43 ...

... That's the number of U.S. troops that have died in Afghanistan since since General McChrystal called for Reinforcements on August 30th.

CBS News:

As president – in March 2009 – Obama announced a “comprehensive new strategy” for Afghanistan: “I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to prevent their return to either country in the future.”

But last week, Obama said he was not willing to send troops “beyond what we already have” until he was sure the United States is employing the right strategy in the region.

Then on Sunday, Gen. McChrystal told “60 Minutes” that he has talked to Obama only once in the past 70 days. At a briefing on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs noted that President Obama “receives a memo every week from General McChrystal.”

And on Wednesday, President Obama was “meeting” with McChrystal and other military officials in a video conference to discuss future plans for Afghanistan. The White House said President Obama’s national security team will also attend the video conference.

“But first, Obama welcomes golfing great Arnold Palmer to the Oval Office,” the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.

I think the lives of our sons and daughters, fathers and brothers, mothers and sisters are more important than Arnold Palmer.

Seeing Red

NYC's Empire State Building is night-lighted in white on most nights, but sometimes gets Colorized for special occasions, like green on St. Pat's Day .

Tonight it will be awash in red and yellow.
Oh, how pretty.

What is the occasion?

It's the 60th anniversary of the bloody communist takeover -aka- The Chinese Revolution.

Why would anyone want to celebrate an event that resulted in the deaths of 70+ million Chinese?

I'm sure that I have not a clue.

He's a Rowdy Republican

While roaming around the blogosphere... clicking here and there, reading this and that... I happened upon someone I'd like to nominate as the next POTUS, or my next husband.  Either way, I like his attitude.  Here's his profile:

This blog started out as a rant against a disloyal Republican. I was proud to vote for Ronald Reagan. I was happy to vote for little Bush the 1st time and was dumbfounded when he turned over the "No Child Left Behind" bill to Teddy "The Lifeguard" Kennedy. Even Mary Jo hasn't voted for him in years.

I believe the death penalty should be run like a barbershop with two chairs, no waiting. I think we should offer to tie the tubes of every welfare mom as she gives birth. I think there should be a weight limit on food stamps. I believe the USA is circling the porcelain drain. If you have kids you may want to think about an exit strategy. As for me, I'll stay and fight for freedom and the constitution we haven't used in years. The current crop of Republicans are Democrat Light so they get skewered here as often as the libs.

I left the world of stupid corporate decisions December 31, 2007. Had 25 + years in medical sales the last 20 at Mallinckrodt / Tyco / Covidien as the company was sold.

I consider myself more of a Libertarian than a Republican but always a Conservative. Come join me in the world of common sense, God knows there is plenty of room in here for one more.

Interests include: collecting old political memorabilia, fishing, woodworking, boating, tap dancing, competitive tiddlywinks, dry underwear, tweaking

Fallen Hero: LCpl Christopher Fowlkes

U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Christopher Fowlkes, age 20, of Gaffney, SC, died September 10th at Landstuhl Hospital after being critically injured sustained in action in Helmland Province, Afghanistan on September 3rd.

Honor the Fallen

Requiescat in Pace, Marine

This Nation Will Remain The Land Of The Free
Only So Long As It Is The Home Of The Brave
- Elmer Davis

Hell Freezes Over, Almost

After throwing America's only real ally in the Middle East, Israel, under the Hope 'n Change Bus in his U.N. Speech (Sept 23), Barack Hussein Obama almost caused Hell to Freeze over when he said:

"Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world's problems alone."
-Barack Hussein Obama at the U.N., 9/23/09

What a great idea!   Have the United Nations do what it was created to do!

You know, like maybe actually get involved Middle East affairs, or do something about the genocide in Africa.

I won't be holding my breath waiting for the _insert favorite epithet here_ dipshits at the United Nations to grow a collective set.

 

Pictoral Comparison

Here's the Mall in D.C. after Barack Hussein Obama's followers cheered him on after a speech about the new era of personal responsibility:


Here's D.C. after the 2009 presidential Inauguration attended by (mostly) Dummycrats:


Here's the Mall in D.C. after the September 12, 2009, March on Washington by (mostly) Republicans:

WW II Marine Honored

On September 9, 2009, First Sergeant Casey T. Bazewick, USMC (retired), 91, was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds he received as a prisoner of war in World War II. He enlisted before WWII in 1938, after two years in the Marine Corps Reserve. 

He served with the 4th Marines in Shanghai and on Corregidor in its defense until it fell on May 6, 1942. 

He became a prisoner of Japan for 39 months: 92 Garage (Corregidor), Bilibid Prison (Manila), Cabanatuan (Luzon, where 42% died in the first year), Hell Ship Tottori Maru (on deck he watched it nearly sunk by two American torpedoes), and Mukden, Manchuria at a large Mitsubishi factory (three winters, 40–50 below zero). 

  Read the story at Sgt Grit's Scuttlebutt

Congratulations, First Sergeant! OoohRah! 

 

Goober Carter, Still the Nuttiest Nut in the Nuthouse

Ex-President Jimmy 'Goober' Carter is still spouting off even though he is apparently dead from the neck up.

Commenting on S.C. Rep. Joe Wilson's shouted comment during Barack Hussein Obama's speech to Congress last week, Goober said:

"The president is not only the head of government, he is the head of state. And no matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect."

Oh, Goober, Goober. You must have forgotten all of the snide things You said about a sitting POTUS, including:

"I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration (Bush) has been the worst in history."

No, Goober, you hold that title. So far. Barack Hussein Obama just might usurp you.

No-Show BHO

Barack Hussein Obama has been revving up Air Force One to do some traveling lately: 

 To New York City last Wednesday (9/09) for a tribute to media moron Walter Cronkite; 

To New York City today (9/14) for a speech on the economy; 

But NOT to New York City on 9/11 for any of the 9/11 Memorial events held at Ground Zero. 

Go Figure.

Grandparents' Day

Mine and Hubby's grandparents are long gone, but most of our fondest memories involve our grandmothers - his maternal, my paternal.

My grandmother, Gram, was a feisty little lady of Irish descent whose favorite things included golf, gin (not the card game), wrestling on tv, sparkly fake jewelry, and yours truly. She bought an organ so that she could play the one song she knew - "Toora Loora Loora"

Dad would take us over to her house every Saturday morning and Gram would make pancakes from scratch for us kids and the dog.

She had the largest collection of jewelry I've ever seen. Most of it was fake but some real, and expensive, pieces were in the mix. She would let us kids play dress-up with every single piece of it... and her fur coats.

Hubby's grandmother, Miss Hattie, was a feisty little southern lady and farmer's wife. She could cook up the best fried chicken and butter beans I've ever had. And neither was store-bought. The beans were grown in the garden and the chicken had been walking around the yard yesterday.

My favorite Miss Hattie story:

She had been in the garden, hand-pulling weeds. I should mention here that Miss Hattie was about 83 or so at the time. A snake bit her. She left the garden, went to the tool shed, got a hoe, returned to the garden to do battle. The snake, which BTW was a copperhead, lost. Miss Hattie called her son, who called the paramedics. Another battle ensued. She refused to get in the ambulance because the crew would not allow her to take her purse. The situation was finally resolved when her son agreed to follow directly behind the ambulance with Miss Hattie's purse right beside him on the front seat of his truck.

They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Fallen Hero: Cpl. John Harrison

Cpl. John Harrison, 29, of the Parachute Regiment but serving with a Special Forces Unit, died in a pre-dawn raid on Sept. 9th to free Stephen Farrell, the British-born New York Times reporter. 

 It has since become known that Farrell had ignored security advice from Afghan police who told him not to travel in the area where he was captured, a known Taliban stronghold.  

Mr. Farrell's Afghan interpreter, Sultan Munadi, was also killed.

Requiescat in Pace, Soldier

Fallen Hero: LCpl Joshua Bernard

USMC Lance Cpl. Joshua "Bernie" Bernard was 21 years old when he was KIA on August 14th, while fighting the Taliban in the village of Dahaneh, Helmland Province, Afghanistan.

Three weeks before, his father, a retired Marine, had written to his congressman expressing frustration at what he said was a change in the rules of engagement to spare civilians, calling the move "disgraceful, immoral and fatal" to American forces in combat.

Asked to sum up his son, John Bernard suggested the words "service and personal honor".

Requiescat in Pace, Marine

This Nation Will Remain The Land Of The Free
Only So Long As It Is The Home Of The Brave
- Elmer Davis

Fallen Heroes: LCpls Burrow, Olvera, Schimmel and Ferrell

Four U.S. Marines from the same regiment at Camp Lejeune were KIA during combat operations in the Helmland Province, Afghanistan, in the same week of August.

All four were members of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

Lance Corporal Dennis Burrow, 23, from Naples, FL, died Friday.

Lance Corporal Javier Olvera, 20, from Palmdale, CA, died Saturday.

Lance Cpl. Patrick Schimmel, 21, from Winfield, MO, died Sunday.

Lance Cpl. Bruce Ferrell, 21, from Perdido, AL, died Monday.

Requietum en Pacem, Marines

 

This Nation Will Remain The Land Of The Free Only So Long As It Is The Home Of The Brave 

- Elmer Davis