UNBELEAVEABLE

I looked at this picture and right away thought it had to be a photoshop job. But I guess not. How does something like this get through without someone noticing? I used to have problems with "tomorrow" until I learned the trick: It's three words put together. Once you understand that, you never get it wrong.

The place where Ted Kennedy (D-Stoli) killed Mary Jo always gave me trouble, too. Hint: It's four words. Any spelling tricks you'd like to share?

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***Wizbang has more.

SGT DJ EMERY--UPDATE 6

From Blackfive:

For those of you not familiar with Marine Sergeant DJ Emery, below are the links to his story. Be sure to read the first one.

RE: Spiritual Warfare - Marine Corporal David Emery Jr. (February 2007)

RE: Spiritual Warfare - DJ Emery (March 2007)
RE: Marine Corporal DJ Emery Update 2 (April 13, 2007)
RE: Marine Corporal DJ Emery Update 3 (April 21, 2007)
RE: MOABS in DC (April 27, 2007)
RE: DJ Emery - Update 5 (May 10th, 2007)

Update #6 from DJ's mother, Connie:

"Good morning everyone. DJ is doing pretty good. He is off all his IVs again and eating real food. Hopefully we are on the right track again. We are still not sure when his surgery is going to be on his arm. I have a special request from all our supporters out there. When you are praying for us if you could say a prayer for my sister (the Doran family). My nephew was killed in a car accident yesterday morning. You all helped DJ,Leslie and myself with prayers so I thought it would be nice for them also.I will be away for a few days to attend the funeral. I will update as much as I can. Talk to you all later. Keep up the good work everyone! God bless Connie"

How's that for a great picture? This family still needs our help, so keep the prayers coming.

IN CASE YOU HADN'T HEARD

Andi's back in business. And while you're at it, here's a good read as well. He's a NUT.

ANOTHER SOLUTION TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION--ADAPT...GET A YOB !!

Hat tip to RK in Gold River

WATCH AND LEARN

Throughout the immigration debate, or lack of, certain cities have been designated as "sanctuary cities." As you know, in a "sanctuary city," illegals are able to live and work, or, in some cases, commit crimes, without fear of being turned over to the federal authorities. What a deal.

However, under the newly proposed immigration bill, things will be changing with regards to sanctuary cities. In fact, there will no longer be special cities with that designation. Detroit, Oakland and San Francisco, to name a few, will revert back to just cities on the map. No longer will they be sought out by illegals to exist "under the radar."

Sounds like good news, huh? Wrong. Because under the proposed bill, ALL cities in the United States will become "sanctuary cities." In fact, the entire Nation will be a sanctuary. Illegals will be in a perpetual state of processing and will be untouchable. Our Nation is being faced with several important challenges; illegal immigration could very well be the most important of those challenges since the bill before congress, if passed, will change the political and cultural makeup of our Nation--forever.

The current proposal in congress is a disaster in the making. Michelle Malkin asks that you watch this video, pass it on, send it to The White House as well. Don't forget these folks, either: House and Senate.

SOME OF FOLSOM'S HEROES

I stopped by our Veterans Cemetery here in Folsom to pay my respects and to take a few pics as well. This final resting place is one of the nicest I've seen. It's small, well kept, and has many shade trees. I still remember when this day was called "Decoration Day." And, today, there were many families on this sacred ground decorating the graves of their loved ones. Click to enlarge the pics.

On Florida's Space Coast, Andrea Shea King was the featured speaker at a Memorial Day ceremony.

ANOTHER HERO IN HOLLYWOOD

Kitty Litter dropped a link into my inbox this morning about an interview done by Gene Simmons of "Kiss." If you're familiar with "Kiss," you know they're about as far out there as you can get, but if you've ever watched Simmons on his show, "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," you'll also know he's a down-to-earth kinda guy. Solid.

In this interview, Simmons talks about our military, the war, airport security and profiling, as well as Hollywood in general. Here's a snip of his comments on Sean Penn:

So someone like Sean Penn for instance ... you don't support what he's doing?

Oh, I think he's the enemy of Western civilization. I think he's a terrific actor, but a political knucklehead. By the way, the difference between the Warren Beattys and Sean Penns and perhaps the Hannitys in the salons of the world is very little. The people who hate you don't care what political side you're on. They make no distinction between far left and far right. They just hate you. It's so stupid. And the biggest problem, of course, is that media, no matter what you say, is skewed a certain way.

Gene Simmons "gets it." My new hero? You bet!!

Thanks, Kitty.

IT'S TIME FOR COMMITMENT, AGAIN

Back in 1961, when we were still One Nation and could accomplish anything we put our minds to, JFK challenged the greatness of this land. TWD was a mere 5 years old:

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth," he said.

JULIE CARRIES A HEATER ACROSS NY STATE LINES

Blogger friend and frequent Andrea Shea King chat room participant, Julie from Stowe, Vt., was quoted in a news article after asking Rudy about laws regarding an individual's right to carry a concealed weapon. According to the article, Rudy is changing his stance on concealed weapons, even in NY state.

Julie blogs at Jihadnews. Stop by and say "howdy," and be nice--she's packin' heat.

Here's a picture of Julie, her husband, Tom, and Ann Coulter while attending Restoration Weekend last year in Florida. (I'm pretty sure Julie has a Glock under the table too)

POVERTY: $IGN ME UP...NOW !!!

Thi$ John Edward$ i$ quite the guy. When he take$ on an i$$ue, he take$ it on. Poverty $eem$ to be the i$$ue that'$ captured John'$ attention. In fact, he took a job to learn more about it.

In addition to the on-the-job poverty gig, he ju$t love$ to talk about poverty. He'll be happy to do it for a price too--how'$ $55,000 $ound??

Oh, but not to be outdone on thi$ poverty i$$ue, John want$ to make poverty a goal, a National goal,--he want$ to put an end to the concept once and for all. And, I gotta tell ya, it look$ like he did, at lea$t a$ far a$ HE'$ CONCERNED.<<<this last link is unbelievable.

The re$t of u$ will, you know, have to catch up.

THINGS DON'T ALWAYS GO BETTER WITH COKE

Two defendants received sentences of 8 years and 5 years in FEDERAL PRISON for stealing secrets. Anytime you steal secrets and get caught, you should plan on going straight to prison, period. There is, however, one funny thing about this case: the secrets they stole were from Coca-Cola. Now here's the opening of the article, and pay particular attention to what the judge had to say about this crime:

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ATLANTA — A former Coca-Cola (KO) secretary convicted of conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world's largest beverage maker was sentenced Wednesday to 8 years in federal prison.

Joya Williams, 42, faced up to 10 years on the single conspiracy charge in a failed scheme to sell the materials to rival Pepsi for at least $1.5 million. She was convicted Feb. 2 after a jury trial in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, where the Coca-Cola Co. is based.

"This is the kind of offense that cannot be tolerated in our society," U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester said in imposing sentence.

A co-defendant, Ibrahim Dimson, was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Forrester's sentence for Williams was more severe than the 63- to 78-month sentence recommended by federal prosecutors and federal sentencing guidelines.

He said the seriousness of the crime necessitated a departure from the guidelines, which federal judges are not bound by.

"I can't think of another case in 25 years that there's been so much obstruction of justice," the judge said of Williams' conduct.

******

I couldn't agree more, it's a serious case. And I agree they should go to prison.

But Sandy Berger stole secrets too. Secrets that didn't have a damn thing to do with the mixing of a soft drink, but, instead, with our NATIONAL SECURITY. And what did Berger get for his offense? A fine and community service. Curt at Flopping Aces reminds us of the court's decision in the Berger case.

Jack Cashill puts the Berger case together for us in this 3-part series. A must read. I know I'm not the only one out here noticing that something's very wrong in the Berger case. Coca-Cola secrets=Federal prison; National security secrets=Fine and community service. Yep, something's wrong here.

One day, I hope, we'll get to the bottom of the Berger case. If anyone can, it's Jack Cashill.

THE RADIO PATRIOT IN D.C. AGAIN THIS WEEK

Flying on board "ASK ONE," Andrea Shea King landed at Washington DC's Reagan National this morning to attend a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. The Andrea Shea King Show will be broadcast from our Nation's capitol the next two evenings at 9 EST. Check show listings here as well as her blog, The Radio Patriot.

While in Washington, Andrea will undoubtedly be talking about immigration reform, so read this update from Malkin, then contact your reps by email, by phone, by pony express--just contact them--tell 'em Andrea sent ya!!

House

Senate

***Bonus: Check out "When Reagan debated RFK" at Betsy's Page.

POWERLINE EXPLAINS McAMNESTY'S "F-YOU" COMMENT

Starting today, the "Amnesty Bill" will be discussed throughout the internet, tv, radio, and those other publications that were once widely read--and trusted--newspapers. When it comes to the issue of immigration, the illegal type, I turn to Christi King at CSA, the boys at Powerline, and Hugh Hewitt. There are, of course, many others to turn to, but this is where I usually end up.

I point you to a post at Powerline regarding the McCain "F-You" comment. We simply heard that McCain--aka, Johnny "Jose McAmnesty" McCain--used the term and that was about the extent of it. PW has attempted to put the incident into context, thus shedding some light on the process. Even though McCain's bid for the White House is officially DOA, I still found the incident to be of interest. It starts out something like this:

"Senator McCain has been largely missing from the Senate since late March, when it became apparent his fundraising operation was seriously lagging. Senator McCain hasn’t made a Senate vote in the past five weeks. But he wanted to be front and center when the immigration bargain was announced, and Kennedy and Specter did everything they could to accommodate him. They reserved the Senate press gallery room for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, just in time for Senator McCain to attend before heading out to New York for more fundraising."

Continue reading....

39-43: A CONTRAST

Aaron at Lifelike Pundits posted his reaction to Jimmy Carter's remarks about Bush, and he did it in the best way possible. I lived through the Carter years and, to be honest, it was somewhat of an embarrassment to be an American, especially in the aftermath of Desert One. It's scary, now, to think that he was actually the POTUS. Of course, back then we didn't have a full appreciation of what a loon he was; that became increasingly clear after he left office. At best, Carter was weak.

Carter's a bitter ex-president who has never gotten over the boot print Reagan left on his ass.

The only thing I would add to Aaron's list is "Interest Rates."

"Domestically, Carter had difficulties controlling inflation, which rose in each year of his administration—in part because of oil price increases after the Iranian revolution. The Federal Reserve Board's drastic remedies for curtailing inflation led to interest rates of more than 20% by 1980. Inflation and the unresolved hostage crisis put Carter in a weak position as the 1980 presidential election campaign began. He won the Democratic nomination only after a bitter challenge from Sen. Edward Kennedy. In the general election he was decisively defeated by Ronald Reagan."

LIBERTY U GRADUATES ON SCHEDULE

Jerry Falwell's proudest accomplishment is Liberty University, and he's had many accomplishments. His legacy will live on for generations through this institution and its graduates.

Today, graduation ceremonies at LU went as scheduled with Newt Gingrich giving the commencement address. Falwell wanted it that way.

Thousands are paying their final respects to Falwell as they file past his open casket. Falwell's casket rests upon the same funeral bier used for Ronald Reagan in 2004. Fitting. The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday and will be televised. Burial services will be private.

Falwell's final resting place will be located on the campus grounds and it will have an eternal flame.

Many more links covering all aspects of Falwell can be found on the bottom half of this page.

PRESIDENT JEROME CORSI ???

I know a few people who will just love this story, and they'll no doubt go out of their way to "debunk" Corsi's qualifications, character, as well as his mental status. But, that's politics. I say, let the games begin.

Today, WND is reporting:

"The National Veterans Coalition of the Constitution Party is preparing to draft Jerome R. Corsi as its choice for the party's presidential nominee in 2008.

Corsi, who resigned as a WND staff reporter Monday, said he has joined the Constitution Party and is willing to explore a serious pursuit of the nomination."

"Corsi's endorsement was presented during a recent Constitution Party National Committee meeting in Boise, Idaho. Based on voter registration, the Constitution Party is the third largest political party in the U.S."

Their immediate goal:

"Jones said his coalition's plan is to call on the 26.2 million veterans on the official roles and another 5 to 8 million unregistered vets to mobilize behind Corsi."

Last night, Corsi was the guest on The Andrea Shea King Show. (Blog Talk Radio May 16 archive--please excuse the technical problems at the top of the show) While Corsi did an hour long interview, he made no mention of this story. Missed the boat on that scoop.

More to come.

NOTES FROM TUESDAY

Yesterday was a busy news day. News organizations must hate it when they're all geared-up for a planned event--the debate--and then a larger-than-life figure goes and dies. Prayers go out to the Falwell family. The Martin Luther King family suffered a loss as well.

The Debates

If you're looking for substance in these early debates, you won't find it with ten "contestants" vying for their "one minute" of fame. This crowded format reminds me of a political Amen Corner: "You can't win the election there, but you can lose it." Simply put: Just get through the damn thing without doing something stupid.

Only a few things worthy of mention from last night: Fox News' Hume, Goler, and Wallace did a superb job. Huckabee clearly had the best sound bite with his Edwards comment. John McCain, when contrasted with a Romney, probably looks more tired than he really is. But tired nonetheless. A couple weeks ago, someone summed-up one of McCain's problems:

"Today, 70 is the new 60. In McCain's case, 70 is 70." Enough said.

The Winner

Since I can't point to a clear winner in the Fox News debate, I have to award Fred Thompson the MVP trophy for his quick and stinging response to Michael Moore's challenge to a health care debate. For his trouble, Moore got this spanking:



Today, I see that Moore has responded to Thompson's "video spanking" with yet another childish letter. (Btw, Moore has a fixation with Thompson's cigars.) Anyway, Thompson should ignore Moore's response. Doing otherwise would be considered child abuse.

Terrorism

First, Harry's going to Iraq, then he's not, then maybe he is, now he's not. The terrorists win--again. Great job.

Finally, now you can buy your coffin and drive it too.

THE MEME RETURNS

5 Question Meme
(1) When was the last time you hollered at another driver while driving ?
(2) Name one place you will never visit again. Why ?
(3) When you think of the South what first comes to your mind?
(4) Do you ever feel like there aren't enough hours in your day?
(5) What is the last good book that you read ?
I tag Third Wave Dave.

Paul at Shadow of Diogenes tagged me for this meme. First, I quit doing memes a long time ago because they're usually way too long and they become somewhat of a job. Time is a factor as well. But, if all memes were like the one Paul just tagged me with, they'd be a lot more fun and easy to do. So, here it goes:

1. So long ago I can't remember.

2. The "Craps Table" at Caesars Lake Tahoe. They went out of business.

3. Atlanta

4. No

5. "Fear Nothing" by Dean Koontz-or-"The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks

I won't tag you, but feel free to answer in the comment section.

YOUR CONGRESS

Hat tip to Vic in Arizona

MORE BAD NEWS

BAGHDAD — "Three American soldiers are missing and presumed kidnapped in Iraq following a dawn attack on their convoy that left four other U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator dead."

Our enemy is emboldened like never before. We've seen stories like this in the past; expect to see more of them in the future. At this point, all one can do is offer prayers to the families of the dead, then redouble your prayer efforts for the missing, because we all know how this will eventually end. (AQ releases statement)

The "American Insurgency," headed by the likes of Pelosi, Reid, Durbin and Murtha, with ongoing assistance from the U.S. media, is stronger than ever. If they are able to fulfill all the promises set forth in their "Contract with the Terrorists," and it looks like they will, we'll soon see the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan unravel into chaos, taking the lives of many more soldiers, as well as America's credibility, along for the ride.

As long as our so-called leaders in Washington approach their responsibilities to this Nation according to the latest polling data, I am left to ask a question that has been asked before:

"Are there any men left in Washington? Or are they all cowards?"

HISTORY RETURNS TO FOLSOM AREA SKIES

Today I was out doing some errands. At one of the stops I had a couple minutes to kill, so I was looking through the Sacramento Bee and ran across a story about the B-17 Bomber that's flying out of Mather Air Field for the next few days. B-17 pilots and crew members from all over the area are flocking to Mather for a chance to fly on her once again.

In the article, there are interviews about some who were lucky enough to get on board. Most hadn't flown a B-17 since the days of WWII. The amazing thing about this article, is that these guys are well into their 80s, but they still traveled to Mather for yet another chance to see, and in some cases, get on board for a flight.

"The 85-year-old Carmichael resident was waiting for his turn for a ride in a restored B-17 at Mather Airport on Thursday. It had been more than a half-century since he had flown in one."

So, after the errands are completed, I'm turning into my driveway and out of the east is one of these beauties cresting the hills of El Dorado. What a sight! Her silver fuselage gleaming in the sunlight as she makes her approach to Mather. I get out of my car to watch and soon she's out of sight, but I can hear the sound of her engines in the distance. I wait outside hoping for a "go around"--she doesn't disappoint. Again she crests the hills and gives Folsom another pass, cruising slow at about 500 feet.

Often we read about these great bombers, look at pictures, but it's rare these days to get to see one flying overhead. I'm sure those old vets are having one hell of a ride down memory lane. We owe them so much. Bless them all.

IT'S GOOD TO LAUGH...

...especially after reading something like this. What the hell, read about James Lileks, too. He's down, for now, but he'll end up in a much better place very soon.

PANDERING AND SPINELESSNESS GO HAND-IN-HAND

Christi King, our Jewel over at CSA, posted this video along with her commentary. CSA is the "go to" site for the latest on immigration issues. After reading her post and watching the video, you'll soon learn why the problem is only getting worse. Amnesty will be the solution if this guy has anything to say about it. **Pay close attention to his final statement.

DJ EMERY UPDATE 5

Black Five is posting UPDATE 5 on DJ Emery. If you're not familiar with Emery, B5 has all the previous links posted upfront. The post includes the latest news on his recovery, the MOABS at the recent Milblog Conference, and why the Marines don't call him "Corporal" anymore.

Keep the prayers of support flowing.

PAY ATTENTION, PEOPLE--CLASSES ARE NOW IN SESSION.

Blogmeister USA--Pam--is blogging about the "indoctrination" her daughter is going through in science class, and, as Pam indicates, she's taking an active role to make sure the class gets the full story. Pam will be reporting back on whether or not the teacher "makes time" for her suggestion. Pam isn't sitting on her hands when it comes to her daughter's education; she's taking action. Good for her.

Another blogger, Betsy Newmark of Betsy's Page, is someone who knows all about the changes our schools have been going through. Newmark is a teacher. Today she's posting about the noticeable changes that have taken place in the teaching of history. Since the teaching has changed, so have the tests.

Take the time to read both of these posts.

AND HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THAT COOKED?

We all like a good steak from time to time, right? There's nothing like going out to a great steakhouse and gettin' down to business with a medium-rare slab of beef and a bottle of Cabernet.

I've eaten at some fine places, Morton's and Ruth's Chris, to name a couple. However, though I've never had the pleasure of dining at this establishment, I know it to be the FINEST STEAKHOUSE IN AMERICA. Bar none.

Just click here and soon you'll understand why.

HIT ME, PLEASE

My site meter just rolled past 100,000 hits. It's really not that much when you factor in that it took over two years to get there. And it seems even less of an accomplishment after reading this Michelle Malkin interview in the Washington Times.

Malkin operates two sites, but her "mother ship" is Michellemalkin.com, and she gets 100,000 hits too--daily. I suck.

ANOTHER "PARKER" MILESTONE

Mr. and Mrs. Media Matters have been offline for a couple months due to computer problems, but now they're back in action. Good to have you guys back. Today I had the pleasure of receiving an email from Mr MMs, and in it he updated me on their wonderful son, Parker. For background on Parker, click here. He's a doll and he just turned ONE last week. Let me share some of the email with you:

"...Parker celebrated his first birthday last week. The attached photo is of him diving into the birthday cake his mom made for him. He is such a cutie.

Parker is making good progress. He has physical therapy once a week, play/social therapy once a week, and vision therapy once a month. These are helping him out a lot. He has mastered the crawl, which is a huge milestone for him. That is very exciting. He is still struggling in some social areas -- still hasn't grasped the concept of waving, so he is about 6+ months behind in these areas. But we are grateful for the progress he has made. He continues to be a mostly happy baby, full of personality. And physically he seems to be getting stronger all of the time.

He goes back to the pediatric neurologist next month for another checkup. His next milestones include continuing to work on waving and transitioning toward walking. As always, we appreciate your prayers on his behalf and will keep you posted on his progress."--Love, Rich.

Rich and Stephanie are very proud of their Parker, as we all are, and their dedication to his physical therapy will ensure a happy and productive future for him. He's got some great parents...and I have some great friends. You're always in my prayers.

I'm sure they'll both be blogging soon, so stop in and say "Howdy."

The future "Babymediamatters.blogspot.com"--Happy Birthday!!

MAJOR ERIC EGLAND BATTLES CHRISSY MATTHEWS

Major Eric Egland appeared on Hardball opposite an anti-war vet debating congress' role in the war. Egland was making too much sense for Matthews, so he constantly interrupted, rephrasing the question in an attempt to get Egland to agree with him. Watch the interview here.

CNN COVERS 2007 MILBLOG CONFERENCE

If you attended the Milblog Conference in Washington D.C., you might find yourself in this video news report done by CNN. Hat Tip to Black Five.

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO HAVE AN OPINION

We have another year-and-a-half to go before we cast our votes for the next president, and I'm already sick of the whole thing. Politics, especially at the national level, have always been a nasty business, but this election cycle is surely going to take the process to a new low.

Now that the games have begun, some of you have a feel for the candidates and how they'll do as season progresses. I know I do. So far, I'm certain of one thing: McCain will not be the next president. In order to be the president, you must be the party's nominee, and McCain won't be that man. When he gave that speech at VMI I thought he was back in it. I was wrong. The man's tired. His last chance was in 2000 and now it's over. That's politics.

David A. Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union, has sketched out his views on the current crop of republicans seeking the White House. Not that it means anything, but we agree on McCain:

"I can be proven wrong, but McCain is dying a slow political death right now," Keene tells me over lunch at BLT Steak in Washington. "There are a number of reasons for that...."

Read the entire article here.--I'm sure we'll be discussing this topic on the radio show, so we'd appreciate your views as well. And, if you've posted about a candidate, let us know.

IF YOU DON'T OWN THIS BOOK, YOU SHOULD

Brian Kilmeade--Fox and Friends--was interviewed last night by Andrea Shea King, and I have to tell you that Kilmeade was one of the best, if not the best, interviews she's done. I can't remember a better one. To say he's enthusiastic about his newest book would be an understatement.

There are many lessons to be learned from participating in sports, failure being one of them. Kilmeade interviewed some of the greatest athletes for this book and chronicled the lessons they learned from sports. And their stories don't revolve around the best TD they ever scored, or golf shot, or home run; it's about the small things they learned early on that had an impact not only in their sporting careers, but in life.

Competition is being downplayed in many schools today, and because of that, kids are missing out on the great lessons sports can teach. If you're a parent, I suggest you run out and buy this book. If you're not a parent, run out and buy it anyway. You won't be sorry.

WASHINGTON DC--DAY ONE--UPDATED

Andrea Shea King arrived in Washington D.C. for the 2nd Annual Milbloggers Conference, and one of the first places she went was Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Each Friday night the Freepers set up shop with lots of flags and signs.

Here's Andrea with one of the signs...

Andrea has more pics from Day One posted at The Radio Patriot. Check back for updates. (Day Two)

***UPDATE: Conference linkage at Black Five

LIFE'S NOT SO "SIMPLE" ANYMORE

Paris Hilton starred in "The Simple Life." Soon, however, she will be starring in a series called, "Real Life." You can act like an idiot most of the time, especially if you're Paris Hilton, but when you insult the man on the bench, he'll cast you in a "Real Life" role. Next case!

2007 MILBLOG CONFERENCE BEGINS

That's right, the 2007 Milblog Conference begins this evening. Well, the cocktail party portion of it, anyway. The panel discussions will start on Saturday morning...and rumor has it, there will be a "special" surprise guest as well. Hmmm...who could that be, I wonder? Anyone of note live in the D.C. area? Hmmm.

Anyway, I wish all the attendees good luck and a good time while in our Nation's capitol.

LONG MEMORIES IN THE MILITARY COMMUNITY

This weekend, many bloggers/milbloggers will be converging on Washington D.C. for this year's Milblog Conference. In addition to the planned events at the conference, some of the attendees will take the time to visit some of the significant sites in Washington, and one of those sites will be Walter Reed Army Medical Center. As bloggers, we read many stories about our recovering heroes. Too Many. But, to be able to actually visit with them and their loved ones is a special privilege, indeed.

Recently, one person we all know wasn't afforded the privilege of spending some time with our wounded. Her name is Joan Baez (Newsmax). John Melencamp invited Baez to perform with him at Walter Reed, however, officials at the medical center put the kibosh on that. And, now, Baez is having trouble figuring out why:

"I have always been an advocate for nonviolence and I have stood as firmly against the Iraq war as I did the Vietnam War 40 years ago," she wrote. "I realize now that I might have contributed to a better welcome home for those soldiers fresh from Vietnam. Maybe that's why I didn't hesitate to accept the invitation to sing for those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In the end, four days before the concert, I was not 'approved' by the Army to take part. Strange irony."--Might have?

Hey, Joan, get a clue. Your anti-war activism from the 60s is still clear in everyone's mind, but maybe, just maybe, your recent efforts at not supporting the troops had something to do with it as well. And don't hand me the "I support the troops but not the war" line, either. It doesn't wash with real Americans.

Mellencamp asked officials why Baez was not welcome and was simply told, "She can't fit here, period."

"She can't fit here, period"--pretty clear to me.

******

Also attending the Milblog Conference

Andrea fits, period.

MULTICULTURALISM IS ALIVE AND WELL

New York City is now officially off-the-hook crazy. This September, an Arabic Public School will be opening its doors, or, as others like to call it: a madrassa. It's difficult to even express my thoughts and concerns about this dangerous revelation, so I'll refer you to the article I just read at Lucianne.com

"When I first heard of this proposed school, I thought it was a joke. But then I read Daniel Pipes's column about this disguised "madrassa" and discovered who the major principals were. Now I can't dispel this feeling of disbelief and outrage. This proposal is utter madness, considering that five years after September 11, ground zero is still a hole in the ground and we're bending over backwards to appease those sympathetic to individuals who would destroy us again. Smart, really smart."

In another example of insanity within our borders, The Radio Patriot posts about a story out of Kansas where Muslim cab drivers are demanding more changes on our part so they can properly prepare themselves for their daily prayer sessions--and you're paying for it!!

"World Net Daily has reported that Kansas City International Airport authorities added four foot washing basins in taxicab facility restrooms for the growing number of Muslim taxicab drivers who wanted to prepare for their daily Islamic prayer. The cost was borne by taxpayers."

Next time you wash your hands in a public facility, keep this in mind:

"Muslims are required to wash their feet before praying to Allah five times a day. They've complained that public restroom sinks are too high, making it hard to wash their feet. But many use those sinks anyway -- sinks used by others to wash their hands and faces."

Any thoughts?