The First Debate

Going to try my hand at the live debate blogging tonight, we shall see how it goes.

Well, here is a test run if you will, of the "Live Debate Facts Feed"

7:05Well just got the first "Live Debate Fact". Noted this on a couple of blogs already, to be fair I could have missed this one coming in. BTW if you want one of these nifty Debate fact news feeds go here

UPDATES as they happen

UPDATE
Kerry started off looking a bit nervious...but became smoother as time went on.
Bush also started off with a bit of stuttering. Would like to see the quotes of all the alledged military leaders who he claims to back up Kerry.

UPDATE
At one point Kerry has gotten into the lecture mode. He as of 11 min into the debate, made alusions to having wartime experience. and with in 10 minutes of that directly rreferenced his military past. He directly admits to there having been WMD used against american troops....when earlier on he makes alusions to there NOT being same.

Kerry claims he has always been against Osama Ben Lodin....just claims Bush's actions were the wrong ones. Yet other then saying he would have done it differently he offers no other solutions" He is restating that which he has said before....perhaps this debate will/can be used to hold Kerry's feet to the fire...to demaind specific solutions.

Kerry claims Bush has not funded police and firefighters, this is bogus. In fact Kerry has voted aginst. Kerry voted against defense spending to give the troops the armor and proper tools in which to fight, yet he blames Bush for this?

UPDATE

Kerry finally admits at least somewhat, on what he would do differently, claims he will reconfigure the ground war and direction of forces. Let's see how many days go by before he changes his toon on this.

Kerry goes back to Osama....saying we "outsourced our obligations in Afganistan". And Kerry refuses to admit the French, Germans, and Russians were in bed with Saddam.

Bush scores on the North Korean issues......a draw perhaps on Iran.

Is Kerry saying he is going to send troops to the Sudan?

A backdoor draft???? Overextended military....might have a point there...may be time to increase the numbers of folks getting into uniform..though the recruiters are going to grumble about that....then again they could recall a number of us in the fleet reserve forces.

Kerry commits himself to having backed the war and getting rid of Saddam....an hour and 15 minutes into the debate...."just thinks we shouldn't have gone into Iraq when we did". Claims he has always been consistant!!"

Kerry claims he will secure Russa's nuclear weapons (count) in four years?? How??
In his closing statement, Kerry agains alludes to having lead as a young man in war and would do the same as president. Again with the past.

The President closed with asking we let him continue to lead the nation and be firm in our resolve much as he has done before.

UPDATE
To be fair...if I knew nothing about Kerry other than what I heard tonight...Kerry gave a good debate. He was for perhaps the first time consistant. To give Bush points he stuck to his guns. Though he came across at times not as polished. But he idid Call Kerry on a couple of points North Korea in particular. And for those who are willing to look for it Kerry was not factual on a number of points early on and his voting record will also back up his dupicity of calling it the fault of the president for lack of proper gear and weapons for the troops.

Well...on to Tempe Az and we shall see if the president can belt on out of the park there.

Looking for the Four Horsemen?

Florida becomes the first state to suffer four major hurricanes in a two month period, since Texas in the 1800's.

Earthquakes, albeit minor ones, are felt in Kentucky and Indiana.

California has a 5.9 quake about 135 miles south of San Jose.

Mt Saint Helen's is showing increased signs of possible major activity.

Here in the Midwest, about 100 miles west of Chicago, we have experienced some of the mildest winters on record for the past 3 years. And as far back as I can recall one of the coolest summers ever.

What is going on here?

Are we going to see ever increasing warming trends in the Midwest, were we eventually end up with two seasons, Fall and Spring, with a couple of transitional periods of late spring, early fall, late fall, early spring? Is Florida going to become eight months of great weather followed by four months of hell on earth? Is the west coast finally going to fall into the sea in a fit of quaking and eruptions?

Or is nature, in her own time and fashion, reminding us despite all our many concerns both here at home and abroad, they are after all transitory.

Yes we have a great and noble task ahead in the continued fight against those who seek to send civilization back to the dark ages.

To be sure, we face an equal challenge of defining, by exercising our voting franchise come this November, the direction we as a nation will follow. To either work toward returning to our original constitutional underpinnings, or to become the western most part of the European appeasement state.

But, mother nature, doesn't care about that. With a shrug of her shoulders, the mightiest of mans creations crumble into rubble.

With but a puff of wind from her cheeks, homes are torn apart, trees uprooted, cars and trucks tossed about like children's toys.

And as the mood strikes, she changes the very landscape with magma and ash.

Do we need to start putting more incense on the fire? Light more votive candles? Look to the east for the fabled Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

The real answer is

Earth Abides, caring little, if at all, about the affairs of man.

We would do well to remember that from time to time. This planet is a work in progress and we are but travelers on her. There is no end times here, unless we in reckless abandon, unleash the Four Horseman ourselves.

But Earth would abide.

We give this big blue marble too little credit, and allow our pride and vanity to cloud our vision.

Mother Nature will try to remind us of this, and in typical human fashion, after shaking our fists to the heavens, we will go about designing homes, buildings, and infrastructure to withstand what we feel is the best nature can toss at us. Develop ever more sophisticated detection and warning systems for that which we can not harness or control.

For such is the way of nature, and such is the way of man.

Plain Speaking

Perhaps if all peoples would look at the bigger picture. No, I am not talking about hugging a tree or meditating on a mountain somewhere. Nor am I dismissing the need to rid civilized man of the evil which is out there and all too real. Rather, despite all our politics and religious efforts, wouldn't mankind be better off, if we made an honest attempt to work on things, along the lines of an old standard which went something like;

"You've got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between".

Yeah it is that simple. Mankind over centuries, has, through politics and before that religion, gotten away from the basics. We tried with the League of Nations, and at least at its onset, the UN. But we fell pray to the darker facets of human nature, and both these attempts became at best farcical.

The nuanced replaced plain speaking. The willingness to cull the despotic and evil from mankind's bosom became lost in the naivete of trying to appeal to a better nature that in those individuals never existed. And so we are where we are....stagnating in the backwaters of appeasement and elitist damning of the very ideals which brought us to where we are today.

For after all

A mother with a starving child cares little if the milk and bread to feed that child comes from America or China, was processed by Israeli or Jordanian hands, was delivered by the Red Cross or the Red Crescent. All she wants is for her child to live.

Most of mankind believes in a higher power. Be it the G-d of Abraham, the cosmic forces of Ying and Yang, or some version of Mother Nature. And at the very root of all, is the desire to seek peace with their neighbor, to have no ill come to themselves or their families.

We are damned in the details.

We don't have to be. In this country or in the world, if we stop the nuanced, politically correct talk, and start being straight forward in our talk deeds and actions. In the end ...who knows....there might be a Camelot after all, lasting for some time longer than "for one brief shinning moment".

Anchor's Aweigh

Was on the phone with my oldest. He had a question about the Navy's fight song, as he was following the exploits of the marauding midshipmen. They are 3-0 on the season so far, and there is talk about them being ranked in the top 25 college teams this year! So I found the following information. (Might make a good "Rest of the Story" from Paul Harvey.)

Etymology
The word "weigh" in this sense comes from the archaic word meaning to heave, hoist or raise. "Aweigh" means that that action has been completed. The anchor is aweigh when it is pulled from the bottom. This event is duly noted in the ship's log.

History
Lieut. Charles A. Zimmermann, USN, a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, had been selected as the bandmaster of the Naval Academy Band in 1887 at the age of 26. His father, Charles Z. Zimmermann, had played in the band during the Civil War years. Early in his career, Lieut. Zimmermann started the practice of composing a march for each graduating class. By 1892, "Zimmy", as he was affectionately known by the midshipmen, became so popular that he was presented with a gold medal by that year's class. More gold medals followed as Zimmermann wrote a march for each succeeding class

In 1906, Lieut. Zimmerman was approached by Midshipman First Class Alfred Hart Miles with a request for a new march. As a member of the Class of 1907, Miles and his classmates "were eager to have a piece of music that would be inspiring, one with a swing to it so it could be used as a football marching song, and one that would live forever."

Supposedly, with the two men seated at the Naval Academy Chapel organ, Zimmermann composed the tune and Miles set the title and wrote to two first stanzas in November 1906. This march was played by the band and sung by the brigade at the 1906 Army-Navy football game later that month, and for the first time in several seasons, Navy won. This march, Anchors Aweigh, was subsequently dedicated to the Academy Class of 1907 and adopted as the official song of the U.S. Navy. The concluding stanza was written by Midshipman Royal Lovell, Class of 1926.

Original Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Stand Navy down the field, sails set to the sky.

We'll never change our course, so Army you steer shy-y-y-y.
Roll up the score, Navy, Anchors Aweigh.
Sail Navy down the field and sink the Army, sink the Army Grey.

[Verse 2]
Get underway, Navy, Decks cleared for the fray,
We'll hoist true Navy Blue So Army down your Grey-y-y-y.
Full speed ahead, Navy; Army heave to,
Furl Black and Grey and Gold and hoist the Navy, hoist the Navy Blue

[Verse 3]
Blue of the Seven Seas; Gold of God's great sun
Let these our colors be Till all of time be done-n-n-ne,
By Severn shore we learn Navy's stern call:
Faith, courage, service true With honor over, honor over all.

Revised Lyrics
by George D. Lottman
It is Verse 2 that is most widely sung.

[Verse 1]
Stand, Navy, out to sea, Fight our battle cry;
We'll never change our course, So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y.
Roll out the TNT, Anchors Aweigh. Sail on to victory
And sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray!

[Verse 2]
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.

Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

Epilogue
In the 1916 Lucky Bag, the Academy yearbook, the class prepared a surprise for Lieut. Zimmermann. On page one was an impressive photo of the bandmaster in his full dress uniform, and on the next, a moving tribute to his devotion to the Naval Academy. Unfortunately, Lieut. Zimmermann did not live to enjoy this tribute. He became ill and died suddenly on Sunday morning, Jan. 16, 1916, of a brain hemorrhage. He was 54 years old. He was given a full military funeral, with midshipmen serving as pallbearers, and classes were suspended so the entire regiment could attend when he was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery on Jan. 19, 1916. Later, his body was moved to the Naval Academy cemetery where a granite monument, a gift from the classes of 1916 and 1917 was erected, as says the inscription on the base, "by his Midshipmen Friends."

Alfred H. Miles, the lyricist, continued his Navy career and retired as a Captain.

Source: Chief of Naval Information

And though a little early ...."Go Navy!! Beat Army!!"

Real Men Don't Boast

I didn't write this piece but I salute the man who did. He has said exactly what so many veterans have been thinking for so long. When I returned from Nam, my roommate in the 82d Airborne was SSGT Charles B. Morris, awarded the Medal of Honor while serving with the 173rd Airborne in Vietnam. I know firsthand it's true that warriors like Charley are tormented in their dreams and cry out in their sleep as they re-fight their battles; yes that I know from bunking with him.

But one thing I never heard him do was boast.

Not once, not ever.

May your troubled spirit forever rest in peace, Command Sergeant-Major
Morris.

Russ Vaughn

I Don't Know War

(author unknown)

I'm not worthy to question John Kerry's war record. Because I don't have
one. I spent the Vietnam War in elementary school. And the four years I was
in the Army were all behind a desk. My fort was unofficially known as "Uncle
Ben's Rest Home."

So I don't know anything about war.

Though I do know a little bit about men who've been to war. I've been around
plenty of those. Like my stepfather. He got bunged up pretty bad in France.
I know that because I saw him in a swimming suit once.

But he never talked about it. Not once.

If you asked him about the war he'd tell hilarious stories about basic
training, or where the guys he served with were from, or how fun it was learning to fly the gliders, or the time they stole the ambulance to go into town and get drunk in France, or a few of the phrases in German he learned. But he'd never actually talk about the war.

Unless he was really drunk.

In which case he still wouldn't talk about it. He'd cry about it. He'd put
his head in his arms in the wee hours of the morning and sob to himself about how the men around him were broken and torn when the gliders crash landed into the
French countryside.

But that was only once or twice, and that was never about him.

And the little box of medals at the bottom of his footlocker never came out.

It was kind of the same way at the Legion and the VFW. Every day he'd check
in at both places, to sign the book and to have a beer, and I would tag along. All
those men had been in the service, and most had been in combat, but I never heard a war story. Lots of Army stories, and Navy stories, sure. About guys they knew and
leaves they were on and officers they messed with. But nothing about the war.

It was the same way in the Army.

In my day, it seemed like everybody above staff sergeant or captain had been
in Vietnam. I went in 10 years after the war ended but the guys on the second half of their careers had all gone.

You could tell when they wore their dress uniforms. But that was the only
time.

Men didn't talk about what they'd done in the war. They didn't boast of
their accomplishments. They didn't brag about their medals. But if you
chanced to see them in their dress uniforms, with the rows of service
ribbons, you could read their history there, you could see that those who'd
done the most spoke of it the least.

Like one of our drill sergeants in basic training.

Buffing the floor in his office one day we saw the service ribbons pinned to
his Class A uniform on the coat rack. Comparing them to the poster in the company day room we learned he'd gotten the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

We asked about them and he made us do push-ups for being nosey.

The night before graduation, when he welcomed us as fellow soldiers, we
asked him again, we almost pestered him. Finally he relented and gave us two
sentences:

"I was in a war. I got hurt."

And that's all he'd say.

Kind of like a man I know, who received the Medal of Honor. One night he
stood in a long line to shake hands with Colin Powell. The man, because of
the nature of the event, wore his medal around his neck. As he came to Colin
Powell the man said,

"General, it's an honor to meet you."

And Colin Powell responded, "No, sir - it's an honor to meet you."

Anyway, I know this man, and he's often asked to tell his story, of how he
earned the Medal of Honor. And he never does. Oh, he answers, and he talks, and he inspires, and he talks about the war. But he neglects the part about the lives he
saved and the courage he showed, and instead talks about a young Vietnamese
man who helped him to safety when his legs were too shot through to hold him
anymore.

I don't know anything about war. But I do know a little bit about men who've
gone to war.

And none of them act the way John Kerry does.

None of them brag about, boast of, talk about or otherwise try to benefit
from their service. They don't prostitute their time in uniform for personal gain and ambition.

They all modestly and insistently say that they "didn't do anything." They
minimize their contributions and put them in the context of the similarly courageous and noble service provided by their comrades.

A true hero doesn't boast.

In fact, he kind of keeps his deeds to himself. Which is what makes John
Kerry so different. Which is what makes John Kerry so unbelievable.

I don't know war. But I do know war heroes.

And John Kerry's damn sure not one of them.

Thank you for passing this along Russ.

Awwww, Go To Hell!!

Thanks to Red Falcon I am now able to save myself the trouble of telling some folks where they need to go. All I have to do is point em to this graph!

Want to vent a bit go to the link at the end of the graphic above, and create your own hell!!

An Ode to Swift Boat Vets

Russ has once again taken pen to paper, bringing yet another classic poem into contemperary verse. Great job!

Or you can go here for the larger better looking version

Is it just me, or should Russ start thinking about gathering all his updated verse together and perhaps look for a publisher.

So, Do YOU Feel LUCKY?

While checking out one of the many fine bloggers, who writes with wit and wisdom, I came across this!

It is time for those of us who take pen, fork, and sword, in our left hand, to stand up for our lefts! Some would bemoan their penmanship skills (or lack thereof) on nature in causing their genes to advance to the level of left handedness. I sir, call "foul". Though my chicken scratch is a sight at times. That has more to do with the amount of rum in my system as it has to do with anything else. The fact I am able to scribe at all, while under the mighty influence of the god of rum, says as much for the superior left handed genes as anything.

But I digress. We who have been blessed with the ability to use to its maximum ability, the hand others can only find the most menial uses for. Indeed many of us are able to use both hands interchangeably! I skinned critters for my dad, with ease, using either hand. I could hit a ball from either side of the plate. We are feared on the golf courses of the world as hazards which befuddle our common right handed brethren, are trifles for us to deal with. And a good left handed bowler is to be feared. Ten pins quake in our wake. In short, we are the next evolutionary step forward for mankind!

But, alas we are, discriminated against. Try and find a left handed manual can opener, a left handed pair of scissors when you need em. But the most blatant form of discrimination, the one which clearly shouts out for some kind of restitution, is this; When you follow a more mature path of political views (less government, less governmental control over your life and lifestyles) you are thought to lean more to the right! If you embrace the nanny state, and continue to want your government to be your parent...why you lean to the left! This smear, to all who find favor with the hand mother superiors everywhere were want to rap with a steel rule, needs to be corrected immediately!

It is time to rise up and unite! To become counted! We will no longer be "left behind"! We must take our rightful place at the (left handed) head of the line! And to this end I submit the following.

Lefties Uniting to Correct Knuckelheaded Yahoos

or LUCKY

For all you fellow lefty bloggers feel free to place this on your site. Let the righties out there know you are indeed in "your right mind"! If nothing else perhaps Velocioman will give us VIP treatment at his forthcoming casino.

Opposites Detract

We are at war, that is true. It is a war physically brought to our shores and our collective psyche on a bright September morning three years ago.

But it is a two front war.

The other war is right here at home. The seeds planted during the Vietnam conflict are bearing fruit now. This bitter harvest of myopic appeasers, acolytes to a god of socialism and personal unaccountability, Perhaps reached their zenith with the Clinton Presidency. But the seeds were spread far and wide. Media outlets the professional word crafter increasingly allowed their editorial stance to flavor their reporting of events. Hollowed halls of learning became less a place of enlightenment and more a center of indoctrination of political correctness, at all levels of education.

And why be accountable. If the state should control all, and in doing so takes personal responsibility away from you, be it in the raising of your children, the smaller paycheck; "because the government knows best in how to distribute your monies for the greater good of all", the constant availability of lawyers in order to seek redress due to the very real likely hood you will be a victim at one time or another, and the list goes on. So if you have no control over your life and most of the important aspects of it, it should follow you would have no real responsibility, and thus no accountability.

So you have a large or at least very vocal portion of the American populace which has bought into this. They support those who will promise to give this kind of *utopia* to them.

And you have the rest of us.

We want less government in ALL aspects of our life, business, public, and private. The government does NOT know what is best for me, and unless it pertains to the overall safety of my community at large, has no right in dictating what I should choose to ingest, wear, write, read, watch, or take part in. as long as it does not (potentially) endanger or physically/mentally abuse anyone other than (possibly) myself.

We want a strong defense, and have the ability to bring the hammer down on any group or nation which poses a threat against us. There is no longer a luxury waiting for a belligerent state or group to strike first. The technology exists to cause to great a wound, to think in any other fashion.

We want strict adherence to the Constitution as was intended by the founding fathers. And to have all branches of the Federal Government to conform to the boundaries as stated in said Constitution. It *is* just that simple.

As mentioned in a wonderful essay by Mrs du Toit in which she states in one part , "We have always been a nation of Live and Let Live.."
but have grown tired of groups with agendas being forced upon us. And to be expected to accept their point of view or lifestyle as being part of the main stream of society. It is one thing to work toward removing roadblocks that prevent any American from being able to exercise their rights as a citizen. It is quite another to force society to accept change when it either isn't ready for that change or has no real desire to incorporate said change regardless of the reason.

and the list goes on for our side as well.

Were is this heading, this gap between those who would sell this country out for thirty pieces of Euro silver, and those of us who, while not looking to make trouble for any one group or country, will pay any price to insure our country is secure from all enemies foreign and domestic.
I hope all major differences may be resolved with reasoned discourse. I am feeling in my gut this is becoming nothing but wishful thinking. The fact is the bad seeds for the most part do not have the ability to understand the errors of their ways. And most of us will not be pushed any farther then we already have.

I believe we are in what Robert A Heinlein called "The Crazy Years." I hope our *crazies* turn out better than his did.

And that we remain who and what we fought so hard to become 227 years ago.....Americans.

(cross posted at Mudville Gazette )

Were is my buttered popcorn

Just saw this bit of news courtesy of DeDoc. Ohhhhh boy! John Carter brought to the screen! and the crown jewel of Barsoom the Princess Dejah Thoris. If you read science fiction at all or are a fan of the old pulps, Edgar Rice Burrows has to be on your list of must reads.

And now it is to be a movie. So here is my question to you all. Who should play Capt Carter and who should be his princess?

If there was a strong leading man with a military air about them I would slide them right in there. The only one that comes to mind might be Russel Crow perhaps a younger Harrison Ford could have pulled it off. But no one comes to mind. As for the Female lead a younger Demi Moore perhaps would have done it....but these days who would be a good brunette female, not dumb or ditzy, who could handle the part?

So I leave it up to you, who would you pick....

Semper Paratus

Most only think of them as a group, often times made up of auxiliary members, who go after over zealous powerboaters on our lakes and rivers. Or acting as cops on the water, speeding after skippers who have had a tad too many bloody marys prior to shoving off on the nations waterways. Or the ones who instruct on boating safety as well as inspect your boat or ship for compliance with current maritime regulations.

Some would also know they patrol the nations waterways and coastlines. Searching for downed aircraft, answering distress calls from ships of all makes and nationalities. Inspecting ships, as warranted, which enter our coastal boundaries. Fewer know they are a key part of the on going war on drugs. Placing their lives on the line while helping to stop the flow of illicit drugs and other contraband from entering the country.

In peace time, they are under the Department of Homeland Security, but during times of national crises, as directed by the President, or during time of declared war, They fall under the Department of the Navy.

They are by many, the forgotten branch of the armed forces.

"They" are the United States Coast Guard.

The United States Coast Guard, one of the country's five armed services, is also one of the most unique agencies of the federal government. We trace our history back to 4 August 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws, prevent smuggling, and protect the collection of the federal revenue. Known variously as the Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service, we expanded in size and responsibilities as the nation grew.

These added responsibilities included humanitarian duties such as aiding mariners in distress. Our law enforcement functions also continued to expand. Congress tasked us with enforcing laws against slavery, piracy, and enlarged our responsibilities to prevent smuggling. We were also given the responsibility to protect the marine environment, explore and police Alaska, and chart the growing nation's coastlines, all well before the turn of the twentieth century.

The service received its present name in 1915 under an act of Congress when the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the Life-Saving Service. The nation now had a single maritime service dedicated to saving life at sea and enforcing the nation's maritime laws. We began to maintain the country's aids to maritime navigation, including operating the nation's lighthouses, when the Lighthouse Service was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1939. Later, in 1946, Congress permanently transferred the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation to the Coast Guard, thereby placing merchant marine licensing and merchant vessel safety under our purview.

source US Coast Guard

I thought it would be fitting to remember them. The men and women who serve with pride, in the Coast Guard, have some of the toughest and unheralded jobs of any of the services. They traditionally get the smallest appropriations, are asked to do more with less, long before it really gets hard for the other branches, and are tasked with an ever changing and demanding set of challenges.

And I am as guilty as any for cracking the usual "Coastie" joke about having to be 6' tall in order to become one. But you know what? It's true. Every man and woman in the Coast Guard is six foot tall (or more)in spirit, drive, and guts. With shoulders wide enough to carry any load given them. And that they do...with pride, and professionalism. For on a moments notice the Coast Guard may have to answer any thing from a call for help, to a nations call to action... and in doing so rightfully earn their motto "Semper Paratus".

That Dog Won't Hunt

It's out! Dan has apologised! Ring the bells! Stop the press! Sing hosannas to the highest!

Yeah right.

"Last week, amid increasing questions about the authenticity of documents used in support of a 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY story about President Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS News vowed to re-examine the documents in question-and their source-vigorously. And we promised that we would let the American public know what this examination turned up, whatever the outcome.

Now, after extensive additional interviews, I no longer have the confidence in these documents that would allow us to continue vouching for them journalistically. I find we have been misled on the key question of how our source for the documents came into possession of these papers. That, combined with some of the questions that have been raised in public and in the press, leads me to a point where-if I knew that what I know now-I would not have gone ahead with the story as it was aired, and I certainly would not have used the documents in question.

But we did use the documents. We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry. It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism.

Please know that nothing is more important to us than people's trust in our ability and our commitment to report fairly and truthfully."

It only took just under two weeks for this watered down piece of drivel to hit the street. If this was a high school or even a college newspaper or radio station, I would be more excepting after all they are just starting out on their life's adventure and idealism is very much apart of folks that age. And it does tend to get in the way of the facts and or reality.

But, I can hear the liberal masses crying, isn't it enough Dan apologised?

No, it is not.

This gentleman, along with his news organization, was considered by many to be the paramount of journalistic excellence. "The house that Murrow built". One wonders if Ed has taken up smoking again, on the other side of the pearly gates, as frustration over what his alma mater has turned into, must be severely trying the patience of journalism's patron saint.

Rather reaches millions every time he is in front of the cameras. His words (and as written, his bias) touch all who watch, in subtle and not so subtle ways depending on the viewer. He has a responsibility to rise above the partisan politics on both sides of the political fence, to give his audience as realistic a picture on any given topic as he can.

Ok, I will give him, to a degree at least, the subtle bias of how his phasing may be nuanced to the left of center. There are other stations who nuance to the right. As there are newspapers who do the same on both sides of the fence. That it is wrong to the journalistic (or traditional journalism if you will) creed is a given, but it is how it is in *the real world*.

Where, Rather stepped over the line, as others have before him in print and elsewhere, is in the use of out and out forgeries, and a refusal to back up his story with anything approaching credibility. The facts were not checked. That is a given, had they been, the memos would not have seen the light of day. It is my personal belief, the story went beyond *just being skewed to the left*, to out and out political partisanship, and the willful intent of damaging a sitting President.

That is what needs to be atoned for. That is what needs to be legally addressed. That is why Dan Rather, his producer, his sources, and any and all information germain to this story needs to be subject to, at the very least, some type of a grand jury or perhaps special congressional investigation.

In the adult world, all the Rathers and those who would follow in his path of unprofessonalism, need to be brought to task. A simple "Oh, gee I'm sorry." is not going to cut it.

But let me put it into words Dan might better understand: "When you knock over the milk pail, a spoon and a promise ain't gonna get things back to rights."

UPDATE

It seems the RNC may be on the same page...though they are more civil than I in their comments.

A Letter To Dan

I received the following from Russ, he does have a way with words. And here he gives Dan Ra^ther a letter full of down home advice.

The Road Less Graveled (A down home message for Dan Rather in the colorful Texas idiom he so loves)

Y'all know what we all been thinkin' out here in Texas, Dan, since you started all this foolishness? We think y'all been pissin' down our necks an' tellin' us it's rain for so long that you boys done got to believin' it yourselves. Heck, we think maybe you been back East so long you got yourself thinkin' us folks out here couldn't hit sand if we fell off our horses; couldn't hit water if we fell outta the boat. Danged if you ain't been treatin' us like you think we got squirrels swimmin' in our gene pools or sumthin'. You need to remind yourself that a tree don't ever get too big for a short dog to lift his leg on, Dan.

Bout them documents bein' genuine; well, hells-bells, Danny Boy, Grannie's glasses are so thick, when she looks at a bare wall she see's folks wavin' at her, an' even she can tell them memos are bout as phony as hips on a rattlesnake. We're startin' to think your brain done got harder than a woodpecker's lips if you can't see that. As far as that story bout George an' his National Guard duty, looks to us like you're tryin' to put wheels on a cow an' call it a dairy truck. Then you go pokin' up her butt hopin' you're gonna find ice cream. Besides, ever time you durn fools put that picture of young George in his flyboy outfit on the TeeVee, ol' Jane Fonda loses another herd of her Vagina Voters. Hell, Charlene says that sweet boy's purtier than my new tangerine metalflake bass boat.

Well, Danny, you still ain't lost all your redneck habits; you boys took one pickup load to the dump an' come back with two. Dadgummit, Dan, where you gittin' all this stuff? You been callin' some kinda mystery numbers that ol' boy, whatsisname, Kenneth, is bringin' you offa bathroom walls at truck stops? Somethin' you oughta be worryin' about, Danny Boy: you know how the boys say when you go on a hunt always make sure to save a round for your huntin' guide? Like if he don't find nuthin' else for you to shoot? You suppose any a them rich, fancy-shmancy, New York dudes you work for ever been on a hunt and heard that, Dan, hmmm?

You know how you always been fond a sayin' you feel like a long tailed cat in a room full a rockin' chairs? Well, seems to us like you're startin' to look more like the ground floor tenant in a two-story outhouse. Yeah, for sure you ain't lookin' like the tallest hog at the trough no more. Why, we bet you got yourself wired so tight right now that if we stuck a chunk a coal up your butt it'd come out a diamond in about five minutes. Last time we seen you on TeeVee your smile looked like Charlene's little ol' chihuahua dog that time he bit down on one a them ol' yeller-jacket wasps; you know, kinda like that look a feller gets when he squats with his spurs on.

An' about your boss, that city slicker fella, Johnnie Klein, the one said somethin' bout all us sittin' out here in our long johns? Well we're gonna give him some advice so good he can take it out back an' bury it in a Mason jar. You see, the fact is, Danny Boy, now that all us earthworms is gittin' guns, you big birds is gonna have to be more careful bout where you're peckin'. Somebody needs to tell that dude, Klein, that his cage may still be turnin' but his squirrel's done died. Course, maybe the boy can't help hisself; it might run in the family, you know, generic. We heard tell when he was born his ol' momma carried the little feller around upside down for a whole year wonderin' why he only had one eye.

Yeah them ol' boys up there at Power Line done gone an' slapped you dudes nekkid an' hid your clothes. Them blogger cats watched you fellers jump in that ol' litter box an they just flat covered you up, quicker 'n slicker than WD 40 on a doorknob. Yeah you boys done gone skinny dippin' in a pond full a snappin' turtles. Looks like them broadcastin' geniuses at CBS done let them yeller-dog Democrats talk you inta sellin' your mule so you could buy a plow. When you crawled into the sack with little Miss McCauliffe you done got yourself a real ugly bed partner there, Dan, like a real three-bagger, I mean. You know the drill: one bag over her head, one over yours and one over the dog's so's at least he'll have some respect for you come mornin'.

Before all y'all up there at CBS go tryin' to saddle up another hog for a quarter horse race, you need to think about this: us ol' boys out here know a keyboard ain't where you hang the pickup keys and a byte ain't what Bubba's pit bull did to Cousin Billy; we know modem ain't what we did when the weeds got up to the porch and digital ain't countin' on our fingers, least not any more. Yeah, we done got ourselves a dog in this fight, a bloggin' pit bull, Dan Boy, an' he's justa slobberin' for another big ol' bite of Liberal blubber butt. Didn't your ol' daddy ever tell you that you ain't never gonna be the brightest bulb on the tree if you go huntin' bobcats with a BB gun?

But cheer up, Dan, maybe one a these days all you pointy-headed, liberal, media fellers will see the light. Course, seein's where y'all seem to be keepin' them pointy heads, it'll prob'ly be one a them there things the doctors use.

Whatcha call 'em, proctoscopes?

Russ Vaughn
A Texan

P.S. Charlene says to tell you don't even think about comin' back to Texas. Way folks out here feel, you'd have to tie a pork chop around your neck just to get a dog to play with you. Well, and maybe Mollie Ivins.

Thanks for the heads up Russ. The fine folks at Mudville Gazette also have Russ's letter up for a look.

Family

Due to an unexpected family emergency. Blogging is going to be light for the next couple of days. With any luck at all either Deb or I will have more information on Monday or Tuesday.

I have a quick post to follow this one, and another in the works which I hope to post either tomorrow or Monday.

Talk Like A Pirate

Arrr Mates today is the day when all ye old salts and lubbers alike can take the liberty to talk like a pirate! Without risk 'o walken the plank!

If your parrot has got your tongue you can go 'eer. An ye will be the silveriest tongued devil that ever tried to sweet talk a wench in to parting with more than her grog!

This 'ol sea dog has been in the company of pirates starting back when I was learning to cypher. Here be a picture of his ugly mug!

Why, not too many sailings past, you'd a found me ready to board one o' those bastards off the Barbary coast...

And after plundering the bilge rats for all they had, it would be time to pull into port. Here be a look at my liberty duds...

Arrrr I did cut a mean wake back in my sea fairing days...

But what of the rest of you salty sea dogs and winsome wenches? Today of all days there must be some pirate in ya....pull up a stool, grab a tankard 'o ale, and let this *respectable* Harbor Master hear your sea stories tales of adventure!

Crystal Balls

Aaron has put his money where his mouth is. And he invites any and all comers to do the same. Not being one to ignore the gauntlet being tossed, I gazed into the future, and this is what I saw:

So, what do YOUR tea leafs say?? Aaron's Rantblog is making a list, go let him know!

UPDATE!
The latest polls show bush with an actual chance of winning New York, and with a realistic outside chance at Illinois! But here is the kicker, Bush is ahead in New Jersey of all places! I am beginning to wonder if I was *overly conservative* on my prediction. This also poses an interesting question...If on election night Bush carries New York and New Jersey, Ohio and Penn, will that start a steam roller? Giving him enough push to carry Illinois in the central time zone an hour later? And what about California? If they see the rest of the country going red big time, will Arnald be able to push that state in the *red*?

So, I have brought this baby back to the top. The contest is still going on at Aaron's, you don't have to draw a map, just send him your predictions (electorally speaking) and he will enter your peek into the political future!

Odds and Ends

Some may have noticed a lack of posts for yesterday. And I did intend to post, for a reason listed below, more on that in a moment.

Anyhow, I have been honored. Greyhawk, while his duties take him elsewhere, has allowed several of us to *house-sit* over at Mudville Gazette . So, because I will be hogging desk space providing insightful commentary and sea stories tales of one squids misadventures while part of the Naval aviation community, blogging will be somewhat lite over here.

Oh, and for inquiring minds, the following fine folks have also been asked to lend their considerable talents to keep the Gazette brimming with comments and information.

Cassandra at I Love Jet Noise

Grim at Grim's Hall
Bill at In Bill's WOrld

Check em out, they are all worth the time to read.

My second bit of news.....as of my last post, I crossed the Century mark in number of posts! (yay me). I want to thank of all of you who have stopped by over the last four months or so. And hope to see you all here for many more posts, rants, and moments of insanity

The Castle Walls

Funny how in some ways there is a perverse repeating of history (though sadly, not the right things repeating). I see a strange
parallel between Watergate and what has come to be known as Memogate. Dan Rather is now the central figure replacing Nixon, and the ultimate source could comprise all the same rolls as the fallen Presidents staff did. The blogsphere heavy weights who brought this to light are the modern day equivalents of Woodward and Bernstein. Who is "Deep Throat" this time 'round? Well, perhaps time will tell. Though it would be fitting that remains a mystery as it still does with the original.

Eric, at BitsBlog has quite a nice commentary about the whole mess. And I find myself and my better half in agreement with what he says. Here is a portion of his rant...

"CBS has come to symbolize all that is bad with the so-called Mainstream Media in our country today. I wonder if they even begin to understand just how deep a hole they've dug themselves. Thing is, they continue to dig.

The forged document thing has gotten that bad. Everyone on the planet knows the documents CBS tried to push were forged. CBS, apparently, is on location, someplace other than planet earth, and hasn't heard. Even the 'experts' that CBS mis-quoted, are not backing the CBS claims.

The question becomes now, the source of these documents. CBS claims it's source for these is unimpeachable. On what basis do they make this claim? Is it because this source shares their political viewpoints? Who could this source be? CBS itself? Someone high up in the DNC? Someone high up in the Kerry Campaign? The implications are too grave here to ignore. CBS needs to cough up it's source on these documents."

I would ask you go read the rest. And for those of you out there old enough to remember, ask yourself if we have the media taking over the imperial palace this time round, waiting for the heralds of truth to ride foreword and bring those castle walls tumbling down.

Bloggers in Jammies! and Other Odds and Ends

Because blogging, according to former CBS exec Jonathan Klein, is done in ones pajamas, ( I guess he thought we should be comfortable while doing it. Yeah, right, tell me another western!) another blogging division has arisen.

First, we had folks standing with Professor Reynolds, and then folks against him. There are the Loyal Citizen's of Emperor Misha, and of course, the Digital Brownshirts.
Thanks to Suzy Rice, we all have a logo we can get behind. And of course this means we now have the jammie wearers against the nekked bloggers. "Can't we all just get along?"

(A tip of the Squid Lid to Bill atINDC for the jammie update.)

Being this blog *is* supposed to have a nautical bent to it (every so often). It has come to our attention this Sunday is "Talk Like A Pirate Day!" For those bilge rats of inquiring minds, you can get more info here. And if Blue wanted to wear this , in honor of TLAPD, I wouldn't complain. Arrrr matey!

Elsewhere, on a more serious note, Senator Miller strikes again. Miller writes a strong rebuttal on his speech over at Opinion Journal. Go read and enjoy what this American with a conscience has to say. Thanks to DGCI for the heads up on this.

NEVER AGAIN!

The Israelis get it but they paid a price for that lesson. And to this day have enemies on their boarders (and beyond) who would annihilate them in an instant if they had the means.

The Russians appear to get it after hate turned a school into death's waiting room.

All Americans seemed to get it three years ago today. For too short a time we were united against that which seeks to do the same to us as it would against Israel, Russia, all of mankind.

Never Forget, NEVER AGAIN!

or Have YOU Fogotten?

Good bye Delta

Once revered in aviation circles as *the airline* to work for. Noted for its southern charm and class. The airline pointed to time and again, in my aviation management classes, as the one to emulate. Delta where did you go wrong?

Michelle Malkin wrote about a disgusting event which happened on Delta Flight 6281. You can read about it here. Michelle tells the story much better than I ever could.

Once your blood pressure gets back to a manageable level, read on.

All I can suggest at this point is if you have a choice, there are other carriers who need passengers. Perhaps your money is better spent elsewhere. You might also go to Delta customer relations, and drop them a line. Or there is the old fashion snail mail and phone number for the corporate office here:

Delta Air Lines, Inc.
P.O. Box 20706
Atlanta, Georgia 30320-6001
Phone: 404-715-2600

If money is more important to Delta then lending a hand to those who would give or risk their life for the freedoms which allow the capitalist system to thrive, the sooner Delta is no longer a viable part of the aviation community the better.

Right about now, C. E. Woolman and D. Y. Smith are probably spinning at a higher rpm then their old prop jobs ever did.

(A Big thanks to the world traveler and American extraordinaire Kim for the heads up on this one!)

Oh What a Tangled Web...

And now the truth may be trickling out. The American Spectator is reporting knowledge of the forgeries may go all the way up to the upper echelons of the DNC and the Kerry Campaign.

"More than six weeks ago, an opposition research staffer for the Democratic National Committee received documents purportedly written by President George W. Bush's Texas Air National Guard squadron commander, the late Col. Jerry Killian.

The oppo researcher claimed the source was "a retired military officer." According to a DNC staffer, the documents were seen by both senior staff members at the DNC, as well as the Kerry campaign."

But go and read the article !

Waits.......whistles chalantly......has a coke and a smile.....steals a kiss from True Blue...

Now, what happens next? If this is true, and at this point I have little doubt that it is anything but true, many have said any number of things could be the round which sinks the Kerry Konvoy ™ , but this my friends, is it!

This would be a forgery of a federal document. And a (indirectly due to CBS originally reporting about same on national television) known attempt by an individual or group of individuals to, through fraud and deceit, directly influence a federal election. That is just two charges I can come up with, using little effort.

CBS, perhaps along with Dan Rather, by not taking all reasonable measures to vett the papers, in their rush to get the story on the air, are perhaps guilty of slander if nothing else. What's for certain, is "CBS" and "credible journalism" are three words which will not be seen together any time soon.

And the blogsphere, though only briefly mentioned by the media at large, is the single largest factor in this story gaining the traction and coverage it has received. Congratulations to Bill at INDC , Powerline , LGF , and others far too many to name, for all the great work you have done to get this story out of the darkness and into the light of day.

As noted, Nightline had this as part of their show tonight (though Ted Koppel was hedging a bit at the start). Drudge has carried this for a good part of the day. Hannity commented as well, and both Washington Papers have articles published. But the American Spectator, to the best of my knowledge, is the first major publication to run any information as to where the documents came from and how they get to CBS.

I wonder if Kerry remembers (perhaps it was seared into his memory) the drill for abandon ship, I think he is gonna need it.

A House of Cards

It has been all over the net. Drudge has/is carrying it. Many of the blogsphere's major players; Captain's Quarters , Bill at INDC , and LGF to name but a few, have the story and in most cases updates to same.

The list goes on. CNSNEWS , The Weekly Standard , and as of 7pm CST ABC News radio carried the story on their national news feed.

This is an update as I am typing this And ABC's web site has a related article about Lt. Col. Jerry Killian's son, Gary Killian, who served in the Guard with his father and retired as a captain in 1991. Gary Killian is stating at least one of the two memos are fake.

I have mentioned before that I served in the Navy mostly as an Avionics tech. But as time went by, other challenges were presented. Three of those involved dealing with more than just the average amount of paperwork.

The first was when I was advanced to being a Quality Assurance Rep, which among other things meant we had lots of specific procedures needing to be complied with in the filling out and properly executed "smooth" (ready for signature) final copy. This was at the Squadron level, and though we had computers at that time (the early 90's), We had to use specific fonts and forms which could at that time only be type written. Which gives you some idea how even at that time, paperwork wise we were still somewhat behind the power curve.

The second position requiring paperwork, was as the "acting" Command Career Counselor. There were forms aplenty here as well. But this also meant lots of "internally generated paper", in other words, Memos. Now I believe by that time the "Memo" paper format had changed to the standard letter size paper. But due to my position allowing access to any and all personnel jackets (service records) I saw enough of the old style forms and paper to note the difference in size (including my own records). And guess what? We still used the IBM Selectric. because we had few printers with which to print a proper "formal" letter. And they were in use by the folks in the personnel department (I wasn't in there, as I was directly under the Command Master Chief). So all I had was a Selectric for memos and daily paperwork. I did have a 'puter but that was for data base work and for any formal paperwork that was put on a disk and printed out in the personnel department. As far as the type balls, I had a couple of OCR's and one Courier. And this was 16 years or so after when Bush would have had paperwork produced.

So at a fully operational Navy Squadron, we still used typewriters even in the late 80's early 90's. I doubt a reserve Squadron (Air Force, Navy, Air National Guard, or otherwise) would not have had anything but the bottom of the barrel at that time.

Getting back to the now infamous memos at CBS, in my mind they should be listed as DOA, as should CBS. The style, syntax, proportioned spacing, and the superscript "th", are damning enough to anyone who has been in the service at that time, or has had access to records from that time. That it can be easily reproduced to a tee without any effort is questionable, if it had been typed that should be next to impossible.

As of this hour CBS is still standing by their story and "their experts". Well, guess you can't blame em for sticking to their guns when the alternative is a major, if not total loss of credibility, not to mention possible legal action.

As for the Kerry Konvoy ™ and the new improved campaign staff (made up of old Clinton staffers), mainstream media sycophants, assorted hangers on, and of course the two Johns, are ready to feel the full brunt of the winds of truth as it sends their house of cards to all four corners of the country.

UPDATE:
Drudge is now reporting CBS has stated they are launching an "internal investigation" into this developing story.

Keep Greyhawk Flying

As he heads to warmer climes, Greyhawk is in a bit of a bind. It seems he is going to need a hand in order to keep the Mudville Gazette up and running equipment wise. For the full skinny, go here.

And from us old farts over here, Fair Winds and Following Seas Greyhawk!

They Appear To Be Here To Stay

This was pulled forward due to new info and questions about the internal mechanics behind this 527.

Another 527 is about to hit the street. This from the conservative side of the house. Let's see what Fox News has to say about the right wings answer to "MoveOn dot Org".

Saturday, September 04, 2004

"WASHINGTON: Move over, MoveOn dot org . The liberal-leaning group that has raised millions of dollars to run negative ads attacking President Bush now has a competitor on the right with a somewhat similar name.

The conservative MoveOnForAmerica.org plans to blast battleground states with anti-John Kerry ads until Election Day...

..."MoveOnForAmerica.org was created due to the Bush campaign's largely timid attack ads against Mr. Kerry," its site says.

Created by Republican political consultant Stephen Marks, it is the latest in a spate of "527s," independent soft-money groups that have sprung up on both sides of the aisle to influence voters.

Marks also worked for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican Governors Association, and served as a press secretary to President Bush's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, in his unsuccessful 1994 campaign.

He said his group has already raised $200,000 and aims to surpass $1 million by the election.

"We'll hopefully be successful like the Swift boat people," Marks said, referring to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a 527 organization whose ads have questioned Kerry's service in Vietnam.

Marks said the choice of the name was "just to get the press's attention," not to confuse potential donors.....

....MoveOn.org did not return calls for comment Friday."

And from MoveOnForAmerica.org , comes the following:

"The first ad will expose John Kerry's role in securing freedom and parole for would-be cop killer who escaped a Massachusetts prison during a furlough, just like Willie Horton!!!

MoveOnForAmerica.org was created due to the Bush campaign's largely timid ads against Mr. Kerry, and will air this first ad starting Tuesday Sept. 7th in the Washington D.C. market and in key swing states beginning Monday September 13th. Since the organization is a "non-connected" committee, the ads will run non-stop until Election Day, and are not subject to the McCain-Feingold ban during the campaign's final 60 days.

The first ad CLICK HERE TO VIEW (or "right click, then "save target as") will feature John Kerry's role as a private attorney in 1982, when he secured freedom and parole for his client George Reissfelder who pled guilty to attempted murder of a police officer, but never served his 15-year sentence because Kerry successfully secured his parole. The parole was in Florida because Mr. Kerry's client had escaped during a furlough, just like Willie Horton. Once a free man, thanks to John Kerry, Kerry's would-be cop killer client brazenly continued his life of crime as part of a Mafia-controlled drug ring."

I am still somewhat undecided as to whether this is a "Good Thing ™". Are we sinking to their level? Oh, wait a minute!! We are not dealing with calling someone names (Bush=Hitler anyone??) they appear to be dealing in *gasp* facts! Something one can verify in newspaper archives and such.

Hmmmm, the left 527's deal with *feelings* and *emotions*....the conservative 527's want to deal with facts and documentation. The kids want to play at making documentaries, and advertisements. The Adults ....well, they
make REAL documentaries and run ads based on statements from credible witnesses.

I wonder if we are going to be called *mean* and *unfair*? Will Bush be blamed for this *hateful* and *meanspirited* attack on that paragon of elitism and war veteran extraordinaire? Sheesh! is the Pope Catholic??? Ok, so we are slinging a bit o' mud too...the difference is *our mud* has the stickiness of truth behind it. Their *spitballs* .....are just that, spitballs.

UPDATE
I received a comment today from a Mr. Marty Johnson. Went to his blog to see what all the hub bub was about. If nothing else Marty raises some serious questions. I also spent some time looking up the 527 on opensource.org. They are there under new arrivals. But I wonder about the Mailbox Ect, as there is one listed in Arlington VA but the address given for the 527 is in Alexandria VA. It might be possible that the dubious "Suite 49" is legit, perhaps there is someone out there who is closer to the homebase of "Move On For America" who could come up with some more information? If this (527) is the slimy invention of a lone right wing extremist it does nothing but muddy the waters. If it is an attempt at damaging the credibility of all conservative or Republican promoting 527's, by someone or some group on the left, well they will be hurting no one but themselves in the long run.

Do Not Try This At Home

Rob, manager, chef and head bottle washer over atGutRumbles , has a charming tale submitted by one of his loyal followers. It concerns, a taser, a cat, and a man with waaaaaay to much time on his hands. You might want to put any liquids down before reading. So go read and enjoy. It must be something in the water down there, as things are never this exciting up here north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

When The Hometown Paper Starts Bitchslapping

You gotta know it's time to toss in the towel!
This is from todays Boston Globe!

Kerry's mission has always been to promote himself

September 5, 2004

JAMES WEBSTER wrote that John Kerry spoke for many of us when he went before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ("Kerry spoke for many of us," letter, Aug. 26). He did not speak for me and many more veterans who spent time in Vietnam.

I was in the Navy assigned to the Marine Corps attached to the Army Special Operations Group in 1963 and 1964. When I got out of the service I went back to college. Because of John Forbes Kerry and a few other Vietnam veterans, we were blamed for all the evils of war. While attending college, I had my tires slashed and sugar dumped in my gas tank because a few brave souls did not like the fact that I had returned from Vietnam.

While at Yale in 1966, Kerry signed on with the Navy when his draft number was coming up. His inspiration was to recreate a JFK PT-109 experience. He spent his first month in Vietnam assigned to coastal patrolling, skippering an aluminum patrol vessel, CRF-115.

He later told The Boston Globe that he really did not want to get involved in the war. His remaining months were spent on the Mekong River, and he received three questionable Purple Hearts. He sought his early out invoking Navy instruction 1300.39.

The movie footage people see with John Kerry was taken with his own movie camera. How many veterans thought to bring their movie camera to Vietnam? Kerry's early out allowed him to be transferred to safe duty in Brooklyn, N.Y., as an admiral's aide.

Out of harm's way, Kerry went public with his testimony about atrocities committed by Americans in Vietnam. Who benefited from his statements other than Kerry?

John Kerry has always had a mission. His mission has always been to promote himself. At the Democratic National Convention in Boston he opened the door to many questions when he saluted and stated that he was reporting for duty.

Retired Admiral Roy Hoffman, founder of the swift boat group, said Kerry was a loose cannon. He said Kerry is not fit to be commander in chief of the armed forces.

Are these naval officers of swift boats shameful, or are they just part of a larger group that knows Kerry better than the voting public?

ROGER LAMBERT

Either Boston is starting to realize the light shinning at the end of the election tunnel is not Kerry's. Or this must have slipped by the editorial board (and someone's got some 'splaining to do!).

Onward Freedoms Soldiers

Jim, at Smoke On The Water has a great post on Crusades He notes this is a very politically incorrect word. Heaven forbid we call up images of the last time western man took to the sword to defend his very way of life from encroaching Islamic expansionism! For that is the dirty little secret the revisionists and politically correct would not have you know. We were not going over to the middle east (back then) to harass the peaceful followers of Islam. We were fighting for our ability to practice the religious faith(s) we chose to follow. It was the Ottoman Empire which sought to take that from us and place the teachings of Islam in its stead.

If nothing had been done, we would be praising Allah right now. There would be no (or a very small sect at best) of either Christian or Jew. There would be no Mormons, no Jehovah's Witnesses, Moonies, Buddhist, or Hindu. Wiccan would not exist. Homosexuals, unless slaves, or captured infidel, would not be allowed. Woman's rights...only those proscribed by the Koran, and the generosity of any given husband. Hedonism (except that which might be allowed at the whim of a powerful leader) doesn't exist under the laws of Allah. A good stiff one after a hard day at the office or Mosque...forget about it...no booze for youz.

So once again we are engaged in a war not of our choosing. We did not ask for the followers of a stagnant backwards misogynistic faith to call us to the field of battle. But they did, none the less. We are honor bound to those who set this great nation in motion as well as all the men and woman who gave their last full measure of devotion for same, to go forth and rid the world of this pestilence. To do any less will sooner or later seal our fate.

Religion of Peace...My Ass!

I really don't understand how anyone with any amount of common sense, or at the very least a will to survive, would want to have a religion which:

• Has an almost misogynistic view of women (Btw, how many offices does NOW have in ANY Muslim controlled country?)


• Believes and currently supports the killing of women and children in the advancing of their cause/faith


• Will either actively take over (war) (the Sudan) another country or once in control via more *acceptable*l means (the fall of the Shaw of Iran), will establish Islam as the ONLY law. With the exception of Christians and Jews (provided they pay a *small nominal fee*) who will be able to practice their faiths (but will be subordinate to Muslim law and customs). Oh, and the rest of you ...you either convert on the spot to Islam or you die. (If you know of any devout Indian Hindus, ask them about how their ancestors were treated by the pervaders of *the religion of peace*)


• And once (just for the sake of argument) the world is completely under the banner of Islam.(And this may even happen before that, the fighting has been going on and off again for centuries.) They will take a page out of the "Highlander". Yep, according to that holy of holies, the Koran, "There can be only one!" So you will have Muslim against Muslim until there is but one pure faith. (Kinda makes the Protestant vs Catholic thing seem like a bunch of amateurs.)

I could go on, but you get the idea.

The question remains, what actions do we, or should we take? If this was just a bunch of nomadic tribes in their own corner of the world, that would be one thing. They could be left alone to fight among themselves. With the occasional rebuke from the effete leadership of the UN (You children play nice or there will be no dessert!). If this fantasy was only the case....but it is not!

The sad fact is, Islamists seek to expand their hate based faith and all constraints associated with it. The end goal being nothing less than world domination. They have vast amounts of capital from the export of the liquid gold beneath their land. They have the ability to arm themselves with the latest technology for sale. That there are countries which would sell them the tools to bring death to upwards of hundreds of thousands makes them "A clear and present danger". That Islamic states (Iran) and Islamic agents of that state and others (read that as terrorists), seek to bring down the United States and (western) civilization as we know it. THIS should be more than just a gentle reminder of the wake up calls we have already received. If nothing else, 9-11 should have been all the wake up we needed.

We must stop them. There are forces actively in play, both in the long (Islamic control of the world) and short run (exporting of nuclear devices/technology, nuclear blackmail and or war) which will directly effect the lives not only of our children but of civilized mankind. We must insure our elected officials are on board with this. We must constantly remind them, that "We the people" have this as our primary goal. That we will expect and accept nothing less from them, than backing a foreign policy which includes the continued removal of this cancer from the face of the earth along with all who would support them. We must not let ourselves be fooled or lulled into a false sense of complacency that it won't happen here again. Russia just got a very hard lesson in what looking the other way and appeasement will get you. I have no doubt they will not be caught off guard again.

And neither should we.

Veterans' Day

The visiting muse has struck again!! Russ has graced us with another potent bit of verse. My better half has informed me that I need to make it something you can pull up, vice watch your browsers go nuts (unless you have them at a 12XX by 10XX or better resolution). So to avoid all the fuss, you can see Russ's latest effort by his liberally poisoned (against liberals) pen Here.

SPAM...SPAM...SPAM

Is Senator Kerry trying to prevent SPAM ™ from supporting the President? Well yes and no. No, if we are talking about a portion of processed pork proudly produced by Hormel ™ , but Yes if you are referring to the State Police Association of Massachusetts (or SPAM).

As reported by Ann E. Donlan of the Boston Herald , and Captain Ed , are the folks at the Kerry Konvoy hinting at using strong arm tactics against the state troopers' union of Massachusetts? If so, the only people who would really suffer, would be the people Senator Kerry has taken an oath to represent and do his best to serve...the good people of Massachusetts.

A Letter From Dad

Tired of hearing all of us rant and rave about the current WoT? Think we are nothing but a bunch of junkyard dogs nipping at the nearest heels available?

Bitsblog has a long, but very calm and reasoned letter he received from one of his readers. In the letter the *dad* states the following:

"Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece. They are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide, that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power. They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses."

If that isn't a prophecy of the potential things to come I don't know what is.

I would disagree with his final paragraph only because I don't believe the Democratic party and its candidate is/are capable of honestly working together. But that is just me. And I have a somewhat more jaundiced eye I guess.

Anyhow, the last paragraph aside, go read it, and read it again. And Wake Up! the Muslims do not care which party, sexual preference, race, color, gender, or tax bracket you are in.... if you are not a follower of Islam you are either dead or a slave. And it will happen here if we do not stop it there.

The Navy Is Getting Restless

In a recent op-ed piece in the New York Sun , Thomas Lipscomb, founder of Times Books, publisher of Admiral Zumwalt's best-selling book, "On Watch", talks about Senator Kerry's "most excellent collection of medals" ™ . Specifically, Kerry's amassing of 3 Silver Star Citations (all for the same original metal), and, as evidenced by his DD 214/DD215, the attached combat "V"'s.

But according to a Navy spokesman it is "incorrect". The Navy has never issued a Combat V at any time for the Silver Star.

This is a serious issue. The chief admiral of the Navy, Jeremy Michael Boorda, (allegedly -Guy S.) committed suicide over questions raised about his right to wear a Combat V by Newsweek magazine in 1996. Boorda stated in his suicide note to his sailors that the questions raised about those he wore caused him to take his life. And that was only a Bronze Star, not the Navy's third highest decoration.

At the time, Mr. Kerry told the Boston Globe that Boorda's conduct was "sufficient to question (Borda's)leadership position.…If you wind up being less than what you're pretending to be, there is a major confrontation with value and self-esteem and your sense of how others view you."

The Navy also questioned the listing on Mr. Kerry's Web site of a DD215 form listing four bronze campaign stars for his service in Vietnam. According to its records, the Navy credits Mr. Kerry with two campaigns. That is sufficient for the wearing of the Vietnam Service Medal for one campaign bearing one campaign star for the additional campaign, not four.

Perhaps most puzzling of all is Mr. Kerry's display of a citation for his Star signed in 1986 by the Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman. Mr. Lehman, who recently completed his service on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, finds this, (a)total mystery. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me."

No one knows who provided the additional flowery language concluding, "Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself." Well, someone certainly did.

The answer to the last is simple enough, Senator Kerry most likely penned the additional language, or as is the style now, approved it, and had it written by someone else. And to be fair, there have been many servicemembers who *did* submit the rough draft for a given medal or award. But for someone who claims any number of events were "seared, seared into him", his memory seems to be rather vague as to what exactly happened...because each citation is more enhanced than the last.

And Newmax is reporting:

The Navy also is questioning the listing on Kerry's Web site of four bronze campaign stars for his service in Vietnam. The official naval record credits Kerry with just two Vietnam campaigns....

...Kerry's campaign has repeatedly cited the Navy as the ultimate authority on the candidate's war record, saying the Navy wouldn't have awarded him medals he didn't deserve.

But with the Navy now publicly challenging Kerry's decorations, that defense has been rendered inoperative.

Noting that Kerry has refused to authorize the release of his full military records, the legal watchdog group Judicial Watch called on Kerry this week to remove any questionable citations from his Web site pending a formal investigation by the Navy.

"It is to your best interest to have your record in good order," Gen. Thomas Wilkerson, the president of the U.S. Naval Institute, told Lipscomb. "If it is wrong, you are accountable. And if you use it to advance your career, it is even more important."

But wait there is more! Judicial Watch in a statement released today, "Pentagon Inspector General contacts Secretary of the Navy about Kerry Awards".

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and abuse, announced today that the Inspector General ("IG") of the Department of Defense has informed the Secretary of the Navy of Judicial Watch's "formal complaint and request for investigation, determination and final disposition of the awards granted to Lieutenant (junior grade) John Forbes Kerry, U.S. Naval Reserve."

The Defense Department IG cited Section 8(d) of the Inspecto