We Haven't Run Out of Heroes

This is not the type of story that the legacy media would embrace, but columnist Bob Lonsberry ran with it:

AN UPDATE FROM JANUARY 2010

(This column was written in January, 2010. Yesterday [30 May 2011], at the post office in Hornell, they dedicated a stone which will memorialize this young Marine. My family and I had the honor of being in attendance.)

HORNELL, NY – I spent two hours last night in the cold outside Dagon Funeral Home. There were three or four hundred people ahead of me, two retired schoolteachers behind me, and a congressman about a dozen people back.

When I left, in the cold dark, the line still stretched out the front door, left down the sidewalk, around the corner, and back for two blocks.

That’s how it is when a hero dies.

That’s how it is when a small town loses its first such hero. The first since Vietnam.

Lance Corporal Zack Smith was 19.

His high school sweetheart will be a widow on their first anniversary.

And the price of freedom will never be clearer than it was last night in the cold.

The pictures inside showed a young man who could be a model of what a young American man should be. Strong, robust, smiling, obviously full of joy. Ready to tackle the world and whatever it had to offer. In a football uniform, on the golf course, in the arms of his family, in the arms of his bride. In the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. You felt a shiver as you saw and thought.

This is the fruit of America, this is the best we produce, this is the salt of the earth and the foundation of the future. This is what was lost in the south of Afghanistan in the fight to keep the war over there and the peace over here.

On January 31 an explosive went off and three Marines were dead. Eight years at war and thousands lost and this is the price you pay.

Only the odds are you don’t pay it. And neither do I. Odds are it is paid by all-American families from every corner of this country, mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers. Hearts broken, dreams shattered, loves lost.

He was a great kid, a good son, an American patriot....

Scary! Read About "Oxi," the Poor Man's Crack Cocaine

Normally we don't link to articles from the Guardian.co.uk, but this news item is too alarming to ignore.

Oxi, or oxidado – "rust" – is the latest drug to surface in the Amazon. It is reputedly twice as powerful as crack cocaine and just a fifth of the price.

"It is terrifying," said Alvaro Mendes, an outreach worker in Rio Branco from the state of Acre's Harm Reduction Association, the NGO that first detected the drug. "The majority of first-time users become addicted on their first contact with the drug. Most of them go seven to 10 days without sleeping, without eating. They start to go into a process of degeneration. After months of use … they go into a state where they look like zombies, wandering … in search of pleasure." [Other symptoms include paranoia, hallucinations, extreme weight loss caused by neglecting to eat, and loss of teeth. "Oxi" is a highly addictive and hallucinogenic blend of cocaine paste, gasoline, kerosene and quicklime (calcium oxide).]

Described as a cheaper and deadlier successor to crack, oxi sells for about R$2 (75p) a rock and is smoked in pipes improvised from cans, pieces of piping and metal taps. According to Mendes, whose support group works with slum-dwellers, prostitutes, transvestites and homeless people who are hooked on the drug, oxi can kill within a year....

National Guard Builds Field Hospital for Joplin, MO

The Pulaski County Daily reports that Soldiers of the Missouri National Guard, seeing an immediate need for a facility to temporarily compensate for the loss of St. John's Hospital, set up an emergency field hospital in only 4 hours (instead of the usual 12).

To Help You Support Surviving Manufacturers in Our Own Country

Did you know that there are Web sites to help you find products made in the USA?

AmericansWorking.com

Made in America Store

MadeinUSAForever.com

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/

USAb2c.com

MIlitary Personnel, Veterans, Give Obama Lower Score

A Gallup Poll of veterans and active-duty service members in the United States polled between January 2010 and April 2011 yielded the following result:

Entrepreneur Sets Up Scholarship to Pay People for NOT Attending College

Townhall.com has the story:

Peter Thiel is rocking the boat of higher education. The libertarian entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and co-founder of PayPal is sending liberal college administrators into a tizzy with his latest push to encourage young innovators to ditch college for two years and pursue entrepreneurship.

Last week, Thiel awarded 20 young people with “20 Under 20” Thiel Fellowships: $100,000 and two years of mentorship to develop entrepreneurial ventures in science and technology....

Imagine...World War II Without Nazis

In the article, "Achtung! The Eagle has landed again despite Second World War re-enactment threat to ban the Nazi uniforms," the Daily Mail reports that 10,000 people showed up for one of the largest World War II re-enactments in the U.K., in the face of the possibility that its organizers would ban Nazi uniforms for fear of offending Holocaust survivors. The event took place in East Lancashire with both sides being represented.

We Pay a High Price for Ignorance of History

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana

The ever erudite and eloquent Victor Davis Hanson has some choice words for his colleagues in academia who cling to the illusion that they can promote peace by suppressing the study of war. (Pop quiz: in 200 words or less, describe any graduates of peace studies programs who have resolved any conflicts anywhere in the world. Sarcasm is authorized.)

"A wartime public illiterate about the conflicts of the past can easily find itself paralyzed in the acrimony of the present. Without standards of historical comparison, it will prove ill equipped to make informed judgments. Neither our politicians nor most of our citizens seem to recall the incompetence and terrible decisions that, in December 1777, December 1941, and November 1950, led to massive American casualties and, for a time, public despair...."

UPDATE: And now a word from someone who didn't write about history, but had a part in making history as a member of the Marine Corps deployed to Iraq. Andrew Kirkland in American Thinker has written "A Thank-You to Islamic Extremists" that is timely reading for the Memorial Day weekend.

While Other Churches Send Volunteers and Relief Supplies to Joplin, MO...

Yep, another story from Gather.com about how the hate-filled members of Westboro "Baptist Church" have been using the Facebook pages of missing tornado victims to post venomous comments.

NOTE TO UNBELIEVERS: We ask you to refrain from using incidents such as these to judge all Christians. In every other instance you would consider it unfair to condemn an entire group of people based on their worst examples. All those who worship the Father in spirit and in truth have enough discernment to steer clear of any organization that promotes hatred and contention, which are of the devil.

Another Non-News Item: "Unchecked Incompetence" at VA

MSNBC has joined many other sources om pointing out that the armed services and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs need to do more for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines returning home from war. We don't want our newest combat veterans to suffer the same fate as Vietnam veterans! It is irresponsible for the government to dump these individuals on the civilian world when we know that the sooner one is treated for PTSD, depression, or any other mental disorder, the better one's prospects for recovery.

More Gut-Wrenching Pictures of the Joplin Missouri Tornado

The Daily Mail (U.K.) has quite a compilation of before-and-after photos of the tornado that struck Joplin, MO. The same source has a touching story about a man who sacrificed his life to save his wife's. Since many of the photos are copyrighted by Associated Press (AP), we are constrained from posting them on this blog.

How Could You Tell Obama Was Lying? His Lips Were Moving!

Redstate.com contends that unions, among the major pillars of support for the Democratic Party, had to lie to their members to make serial gun-grabber Barack Obama palatable to their members. The article ends with these words: "It’s pretty clear that the Barack Obama has an agenda that involves restricting Americans’ Second Amendment rights. However, what is not clear is whether union bosses will try to mislead their members again by trying to convince their members that Obama is anything but pro-gun control."

Subway Chain Opening Upscale Cafes

This Delish.com article got my attention:

Anxious about where to meet for that first date? Want somewhere cozy and warm? How about reliable food? What about a romantic fireplace? And of course, this all has to be at a reasonable price. Well, have we got the perfect place for you. No, it's not the neighborhood café, it's Subway. Nation's Restaurant News reports that Subway will be following in the latest fast food trend and going upscale - and we weren't joking about the fireplace.

It's a far cry from the bare bones sandwich chain known for taking Jared down a few sizes. The new Subway Café will be a coffee bar/sandwich shop hybrid. Along with the standard Subway fare, the cafés will also serve hot and cold espresso drinks from Seattle's Best, plus frozen blended beverages and teas. The menus will also include more elaborate items that will vary location to location.

And speaking of locations, these Subway Cafés won't be found on just any corner. The company implemented this concept not only to compete with a growing field of upscale chain competition, but also to appeal to office building and high-end venues as a valuable business to include in the complex. Fifteen Subway Cafés have opened so far, and the company will be adding ten more by the end of the year

Over One-Fifth of Vets' Claims Processed Incorrectly

Military.com ran a story that should come as no surprise to anyone following VA claims.

In a recent audit of the VA Dis­abil­ity Com­pen­sa­tion Sys­tem at 16 Regional Offices, the VA Office of the Inspec­tor Gen­eral esti­mates that the rat­ing staff incor­rectly processed 23 per­cent of the 45,000 claims inspected....

UPDATE: Finally, a New York Times editorial I agree with!!!!! Whether it translates to more and better suicide prevention programs remains to be seen, but it's a sign of progress.

A Victory for Veterans
Published: May 18, 2011

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ordered an overhaul of mental health care for veterans, who are killing themselves by the thousands each year because of what the court called the “unchecked incompetence” of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In a scathing 2-to-1 ruling on May 10, the judges said delays in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and other combat-related mental injuries violated veterans’ constitutional rights. The delays are getting worse as more troops return from Afghanistan and Iraq, the judges said. About 18 veterans commit suicide on an average day....

Evidence that High Self-Esteem Is Way Over-Rated

"I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents. Primarily because of the activism and the injection of working at the Carter Center and in international affairs, and to some degree, domestic affairs, on energy conservation, on environment, and things of that kind. ... And the Carter Center has decided, under my leadership, to fill the vacuums in the world." ~ Jimmy Carter

Word of the Recession Has Not Reached Everyone Yet

KTNV News in Las Vegas, Nevada provides yet another illustration as to why just becomes something is possible, it does not necessarily follow that it's appropriate.

More than $1 million in just six months: That's what the Clark County School District has spent buying iPads, all at a time of massive budget cuts that will likely result in more than 1,800 layoffs, crowded classes, and students without enough basic supplies.

So is this technological luxury helping kids or killing budgets? You decide because you paid for it....

Israeli Prime Minister Takes Obama to School

The Smartest Man in the Room, President Barack Obama, is not exaggerating when he says, "Like any politician at this level, I've got a healthy ego." But, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed him on his latest visit to the White House, a leader needs more, much more, to be an effective instrument of foreign policy.

Here are excerpts from an Investor's Business Daily editorial:

Netanyahu, keenly aware that his nation's survival is in the balance, stated that "a peace based on illusions will crash eventually on the rocks of Middle Eastern reality." He said that "while Israel is prepared to make generous compromises for peace, it cannot go back to the 1967 lines, because these lines are indefensible."

That's because "before 1967, Israel was all of nine miles wide — half the width of the Washington Beltway. And these were not the boundaries of peace; they were the boundaries of repeated wars, because the attack on Israel was so attractive from them."

The spectacle harks back to Margaret Thatcher's public scolding over 30 years ago of another president sporting an oversized ego: Jimmy Carter....

Tornado Slams Joplin, Missouri

An exceptionally severe tornado has struck Joplin, MO, according to an AP/Yahoo news item. The death toll has risen to 116 so far, with many more injured. The one type of building this city desperately needed at a time likes this was particularly hard hit (see picture of hospital above).

Crackpot Predicts End of World, Again

FOX News ran a story about Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping, who announced that Saturday, 21 May is Judgment Day. It is unclear as to how he could find a way around Matthew 24:36 and other scriptures, but in my case, the only possible catastrophe that could take place on that date is if my comedy act bombed at the DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) national conference in Houston, TX, and I am determined to prevent that from happening. Doug Ross @ Journal has a few choice words to say about this diversion from more serious matters.
UPDATE: In addition to the cartoon above, I am pleased to say that we knew the world wouldn't come to an end when our comedy night (Sat. 21 May) DID NOT BOMB! We are referring to the American English meaning: flop, failure, disaster.

A Letter to AARP by Walt and Cyndy Miller

This letter, written in August 2009, has been widely circulated and can be found on the Miller Farms Equine Transport Web site:

Dear Mr. Rand,

Recently you sent us a letter encouraging us to renew our lapsed membership in AARP by the requested date.

I know it is not what you were looking for, but this is the most honest response I can give you. Our gap in coverage is merely a microscopic symptom of the real problem, a deepening lack of faith.

While we have proudly maintained our membership for several years and have long admired the AARP goal and principles, regrettably we can no longer endorse it’s abdication of our values. Your letter specifically stated that we can count on AARP to speak up for our rights, yet the voice we hear is not ours. Your offer of being kept up to date on important issues through DIVIDED WE FAIL, presents neither an impartial view we have come to embrace. We do believe that when 2 parties agree all the time on everything presented to them, one is probably not necessary. But, when the opinions and long term goals are diametrically opposed, the divorce is imminent. This is the philosophy which spawned our 200 years of government.

Once upon a time we looked forward to being part of the senior demographic. We also looked to AARP to provide certain benefits and give our voice a power we could not possibly hope to achieve on our own. AARP gave us a sense of belonging which we no longer enjoy.

The Socialist politics practiced by the Obama administration and empowered by AARP serves only to raise the blood pressure my medical insurance strives to contain. Clearly a conflict of interest there!

We do not understand the AARP posture, feel greatly betrayed by the guiding forces that we expected to map out our senior years and leave your ranks with a great sense of regret. We mitigate that disappointment with the relief of knowing we are not contributing to the problem any more by renewing our membership. There are other organizations which offer discounts without threatening our way of life or offending our sensibilities.

This presidential administration scares the living daylights out of us. Not just for our selves, but for our proud and bloodstained heritage. Even more importantly for our children and grandchildren.

Washington has rendered Soylent Green a prophetic cautionary tale rather than a nonfiction scare tactic. I have never in my life endorsed any militant or radical groups, but now I find myself listening to them. I don’t have to agree with them to appreciate the fear which spawned their existence. Their borderline insanity presents little more than a balance to the voice of the Socialist mindset in power.

Perhaps I became American by a great stroke of luck in some cosmic uterine lottery, but in my adulthood I CHOOSE to embrace it and nurture the freedoms it represents as well as the responsibilities it requires.

Your website generously offers the opportunity to receive all communication in Spanish. ARE YOU KIDDING???? Someone has broken into our ‘house’ invaded our home without our invitation or consent.

This president has insisted we keep the perpetrator in comfort and learn the perp language sp we can communicate our reluctant welcome to them.

I DON’T choose to welcome them.

I DON’T choose to support them.

I DON’T choose to educate them.

I DON’T choose to medicate them, pay for their food or clothing.

American home invaders get arrested. Please explain to me why foreign lawbreakers can enjoy privileges on American soil that Americans do not get? Why do some immigrants have to ‘play the game’ to be welcomed and others just have to break and enter to be welcomed?

We travel for a living. Walt hauls horses all over this great country averaging over 10,000 miles a month when he is out there. He meets more people than a politician on caffeine overdose. Of all the many good folks he enjoyed on this last 10,000 miles this trip yielded only ONE supporter of this current administration. One of us is out of touch with mainstream America. Since our poll is conducted without funding, I have more faith in it than one which is power driven.

We have decided to forward this to everyone on our mailing list, and will encourage them to do the same. With several hundred in my address book, I have every faith that the eventual exponential factor will make a credible statement to you.

I am disappointed as hell

I am scared as hell

I am MAD as hell, and I’m NOT gonna take it anymore!


Walt & Cyndy
Miller Farms Equine Transport