OK, if these show up, I'll be pleased .........................

first one is our progeny, talkin' to her Aussie; second is RedSnapper {originally 'GingerSnap'}; third is our beloved BigRed ....................... ;-)














.

For my husband .....................................

I first heard this on a Barbra Streisand album - while I DON'T agree with her politics, I don't think anyone can say she's a bad actress, or that her voice isn't a gift from God ................ of course, there's no video of her performing the song, but this Filipina lady does quite well ....................





So often as I wait for sleep
I find myself reciting
The words I've or should have said
Like scenes that need rewriting
The smiles I never answered
Doors perhaps I should have opened
Songs forgotten in the morning
I relive the roles I've played
The tears I may have squandered
The many pipers I have paid
Along the roads I've wandered
Yet all the time I knew it
Love was somewhere out there waiting
Though I may regret a kiss or two
If I had changed a single day
What went amiss or went astray
I may have never found my way to you
If I had changed a single day
What went amiss or went astray
I may have never found my way to you
I wouldn't change a thing that happened
On my way to you...

I love you, Gunny!


.

THIS is enough to pi$$ off the Pope!!

****UPDATED BELOW****

FEDS GRANT EMINENT DOMAIN AS COLLATERAL TO CHINA FOR U.S. DEBTS!

Beijing, China -- Sources at the United States Embassy in Beijing China have
just CONFIRMED to me that the United States of America has tendered to China
a written agreement which grants to the People's Republic of China, an
option to exercise Eminent Domain within the USA, as collateral for China's
continued purchase of US Treasury Notes and existing US Currency reserves!

The written agreement was brought to Beijing by Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton and was formalized and agreed-to during her recent trip to China.

This means that in the event the US Government defaults on its financial
obligations to China, the Communist Government of China would be permitted
to physically take -- inside the USA -- land, buildings, factories, perhaps
even entire cities - to satisfy the financial oligations of the US
government.

Put simply, the feds have now actually mortgaged the physical land and
property of all citizens and businesses in the United States. They have
given to a foreign power, their Constitutional power to "take" all of our
property, as actual collateral for continued Chinese funding of US deficit
spending and the continued carrying of US national debt.

This is an unimaginable betrayal of every man, woman and child in the USA.
An outrage worthy of violent overthrow.

I am endeavoring to obtain images or copies of the actual document but in
the interim, several different sources both in the US and in China have
CONFIRMED this to me.

More details as they become available. . . . . spread the word ASAP.

-------------- UPDATE 1:40 pm EST

Eminent Domain is the power of government to TAKE private property for
public use without the consent of the property owner. Under our
Constitution, the government can only "take" when providing "just
compensation for what they've taken.

Who decides what constitutes "just compensation?" The government!

Homeowners who felt the government was not paying them enough for property
in past "takings" have filed lawsuits. In absolutely every such case, the
value placed upon the property by the government was upheld by the courts.

Our federal government has now granted to China, this power to "take"our
homes and businesses in the event the US Gov't defaults on its debts. Let's
play this out as a worst case scenario . . . . .

The US Gov't goes belly-up and China comes in and says, "they owed us $2
Trillion in Treasury Notes and another $2 Trillion in actual cash money
which is now worthless. We are taking the entire state of Hawaii and the
entire state of California in lieu of this bad debt. "

With the stroke of a Chinese chop stick, Hawaii and California -- all the
land and buildings in those states -- are now owned by China.

The "taking" would be a "valid public use" because it was taken" in payment
of the public debt!!!!

China could then turn around and declare the value of all that land to be
worth. . . . .. I dunno, ten cents on a dollar?

For your $200,000 house, you get a Chinese check for $20,000.

Needless to say, the property owners would go ballistic and demand "just
compensation" for what was taken. Who gets to decide what is "just?" China!
Don't think you got a fair price for what they took? No problem, sue China.

You'll lose.

People who live in those states and own their land outright, might be able
to negotiate with China to "rent" back their own property, as long as the
property owner continued to pay all his taxes; but the land and buildings
would belong to China!

This is what our own Government has just done to us and it is the single
most vile act of betrayal in the history of human existence.

Link here



UPDATE: Did some follow-up - per Snopes and WorldNetDaily, the story is false - my apologies to Crusader Rabbit - however, as I noted at Crusader Rabbit, "if you read the WND story in full, with all the U.S. Treasury-backed financial instruments China owns, WHAT is to prevent their exercising, if not eminent domain, undue influence? Does anyone REALLY believe that, were China to make demands, the U.S. wouldn't be over the proverbial barrel? Only, they probably won't be too egregious demands at first - "we'll" be subjected to creeping incrementalism"




.
.

;-) 'Specially for Crusader Rabbit .................................

Cats AND Cars reference - what more could you want?? ;-)


see more Lolcats and funny pictures



.

From WorldNetDaily .........................

New song recognizes 'tea party' movement
'Mr. President! Your stimulus is sure to bust, It's just a socialistic scheme'
Posted: March 20, 2009
12:00 am Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily

An entertainer who proudly admits to being "an American Black Conservative" has written a song in honor of the new nationwide "tea party" movement protesting Washington's
runaway spending.

The song will be performed at an event Saturday in Orlando, Fla., reports WND columnist Andrea Shea King, a radio talk show host on RadioPatriot.blogspot.com.

Written and performed by Lloyd Marcus, the song is directed to President Obama.

The "American Tea Party" starts out: "Mr. President! Your stimulus is sure to bust, It's just a socialistic scheme. The only thing it will do, Is kill the American Dream."

It has been posted on YouTube and also is embedded here:




The lyrics, copyright Zephyrus Music, are:

Mr President!
Your stimulus is sure to bust
Its just a socialistic scheme
The only thing it will do
Is kill the American Dream

You wanna take from achievers
Somehow you think that's fair.
And redistribute to those folks
Who won't get out of their easy chair.

We're havin' a tea party across this land
If you love this country
Come on and join our band
We're standin' up for freedom and liberty
Cause patriots have shown us freedom ain't free

So when they call you a racist cause you disagree
It just another of their dirty tricks to silence you and me.
I believe in the Constitution and all it stands for.
Anyone who tramples it should be booted out the door.

We're havin' a tea party across this land
If you love this country
Come on and join our band
We're standin' up for freedom and liberty
Cause patriots have shown us freedom ain't free

Now we're not advocating violence
That's what the so-called peace crowd do
We're talkin' peaceful protest to defend the red, white and blue

We gotta vote out these clowns who don't love the USA
Who stay up late losing sleep fearing what the French might say

We're havin' a tea party across this land
If you love this country
Come on and join our band
We're standin' up for freedom and liberty
Cause patriots have shown us freedom ain't free

We're havin' a tea party across this land
If you love this country
Come on and join our band
We're standin' up for freedom and liberty
Cause patriots have shown us freedom ain't free

Freedom ain't free
(Stand up for America)
Freedom ain't free
(Gotta take a stand)
Freedom ain't free
(Mr Obama)
Freedom ain't free
(we work hard for our money)
Freedom ain't free
(Don't give it away)
Freedom ain't free
(Save the day)
Freedom ain't free
(Don't go givin' it away)
Freedom ain't free
(It ain't gonna work)
Freedom ain't free
(Give back our freedom)
Freedom ain't free
(Give back our liberty)
Freedom ain't free
(I love my country)

Lloyd's website describes him as believing conservatism is compassionate and "the true path to achieving the American Dream."

Three of Lloyd's paintings from his series titled, "STOREFRONTS: Reflections of Growing Up in his Preacher Dad's East Baltimore Church," achieved worldwide recognition when they were banned from a Florida city's Black History Month Exhibit. Marcus' art was banned for "religious themes."

While WND has been tracking 170 individual tea parties across the nation, one group has announced it is planning rallies in 1,000 cities and towns April 15.

The American Family Association, or AFA, is coordinating 1,000 Taxed Enough Already, or TEA, parties to be held at 12 p.m. in front of city halls across the nation.

The organization launched a Tea Party Day website just days ago so volunteer organizers can register their protests with AFA. The website also provides a list of other protests across the nation that are not organized by AFA.

Michael DePrimo, special counsel to AFA President Tim Wildmon, told WND that AFA has been inundated with e-mails from citizens who want to attend or organize tea parties in their own cities.

New blog for y'all to check out .................................

Declaration of Orders We Will NOT Obey
it's good to know that not all are towing the 'party line' - I'll be interested particularly in LawDog's 'take' on this .......................


Recognizing that we each swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and affirming that we are guardians of the Republic, of the principles in our Declaration of Independence, and of the rights of our people, we affirm and declare the following:

1. We will NOT obey any order to disarm the American people.

The attempt to disarm the people on April 19, 1775 was the spark of open conflict in the American Revolution. That vile attempt was an act of war, and the American people fought back in justified, righteous self-defense of their natural rights. Any such order today would also be an act of war against the American people, and thus an act of treason. We will not make war on our own people, and we will not commit treason by obeying any such treasonous order.

Nor will we assist, or support any such attempt to disarm the people by other government entities, either state or federal.

In addition, we affirm that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to preserve the military power of the people so that they will, in the last resort, have effective final recourse to arms and to the God of Hosts in the face of tyranny. Accordingly, we oppose any and all further infringements on the right of the people to keep and bear arms. In particular we oppose a renewal of the misnamed “assault-weapons” ban or the enactment of H.R. 45 (which would register and track gun owners like convicted pedophiles).

2. We will NOT obey any order to conduct warrantless searches of the American people, their homes, vehicles, papers, or effects - such as warrantless house-to house searches for weapons or persons.

One of the causes of the American Revolution was the use of warrantless searches known as “writs of assistance” and the first fiery embers of American resistance were born in opposition to those infamous writs. The Founders considered all warrantless searches to be unreasonable and egregious. It was to prevent a repeat of such violations of the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects that the Fourth Amendment was written.

We expect that warrantless searches of homes and vehicles, under some pretext, will be the means used to attempt to disarm the people.

3. We will NOT obey any order to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to trial by military tribunal.

One of the causes of the American Revolution was the denial of the right to jury trial, the use of admiralty courts (military tribunals) instead, and the application of the laws of war to the colonists. After that experience, and being well aware of the infamous Star Chamber in English history, the Founders ensured that the international laws of war would apply only to foreign enemies, not to the American people. Thus, the Article III Treason Clause establishes the only constitutional form of trial for an American, not serving in the military, who is accused of making war on his own nation. Such a trial for treason must be before a civilian jury, not a tribunal.

The international laws of war do not trump our Bill of Rights. We reject as illegitimate any such claimed power, as did the Supreme Court in Ex Parte Milligan (1865). Any attempt to apply the laws of war to American civilians, under any pretext, such as against domestic “militia” groups the government brands “domestic terrorists,” is an act of war and an act of treason.

4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state, or to enter with force into a state, without the express consent and invitation of that state’s legislature and governor.

One of the causes of the American Revolution was the attempt “to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power” by disbanding the Massachusetts legislature and appointing General Gage as “military governor.” The attempt to disarm the people of Massachusetts during that martial law sparked our Revolution. Accordingly, the power to impose martial law – the absolute rule over the people by a military officer with his will alone being law – is nowhere enumerated in our Constitution.

Further, it is the militia of a state and of the several states that the Constitution contemplates being used in any context, during any emergency within a state, not the standing army.

The imposition of martial law by the national government over a state and its people, treating them as an occupied enemy nation, is an act of war. Such an attempted suspension of the Constitution and Bill of Rights voids the compact with the states and with the people.

5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty and declares the national government to be in violation of the compact by which that state entered the Union.

In response to the obscene growth of federal power and to the absurdly totalitarian claimed powers of the Executive, upwards of 20 states are considering, have considered, or have passed courageous resolutions affirming states rights and sovereignty.

Those resolutions follow in the honored and revered footsteps of Jefferson and Madison in their Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, and likewise seek to enforce the Constitution by affirming the very same principles of our Declaration, Constitution, and Bill of Rights that we Oath Keepers recognize and affirm.

Chief among those principles is that ours is a dual sovereignty system, with the people of each state retaining all powers not granted to the national government they created, and thus the people of each state reserved to themselves the right to judge when the national government they created has voided the compact between the states by asserting powers never granted.

Upon the declaration by a state that such a breach has occurred, we will not obey orders to force that state to submit to the national government.

6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.

One of the causes of the American Revolution was the blockade of Boston, and the occupying of that city by the British military, under martial law. Once hostilities began, the people of Boston were tricked into turning in their arms in exchange for safe passage, but were then forbidden to leave. That confinement of the residents of an entire city was an act of war.

Such tactics were repeated by the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto, and by the Imperial Japanese in Nanking, turning entire cities into death camps. Any such order to disarm and confine the people of an American city will be an act of war and thus an act of treason.

7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.

Mass, forced internment into concentration camps was a hallmark of every fascist and communist dictatorship in the 20th Century. Such internment was unfortunately even used against American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II. Whenever a government interns its own people, it treats them like an occupied enemy population. Oppressive governments often use the internment of women and children to break the will of the men fighting for their liberty – as was done to the Boars, to the Jewish resisters in the Warsaw Ghetto, to the Cossacks, and to the Chechens, for example.

Such a vile order to forcibly intern Americans without charges or trial would be an act of war against the American people, and thus an act of treason, regardless of the pretext used. We will not commit treason, nor will we facilitate or support it.

8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control” during any emergency, or under any other pretext. We will consider such use of foreign troops against our people to be an invasion and an act of war.

During the American Revolution, the British government enlisted the aid of Hessian mercenaries in an attempt to subjugate the rebellious American people. Throughout history, repressive regimes have enlisted the aid of foreign troops and mercenaries who have no bonds with the people.

Accordingly, as the militia of the several states are the only military force contemplated by the Constitution, in Article I, Section 8, for domestic keeping of the peace, and as the use of even our own standing army for such purposes is without such constitutional support, the use of foreign troops and mercenaries against the people is wildly unconstitutional, egregious, and an act of war.

We will oppose such troops as enemies of the people and we will treat all who request, invite, and aid those foreign troops as the traitors they are.

9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies, under any emergency pretext whatsoever.

One of the causes of the American Revolution was the seizure and forfeiture of American ships, goods, and supplies, along with the seizure of American timber for the Royal Navy, all in violation of the people’s natural right to their property and to the fruits of their labor. The final spark of the Revolution was the attempt by the government to seize powder and cannon stores at Concord.

Deprivation of food has long been a weapon of war and oppression, with millions intentionally starved to death by fascist and communist governments in the 20th Century alone.

Accordingly, we will not obey or facilitate orders to confiscate food and other essential supplies from the people, and we will consider all those who issue or carry out such orders to be the enemies of the people.

10. We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.

There would have been no American Revolution without fiery speakers and writers such as James Otis, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, and Sam Adams “setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.”

Tyrants know that the pen of a man such as Thomas Paine can cause them more damage than entire armies, and thus they always seek to suppress the natural rights of speech, association, and assembly. Without freedom of speech, the people will have no recourse but to arms. Without freedom of speech and conscience, there is no freedom.

Therefore, we will not obey or support any orders to suppress or violate the right of the people to speak, associate, worship, assemble, communicate, or petition government for the redress of grievances.

— And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually affirm our oath and pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. Oath Keepers

The above list is not exhaustive but we do consider them to be clear tripwires – they form our “line in the sand,” and if we receive such orders, we will not obey them. Further, we will know that the time for another American Revolution is nigh. If such a revolution comes, at that time, not only will we NOT fire upon our fellow Americans who righteously resist such egregious violations of their God given rights, we will join them in fighting against those who dare attempt to enslave them.

More About Oath Keepers

Oath Keepers is a non partisan association of currently serving military, veterans, and peace officers who will fulfill our oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God.

Our oath is to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and not to any political party. In the long-standing tradition of the U.S. military, we are apolitical. We don’t care if unlawful orders come from a Democrat or a Republican, or if the violation is bi-partisan. We will not obey unconstitutional (and thus unlawful) and immoral orders, such as orders to disarm the American people or to place them under martial law. We won’t “just follow orders." Our motto: “Not on Our Watch!” or to put it even more succinctly, in the words of Brigadier General A. C. McAuliffe, "NUTS!"

OathKeepers - Declaration of Orders We Will NOT Obey



.

Just learned from my Colonel ............................

that the Troglodyte in High Heels {aka Meyera Oberndorf} is no longer Mayor of Virginia Beach, VA -



Please believe me when I tell you this woman would give Mayor Witless {aka Bill White, of Houston} a run for his money in the Boneheaded Politician Competition ....................... as it's name implies, Virginia Beach is ON the Atlantic Ocean - due to excessive development, there were problems with enough fresh water - the Israelis offered to share their de-salination technology with the city - Meyera said no, we'll just pipe water from 70 miles and ANOTHER STATE - needless to say, North Carolinians weren't too pleased, nor were the Virginia taxpayers, who footed the bill for the pipeline ....................... Meyera was known for wearing extremely tight, short skirts - at HER age, NOT a good idea ................. I'm just happy for the folks of Virginia Beach, now that she's gone .........................



.

One of my favorite actors has died .......................

Ron Silver did well portraying the quintessential educated New Yorker - I wasn't aware of his politics, until reading his obituary - he gave the keynote address at the 2004 Republican convention - he was quoted as saying, "There are September 10th people, and September 11th people - I'm one of the latter" .................. he will be missed .....................








.

THIS explains a lot about Slick Willie .................................

if his comprehension of basic biology is so poor, no wonder he didn't think his liaisons with Monica were "sex" .................... ;-)


Clinton: OK to experiment on 'unfertilized embryos'
Former president confused about origin of 'little babies'?
Posted: March 12, 2009
11:33 am Eastern

By Chelsea Schilling

Even after former President Bill Clinton gave direct authority to fund human embryo research in 1993, a recent CNN interview reveals he may be confused about what a human embryonic stem cell is.

In an interview yesterday with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN, Clinton said Americans should support President Obama's decision to lift federal funding
limits on the research if the embryos cannot "be fertilized and become little babies."


Full article here.



.

From my Colonel ................................... ;-) ;-)

A DC airport ticket agent offers some examples of 'why' our country is in
trouble!

1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman ask for an aisle seat so that her
hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)

2. I got a call from a candidate's staffer, who wanted to go to Capetown.
I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport
information, and then she interrupted me with, ''I'm not trying to make
you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts." Without trying to
make her look stupid, I calmly explained, ''Cape Cod is in Massachusetts,
Capetown is in Africa." Her response - click..

3. A senior Vermont Congressman called, furious about a Florida package we
did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was
expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible,
since Orlando is in the middle of the state. He replied, 'don't lie to
me, I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state!'' (OMG)

4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife who asked, ''Is it possible to see
England from Canada?'' I said, ''No.'' She said, ''But they look so
close on the map.'' (OMG, again!)

5. An aide for a cabinet member once called and asked if he could rent a
car in Dallas. When I pulled up the reservation, I noticed he had only a
1-hour layover in Dallas .. When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car,
he said, ''I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to
drive between gates to save time.'' (Aghhhh)

6. An Illinois Congresswoman called last week. She needed to know how it
was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 a.m., and got to
Chicago at 8:33 a..m. I explained that Michigan was an hour. Ahead of
Illinois , but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones.
Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.

7. A New York lawmaker called and asked, ''Do airlines put your physical
description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?'' I
said, 'No, why do you ask?' She replied, ''Well, when I checked in with
the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm
overweight. I think that's very rude!'' After putting her on hold for a
minute, while I looked into it. (I was dying laughing). I came back and
explained the city code for Fresno, CA is (FAT - Fresno Air Terminal), and
the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage.

8. A Senator's aide called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii.
After going over all the cost info, she asked, ''Would it be cheaper to
fly to California, and then take the train to Hawaii?''

9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman who asked, ''How
do I know which plane to get on?'' I asked him what exactly he meant, to
which he replied, ''I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these
planes have numbers on them.''

10. A lady Senator called and said, ''I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola,
Florida. Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?'' I
asked if she meant fly to Pensacola , FL on a commuter plane. She said,
''Yeah, whatever, smarty!''

11. A senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he
needed in order to fly to China .. After a lengthy discussion about
passports, I reminded him that he needed a visa. 'Oh, no I don't. I've
been to China many times and never had to have one of those.'' I double
checked and sure enough, his stay required a visa. When I told him this
he said, ''Look, I've been to China four times. And every time they have
accepted my American Express!''

12. A New Mexico Congress woman called to make reservations, ''I want to
go from Chicago to Rhino, New York.'' I was at a loss for words. Finally,
I said, ''Are you sure that's the name of the town?'' 'Yes, what flights
do you have?'' replied the lady. After some searching, I came back with,
''I'm sorry, ma'am, I've looked up every airport code in the country and
can't find a rhino anywhere.' The lady retorted, ''Oh, don't be silly!
Everyone knows where it is.. Check your map!'' So I scoured a map of the
state of New York and finally offered, ''You don't mean Buffalo, do you?''
The reply? ''Whatever! I knew it was a big animal.''

Now you know why the Government is in the shape that it's in!

Could anyone be this DUMB?

YES, THEY WALK AMONG US, ARE IN POLITICS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREED!




.

Via one of "my" Mustang Officers ................................

this young man is reportedly Belgian - yet he knows how one renders honors to one's allies - Bravo Zulu to the Canadians, who know how to respond to such .........................






.

I'll be the first to admit, golf bores me to tears ..........................

but one would have had to live in a cave for the past several years, to not know who Tiger Woods is, and some of his family history ..................... after reading this, while I won't become a 'golf groupie', may I say that Tiger Woods has my utmost respect and well-wishes ............................

TIGER WOODS' SPEECH AT THE INAUGURATION:

Tiger Woods received a special invitation to speak at the inauguration. His
inviters were stunned, when he did not deliver the message they expected.
You will see why the media swept it under the rug with no further ado, who
and why of a certain element is upset with Tiger.

Below is the text of his speech, entitled: "You'll Never Walk Alone," as
posted on his Web site:

"I grew up in a military family - and my role models in life were my Mom and
Dad, Lt. Colonel Earl Woods. My dad was a Special Forces operator and many
nights friends would visit our home. They represented every branch of the
service, and every rank.

"In my Dad, and in those guests, I saw first hand the dedication and
commitment of those who serve. They come from every walk of life. From
every part of our country. Time and again, across generations, they have
defended our safety in the dark of night and far from home.

"Each day -- and particularly on this historic day -- we honor the men and
women in uniform who serve our country and protect our freedom. They
travel to the dangerous corners of the world, and we must remember that for
every person who is in uniform, there are families who wait for them to come
home safely.

"I am honored that the military is such an important part, not just of my
personal life, but of my professional one as well. The golf tournament we do
each year here in Washington is a testament to those unsung heroes.

"I am the son of a man who dedicated his life to his country, family and the
military, and I am a better person for it..

"In the summer of 1864, Abraham Lincoln, the man at whose memorial we stand,
spoke to the 164th Ohio Regiment and said:'I am greatly obliged to you, and
to all who have come forward at the call of their country.'

"Just as they have stood tall for our country - we must always stand by and
support the men and women in uniform and their families..

"Thank you, and it is now my pleasure to introduce the US Naval Glee Club."

~~~
I have never been more proud of Tiger Woods than when I heard his 2-minute
tribute to the military at the Inaugural Celebration in Washington DC .
You know he was greatly pressured to be there. Liberals have been mad at
him for a decade for not joining their ranks. You know he didn't want to
be there.
So instead of paying homage to Obama, he paid tribute to our soldiers. Not
one time did he mention Obama, the inauguration or the new administration.
He knew beforehand that his love for America , and appreciation for our
military men & women would anger them further. But Tiger is his own man;
his father taught him to be his own man.
Somewhere over that cold, gray Washington sky, old Earl Woods was smiling
down on his beloved son. And there will be one more crying hug waiting for
Tiger when he passes through the Pearly Gates into God's arms.


.

Found a song ......................................

and I don't know if the censors are in charge or what, but for whatever reason, I couldn't send the link to the folks of Crusader Rabbit ........................ ANYhoo, here's the It Ain't Your Money to Spend link .....................

*******

UPDATE: APPARENTLY, someone doesn't want this song getting out there - I can't even eMail it to folks here in the U.S. ..................... wassamatter, does someone have their knickers in a twist?????





.

From my Colonel ...............................

The old man and the dog

"Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me.

"Can't you do anything right?"

Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man
in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat
as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle.

"I saw the car, Dad. Please don't yell at me when I'm driving."

My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.

Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in
front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts. Dark, heavy
clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder
seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about him?

Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon. He had enjoyed being
outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of
nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and had placed
often.

The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his
prowess.

The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy
log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone,
straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about
his advancing age, or when he couldn't do something he had done as a younger
man.

Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An
ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to
keep blood and oxygen flowing.

At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he
survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He
obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders. Suggestions and offers of
help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors
thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone.

My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We
hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.

Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed
nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became
frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We
began to bicker and argue.

Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation. The
clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the close of each
session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad's troubled mind.

But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it
was up to me to do it.

The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each of
the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I explained my problem
to each of the sympathetic voices that answered in vain.

Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, "I
just read something that might help you! Let me go get the article."

I listened as she read. The article described a remarkable study done at a
nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic
depression. Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were
given responsibility for a dog.

I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. After I filled out a
questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of
disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each
contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black
dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but
rejected one after the other for various reasons too big, too small, too
much hair. As I neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner
struggled to his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a
pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of
the breed.

Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hipbones
jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that caught and held
my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me unwaveringly.

I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?"

The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one.
Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the gate. We brought him in,
figuring someone would be right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago
and we've heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." He gestured helplessly.

As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror. "You mean you're going
to kill him?"

"Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for every
unclaimed dog."

I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown eyes awaited my decision.
"I'll take him," I said.

I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. When I reached the
house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when
Dad shuffled onto the front porch. "Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad!" I
said excitedly.

Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a dog I
would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than
that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully
and turned back toward the house.


Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded
into my temples. "You'd better get used to him, Dad. He's staying!"

Dad ignored me. "Did you hear me, Dad?" I screamed.

At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his
eyes narrowed and blazing with hate.

We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer
pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of
him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw.

Dad's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw. Confusion
replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad was
on his knees hugging the animal.

It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the
pointer Cheyenne. Together he and Cheyenne explored the community. They
spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent reflective moments on
the banks of streams,=2 0angling for tasty trout. They even started to
attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying
quietly at his feet.

Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years. Dad's
bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night
I was startled to feel Cheyenne's cold nose burrowing through our bed
covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at night. I woke Dick, put
on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face
serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night.

Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying
dead beside Dad's bed. I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept
on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently
thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad's peace of
mind.

The morning of Dad's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like
the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved
for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had
made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to
both Dad and the dog who had changed his life. And then the pastor turned to
Hebrews 13:2. "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this
some have entertained angels without knowing it."

"I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.

For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen
before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article...

Cheyenne's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter. . ..his calm
acceptance and complete devotion to my father. . and the proximity of their
deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers
after all.

Life is too short for drama & petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and
forgive quickly. Live While You Are Alive. Forgive now those who made you
cry. You might not get a second time.

And if you don't send this to at least 4 people --who cares? But do share
this with someone. Lost time can never be found.


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From my Colonel, 'specially for the folks @ Crusader Rabbit ................... ;-) ;-)

One thing about blokes from Oz is that their hearts and humor are always in the right place!

T. B. Bechtel, an Oz City councilor, was asked on a local live radio talk show, just what he thought about the allegations of torture of suspected terrorists.



His reply prompted his ejection from the studio, but to thunderous applause from the audience.


HIS STATEMENT:

'If hooking up one raghead terrorist prisoner's testicles to a car battery to get the truth out of the lying little camelshagger will save just one Australian life, then I have only three things to say,'




'Red is positive,

Black is negative, and

Make sure his nuts are wet.'



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From my Colonel ................................... ;-) ;-)

Subject: National divorce



THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY WELL PUT AND I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT'S BY A YOUNG
PERSON, A STUDENT!!!


WHATEVER HE RUNS FOR, I'LL VOTE FOR HIM..


DIVORCE AGREEMENT




Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists
and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the whole
of this latest election process has made me realize that I
want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years
for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship
has run its course. Our two ideological sides
of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right
so let's just end it on friendly terms.
We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences
and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country
by landmass each taking a portion.
That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides
can come to a friendly agreement.
After that, it should be relatively easy!


Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide
other assets since both sides have such distinct and
disparate tastes.

We don't like redistributive taxes, so you can keep them.


You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.


Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms,
the cops, the NRA and the military.


You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell
(You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel
vehicle big enough to move all three of them).

We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations,
pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street.


You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies
and illegal aliens.


We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms,
greedy CEO's and rednecks.

We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood.

You can make nice with Iran and Palestine, and we'll
retain the right to invade and hammer places that
threaten us.

You can have the peaceniks and war protesters.

When our allies or our way of life are under assault,
we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.


You are welcome to Islam, Scientology,
Humanism and Shirley McClain.


You can also have the U.N., but we will no longer
be paying the bill.

We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars.


You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing
doctors. We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.


We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic
and the National Anthem.


I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine,
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya,
or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickle-down economics, and you can
give trickle-up poverty your best shot.


Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our
history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this?


If so, please pass it along to other like-minded liberal
and conservative patriots and if you do not agree,
just hit delete.


In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you ANWAR
which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely, John J. Wall
Law Student and an American

P.S.
Also, please take Barbara Streisand & Jane Fonda with you.



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I'm not a big fan of Pat Buchanan's ...............................

I THOROUGHLY respect his intellect and speaking/writing ability. Just for sh#ts & giggles, I 'ran the numbers' on his hypothetical couple - AFTER federal & state taxes, Medicare & Social Security, but BEFORE any state sales tax, gas tax, or property taxes, the couple would take home a blazing $226,507.00 - in federal, state, Medicare & SS, they would pay $273,493.00 - anybody else see something wrong with this picture?


Pitchfork Time

By Patrick J. Buchanan

In his campaign and inaugural address, Barack Obama cast himself as a moderate man seeking common ground with conservatives.

Yet, his budget calls for the radical restructuring of the U.S. economy, a sweeping redistribution of power and wealth to government and Democratic constituencies. It is a declaration of war on the Right.

The real Obama has stood up, and lived up to his ranking as the most left-wing member of the United States Senate.

Barack has no mandate for this. He was even behind McCain when the decisive event that gave him the presidency occurred—the September collapse of Lehman Brothers and the market crash.

Republicans are under no obligation to render bipartisan support to this statist coup d'etat. For what is going down is a leftist power grab that is anathema to their principles and philosophy.

Where the U.S. government usually consumes 21 percent of gross domestic product, this Obama budget spends 28 percent in 2009 and runs a deficit of $1.75 trillion, or 12.7 percent of GDP. That is four times the largest deficit of George W. Bush and twice as large a share of the economy as any deficit run since World War II.

Add that 28 percent of GDP spent by the U.S. government to the 12 percent spent by states, counties and cities, and government will consume 40 percent of the economy in 2009.

We are not "headed down the road to socialism." We are there.

Since the budget was released, word has come that the U.S. economy did not shrink by 3.8 percent in the fourth quarter, but 6.2 percent. All the assumptions in Obama's budget about growth in 2009 and 2010 need to be revised downward, and the deficits revised upward.

Look for the deficit for 2009 to cross $2 trillion.

Who abroad is going to lend us the trillions to finance our deficits without demanding higher interest rates on the U.S. bonds they are being asked to hold? And if we must revert to the printing press to create the money, what happens to the dollar?

As Americans save only a pittance and have lost—in the value of homes, stocks, bonds and other assets—$15 trillion to $20 trillion since 2007, how can the people provide the feds with the needed money?

In his speech to Congress, Obama promised new investments in energy, education and health care. Every kid is going to get a college degree. We're going to find a cure for cancer.

Who is going to pay for all this?

The top 2 percent, the filthy rich who got all those Bush tax breaks, say Democrats. But the top 5 percent of income earners already pay 60 percent of U.S. income taxes, while the bottom 40 percent pays nothing.

Those paying a federal tax rate of 35 percent will see it rise to near 40 percent and will lose a fifth of the value of their deductions for taxes, mortgage interest and charitable contributions.

Yet, two-thirds of small businesses are taxed at the same rate as individuals. Consider what this means to the owner of a restaurant and bar in Los Angeles open from noon to midnight, where a husband and wife each put in 80 hours a week.

At year's end, the couple finds they have actually made a profit of $500,000 that they can take home in salary.

What is the Obama-Schwarzenegger tax take on that salary?

Their U.S. tax rate will have hit 39.6 percent.

Their California income tax will have hit 9.55 percent.

Medicare payroll taxes on the proprietor as both employer and salaried employee will be $14,500. Social Security payroll taxes for the proprietor as both employer and employee will be $13,243.

In short, U.S. and state income and payroll taxes will consume half of all the pair earned for some 8,000 hours of work.

From that ravaged salary they must pay a state sales tax of 8.25 percent, gas taxes for the 50-mile commute, and tens of thousands in property taxes on both their restaurant and home. And, after being pilloried by politicians for having feasted in the Bush era, they are now told the tax deduction they get for contributing to the church is to be cut 20 percent, while millions of Obama voters, who paid no U.S. income tax at all, will be getting a tax cut—i.e., a fat little check—in April.

Any wonder native-born Californians are fleeing the Golden Land?

Markets are not infallible. But the stock market has long been a "lead indicator" of where the economy will be six months from now. What are the markets, the collective decisions of millions of investors, saying?

Having fallen every month since Obama's election, with January and February the worst two months in history, they are telling us the stimulus package will not work, that Tim Geithner is clueless about how to save the banks, that the Obama budget portends disaster for the republic.

The president says he is gearing up for a fight on his budget.

Good. Let's give him one.



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Via my Colonel ..................................... ;-)

Actual 'Letter to the Editor' from the February 5th edition of the Wichita Falls, Texas Times Record News...


Dear IRS,

I am sorry to inform you that I will not be able to pay taxes owed April 15, but all is not lost.

I have paid these taxes: accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gasoline tax, hunting license tax, fishing license tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, liquor tax, luxury tax, Medicare tax, city, school and county property tax (up 33 percent last 4 years), real estate tax, social security tax, road usage tax, toll road tax, state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, state franchise tax, state unemployment tax, telephone federal excise tax, telephone federal state and local surcharge tax, telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, telephone state and local tax, utility tax, vehicle license registration tax, capitol gains tax, lease severance tax, oil and gas assessment tax, Colorado property tax, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma and New Mexico sales tax, and many more that I can't recall but I have run out of space and money.

When you do not receive my check April 15, just know that it is an honest mistake. Please treat me the same way you treated Congressmen Charles Rangle, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and ex-Congressman Tom Dashelle and, of course, your boss Timothy Geithner. No penalties and no interest.

P.S. I will make at least a partial payment as soon as I get my stimulus check.


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From my Colonel ...............................

Subj: Friday Mornings at the Pentagon
Disclaimer: my mother worked at the Pentagon, in a civilian capacity, for many years - she still loves to reminisce about her time at "the Puzzle Palace" - I recall, YEARS ago, being able to accompany my folks {my Dad was active duty Marine officer} to the Pentagon ................. sweet memories of youth .....................



Something you don’t see on the Today show!

Friday Mornings at the Pentagon
By JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY McClatchy Newspapers

Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air Force
personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is war. Thousands
more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and facing months or
years in military hospitals.
This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former roommate,
Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman, who recently completed a yearlong tour of duty
in Iraq and is now back at the Pentagon.

Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that fills the
halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers, applause and many
tears every Friday morning. It first appeared on May 17 on the Weblog of
media critic and pundit Eric Alterman at the Media Matters for America
Website.
"It is 110 yards from the "E" ring to the "A" ring of the Pentagon. This
section of the Pentagon is newly renovated; the floors shine, the hallway is
broad, and the lighting is bright. At this instant the entire length of the
corridor is packed with officers, a few sergeants and some civilians, all
crammed tightly three and four deep against the walls. There are thousands
here.

This hallway, more than any other, is the `Army' hallway. The G3 offices
line one side, G2 the other, G8 is around the corner. All Army. Moderate
conversations flow in a low buzz. Friends who may not have seen each other
for a few weeks, or a few years, spot each other, cross the way and renew.
Everyone shifts to ensure an open path remains down the center. The air
conditioning system was not designed for this press of bodies in this area.

The temperature is rising already. Nobody cares. "10:36 hours: The clapping
starts at the E-Ring. That is the outermost of the five rings of the
Pentagon and it is closest to the entrance to the building. This clapping is
low, sustained, hearty. It is applause with a deep emotion behind it as it
moves forward in a wave down the length of the hallway.
"A steady rolling wave of sound it is, moving at the pace of the soldier in
the wheelchair who marks the forward edge with his presence. He is the
first. He is missing the greater part of one leg, and some of his wounds are
still suppurating. By his age I expect that he is a private, or perhaps a
private first class.

"Captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels meet his gaze and nod as
they applaud, soldier to soldier. Three years ago when I described one of
these events, those lining the hallways were somewhat different. The
applause a little wilder, perhaps in private guilt for not having shared in
the burden . . . yet.

"Now almost everyone lining the hallway is, like the man in the wheelchair,
also a combat veteran. This steadies the applause, but I think deepens the
sentiment. We have all been there now. The soldier's chair is pushed by, I
believe, a full colonel.
"Behind him, and stretching the length from Rings E to A, come more of his
peers, each private, corporal, or sergeant assisted as need be by a field
grade officer.

"11:00 hours: Twenty-four minutes of steady applause. My hands hurt, and I
laugh to myself at how stupid that sounds in my own head. My hands hurt.
Please! Shut up and clap. For twenty-four minutes, soldier after soldier has
come down this hallway - 20, 25, 30. Fifty-three legs come with them, and
perhaps only 52 hands or arms, but down this hall came 30 solid hearts.
They pass down this corridor of officers and applause, and then meet for a
private lunch, at which they are the guests of honor, hosted by the
generals. Some are wheeled along. Some insist upon getting out of their
chairs, to march as best they can with their chin held up, down this
hallway, through this most unique audience. Some are catching handshakes and
smiling like a politician at a Fourth of July parade. More than a couple of
them seem amazed and are smiling shyly.

"There are families with them as well: the 18-year-old war-bride pushing her
19-year-old husband's wheelchair and not quite understanding why her husband
is so affected by this, the boy she grew up with, now a man, who had never
shed a tear is crying; the older immigrant Latino parents who have, perhaps
more than their wounded mid-20s son, an appreciation for the emotion given
on their son's behalf. No man in that hallway, walking or clapping, is
ashamed by the silent tears on more than a few cheeks. An Airborne Ranger
wipes his eyes only to better see. A couple of the officers in this crowd
have themselves been a part of this parade in the past.

These are our men, broken in body they may be, but they are our brothers,
and we welcome them home. This parade has gone on, every single Friday, all
year long, for more than four years.
"Did you know that?
The media hasn't yet told the story."
God Bless America & God Bless Our Troop

From my Colonel ................................... ;-) ;-)

WORRY
Is there a magic cut off period when
offspring become accountable for their own
actions? Is there a wonderful moment when
parents can become detached spectators in
the lives of their children and shrug, 'It's
their life,' and feel nothing?

When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital
corridor waiting for doctors to put a few
stitches in my daughter's head. I asked, 'When do
you stop worrying?' The nurse said,
'When they get out of the accident stage'. My
Dad just smiled faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little
chair in a classroom and heard how one of my
children talked incessantly, disrupted the class,
and was headed for a career making
license plates. As if to read my mind, a teacher
said, 'Don't worry, they all go through
this stage and then you can sit back, relax
enjoy them.' My dad just smiled
faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime,
waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come
home, the front door to open. A friend said,
'They're trying to find themselves. Don't worry.
In a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll be
adults'. My dad just smiled faintly and said nothing.

By the time I was 50 , I was sick & tired of being
vulnerable. I was still worrying over my
children, but there was a new wrinkle.. There
was nothing I could do about it. My
dad just smiled faintly and said nothing. I
continued to anguish over their failures, be
tormented by their frustrations and absorbed in
their disappointments.

My friends said that when my kids got married I
could stop worrying and lead my own
life. I wanted to believe that, but I was
haunted by my dad's warm smile and his
occasional, 'You look pale. Are you all right?
Call me the minute you get home. Are
you depressed about something'?

Can it be that parents are sentenced to a
lifetime of worry? Is concern for one another
handed down like a torch to blaze the trail of
human frailties and the fears of the
unknown? Is concern a curse or is it a virtue
that elevates us to the highest form of life?

One of my children became quite irritable
recently, saying to me, 'Where were you? I've been
calling for 3 days, and no one answered. I was worried'.
I smiled a warm smile.
The torch has been passed..


PASS IT ON TO OTHER WONDERFUL PARENTS.
(And also to your children. That's the fun part)




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For those of you unfamiliar with Cox & Forkum ..........................

here are some of their editorial cartoons; they no longer work closely together all the time, but have maintained occasional joint efforts ....................... few years back, I eMailed a suggestion for a 'toon - they had already utilized the idea, and were most gracious in their correspondence with me ................ John Cox's website is here.




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