Thursday Update

So much to write about, and so little time...

MEG has been feeling under the weather - slight congestion, so when she sleeps it's in fits and starts, and she usually wakes up coughing.

I've got my flight to Florida scheduled, and a rental car for hauling the files back with me reserved. I arrive in Tampa on January 14th, at 6pm. The plan is to spend the 15th with my aunt and uncle, then drive back to Phoenix. It's still not too late to let me know where to stop for a "People and Places" entry for my travel notes...

There was a lady and her son, who were camping over the Thanksgiving weekend, who were involved in a single vehicle crash on their way home. The vehicle landed down a slope, away from the road. The Mom was trapped inside, the son managed to get out but then was too scared/injured to go anywhere for help. An illegal invader happened by, and first tried to help the Mom (she passed away from her injuries) and stayed with the boy until help arrived. The media is trying to play up the fact that this Good Samaritan is proof that not all illegals are criminals, ignoring the fact that all illegals are federal criminals the moment they set foot on US soil without permission... Yes, he was compassionate, and yes, he did the right thing by helping others selflessly, but he is still in the country without permission. Sure, streamline his application, but have him step back to his own country while it is being processed. Once he is here LEGALLY, then celebrate his heroics and his acts of selflessness. Until then, while he remains here, he is a criminal who helped a human in need.

Did you catch the debate last night? I didn't. I had a young lady to take care of and a chance to talk to my wife once MEG fell asleep. I wasn't going to miss that for a bunch of clueless politicians trying to score brownie points.

Hope you are having a good week. Please visit the blogs in my blogroll and the blogrolls down below.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

NO BLUE ON FRIDAY

After I had posted my somewhat weekly reminder to Wear Red on Friday and Support Our Troops, I got an e-mail from a reader. She would rather not share her e-mail address, which I respect, so here goes:

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On Nov 25, 2007 9:58 PM, wrote:

When I got that "blue" email today (copycat of the original "red") I looked it up on the internet. Following is my reply to the sender of the email:

Now in November 2007 we are seeing a mass email promotion for wearing blue to "Support our Troops" WHAT GIVES??????

Could this be a "smoke screen" to promote something else?? Please read this quote taken from this web site: http://www.democrats.com/node/7669

Quote: (Posted Feb. 5, 2006)

"We must impeach, convict, and punish the bushkid and his cohorts, posthumously if necessary, because it is the only way to redeem Our National Soul.

By promoting and observing "Blue Fridays" we can remind our "leaders," ourselves, and the world that another week has gone by with no forceful action taken against what is now an undeniably criminal, never-illegitimate, authoritarian regime.

Let's get to work."

Sheeler for Senate "Impeach Bush"

I found this curious. There may be no connection at all, but still, it is curious or as you say, "obvious". I'm with you - Red trumps Blue!

Mrs.B
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I checked out the link - it leads to an anti-republican site. I would have said democrat site, but even they don't really hate the administration that much, do they? (also note they say the 'regime' is 'never-illegitimate'. does no one proofread what they write anymore? anyone? anyone? beuller?) And if they do, how can they claim they are the voice of America? They are only the voice of the 33% of registered voters who bothered to show up last time around.

I am going to put this one to bed - the "Blue on Friday" movement is an obvious ploy to get everyone to wear blue for one reason, but another is underlying the movement. I will NOT take this opportunity to point out how this is a very apt analogy to how the democrats have been trying to run the country, nor will use this opportunity as a cheap shot at how any democrat presidential candidate may try to operate in the future. [cough]hillary[cough]

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Red on Friday - or is it Blue?

I recently received this e-mail, dated 11/08/2007:
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Blue Fridays.
Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing blue every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority' We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that ... every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something blue.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of blue much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in BLUE and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is ...'We need your support and your prayers.' Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something blue every Friday.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.
IF YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS -- THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON.
IT IS YOUR CHOICE.
WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE
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Well, I was rather surprised. I've been advocating the wearing of RED since I ran across Sues. She supplies red shirts with the logo to wear red, and the slim line of profit goes into her attempts at providing comfort items for the troops - shaving items, personal hygiene, etc. - and has been for some time.

Over on snopes.com, there is an appeal to wear red, which seems to have originated in Canada. Oddly enough, the wording is identical to the e-mail plea I received, with the exception of the color, and dated 2005.

Seems to me that red trumps blue in this case.

I'm wearing Rolling Thunder today. Which one are YOU wearing?

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Happy Thanksgiving

May you have a blessed day.

And, if the wish that you have a blessed day offends you, grow up. The world does not revolve around you.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Gun Control

I know it's Tuesday evening, but since TMBWitW is working from home and therefore tying up the computer all day tomorrow, here is my Wednesday entry. And, of course, since I firmly believe in the second amendment, and since the Supreme Court is considering a second amendment case right now, this seemed appropriate.

Shamelessly lifted from TexasFred's:

Regarding Gun Control… An Op/Ed…

Gun Control, I have posted this before but in my opinion it’s worth re-posting every so often…

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated
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China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million ‘educated’ people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.
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It has now been many months since gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. The first year results are now in:

List of 7 items:
Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent
Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent
Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!

In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns!

While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.

There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the ELDERLY. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns. The Australian experience and the other historical facts above prove it.

You won’t see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note my fellow Americans, before it’s too late!

The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.

With guns, we are ‘citizens’.
Without them, we are ’subjects’.

During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

If you value your freedom, Please spread this anti-gun control message to all of your friends and post it on your sites…

Thanks, Fred, for letting me "borrow" this. I promise to return it in the same shape it was in, except maybe a little more read. And remember - "gun control" means hitting what you are aiming at.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Tarawa

On this day, in 1943, US forces landed on Tarawa. In honor of that occasion, once again I refer you to this post:

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It was low tide. The young man stood on the outermost shelf of the reef that protected this island paradise, the crashing waves behind him, the coral cliffs that supported the flat top of the island more than a hundred yards away and thirty to forty feet high. The reef itself was only eight inches below the surface of the water; waves didn’t make it to this point because of the deep drop off at the end of the coral shelf. He had carefully made his way to this vantage point, gingerly stepping around the many sink holes that would be hidden from view in more turbulent water. His eyes scanned the many scars and cracks on the face of the cliff, knowing that each mark was man made-either with the picks and shovels of the defenders or the impact of high-explosive ordinance thrown from the invaders’ ships more than forty years in the past.

He searched and found the narrow slits at the tops of the cliffs, and followed them down twisted pathways to the narrow strips of dazzling white sand at the water’s edge. In his mind he replayed the words he had read – “…the landing craft ran aground on the reef… …as the ramps crashed down, we were sitting ducks for the Japanese guns in the cliffs… …I was the only one that made it to the beach from our LC… …they were dug in so deep we couldn’t get at them… …the water was red from the waves to the shore…” – and stood there, in the quiet summer sunshine, and listened to the ghosts of the Marines who had taken Tarawa.

He turned from the cliffs, and rejoined his fellow Marines as they regrouped at the base of one of the paths to the top. Pausing, they examined the shreds of leather that had been their boots before they stepped onto the knife-sharp coral shelf. The joking back and forth died down, replaced with the sobering realization of just what those young kids had faced in World War Two. Scrambling up the steep path, they found an opening into the warren of caves behind the cliff face. Moving from room to room, bent over double, they could see every inch of the defender’s territory from the base of the cliffs to the watery horizon. Idle kicking of the dust on the floor would turn up Japanese machine gun casings, bits of shrapnel, and the remains of cooking fires – signs of human occupation many years past.

Returning to the coveted airstrip, they boarded an older model cargo plane, ready to continue their flight back to the base on the island of Okinawa. The plane’s propellers strained against the wheel brakes as the engines were readied for the launch; assisted by an auxiliary jet engine, the plane leaped back into the clear blue sky over the Sea of Japan.
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Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Cease and Desist

Spotted this over at prying1's place:

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Please copy this posting and put it up on your blog. Please don't consider this a left or right posting. It concerns all bloggers. - It will only cost you a few minutes time. Spread the word and have your friends post it too! Originally from Publius Forum

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-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is an interesting question: Can a city stop a private citizen from putting a link on their website to a city website?

The question arises over a Sheboygan, Wisconsin case where a woman who is often critical of the town mayor was ordered by the city to remove a city website link from her own pages. Yes, you heard me correctly… ORDERED to remove that link. The Sheboygan Press posted the story a week or so ago and it got me thinking about the abuse of power indulged in by this small Wisconsin town.

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In a move initiated by Perez, City Attorney Steve McLean sent a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month to Jeni Reisinger, who was among the leaders of a mayoral recall effort last year, officials acknowledged Friday.

The letter, dated Oct. 19, states, "maintenance of this link could be construed as having been authorized or endorsed by the city and/or its police department" and should be removed “until such time as the city were to authorize such a link."

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This has to be a joke, right? A city attorney who has the gall to attempt to force a private citizen to remove a link to public city website should be summarily removed from his position. Further, if he was put up to this outrageous action by Mayor Juan Perez, then this mayor should similarly be removed.

Of course, this city government is being run by a bunch of bumbling nitwits, here. Of that none can deny. But, the situation is galling none-the-less. If this city can prevent people from linking to a public service, then what else can they strong-arm the public over? Can the city decide that, forthwith, all people critical of office holders should receive a “cease and desist” letter? Maybe no one should even be "allowed" to run against them for office from this point onward? The arrogance of this is shocking, to say the least.

The next thing you know, every city will look like the mob infested city of Chicago, run by the criminal enterprise we call the Daley family!

In any case, if the City of Sheboygan is so afraid of people visiting their webpages then why have them at all? Now, if you’d like to go to their sites and ask a few questions, you can see them here:

The officious Sheyboygan Police are here –
http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/main.html

Give a shout out and a Sieg Heil to Mayor Juan Perez here —
http://ci.sheboygan.wi.us/Mayor/MayorHome.html

Perez’ henchman, attorney Stephen G. McLean, can be visited here–
http://ci.sheboygan.wi.us/Attorney/AttorneyHome.html

Now, I hope every blogger adds these links to their websites. Let’s see if the "people's city" city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin can get all of us to stop linking to a public website?

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I'm looking forward to getting a C&D letter from the city attorney. My first question will be "What is your jurisdiction?"

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Once Again, A Week Zips By...

It's almost as if I don't have time to blog anymore.

MEG has been keeping me very much on my toes, since she has figured out that she can crawl fast enough that she is down the hall and out of sight before I can turn around and say "What are you up to?" I can hardly wait for her to start walking...

Last week, I spent my time doing a bath remodel for my chiropractor. Seems that the new place he moved into has a slight problem with building maintenance - they don't exactly jump to with enthusiasm. So, he asked if I could do a few things around the office, in exchange for adjustments. Since I can't go more than a week without my spine needing some sort of cracking, I agreed.

I started out just doing little things - hanging some cabinets, installing the x-ray viewer, that sort of thing, when he asked if I could cobble something together in the bathroom. He was looking for something to hide the pipes under the wall-hanging sink, and also needed some storage for the ladder, the vacuum, and paper products. Well - I don't "cobble" anything together. I either do it right or tell you I can't help you. I installed a new vanity and sink, and an 80" tall, 36" wide storage cabinet. Made it look all pretty - and forgot to take pictures of "before" and "after" - so I'll get those on Wednesday, when I go in for my next (free!) adjustment.

Over at the church property, we built the Christmas decorations on Saturday. I'll have picture of those, also.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, how about you? Any big plans? Going to visit anyone in particular? Come on, spill! Share the joy...

Quick reminder - I'll be traveling to Florida in January to pick up my Grandfather's genealogy files - the plan is to fly there and drive back. If you live along the I-75/I-10 corridor between Tampa Bay and Phoenix, and would like to be part of a "People and Places" type feature, drop me a line. If you blog anonymously, I will respect that, with a picture similar to this one:

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

In League With The Stones

This post is selected from an e-mail I received a few days ago. James Baxter was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, served in WWII and Korea, and taught 5th grade for "30 wonderful years!"

James has written, first, a memory of the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland, and second, the rationale behind not invading, but bombing instead.

Let's get to his note, and I'll chime in later:

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In league with the stones...

James Baxter Sat, Nov 10, 2007 at 9:17 AM
To: carycartter@xxxxx.com
In league with the stones...

Every September, I recall that is more than half a century (62 years) since I landed at Nagasaki with the 2nd Marine Division in the original occupation of Japan following World War II. This time every year, I have watched and listened to the light-hearted "peaceniks" and their light-headed symbolism-without-substance of ringing bells, flying pigeons, floating candles, and sonorous chanting and I recall again that "Peace is not a cause - it is an effect."

In July, 1945, my fellow 8th RCT Marines [I was a BARman] and I returned to Saipan following the successful conclusion of the Battle of Okinawa. We were issued new equipment and replacements joined each outfit in preparation for our coming amphibious assault on the home islands of Japan.

B-29 bombing had leveled the major cities of Japan, including Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, Yokosuka, and Tokyo.

We were informed we would land three Marine divisions and six Army divisions, perhaps abreast, with large reserves following us in. It was estimated that it would cost half a million casualties to subdue the Japanese homeland.

In August, the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima but the Japanese government refused to surrender. Three days later a second A-bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. The Imperial Japanese government finally surrendered.

Following the 1941 sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, a Japanese admiral said, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." Indeed, they had. Not surprisingly, the atomic bomb was produced by a free people functioning in a free environment. Not surprisingly because the creative process is a natural human choice-making process and inventiveness occurs most readily where choice-making opportunities abound. America!

Tamper with a giant, indeed! Tyrants, beware: Free men are nature's pit bulls of Liberty! The Japanese learned the hard way what tyrants of any generation should know: Never start a war with a free people - you never know what they may invent!

As a newly assigned member of a U.S. Marine intelligence section, I had a unique opportunity to visit many major cities of Japan, including Tokyo and Hiroshima, within weeks of their destruction. For a full year I observed the beaches, weapons, and troops we would have assaulted had the A-bombs not been dropped. Yes, it would have been very destructive for all, but especially for the people of Japan.

When we landed in Japan, for what came to be the finest and most humane occupation of a defeated enemy in recorded history, it was with great appreciation, thanksgiving, and praise for the atomic bomb team, including the aircrew of the Enola Gay. A half million American homes had been spared the Gold Star flag, including, I'm sure, my own.

Whenever I hear the apologists expressing guilt and shame for A-bombing and ending the war Japan had started (they ignore the cause-effect relation between Pearl Harbor and Nagasaki), I have noted that neither the effete critics nor the puff-adder politicians are among us in the assault landing-craft or the stinking rice paddies of their suggested alternative, "conventional" warfare. Stammering reluctance is obvious and continuous, but they do love to pontificate about the Rights that others, and the Bomb, have bought and preserved for them.

The vanities of ignorance and camouflaged cowardice abound as license for the assertion of virtuous "rights" purchased by the blood of others - those others who have borne the burden and physical expense of Rights whining apologists so casually and self-righteously claim.

At best, these fakers manifest a profound and cryptic ignorance of causal relations, myopic perception, and dull I.Q. At worst, there is a word and description in The Constitution defining those who love the enemy more than they love their own countrymen and their own posterity. Every Yankee Doodle Dandy knows what that word is.

In 1945, America was the only nation in the world with the Bomb and it behaved responsibly and respectfully. It remained so until two among us betrayed it to the Kremlin. Still, this American weapon system has been the prime deterrent to earth's latest model world- tyranny: Seventy years of Soviet collectivist definition, coercion, and domination of individual human beings.

The message is this: Trust Freedom. Remember, tyrants never learn. The restriction of Freedom is the limitation of human choice, and choice is the fulcrum-point of the creative process in human affairs. As earth's choicemaker, it is our human identity on nature's beautiful blue planet and the natural premise of man's free institutions, environments, and respectful relations with one another. Made in the image of our Creator, free men choose, create, and progress - or die.

Free men should not fear the moon-god-crowd oppressor nor choose any of his ways. Recall with a confident Job and a victorious David, "Know ye not that you are in league with the stones of the field?"

Semper Fidelis
Jim Baxter
Sgt. USMC
WW II and Korean War

Job 5:23 Proverbs 3:31 I Samuel 17:40

http://www.choicemaker.net/

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OK, I lied. There is nothing I can add to what James has said here, except "Hear, hear!" and "Amen!"

If you would like to converse with James directly, please drop me a line, I will forward your address to him, out of respect for his privacy.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Happy Veteran's Day

Hope this day finds you all well.

Last night, TMBWitW, MEG, and I were privileged to join a fellow blogger for dinner. Greybeard was in town with his lovely wife (Sara Jean) on their way home from vacation in Hawaii. Their son, Big Bubba, lives in Mesa, and the opportunity to put faces and voices to words was taken.

Greybeard blogs anonymously. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

I got a note from a Marine veteran of the second world war; I am waiting to hear from him as to whether I can share it with all of you. Believe me, it is well worth the wait.

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Time Flies

First, Happy 232nd Birthday to my Marine Corps brothers and sisters!

Second, may this Veteran's Day find you all deep in conversation with a veteran, involving the phrase "Thank you for your service." (Confidential to all my vet friends, family, and passers-by: Thank you for your service.)

Third, did you wear red yesterday?

Fourth, this was Thursday's home improvement project:


This is the old sink. TMBWitW has been dropping subtle hints ("This sink shows EVERY MARK!") since we moved in, and it has only taken seven years to find the right replacement sink.


This is the brand new shiny stainless steel model. The bowls are eight inches deep, as opposed to the old bowls that were only six inches deep. TMBWitW is very happy with the new sink. Total time: 2.5 hours. including a quick run to Lowe's because somebody forgot the plumber's putty...

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Wear Red On Friday

It's Friday. Are you wearing red?

Thank you for stopping by, God bless you all, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!