Yeah, Right, Whatever

So... I was reading Kiss My Gumbo, and Greta was singing the praises of Shelfari. So, I checked it out. And I'm hooked. I'm not sure why. It's just a virtual bookshelf, more or less. It's still pretty darn cool.

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

I just finished reading this post by Mr. Minority, and I had a pleasant little thought wander through my brain.

If the Supreme Court has a sudden attack of sanity and rules D.C.'s gun ban unconstitutional, the District will become a beautiful little case study on what happens when you arm the citizenry. We have the stats on what the crime rates are with the gun ban. I'm going to love seeing what the stats are without it.

Anyone want to take a guess at what will happen?

(h/t to Fausta) Tomorrow morning, the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) will be christened. Twenty-four tons of the steel used to build the ship came from the what was left of the World Trade Center after 9/11. Its purpose- deliver a battalion of Marines wherever they might be needed as quickly as possible.

Commissioning is tentatively scheduled for Septenber 11, 2009. Two of her sister ships will be named Arlington and Somerset, after the locations where the other planes went down in the terrorist attack in 2001.

The ship's motto? Never Forget.

Fair winds and following seas.

For some reason, I'm not sure if I've posted this before. For the sake of the educational process, I'm doing it again.

World History 101

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.

The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer more quickly. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:

1. Liberals
2. Conservatives.

Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is now known as the Conservative movement.

Other men -- who were weaker and less skilled at hunting -- learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQs and doing the sewing, fetching, hair dressing, and dancing around the fire. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement. (Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men.)

Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.

Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant.

Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.

Modern liberals like imported beer (with a slice of lime), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish, but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare.

Another interesting evolutionary side note: most liberal women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood, and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule in baseball because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.

Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies try to hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.

Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.

Here ends today's lesson in world history.

My only disagreements with this treatise concern the food and drink of the conservatives. I know several conservatives who drink imported (usually German) beer and have been known to eat sushi on occasion.

Or maybe I'm being a tad defensive about being accused of having anything in common with Liberals.

I had contemplated writing an in-depth piece on this video from Senator Obama. Jay beat me to it. Ace thinks it's a McCain campaign ad just waiting to happen. I can't agree more.

It's up to the Democrats to vote on who they want to represent them in the general election. From where I'm sitting in the peanut gallery (popcorn in hand), they're in trouble. No one on either side of the aisle is a big Hillary fan (she's kind of like Bob Dole was in '96- it's "her turn" or something), and Obama is unappealing to anyone who isn't a Code Pink leftist freak.

Good luck with that, gang.

... and there just wasn't much there. Seriously. William F. Buckley, Jr. passed away. Besides that, I only found three things that even mildly caught my attention.

• A guy was charged with animal cruelty. For yelling at a police dog. No, really.
  
• Way to raise a spoiled brat.
  
• I know quite a few people who would love to find one of these under the Christmas tree. I guess I've seen one too many Terminator movies, though. I'm just a little wary.
  

See what I mean? Not much to work with. That's ok. I need to do some real live teaching today.

Senator Hutchison shouldn't apologize for anything. She's right. If we announce when we're leaving, we are putting targets on our military. Why apologize for the truth?

So long, Global Warmning! Hello, Ice Age!

It's easy to reach the same conclusion, whether we're talking about Global Warming, Global Cooling, or Global Climate Change in general. No matter how much we as humans need to feel that we're important, we're not. Climate and its changes are pretty much out of our hands. Sure, we cause changes in the environment, and we are supposed to be good stewards of the world God gave us. We are not powerful enough to cause Ice Ages or Warming Periods. We just don't matter that much.

hmmm... interesting juxtaposition between that and how much we matter to the One who created all of this... but that's a post for another day...

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch
29 years old from State College, Pennsylvania
East Coast-based SEAL team
February 4, 2008


"There are only approximately 2,500 SEALs in the Navy and they really are a brotherhood," said Naval Special Warfare spokesman Lt. David Luckett. "This is another unfortunate reminder of the risks and sacrifices these amazing warriors and their families make on a daily basis."

Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Navy SEAL Michael E. Koch died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq alongside fellow SEAL Nathan Hardy, who was profiled last week.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

... or just really hates the smell of normal candles.

Starbucks is closing for three and a half hours today in order to retrain all of its baristas.

How will America survive without their budget-busting, bitter, burned brew?

Here's what caught my eye:

Breaking:

• Miami is mostly without power right now (officially a brown-out). The just said on FoxNews that both Turkey Point reactors scrammed, but there's no sign of terrorism. I'd like a second opinion, just in case.
  

General:

• How did they get past security?
  
• An anti-smacking bill gets a smack down of its own.
  
• This is why sex offender laws need to be changed.
  
• Who replaced Governor Corzine with a tax-rebating, budget-lowering fiend? Can we replace more government officials like that? Please?
  
• Pakistan didn't mean to break YouTube.
  
• "It was just a snowball fight." This is so sad.
  
• Hugo no se gusta sus paisanos hablar inglés.
• One man's silence can be the same man's hearing.
  
• This is only going to get worse if we have universal healthcare. Just ask the UK or Canada.
  

Politics:

• McCain's willingness to finish the fight in Iraq might just be his undoing.
• Now he's plagiarizing the President of Tatarstan? (I kid... really...)
• Obama's accuser had his 15 minutes. He might have gotten a few more if he had passed the polygraph.
  

Science:

• "Just take a pill" may not work unless you're really depressed.
• Why do I get the feeling they attracted more than a couple of tiger sharks? Un gran tiburón bianco, perhaps?
• I saw a Stargate episode about this. No, seriously.
• Scientists film an electron.
  
• Didn't HAL say to avoid Europa?
  

Climate Change Dreck:

• I think my next vehicle purchase will be a GM product. Just sayin'...
  
• Icicles kill six in Russia.
  

Schools:

• Fish and chips are evil. Evil, I tell you. Or something like that.
  
• Why not just send them to Curves?
  
• You know... if they were homeschooled, they wouldn't have to go to school in one of these.
  
• And people wonder why I homeschool?
  

Those Crazy Kids:

• And my kids thought I was joking when I said that teenagers are dain bramaged.
  

Misc.:

• When I think of cops, grace usually doesn't come to mind. (And what does grace and politeness have to do with each other, anyway?)
• This provided with no commentary for a wealth of reasons.
• When you go to a hack'n'slash movie, you don't actually expect to get slashed, ya know?
• Hollywood insults West Virginia. eh... they're just inbred hicks... they won't care... right?
• He won't have "these memories," Sheila... he's ONE. It was all about you.
  

It's not a round-up, but here are a couple of tasty morsels to get the week started.

• VP Cheney has taken a stand- and I love it.
  
• Two global warming links to warm your heart, if nothing else.
  
• On this date in 1793, George Washington convened the first Cabinet meeting- in his home. Would that make it the first Kitchen Cabinet meeting?
  

I've always known, deep down inside, that Elmo is evil. Now we, once again, have proof.

Sound bites rule the roost these days, so let's see what I can get to bite this morning.

General:

• Anyone surprised that the driver who plowed into a school bus, killing 4 kids, was an illegal alien? Cue Gilbert.
  
• I'm all about creative punishments, but isn't this punishing her neighbors and not her?
  
• If you take all the money she wants to spend on education and medical care for illegals, I bet you could round up and ship off all the illegals. Just sayin'...
• No, they're not terrorists... they're just activists.
  
• You know, maybe they just want to retire.
  
• Does Turkey know what it's doing? They better not shoot at the wrong people- it could get... messy...
  
• Everyone who crosses the Mexican border illegally just wants a better life. Right?
  
• He's not a terrorist; he's a moron.
  
• When the gun grab starts, let's all head to Montana.
  
• I'm sure my aunt will freak when she hears about all the concealed guns on the U campus, but I hope the current legal battle ends the safe way sooner rather than later.
  
• Can we do the same thing to the genetic material donors?
  
• I'm glad that the President is having some fun, but didn't he just prove the axiom that white men can't dance?
  

Politics:

• Obama won the global primary, which awards 5 half delegates to the convention. I'd hate to actually have to figure out the rules of the DNC nomination process.
• Are we supposed to actually care what other continents think about our elections?
  
• Huck's not going anywhere- he wants a brokered convention.
  
• The Secret Service stopped weapons screening at an Obama rally in Dallas. That just seems... odd... Let's see what kind of fun the conspiracy nuts have with this one.
  
• Stevens is the Energizer Senator.
  
• Oh, this is precious... Campaign finance laws might bite a candidate in the rear. Anyone want to guess which one?
  

Mad Mullahs:

• If the books didn't call Christians "pigs" and Jews "monkeys", then why shred the books?
  
• Socks! They were beaten because of socks. (I'm trying to figure out why the second woman was beaten, but I'm not crazy enough, I guess.)
  
• No more piggy banks.
  
• Here's a shocker. (No, really.) Saudi clerics have pronounced that it is not fundamentally un-Islamic for women to drive.
  

Science:

• Abstract math helps treat cancer. Study up, folks!
• hmmm... identical twins aren't identical... well, duh! Have you met my kids?
  
• More global warming bad data.
• We're all the same... except that we're different? How much did we pay for these studies?
  

Sports:

• Zednik knew he was in trouble right away. But, hey- he got a call from Ivan Gasporovic, and he's on the mend. It's all good now.
  
• Prosecutors can be so stupid sometimes.
  

Misc.:

• That's going to put a dent in my diet.
  
• Can the Red Cross do this?
  
• Wolves get a downgrade (and that's a good thing).
  
• Hollywood has no problem with leaving a huge carbon footprint if it's in the name of raising awareness of environmental issues.
  

IF you must be a US citizen in order to vote, and IF you have to be able to read, write and speak English in order to become a US citizen, then why do I keep seeing signs like this all around town?

A bunch of bloggers are all over this. Let's go to the Messiah*'s wife for the quote:

Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

Let's go straight to The Source for the real job description:

Section 2 - Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section 3 - State of the Union, Convening Congress

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

No where, in all that minutia, is there anything remotely resembling what Michelle Obama said. If I want to be isolated , divisive or cynical, it's my choice. Sorry, hon...

Funny thing is that I'm all for an educated, informed electorate. I, however, draw the line at demanding it. Some people want to live in their uneducated little worlds. Let 'em have it.

San Francisco is messed up because it needs more caffeine!!!!

Don't click on this link if you're faint of heart or the least bit queasy.

Why did the surgeon not say, "Jackie... honey... you don't need anymore surgery. No, really... here's the number for a friend of mine who can help you with your body image.... padded room optional."

The title says "60 things", but there are a few questions missing.

60 Things You Possibly Didn't Know About Me

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
the boys' basketball bags

2. When was the last time you threw up?
Last time I had a bad migraine

3. What's your favorite curse word?
don't really have one... "crap" would probably be closest

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
T1, T2, El Rushbo

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
trying to get the boys to start school

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
checking the RSS reader

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
trying to get the boys to finish their school work

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
no

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
"Pizza's ready"

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
spumone

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
coffee

12. What are you wearing right now?
t-shirt and jeans

13. What was the last thing you ate?
pop tarts

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
nope

15. When was the last time you ran?
I have no idea

16. What's the last sporting event you watched?
the final ACC girls and varsity boys games

(what happened to 17????)

18. Who is the last person you emailed?
the coach's wife

19. Ever go camping?
yes

20. Do you have a tan?
no

(21??? 22???? 23????)

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
only when I get it at a drive through

25. What did your last IM say?
"g'nite!"

26. Are you someone's best friend?
I hope so

27. What are you doing tomorrow?
basketball practice and school

28. Where is your mom right now?
at home

29. Look to your left, what do you see?
school books

30. What color is your watch?
black and gold

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia?
kangaroos

32. Would you consider plastic surgery?
only if I was in a horrific accident

33. What is your birthstone?
topaz

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
drive through

35.How many kids do you want?
the 2 I have is probably enough

36. Do you have a dog?
sure do

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
My dad

38. Have you met anyone famous?
Gene Kranz

39. Any plans today?
school

40. How many states have you lived in?
five

41. Ever go to college?
Yes

42. Where are you right now?
my livingroom

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
the dog

44. Last song listened to?
Calling All Angels

(45???????)

46. Are you allergic to anything?
penicillin, cedar, grass, elm, mold, ash pollen, many other pollens

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
my z-coils or my slip-ons

48. Are you jealous of anyone?
no, not really

(49????? Come on PEOPLE!)

50. Is anyone jealous of you?
I doubt it

51. What time is it?
12:45pm

52. Do any of your friends have children?
most of them

53. Do you eat healthy?
I try

54. What do you usually do during the day?
school, cook, read

55. Do you hate anyone right now?
nope

56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
more than likely

(Hello?? 57???)

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
39

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
yes

60. How did you get one of your scars?
I dropped a plate on my foot when I was 12.

UPDATE: In the comments, Robert recommended some additions:

17. What is one thing you could totally live without doing?
housework
21. What is your guilty pleasure?
romance novels
22. What kind of foundation do you use?
Bare Essentials or Cover Girl
23. Who is your cell phone service provider?
AT&T
45. What do you wash first in the shower?
my hair
49. Sweet foods or Salty?
sweet usually
57. Favorite time of the day?
night

You are 10:02 a.m.

You are breakfasty, like a pile of pancakes on a Sunday morning that have just the right amount of syrup, so every bite is sweet perfection and not a soppy mess. You are a glass of orange juice that's cool, refreshing, and not overly pulpy. You are the time of day that's just right for turning the pages of a newspaper, flipping through channels, or clicking around online to get a sense of how the world changed during the night. You don't want to stumble sleepily through life, so you make a real effort to wake your brain up and get it thinking. You feel inspired to accomplish things (whether it's checking something off your to-do list or changing the world), but there's plenty of time for making things happen later in the day. First, pancakes.

mmmm.... pancakes....

H/t to caltechgirl

Soldiers' Angels is in need of 700 angels.

We have 700 soldiers waiting to be adopted right now. If you haven’ adopted before - the time is now! 1 letter a week and 2 small packages a month is all we ask!. Go now and do it! It will be as rewarding for you as the soldier getting a package!

Why do I have Train running through my head now?

Here's a few tidbits for your reading (notice I didn't say "reading pleasure").

General:

• Isn't this treason?
  
• In case you didn't know it, Fidel Castro resigned, leaving baby brother Raul in charge. The US has no plans to alter its policy at this time. Good.
  
• Speaking of Fidel, here is MRC's list of flattering coverage of North America's favorite dictator.
  
• If someone has been deported 14 times already, don't you think we need to figure out how exactly he's getting in a close up that particular leak?
• A new minaret is being erected in St. Louis' Bevo Mill neighborhood. I wonder if all those Bosnian Muslims understand that one of the official meals of St. Louis is the pork steak.
  
• A shopper was knocked out because of aisle space. How mature...
  
• Speaking of mature... that's not. Dang... it was a £284.68 ($552.16 US)bill, plus 10% service charge. Oh, yeah, I'd want an apology.
  
• Americans feel better about the future. Why did they ever feel bad about it?
  
• Why did this moron still have his driver's license in the first place?
  
• Why have cell phones ever been allowed in schools?
  
• Utility bills in Iraq are a good thing.
  
• We knew they were nuts, but now we have "proof."
• Are you sure we really want universal healthcare?
  

Politics:

• Bill Sammon's book talks about Obama's desire to be around communist professors and writers. Here is one example of the kind of person Obama considers his mentors.
  
• I wonder what size shoe Michelle Obama wears, and if it tastes good with ketchup.
  
• Hillary throws Chelsea under the sub-compact (not quite as damaging as a bus, but still...)
  
• I bet President Bush didn't expect to receive props from Bob Geldof.
  
• Someone in the Hardball graphics department is in deep kimchee over this little gaffe.
  
• I'm sure Hillary will question the timing.
  

Sports:

• The science of baseball stats.
  
• Hey, Kyle! Want some sushi?
  

Science:

• Lunar eclipse tonight!!!! (9-10pm Central time) If the clouds move off, yes, we'll be outside during that time. Did you even have to ask?
  
• Technology as addiction.
  
• The science of Jumper.
  
• Alternative energy that's easy to use. Just wear the generator.
  
• If the Navy can successfully shoot down the dead DoD satellite, it will prove we're on the right track with our missile defense program. They say that like it's a bad thing.
  

Misc.:

• We have one of these in America, except it's an entire town. It's called Roswell.
  
• Yet another case of Global Stupidity.
  
• He's really anti-smoking, I guess.
  
• You don't really think about veterinarian emergency rooms needing blood for its patients, but I'm glad someone thought about it. (Makes me wonder how many animal rights activists would cringe at the idea of bringing in their own Fluffy or Fido for this...)
  
• If they get rid of "fall premieres", when will Sweeps Week happen?
• "I hope it wasn't venomous." uh... it's a little late to worry about that, kiddo. (In Terri Irwin's defense, I would have let my kids hold a non-venomous snake at that age.)
  
• Geez... I was a Lil Sis for this fraternity (the OU chapter has been gone for years, though). Way to go, guys! Morons.
  

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan H. Hardy
29 years old from Durham, New Hampshire
East Coast-based SEAL team
February 4, 2008


It was Hardy's fourth deployment in Iraq, according to his father, Stephen Hardy, a professor of kinesiology a the University of New Hampshire. His mother, Donna Hardy, is an administrative assistant in UNH's psychology department.

Nathan Hardy grew up in Durham and was a 1997 graduate of Oyster River High School. He joined the Navy after graduation.

Other family members include his wife, Mindy, and their 7-month-old son, Parker; and a brother, Ben, of Middlebury, Vt.

Another brother, Josh, died in 1993 while a senior at Oyster River High School.

"Our hearts go out to Steve and Donna Hardy, and their son, Ben, at this incredibly difficult time," UNH President Mark Huddleston said in a statement. "We know it was Nate's dream to become a U.S. Navy SEAL when he graduated from high school, and he pursued that dream and excelled at it. His death has stunned all who knew him, and all who know his parents, who both are so much a part of the UNH community."

Navy SEAL Nathan Hardy died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Yesterday, my allergies started kicking into high gear. Today they're well past annoying.

I guess I should be counting my blessings and be happy that cedar is down right now.

I've actually been tested to see what exactly it is I'm allergic to. The short answer? If it's an airborne allergen, I'm probably allergic to it.

Pass the Kleenex and hot tea, ok?

According to StatCounter, I've had 36 unique visitors to my little haven on the Internet. Welcome!

My question for you today is simple- do any of you actually subscribe to the site via a RSS reader? Or do you just check in from time to time to see if I'd done anything goofy lately?

Seriously. I'm curious. Let me know in the comments.

In spite of what my parents might tell you, I'm not all that strict with the boys. Compared to these parents, I'm frickin' tyrannical.

The parents are totally clueless. Alicia has no chores or rules, is waited on hand and foot, and receives a gift every day of the year just because she "deserves" it- no idea why she deserves a gift, but she does, dang it. Mommy "makes" breakfast every day for her (which means, from what I could tell, pouring her cereal into a bowl for her), but refuses to cook because "she doesn't want to." Daddy takes them out to eat seven nights a week (because he'd starve otherwise).

But, she's so sweet. She feels sorry for people who aren't "gorgeous." Daddy must have taught her that one early (he said that he'd rather hire an attractive ditz than an intelligent slob).

Honestly, I don't blame Alicia for being the way she is. She is literally a product of her environment. Too bad criminally stupid parenting isn't against the law.

I found this at Russ's place. What's scary is how accurate it really is.

Breaking News: Series Of Concentric Circles Emanating From Glowing Red Dot

Oh, no! Concentric circles around a glowing red dot! Save us all!

Several bloggers have already written about the NIU shooting yesterday. (language alert) Steve H. had a sobering point.

The Israeli children are alive. A whole bunch of ours are dead. We ban guns on campuses. The Israelis do not. Our bans cause massacres. That's all there is to it.

It's difficult to argue the point (especially since I agree with it). Israel doesn't have random people shooting things up "just because" (their whack jobs have an agenda- destroying Israel, but that's a different story). Switzerland doesn't have a problem with school shootings, either.

You can look at the stats concerning gun crime and Concealed Carry laws. In states where there are liberal concealed carry laws, there is less crime. The harder it is to get a permit, the more crime there is. (Here's a place to start research on this.)

Think about it. How often do you hear about mass killings (like at Virginia Tech or NIU) in a carry area? You don't. You only hear about them in "gun free zones." If it was a "gun free zone," how did anyone get shot?

I'll make my position on concealed carry perfectly clear. If you are eligible for a permit, you should be allowed to carry. Period. Anywhere. Anytime.

I have no idea where Misha found this picture, but it proves a point, doesn't it?

Y'all have heard about the whole Berkeley v. USMC fiasco, right? Code Pink has been protesting in front of a USMC recruiting office in Berkeley for a while now. Not too long ago, the city of Berkeley sent a letter to the Marines informing them that the Marines were not welcomed in Berkeley, and that, if they chose to stay, they would be considered "unwelcome intruders." A few days later, once Republicans in the Senate introduced a bill to remove all earmarks for Berkeley (including the money for organic gourmet lunches at the public schools), the city council decided that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. They took away the "harsh language," but still encouraged its citizens to "actively and passively" protest the recruiting center.

Free speech is a wonderful thing (one of those freedoms that Marines fight for, as a matter of fact), and it should be defended at all costs. However, preventing another person from doing perfectly legal activities has absolutely nothing to do with someone's freedom of speech.

Here. Watch this:

I'm not telling you to give a bunch of money to the GOP. I'm not even saying that the GOP gets it right every time (McCain/Feingold anyone?). What I'm saying is that if conservatives don't get off their rears and exercise their First Amendment rights, then they're going to get the country they deserve.

As for Code Pink... I'll just quote Trace Atkins on this one...

Excuse me
First amendment?
Son, the first amendment protects you from the government
Not from me
You can say whatever you want to out there
You come within reach of me
I'll exercise my right to give you a good ol' country ass whoopin'
Is what I'll do for you
By God

h/t to Conservative Belle

You can find more (very funny) political Valentines here.

History has tried to fill in the blanks about the life and death of St. Valentine. Was a he a priest who secretly married Roman couples in defiance of the Emperor's edict forbidding young men from marrying? Did he help Christians escape from Roman prisons? Did he fall in love with the jailer's daughter and send her a letter signed "from your Valentine?" Obviously, we'll probably never know the details.

Celebration of his life (or death) was probably a Church response (at least at first) to the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, a fertility festival. (Yes, yet another pagan holiday/ritual co-opted by the Catholic Church.) St. Valentine's Day was made an official day on the Church calendar in 495AD and held some romantic significance even then. The oldest Valentine still in existence was written in 1415. Mass-produced Valentines became available in the US in the 1840s. Sorry, gang- you can't completely blame "Big Greeting Cards" for all the fuss.

I remember back in grade school when February 13th rolled around and we'd scramble to fill out the goofy Valentines to hand out to the kids in our class- and we were always sure to not forget anyone, whether or not we liked them. And then Mom and Dad would make sure there was some kind of special treat for the day (and, come to think of it, that hasn't changed).

In high school, they'd sell carnations for $1, and they'd be delivered in homeroom so everyone could tell who had a sweetheart. I can't remember actually having a sweetheart on Valentine's Day, and my friends and I would send each other carnations so we didn't look like total losers.

I bring all this up because today is that day again. Jewelers head into the black this time of year. Halmark has made its fortune. Whitman's can scale back production for a couple of months before gearing up for the Christmas rush. The press has gotten into the holiday spirit... sort of. Politically correct Valentines? Give me a break.

I'll admit it. Now that I'm an adult, I guess I'm a little jaded. It seems... unfair to force people to proclaim their devotion one particular day a year. Shouldn't they be telling their special someone they care every day? Not in a big, showy, pricey way, but just the little things that say what some chocolate and a bauble never could. And, is it really a true display of devotion if it's forced? (All that said, no, I'm not going to refuse a Valentine if it's given. Who am I to turn down a gift? That's rude. Call me a hypocrite if you want- I don't expect a gift- that's the difference.)

So... Happy Valentine's Day. If you are sans sweetie today, go buy yourself a treat.

So... Michigan and Florida moved their primaries up in order to be "more important" to the election process, and both the DNC and the GOP punished them to varying degrees. By doing that, with the way the primaries have panned out, those two states have supposedly made Texas and Ohio THE important states.

Funny that.

Some tasty tidbits to go with your ham sammich and chips.

General:

• Here's a list of groups of people who won't be receiving a "stimulus" check. Is it bad of me to say that I don't want a check, but I'd love a tax break instead?
  
• I hate to admit it, but I agree with the PA. The US shouldn't be given the PA millions of dollars of aid if the US courts are, in their words, "trying to bankrupt them." This is where the agreement ends- we shouldn't be giving them one red cent.
  
• Yet another perk of staying at Club Gitmo. (Feel free to ignore the liberal tripe in the bulk of the post- it's the "first question" that caught my eye. The rest is standard "Gitmo is evil.")
  
• The stupidity of some people has stopped amazing me. But this guy comes close.
  
• A Hizballah terrorist, instrumental in the death of probably hundreds of Israelis and Americans, has received his 72 raisins. But... this can't be right... the article said he was in Damascus. That's in Syria. But Nancy Pelosi and Arlen Spector have assured us that Syria is our partner in the was against terrorism. Basher al-Asad would never harbor a known terrorist... right?
  
• It would be silly to hope that Assud the Rabbit is more like Wiley Coyote than Bugs, right?
• I applaud the effort to get a world-wide moratorium on abortion. It is nonsensical for the UN to push for a moratorium on the death penalty (which kills the guilty) and not on abortions (which kills the innocent). Then again, the UN never did make much sense.
  
• A laptop is worth $54 million? I know she's claiming that the damages are for "potential identity theft," but that's a lot of identity theft. There are cheaper ways of protecting your identity, right?
  
• This is easy to figure out. Blood test anyone? (Does make you wonder how many "love children" might be out there.)
  
• Ouch.
• Another of Vad's enemies has met his Maker. Nah... no coincidence there.
• At one blog (I can't remember which one) a commenter referred to this as "Occam's Wheelchair." Yes, he was a criminal, but he didn't deserve this.
• You know, I might just go to KFC and get some Original Recipe as a consumer-based "pppphbt" at PETA.
  
• When has beer ever cost more than water?
  
• Another "Mother of the Year" nominee. Fortunately, there was no serious injury. Not for a lack of trying.
  

Scary Schools:

• Pranks at high schools are wrong. But they can be funny.
  
• Well... they might have done something and just weren't caught. You never know.
• Why did they have 16 Indian teachers in the first place?
  
• First, there was California Exodus. Now there's "Rescue Your Child." Nope. Nothing wrong with public schools, especially in California.
• Scientific inquiry into alternative theories and debate on said theories are being squashed in Florida.

Politics:

• Since I'm not a Democrat, I wasn't really aware of the whole "superdelegate" concept. From what I can tell, it's a way for the DNC to put in the nominee of their choice, no matter who the voters in each state actually choose. Nice...
  
• So... the GOP is about to nominate a moderate (at best) as its Presidential candidate, and yet, in some places, the conservatives are still alive and well. I wish those places would spread the love. No, really.
  
• The Gun Control freaks are at it again. The NRA is correct- it is incremental gun control.
  
• Is the lack of a "congrats, dude" really that big of a deal?
• If you can't get rid of the Electoral College, just go around it.
  

Misc:

• Did he just forget it was there?
  
• Uno, who like me was born in Belleville and has a bit of Austin and the Midwest in his history, is Top Dog. Gotta love the Snoopy Dog.
• A new Home of The Future. How long until this one in obsolete?
• Who in the world goes on a cruise for healthy food and exercise?
• Detroit is the most miserable city. Not news.
  

While the boys are getting their school work done, we usually have Fox News on. Today, FNC is wall-to-wall Waxman and his hearings with Clemens and McNamee on Clemens' steroid use. Plenty of CYA on display. I wonder, if they think Clemens and/or McNamee lied to the Mitchell Commission or the Feds, why do they think they'll tell the truth in the hearing? Is the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that awe-inspiring or feared?) Of course, I have a few thoughts on the topic.

First, I'm a purist, and I don't think athletes should take steroids or performance enhancing drugs. As to what qualifies as "peformance enhancing drugs," it's up to others to decide what that means [are vitamins "performance enhancing?" Is the inhaler an asthmatic has to take (with a prescription) a "performance enhancer?"] There is a place in medicine for steroids, and on the playing field (or in the locker room) isn't it.

Second, it's not Congress' place to get into this. Congress has been sticking their fingers into way too many pies lately all in the name of "government reform." Where in the Constitution is it written that Congress can call witnesses and basically put them on trial? Why is OK for them to subpoena private medical records? Seriously, if it's there, let me know. They're all about grandstanding, and it's getting boring. (Yeah, it's on my tv- for background noise- but I wish they'd allow print journalists into the hearing room but not cameras. They wouldn't ramble on so much that way.)

Third, McNamee is coming off as a weasel. He just admitted to lying to the Feds about hard evidence. And there's something about a b-b-q at Jose Conseco's house, and everyone at the party said Clemens wasn't there, but McNamee is insistent that Roger was there. (teeheehee- Rep. Burton from Indiana is beating McNamee up right now about all the other lies he's told since the investigation began.) UPDATE: (1:30pm He just got pushed into admitting that he's a drug dealer. Well, that's interesting...)

Fourth, I'm not a Clemens' apologist. His neck is big enough to warrant speculation, at least. Unfortunately, from what I can tell, there is no way of proving he took PEDs or not. If he did, he may or may not face the consequences of his actions. If he didn't, his reputation will never be repaired. He's in deep kimchee either way. Oh, yeah... and his lawyer should have never taunted the IRS (but that's another story).

Fifth, there is some odd Catch 22 about the whole hearing process. They're being asked about conversations and events that happened years (a decade or more in some cases) ago. Granted, there are some things that stick out in your memory because they're personally important or historically significant (most people can tell you what they were doing when they heard about 9/11 or when JFK died). Some people can remember conversations from a while back because that's the way they're wired. I don't know that this is the norm. I have to admit, if I was called before Congress to answer questions about a conversation I had with so-and-so 15 years ago, I'd have to pull a Hillary and say "I don't remember." That would make me seem evasive or secretive or something. My memory just isn't that photo- (or phono-) graphic. To me, it seems like House hearings are grandstanding events that are lose-lose for the witnesses.

ok... it's lunch time now... maybe some pizza will clear this icky taste out of my mouth...

Cpl. Ryan J. Buckley
21 years old from Nokomis, Illinois
2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault)
June 26, 2006


"His platoon leaders described him as the type of soldier every leader wants: A very talented, dedicated soldier, who did everything that was asked of him." That's what Lt. Col. Greg Butts, commander of the Army's 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, said about Cpl. Ryan J. Buckley at his memorial service. "I'm glad I could come here. It was an opportunity to recognize one of my great soldiers."

Cpl. Buckley lost his life on June 26, 2006 when an IED detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad. "I held him while he died," Spc. Richard Morris, a fellow soldier who was wounded in the attack, said after the service. "He was my best friend. This nation has lost a hell of a soldier."

Ryan Buckley, a 2003 graduate of Hillsboro High School, was attending Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield in March 2004 when he left school to join the Army. He had told his mother on 9/11 that he planned to join the military to defend his country. Jennings Carter, who recently retired from the Army, was the commander of the Litchfield Army Recruiting Station when Buckley signed up. Carter said Buckley was an unusually cheerful young man. "Every time we saw him, he was always smiling," Carter said. "Before he went to Iraq, we saw him a few times. He was always happy. He would come by and tell us what he was doing."

Jean Buckley, Buckley's aunt, said he was always a responsible young man, who took his school work seriously, as well as his role in the school bands. The talented French horn player was awarded the John Philip Sousa award his senior year as the outstanding band member.

"He was always a protector," Jean Buckley said. "It's such a sad time. We're so thankful for the Ryans of the world. I appreciate all the veterans and all they've done for this country."

Cpl. Buckley was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq from Nov. 30 to June 23. Bronze Stars were presented to his wife of one year, Tina Buckley, his mother, Sally Nation, and father, Dennis Buckley.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

(shamelessly stolen from Blackfive) Take a look at this photo (taken at a Barack Obama campaign office in Houston) and tell me what's wrong with that scene.

If you can't tell, that's everybody's favorite mass-murderer/thug, Che Guevara, on the flag of Cuba hanging behind the desk. Here's the video where the photo was captured.

Yesterday, I was listening to Neal Boortz, and he was interviewing Bill Sammon about his new book, Meet the Next President. Sammon mentioned (in the interview and, I guess, in the book) that Obama sought out Marxist professors in college- he was and is quite the little socialist.

So I guess this begs the question- for which country does Obama wish to seek the Presidency? Because, like Deebow said, This is certainly not the "change" Americans are looking for...

(This post is a product review. No, I'm not getting paid for it. It's just a PSA.)

A few months ago, I received an e-mail from an old friend who was excited about a new product. I thought he was just easily amused. A few days ago, I saw this post. I did a quick search, and Batter Blaster is sold at a little market not too far from us. I picked up a can.

Batter Blaster is an interesting concept. They took pancake batter and put it into an oversized Easy Cheese can. It sits in your fridge until you really want a pancake. Heat up a skillet, and a couple of minutes later, you have pancakes that aren't half bad. They are a little thin, but taste ok. (They seem to taste doughy if you cook them quickly, so a low and slow griddle is a better plan.)

If you're a pancake snob (is there such a thing?), then you won't be interested in Pancakes-in-a-Can. If, however, you get your pancakes from a mix, this is an interesting change of pace.

I doubt I'll get these on a regular basis (because it's not sold at my normal grocery store, and it's not good enough for a regular diversion to the other store), but, if I'm near the market where it's sold, I'll stop in for a can or two.

Woohoo!!

Do you suffer from flaccid political interest? Unable to function during caucuses, primaries, or even general elections? Have you noticed an inability to become excited or aroused by any of the candidates?

As voters become older and wiser many frequently find the thrill of voting, the heady feeling of changing the world won't rise to the occasion. Sometimes health issues, such as inability to forget prior candidate performance, can also inhibit spontaneity and pleasure.

Too bad it looks like I'm not a good candidate for this new treatment.

Here are some links y'all might be interested in:

General:

• Rowan Williams' idea of instituting sharia law is being shot down all over the UK. My kids have been studying the Crusades. I wonder what the Crusaders who died to free Europe from the Muslims would say about the Archbishop's idea...
  
• Just say "NO!!!!!"
  
• I'm glad he changed his mind. This is why no "anti-terrorism" plan will work perfectly. There is no way to prevent a lone psycho gunman from wrecking havoc.
  
• The California Exodus project is trying to get 600,000 students out of the California public school system. While I applaud their intentions, I fear that too many parents are too set in their ways (or are too lazy or... whatever) to contemplate anything other than letting the state educate indoctrinate their children.
• Throwing pencils is battery? My kids throw pencils at each other all the time. Their teacher has more inventive punishments than getting arrested... lack of electronic entertainment and/or cleaning of comodes usually does the trick. (The comments are great!)
  
• Chinese astrologers may know as much about investments as some of the morons handing out advice these days.
  
• I am SHOCKED! Shocked, I tell you. A member of the Jena 6 was arrested for "assault causing bodily injury." Again.
  
• This might sound like an odd question in light of the severity of the story, but... did all that sugar liquefy into culinary napalm?
  
• Two diesel tankers (full, of course) were stolen in Virginia.
  
• DNA evidence is keeping criminals behind bars longer. um... maybe this is a silly question, but... why don't they use that evidence to convict them of those crimes as well? Or are we talking statute of limitations?
  

Politics:

• I really hope it takes more than one speech for conservatives to roll over. (I wonder just how many of the GOP base agrees with Mona Charen. I mean, besides me.)
  
• Ron Paul is less of a nut than 99.9% of his backers. And he's right a lot of the time. It's when he's wrong that he's really scary.
• Wow... a reporter reveals the dirty little not-secret- reporters are biased. He still argues that they can be neutral... I think he's wrong... no, I know he's wrong...
  
• Hillary owes this guy $500. Bad PR, Hill... bad PR...
  
• Dr. Dobson is endorsing Mike Huckabee. Why?
  

Science:

• We can blame our sweet tooth on evolution! Awesome!
• Laser beams from space. Nope... nothing can go wrong with that idea... (I tried to link to the original article, but I don't read Japanese... sorry.)
  
• Perpetual motion?
  
• Ethanol may not be the savior the global warming crowd thought it was.
  

Sports:

• Pedro Martinez is in trouble with PETA for doing something legal in his home country. While I don't condone it (on the contrary- I actually condemn animal cruelty, which this definitely is) he shouldn't get in trouble with MLB because it's legal. Maybe PETA should go to the Dominican Republic and tell them they should stop the fighting and that the entire nation should attend an "animal sensitivity training". Let's see how that goes.
  

"Other":

• Yet another reason why guys should never control the remote.
  

... of spaceship captains. Who knew you could learn a lot from Han Solo and Mal Reynolds?

But she's not the meanest mommy- and, hopefully, by doing this, she won't have to be.

A Jacksonville boy received a very public punishment from his mother after getting in trouble in class.

The boy had to stand across the street from his school with a sign that read: "I was rude to my teacher. I can't come to school. I'm sorry."

The second grader's mom said she wanted to teach her son that there were consequences for making bad choices.

I wonder what the boy did. I bet he won't do it again.

I knew there was a reason I like Drew Carry.

First things first... today is the 97th anniversary of the birth of Ronaldus Magnus.

ok... Sorry about the lack of posting. Wasn't feeling great, and there wasn't much to post about. Sure, there was the Super Bowl. I tried posting on that- I got a whole paragraph. Want to see it?

There was a big game last night. Some even call it "super." They say the ads weren't all that this year. Some are saying that the Lesser Manning might be as good as his big brother (not sure about that, but time will tell). He made a catch that will go down in history. According to him, if you feed your defense enough bs, they'll start to believe they can beat the unbeatable... and actually do it (I'm still trying to find a link for the quote I heard on the radio- it was great). Halftime went freefallin'(dude... you're sounding good... and looking old...) . And, in defeat, we learn that genius coaching doesn't always lead to good sportsmanship. And the old koots are still in Perfectville all alone.

Inspirational, eh? Yesterday, it was Super-Duper Tuesday, and, in the world of current events, nothing else was allowed to happen except that (and this parade). Now that the national nightmare (Super Tuesday) is over and done with, maybe we can get back to normal. Maybe...

Let's see what's in the news, shall we?

BREAKING NEWS: It's snowing in Wisconsin. This is news? Seriously... that's "breaking news" today...

Politics:

• Evidently, yesterday was "global primary day". Not sure how that works with delegates...
• Speaking of delegates... here's the current count.
  
• But what if we don't want universal health care?
  
• Some people weren't paying attention to their own state's primary dates. At least these people showed up early.
  
• The Clinton campaign says, "oops."
• I missed this last week. Thomas Sowell compares McCain to Benedict Arnold. Ouch. (h't to a listener on Rush's show today)
• San Fran's Grand Nan schmoozing for NASCAR Dad votes? Good luck with that.
  
• Poor atheists feel left out of the election process. Whose fault is that?
• Invisible ink? Some people might just be too stupid to vote.
  
• This column mentions "suicide voters"- if our choice is a liberal Dem or a liberal Republican, then let the Dems take the blame for the mess we'll be in.
  

General:

• I guess the Muttawa need to switch to decaf.
  
• This is one of the reasons I don't give money to people on street corners with little cardboard signs.
  
• I'm all for smaller government and less legislation, but... this just makes sense, doesn't it?
  
• We know how Heath died now. Can we move on? (no offense to the family... they need time to grieve. The rest of the world, however...)
• Israel's building a fence along their Egyptian border. They didn't already have one? Silly Israelis.
  
• Al Q is targeting the US. Who knew? I mean, besides everybody.
• This terrorist video is disturbing, but not surprising.
  
• Speaking of terrorists... they're not very bright, are they?
• Take a look at this photo:
  
  Yes, that's a baby, being tossed out of a 4th story window. Amazingly, he was caught and is doing ok. At press time, there was no news on if his parents made it out of the building.
  
• The dingbat Republican (who said all Republicans were small government) who authored the "no fat people in restaurants" bill didn't think it would pass- he said he was just trying to "bring to light" the problem of obesity in Mississippi. uh... he could have just asked everyone to look around.
  

Science:

• Technically, scientists already know how to kill viruses (viruses are very fragile- they don't respond well to extreme heat or cold. Unfortunately, the temps required to kill a virus will also kill humans.) Now, scientists are looking at shaking as a way to kill viruses. Question is whether or not the frequencies will also damage organs.
  
• I knew that twins in utero kick a lot (duh). But I didn't know they could kick hard enough to dislodge a tumor!
  

Sports:

• Unless the Blues do something interesting, there won't be much sports news until spring training. I have to agree with Peyton on this one.
  
• Bob Knight retired. He couldn't have waited until the end of the season? odd...
  

Other:

• So... does this qualify as a "stupid non-criminal" or a "stupid police" story?
  
• This will totally freak the boy out in about 5 years...
  
• I think I would just get a new key.
  
• Our first mother of the year nominee.
• This guy was arrested for singing a song. Makes you wonder what the "for radio" edit would sound like. Probably one long "beeeeeeeeeeeeep."
• Some people take things entirely too seriously. Then again... that is an odd name for a plant.
  
• Intentional flatulence? huh?
  

This week's hero is a good one. Robert Cone is the second Cousin of Wednesday Hero's partner in crime, Greta.

Robert S. Cone
85 years old from Delray Beach, Florida
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division


Surrounded by family, feted by a U.S. congressman and a Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard, one of the few surviving members of the "Filthy Thirteen" was honored on October 8, 2006 in a backyard on Massapoag Avenue.

Robert S. Cone, 85, now of Delray Beach, Fla., finally received the 13 military medals he was due for his service on D-Day during World War II, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, POW medal and Presidential Unit Citation.

"To tell you the truth, I never expected it. I'm very honored to get it and really feel good about it," Cone said.

"He's finding it an honor, and he's a little embarrassed, to be honest," said Cone's son, Edward R. Cone, 45, who hosted the family barbecue that included a visit from U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch.

Only a few members remain of the 101st Airborne Division's famed "Filthy Thirteen," an elite parachute and demolition unit that volunteered for a suicide mission on June 5, 1944, the eve of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

The Filthy Thirteen, who shared a Quonset Hut in England, were a group of "pretty bad boys," Edward Cone said, renowned for hard-living and fierce fighting. They are believed to be the inspiration for the 1967 movie "The Dirty Dozen," although none of the Filthy Thirteen was a convict.

The unit's mission was to parachute behind enemy lines on the night before D-Day to blow up bridges and impede the Nazis.

Many were killed on the drop. The survivors found it difficult to reunite on the ground because the pilots had panicked when the Germans opened fire.

Cone said he spent two days in a hedgerow battle and was shot in the right arm. When he escaped to a French farmhouse, the owner turned him over to the Nazis and he became a prisoner of war.

His unit and his family thought he was dead. His mother, in Roxbury, received a telegram from the War Department saying he had been killed in action.

Cone spent 11 months in three POW camps in Germany before being liberated by the Russians near the Polish border. He fought alongside the Russians as they made their escape, his son said.

Cone walked to freedom through Poland, Russia and Romania, journeyed by ship to Egypt and was eventually flow to Italy, finally making his way home.

All the medal ceremonies had taken place without him.

Cone married Ida, now his wife of 61 years; became a postal worker and plumber; raised three children in Hull; and spoke very little about the war, Edward Cone said.

About four years ago, Edward Cone decided to find out whether any of his father's Army colleagues were still alive.

He found the Filthy Thirteen's leader, Jake McNiece, in Oklahoma, and put his father in touch by telephone. Their conversation was recorded by the BBC and played on the anniversary of D-Day.

Later, the History Channel filmed its own segment on the pair, which still airs, Edward Cone said.

The group reunited in Taccoa, Ga., the home of their jump school.

"My Dad and I drove from here to Georgia. I heard everything on that trip," Edward Cone said. "Three were alive from the unit. They talked and drank and told stories for days."

Three years ago, McNiece published a book, "The Filthy Thirteen: From the Dustbowl to Hitler's Eagle's Nest: The 101st Airborne's Most Legendary Squad of Combat Paratroopers."

It was McNiece who mentioned that Cone was due a few medals. Edward Cone and his fiance, Kate Guthrie of Leominster, who works at the Statehouse, gathered documentation and contacted Lynch.

The result was the Sunday party, also attended by Cone's daughters, Ronna Townsend of Monroe Township, N.J., and Natalie Gaudet of Hampton, N.H., and most of his seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Cone admits he never talked much about the war before.

"I really didn't," Cone said. "But they insisted I tell the grandchildren and the great grandchildren. So I talk to them. I tell them stories. I tell them true stories. They all enjoy it."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Atheists, that is. Making its way through the House of Representatives is a bill that has all the atheists in an uproar. What could possibly be in that little bill that would cause their blood pressure to climb? The Christian history of our nation, of course.

If you google HR 888, you'll get plenty of articles, blog posts and message board entries saying "I hate my Representative" and "they want to rewrite history" and fun stuff like that. They're forgetting something.

Until sometime in the 20th century, this nation was, for the most part, a Christian nation. More precisely, this was a nation of Christians. All were free to worship (or not) as they chose, but this country had, at its core, a Christian foundation. During the 20th century, somehow things got all topsy-turvy and the Christians decided that they shouldn't offend anyone, even if that meant their own rights were being violated in the process.

There is nothing in that bill that isn't factually correct. They're not "rewriting history"- they're trying to prevent the eraser from stripping away any more of the heritage that made this nation great.

Go read the whole bill. You might learn something about your own country.