Remembering Mark Daily

Michelle Malkin, in her year-in-review article, pays tribute to an American hero, 2LT Mark Daily, who was killed in Iraq in January 2007. As a Distinguished Military Graduate of the ROTC program, he refuted the commonly-held stereotype of Soldiers as losers who couldn't possibly make it in the outside world. Here are his deathless words explaining why he joined the military:

Sunday, October 29, 2006
WHY I JOINED
Current mood: optimistic
Why I Joined:

This question has been asked of me so many times in so many different contexts that I thought it would be best if I wrote my reasons for joining the Army on my page for all to see. First, the more accurate question is why I volunteered to go to Iraq. After all, I joined the Army a week after we declared war on Saddam’s government with the intention of going to Iraq. Now, after years of training and preparation, I am finally here.

Much has changed in the last three years. The criminal Ba’ath regime has been replaced by an insurgency fueled by Iraq’s neighbors who hope to partition Iraq for their own ends. This is coupled with the ever present transnational militant Islamist movement which has seized upon Iraq as the greatest way to kill Americans, along with anyone else they happen to be standing near. What was once a paralyzed state of fear is now the staging ground for one of the largest transformations of power and ideology the Middle East has experienced since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Thanks to Iran, Syria, and other enlightened local actors, this transformation will be plagued by interregional hatred and genocide. And I am now in the center of this.

Is this why I joined?

Yes. Much has been said about America’s intentions in overthrowing Saddam Hussein and seeking to establish a new state based upon political representation and individual rights. Many have framed the paradigm through which they view the conflict around one-word explanations such as “oil” or “terrorism,” favoring the one which best serves their political persuasion. I did the same thing, and anyone who knew me before I joined knows that I am quite aware and at times sympathetic to the arguments against the war in Iraq. If you think the only way a person could bring themselves to volunteer for this war is through sheer desperation or blind obedience then consider me the exception (though there are countless like me).

I joined the fight because it occurred to me that many modern day “humanists” who claim to possess a genuine concern for human beings throughout the world are in fact quite content to allow their fellow “global citizens” to suffer under the most hideous state apparatuses and conditions. Their excuses used to be my excuses. When asked why we shouldn’t confront the Ba’ath party, the Taliban or the various other tyrannies throughout this world, my answers would allude to vague notions of cultural tolerance (forcing women to wear a veil and stay indoors is such a quaint cultural tradition), the sanctity of national sovereignty (how eager we internationalists are to throw up borders to defend dictatorships!) or even a creeping suspicion of America’s intentions. When all else failed, I would retreat to my fragile moral ecosystem that years of living in peace and liberty had provided me. I would write off war because civilian casualties were guaranteed, or temporary alliances with illiberal forces would be made, or tank fuel was toxic for the environment. My fellow “humanists” and I would relish contently in our self righteous declaration of opposition against all military campaigns against dictatorships, congratulating one another for refusing to taint that aforementioned fragile moral ecosystem that many still cradle with all the revolutionary tenacity of the members of Rage Against the Machine and Greenday. Others would point to America’s historical support of Saddam Hussein, sighting it as hypocritical that we would now vilify him as a thug and a tyrant. Upon explaining that we did so to ward off the fiercely Islamist Iran, which was correctly identified as the greater threat at the time, eyes are rolled and hypocrisy is declared. Forgetting that America sided with Stalin to defeat Hitler, who was promptly confronted once the Nazis were destroyed, America’s initial engagement with Saddam and other regional actors is identified as the ultimate argument against America’s moral crusade.

And maybe it is. Maybe the reality of politics makes all political action inherently crude and immoral. Or maybe it is these adventures in philosophical masturbation that prevent people from ever taking any kind of effective action against men like Saddam Hussein. One thing is for certain, as disagreeable or as confusing as my decision to enter the fray may be, consider what peace vigils against genocide have accomplished lately. Consider that there are 19 year old soldiers from the Midwest who have never touched a college campus or a protest who have done more to uphold the universal legitimacy of representative government and individual rights by placing themselves between Iraqi voting lines and homicidal religious fanatics. Often times it is less about how clean your actions are and more about how pure your intentions are.

So that is why I joined. In the time it took for you to read this explanation, innocent people your age have suffered under the crushing misery of tyranny. Every tool of philosophical advancement and communication that we use to develop our opinions about this war are denied to countless human beings on this planet, many of whom live under the regimes that have, in my opinion, been legitimately targeted for destruction. Some have allowed their resentment of the President to stir silent applause for setbacks in Iraq. Others have ironically decried the war because it has tied up our forces and prevented them from confronting criminal regimes in Sudan, Uganda, and elsewhere.

I simply decided that the time for candid discussions of the oppressed was over, and I joined.

In digesting this posting, please remember that America’s commitment to overthrow Saddam Hussein and his sons existed before the current administration and would exist into our future children’s lives had we not acted. Please remember that the problems that plague Iraq today were set in motion centuries ago and were up until now held back by the most cruel of cages. Don’t forget that human beings have a responsibility to one another and that Americans will always have a responsibility to the oppressed. Don’t overlook the obvious reasons to disagree with the war but don’t cheapen the moral aspects either. Assisting a formerly oppressed population in converting their torn society into a plural, democratic one is dangerous and difficult business, especially when being attacked and sabotaged from literally every direction. So if you have anything to say to me at the end of this reading, let it at least include “Good Luck”

Mark Daily

UPDATE: The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler blog has a heart-warming story about two brave warriors: Cpl. Dustin J. Lee, USMC, who sacrificed his life in Fallujah, Iraq, and his war dog, Lex.

Christmas Package

Opening Act: You must watch this YouTube video of Pastor Wintley Phipps giving a short history of the hymn "Amazing Grace," followed by a powerful performance of the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfGytXRpfho

A Night of Miracles
by George Graham

This was not going to be a Merry Christmas for the sailor and his family.

For starters, his oldest son, age 5, was in the hospital clinging to life with a potentially fatal disease, and on this particularly bleak Christmas Eve, his youngest son, age 2, was sick. So, leaving the baby with a sitter, the sailor his wife came to the small, rural, northern California hospital to watch over and pray for the older son.

The doctor made his rounds and told the worried parents that if their boy made it through the night, he just might survive, “But don’t get your hopes up,” he admonished as he left the room.

Then the hospital workers wheeled a little girl into the room. Her little face was bruised and there were several small cuts – nothing fatal or even really dangerous. But the child was silent – even depressed.

The sailor quietly asked a nurse about the girl.

“She’s only here because we have no other place for her at this hour of the night,” the nurse said. “She was in a horrible car accident and luckily for her, she was thrown out of the car. Both her parents were killed - burned alive - in the accident.”

The child and her parents were en-route to spend Christmas with grandparents and all the presents for the child were burned when the car bust into flames as a result of the accident, the nurse told the sailor.

He thought to himself, “There is no way this little girl won’t have Christmas,”

A light dusting of snow had blanketed the small town of 3,800 souls as the sailor rushed downtown hoping that he would find at least one store open. But at this late hour, nearly 11 p.m., the sidewalks had been long vacant and the stores long closed.

His only hope was a drug store where a light was burning in what appeared to be an upstairs apartment. The sailor spotted a doll in the window, along with assorted perfumes and other trinkets and began to tap on the store window with a coin, hoping against hope that the pharmacist lived in the apartment.

His persistent tapping paid off as an elderly gentleman, the pharmacist, finally came downstairs and opened the front door. The sailor explained why he was so determined to have the doll and as he paid, the pharmacist’s wife gift-wrapped the present.

The sailor returned to the hospital with his present. Both the little girl and the sailor’s son were asleep so he decided to wait for Christmas morning to give the girl her doll. And an hour later, just about midnight, the miracle of Christmas happened.

“Ho, ho ho,” boomed out the voice in the hallway, “where are my little Christmas girl and boy?”

Santa Claus, a poorly disguised pharmacist, entered the room with a huge bag of gifts – some for one sick little boy, but most for one special little girl. Mrs. Claus, a much better disguised pharmacist’s wife, entered the room leading several elves, local children who had been roused from their beds after a telephone chain began to operate.

The children (elves) voluntarily gave at least one of their unopened presents to two children they had never met. Their parents stood silently around the hospital beds, beaming with pride.

But the night of miracles was just beginning. In a blur of activity, the little girl’s grandparents, who had been notified of the terrible accident by the California Highway Patrol, showed up at the hospital to take their little granddaughter to their home. The nurses and the duty doctor came to the room with hot chocolate and some cookies. A lab technician came into the room for a hurried consultation with the doctor and he whispered to the sailor that his son had turned the corner and would recover from his illness.

Someone started to sing the beautiful Christmas Carol known as Silent Night but there were so many sobs and choked up throats, the first verse never ended.

The little girl left the hospital with her grandparents, clutching the dolly the sailor bought her and hugging as many of the gifts the elves brought her as she could. The little boy had to stay a few more days, but he had a complete recovery.

There were too many tears to make that Christmas Eve a silent night, but it was a beautiful night – it was a Holy night. It was a night the Son of God showed his love of pure light.

Is this a made-up story? I don’t think so. I was the sailor.

The Story of Christmas, from the Second Chapter of Luke:

1 AND it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
(New Testament Luke 2:1 - 20)

Twas the Night Before Liberal Christmas v.2007
By J.J. Jackson
MichNews.com Dec 22, 2007

T’was the night before Christmas and all ‘bout The House
Agendas collapsed and all the liberals did grouse!
Good word from Iraq was the news of the day,
That we could just win, caused the leftists to bay.
Upset and dumbfounded their plans were for naught,
It did not matter or replace what they taught.
Those people all were backwards but to their chagrin
Still seemed quite capable despite having dark skin.
Hillary Clinton slept while Bill paced to and fro,
He thought of three women and called them – ho ho ho.
He stood and he wondered how odd it would be
-to be back in power but as first lady.
When out on lawn there arose a great screech
Something or other about a lesson to teach!
He heard the loud sounds of a crowd that did gather,
To the window Bill flew to see what was the matter.
Below him there stood on fresh and new fallen snow,
A gaggle of moonbats that did slowly grow.
From members of Congress to nags of Code Pink,
All had come forth to tell what they did oh so “think”.
The gathering grew, and Clinton squinted to look
As among them there landed a surplus Chinook.
From it emerged a fellow who was quite a bore,
it was his old running mate – Mr. Al Gore.
“My friends,” he shouted as the crowd roar did rise,
“I just got back from collecting my Nobel peace Prize!”
A member of Greenpeace had the gall to so ask,
What ever gave Gore the right to waste so much gas.
With a cold, angry look Gore clapped with a smack,
Lead away he was, by agents dressed all in black.
“Now how dare you begin,” Al Gore hollered with glee,
“to start up this shindig and not wait up for me!”
Approached an old hippie, with deep reverence and awe,
Offered up to his savior a pad with some scrawl.
Looking it over Al spoke, “Yes, now I see.”
Then rubbed his chin thoughtfully did the former Vee Pee.
“Our leftist agenda and much power to gain,
Global Warming and Health Care - it is all so plain.”
He did turn to Bill standing hunched on the porch.-
But just in time Hillary sat up with a lurch.
All was so quiet. It was just a bad dream?
The windows were shut and not a moonbat scream.
Most thankfully of all, and this caused her to beam
the adulterer Bill was no where to be seen.
But then out from the yard a loud engine did roar
And she rushed to the window to see Mr. Gore.
With black puffs of strong smoke he revved it with glee
Oh how he did love his big black SUV.
Her cold blood did freeze and her face was all dour,
She looked like she’d sucked something that was sour.
“My word!” she exclaimed at her visit this night
And she heard Al Gore proclaim as he drove out of sight –
“Now Media, now Michael, now Harry and Teddy!
On Dennis, on John, on Obama and Cindy!
Let this message be heard - a decree of Priest Al!
We run this party … sorry to tell you old gal!”

On the Web: http://www.libertyreborn.com/

The TRUTH About Religion?
During these serious times, people of all faiths should remember these four religious truths:

1. Muslims do not recognize Jews as God's chosen people.
2. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
3. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian world.
4. Baptists and Mormons do not recognize each other at Hooters.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Source: http://www.strangecosmos.com/content/item/133579.html

SAFETY ADVISORY: Before you go overboard on your Christmas cheer, consider what this Montana state trooper is capable of doing:

Closing song: "O Holy Night" by Il Divo, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFirYXLoP5Q

A High-Tech Tradition Since 1955: NORAD Tracks Santa

Link: www.noradsanta.org
Toll-free number: 1-877-446-6723

Starting at 2:00 a.m. today the North American Aerospace Defense Command started tracking Santa's progress from the North Pole as he makes his rounds delivering presents to good little boys and girls around the world.

It takes the finest equipment to track his sleigh, which has been calculated to travel at 2,280 miles per second! No taxpayers' money is being used to inform the public: volunteers man the phones and the Web site is paid for with private contributions.

Source: Colorado Springs Gazette, 24 December 2007

Shocking News from Massachusetts

Yes, this is a picture of Nurse Ratched from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

"A special education school which has been in the news for inappropriate use of electric shock treatment has been allowed to continue using shock treatment for the most dangerous and self-destructive behaviors. In such cases the shock treatment must lead to a diminution in the undesirable actions. The Judge Rotenberg Educational Center (JRC) has to prove that these treatments really work. The one-year reauthorization contrasts with previous ones which lasted two years each time. Electric shock treatment at the center must never be used for petty infractions, such as leaving one's seat without getting permission or using offensive language. The school has been ordered to show that it is committed to phasing out this type of aversion therapy...."

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92641.php
Free Republic quoted the WCVB/TV Boston account with reader comments at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1943706/posts

Here's a composite of what two readers had to say:

"There is evidence that ECT can be effective in reducing the most self-destructive behaviors. Were talking about severely-disturbed people who slam their heads into the wall until they knock themselves unconscious or bite themselves until they bleed profusely. It is an extreme measure, and should only be used when other methods have failed. Only under close medical supervision -- not carried out by school staffers because they received a phone call.

This wasn't ECT... as mentioned in other comments above, this was -- even if it had not been a 'prank' -- solely as retribution for misbehavior. There's no evidence this was intended to be therapeutic at all. And of course the actual result was FAR from helpful.

"BTW, I probably wouldn't have posted this article if I thought it was a legit use of electroshock. I'm not of the opinion it's bogus. But it has to be prescribed and applied with great care. We have very little idea of what it actually does to the patient, except symptomatically."

American Soldier with Heart of Gold Adopts Iraqi Boy

Maj. Scott Southworth, who served with a military police unit of the Wisconsin National Guard in Iraq, discovered and waded through miles of red tape to adopt an Iraqi boy with cerebral palsy, Ala'a Eddeen. It didn't help that he was single, lacked money, and had no experience in taking care of children with disabilities. But with persistence, faith, bonding with Ala'a, persistence, and a series of fortunate events (yes, I know I mentioned "persistence" twice), he was able to bring the child to the United States, provide him with better medical care than was available to him in Iraq, and legally adopt him. For more details of this amazing story, see http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071223/ap_on_re_us/saving_ala_a

Beliefnet.com nominated Southworth as the "Most Inspiring Person of the Year 2007" at http://www.beliefnet.com/story/225/story_22553_1.html

We've Got Your Back!

The slogan "Never again!" has been used by Jews determined to avoid another Holocaust, and it applies as well to our efforts to prevent veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan from suffering the same fate as Vietnam veterans, i.e., being slimed by the Left. A new American Thinker article, "Swiftboating History" by Denis Keohane, is a must-read for those willing to support this noble cause.

"Scott Swett and Tim Ziegler have co-authored To Set The Record Straight with the apt subtitle How Swift Boat Veterans, POWs and the New Media Defeated John Kerry. The book all but begins with details of the Winter Soldier Investigation (WSI) of 1971, an event I wrote about here at American Thinker last October."

A Treaty Means Nothing Unless It's Enforceable

American Thinker has an article by Randall Hoven that points out how countries that have signed the Kyoto Treaty have increased their carbon dioxide emissions far more than those that have not (notably the United States).

The Kyoto treaty was agreed upon in late 1997 and countries started signing and ratifying it in 1998. A list of countries and their carbon dioxide emissions due to consumption of fossil fuels is available from the U.S. government. If we look at that data and compare 2004 (latest year for which data is available) to 1997 (last year before the Kyoto treaty was signed), we find the following.
Emissions worldwide increased 18.0%.
Emissions from countries that signed the treaty increased 21.1%.
Emissions from non-signers increased 10.0%.
Emissions from the U.S. increased 6.6%.
In fact, emissions from the U.S. grew slower than those of over 75% of the countries that signed Kyoto. Below are the growth rates of carbon dioxide emissions, from 1997 to 2004, for a few selected countries, all Kyoto signers. (Remember, the comparative number for the U.S. is 6.6%.)
Maldives, 252%.
Sudan, 142%.
China, 55%.
Luxembourg, 43%
Iran, 39%.
Iceland, 29%.
Norway, 24%.
Russia, 16%.
Italy, 16%.
Finland, 15%.
Mexico, 11%.
Japan, 11%.
Canada, 8.8%.

A table showing increases in actual numbers can be found at: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/08s1314.xls

Vietnamese Version of "Snakes on a Plane"

A FOX News story reports that Thai Airways flight TG 682 brought a shipment of 700 snakes to Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport. The snakes were destroyed when no one claimed them.

The Real "Man of the Year"

Upholding its tradition of sucking up to dictators, TIME Magazine selected Russian President Vladimir Putin as "Person of the Year." Another magazine, the Weekly Standard, got it right and selected Gen. David Petraeus as "Man of the Year." William Krisol writes all about it at http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/518ffvyn.asp

Huckabee Says He Can't Remember!

(illustration on left: Gomer Pyle and Mike Huckabee - separated at birth?)

Sorry for bothering you with another article about Huckabee, but it seems a pattern of erratic behavior is emerging that needs to be taken into consideration. In a FOX News/Free Republic article, the "Republican presidential candidate’s piece in the January-February edition of Foreign Affairs said that Bush’s foreign policy is 'counterproductive,' and urged a shift in diplomatic tone. GOP rival Mitt Romney afterward condemned the comments and [Condoleezza] Rice called them 'simply ludicrous' on Friday." The news about Bush's "bunker mentality" was first reported on this blog on Tuesday; three days later Huckabee said he did not remember if he wrote the line.

For the article and reader comments see http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1943140/posts#comment?q=1

Kudos to "Eternity Road"

Francis W. Porretto's "Eternity Road" has honored "Bloodthirsty Warmonger" with a link, so I'll be happy to reciprocate (see sidebar).

Oddee.com, a Guilty Pleasure

As a connoisseur of fine trivia, I like informative Web sites such as this: http://www.oddee.com/ Here's an example:

Under "7 Craziest Conspiracy Theories," there's the claim that alien reptiles are dominating the world.

"According to BBC Reporter David Icke, reptilian humanoids are the force behind a worldwide conspiracy directed at manipulation and control of humanity. He contends that most of the world's leaders, from William Jefferson Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and George W. Bush to members of the British royal family, are in fact related to the 7-foot (2.1 m) tall, blood-drinking reptilians from the star system Alpha Draconis."

Other categories include:

• 7 Incredible Natural Phenomena you've never seen
• Bizarre Religions and Cults around the World
• World's Craziest Dictators
• 10 Most Amazing Extinct Animals
• 8 things you didn't know about Pavarotti
• Papercut Sculptures from single sheets of A4
• 50 Greatest One-hit Wonders (Alas, "They're Coming to Take Me Away" by Napoleon XVI [Jerry Samuels] is not included.)
  

Incomprehensible

Marc Ambinder's blog on TheAtlantic.com has the following statement by a Huckabee insider, who has this to say about Rush Limbaugh:

"Honestly, because Rush doesn’t think for himself. That’s not necessarily a slap because he’s not paid to be a thinker—he’s an entertainer. I can’t remember the last time that he has veered from the talking points from the DC/Manhattan chattering class. If they were praising Huckabee, he would be too.

"Also, I have to think that he’s dying to have Hillary in the White House. Bill Clinton made Rush a megastar. Having another Clinton back in power would make him the Leading Voice of the Opposition once again."

Obviously this individual has heard little or nothing of Rush Limbaugh's talk show, since Rush does not always march in lockstep with the "conventional wisdom," and has slammed Hillary Clinton on numerous occasions.

UPDATE: Count on Limbaugh to rush to his own defense at http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_122107/content/01125107.guest.html

Click on picture below for Michelle Malkin's commentary on what's turning out to be one of the biggest blunders in the Huckabee presidential campaign.

Tancredo Bows Out

Five-term Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado announced today that he will be withdrawing from the race for the Republican presidential nomination. In a Newsmax.com article, the candidate most identified with taking a hard line on the illegal immigration problem announced that his continued presence could split the vote for other candidates whom he could count on to wave this banner. He endorsed Gov. Mitt Romney and said he was thinking about running for the Senate seat to be vacated by Wayne Allard, who is retiring.

Seeking Common Ground

Meryl Runion's "Speak Strong" message for this week resonated with me. Although "conservative Republican neocon" roughly describes my place in the political spectrum, the bottom line is that I am an American first, and one who's interested in good government dedicated to serving the people. Here's an excerpt:

UNITE AND CONCUR

...I’ve been writing intensely. I’m taking on the big one. My new book applies SpeakStrong techniques to our political conversations. It’s not a political book – it’s a communication book about how to have reasonable and productive political dialog. I’m very excited about it.

The title is: From divide and conquer to…Unite and Concur: How to Stop Arguing and Start Communicating with Your Political Opposite. At least, that’s the title today…

I will create a separate newsletter for Unite and Concur, but for now, I have a challenge for you. If you’re spending the holidays with someone you disagree with politically, notice your own resistance to what they say. For now, don’t correct them, contradict them or try to convince them of anything. Instead, consider the ways you stop listening. See if you can hear something you didn’t know, and try to find something you agree with them about.

This is a first step toward healthy political conversations. Actually, it’s a first step toward bridging any divide, so if some other topic divides you, put listening to work – and let me know how it worked for you.

I’ll be posting to my blog over the holidays and back to my usual newsletter format in the New Year.

This Week in the World comment

Taking the Initiative for 9-11 Memorials

I tend to divide people into those who sit back and complain, and those who roll up their sleeves and do something. The Weekly Standard ran an uplifting story about how retired Marine Michael Emerson, using private contributions, built a Flight 93 memorial in Union City, California. On the other side of the country, Father Alphonse Mascherino almost singlehandedly restored a 106-year-old church building in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, transforming it into the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel. For more details about these two projects, see http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/485uwagg.asp?pg=2

While the official memorial is swirling in controversy, and suffering cost overruns even before construction has started, a monument to the 343 New York firemen who laid down their lives on that fateful day was completed last year. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/12/wny12.xml

Here are some 2006 photos from the Eagle Rock September 11th Memorial, West Orange, New Jersey: http://news.webshots.com/album/554052476JlClpz

I Don't Even Want to Go There

President Reagan was wise to proclaim the 11th Commandment: "Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican." This is a sound principle that people violate at their own peril. Sadly, David Limbaugh (brother of Rush) has brought up a faux pas that Gov. Mike Huckabee wrote for Foreign Affairs magazine:

"The United States, as the world's only superpower, is less vulnerable to military defeat. But it is more vulnerable to the animosity of other countries. Much like a top high school student, if it is modest about its abilities and achievements, if it is generous in helping others, it is loved. But if it attempts to dominate others, it is despised. American foreign policy needs to change its tone and attitude, open up, and reach out. The Bush administration's arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad. My administration will recognize that the United States' main fight does not pit us against the world but pits the world against the terrorists."

What was he thinking? For the full article, see http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DavidLimbaugh/2007/12/18/huck_playing_to_our_inner_jimmy_carter

Terence Jeffrey rushes to Gov. Huckabee's defense, asserting that President Bush himself used similar language while running for the office against Vice-Preisent Gore. http://www.townhall.com/columnists/TerenceJeffrey/2007/12/19/arrogance_--_then_and_now

Don't You Love Reading Lists Like This?

We can indulge in a smirk of superiority as we read Fortune magazine's "The 100 Dumbest Moments in Business, 2007." Here are a few choice examples from the first 30:

10. Election officials in Florida promptly order 5,000 units. Diebold tightens security after it is revealed that a simple virus can hack its electronic voting machines. Months later a hacker uses a picture of a key from the company website to make a real key that can open the company’s machines.

13. It’s a fat world, after all. Disneyland announces plans to close the “It’s a Small World” attraction to deepen its water channel after the ride’s boats start getting stuck under loads of heavy passengers. Employees ask larger passengers to disembark—and compensate them with coupons for free food.

17. Quite a blow. After receiving a warning from the FDA, Redux Beverages agrees to stop calling its energy drink Cocaine. It changes the name first to Censored, then to No Name.

22. That no-good Uncle Bertie is finally doing something useful. Co-op Funeralcare, a funeral home in Dunfermline, Scotland, says it is investigating reports that employees routinely used the cremains of the departed to keep passersby from slipping on icy sidewalks. “There’s every chance people living nearby will have walked through the remains,” an ex-employee says. “Some of them probably even inhaled them.”

30. Remarkably, he has yet to be weeded out. In July, as Bear Stearns executives futilely attempt to prop up two hedge funds that ultimately collapse amid the subprime meltdown, CEO James Cayne spends ten of 21 workdays out of the office, playing golf and competing in a bridge tournament in Tennessee. According to the Wall Street Journal, his fellow bridge enthusiasts claim that Cayne sometimes smokes marijuana at the end of tournament sessions.

But wait, there's more! Check out http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/104034/101-Dumbest

Hillary's "Nuclear Option"

A FOX News article describes the dark cloud hanging over Democratic presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama. Since his father and grandmother were Muslim, rumors have circulated from person to person and on the Internet that he is a closet Muslim. This article goes on to say, "The issue gained prominence earlier this month when Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign forced the resignation of two Iowa volunteer coordinators who had forwarded e-mails that falsely tried to tie him to Islamic jihadists."

If the charge were true, Sen. Obama would be at risk of attack by one or more Muslims obsessing on the idea (true or otherwise) that he may be a traitor to Islam. We at "Bloodthirsty Warmonger" have no proof that he is a Muslim in good standing (i.e., one who is sworn to support the Five Pillars of the faith and who would be welcomed as a brother if he were to make the pilgrimage to Mecca).

Dan Fogelberg, 1951-2007

The following news bulletin was issued earlier today:

Sunday, December 16
Dear friends,Dan left us this morning at 6:00am . He fought a brave battle with [prostate] cancer and died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife Jean at his side. His strength, dignity and grace in the face of the daunting challenges of this disease were an inspiration to all who knew him.

For more information about the life and career of this singer-songwriter, visit his personal Web site at:
http://www.danfogelberg.com/index.html
FOX News article: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317026,00.html