A Christmas Gift From Our GI's

I haven't been posting much due to illness. Charlie the ChiTown Cop sent me this; I read it just after we got off the phone with Soldier Girl this morning. She is currently running missions outside of Kandahar. The MRAP MaxPro is the vehicle she drives as depicted above. It is a 25 ton bruiser.

I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,
and looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.
The laundry wasn't finished and the dinner I had to fix,
The dishwasher wouldn't work, and now it's all in bits
And so with only minutes till my son got home from school,
I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.
The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,
and so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.
And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,
eight hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.
A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens,
Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.

They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,
their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.
Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again.
There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MRE's.
They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree.
They didn't have a present even though it was tradition,
the only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition".

I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried.
I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near
and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.

There's nothing wrong, my little son, for safe we sleep tonight.
Our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,
to worry about the things in life that really mean nothing at all,
instead of wondering each day if we will be the next to fall.
He looked at me as children do and said it's always right,
to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write.

And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote,

"God bless you all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone.
The gift you give, you share with all, a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay. "

Author Unknown
God bless America

Thanks Charlie .

Soldier Girl's Pics

We finally got an idea of Soldier Girl's new digs in COP Caron. Her unit is assigned to support the 4th Infantry Division. It looks pretty grim but she is enjoying her assignment; especially since she was trained as a MRAP driver. Now that is a truck! I wonder if it is good in snow?

In June 2008, USA Today reported that roadside bomb attacks and fatalities were down almost 90% partially due to MRAPs. "They've taken hits, many, many hits that would have killed soldiers and Marines in uparmored Humvees," according to Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Maj. General Rick Lynch, who commanded a division in Baghdad, told USA Today the 14-ton MRAPs have forced insurgents to build bigger, more sophisticated bombs to knock out the vehicles. Those bombs take more time and resources to build and set up, which gives U.S. forces a better chance of catching the insurgents in the act and then attacking them.

This is Soldier Girl in the driver's seat. The first time she took the MRAP out she said she nearly gave the other GI's whip lash but she quickly got the hang of it. This 14 ton MRAP makes my 4,700 pound Explorer look like a pansy.

This is the little village just outside the protective walls of COP Caron.

This is a small view of COP Caron with a 4X4 MRAP parked near some concrete barricades. Soldier Girl was stringing concertina wire while taking these last two pics.

Bravery

Last September I posted a story about the actions of the 101st Combat Brigade in Kunar Province, right on the Afghan border with Pakistan. Then in October I posted another story regarding the return home of Billy Jr. and his participation in fighting off that September Taliban attack. His picture is attached above.

Last night his dad text'd me stating that Billy Jr. has just received the Bronze Star.

We are so very proud of Billy Jr. and rejoice with his family. He will be rotated home in the Spring.

Until then, LORD, keep him and his comrades-in-arms safe. Bring them all home to their families.

On a personal note, our daughter has finally reached her assigned post, COP Caran. I believe it is about 50 miles from Kandahar. It is a small Contingency Operation Post assigned with a unit from the 4th Infantry Division. She goes out on convoys assigned as a gunner in a MRAP. But this one is different; unlike the soldier who was wounded in the September post, her top mount fifty cal is equipped with a camera and electric drive. She operates it like a video game. I like that very much.

Sweet Home Azerbaijan

Please bear in mind that the highest cause of mortality in Russia is alcoholism and that they also have losts of nuclear weapons.

"When everyone'is super, no one will be."

One of my favorite animated movies is The Incredibles. Remember Syndrome's threat?

Well, the Land of the Lost, formerly known as Great Britain, has brought their game to a new level, "When anything is a faith, then nothing is."

From the Daily Mail Online:

Hundreds of criminals are to be given four days a year off prison work - to celebrate pagan festivals.

Prison governors have been issued with a list of eight annual pagan holidays and told pagan inmates can choose four to celebrate.

The festivals include Imbolc - The Festival of the Lactating Sheep - which falls on February 1 and is dedicated to the goddess Brighid. Another is the festival of Beltane, which falls in early May, devotees are urged to celebrate the Sun God with 'unabashed sexuality and promiscuity'.

The Yule festival involves pagans 'casting spells' and dressing up as ghosts.

[...] Worshippers are allowed to keep tarot cards, a hoodless robe and a twig to use as a wand in their cell.

They can also keep incense, a piece
of jewellery and rune stones.

Skyclad, or naked worship, is banned.

And there is no end to them or their lunacy. Here's one.

Asatru - is the modern reconstruction of the religion of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples. Practice primarily consists of honoring the Gods and Goddesses from a polytheistic perspective, and also numerous honoring spirits and helpful beings. There are Nine Worlds, including the world of humans (Midgard) and the world of Gods (Asgard). The World Tree connects all the Nine Worlds, and binds them together. There are different afterlife options, depending upon which Gods one followed in life, what type of person one was, how one died and other factors.

Not to be left out, there are many others: Discordianism, Druidry, Feri, Gwyddons, Hellenismos, Kemeticism, Religio Romana, Religious Witchcraft, Senistrognata, Thelema and Wicca.

In western civilization's race to abandon Christianity, there are a host of old lies that are re-emerging. The dominance of the west came only after Christianity was universally accepted. Now we see inroads by these and other religions, most notably Islam. As Europe abandons its Christian heritage for other faiths, it abandons the cornerstone of it's culture for the past 1,700 years. Look for more European lunacy as they auger themselves into a moral and cultural morass. It will not be pretty.

UPDATE: This was supposed to be a GNN post. I thought I lost it but it was actually written under my blog. See - No title. I guess there should an amendment to the rule that states "Don't blog when you're drunk." Don't blog when you haven't slept in four days and your temperature is almost 102.

Feeling Better

Friday night I came down with a high fever. I rarely ever am sick, just an occasional cold or so, but this was intense. I spent the entire weekend on the couch shaking like a crack addict. Tylenol helped somewhat but I just had to let it run its course. My wife took care of me and I am ever so thankful for her. I still have to go to the doctor tomorrow but at least I feel almost normal again.

UPDATE:
That didn't last long. Same thing last night, chills and sweats and fever, oh my!
So it's off to the doctors today.

Why I Do Not Own A Dog

I've seen a few varieties of each.

H/T to Charlie the ChiTown Cop

Awesome Storm Cloud

This is a supercell storm cloud photographed in Montana. It looks like the mothership from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," or a gigantic inter-galactic insect mouth. Is that stuff going up or coming down?

The full story is here.

A Twit Tweets On Twitter

I watched the Buffalo v Pittsburgh game last night. It was truly an exciting game and I was pulling for the Bills to win. I saw Steve Johnson drop that beautiful pass in the end zone and figured, "That's it." And it was.

I then watched Mr. Johnson at the post game interview and thought he handled it pretty well, accepting fault for a perfectly thrown ball that should have been caught.

Now this.

Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills wideout, blames God on Twitter after dropping game-winning pass

It wasn't his own hands or the Pittsburgh secondary Sunday that foiled Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson from hauling in what should have been the game-winning TD catch in the end zone.

It was God.

"I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!!" the 24-year-old tweeted from his iPad at around 5:15 Sunday after the Steelers' 19-16 overtime victory. "AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO..."

Johnson had a perfect pass in his hands that would have given his team an overtime victory over the heavily favored Steelers.

Instead of walking off the field the hero, however, he dropped it.

I believe the Creator and Master of the Universe doesn't need a tweet to understand the immaturity of some people. God demands obedience over sacrifice or praise (1 Sam 15:22).

So relax Steve, God does indeed expect you to learn from this. It may just take some time for the lesson to sink in...

Our cousins on the other side of the Atlantic are upping their game and bringing the pain in a land that God has allowed to be cursed with the ravages of Islam. From the UK Mirror:

British troops take out 271 Taliban in six-day blitz

Nineteen Taliban commanders and 252 fighters were killed or captured as British troops launched a bloody assault.

Four enemy leaders masterminding a deadly explosives campaign against our forces in Afghanistan's Helmand battleground were among the dead in the six-day blitz, ending last Sunday.

And British soldiers helped capture a senior Taliban warlord who was acting as a "shadow governor" in the flashpoint province.

Generals say the offensive across Afghanistan has left many insurgents stranded without leaders and supplies. It came after 387 enemy commanders were killed or captured in previous three months, according to Nato.

It's like playing Whack-A-Mole at the state fair, except it seems like they'll never run out of moles. No problem. We have lots of mole whacking munitions and men who enjoy the sport.

I Like Toast And Jam

Rep, (D) Dan Maffei surrendered to the inevitable today, he is toast.

Anne Marie Buerkle (R) is our newly elected Congressman to NY's 25th Congressional District.

Democrat Rep. Maffei Is Just About Ready For The Jam

The race for New York's 25th Congressional District is nearing the finish line. The counting of absentee ballots is almost over and Anne Marie Buerkle's camp says her lead is now insurmountable.

Syracuse, NY -- U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei did not pick up enough votes from Onondaga County absentee voters to reach his challenger, Republican Ann Marie Buerkle, according to results from the Onondaga County Board of Elections.

After all of Onondaga County's absentee ballots were opened, Buerkle was still ahead across four counties by a count of 103,483 to 103,224.

In Onondaga County, 3,580 absentee voters chose Maffei and 3,015 chose Buerkle.

There are still about 1,400 unopened absentee ballots in Wayne County and about 60 unopened ballots that have been challenged by the campaigns in Cayuga and Monroe counties.

Maffei is almost toast. Wait a bit for the recounts and challenges to subside. In the meantime, Take the strawberry preserves out of the fridge, get a knife out of the silverware drawer while I clear off the counter. This is gonna be tasty.

Crotch Salute

Just so we don't forget the type of man that 52% of voting Americans thought was worthy to lead our Nation.

He won't salute the flag or respect our time-honored traditions, but he will bow to heathen Saudi princes.

Maggot...

H/T Charlie

Top Ten Fly Bys

H/T to Charlie the ChiTown Cop

Some Uncommon Common Sense

The New York State liquor distributors have refused to sell an alcoholic beverage which apparently targets young people. One can of Four Loco has the same alcohol content as four cans of beer.

New York's largest beer distributors agreed late last night to stop selling caffeinated alcoholic drinks that come in tall, colorful cans and to purge their inventory of the products, the state's Liquor Authority said.

Details of an undercover sting intended to determine whether the fruit-flavored concoctions were being sold to minors were also expected to be announced today.

New York's liquor regulators said that they had determined there was insufficient evidence to show that the products were safe.

[...]The popular drinks, which can have up to four times as much alcohol as four beers and have cartoon-worthy names like Four Loko, have been banned in Washington, Michigan, Utah and Oklahoma.

College students have been hospitalized after drinking the beverages, including in New Jersey, where one school banned them on campus.

The company that makes Four Loko, Phusion Project, didn't respond to an e-mail Saturday requesting comment about the deal. On its website, the company said it doesn't "agree with the notion that mixing caffeine and alcohol is inherently unsafe."

Nationwide statistics indicate that college drinking carries a steep price...

•Death: 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes (Hingson et al., 2009).

•Injury: 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol (Hingson et al., 2009).

•Assault: 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking (Hingson et al., 2009).

•Sexual Abuse: 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape (Hingson et al., 2009).

For Those Who Serve And Have Served

THANK YOU


H/T to IOwnTheWorld

When You Strike At A King

When you strike at a king, you must kill him - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yesterday we read about the incohesive, nearly incoherent ramblings of President Obama during his 60 Minutes interview with Steve Kroft. These out takes reveal a man who is lost without a script. For bonus points I threw in a site that reports some rumors circulating around DC regarding scenarios for the replacement of Obama - a coup in other words.

Think of it. A freakin' coup in 21st Century America.

Now I am reading what Rush Limbaugh has to say about the events of the past week since Election Day. Mr. Limbaugh does not come out and say that the Dems are sharpening their knives, but he doesn't say they are not. See for yourself.

Look at what's just happened here. This is the biggest drubbing since the thirties, the biggest drubbing. This is not insignificant. I think the House leadership, the Democrat leadership in the Senate, I think this narrative to keep that leadership in both houses the same is an attempt to cover up something that is far worse. I think this party knows that it is in far greater trouble in the White House and on down than they want to admit. And I think there are members of the media covering the White House who know it. I think that deep in the bowels of the Democrat Party they realize, some people realize that Obama is an utter disaster and that they're going to have to do something about it. And I think this Politico story, "Obama Isolated Ahead of 2012," is made to look like a hit piece on Obama. I don't think it's a hit piece on Obama per se. I think it is the beginning of sort of setting the table for what might happen, set the foundation for what might happen as the months ahead unfold. [emphasis mine ~sig94]

If nothing else I trust Rush's instincts. His nose is up in the air and he thinks he has caught a scent of ... something.

[...]The Democrats making it clear here that they're going to stick with the same leadership team is an effort I believe to cover up what is really going on behind the scenes and that is a total shakeup some way to limit the damage of Obama going forward into 2012. Folks, I wish that I could tie this to something substantive that I know, 'cause there isn't anything. Common sense. This kind of drubbing is not reacted to in such a cavalier manner as they are reacting to this. You don't send the president out of the country for ten days after such a drubbing unless you want him offstage domestically. [emphasis mine~sig94]

One of the rumors deals with dems planning to declare the President incapable of discharging his duties and replacing him with the Vice President as per Section 4 of the 25th Amendment of the Constitution. It reads in part:

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

The real fun begins when the President contests this action. Basically, the matter is then decided by Congress. If this drags on past mid-January, the Republicans will be in charge of Congress. Rush continues:

[...]I've always trusted my instincts, particularly in matters political. But it just strains credulity for me to believe the Democrats think nothing's wrong here except messaging, that all they need is to go talk to George Lakoff and come up with a different way of presenting their case. They know full well why they got trounced. Now, they're not gonna admit it. They're obviously gonna come up with, "Yeah, bad marketing, bad packaging, bad messaging," but there has never been this huge a personal repudiation of a president in just two years, especially one who was messianic, he has fallen from heavenly heights.

Rush refers to a Politico story that he thinks was planted by democratic insiders. It is not complementary.

President Barack Obama has performed his act of contrition. Now comes the hard part, according to Democrats around the country: reckoning with the simple fact that he’s isolated himself from virtually every group that matters in American politics.

Congressional Democrats consider him distant and blame him for their historic defeat on Tuesday. Democratic state party leaders scoff at what they see as an inattentive and hapless political operation. Democratic lobbyists feel maligned by his holier-than-thou take on their profession. His own Cabinet — with only a few exceptions — has been marginalized.

And that's about as kind as it gets. The Politico story is a recitation of the slights and insults Obama has inflicted on his fellow Democrats. And they are multitudinous. It's almost as if Obama was deliberately seeking to alienate himself from his supporters. And if that's the case, what is he up to? Can it all be explained by a supremely arrogant, overachieving communist who cares not a whit if he gets re-elected as long as he trashes America?

Again, Rush thinks this is all a set up; there is movement afoot in the highest Democratic Party circles. I am no political prognosticator by any means, but Obama's trip to the Middle East at this time could be an attempt by the herd to isolate itself from what is perceived as a threat. Do wildebeests do this? Rush continues:

This Politico story shows there is something bubbling up way below the surface and it's getting closer and closer to reaching the surface -- and if it does, I think people are gonna be shocked and stunned at what might happen. Listen to this again: "[A]nd in his icy relations with Republicans, the media, and most important most voters, and it's easy to understand why his own staff leaked word to Politico that it wants Obama to shake up his staff and change his political approach." Icy relations? Let me tell you something: His own staff leaked word to Politico that "it" wants Obama to shake up his staff? That means they're making efforts behind the scenes to get Obama to shake up his staff, and he is rejecting it, and so they're going the route of the media.

[...]Boy, how times change, folks. I mean just a few weeks ago it was Obama looking around for asses to kick, and now it's his ass being kicked by unnamed Democrats in The Politico. Somebody needs to tell whoever leaked this all to the Politico that Obama's 9,000 miles away in India. If you want to make a change now's the perfect time. He's 9,000 miles away. If you think the adults need to step up here, this is the perfect time to do it. Change the lock on the Oval Office or worse.

curiouser and curiouser.

Read It And Weep

From Fox News, the top ten quotes from Obama's 60 Minutes interview with Steve Kroft.

10. “…one of the things that I think is important for people to remember is that, you know, this country doesn't just agree with The New York Times editorial page.”

9. "We have a long tradition in this country of a desire for limited government, the suspicion of the federal government, of a concern that government spends too much money. You know? I mean, that's as American as apple pie. And although, you know, there's a new label to this, I mean those sentiments are ones that a lot of people support and give voice to. Including a lot of Democrats.”

8. “I think the Republicans were able to paint my governing philosophy as a classic, traditional, big government liberal. And that's not something that the American people want….I think the Republicans were successful in creating a picture of the Obama Administration as one that was contrary to those commonsense, Main Street values about the size of government. And so, it I think it is fair to say that, you know, the American people don't want to see some massive expansion of government.”

7. “I do get discouraged, I mean, there are times where you think, "Dog-gone-it you know, the job numbers aren't movin' as fast as I want." And you know, I thought that the economy would have gotten better by now. You know, one of the things I think you understand -- as president you're held responsible for everything. But you don't always have control of everything. Right? And especially an economy this big, there are limited tools to encourage the kind of job growth that we need.”

6. “I think a lot of businesses still don't know what the economy is doing. They don't know, are consumers gonna start buyin' again? You know, are we gonna start getting the virtuous cycle, where because businesses start hiring, the people who get hired start shoppin', which means other businesses are hirin', and everybody starts feelin' better about the economy. There's still a lotta uncertain data out there. And we're still workin' through some big problems of the economy.”

5. “One of the things that we got in trouble with -- and this is an example of, 'are there some things you'd do differently' -- we made an estimation that unemployment would peak at eight percent when we were still at the beginning of the crisis… Well, it wasn't because The Recovery Act didn't work; it's because the modeling, in terms of what to expect where unemployment would go to, turned out to be wrong. So, you know, I don't wanna pretend like I've got a crystal ball.”

4. “I don't think I was naïve. I just think that these things are hard to do. You know, this is a big country.”

3. “…there are more efficient ways to recirculate dollars out there and get people to spend. I mean unemployment insurance, most economists will tell you, is probably the single most important thing we can do to improve the economy.”

2. “We still we've got a couple of trillion dollars worth of infrastructure improvements that need to be made around the country.”

1.“…when you're campaigning, I think you're liberated to say things without thinking about, "Okay, how am I gonna actually practically implement this."

The economy is big and scary.

The Recovery Act worked, the model didn't.

The answer to a sluggish economy is to get everyone on unemployment insurance.

America is big and scary.

We need to piss away more money that we don't have to create temporary, high paying union jobs.

When I'm campaigning I don't have to tell the truth.

This is not a President, nor is it a Senator or a Representative or even a member of the Rotarians. It is an incompetent, whiny kindergarten teacher who is completely nonplussed by a few unruly five year olds.

Want to loose some more sleep? Read this collection from one of the DC rumor mills.

• Obama is out of control, chain-smoking and on anti-anxiety meds.
• There is such distrust and disarray in the WH that the Country is now being run by Michelle Obama, presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett, and the president's mother-in-law, Marian Robinson.
• Top Democrats are considering invoking Article 25, Section 4 of the Constitution to forcibly remove Obama from office.
• Former CIA officials are "assembling a dossier of documents on Obama's past, including his education, passport, travel, and residency records." These documents will be used to provoke Obama into an irrational response which will then enable Article 25 proceeding to begin.

We are in interesting times, are we not?

Toothless In Seattle

I still have nightmares from my first extraction; I was a poverty-striken graduate student and a filling gone bad was giving me plenty of grief During this period of my life I had several part time jobs, one of which was at a gas station. When the owner heard of my desperate plight, he told me that his daughter worked as a receptionist for a local dentist, Dr. Phineas Mendlesohn. As Merv (his name was Mervin) had more fingers than teeth, I should have known better than to accept his recommendation, but, pressed by pain, I made an emergency appointment.


I drove my 1962 Chevy Nova convertible as fast as I could to the small professional center where my oral savior awaited.

Upon entering the office I noticed that the waiting room was empty. A small, closed coffin surrounded by candles was in one corner and the coat rack held nothing but pointy hats and long, heavily stained black robes. The reception desk was situated in the midst of an ornate, inlaid ceramic pentagon.
The room's only light came from the coffin display and a half dozen or so candle sconces mounted on the walls. They were crafted apparently from ram's horns.

Merv's daughter was a very attractive, well-endowed blonde who quickly urged me into the the examination room. As I settled into the worn leather chair, I wondered at the sturdy five point harnass that she secured around my waist, neck and chest. Distracted by her considerable physical attributes (I was a young, lusty buck), I failed to notice the long, bloody scratches in the arm rests until too late. But before I could question her about it - she was gone. I then made another unpleasant discovery; I could not move from the chair.

Suddenly the door burst open and Dr. Mendlesohn appeared. The only way I could place him as a dentist was the reflector on his forehead and glistening bands of retainers strung around his neck and biceps. He was naked save for a black leather banana sling and he reeked of sulphur. As I recollect these distant events, I realize now that Dr. Mendlsohn bore a strong resemblance to Barney Frank. His dental asssistant, a tall, sternly visaged matron with "Fannie" printed on her breast name plate, was clad entirely in a heavily starched, white nurse's uniform.

The last words I heard were spoken in a heavy lisp, "Fannie, May I please have the needle?"

What followed was beyond description. I will spare you, Gentle Reader, from the horror of these long-repressed deprivations.

But, lo, as I fast forward these many years, I find myself once again confronted with the consequences of inadequate dental hygiene. Despite flossing and brushing and biannual cleanings, another extraction is scheduled for next week. The pain is not as excruciating as it was nearly forty years ago, but I will not wait for it to progress. To prepare myself for this procedure, I have borrowed from the Stones.

Out of my gum
The tooth who once ... had me down
Out of my gum
The tooth who thought ... he'd get a crown

You're hurting me
The difference is in the Novacaine
Can't you see? I'll soon be numb
You're outta my gum

Aint it the truth tooth?

Out of my gum
The tooth who's full ... of decay
Out of my gum
Two more shots and... you're on your way

Can't feel my lips ... no I can't
I just bit my tongue and I feel nothing
Can't you see? I'm now all numb
You're outta my gum

Another Democrat Going Down.

Anne Marie Buerkle is now winning the 25th Congressional District race in NY. Better late than never, voters in Wayne County went for her in a big way. Now, for every vote Maffei gets, Anne Marie gets two. She is leading by almost 700 votes (99,594 to 98, 935).

Now start counting the absentee ballots, mostly people serving in the armed forces, and it looks like she is going to Congress.

Buerkle v Maffei

On my local side of the election, the Republican candidate for the 25th Congressional District, Anna Marie Buerkle, is slightly ahead (500 votes) of Democratic incumbent Daniel Maffei. Our polls closed at 9 PM so returns are limited.

A little bio on Ms. Buerkle who is endorsed by the Tea Party:

Buerkle is running as a fiscal conservative, arguing that the federal government "should have a limited role in our life." She wants lower taxes and reduced regulations for the private sector and to get "the government out of the role of creating jobs."

After losing an election for an at-large seat on the Syracuse Common Council, she was appointed to fill a vacancy in 1994. She became an assistant New York state attorney general in 1997, representing the state on behalf of Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

She's hoping an endorsement from Sarah Palin will bring in much-needed contributions and an Independence Party endorsement will draw votes.

Buerkle has not ruled out backing a proposal to privatize Social Security, and said she'll push to repeal the March 2010 health care overhaul. She wants competition across state lines for medical insurance to keep a lid on costs.

Maffei worked as a senior staffer for Rep. Charlie Rangel for seven years before winning the 25th seat when long time Republican Jim Walsh retired from Congress. He has been in office for only two years. Perhaps it will be only two years. His accomplishments?

Maffei is emphasizing pocketbook issues as voters' main concern and avoiding references to the health care reform, which he backed. He has proposed legislation to provide incentives to companies to keep jobs in the United States.

Maffei voted in favor of the 2009 $862 billion economic stimulus bill.

He has chosen to stay silent on President Barack Obama's statements regarding Muslims' right to build a mosque near ground zero.

Maffei speaks with pride about his role in bringing jobs to the 25th District. In July, he secured an $8.5 million grant for a new bus depot in Syracuse.

It sounds more like Danny was ducking and dodging rather than campaigning. I know he restricted his town hall meetings to "invitation only" in order to avoid screaming mad voters. But thanks a million 'cause, hey, that new bus thingie will really rock. And unfortunately it looks like Rangle will have no problem getting re-elected.

UPDATE:
It is now 11:05 PM, so an hour later her lead grew by almost 3,000.

UPDATE:
11:45 - Rats! - Buerkle is now down by 5,000 votes, 90,000 to 85,000.

UPDATE:
12:14 AM - she's down by 3,7oo now.

UPDATE:
7:45 PM - she's down by 2,300 and the absentee ballots are still being counted. She still has a good chance to win as these ballots tend to favor Republicans.

Leavin' On A Jet Plane

Well, her boots are gone from the kitchen again. Soldier Girl was home on final leave before her deployment to Afghanistan. A week ago Sunday she drove up from North Carolina and got home a little after midnight. We were hoping that she could stay the full two weeks but there is so much for her to do that she had to leave this morning. She registered her car in NY (she bought it while stationed in Monterrey) and will leave it with us for her sister, College Girl to use. College girl, the youngest, was also off on fall break so she was home on Thursday for the weekend. She'll drive the car back to school.

When all the girls get together it is constant pandemonium. Laughing and goofing and poking fun at each other. And yes there is wrasslin'. We mocked College Girl's boyfriend and his new "faux mohawk" haircut. I said he looked like Gumby. That was at Saturday's T-giving meal. When he came over Sunday the do was G.O.N.E.

The week went by so fast. During the mid-week Soldier Girl helped Mummsy bake the pies and all the trimmings as we celebrated an early Thanksgiving on Saturday. Mummsy is healing from surgery on her rotator cuff two weeks ago and she is still very sore. Friday night I took charge of the turkey cooking. The next day around noon I had to leave the house for a few hours. Upon my return every window and door in the house was open, my wife and daughters were running around like madmen and I could smell smoke. Apparently the bird had been over basted and the basting juices slopped over when College Girl tried to move the roasting pan. The oven was overdue for a good cleaning anyway but the floor had to be mopped four times before all the grease was off. We were almost two hours over schedule but the bird and everything else was perfect. It was truly one of the most delicious meals we ever had. As I write this, there is about seven quarts of homemade turkey soup now simmering on the stove.

Sunday (yesterday) we visited some relatives after church and had an afternoon deployment party for her at the house. Then after the party, we turned off all the upstairs lights (Halloween - bah!- buy your own candy) ; we all went downstairs to the TV room and just sat together and watched some spooky movies and ate pie.

Then at 1145 this morning Soldier Girl flew back to Ft. Bragg. Mummsy, College Girl and I got boarding passes and stayed until her plane took off. We prayed with her in the gate waiting area. I hate teary goodbyes. She leaves in ten days for Kandahar where the 525 Battlefield Surveillance Brigade is quartered but she doesn't know where her station is. Ultimately she is in God's hands and that's always a good place to be.

It's so quiet now.

A New Broom

There's an old adage, "A new broom sweeps clean." Apparently the voters of America may have something even more drastic in mind.

From the NY Post:

A Rasmussen Reports survey released yesterday found 65 percent of likely voters would prefer to fire every member of Congress and start from scratch.

A whopping 82 percent of Republicans and 78 percent of independents told the pollsters they wanted to give everyone on Capitol Hill the heave-ho.

And despite the Democratic Party being in charge of both the House and the Senate, registered Democrats split on the question -- 44 percent said keep Congress as is and 38 percent said give them all the boot.

The heck with a broom, I want to use something like this:

Only 20 percent of all voters wanted to keep the entire Congress unchanged.

Might as well do the job right. Run this puppy right through the Capitol and the office buildings where those rats are hiding.

"If you needed any more confirmation that Washington is perceived as a broken entity by the American people, well, this is it," said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken Spain.

Neither party fared well on the poll's favorability meter: 53 percent of American voters dislike Democrats, and 54 percent dislike Republicans.

Only 61 percent of Republican voters had something nice to say about their party.

Rasmussen said that reflects "the fact that most Republican voters believe their party leaders are out of touch with the base."

I still don't think any politician will know just how pissed off the American people truly are until Tuesday.

Religion Of Peace - Explosives Bound For U.S.

Explosives were found aboard two commercial cargo carriers in England and Dubai today. The packages were mailed from Yemen and addressed to Jewish synagogues in the United States. One synagogue is in Chicago.

So tell me, what's the difference?

Signs And Omens

Deus Ex Machina

The expression "deus ex machina" (literally "god out of the machine") comes to us from classical Greek plays where an actor portraying a god was introduced. This is a way to resolve an intracable plot element - another actor or set of circumstances is suddenly introduced and the story ends. In a way this can be viewed as a miraculous end to a seemingly impossible situation - it is as if God suddenly intervened.

As gamblers have a way of cutting through the crap and putting their money where their mouth is, the deus ex machina option may be the only way out of the election next week for the Dems. They may as well stop throwing money at television and radio advertisements and start praying.

For the bookies have spoken.

Saying there's no way Democrats can keep control of the House, Ireland's largest bookie on Wednesday said it has already paid off all bettors who wagered the GOP would capture the chamber.

“In our opinion this race is well and truly over with nothing short of a miracle stopping the Republicans taking down the House," said Ken Robertson, communications manager for Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker.

Mr. Robertson said the odds had tipped so much in Republicans' favor it made no sense to continue taking bets. In July Democrats were favored 8-11 to keep control, but by Wednesday the GOP was favored 1-50, meaning it would take a bet of $50 would win just an addition $1.

Other overseas bookies are still taking bets on control of the House. Victor Chandler betting house, for example, gives the GOP 1-25 odds while Betfair gives them 1-10 odds.

Thieves And Traitors

More lies and deceit from the Democrat elites.
From Fox News:

EXCLUSIVE: Aide to Harry Reid Lied to Feds, Submitted False Documents About Sham Marriage

A former aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid repeatedly lied to federal immigration and FBI agents and submitted false federal documents to the Department of Homeland Security to cover up her illegal seven-year marriage to a Lebanese national who was the subject of an Oklahoma City Joint Terror Task Force investigation, FoxNews.com has learned.

Diana Tejada, Reid’s Hispanic Press Secretary, admitted to receiving payment for “some of her expenses” in exchange for fraudulently marrying Bassam Mahmoud Tarhini in 2003, strictly so he could obtain permanent U.S. residency, according to court documents.

Tarhini, now 37, was held in jail and at an immigration detention center in connection with his 2009 indictment on felony charges, documents show. He pleaded guilty to entering a fraudulent marriage to evade immigration laws — a Class D felony — in November 2009, and he was deported in March 2010.

Tejada, now 28, was never charged for her role in the crime.

Vote The Commies Out

The Mind Numbed Robot has a list of socialists in the state legislatures who are members of the Progressive States Network - a network of Communists progressives who are actively engaged in destroying our freedoms in all 57 States. These are state senators and assembymen who work with each other to pass laws that strangle liberty.

I scanned the list to look at New York, my crib. There were only eight!

Asm. James Brennan (NY)
Asm. Adriano Espaillat (NY), Member, Committee on Insurance
Sen. Liz Krueger (NY)
Asm. Joseph Lentol (NY)
Asm. Barbara
Lifton (NY), Member, Mental Health Committee
Asm. Joan Millman (NY)
Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer (NY)
Sen. Eric Schneiderman (NY)

I guess the commies feel that NYS is a charter member of the Union of American Socialist States (U-ASS) and there is no need for additional pressure. On the other hand, the commie network is very active throughout the rest of the country: North Carolina has 36, Texas has 35, Connecticut has 45, Minnesota has 44 and Rhode Island has 42. Forty-two! That's half the entire State!

Wherever they are, vote them the hell out!

Better Late Than Never

The Washington Post is the first of the MSM to finally commit a few columns reporting the travesty of justice committed by the US Department of Justice when it dropped the prosecution case against Maruse Heath and the New Black Panther Party. The WP story details the division and contentious relationships within the Department's Civil Rights Division and how lawyers on the public payroll believe that, unless you are a minority, you have no civil rights.

Interviews and government documents reviewed by The Washington Post show that the case tapped into deep divisions within the Justice Department that persist today over whether the agency should focus on protecting historically oppressed minorities or enforce laws without regard to race.

That this is a matter of controversy within a government agency is astounding. The law is the law no matter what color you are. Can you imagine police making DWI arrests only for black people, - then can you imagine the outrage?

Civil rights officials from the Bush administration have said that enforcement should be race-neutral. But some officials from the Obama administration, which took office vowing to reinvigorate civil rights enforcement, thought the agency should focus primarily on cases filed on behalf of minorities.

[...] Justice Department officials say they treat everyone equally. Holder, in a speech last year to the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs said the department's "commitment to Equal Protection - and to full participation in our nation's elections - will not waiver. Never."

Liar.

This story has finally grown some legs outside of internet sources. Let the voters decide what party they want in control of their government. Let loose the Kraken.

No Truer Words...

This was not written by Don Rickles. It was created by Doug Ross last year and it is right on the money!

Hello, dummies! Oh my God, look at you. Anyone else hurt in the accident?

Seriously, Senator Reid has a face of a Saint - A Saint Bernard. Now I know why they call you the arithmetic man. You add partisanship, subtract pleasure, divide attention, and multiply ignorance. Reid is so physically unimposing, he makes Pee Wee Herman look like Mr. T.

And Reid's so dumb, he makes Speaker Pelosi look like an intellectual. Nevada is soooo screwed! If I were less polite, I'd say Reid makes Kevin Federline look successful.

Speaking of the Speaker .... Nancy Pelosi, hubba, hubba! Hey baby, you must've been something before electricity. Seriously, the Speaker may look like an idiot and talks like an idiot but don't let that fool you. She really is an idiot.

Charlie Rangel ... still alive and still robbing the taxpayers blind. What does that make, six decades of theft? Rangel's the only man with a rent-controlled mansion.

He's the guy who writes our tax laws but forgot to pay taxes on $75 grand in rental income! So why isn't he the Treasury Secretary? Rangel runs more scams than a Nigerian Banker.

Barney Frank ... he's a better actor than Fred Flintstone. Consider that he and Dodd caused the whole financial meltdown, and they're not only not serving time with Bubba and Rodney, they're still heading up the financial system!

Let's all admit it ... Barney Frank slobbers more than a sheepdog on Novocain.. How did this guy get elected? Oh, that's right .... he's from Massachusetts . That's the state that elects Mr. Charisma, John Kerry -- man of the people!

You know, if Senator Dodd were any more crooked, you could open wine bottles with him. Here's a news flash, Dodd: when your local newspaper calls you a "lying weasel," it may be time to retire.

Dodd's involved in more shady deals than the Clintons (Read "Hell To Pay" by Barbra Olsen) . Even Rangel looks up to him!

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, I really respect you ... especially given your upbringing ~ All you've overcome. I heard your birth certificate is an apology from the condom factory.

I don't know what makes you so dumb, but it really works for you. Personally, I don't think you're a fool, but what's my opinion compared to that of thousands of others?

As for President Obama, what can I say? They say President Obama's arrogant and aloof, but I don't agree. Now it's true when you enter the room, you have to kiss his ring. I don't mind, but he has it in his back pocket.

His mind is open to new ideas -- so open that ideas simply pass through it. Obama lies so much, I was actually surprised to find out his first name really was Barack. Just don't ask about his middle name!

But Obama was able to set a record ... he actually lied more in 60 days than Bill Clinton. As far as his administration -- what with the tax cheat and lobbyists -- well, in the words of Patches O'Houlihan, "It's like watching a bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob out there."

Of Pets and Men

I took today off as my wife had in-patient surgery for a torn rotator cuff this morning. She is doing well and right now is resting comfortably on the other side of the couch.

I haven't read any of his books in years, but my daughter gave me her copy of Stephen King's "The Eyes of the Dragon" last week and I took it to have something to read in the waiting room during my wife's surgery. On page 21 I read this:

"[...] When dogs are excited and confused, they may bite; when men are excited and confused, they may fight. Dogs are great pets because they are loyal, but if a pet is all a man is, he is a bad man.

[...] A dog is just as eager to lick the hand of a bad master as he is to lick the hand of a good master, because dogs don't know the difference between good and bad. A dog will eat slops, vomit up the part his stomach can't stand, and then go back for more."

Gallop: Latest Trends

This Gallop poll is based on registered voters, not likely voters. When likely voters are polled, the difference is larger.

If the elections were held today and roughly 40% of voters turned out -- a rate typical in recent years -- Gallup's Oct. 7-17 polling suggests Republicans would win 56% of the vote -- 8 points greater than their support from registered voters, and 17 points ahead of Democrats, at 39%. If turnout is significantly higher, Republicans would receive 53% of the vote (a 5-point improvement over their registered-voter figure), and the Democrats, 42%.

The likely voter estimates at both turnout levels have been consistent over the past three weeks.

For more on likely voters go here and for related subjects, visit PoliPundit and National ReviewOnline.

Why?

Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist who went on a murderous shooting rampage that killed 13 and wounded 32 others at Fort Hood last year, is in pretrial motions. During the hearings, a witness, Pfc. Lance Aviles, stated that he recorded some of the bloodshed with his cellphone camera, but

[...] was ordered by an officer to delete both videos, a military court heard Friday.
Under cross examination, Pfc. Lance Aviles told an Article 32 hearing that his noncommissioned officer ordered him to destroy the two videos on Nov. 5, the same day a gunman unleashed a volley of bullets inside a processing center at the Texas Army post.

The footage could have been used as evidence at the military hearing to decide if Maj. Nidal Hasan should stand trial in the shootings. The 40-year-old American-born Muslim has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder.

Twenty-nine witnesses over three days have appeared either in a courtroom or by video link. Prosecutors have not said whether they'll seek the death penalty if the case goes to trial.
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The name of the non-commissioned officcer is not given for some reason. This order was illegal as it involved the destruction of evidence. There has got to be more to this story. Why wasn't this officer prosecuted? I do not like the implications of this story. Is there still an Army CYA operation in effect?

More at jihadwatch.

Faith From The Depths Of the Earth

Are you claustrophobic? In Chile, thirty-three men spent nine weeks buried in a cave beneath a half mile of stone. It was seventeen days after the cave-in before anyone knew they were still alive.

And I get the sweats and all twitchy-like when I'm stuffed inside an MRI machine for only a few minutes.

It boogles the mind what these men endured as their nation struggled to rescue them.

There is no question that the Chilean rescue involved expert planning, top notch engineering, quality equipment, and the ingenious problem solving of experts from a number of countries around the world. In addition, the miners give appropriate credit to their leaders, who kept them strong emotionally and physically.

But they had a Friend, and help from Above; through adversity, we discover the source of our strength.

Villarroel said, "We had a boss ... every day he would tell us we had to be strong ... we didn't have hope. Strength comes from internal energy and prayer ... I never used to pray, [but] here I learned to pray. I got closer to God."

In Time Magazine, of all places, it was reported that:

"the atmosphere underground as being like a church service."

Nearly to a man the miners praised God as they emerged from the depths.

Jimmy Sanchez, one of the outspoken believers, said, "There are actually 34 of us, because God has never left us down here." Ultimately, Villarroel and the other rescued Chilean miners recognized -- as we must all learn to do -- that their fate rested not in human hands or expert plans alone, but in the providence of God. Villarroel surely spoke for the other miners -- many fell to their knees in prayer as they came out of the rescue capsule -- when he thanked God for a second chance at life. Omar Reygadas clutched his Bible as he exited the rescue capsule, and he knelt in prayer when his feet touched ground. His first words were "God Lives." From the first to the last rescued Chilean miner, these 33 men have learned much they can teach us about faith and what is real.

Politics As Usual

Living in NY as long as I have, I can't say that the following story surprises me. Disgust yes, surprise, no.

[...] election officials in New York City and Erie, Niagara, Putnam and Westchester counties missed an Oct. 1 deadline for mailing ballots to troops overseas.

What this means is that the fix is in. If anything happens at all, the heads of minor functionaries will roll ... to the next patronage job.

The Dems know that the Republicans are well represented in the military and they remember all the bad PR the party received in Florida when Gore's lawyers attempted to disqualify tens of thousands of military ballots in the 2000 election. So the best thing is to make sure that the ballots never get sent. This outrageous criminal act mishap

[...] means that service members may not receive their ballots in time to vote in the Nov. 2 elections. The state has 320,000 overseas and military voters.

The nine counties enumerated above represent 54% of the total population of the State of New York. There are over 49,400 registered NY voters who reside overseas, most are in the military.

And of course Schumer is crying crocodile tears over this. Despite his present feigned outrage, Schumer made no attempt to get his colleagues in the House to pass HR 5673, the Military Voting Protection Act of 2008.

Pumpkin Heads

Holloween is only a few weeks away.

Time to carve some pumpkins!

Change Is Good

I changed the template to allow for more content and less distractions. I hope you like it.

The Real Reason Why Sea Turtles Are Endangered

SUV's, carbon emissions and global warming have nothing to do with the plight of the sea turtle. The following pictures show what happens in Costa Rico when female sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches. Granted, most of the hatchings never will make it to adulthood even if they were not harvested, but that is the reason why so many eggs are laid - some do make it and the species survives. By taking so many eggs even fewer adults will be available for breeding and the species is then threatened.

I am not a bleeding heart eco-loon by any means. But even an idiot knows what will happen if this is not stopped.

Now if you look at the seventh picture, there is a man wearing light colored shorts with a blue tank top and a blue carry bag slung over his right shoulder. Look at the area by his right hip: is that a pistol holster? Sure looks like one to me.

Please distribute these photos.

The Turtle eggs are stolen to be sold.