad:

If ya'll are reading this, then I am on my way to help do my part to ensure the future security of our great nation. I don't take this charge lightly or with a cavalier attitude, rather with a resolute heart and a clear conscience. I am strongly convinced that what we are doing is just and worthy of all that could be spent in the effort. I am not afraid and neither should either of you be, for I trust in my God (Psalm 23) and my training, two powerful forces that cannot be fully measured.

My training is not only limited to that which has been bestowed on me by the mightiest military in the world but also by the greatest set of parents in the world. I am who I am because ya'll made me that way, and for that I thank you.

If anything untoward should befall me please insure that the qualities you raised me with get passed onto my children. I love you both very much and intend to see you soon!


You can read about the fiancee' he never returned to here.

UPDATE: Robbie of UrbanGrounds also received hero bracelets and wrote about them here

Be Back Soon....

Unfortunately, a client data disk has rendered my laptop useless until "debugged" by the computer guy this weekend. Hopefully I'll be back up and running by Monday, but in the meantime please go read some of the awesome blogs on my blogroll!

Be back soon!

TexasBug

About Me

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Operation Photo

Hat tip to Sgt. Missick for this information about Operation Photo. Please help by sending your old digital cameras. They are trying to complete the project (10,000 cameras) by Valentine's Day!

State of the Union

I love PowerLine's liveblog on the address.

Obviously, I thought the most moving part by far was the long-lasting hug between the Iraqi woman and Mrs. Norwood, mother of a fallen hero from the Iraq War. How symbolic can you get! Even the husband teared up (mine, that is!).



I love the Social Security ideas. I can't believe the Dem's booed when he stated that SS will be bankrupt by a certain date. Hello! It's not like he wants it to be....he's the one trying to prevent it! They want to continue denying the crisis of the situation because they want to keep the fund "raidable" for all the assorted programs and entitlements. Sorry, but I call 'em like I see 'em. I loved the way he told Congress they had to deal with it and not pass the buck to the next generation.

I also love it when he said every nominee deserves a vote. No more filibustering!! (I only wish that would make it true)

Now on to foreign policy. Wow, he came out swinging on this! He said to the Iranians "as you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you". Ummm....that's no idle promise. He just lowered the Guantlet on Iran.

Money for the Palestinians? That almost made my dinner make an encore appearance. Sorry, but I'm not convinced that anyone in that area is interested in democracy or freedom. They seem to thrive on the opposite. Don't think I'm ever going to forget the live broadcasts of the Palestinians dancing in the streets after 9/11. Not happening.

I love the continuance of support for faith-based programs that work. I mean, this is who should be helping those with aids, preventing gangs and all the other social programs mentioned tonight. Let's face it - those who are motivated by their faith to help others or far MORE motivated than most seculars and they do a great job. If you're not religious and you're bothered by this....start up a secular charity and do the same thing. I just think communities, local & national charitable organizations and especially churches, etc. ought to be the ones working in acts of compassion, etc. to help their fellow citizens, not the government.

OK, that pretty much sums up the highlights for me. Feel free to add you own...

Letter from a Marine's Dad

Major hat tip to Smoke Signals for posting the following email he received:

Darrell's message:


My Marine son, Adam called me a few minutes ago. For the first moment or two I didn’t recognize his voice; it was raspy, tired and older than when I spoke with him last. I suppose that is to be expected. One doesn’t endure the hell that he has and go on with business as usual.

“Son, are you okay? “ I asked quietly. The response was forced. “I’m not sure,” he said.

“Adam, I’m so sorry. I am so very sorry,” I struggled to get the words out.

His whispered voice screamed with pain. “Dad, I was supposed to be on that helicopter. That should have been me.”

As most Americans know by now, we lost 31 of our boys last Tuesday when the CH-53 Sea Stallion they were flying in went down in an Iraqi field about 200 miles west of Baghdad. When the incident first crossed my news wire I was only seconds from going on the air. It took my breath away and I prayed a quiet prayer for all of the families but, to be honest, I never even considered that Adam, a Lance Corporal in the Corp, would be in that part of the country. Days earlier he told me his team would be moving out but even he was uncertain where they would land.

As the day progressed and the news said the guys were from Charlie Company I became even more concerned. My wife, Laurie, and I awaited word but it didn’t come. As the minutes ticked into hours every devastating thought a person can have ran through my mind. As Laurie paced and emailed, I sat in my office working on the next show. I had to stay busy. I had to keep my mind off the “sandbox” and the tragedy that had just changed families’ lives forever. Finally, 17 hours after the accident we heard from a source that our son had been spotted on the ground and that he was okay. We breathed for the first time all day.

I’m a pretty strong soul and a man who doesn’t often express emotions, but since that fateful day I find myself tearing up as my mind races to that point in time. Today, though, was the worst. Today, I heard the full story. It broke my heart.

“Dad, I was the last guy on that helicopter. I stowed my pack and was inside when an officer from the other copter yelled out my name. ‘Ankarlo, jump out of there and climb into our copter. We need you to be stick man’.” Two of Adam’s good buddies were sent to take his spot.

The night was windy. It was draped in a heavy desert fog but still the Stallions had to fly. Charlie Company had just received their security orders. And so, off they went. Our helicopter pilots have to fly their crafts close to the ground, with few lights on, to avoid enemy fire. They stay low so the surface-to-air missiles won’t blow them out of the sky. In fact, at this low altitude the enemy fire actually bounces off the helicopters before they can explode.

“I am so numb dad. I’m just numb. I saw an explosion and looked out a side window but wasn’t sure if the flash came from the other chopper or not. To avoid fire our pilot swerved back and forth and finally shot straight up. We actually lost power for about 15 seconds and were plummeting back to the ground when he finally regained control. We were sure we were all gonna die but we thought the other copter was okay,” he explained in an honest but devastated tone. “It wasn’t until we landed that we were told it had crashed. At first we were told a few guys had died, and then it was 10; then it was 20 and finally the whole group. Dad, I knew every one of those guys. They were my friends. Now they are all dead. Dad, they’re all dead.” A long paused followed. He was in too much pain and I didn’t have a clue what to say. What does one say to a guy who just saw all his friends get wiped out? A tired cliché would be the worst route. We sat in silence.

“Dad, why am I alive? I was strapped in and we were taking off. Why was I yanked off that copter?” His hoarse voice strained to say more but he couldn’t. I cried with Adam for a moment. “Son, who can explain this? I certainly can’t. I will tell you that thousands of people are covering you in prayer and I don’t doubt that played a major role; but your pop can’t explain the questions you are asking. Only God can do that, and He may choose never to do it,” I offered the only comfort I knew.

Around Christmastime Adam sent us some movies he had taken of his pals. There is serious war footage from the day they took Fallujah but there was a lot of time devoted to guys in their twenties just cutting up and having some fun. “Dad, almost all the guys on those tapes…” his voice trailed off. He didn’t have to say another word. I knew where he was going. It was just too surreal. The next pictures I will see of them will include their families crying around their flag-draped coffins. War hurts.

After a few minutes Adam wanted to share a few more details, “We went back to the wreckage but the biggest piece left was only about four feet in diameter. Everything was torn to bits,” he explained. “I looked for my pack but it was incinerated. Every letter, every thing I have over here was burned. Dad, your book, the one you wrote and that I have shared with about a hundred guys over here, is nothing but ash. I should have been with that pack.” I finally jumped in, “No you shouldn’t have. You are suffering from something called Survivor’s Guilt. Why them and not me? It’s a natural emotion and you have to work through this, but in the end, if you believe in God and know that He’s looking out for you, then you have to believe He knows what He’s doing. I don’t understand it but that’s all you have to hold on to.” We prayed a short prayer and choked back the tears. “I’ve gotta go dad. They just called us back to action. They are loading us on to another helicopter. We’ve got a mission to do before Sunday’s election.”

As he started to go I whispered, “Stay safe.” It sounded so trite when it fell off my tongue. “Stay safe,” what kind of advice was that I wondered? “I’ll try. I love you dad.” For the first time, he sounded like he really was on the other side of the world and with that, the call disconnected.

For the longest time after our conversation, I sat quietly; privately. While staring at a darkened room I realized in the deepest sense of the term what the ultimate price of freedom is. My son, America’s son, painted its picture in stark detail. Its color is red and it has stains that flow like rivers. Those rivers came when a few Marines and God Himself poured out their tears like rain to create a priceless portrait of sadness and hope.

Help urgently needed for combat Marine veteran - Liver Donor Needed

This article at Hyscience has all the details.

What if Bush Has Been Right About Iraq All Along?

The following piece written by columnist Mark Brown speaks for itself:

What if Bush has been right about Iraq all along?

February 1, 2005

BY MARK BROWN SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST





Maybe you're like me and have opposed the Iraq war since before the shooting started -- not to the point of joining any peace protests, but at least letting people know where you stood.



You didn't change your mind when our troops swept quickly into Baghdad or when you saw the rabble that celebrated the toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue, figuring that little had been accomplished and that the tough job still lay ahead.

Despite your misgivings, you didn't demand the troops be brought home immediately afterward, believing the United States must at least try to finish what it started to avoid even greater bloodshed. And while you cheered Saddam's capture, you couldn't help but thinking I-told-you-so in the months that followed as the violence continued to spread and the death toll mounted.

By now, you might have even voted against George Bush -- a second time -- to register your disapproval.

But after watching Sunday's election in Iraq and seeing the first clear sign that freedom really may mean something to the Iraqi people, you have to be asking yourself: What if it turns out Bush was right, and we were wrong?

It's hard to swallow, isn't it?

Americans cross own barrier



If you fit the previously stated profile, I know you're fighting the idea, because I am, too. And if you were with the president from the start, I've already got your blood boiling.

For those who've been in the same boat with me, we don't need to concede the point just yet. There's a long way to go. But I think we have to face the possibility.

I won't say that it had never occurred to me previously, but it's never gone through my mind as strongly as when I watched the television coverage from Iraq that showed long lines of people risking their lives by turning out to vote, honest looks of joy on so many of their faces.

Some CNN guest expert was opining Monday that the Iraqi people crossed a psychological barrier by voting and getting a taste of free choice (setting aside the argument that they only did so under orders from their religious leaders).

I think it's possible that some of the American people will have crossed a psychological barrier as well.

Deciding democracy's worth



On the other side of that barrier is a concept some of us have had a hard time swallowing:

Maybe the United States really can establish a peaceable democratic government in Iraq, and if so, that would be worth something.

Would it be worth all the money we've spent? Certainly.

Would it be worth all the lives that have been lost? That's the more difficult question, and while I reserve judgment on that score until such a day arrives, it seems probable that history would answer yes to that as well.

I don't want to get carried away in the moment.

Going to war still sent so many terrible messages to the world.

Most of the obstacles to success in Iraq are all still there, the ones that have always led me to believe that we would eventually be forced to leave the country with our tail tucked between our legs. (I've maintained from the start that if you were impressed by the demonstrations in the streets of Baghdad when we arrived, wait until you see how they celebrate our departure, no matter the circumstances.)

In and of itself, the voting did nothing to end the violence. The forces trying to regain the power they have lost -- and the outside elements supporting them -- will be no less determined to disrupt our efforts and to drive us out.

Somebody still has to find a way to bring the Sunnis into the political process before the next round of elections at year's end. The Iraqi government still must develop the capacity to protect its people.

And there seems every possibility that this could yet end in civil war the day we leave or with Iraq becoming an Islamic state every bit as hostile to our national interests as was Saddam.

Penance could be required



But on Sunday, we caught a glimpse of the flip side. We could finally see signs that a majority of the Iraqi people perceive something to be gained from this brave new world we are forcing on them.

Instead of making the elections a further expression of "Yankee Go Home," their participation gave us hope that all those soldiers haven't died in vain.

Obviously, I'm still curious to see if Bush is willing to allow the Iraqis to install a government that is free to kick us out or to oppose our other foreign policy efforts in the region.

So is the rest of the world.

For now, though, I think we have to cut the president some slack about a timetable for his exit strategy.

If it turns out Bush was right all along, this is going to require some serious penance.

Maybe I'd have to vote Republican in 2008.

We would welcome you, Mark!

WHOOP!!!

In case you're hiding under a rock tonight, Martelles Bennett just made his college football decision on live TV. He was choosing between Texas A&M, LSU and the University of Texas.

Martelles is the number one recruit from Texas this year, he is the number one Tight End in the nation, and he is the number 5 rated player overall.

And he chose (wisely, I might add!) Texas A&M! WHOOOOOOOP!

Secret Website Tracks Christian's Personal Info

This story is being covered at Jihad Watch, Little Green Footballs, and The Counterterrorism Blog to name just a few.

This all relates to the death of a NJ couple after the man had received death threats on the same website.

Apparently, the site PalTalk hosted chats that got very heated between Christians & Muslims, among others. Now, a secret password-protected site in Arabic is tracking posters on the PalTalk site who argue with Muslims. The Muslim site posts their photos, their personal info and makes no secret of the fact that they are trying to obtain the Christians' addresses. This among posts celebrating the death of the Armanious family!!

WHY is the MSM not covering this?

Why do I keep asking that question?

Good News from Iraq, Part 20

this update from Chrenkoff is about the best summary of what's going on in Iraq that I've read. Enjoy!

Freedom Fightors....or Minions of Satan?

Blackfive has this post telling of a Down's Syndrome child used by the terrorists to bomb a polling station on Sunday.

I've read threads at the Democratic Underground saying things like "where are the freedom fighters?" and "are they just going to sit back and let the evil Americans TELL them to be a Democracy? They didn't even get to choose their form of government....it was mandated by the US".

If these Democrats want to side with the likes of those who would use a disabled child as a suicide bomber, then they deserve a similar fate. Please, if this is you, fly to Iraq and volunteer your services! Strap on the bombs TODAY! Anyone who finds a way to "justify" this atrocity is inherently evil themself.

Thank God the tide is rolling in Iraq and true freedom is on the way. These types will not be tolerated by a people who are willing to face death themselves to defy the terrorists. We have hope in the Iraqi people, after what they've shown us over the weekend, that they can be trusted to get their country on track. God Bless them and all their future efforts to eliminate such atrocities as this.

Introducing: Mullet Mondays!

After a weekend of such heavy and dramatic news, we're starting off the week a little more light-hearted. In fact, this is how we're going to start the week from now on! Thanks to MulletJunky.com for the inspiration, and welcome all you Mullet Hunters!

On Mondays, we will now be featuring photos of random citizens caught sporting the lovely coiffure known as the "mullet". In case you're not overly familiar (?!?) with this hair phenomenon, here's an illustration of what qualifies:



Now if any of you are brave enough to do some Mullet Hunting on your own, you can send your pics to me for Monday postings (with all due credit of course) or you can do you own post and I'll link to you (no celebrity photos, please). I'd love to see some other bloggers joining me on Mondays! Let's document this truly American icon!

And now for this Monday's submission......this one was hunted myself at the local touristy boardwalk type place:

Iraqi Election Slideshow

This is a MUST SEE!

Iraqi's Give Terrorists the Finger

The brothers of Iraq the Model show their voting ink

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