It's A Dessert Topping It's A Floor Wax

Is it just me, or is watching the dhimmicrats in Congress trying to convince America who is responsible for high gasoline prices akin to a Saturday Night Live skit?

First it was the greedy oil companies, price gouging the American public, getting richer and richer everytime OPEC rasied the price of a barrel of oil, or tripped coming out of the shower.
Then, after the oil execs testified before Congress in May and bitch-slapped the more socialistic minded members, Congress decided, well, it wasn't really the greedy oil companies, it was the greedy speculators who were getting rich every time they bought futures, gambling that some members of OPEC would trip coming out of the shower again. The speculators were controlling the market.
Then President Bush proved that very point by voiding the Executive Order prohibiting offshore drilling and, whaddaya know? The speculators said Uh Oh George, we got more oil coming, more supply, we better do something, and the price dropped.
Now, the dhimmis are back to accusing the greedy oil companies again. Will someone please make up whatever it is you're using for a mind, and decide who is to blame?

Let me help.

High gasoline prices are caused by:
Enviromental regulations imposed by Democrats, forced by tree-hugging wackjob enviro-nazis who want us living in the Stone Age and Marxist members of Congress who want to control every aspect of our lives by restricting our freedoms and threatening to take over private corporations through nationalization if they don't get their way.

In short, Nancy Lugosi, Waxie Maxie, Dingy Harry, Durbin the Turban, Leaky Leahy, Teddy the Swimmer, and Slick Willie.

DRILL HERE DRILL NOW

STOP SCREWING WITH OUR MONEY

I'm Not Going To Defend Ted Stevens

He is accused of having lied on a federal form and if he did, he needs to suffer the consequences, just like any of us; but this is the best example of the government creating conditions which restrict citizens from creating wealth and improving their own lives.

Alaska is the richest state in natural resources, (gold, oil, natural gas) and has the lowest population per square mile of any of the 50 states. I doubt that 1 in 10 residents are actually from Alsaka originally. I could be wrong, I'm doing this on the fly with no research, except watching the History Channel (Ice Road Truckers, etc)

The resources are hard to get to and the government has imposed environmental regulations which restrict the exploitation of these resources.

Had the government not imposed these regulations, the citizens of Alaska could be enjoying the benefits of jobs working the oil fields, pipelines and drill rigs, in addition to the support stucture, which require people to fill them, (you have to WANT to work in Alaska,) which increases the tax base, which fills the state tax coffers, which reduces the amount of money the federal government has to send back for improvements, which would have eliminated the need for Senator Stevens to make all those backroom deals, which would have negated the necessity of lying on a federal form.

Open ANWR, let the people of Alaska go to work supplying us with much needed domestic oil, which will decrease our imports of foreign oil. Its a win/win situation.

Will it happen? I don't know, but it sure needs to happen. Sooner than later.

Its Not About Alternative Energy

Its about breaking the middle class. Pelosi, Reid, and the dhimmicrats don't give a furry rats butt about solar, wind, or hydrogen powered cars. The only power they care about is their own.
Power to rule unfettered and impose their twisted ideologies on America and turn us into a third world country while they continue to live like the elitists they are. They already have their little piece of the American dream, and they will stop at nothing to make sure none of us ignorant peasants get ours.
The logic is diabolical. Keep the price of fuel as high as possible so we spend more of our money just trying to get by. They know that as long as we have disposable income we can pretty much do as we please. (as long as we act like adults of course.)
Disposable income is freedom. The more money you have to play, the happier you are. Some of us require less than others. (I personally am very low-maintainence)
They couldn't get the oil execs, so now they're going after the speculators. Stop the speculators, they say, and we can fix this. They even take credit for the recent price drops, because, they claim, just talking about stopping them has forced them to back down.

Bravo Sierra.

Reid says coal is making us sick and we have to stop using it.

Again BRAVO SIERRA.

I've already posted video and hundreds of words about the clean coal technology currently being used by Dominion Resources right here in Viriginia. It works. Dominion Resources has and is investing hundreds of millions of dollars converting existing facilities and building new ones to use this technology. It's safe, it's clean and it actually reduces gypsum mining because the by-product of the scrubbing process is gypsum.
It's time for Americans to tell the dhimmicrats we've had enough of their Bravo Sierra.

If they want us to develop alternative energy, I'm all for that. But for that to happen, we have to be comfortable right now. New ideas are not forced in times of emergency, they are developed over beers and BBQ in the backyards of average Amercians with time on their hands and nothing else to do but kick ideas back and forth.

They continue to ignore the will of a majority of the American public, 75% of whom are ready to punch holes and pump oil wherever it is.
Now I'm done.
Here's a smarter man than me to explain some more:

Nancy Pelosi is playing God

by Henry Lamb
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN that she would block any vote to allow offshore drilling. This remarkable stance comes in the face of the latest poll that says 73 percent of Americans favor offshore drilling, while only 27 percent oppose it. Nancy Pelosi again displays her contempt for her employer, the American people. Her arrogance and wrong-headed philosophy have led Congress to an approval rating of a staggering 14 percent, the lowest ever.
The arguments she advances in defense of her position are, at best, silly, and at worst, devious. She says she will not allow additional reserves to be drilled because oil companies already hold leases on 68 million acres of federal land that are not being drilled. She ignores the testimony of oil company representatives who tell her that had they found oil under these lands, they would be pumping it. The oil companies need to drill where the oil is.
There is plenty of oil to drill. Known reserves offshore, in Alaska, the Bakken fields of North Dakota and Montana, and elsewhere can meet the energy demand for at least 100 years. But Pelosi and her colleagues don't want this oil produced. Pelosi says that it will take 10 years for this new oil supply to reach the pump, and then, it would reduce the price by only 2 cents per gallon. This price projection is pure fiction.
As an alternative, she says the president should release 70 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserves, which would provide immediate price relief. Is this silly, stupid, or just more of Pelosi's political doublespeak? This alternative would supply less than four days of the U.S. demand, which would not likely even be noticed at the
pump. It would do nothing to solve the underlying problem of too little supply.
Pelosi, like Al Gore, wants to end America's reliance on oil and switch to new, exotic, yet-to-be-developed energy sources such as wind, solar, hydrogen and, in particular, electric cars. America has been investing heavily in research in all these areas for years. Some significant progress has been made. No one in their right mind – which includes Al Gore – can think this new technology can be available within the next 10 years, with enough distribution to make hydrogen filling stations and recharging for electric cars viable options. It is certain, however, that by developing known oil reserves, the U.S. energy demand can be met in 10 years, or less.
There is a big disconnect between the rush to convert automobiles to batteries and the reality that the electricity to recharge those batteries would require a massive new generating capacity. The same flawed excuse of "protecting the environment" has also blocked the expansion of electricity generating capacity. If the self-appointed gods of environmental protection won't allow the expansion of electricity generation, how are the batteries of all these new electric vehicles going to be recharged every night?

By her refusal even to allow debate on proposals to expand oil development – where oil is known to exist – she stands like a barricade between thirsty consumers and a new mountain stream. She apparently sees herself as a self-appointed savior; she is, in truth, acting as judge and jury, condemning a nation desperate for more energy to spiraling energy costs for possibly another generation.

This is not a new posture for Democrat leadership. Democrats in the House, the Senate and the White House have blocked expansion of oil supplies for more than a decade. Had Bill Clinton not vetoed the bill that would have opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge more than a decade ago, gas prices would not be as high as they are today. Millions of jobs would have been created, and every American could have saved the money needlessly paid to foreign sources for oil, simply because one man played God and defied the express will of the people.

DRILL HERE DRILL NOW STOP SCREWING WITH OUR MONEY

you greedy, manipulative, coniving, heartless, calculating, Marxist (rhymes with witch).

BTW, THE SURGE WORKED you stupid cow.

Cross posted at The Talon.

The Last Word (Hopefully) on the Messiah World Tour

Blackfive has a follow-up to the messiah blew off the troops story. Seems the AP, and the Army Times, in an attempt to quash the rumours and discredit the email, tried to convince the sheeple that the chosen one actually did visit troops at Bagram Airbase, by using the same photograph it took at Kuwait.
Did they really think someone wouldn't notice? Do they really think EVERYONE is stupid?

More on the Wanat Ambush

Jeff Emanuel has a bit of insight you should check out.
The title link will take you to my post on the lazy media, the Tankerbabe link will take you to the article.

HUGE H/T to my buddy Tankerbabe for posting this.

"A multi-pronged militant assault on a small, remote U.S. base killed nine American soldiers Sunday in one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. troops since the 2001 invasion," crowed the Associated Press. "Militants fired machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars from homes and a mosque in the village of Wanat in the northeastern province of Kunar, a mountainous region that borders Pakistan."

Three days before the attack, 45 U.S. paratroopers from the 173d Airborne, accompanied by 25 Afghan soldiers, made their way to Kunar Province, a remote area in the northeastern Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, and established the beginnings of a small Combat Outpost (COP). Their movement into the area was noticed, and their tiny numbers and incomplete fortifications were quickly taken advantage of.

A combined force of up to 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters quickly moved into the nearby village of Wanat and prepared for their assault by evicting unallied residents and according to an anonymous senior Afghan defense ministry official, "us[ing] their houses to attack us."Extremist activity is clearly thriving in Kunar, as Sunday morning's assault on the tiny, unfinished Combat Outpost demonstrated.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from that encounter, though, is the one that the mainstream media couldn't be bothered to pay attention long enough to learn: that, not for the first time, a contingent of American soldiers that was outnumbered by up to a twenty-to-one ratio soundly and completely repulsed a complex, pre-planned assault by those dedicated enough to their cause to kill themselves in its
pursuit.

That kind of heroism and against-all-odds success is and has been a hallmark of America's fighting men and women, and it is one that is worthy of all attention we can possibly give it.

Motherlode in Virginia

The US needs energy.
We keep getting told that coal and oil cause "greenhouse" gases and the world will come to an end if we continue to use them.
Wind and Solar energy ARE NOT enough.
Hmmmm, since the James won't be dammed anytime soon, that leaves nuclear energy as our only feasible alternative.
Oh, wait, we have to import uranium from Canada and Australia. And our dear friends in the Russian Federation. So, yet again we're stuck with foreign suppliers........what, we don't have to import uranium? We have uranium in Virginia? Ooohhh, we can't mine it. We can process it into nuclear fuel in Virginia, but, we can mine it.....yeah, that makes sense.

Max Shulz in the Wall St. Journal sheds some light on the situation...

In Pittsylvania County, just north of the North Carolina border, the largest undeveloped uranium deposit in the United States -- and the seventh largest in the world,...
(Now that's a glowing report.)

Virginia is one of just four states that ban uranium mining. The ban was put in place in 1984, to calm fears that had been sparked by the partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor on Three Mile Island outside of Harrisburg, Pa. in 1979. (That makes sense, we still process it and have plants, but we can't mine the ore that CAN'T melt down...)

Since Virginia is already a nuclear-friendly state that properly manages the risks of nuclear power, what sense does it make for the state to ban the safest step in the nuclear fuel cycle?

Gov. Kaine supports allowing the National Academy of Sciences to determine whether mining could be done safely....

While there are legitimate concerns about any sort of mining, whether it be uranium, coal, or gold, proper studies should be conducted. There are other uranium mines in the US. Horrible, cataclysmic pollution and degradation WOULD be in the news. Proper procedures, of course would be enforced, if only by those living in the vicinity of a mine.

Or do you want our energy policies to continue to be run by people like this:
"There will be a dead zone within a 30 mile radius of the mine," he says with a courtly drawl. "Nothing will grow. Animals will die. The radiation genetically alters tissue. Animals will not be able to reproduce. We'll see malformed fetuses." Mr. Dunavant doesn't believe the governor has an open mind on the issue. He calls Mr. Kaine, "our 'supposed green' governor" and says that the "only thing green about him is his love of money." Coles Hill "is all about greed," he says. "It's criminal activity as far as I'm concerned."

More on Snopes

My friend Chris at Modern Conservative has a post up with more on the left bias of Snopes. He provides some good links and research.
Check it out.

Yep, Thats Right I'm Going

You will notice a new graphic to the left. Thats right, I'll be there.
The construction gods have smiled upon me and graced me with the opportunity to not only attend the Expo, but also make it three in a row for the Milblog Conference.

Of course, with all good things comes the pay back. The construction gods are harsh and demanding. If I could find a virgin, it would be easy. Unfortunately, none have stepped forward, so I am forced to be in Cibola for the entire week prior to the conference, attending a grueling seminar culminating with a 9 hour exam on Saturday the 2oth, which, if I pass, will insure my future in the field of building construction technology and making life miserable for contractors. It will insure my continued success in obtaining raises as my firm increases my bill time rate.
Is this a great country or what?

I'll be live-blogging beginning some time on Saturday the 20th of September, depending on how long it takes me to ace the exam. Of course there is the requisite pre-milblog conference cocktail party on Friday night where some of the finest milbloggers in the known universe get together and tell each other the most extraordinary tales while consuming large amounts of golden liquids.
That part will remain a secret.
It is Cibola after all.
What happens in Cibola, stays in Cibola.

**UPDATE**A New Morning Routine**UPDATE**

Last night, (Friday 25 July) over the course of several hours, I had email exchanges with various members of the milblog community, including Matt Burden of Blackfive, regarding the original email.
The content, or subject matter, of the email is one Army officer's view of the events of the day.
True or not, the email itself is genuine and was sent by a member of the military.

Snopes has it listed as false, based on their investigations. However there is a final entry on the Snopes page that should be noted.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/afghanistan.asp

Reading the Snopes page would leave one with the impression that the email is false, but the last few paragraphs on Snopes are the enigma.

The author of the email was contacted by Snopes.
He responded and asked that the email be removed because it was intended only for his family. (Good luck with that)

Based on that, the email itself is real.
It is the CONTENT of the email that Snopes is listing as false, not the fact that the email was sent.

When the text of the email was posted on Blackfive, Matt had removed all identifying references, including the Army officer's name, out of respect for his privacy.

When the email itself began its journey through the MAIL system, the person who forwarded it did not give the Army officer the same courtesy.

Here’s a tip for future events of this nature:
REMOVE ALL REFERENCES TO IDENTITY.
We owe the members of our military at least that much and it will hinder Snopes investigations which will result in them being unable to give a definite true or false.
(Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen.)

I will respectfully ask that you backtrack and send this back up the line to your respective email loops.

S/F
**UPDATE ENDS**

Most of you know I spend my day in a pickup truck monitoring construction procedures at a power plant somewhere in central VA. I have my laptop, wireless card, a few books and the FM radio.

I am usually listening to country music, cause I love country music. However, with the current political climate, I have been scanning the dial for alternatives to the usual fare, until Glenn Beck comes on, and then Rush.

Yesterday, I hit the seek button and found 93.1 The Wolf, a country music station I had not heard before. The song playing was one of my favorites, "I Don't Even Know My Last Name" so I left it there and listened.

The song finished and over the airwaves came the voices of two of the most Southern individuals I have ever heard, besides my friend Tankerbabe.

The morning show on 93.1 is called Rick and Bubba. They are AWESOME. It's morning FM conservative talk radio. No games, no yuck it up, just straight talk from two Americans who absolutely get it, interspersed with great country music.

Today, imagine my surprise as I listened to these two fine individuals interview one of the smartest men in the country, none other than Dr Walter E Williams, Proffessor of Economics at George Mason University. It was great.

Then, in between doing some work stuff, I happened to hear Rick and Bubba talking about this piece of internet lore and wondering if it was genuine. Since it was posted on Blackfive by someone I know personally, I immediately called the show, spoke to a very nice young lady and encouraged her to visit Blackfive and verify the authenticity. I then sent them the link to that post and also this post, which is another report on the messiah's visit to our brave military fighting the War on Terror.

I offered to provide any information they needed to verify to their listeners that the stories are indeed actual emails from deployed military.

Since any information on the internet is susupect, any time you know for a fact that the story is true, every attempt should be made to spread the accurate information, with as much diligence as we provide to discounting stories that are not true.

Another 1st Person Report on the Messiah World Tour

From Blackfive
Last paragraph of the email posted by Blackfive. (Fixed the link and added a few more paragraph from the original email)

This oped is of course subjective and limited, but I will try to present the facts as I saw them. I wasn't able to see much, which makes a point all by itself.

When his plane arrived (also containing Senators Reed and Hagel, but the news has hardly mentioned them), there was a "ramp freeze." This means if you are on the flight line, and not directly involved with the event in question, you stay where you are and don't move. For a combat flight arriving or departing, this takes about ten minutes, and involves the active runway and crossing taxiways only. For Obama's flight, this took 90 minutes, during which time a variety of military missions came grinding to a halt. Obviously, this visit was important, right?

95% of base wanted nothing to do with him. I have met three troops who support him, and literally hundreds who regard him as a buffoon, a charlatan, a hindrance to their mission or a flat out enemy of progress. Even when the rumors were publicly admitted, almost no one left their duty sections to try to see him, unless they were officers whose presence was officially required.

Mister Obama's motorcade drove up from the flight line and entered the dining hall toward the end of lunch time. Diners were chased out and told to make other arrangements for food, in the middle of the duty day.

Obama clearly doesn't care about the troops, doesn't care about America, doesn't care about anything except hearing his own voice and the chance to sit at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue…From where he'll bring us the proven Democratic wartime leadership of Bosnia and the Balkans (US forces still there), Somalia (US forces prevailed despite being ill equipped by executive order, and taking heavy casualties), Haiti (what were we doing there again?), Desert One (oops?), Vietnam (where we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory), Korea (still there), WWI, and the fluke success of WWII won by such wonderful liberal notions as concentration camps for Japanese Americans, nukes, FBI investigations of waitresses who dated soldiers in case they were "morally corrupt" and the (valid) occupation of and continued presence in Italy, Japan and Germany for 60 years, which they are conveniently pretending won't happen with Iraq.
That's not "change." That's "failure we can do without."

First it was a congressional delegation, then it was a campaign tour. He ignored the soldiers, airmen and Marines. As a sitting US Senator he has a moral obligation to at least attempt to find and visit with soldiers from his state, especially if they have been wounded.

Elect this empty suit elitist with socialist ideals and zero experience (and if vote 3rd party, you will elect him) and you can kiss America good-bye.

Lazy Media Gets It Wrong

July 21, 2008:

American troops in Afghanistan are not happy with how a July 13th battle with the Taliban was reported. In that action, some 200 Taliban attacked a U.S. "base" and killed or wounded more than half the 50 or so U.S. and Afghan troops found there. Actual U.S. casualties were nine dead and fifteen wounded (including walking wounded).
U.S. troops were irked that, once again, the mass media got lazy and didn't bother to report the action accurately. For one thing, there was no "base". What the Taliban attacked was a temporary parking area for vehicles used to conduct patrols of the area. These are set up regularly, and have been used for years. These are secure areas, but basically a parking lot surrounded by barbed wire and several sandbagged observation posts.
This one was set a few days before the attack, and was due to be taken down soon, as the patrol activity moved to another area. Such defensive precautions are taken any time U.S. troops stop for more than a few hours. That's a tactic pioneered by the Romans over two thousand years ago. In this case, it paid off. The Taliban infiltrated several hundred fighters into a nearby village, and opened fire from homes, businesses and a mosque. The U.S. and Afghan troops called in air support and kept fighting until the Taliban fled, taking most of their dead and wounded with them.

The troops are angry because, while the Taliban got lucky (such attacks are rare), the enemy did not succeed in taking the U.S. position, and fled the battlefield after suffering heavier casualties. The U.S. troops are much better shots, and know they killed far more of the Taliban. Moreover, they saw smart bombs and missiles hitting buildings that Taliban were firing from. From long experience, they know that people inside bombed buildings rarely survive the explosion. Finally, the troops involved were from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and paratroopers do not like anyone implying they were beaten at anything.

Especially because, in this case, they weren't.

I have met members of Chosen Company 2-503. Drank beer with them; broke bread with them. They deserve better than this. They would not "abandon" anything, and they will fight to the last man if that is what it took. The 173DABN has a storied history. They are the best of the best. I have a friend who was on Guam when this unit was reformed in 1963. He regaled us with stories of troopers, "temporarily assigned" to the stockade, who would jump a 12 foot fence and laugh at the guards. He recounted an incident of one trooper who refused to report a broken ankle because he would have missed a jump. "I'll land on my good foot" is what was reported to have been said.
These men are "b-b-b-b-bad to the bone" in a GOOD WAY. Dedicated, insanely patriotic and loyal.

So What Kind of Change Can We Expect?

Family Security Matters

How would Barack Hussein Obama govern if elected to the presidency? With less than one term as a U.S. senator, and with most of that time having been spent running for president, it’s a little hard to say but there are certainly some good indicators. There is no question that Obama is very liberal (the most liberal U.S. senator, based on a National Journal vote ranking). With a voting record in line with folks like John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer et al, an Obama presidency would certainly mean more government “solutions” to our problems. We already have plenty of that now, so the only “change” would be more of the same – except in greater quantities.

What about defending our borders? Millions of illegal aliens are now in this country draining our resources, closing down hospitals that can no longer afford to provide them free treatment, demanding we learn Spanish rather than they learning English, depositing “anchor babies” on our soil who immediately become citizens and “entitled” to gobs of goodies at taxpayer expense. The Bush Administration has done nothing to impede the flow, and it is quite evident Obama – “the agent of change” – will do nothing either. Obama actually agrees with the illegals by the way, and thinks your children should learn Spanish. Sounds like more of the same, only pushed absurdly even further.

What about increasing oil supplies? We could start lifting these restrictions on drilling for our own oil and building refineries, and the price of oil would go down. It has the added benefit of decreasing our dependence on the Middle East. For years, our own government has kept us dependent on OPEC, rather than looking for ways to become self-reliant. Barack Obama is opposed to drilling offshore or in ANWR. Change? Sounds like more of the same to me…

What about out of control judges who legislate from the bench? Courts packed with liberal judges have been pushing liberal causes down our throats for some time now. What types of judges would Obama appoint? He has spoken glowing words of praise for Stephen G. Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David H. Souter. Not exactly my idea of strict constructionists who follow the intent of the constitution. With more of these types being added to federal courts that are already chock full of liberals, we’d be getting, yes – more of the same.

Marines of Lima Co Have New Digs

Fearless 1st Update

FALLUJAH, Iraq (July 20, 2008) – After roughly four weeks, the Marines of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines have a new housing compound at Entry Control Point-5 (ECP-5), a post where Marines and Iraqi Police control traffic and safeguard entrants into the city of Fallujah, after a fire destroyed it June 25.
Marines worked alongside the Fallujah Fire Department to subdue the fire.
While no one was injured, the fire destroyed several wooden buildings and much of the Marines’ personal possessions and military equipment.
After the incident, the company received overwhelming support from neighboring units, Iraqi local nationals and stateside supporters.
1st Lt. Travis Bowden, executive officer of the company, said the company received such an outpouring of support that the fire feels like it came in the form of a mixed blessing.
“Even though it’s unfortunate that the Marines lost a lot of things, it turned out for the better in the long run,” Bowden said. “We have new buildings and it gives the Marines a fresh start.”

Somerset PA Saturday 2 August 2008 1000 Hours

Michelle has given me an opening to start blogging this event. Of course, Micelle's column is about LtCol Bill Russell, candidate for the 12th District of Pennsylvania, but since Somerset is in the 12th, the segue works.
On Saturday 2 August, at 1000 hours in Somerset PA, a hearing will held on the proposed design of the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA. We are encouraging all Americans who oppose the design as submitted to be in Somerset on 2 August to lend support to Alec Rawls in his effort to eliminate all aspects of Islam and muslim symbology from the proposed design.
If you watch the video I have linked above, you will see the current Flight 93 Memorial as it was in 2006. This memorial is being built by freedom loving people who understand the heroic efforts made by the passengers on Flight 93 that bright September morning.
No matter where you were, or what you were doing during those three hours, the events of that day affected you. Nothing since has been the same. To even consider a design that looks remotely like it contains islamic symbols is spitting on the memory of the 41 ordinary Americans who became extraordinary heroes in the space of hours. Faced with the certainty of their own death, they acted to save the lives of tens of thousands of Americans.
Their memory should be preserved with a design befitting their sacrifice.

So, you want to buy a gun......

If you've been keeping up with the news, you would have noticed that gun ownership is becoming more popular.

If you are planning to purchase a weapon, either a handgun, shotgun, or rifle, please visit the Armed Liberal at Winds of Change. He has some great advice and links.
I hope he doesn't mind, but, I'm repeating his links to Bayou Renaissance Man.

I cannot emphasize enough that you visit Bayou Renaissance Man and read his very informative articles.

The Danger Of relying On 911
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Reader Questions on Firearms & Recoil

Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.......

The Left is SO blind to its own anti-US bigotry

Lanny Davis - Friend of Bill and Hillary
Lanny Davis - Staunch Leftist
Lanny Davis - Iraq Campaign Supporter

What?

That's right. Lanny Davis admits that he may have been wrong about the Iraq campaign and the fight for freedom in that country.

I remember the exact moment I had my first serious doubts about whether I was 100 percent right that the U.S. pre-emptive invasion of Iraq and the take-out of Saddam Hussein was a serious mistake.

He had believed that our containment and inspections were enough, even granting GWB the credit. He had believed, as do some conservatives, that war, and all of its expense in lives and treasure, was not worth it. He had believed that Iraqis were different....

I saw on TV in early 2005, in their first preliminary democraticelections, long lines of Iraqis waiting to vote under the hot desert sun with bombs and shrapnel exploding around them. Waiting to vote!

And then there was that indelible image - an older woman shrouded in a carpetlike cape, smiling gleefully and holding her purple finger in the air for the TV cameras, purple with ink showing that she had voted.

Smiling! In the middle of war! At U.S. troops standing nearby!

That last thought, however, shows that, the left has great trouble in believing the idea that the American military is a force for good and that our forces ARE liberators, not occupiers. The name of the operation, Iraqi Freedom, was not chosen for hyperbole.

He continues:
Is it possible, I wondered, that Iraqis truly did want democracy and freedom and the right to vote and government of the people, just as we Americans do? And were willing to fight for it, with our help?

Wouldn't that be a good thing? Even a great thing?

Maybe another democracy, however imperfect, other than Israel in the Middle East could lead to more moderation, possibly other democracies? Democracies that could serve as bulwarks against al Qaeda-type of terrorist states?

Sounds like a VERY LIBERAL idea to me. To paraphrase the blogger, Armed Liberal,"When the idea of opposing theocratic terrorism stop being a liberal idea?

And then in early 2007 came the surge, which so many of us in the antiwar left of the Democratic Party predicted would be a failure, throwing good men and women and billions of dollars after futility. We were wrong.

Surely we owe the al-Maliki government and the Shi'ite and Sunni soldiers who put their lives on the line against Shi'ite and Sunni extremists and terrorists at our behest some continuing presence and support and patience as they strive to find peace, political reconciliation - and maybe even the beginnings of a stable democracy.

I just know I can't get out of my mind that lady with the purple finger held up, smiling into the camera. If getting in was a mistake, then getting out - how and when - is not so simple as long as there is hope that she can someday live in a democratic Iraq that can help America in the war against terrorism.

Welcome to the real world, Mr. Davis.

HE Won't Say Win

The Chosen One is in Iraq on a "fact-finding" election campaign. Lets face it, this is a campagin tour. No one with any sense doubts that for a moment. You have fawning MSM anchors practically kissing the ground and Katie Couric ready to climax over this wet-behind the ears socialist who has ZERO foreign policy and military experience.

He keeps saying we need to end the war. Not WIN the war, END the war. So what is his problem? Is victory such a bad thing? Has some playground incident in his past jaded him against winning? We all know the politically correct crowd on the left has problems with competitive sports. They've succeeded in banning dodge ball, t-ball, and spelling bees, because someone has to win and someone has to lose, and we all know thats bad for self-esteem. Teachers can no longer use red ink to mark wrong answers on tests or grade term papers. God forbid they tell a student to re-write a sentence that doesn't make any sense.

If the messiah is so dead set against giving the Iraqis the same chance for self-determination we have, then why not just say so? That would be a refreshing change.

It's OK to win. It really is. No seriously. The men and women doing the work in Iraq and Afghanistan, taking the rounds, enduring the heat, the seperation from family, would certainly benefit from being told they are winners, because, when it all comes down to where the metal meets the meat, they are winners.
Every one of them.

Couple of Things

First, Headquarters Marine Corps has issued a statement regarding the HBO mini-series Generation Kill. It states:

From: Acting Director, Division of Public Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps
The recent airing of the first episode of HBO's "Generation Kill" has generated numerous inquiries regarding Marine Corps support of the series. The Marine Corps did not provide any official support to the filmmakers. The series is based on the book by the same title by Evan Wright, a former Rolling Stone magazine reporter who was embedded with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While there are certainly aspects of the film that are accurate, it is at its
heart a commercial production. It's raw and has elements that are very much out of synch with the core values our nation rightly expects of its Marines. Viewed as a whole, in my estimation, it does not accurately portray the honor and professionalism of our Corps of Marines.

Semper Fidelis,
Major David Romley
Director, Community Relations Headquarters,
U.S. Marine Corps

There are some comments at my vox site from someone who has seen the first two episodes.

Second, my friend Matt over at Wolking's World sent me a video today. It was shot in Santa Barbara California back in March, while we were in DC holding the IVAW to a higher standard in their Winter Soldier II hearings. You will not like it. You can view it here or here. Moonbats being stupid.

Third, I got a phone call today from one of my favorite columnists. I was surprised to say the least. She only calls to taunt me with her intelligence and incredible good looks. She refuses to leave her husband and run away with me. Go figure. Anyway, she has a column coming out Tuesday at Human Events regarding the naming of the high school in Texas for EllTee Vandegrift. I know it will be great.

I know I said a couple of things, but this will most likely, probably, in all likelyhood, I hope be the last one:
Kos lied and a rabbit died. See the post for the context. Someone was upset.
Obamamessiah's birth certificate has been proven to be a forgery thanks to some hard work by some dedicated people. Pam Geller at Atlas Shrugs has a post up. It's long, technical and full of graphics, but the bottom line is, the birth certificate posted by the krazies at Kos is a forgery or a fake. In either case, it's not genuine. Now we just need to figure out why. Hmm why would a lunatic left wing extremist website post a birth certificate of a candidate for President knowing it was a forgery?

The Price of Gasoline Is Not High Enough

The dhimmis think the price of gasoline is not high enough, so they want to add a 10 cents per gallon tax on top of what we're already paying.
WTF are you thinking?
You really think this is going to help? Millions of people have to drive in order to perform their jobs. There is no way all of us can ride bicycles or take the bus or drive those little hybrids. It's just not practical. Adding more to the price of gasoline will simply add more to the price of everything else, and force some of the little guys, the ones who drive pick-ups with lawnmowers and toolboxes, out of business. If thats what you want, then all your platitudes about caring about the little people is just bullshit.
The little people, the ones you claim to care about, are the ones who keep this economy going, and you have, at every opportunity, worked to make life harder and more expensive. You want a revolution? You want us marching in the streets of DC with pitchforks and torches? Raise the price of gasoline with a tax increase.
John McCain needs to be pounding the dhimmis with this. Like John Henry with his hammer, McCain needs to be hitting these asshats daily, hourly.
I work at a coal fired power plant. The plant is a clean facility. One of the first in the country. It works.
Senator McCain, I cordially invite you to visit this plant, explain to the American people that you truly care about us and America's energy independence and economic security, and stuff it in Dingy Harry's face. If you don't, you're not worthy of holding the office of President.

The Media Still Lies When It Suits Their Agenda

Ignore The Media: Al-Maliki Did Not Embrace Obama's Withdrawal Plan
Patrick Casey
It's an established fact that the drive-by media is supporting Barack Obama's candidacy this election cycle (just ask previous media fave Hillary Clinton). But in the last few weeks, as Obama attempts to redefine himself before the voting masses begin to pay attention in September, the media has gone from being merely biased to advancing false propaganda on behalf of the Obama campaign.
The latest incident has to do with the apparently fictional article published in yesterday's Der Spiegel magazine in Germany: Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans. The piece, released to coincide with Obama's trip to Iraq, purported to 'quote' Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as saying that he supported Barack Obama's plan to withdraw troops from Iraq within 16 months after Obama assumes office. In addition, al-Maliki was 'quoted' as saying that he "apparently" opposed John McCain's "open ended" Iraq policy. The article goes on to claim that al-Maliki complained about President Bush's reluctance to agree to a withdrawal timeline, and also points out that the comments allegedly said by al-Maliki come immediately after the two countries released a statement Friday agreeing on a "general time-horizon" for removing troops from Iraq - thus suggesting that even the Bush Administration has seen the error of its ways and is beginning to see the world through Obama's majestic eyes.
As soon as the Der Spiegel article hit our shores, it was the top news story on all the news outlets. This morning, predictably, reports on the article made it onto the front pages of newspapers around the country: New York Times - Maliki Backs Obama's Troop Withdrawal Plan, Chicago Tribune - Maliki backs Obama troop pullout plan, Los Angeles Times - Iraq President Maliki embraces Obama withdrawal plan. Notice anything similar about the headlines, although all of the articles are by different reporters?
Then something remarkable happened. The Iraqi government came out Sunday morning, after the Sunday newspapers were printed and delivered, and issued a statement of their own announcing that the Der Spiegel article and its allegations about statements made by the Iraqi Prime Minister were false. Not that it matters much - in general, American news consumers remember the first, original news accounts, especially those concerning a story as topical as this. Unless readers are intimately involved in the subject matter, most such news consumers aren't even aware of subsequent corrections to a false story, unless the media gives those corrections as wide a play as the original report. With something like this, where the original story was so obviously beneficial to Barack Obama, this entire affair will probably vanish by Monday morning.
This incident is virtually a duplicate of another that happened a little more than a week ago, after the drive-by media breathlessly reported that the Iraqi Prime Minister was demanding that any bilateral security agreement between Iraq and the United States include a firm date for withdrawal: NPR - Al-Maliki Demands Timetable For Iraq Withdrawal. The only problem with that story was that it was false, as well. The BBC's Baghdad bureau reported that when they listened to their recording of what al-Maliki actually said, they discovered that he never mentioned withdrawal at all - and that all subsequent reports in the Western media were based on a "mistranslation".
The drive-by media in the United States didn't think that such a mistake on their part was worth a correction - they just ignored the new development from the BBC calling their original reporting (and methods of verification) into question. The equation for the drive-by media was simple. Original story = benefit for Obama. Correction = benefit for McCain (and President Bush). Therefore, no widespread dispersal of a correction is warranted.
Even though the domestic media didn't correct their accounts on the al-Maliki withdrawal mistranslation, as the primary correction of the story was put out by the liberal BBC, I'm certain that American journalists were well aware of it. With that in mind, I'm stunned that the US media wasn't more careful about going with yesterday's reports of the de facto endorsement of Obama (or at least of his plans) by the Iraqi Prime Minister. Two simple and basic facts should have given the media ample reason to pause - first, that there was a translation error less than two weeks earlier, and second, the fact that Der Spiegel, a virulently anti-Bush and anti-Iraq War publication, didn't link to or provide either a transcript of the interview with al-Maliki or - taking into consideration how the original "mistranslation" was discovered - a recording of the interview. At the very least, other media outlets should have verified the substance of the report with the Iraqi Prime Minister or his office before going with the story at the top of the news. The media, however, saw this story as a perfect accompaniment to Barack Obama's Middle East Victory Tour - so they went with it before checking it out, again.
It appears as if another reliably liberal media outlet, CNN, was the first to report on the problems with the Der Spiegel article: Iraqi PM disputes report on withdrawal plan. Ironically, that should lend credibility to the correction, since Obama supporters and the left will not be able to claim that this latest "mistranslation" incident is another right-wing plot by Fox News:
A German magazine quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as saying that he backed a proposal by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months...But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush.
Surprisingly, CNN does not acknowledge that this is the second serious problem with a mistranslation of remarks made by the Iraqi Prime Minister appearing in the Western media over the past few weeks. But as both mistranslations obviously benefited Barack Obama and his campaign, perhaps CNN doesn't really want to point that out at this time.
For the record, here is an excerpt from the official statement from the White House, released jointly by Iraq and the United States on Friday, concerning points in the bilateral security agreement between the countries that have already been settled:
In the context of these improving political, economic, and security conditions, the President and the Prime Minister discussed the ongoing negotiations to establish a normalized bilateral relationship between Iraq and the United States. The leaders agreed on a common way forward to conclude these negotiations as soon as possible, and noted in particular the progress made toward completing a broad strategic framework agreement that will build on the Declaration of Principles signed last November, and include areas of cooperation across many fields, including economics, diplomacy, health, culture, education, and security.
In the area of security cooperation, the President and the Prime Minister agreed that improving conditions should allow for the agreements now under negotiation to include a general time horizon for meeting aspirational goals -- such as the resumption of Iraqi security control in their cities and provinces and the further reduction of U.S. combat forces from Iraq. The President and Prime Minister agreed that the goals would be based on continued improving conditions on the ground and not an arbitrary date for withdrawal. The two leaders welcomed in this regard the return of the final surge brigade to the United States this month, and the ongoing transition from a primary combat role for U.S. forces to an overwatch role, which focuses on training and advising Iraqi forces, and conducting counter-terror operations in support of those forces.
This transition and the subsequent reduction in U.S. forces from Iraq is a testament to the improving capacity of Iraq's Security Forces and the success of joint operations that were initiated under the new strategy put in place by the President and the Prime Minister in January 2007.
Pay careful attention to the highlighted sentence above. The drive-by media also attempted to claim (before the Der Spiegel story hit the wires yesterday) that since Friday's official White House statement included the words "time horizon", it meant that President Bush had flip-flopped on his long-term position on troop withdrawals from Iraq. Obviously, the subsequent line destroys that line of reasoning by the media. The position of both President Bush and Senator John McCain has remained the same throughout this entire war. Reduction of our troop presence, including that of combat troops, is predicated on the improving security situation on the ground. And Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki agrees with that, no matter what propaganda the media distributes suggesting otherwise.
In fact, we've always had "time horizons" in Iraq - we just completed one involving thedrawdown of the surge forces that was originally planned and shown to Congress (in an easy-to-read slide format!) by General Petraeus back on September 11th, 2007. We were able to complete that drawdown within the "time horizon" plan from ten months ago because the security conditions on the ground created by our new strategy - a strategy promoted by President Bush and Senator McCain but opposed by Senator Obama - permitted it. If the security situation hadn't improved, the drawdown would not have been completed as planned, as it just was.
The media should be ashamed of itself. They won't be.

What HAS Obama Done?

Found this on Modern Conservative.
Chris really does a great job finding good stuff. You should make it a daily read.
Charles Krauthammer wrote this on Friday.

Americans are beginning to notice Obama's elevated opinion of himself.
There's nothing new about narcissism in politics. Every senator looks in the mirror and sees a president. Nonetheless, has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?
Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted "present" nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself.
It is a subject upon which he can dilate effortlessly. In his victory speech upon winning the nomination, Obama declared it a great turning point in history -- "generations from now we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment" -- when, among other wonders, "the rise of the oceans began to slow." As Hudson Institute economist Irwin Stelzer noted in his London Daily Telegraph column, "Moses made the waters recede, but he had help." Obama apparently works alone.
Obama may think he's King Canute, but the good king ordered the tides to halt precisely to refute sycophantic aides who suggested that he had such power. Obama has no such modesty.
After all, in the words of his own slogan, "we are the ones we've been waiting for," which, translating the royal "we," means: " I am the one we've been waiting for." Amazingly, he had a quasi-presidential seal with its own Latin inscription affixed to his lectern, until general ridicule -- it was pointed out that he was not yet president -- induced him to take it down.
He lectures us that instead of worrying about immigrants learning English, "you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish" -- a language Obama does not speak. He further admonishes us on how "embarrassing" it is that Europeans are multilingual but "we go over to Europe, and all we can say is 'merci beaucoup.' " Obama speaks no French. His fluent English does, however, feature many such admonitions, instructions and improvements. His wife assures us that President Obama will be a stern taskmaster: Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism . . . that you come out of your isolation. . . . Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed."

For the first few months of the campaign, the question about Obama was: Who is he? The question now is: Who does he think he is?
We are getting to know. Redeemer of our uninvolved, uninformed lives. Lord of the seas. And more. As he said on victory night, his rise marks the moment when "our planet began to heal." As I recall -- I'm no expert on this -- Jesus practiced his healing just on the sick. Obama operates on a larger canvas.

The Obama Youth Movement Update

My bud Snooper has some updated info on this monstrous tax liability proposed by the messiah.

Good links at the bottom of the post.

[...] The entire plan is breathtaking in its scope. But it does not, as at least one internet writer has suggested, portend a "giant police force." It would be easier to rebut if it did. As it is, it's silly stuff born of naively fanciful dreams.

Senator Obama aims to tap into the already active volunteerism of millions of Americans and recruit them to become cogs in a gigantic government machine grinding out his social re-engineering agenda. It's Orwellian-like, with a novice social activist's mentality at the helm. ...
[...]

To me, these two paragraphs contradict. It may be my imagination running away with myself but I don't think so. The "silly stuff born of naively fanciful dreams" in one paragraph followed by "It's Orwellian-like, with a novice social activist's mentality at the helm" statement is a portent in and of itself.

Either way, whether it be a Civilian National Security Force equipped, just as powerful, just as strong and just as well funded as the United States Armed Forces or a gigantic play-pen for young people, the tax burden will be astronomical in scope. Both scenarios should be bringing down the roofs across America with a hearty "WHAT THE HELL IS HE TALKING ABOUT NOW!" sentiment.

"Please Don't Vote For A Democrat"

Also known as "The Republican Song"

H/T Theo Spark, again.

Check out the author, Mike Meehan

Instant Sniper - $9.95

The sad part is that some people think that it IS just that simple.

h/t Theo Spark

2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team

From Backfive via Stars & Stripes:
Soldiers recount deadly attack on Afghanistan outpost
By Steve Mraz, Stars and StripesMideast edition, Saturday, July 19, 2008

Everything was on fire. The trucks. The bazaar. The grass.
It looked surreal.
It looked like a movie.
That was what Spc. Tyler Stafford remembered thinking as he stepped onto the medical evacuation helicopter. The 23-year-old soldier would have been loaded onto the bird, but the poncho that was hastily employed as his stretcher broke. His body speckled with grenade and RPG shrapnel, the Vicenza, Italy, infantryman walked the last few feet to the waiting Black Hawk.
That was Sunday morning in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province. At a forward operating base — maybe as big as a football field — established just a few days prior.
Outnumbered but not outgunned, a platoon-plus element of soldiers with 2nd Platoon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team accompanied by Afghan soldiers engaged in a fistfight of a firefight.

Please, if you can, help us give these guys a good homecoming. Euphoric Reality has donation page.
Uncle Jimbo and Kev from Blackfive held a fundraiser last night. The free-fly is, well, nothing short of brilliant. (If you've never seen a UJ/Kev free-fly, you're not living to your fullest potential.)

Cross-posted at The Talon

Obama Calls For Civilian Secuity Force

Huh?!?!? Civilian Security Force? You mean like the Hitler Youth Movement? Waffen SS? Brown Shirts? Jack Boots?
Well, maybe. You be the judge. H/T CJ

World Net Daily is running this story.

The ful text of the speech and the actual speech is here.

Marines Doing Stuff

from the Fearless 1st Marine RCT 1

MUDIQ, Iraq (July 7, 2008) – The transition of authority in the al Anbar Province from Coalition forces to the Iraqi government is a priority in the province. However, this cannot be accomplished without the trust and support of the Iraqi people.

To strengthen their relationship with local Iraqis, Marines of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, conducted a combined medical engagement here July 6.

“The people need to see our presence – know we are here to help them,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew G. McDonald, a corpsman with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines. “Our support through (medicines), food, stickers, suckers and interaction with the children is very important.”

Female Marines were on hand to search Iraqi women and children in accordance with Muslim traditions.

“Having us there really fostered a positive image, showing the Iraqis that we care enough about them to (respect their traditions),” said Capt. Lisa M. O’Brien, the communications officer for Marine Wing Support Squadron 374. “We’ve seen at least 300 people today and without the girls here helping it would make it hard on not only the Marines, but the Iraqis as well.”

Attending her first CME, Lance Cpl. Amanda R. Carnagey, a 20-year-old Marine from Vancouver, Wash., said she was a little nervous before coming to the CME, but calmed down eventually and had fun interacting with the Iraqi people for the first time.

Yep, we definitely need to get all the troops out of Iraq cause we're most certainly losing. We can't win, the dhimmis said so, so just pull 'em all out and bring 'em home before we wind up winning this thing and making the dhimmi's look stupid.

Ooops, too late.

Why Our Government Sucks

From an email from Mrs. Cargosquid:

A Washington , DC , airport ticket agent offers some examples of why our country is in trouble!

1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)

2. I got a call from a candidate's staffer, who wanted to go to Cape Town . I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information. Then she interrupted me with, 'I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Cape Town is in Massachusetts .' Without trying to make her look stupid, I calmly explained, 'Cape Cod is in Massachusetts , Cape Town is in Africa ' Her response - click.

3. A senior Vermont Congressman called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. He replied, 'Don't lie to me. I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state!' (OMG)

4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife who asked, 'Is it possible to see England from Canada ?' I said, 'No.' She said, 'But they look so close on the map.' (OMG, again!)

5. An aide for a cabinet member once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas . When I pulled up the reservation, I noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas . When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car he said, 'I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.' (Aghhhh)

6. An Illinois Congresswoman called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 am and got to Chi cago at 8:33 am. I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.

7. A New York lawmaker called and asked, 'Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?' I said, 'No, why do you ask?' She replied, 'Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said 'FAT', and I'm overweight. I think that's very rude!' After putting her on hold for a minute while I looked into it (I was laughing) I came back and explained the city code for Fresno, CA is 'FAT' (Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage.

8. A Senator's aide called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, 'Would it be cheaper to fly to California , and then take the train to Hawaii ?'

9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman who asked, 'How do I know which plane to get on?' I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, 'I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.'

10. A lady Senator called and said, 'I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?' I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola , Fl. on a commuter plane. She said, 'Yeah, whatever, smarty!'

11. A senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed in order to fly to China . After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded him that he needed a visa. 'Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those.' I double checked and sure enough, his stay required a visa. When I told him this he said, 'Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Ex press!'

12. A New Mexico Congresswoman called to make reservations, 'I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York .' I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, 'Are you sure that's the name of the town?' 'Yes, what flights do you have?' replied the lady. After some searching, I came back with, 'I'm sorry, ma'am, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a Rhino anywhere.' The lady retorted, 'Oh, don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!' So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, 'You don't mean Buffalo , do you?' The reply? 'Whatever! I knew it was a big animal.'

Now you know why the Government is in the shape that it's in!

Senator McCain plays nice

Apparently Senator McCain crossed the aisle again.
Going where few Republican candidates visit, (primarily because gaining votes there is as likely as Obama getting my vote....) McCain visited the NAACP. And while Obama's camp was disparaging his military service and his age, McCain said nice things about Senator Obama......

I sure hope that Senator McCain gets rewarded by President Obama for the freaking endorsement.

Tell me again. Who's running as the Republican candidate?

VA Vets for Freedom Update

Today, Vets for Freedom is releasing our second TV ad in the “Four Months for Victory” campaign. The ad, “Some in Washington,” contrasts the thoughts of Washington lawmakers on the surge with the realities on the ground in Iraq. The ad will be running in Virginia, and is available here.

Yesterday, Sen. Barack Obama gave an address in Washington, DC on his plans for Iraq and Afghanistan. Here’s some excerpts:

· It has been 18 months since President Bush announced the surge. As I have said many times, our troops have performed brilliantly in lowering the level of violence. General Petraeus has used new tactics to protect the Iraqi population. We have talked directly to Sunni tribes that used to be hostile to America, and supported their fight against al Qaeda. Shiite militias have generally respected a cease-fire. Those are the facts, and all Americans welcome them.

· In the 18 months since the surge began, as I warned at the outset - Iraq's leaders have not made the political progress that was the purpose of the surge. They have not invested tens of billions of dollars in oil revenues to rebuild their country. They have not resolved their differences or shaped a new political compact.

Here’s what some of our local representatives had to say on the surge when President Bush announced it in 2007:

· “None of the previous surges in troop levels had any lasting effect on the war, and there is no credible reason to believe that this surge will be any different.” Floor Remarks of Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-3), on Feb. 16, 2007
· "The President's 'surge' proposal will only result in a surge in the number of U.S. soldiers injured or killed in Iraq. Rep. Jim Moran (VA-8), on Jan. 9, 2007
· “We need a new direction.” Sen. Jim Webb, in the Democratic response to President Bush’s 2007 State of the Union Address

We have that new direction. More importantly, it’s working.

This year alone, the Iraqi government has passed laws on de-Baathification and criminal amnesty, and defined the power structure between Iraq’s central government and the Iraqi provinces. The provincial powers law provided for provincial elections to be held this year or early next, allowing Iraqis to again set the course of their country democratically.

Since the surge began in 2007, the Iraqis have contributed more and more to their country’s reconstruction and security. Iraq’s budget in 2007-when the surge began-allocated $10 billion for reconstruction, an increase of 21% over the previous year’s budget. It also provided for $73 billion to be spent on security for the country. The 2008 budget has $11 billion budgeted for reconstruction and capital investment.

The point of our campaign is to get the facts out to the people of Virginia so that they are well informed on both the military and political progress being made daily by the Iraqi people, with the assistance of our brave men and women in uniform. With that in mind, I’m asking you to forward this email to ten of your friends and associates this week, and ask them to sign up to support our efforts in Virginia.

In the coming weeks, Virginia Vets for Freedom will hold our first organizational meetings in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. These meetings will allow you to learn more about Vets for Freedom, meet the state leadership, and learn more about our state strategy for the upcoming months. Also, look for similar updates each week in your email.

I look forward to working and meeting with all of you in the near future. Working together, we can make Virginia Vets for Freedom the loudest voice for victory in the Commonwealth!!

Coby Dillard
State Captain
VA Vets for Freedom

Honor A Fallen Marine

Friends,

A school district near Austin, TX wants to name a new high school there Vandegrift High School after a fallen Marine who graduated in 1999. He was killed in Iraq serving his country, and the local school board voted to name the new high school after him. This is a great gesture of appreciation. But unfortunately some lunatic leftists are protesting this decision. Please read the background below and contact the Leander ISD to let them know you support their decision, despite what a vocal, anti-American minority has to say.Call the school district at 512-434-5000. Fax a letter to them at 512-434-5398. Email them at governance.team@leanderisd.org





The Leander ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously at their June 19,2008 meeting to name LISD High School #5 "Lt. Matthew Vandegrift High School.

Unfortunately, a vocal minority is pressing to change the name away fromVandergrift to something else.

Lt. Matthew Ryan Vandegrift (USMC) - a Leander High School honorsgraduate(Class of 1999) and athlete - was killed in Iraq in April 2008. 1st Lt.Vandegrift grew up in the Steiner Ranch community, and graduated from TexasA&M with honors and a degree in international business, before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in August 2005. He was killed four days shortof his 28th birthday.

During the school naming process public comment was accepted and theVandergrift name was the top vote getter. Since the June 18th meetingmembers of the LISD Board of Trustees have been pelted with emails assailing their choice.

One such email reads in part, "Naming the school after someone who signed upto serve in an illegal war promotes the board's political pro-war message.If you are set on honoring a service person, honor a fallen fireman or policeman. For many of us who are, and have been from the beginning, against this war, this is not the message that we want to send to our kids. Both my sons will attend this school. Both of them will know that it was named after someone who willingly signed up to take part in an illegal war defending, mainly, business interests. While I feel terribly sorry for bothLt. Matthew Vandegrift and his family for their loss, I cannot agree with their actions".

Those of us who are veterans know that civilians set policy and our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines follow their orders and serve where they are told. To denigrate the memory of such honorable service and a life well led is shockingly sad. That is why I am calling on you to do three things.

1. Email the LISD at the address below and thank them for naming the new high School after Lieutenant Vandergrift governance.team@leanderisd.org

2. Contact your friends and associates and ask them to do the same.

3. Attend, and encourage attendance at the next LISD Board meeting and give public comment in favor of the Vandergrift honor. The meeting will start at 6:15 on Thursday July 17 at the Cedar Park High School Auditorium.

Citizen's comments are normally around 7PM. I am sure that those opposed to supporting our soldiers will be there en masse. There is a strong chance that the naming of the school will come up for reconsideration by the board. It is up to Americans like you to stand up and recognize the honor, courage and sacrifice of service members like Lieutenant Vandergrift. Lieutenant Vandergrift stood up for you.will you stand up for him?


To the members of the LISD Board:
I am writing to let you know that I whole-heartedly support your June 19th decision to name the new high school in the Leander ISD after fallen Marine Lieutenant Vandergrift. As a non-military but patriotic citizen, I appreciate your desire to dedicate a new high school to the memory of such an outstanding American serviceman. I have heard that you have received some criticism from some members of the community over this decision. Let this letter represent my vote of support for your decision and a confirmation that you have made the correct choice. Please do not back down from your decision based on the complaints of a few vocal people who would link Vandegriftʼs faithful service to his country to the political ideologues in Washington. Vandegriftʼs service and ultimate sacrifice transcends the current political debate and deserves this recognition.
God Bless America.

Joe American puts a challenge out to the candidates.

This is an OUTSTANDING video! My only regret is that McCain probably won't see this.
Well worth the 9 minutes of your time. Every politician should see this.

WE'RE #2! WE'RE # 2! WE'RE #2!

Just thought that I would pass this on....

CNBC's Top States for business:


1. Texas
2. Virginia
3. Utah

Full rankings can be found at the link above.

Say Anything had an interesting observation that the top 9 state are all red states. Hmmmm.....

Vets for Freedom

On July 9, 2008, Vets for Freedom (VFF) kicked off a nationwide campaign entitled “Four Months For Victory.” This grassroots effort, combined with a $1.5 million media buy, will remind Virginians of the importance of success in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the War on Terror as a whole.

VFF was founded two years ago by combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Today, our organization carries membership of 25,000 in all fifty states. The Virginia organization has 350 registered members, as well as countless supporters. We represent the courage, conviction and commitment of the thousands of service members in the Commonwealth, many of whom are still on the front lines working every day to complete their mission-defeating al-Qaeda and Iranian backed militias in Iraq, and helping to stand up a stable, democratic, and allied Iraqi government.

Our country’s strategic victory in Iraq is essential to our national security. A premature withdrawal will have severe consequences and endanger-if not completely end-the progress being made by the Iraqi government and military. Evidence of this progress is seen in the following facts:

§ Civilian casualties in Baghdad have decreased by 90% since June 2007
§ Overall attacks in Iraq have dropped by 70% since June 2007
§ The month of May 2008 marked an 86% decrease in American casualties as compared to May of 2007 - the lowest since 2003

We are not advocates for an indefinite military presence in Iraq. We know our brave servicemen and women will return home with the honor befitting their service. However, any withdrawal must be done carefully, and as conditions on the ground in Iraq permit. Our service members understand the grave consequences of a hasty withdrawal based on arbitrary timelines, and Virginia Vets for Freedom is their voice in the Commonwealth.

It is important to note that we are not an attack organization, nor are we affiliated with any political campaign or party. Supporting our troops is not a political or partisan issue. We are advocates on only one issue: our nation’s victory and success in the War on Terror. While we will-and should-question those elected officials who do not support this goal, Virginia Vets for Freedom will stand with anyone who is an advocate for our military and their mission.

Our first television ad, "Finish the Job," is airing in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, and can be viewed at http://www.vetsforfreedom.org/multimedia/details.aspx?id=305. I also invite you to our Virginia webpage, http://www.vetsforfreedom.org/states/VA/. Over the next four months, we will combine additional advertisements with grassroots recruitment and other events. Together, Virginia Vets for Freedom will stand with the people of Virginia to send a clear message to our national leaders: Let Us Win!

A Story You Should Read

CJ sent me a link to this lady's site. What a great way to spend the 4th of July.

Makes you appreciate the rain.

Read her story here.

As always, CJ can be found here, here, and here.

Congress Teams Up With OPEC to Defeat Middle Class America

from Townhall.com

Walter Williams
Despite Congress' periodic hauling of weak-kneed oil executives before their committees to charge them with collusion and price-gouging, subsequent federal investigations turn up no evidence to support the charges. Right now oil company executives are getting a bit of a respite as Congress has turned its attention to crude oil speculators, blaming them for high oil prices and calling for tighter control over commodity futures trading.
Congressional attacks on speculation do not alter the oil market's fundamental demand and supply conditions. What would lower the long-term price of oil is for Congress to permit exploration for the estimated billions upon billions of barrels of oil domestically available, not to mention the estimated trillion-plus barrels of shale oil in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. Some politicians pooh-pooh calls for drilling, saying it would take five or 10 years to recover the oil. I guarantee you we would begin to see a reduction in today's prices even if it took five to 10 years for us to get the first barrel. Put yourself in the place of an OPEC member knowing there would be a greater supply of U.S. oil five or 10 years, hence maybe driving oil prices lower to say $40 a barrel. What will you want to do now while oil is $130 a barrel? You would want to sell as much oil now and OPEC's collective efforts to do so would put downward pressures on current oil prices. Right now the U.S. Congress is OPEC's staunchest ally.

McCain Wakes Up From Coma

Another post on the same topic is at The Talon

from Family Security Matters

On Domestic Oil Drilling, Republican Leadership Is Finally Emerging
A recent Gallup poll revealed that 57% of Americans want to open previously untouched territories to oil drilling. A Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll had the number of Americans in favor at 59%. I would suspect that as gasoline prices rise, the percentage of Americans in favor of new drilling will too.
There is an estimated 17.8 billion barrels of oil located off American shores that is currently off limits to oil companies. According to federal data, that's about the same as 10 years worth of current U.S. oil production, and approximately 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. And, these figures don't take into account the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or the 800 billion barrels of oil that could be had from shale in the Midwest.
Finally, Sen. John McCain apparently has come out of his coma and realizes that the best way for America to become energy independent is to increase domestic drilling.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a potential vice-presidential selectee, has also gotten religion and now wants to lift a federal ban on offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. President Bush has long called for increased domestic drilling, but until recently, that clarion song has fallen on deaf ears. Now the public has stood up and paid attention. It seems that $4-a-gallon gasoline will do that. Americans are beginning to understand that importing foreign oil and not increasing domestic drilling just doesn't make sense.
So what do Sen. Barack Obama and his liberal friends propose to reduce America's dependency on foreign oil? A "windfall profits tax" on oil companies, of course. This is the same failed strategy used by Jimmy Carter. If their most recent tax proposal had taken root, a gallon of gasoline would have increased as much as 50 cents after the oil companies passed the tax on to consumers.
The do-nothing Democrats maintain that increased drilling will only lower gasoline prices a few cents. So, is that a bad thing?
Democrats say that drilling will blemish beaches with oil spills. Oh? Because of new technologies, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita only caused off-shore oil rigs to spill 13,000 barrels of oil in the water; a mere drop in the bucket.
Democrats think nuclear power plants are unsafe, but not one death can be contributed to them in this country. Newer technologies have made them even safer than before, and plutonium rods can now be recycled. Sen. Obama generally supports nuclear power, but has offered no specifics, incentives or leadership in this regard.
Sen. Obama uttered a Freudian slip when he said that gasoline prices are rising too fast. That means he's for higher prices, just not too fast. He and other liberal senators want to reduce gasoline consumption by way of rising prices, thus forcing conservation. The fact that this strategy will cripple the economy and lower American's standard of living is never discussed.
Sen. McCain summed up the consequences of America's dependence on foreign oil when he said, "...our petrodollars are underwriting tyranny, anti-Semitism, the brutal repression of women in the Middle East, and dictators and criminal syndicates in our own hemisphere." He also warned that a successful terrorist attack on a Middle East oil installation could plunge the country into an "economic crisis of monumental proportions." Is this what the Democrats are waiting for?
Sen. McCain forgot to mention the huge trade deficit that the importation of oil creates, and that the profits enjoyed by Middle Eastern countries are being used to buy American banks and landmarks like the Chrysler Building.
I believe that there would be an immediate drop in worldwide oil prices once speculators realized that America was finally serious about increasing domestic drilling and becoming energy dependent. The theory of supply and demand would reverberate throughout the world oil markets. Good paying American jobs would be created, more income taxes would be collected, and there would be many more billions of dollars that could be earned and invested in this country instead of the homelands of our enemies.
Gasoline prices could emerge as the campaign issue for this upcoming election. Over the next four months it will be clear to the electorate that the Democratic energy policy, if you can call it that, is to do nothing. If Republican leadership prevails, voters may sweep away those Democrats who stand in the way of increased domestic drilling and energy independence. Only time will tell.
If nothing else, increased domestic drilling buys time for, not postpones, the development of alternative forms of energy. The sooner America is weaned off oil completely, the better we will all be.

The heroes of 1776 still exist

God Bless America!
1215 military members Re-Enlist!
Largest re-enlistment ceremony in the history of the USA.

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

If you don't get chills when you pledge this, you don't understand what you are saying or doing.


From Bob Krumm:

BAGHDAD – How are you spending your 4th of July holiday? While most Americans probably slept, 1,215 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines raised their right hands and committed to a combined 5,500 years of additional service during the largest reenlistment ceremony in the history of the American military. Beneath a large American flag which dwarfed even the enormous chandelier that Saddam Hussein had built for the Al Faw Palace, members of all services, representing all 50 states took the oath administered by Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of Multi-National Forces Iraq.

h/t Instapundit.com

This Is A Great Video