Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Forwarded by my retired Captain of Marines .............................................

This venerable and much honored WW II vet is well known in Hawaii
for his seventy-plus years of service to patriotic organizations and causes
all over the country. A humble man without a political bone in his body,
he has never spoken out before about a government official, until now.
He dictated this letter to a friend, signed it and mailed it to the president.


Dear President Obama,

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a "rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor, allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.

So here goes.

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.

I can't figure out what country you are the president of.
You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like:
" We're no longer a Christian nation"
" America is arrogant" - (Your wife even
announced to the world,"America is mean-
spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching
that nonsense to 23 generations of our
war dead buried all over the globe who
died for no other reason than to free a
whole lot of strangers from tyranny and
hopelessness.)
I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."

Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.

Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue. You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts, who was putting up a fight? You don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you're the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you're thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president.
You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.
And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle.

Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes


When a 95 year old hero of the "the Greatest Generation" stands up and speaks out like this, I think we owe it to him to send his words to as many Americans as we can. Please pass it on.




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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

I'm not a rabid feminist by any means .........................................

I DO agree with equal work for equal pay; giving women the opportunity to do the same work as men, in police/fire academies/the military, without lowering established standards.

THAT said, I'm appalled by the silence from women who will scream like a wounded eagle over some perceived "injustice" from 'the patriarchal establishment', yet have no breath left to protest such practices as female genital mutilation or {WARNING: GRAPHIC} acid attacks by practitioners of the "Religion of Peace"; I guess all those women were just 'asking for it' ............................ SPIT!




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Friday, November 20, 2009

This time of year is kind of problematic for me ........................................

on the one hand, I LOVE the excitement of anticipation; on the other, when I can't just snap my fingers & 'DO' {buy/bake/build/whatever}, it's a bummer ........................... with the new hard drive, I'm uncertain of how to get the audio to work, so I can't listen to what I'm putting up here for y'all to listen to - that's OK, though, as I know this one by heart - it's my all-time favorite non-religious Christmas song ....................... bear in mind, this portion of Mame takes place the Christmas after the stock market crash of 1929 ............................. makes it somewhat MORE poignant this year, yes?









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A fellow commenter @ Crusader Rabbit is a published author ..................................

of a SciFi eBook - Meddlers in Time - a brief description "You can’t change history, can you? No- but you can make a new reality, when you alter events. ‘Meddlers in Time’ explores the shaping of a parallel earth, by altering events in 9th century England. Some were lured by money, other by the adventure- a few just wanted a new chance at life. One thing remains constant- time travel changes all who follow that path…"

Please Note: There IS a disclaimer "This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under."

Congratulations!!



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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I'm so angry, I could smoke a pickle ...........................................

Seems Obambi has decided to weigh in on KSM's prospects in court Obama: Professed 9/11 mastermind will be convicted

NOW, for those unfamiliar with American jurisprudence - EVERYONE in a position of "authority" is supposed to keep their traps SHUT re: their "opinions", because of the possibility of 'undue influence' on members of the judiciary AND the prospective jurors. Obambi has JUST handed KSM & Co. a gold-plated "Get Out of Jail FREE" card.

THIS is what happens when a Republican weighs in:
On August 4, despite precautions taken by the court, Manson flashed the jury a Los Angeles Times front page whose headline was "Manson Guilty, Nixon Declares," a reference to a statement made the previous day when U.S. President Richard Nixon had decried what he saw as the media's glamorization of Manson. Voir dired by Judge Charles Older, the jurors contended that the headline had not influenced them. The next day, the female defendants stood up and said in unison that, in light of Nixon's remark, there was no point in going on with the trial.[122] On October 5, after being denied the court's permission to question a prosecution witness whom the defense attorneys had declined to cross-examine, Manson leaped over the defense table and attempted to attack the judge. Wrestled to the ground by bailiffs, he was removed from the courtroom with the female defendants, who had subsequently risen and begun chanting in Latin.[54] Thereafter, Older allegedly began wearing a revolver under his robes.[54]







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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

From a retired Marine Captain ......................... ;-) ;-)

A woman applying for a job in a Florida lemon grove seemed to be far too qualified for the job.

The foreman frowned and said, "I have to ask you this; have you had any actual experience in picking lemons?"

She replied: "I've been divorced three times and I voted for Obama."





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Sunday, November 15, 2009

Please keep Shaniya Davis in your thoughts & prayers .............................. UPDATED



This beautiful little 5 year old was sold into sexual slavery by her "mother" ....................... Shaniya's whereabouts are unknown ...................... there HAS to be a special circle of Hell for such "parents" ......................

UPDATE: This child's body has been found; "mother" and a pedophile are under arrest.


Rest in peace, Shaniya.



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Saturday, November 14, 2009

The FodGuy is NOT a big fan of fowl ....................................

so when I told him our turkey was already ordered for Thanksgiving, and that it's boneless, he kinda gave me THAT look ........................ I'm expecting something good from Hebert's Specialty Meats {for those familiar with New Orleans, yes, it's the same family}, since the Progeny & I tried their boneless chicken & enjoyed it very much {not too crazy about their beef shish-kebabs, though} ................. ;-)

The day after Thanksgiving {the day when all SANE folks stay home!} is our 10th anniversary ....................... couple weeks later, I turn 53 .................. then Christmas ...................... his flat screen monitor decided to die, so I told him to apply whatever he was going to spend on our anniversary/my birthday to getting a new flat screen {he's currently using an old CRT} ...................... see, things like THIS are why I play the lottery {ONLY MegaMillions, ONLY $10.00 a day/2 days a week}, to be at a point where it ISN'T a matter of "budgeting" to get something like a flat screen monitor .................... already told him, if we ever DO hit, I'll announce it to him by telling him to find the Harley he wants & order it ....................... ;-)




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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Via Theo Spark, I just discovered

HillBuzz ..................... the link is to an article/posting regarding their realization of the ultimate humanity and decency of former President George & former First Lady Laura Bush ...................... GREAT read, and the comments are wonderful, too!




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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Happy Birthday to my beloved Marine Corps .................................

REASONS TO LOVE YOUR CORPS:

1. Best haircut. Hands down. You can't have a bad hair day with a high and tight. And you spend less on shampoo.
2. Dress blues. They're the coolest uniforms in any military worldwide.
3. Bloused trousers. Another distinctive Marine look that sets the proudest service members apart.
4. The rest of the Marine sea bag. From the Alphas to the camouflage utilities, uniforms just look better on a Marine than any other service member.
5. Marines don't wear dungarees.
6. Most respect I. When the Marines pulled out of Haiti and Somalia, the media reported the U.S. military was pulling out -- as if tens of thousands of Armytroops weren't still in the country. Now that's respect.
7. Most respect II. When the Corps came back to Haiti after 60 years, an old man on the Cap-Haitien beach said ``Welcome back!''
8. Toughest mascot. The Marine Corps' is a bull dog. The Navy's: a goat.
9. Esprit de Corps. Even if you can't spell it or pronounce it, the Marine Corps has it in spades. One example: When sailors get tattoos, they do it toexpress their individuality, and their choices range from Betty Boop and Mickey Mouse to raging sea serpents. When Marines get tattoos, they do it to express their solidarity, and choose bull dogs, ``death before dishonor,'' and ``USMC.''
10. Best war monument: Iwo Jima
11. The Marines invade, then go home. The Army has to do the occupying.
12. The silent drill platoon. Just watching them ply their trade makes you want to wear dress blues.
13. Status. Sailors live and work on ships. Marines go for cruises -- then hit the shore.
14. Best fast attack vehicles: LAVs.
15. Best fighting knife: Ka-Bar.
16. Best duty assignments: Okinawa, Kaneohe Bay, Camp Pendleton, Diego Garcia, Moscow, North Carolina. Plus any ship at sea.
17. Worst duty assignments: Okinawa, Kaneohe Bay, Camp Pendleton, Diego Garcia, Moscow, North Carolina. Plus any ship at sea.
18. Most exotic duty assignments: Kuala Lumpur, The White House.
19. Best phone number. Call 1-800-MARINES and you've got the Corps. And if you're a civilian with the mettle to be a Marine, a recruiter there will be happy to sign you up.
20. Toughest DIs. They're so tough that when the Navy wants to train its officers, who do they call? 1-800-MARINES.
21. Toughest boot camp. When San Diego was still training Navy recruits, legend has it that recruits occasionally would jump the fence and accidentally land in Marine boot camp. The Marines would keep them a couple of days, and when the recruits were sent back, they were ready to be sailors!
22. Best motivational cry: Ooh-rah!
23. Best emblem: Eagle, globe and anchor.
24. Best campaign covers: The Smokey Bear hat.
25. Separate heads for enlisted and officers. Everywhere else, officers and enlisted use the same pot.
26. The only official, congressionally sanctioned hymn for any of the services: ``The Marines' Hymn.''
27. Best slogan I: ``Once a Marine, always a Marine''
28. Best slogan II: ``Tell that to the Marines''
29. Best slogan III: ``Send in the Marines.''
30. Best nicknames I: Jarhead
31. Best nicknames II: Leatherneck
32. Best nicknames III: Devil Dog. Trivia question: Where did this term come from? Answer: The German Army in World War I, whose soldiers' greatest fear was running up against the toughest American fighting men, the Marines. They called them ``teufelhunden,'' or Devil Dog.
33. Most remarkable airplane: The Harrier. No other service's jets can take off and land on a dime.
34. Most dangerous airplane: The Harrier. Not a simple science, but luckily more of a danger to the enemy than to Marine fliers.
35. You're a Marine. Not a soldier or a troop.
36. That's Marines, with a capital M.
37. Tradition! The Corps is older than the republic itself!
38. Marines symbolize: Discipline, courage, honor, commitment, valor, patriotism, military virtue.
39. Best recruiting gimmick I: Those darn Knights-in-Shining-Armor commercials.
40. Best recruiting gimmick II: ``We're looking for a few good men.'' OK, they left out women. The Corps is looking for a few good women, too.
41. Best recruiting gimmick III: ``If you have the mettle to be a Marine.''
42. The Commandant's House. It's the oldest occupied residence in Washington, D.C.
43. Chesty Puller. You gotta love a service that has heroes with names like that.
44. Former Commandant and Mud Marine Al Gray (Anecdote I): His official portrait, in cammies.
45. Former Commandant and Mud Marine Al Gray (Anecdote II): He drank from a four-star canteen cup.
46. Former Commandant and Mud Marine Al Gray (Anecdote III): Business leaders are so impressed with his ethic and style, they're using his Fleet Marine Force Manual 1, ``Warfighting,'' to hone their skills for boardroom battles.
47. Unity. Every Marine is a rifleman.
48. The Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Marines attack by land, by air and from sea -- simultaneously.
49. The ``docs,'' -- Marines' corpsmen-in-arms. They're sailors, but they're as tough as Marines.
50. Mud. You wanna see pure joy? Look at a group of Marines after a mud fight.
51. Starch. Clean 'em up, put 'em in starched cammies, and they look sharp.
52. Poetry in motion. They're weapons, not g-u-n-s. And if you don't know the pithy verse that explains that, don't ask us. We blush to tell.
53. Point of the spear, out in front, kicking down the door. What the Marines do best.
54. Marine spouses. God love 'em. They have it then worst of any of the service spouses. They endure six-month deployments and one- and two-year unaccompanied tours. The ones who survive a career are as tough as the Marines they married.
55. Marine kids. God loves them more. They know the meaning of duty, honor and country at too young an age.
56. The Air Force. Aren't you glad you're not an airman? They're pampered, yet they still find time to whine.
57. The Army. They get all the best equipment first and Marines still do it better.
58. The Navy. Give them credit. They have it almost as tough as Marines. But who wants to be a limo service?
59. The Coast Guard. Tell the truth: If you couldn't be a Marine, would you be a Coastie? In those powder blue uniforms? Not on your life!
60. CH-46. Say a Hail Mary and climb aboard. Nobody makes 'em anymore, but Marine ingenuity keeps 'em flying. And with a safety record that's nothing short of a miracle.
61. The Close Combat Manual.
62. Leadership I. In the Corps, E-3s and E-4s get to do more than most E-6s in other branches.
63. Leadership II. Every Marine above the rank of corporal can tell you what it takes to be a leader. It's spelled out clearly and drilled in relentlessly. And it pays off under fire.
64. Leadership III. Corporate America could -- and does -- learn from the Corps' leadership curriculum. All Marines who enter the private sector take those lessons with them.
65. Combat correspondents. They're journalists in the Navy, but in the Corps, the job is combat correspondent, thank you very much.
66. Marines do more with less, and they like it that way.
67. Amphibians one and all. Like the Army, Marines have tanks and armored vehicles. But theirs not only fight . . . they swim.
68. Air power. When the grunts look to the sky for support, they see Marine pilots, not zoomies.
69. Style. Nothing beats the canopy of sabres during a full dress Marine wedding.
70. Wetting-down parties. No one celebrates promotions with more flair and admiration.
71. Mess etiquette. Enter covered and drinks are on you.
72. Mess night I. Those who make the most pay the most.
73. Mess night II. ``1775 Rum Punch'' -- four parts dark rum, two parts lime juice, one part pure maple syrup. Grenadine to taste.
74. Non-Comms rate their own ceremonial sword!
75. Fighting style I. When the U.S. went into Haiti, Army soldiers sought cover behind their rucksacks. Marines DUG IN!
76. Fighting style II. When the Air Force deploys, they carry their Samsonite bags on luggage carriers and stay in hotels. When Marines deploy, it's two seabags and your weapons. And a tent in the bush.
77. Fighting style III. Marines know how to use their bayonets. Army bayonets may as well be paper weights.
78. No smiling in official portraits. All business.
79. Terminology. In the Corps it's a ``fighting'' hole not a ``fox'' hole. Fox holes are for people who want to hide. Fighting holes are for people who want to fight.
80. The ``people's own'' Marine Corps Marathon.
81. When asked by the press, an overseas Marine doesn't say ``I don't know what my mission is,'' ``I don't know why I'm here'' and ``I don't like it here.'' He knows. It's his calling.
82. The ``Stumps.'' The combat center at Twentynine Palms, Calif., is a huge sandbox in California's desert. It's where Marines go to play warrior any time of the year.
83. Best environmental motto: ``We're looking out for a few good species.'' They may be charging the beach, but Marines are taking care not to step on endangered critters.
84. Image. Marines get real network coverage, not the kind you need a gridiron and an academy to get.
85. AH-1W SuperCobra gunships. They are lean, mean fighting machines.
86. The ONLY combined arms force. You want jointness? The Marine Corps has been joint for decades, with its own air force, groundpounders and Navy in one.
87. When the President cares enough to order in the very best, who's he gonna call? Not ghostbusters -- but Marines.
88. First in, first out. Marines bust in first so the Army can do its job.
89. When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed overnight, the number may as well be 9-1-1. Send in the Marines!
90. Boss' night. Every so often, the NCOs or staff NCOs buy the drinks for their charges attheir club. Can't beat that!
91. Physical fitness. You've seen portly chiefs, but there are no fat Marines.
92. Everyone's a Marine -- officer and enlisted.
93. Actor who should have been a Marine: John Wayne.
94. Former Marine who shouldn't be an actor: John Wayne Bobbitt.
95. .50 caliber sniper rifles! OOOHRAH.
96. Most stickers spotted on America's highways on car bumpers and windows.
97. The summer evening parade.
98. ``The President's Own,'' the Marine Corps Band. John Philip Sousa, the world famous band master, was the first leader of the band.
99. Value for your tax dollar. The Corps does it all for less -- just 6 cents of every dollar spent on defense goes to the Marines.
100. Best motto, Semper Fidelis, always faithful. That's Latin, by the way.
101. Best twist on the best motto. Semper Gumby, always flexible. Yeah, he was green, too.
102. Best slogan I. ``Nobody ever drowned in sweat.''
103. Best slogan II. ``Marines go where others fear to tread.''
104. Best self description. Gungy
105. First in orbit. No, that's not another gunny losing his temper. John Glenn, that clean Marine, was the first human to orbit Earth.
106. Marines are first on foot and right of the line. Marines form at the place of honor in any naval formation. Secretary of the Navy bestowed that honor in 1876.
107. When the President climbs into a helicopter, he flies Marine One.
108. Most prestigious helo squadron. HMX-1, the president's fleet.
109. When the Navy needed someone to guard its ships, sailors and nuclear devices, they called on Marines.
110. Best personalized license plate I: ``1775.'' It's on the commandant's car.
111. Best personalized license plate II: ``SM OF MC,'' Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Harold Overstreet's four-wheel drive Chevy Blazer truck.
112. The Chief of Naval Operations rides in a Lincoln Town Car. Commandant Gen. Carl E. Mundy Jr. rides in a sporty Chrysler LHS sedan.
113. When the nation goes to war, the press covers the Marine Corps. During the Gulf War, there were more than 90,000 Marines in the region of a total force of 650,000. But the Corps outpaced the Army, 293 to 271, on articles about the ground war in four major newspapers. As journalist and author John Fialka put it: ``If the PR rivalr y between th e t wo services . . . had been a basketball game, the score would have been Marines 149, Army 10.''
114. Best Heroes I: Smedley D. Butler. With a name l ike Smedley, he had to be tough, in self-defense. The Army rejected him, but by lying about his age, he got a commission from the Marine Corps in 1898, at age 16. From the Philippines to Haiti, he was an expert in suppressing revolution. His blunt style was pure Marine, and probably cost him a job as Philadelphia's public safety director after his first retirement and a bid for the Senate after his second.
115. Best Heroes II: Chesty Puller. It's more than t he name. He started in the Corps with a reserve commission and was released in the drawdown after World War I. He then enlisted as a corporal, served in Haiti and received his second commission in 1924. He retired in 1955 a lieutenant general, the most decorated Marine in history, and probably the most colorful as well.
116. Best Heroes III: Lewis Puller Jr., Chesty's son. He joined to follow in his father's footsteps, lost both legs in battle, and went on to become a Pulitzer Prizewinning author. He ended his own life this year, and he's sorely missed.
117. Best Heroes IV: ``Manila John'' Basilone. A true gunfighter from the word go. The first enlisted Marine in World War II to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Won it for his heroic efforts on Guadalcanal. Later killed on Iwo Jima, and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
118. All the Marines who won the Congressional Medals of Honor. There are 293 in all.
119. Best greeting. Semper Fi, Mac!
120. Best show of pride. After the 1982 Beirut Bombing, Marine Corps Commandant P.X. Kelly visited a wounded Marine in the hospital to present his Purple Heart. Covered by tubes and unable to speak, the Marine simply asked for pad and pen. On it he wrote: ``Semper Fi.''
121. Best recruiting station: Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, 1775. It's a bar, no less.
122. Only armed force with a beer named in its honor: Tun Tavern Beer.
123. Best description: Soldiers of the Sea.
124. Best slang for a Navy ship: LHA -- Luxury Hotel Afloat.
125. Best Marine quote from the Gulf War: ``I sure hope the Iraqis are good lovers, because they sure can't fight.''
126. Best acronyms I: The MEU (SOC). Say it out loud and it says what it means. Sock it to 'em.
127. Best acronyms II: SPIE rigging. It stands for Special Insertion, Extraction. It's what they do when they're saving the day.
128. Hollywood loves Marines. A few examples:
129. ``Sands of Iwo Jima.''
130. `` The Wind and the Lion.''
131. ``Heartbreak Ridge.''
132. ``The Flying Leathernecks.''
133. ``The D.I.''
134. ``Death Before Dishonor''
135. And television loves Marines:
136. ``Baa Baa Black Sheep''
137. ``Gomer Pyle, USMC''
138. ``Major Dad''
139. Heroes. The 40,000 Marines who gave their lives on the fields of battle since the Revolutionary War.
140. Scarlet stripe on NCO and officer trousers. They're not just sharp, they serve a point: The stripes represent blood shed in battle.
141. The Book of Remembrance. Stored at the post chapel at Quantico, it lists the n ame, rank and date of death of all Marine s and sailors who served with Marines and who gave their life in Vietnam.
142. Famous proverb. A young recruit asked the D.I., ``Sergeant, who carries the flag in battl e ?'' The reply: ``Son, eve ry Marine carries the flag in battle.''
143. The highest-ranking active-duty woman in the services wears two stars. She's Maj. Gen. Carol A. Mutter, USMC.
144. Notable quotable I. ``A ship without Marines is like a coat without buttons.'' -- Adm. David G. Farragut.
145. Notable quotable II. When the Marines found themselves surrounded by Chinese troops near the ``Frozen Chosin'' during the K orean War, a Marine officer summed it up for his men. ``Good. Now I can shoot in all directions.''
146. Notable quotable III. ``Uncommon valor was a common virtue.'' -- Adm. Chester Nimitz, leader of Pacific forces in World War II.
147. Notable quotable IV. ``Retreat . . . Hell! We just got here.'' -- Col. Wendell ``Whispering Buck'' Neville, fighting in France during World War I.
148. Notable quotable V. ``Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever?'' -- Sgt. Dan Daly, World War I.
149. Notable quotable VI. ``The raising of the flag on Mount Surabachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years.'' -- James Forrestal, who was then secretary of the Navy.
150. Fleet submission I. ``My 10-year-old is proud when he's teased about his mother wearing combat boots'' -- anonymous Marine mother.
151. Fleet submission II. ``Marine Corps spirit and purpose define American resolve and intent.'' -- Carrol Childers, a civilian employee at Quantico's Amphibious Warfare School.
152. Leadership. The Corps trains its leaders young and expects a lot out of them. And, gosh darn it, they get what they ask for.
153. Fleet submission III. ``Those hardcharging NCOs that have done so much with so little for so long.'' -- Capt. James Lopez, Quantico, Va.
154. Fleet submission IV. ``The smell of gunpowder in the morning on the rifle range.'' -- Cpl. Bradley Cameron, Quantico.
155. Fleet submission V. ``It's my life.'' -- GS-8 Diane Pierce.
156. Fleet submission VI. ``The feeling of belonging. Whenever you go, there will always be someone you know, someone with something in common and someone willing to lend a hand'' -- anonymous Marine.
157. Fleet submission VII. ``The Corps is the world's biggest fraternity. All our present and past members are, and always be, members of the Semper Fi fraternity. And unlike other fraternities, ours is open to women.'' -- CWO Mark Roulette.
158. Fleet submission VIII. ``Knowing when you're in need, a Marine will be there.'' -- SSgt. Cheryl Oban, Quantico.
159. Hollywood loves Marines. (Part II: Marines who went to Hollywood).
160. Don Adams.
161. Charlton Heston.
162. Bob Keeshan (Capt. Kangaroo).
163. Lee Marvin.
164. Steve McQueen.
165. Burt Reynolds.
166. George C. Scott.
167. Gene Hackman.
168. Bea Arthur.
169. Tax advantages I. VHA & BAQ -- your housing allowances -- are tax-free.
170. Tax advantages II. You don't pay tax at the exchange either.
171. Marine wives. They put up with a lot but they have their limits. See No. 94.
172. Fleet submission IX. ``It is a family.'' -- anonymous Marine.
173. Fleet submission X. ``It teaches us to be strong people both mentally and physically.'' -- Cpl. Maria Retan, Quantico, Va.
174. Fleet submission XI. ``I love the Marine Corps for those intangible possessions that cannot be issued: Pride, honor, integrity and being able to carry on the traditions for generations of warriors past. After I have done what I can for the Corps, I can say that I was a Marine'' -- Cpl. Jeff Sornij.
175. Fleet submission XII. ``The pride of going home on leave, putting on the dress blues and everyone knowing you're a member of the world's finest fighting force.'' -- Sgt. Chase Gilbert, Laurel Bay, S.C.
176. Up-to-date fashions at overseas Exchanges.
177. Congress loves the Corps. The congressional ``mafia'' of former Marines now in positions of power or influence over the defense budget includes:
178. Rep. Ronald Dellums (D-Calif.). The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is sometimes lampooned as a dovish cutter of defense budgets. But he's a former Marine, too. And once a Marine, always a Marine, as the saying goes.
179. Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio), chairman of the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on military readiness and defense infrastructure.
180. Sen. Chuck Robb (D-Va.) All right, he may not be reelected Nov. 8. But if he loses, look who'll take his place: Republican nominee and retired Marine, Oliver North.
181. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee.
182. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and armed service committee member who is a former Navy secretary. He served in the Navy in 1944-46, became a civilian, and then went back to do it right: He joined the Marine Corps and served from 1950-52.
183. Other former Marines in Congress include: Rep. Lane Evans, D-Ill.; Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Montana; Rep. Gerald Soloman, R-N.Y.; Rep. Paul McHale, D-Pa.; Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I., a former Navy secretary; Rep. Arthur Ravenel, RS.C., a House Armed Services Committee member who is retiring; Sen. Jim Sasser, DTenn.; Rep. Frank Tejeda, D-Texas; Sen. Howell Heflin, D-Ala.; Sen. Dale Bumpers, D-Ark.; Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Calif.; Rep. Al McCandless, R-Calif.; Rep. David Skaggs, DColo.; Rep. Dan Schaefer, R-Colo.; Rep. Andy Jacobs, D-Ind.; Rep. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-Md.; Rep. Thomas J. Manton, D-N.Y.; Rep. Amo Houghton, R-N.Y.; Rep. Austin J. Murphy, D-Pa. (who is retiring); and Rep. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., a House Government Operations Committee member.
184. And finally, pulling strings for Marines behind the scenes on Capitol Hill are two Marine-friendly power brokers: Marine Corps Reserve Brig. Gen. Arnold Punaro, staff director for the Senate Armed Services Committee, and retired Lt. Col. P.T. Henry, the staff director for the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on force requirements and personnel.
185. Global presence, global reach. As the Hymn notes, so spread out are Marines around the globe that some can watch the sun set while others are watching it rise.
186. Despite their service to U.S. presidents, no Marine has ever been a president. Now that's smart!
187. Respect. The State Department chose Marines, not soldiers, to protect our embassies.
188. Good taste in gifts. Wanna know how much a Marine missed his family during a deployment? Check out the china and toys in his seabag on the return trip, and then look at his credit card bill.
189. The 1st and 15th of each month. Gotta pay for those good gifts.
190. Marines are winners. Consider, for example:
191. Tarawa.
192. Saipan.
193. Guadalcanal.
194. Tripoli.
195. Belleau Wood.
196. Chosin.
197. Hue City.
198. Peleliu.
199. Leyte Gulf.
200. Guam.
201. Tinian.
202. Iwo Jima.
203. Okinawa.
204. The Officer's Sam Browne Belt.
205. Top Guns I: The Marine Corps Rifle Team. After a record-setting performance at the interservice rifle championships in July, the Marine team blew away the 1,200 civilian and military rivals at the U.S. Nationals in August. No doubt about it, Marines are the best riflemen in the country.
206. Top Guns II: MSgt. Donnie L. Heuman. After 17 years of competitive rifle shooting, he took top individual honors at this year's Interservice Rifle Championships, shooting a record-breaking 995 out of a possible 1,000 points with 50 bull's-eyes. His nearest competitor was nine points and 10 bull's-eyes behind.
207. Top Guns III: The Marine Corps Pistol Team. They won the U.S. National trophy six years running, establishing themselves as the champion to be beat. They were second this year, but don't expect the trophy to stay in anyone else's hands for long.
208. Top Guns IV: Marine snipers. Oneshot, one kill, one thousand yards.
209. The 174,158 men and women in Marine Corps uniforms as of Oct. 1, 1994.
210. Top Guns V: Marine Corps wrestlers and boxers. They don't use weapons, and they don't need them, they are regular medalists at the Olympic Games.
211. Navy chow. It's better on the ship than in the field.
212. Navy chaplains. You gotta love a man of the cloth when the cloth is camouflaged. One example: Lt. Cmdr. Dennis Rocheford, wounded twice in Vietnam as a Marine infantryman, is now a Navy chaplain aboard the USS Wasp.
213. MREs. You hate to love 'em, but when you're hot and sweaty and in the field, nothing satisfies like the beef frankfurters and beans.
214. The Marines take care of their own. On the battlefield, nobody's left behind -- dead or alive -- and the homefront is always secure.
215. Commitment and devotion. ``You gotta love it,'' says Col. Richard D. Stearns, commanding officer, Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C. ``Just liking it won't get you through the day.''
216. Image. ``I'm inspired by the integrity of Marines: uplifted by the pride, focus, discipline, flexibility and motivation to do the right thing in thebest way. I'm honored that, by service to the country, they are serving citizens like me. All this, and they are fun colleagues and co-workers.'' -- Jean Forrest, civilian instructional systems specialist, Marine Corps Institute.
217. The Birthday Ball I: The cake.
218. The Birthday Ball II: Remembering all those Marines who gave their life for their service and their country.
219. The Birthday Ball III: Seeing who's the oldest and youngest Marine in your unit.
220. Ooh-rah!

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“The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!” -- Eleanor Roosevelt
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Semper Fidelis!!
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Friday, November 6, 2009

My heart goes out to the families of Fort Hood ................................

and my rage toward "Major" Hasan makes me physically ill; the truly tragic and outrageous issues in this whole mess are:

1) He was ON law enforcement's radar SIX MONTHS ago

2) The pandering community, as soon as his name was known, began their usual wailing/wanking/whining/whinging about the "religion of Peace" and this being an 'anomaly' - NEWSFLASH - most citizens of Western countries don't want to hear that garbage anymore

3) He not only violated his oath to the U.S., he violated his Hippocratic oath, as well as HIPAA standards, by regaling his family members with tales from "therapeutic sessions"

4) He was more than willing for American taxpayers to foot the bill for his education, but when he was expected to REPAY that debt, via his service, he suddenly begins having 'problems' {NOTE: He received the bulk of his education post-9/11, so he couldn't claim being 'caught up' in conflicts against his will}

5) Poor widdle snookums got his "feelings" hurt by the big, bad Americans who questioned his loyalties .................... looks as though the b,b Americans were CORRECT in doing so - and, were his 'sensibilities' so tender, WHY did he enlist, over the objections of his parents? He complained to his imam in Silver Spring about his difficulties in finding a 'nice Muslim girl' - if he had listened to daddy & mommy, he probably would have had an arranged marriage - were his actions because he {self-imposedly} had no 'outlet' for emotional expression? If so, that's a personal problem, NOT the problem of the Army


As fellow former Marine, Mark says {paraphrase} I took an oath - I don't recall there being an 'expiration date'

"I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."




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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

From "my" Major .................................... ;-)



When Maj. Brian Dennis of the United States Marine Corps met a wild stray dog with shorn ears while serving in Iraq, he had no idea of the bond they would form, leading to seismic changes in both their lives. "The general theme of the story of Nubs is that if you're kind to someone, they'll never forget you -- whether it be person or animal," Dennis tells Paw Nation.

In October 2007, Dennis and his team of 11 men were in Iraq patrolling the Syrian border. One day, as his team arrived at a border fort, they encountered a pack of stray dogs -- not uncommon in the barren, rocky desert that was home to wolves and wild dogs.

"We all got out of the Humvee and I started working when this dog came running up," recalls Dennis. "I said, 'Hey buddy' and bent down to pet him." Dennis noticed the dog's ears had been cut. "I said, 'You got little nubs for ears.'" The name stuck. The dog whose ears had been shorn off as a puppy by an Iraqi soldier (to make the dog "look tougher," Dennis says) became known as Nubs.

Dennis fed Nubs scraps from his field rations, including bits of ham and frosted strawberry Pop Tarts. "I didn't think he'd eat the Pop Tart, but he did," says Dennis.

At night, Nubs accompanied the men on night patrols. "I'd get up in the middle of the night to walk the perimeter with my weapon and Nubs would get up and walk next to me like he was doing guard duty," says Dennis.
The next day, Dennis said goodbye to Nubs, but he didn't forget about the dog. He began mentioning Nubs in emails he wrote to friends and family back home. "I found a dog in the desert," Dennis wrote in an email in October 2007. "I call him Nubs. We clicked right away. He flips on his back and makes me rub his stomach."

"Every couple of weeks, we'd go back to the border fort and I'd see Nubs every time," says Dennis. "Each time, he followed us around a little more." And every time the men rumbled away in their Humvees, Nubs would run after them. "We're going forty miles an hour and he'd be right next to the Humvee," says Dennis. "He's a crazy fast dog. Eventually, he'd wear out, fall behind and disappear in the dust."

On one trip to the border fort in December 2007, Dennis found Nubs was badly wounded in his left side where he'd been stabbed with a screwdriver. "The wound was infected and full of pus," Dennis recalls. "We pulled out our battle kits and poured antiseptic on his wound and force fed him some antibiotics wrapped in peanut butter." That night, Nubs was in so much pain that he refused food and water and slept standing up because he couldn't lay down. Dennis and his team left again the next day, but Dennis thought about Nubs the entire time, hoping the dog was still alive.

Two weeks later, when Dennis and his team returned, he found Nubs alive and well. "I had patched him up and that seemed to be a turning point in how he viewed me," says Dennis. This time, when Dennis and his team left the fort, Nubs followed. Though the dog lost sight of the Humvees, he never gave up. For two days, Nubs endured freezing temperatures and packs of wild dogs and wolves, eventually finding his way to Dennis at a camp an incredible 70 miles south near the Jordanian border.

"There he was, all beaten and chewed up," says Dennis. "I knew immediately that Nubs had crossed through several dog territories and fought and ran, and fought and ran," says Dennis. The dog jumped on Dennis, licking his face.

Most of the 80 men at the camp welcomed Nubs, even building him a doghouse. But a couple of soldiers complained, leading Dennis' superiors to order him to get rid of the dog. With his hand forced, Dennis decided that the only thing to do was bring Nubs to America. He began coordinating Nubs' rescue effort. Friends and family in the States helped, raising the $5,000 it would cost to transport Nubs overseas.

Finally, it was all arranged. Nubs was handed over to volunteers in Jordan, who looked after the dog and sent him onto to Chicago, then San Diego, where Dennis' friends waited to pick him up. Nubs lived with Dennis' friends and began getting trained by local dog trainer Graham Bloem of the Snug Pet Resort. "I focused on basic obedience and socializing him with dogs, people and the environment," says Bloem.

A month later, Dennis finished his deployment in Iraq and returned home to San Diego, where he immediately boarded a bus to Camp Pendleton to be reunited with Nubs. "I was worried he wouldn't remember me," says Dennis. But he needn't have worried. "Nubs went crazy," recalls Dennis. "He was jumping up on me, licking my head."

Dennis' experience with Nubs led to a children's picture book, called "Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle," published by Little, Brown for Young Readers. They have appeared on the Today Show and will be appearing on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on Monday.

Was it destiny that Dennis met Nubs and brought him to America? "I don't know about that," says Dennis. "It's been a strange phenomenon. It's been a blessing. I get drawings mailed to me that children have drawn of Nubs with his ears cut off. It makes me laugh."






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Monday, November 2, 2009

Michelle Malkin has a 'civility' article up ................................ ;-)

here - the quote that I'm having trouble comprehending is "Allen is nearly seventy, but he served in the Marines in Vietnam" - "but he served in the Marines in Vietnam"??? WTH? Soooooo, the FACT of his having served in Uncle Sam's Misguided Children OVER FORTY YEARS AGO somehow is responsible for his not taking crap from an idiot, rather than that Mr. Allen is sufficiently confident in himself and his abilities as an editor? Ri-i-i-i-ight, WaPo, you keep on telling yourselves that ..................... and unicorns, tooth fairies and Santa Claus & the Easter Bunny will be right over for a visit ............................ schmucks!




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Sunday, November 1, 2009

StormBringer has a VERY timely post up .................................

here: The Salute - I recommend it .......................... just goes to show the arrogance of this "Administration" ......................






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