Miss Ladybug

Prove it!

2011-11-04T10:16:00.002-05:00

This sound clip is for all of those who cling to the idea that we are just making all of this "socialist" stuff up. People want proof that those in power have socialist and/or Marxist beliefs and are doing their best to make those beliefs into policy.

Well, if that crap heap of socialist healthcare that was forced on us isn't enough proof, how about this?

Tea Party vs. Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-16T11:06:00.004-05:00

Posted by South Park Diva

I sent this email to my family and some of my friends last night:

My friends and family - as you go through your busy days, I hope you will take the time to read this email and follow the links I have provided. This is not a time to be uninformed about what is going on in our country. Period. It is a time of prayer and preparation. Kierstin

Protesters Stage Performance Against the Police?

It seems pretty clear that the police are being set up. We've had situations recently where people are taunting the police and chanting a countdown to charge them, as others are ready with their cameras to record every move. And now this latest - obviously a setup, hoping to pit these "good, moral people" (who are anything but) against our nation's police officers. Pray for our men and women in uniform around the country and the globe.

So who are these "young, enthusiastic" people "occupying" our major cities. Most in the media would have you believe that they are "everyman" - that they are like the Tea Party only much, much better, nicer, friendlier, whatever. Not quite.

The next time someone tells you that the Tea Party is a violent and racist movement, while those who Occupy Wall Street, Atlanta and other cities are "just like you and me", think on this - not one Tea Partier has been arrested in any protests or gatherings. Tea Partiers clean up after themselves. They get the proper permits to be in an area. They respect the police. They do not urinate or defecate in public - especially not on police cars. They do not distribute condoms, so that they can have sex on public streets and in parks. They do not march with someone's "head" on pike. They do not call for cannibalism, nor do they encourage gay teens to "kill your parents." They do not destroy private or public property.

If someone shows up at a Tea Party event with a racist attitude, they are CHASED OFF!!!! It's that simple. They are told that no one agrees with that disgusting display and asked/told to LEAVE. When the Occupy Wall Street protestors start yelling anti-Semitic slurs and insulting Jewish people in the streets, people generally look on and do nothing. Or worse, they agree. In fact, the American Nazi Party has just given these lovely people their endorsement.

Of course, there is the alleged "spitting" and N-word incident back when the Health Care bill was passed. And Andrew Breitbart offered $100K to ANYONE who could come up with a shred of evidence to support that claim. In fact, the entire incident was up on the news wire in 90 minutes - claiming that the N-word was chanted 15 times - and no one got it on film? And that story was put together, edited and run in 90 minutes! No one was arrested? Indicted? No one came forward to get their reward money?! And if you're thinking "but I saw this on a video," well, think again. Videos can be edited.

I hope when you think on the Tea Party you do not fall victim to the media hype. I am a proud Tea Party member, and you know me. Who do you think I am? Do you trust me? Do you think I am a good person? While you may not agree with the beliefs of the Tea Party (small government, fiscal conservatism and the Constitution being the trifecta), don't ever believe we are ANYTHING like these "useful idiots" currently occupying our nation's cities. Every movement has a few kooks, but the overwhelming majority of the Tea Party are good solid people - not racist, not gay-haters, not calling for violent revolution in the streets - can you truly say the same of the people who are at this moment tearing up the streets of our cities?

Pray if you are the praying type. And prepare. Decide where you want to stand and stand there firmly. It is time to decide who YOU are and how you want to be remembered in this world.

#iam53

2011-10-07T22:26:00.002-05:00

I got my Bachelor’s Degree in Music on a full scholarship, but I ran up several credit cards that I couldn’t afford.

I over-borrowed on my student loans for my Master’s Degree. I continued to run up credit card debt I couldn’t afford.

I met my husband and upon marriage we started to work on paying down our combined debt.

I needed student loans for my doctorate, although I also worked two jobs and had a graduate assistantship. I was learning.

I couldn’t find a full-time position in my field upon completing my coursework. I worked part-time for two years while studying for my exams and completing my final requirements.

I lost my job several times through the years due to down-sizing. I finally went to corporate America to find a full-time position with benefits so I could start paying on my student loan (which was in deferment).

I worked in the corporate world in a forty-hour per week position. I was grateful to be employed with full benefits.

I now drive forty-five minutes one-way to get to my teaching position at a small community college. I consider myself blessed to finally be working in my field.

I try to help students avoid the bad choices I made! I know that my struggles have made me a better educator. I have more empathy for my students who are incredibly poor and work two or three jobs to pay for school and basic things like…FOOD!

I consistently work an overload and my husband works two jobs so that we can pay down our debt. We are close to only having our combined student loan debts and our car payments as our only debt. But my student loan debt alone is more than $750 per month. My student loan has never gone into default and never will.

No one made me over-borrow. No one made us acquire credit card debt. And no one is making us behave responsibly and pay off those debts!

And if I lose my job tomorrow, I will take whatever work I can to help support my family and continue to pay my debts.

I am the 53%.

9/11 Memorial

2011-09-13T07:17:00.002-05:00

Posted by South Park Diva

This year I organized a simple 9/11 Memorial around a few songs from my choirs at the college where I teach. I am pretty darn proud of my "kids" for putting this together so quickly. They are a small group, but they have a lot of heart.

Letter to Senator Boozman

2011-09-12T21:58:00.002-05:00

Posted by South Park Diva

This is the letter I wrote to my Senator this evening:

"Dear Senator Boozman,

I haven't heard much lately about who you support for the presidential nomination, and I just wanted to let you know how I and many others feel.

I have the unusual situation of living in Northwest Arkansas, but working in Southwest MO, and since I spend more time in MO than in AR, I have joined a group called Heartland Conservatives of Neosho. Nice group of people! As I talk with fellow conservatives, listen to talk radio and just tune into what is going on, I find that many people agree with me on one important thing: the time to vote "hold your nose and vote the Republican ticket" is past. Long past!

I'm not sure about your opinions on the whole Tea Party movement - or whether you buy into the whole "Tea Party are terrorists/hobbits/violent/racists" meme - but conservatives as a whole are just plain tired of politicians who will not stick to conservative principles. Politicians who feel we should say safe things, rather than sticking to principles. RINOS!

I've heard recently that "Republican Insiders" seem to feel that Mitt Romney is the best choice for the Republican nomination. The GOP as whole seems to be attacking the Tea Party and determined to put a big government, progressive Republican in the White House. I can assure you that if Mitt Romney is the Republican nomination I will either write in a third candidate or not vote at all. It's that simple.

It is time for conservatives to take a stand. I am not going to let the fear of four more years of Obama cause me to vote for someone who is just "Obama-lite." Let's nominate a truly conservative candidate. Someone who is politically and fiscally conservative. One who stands with conservatives on issues of immigration, global warming, reducing taxes and reducing the size of the government. No more progressive Republicans. No more RINOs.

I've spent a lot of time in the past six years paying attention to politics, trying to figure out what I truly believe. I've listened to different arguments and come to my own conclusions. Back in 2008 I voted for McCain. It is a mistake I will not make again.

It seems as if the GOP is terrified of the power of the conservative people who make up the Tea Party. They perhaps hear the death knell of their party. I wonder if we are viewing the death of the Republican party. I feel that it is time to take a strong stand for true conservatism - political AND fiscal conservatism. And that means reducing taxes AND reducing the size of the government. Making the hard cuts and allowing Americans to be the strong supporters of each other that we always have been.

I hope that if you have an opportunity to speak to your colleagues in Washington DC you will pass on my sentiments and assure them that this is the way the wind is blowing in the Republican party. We are tired of politicians who are concerned only with keeping themselves in power. We are certainly tired of politicians who feel the need to belittle the very important movement of the Tea Party, which has gotten millions of Americans truly involved for the first time in a long time.

I do not believe you are one of these corrupt politicians, which is why I gladly supported your campaign - and why I am writing this letter to you now. I just ask that you speak up for the true conservatives who are hoping that the GOP will not insult us by insisting on putting a big government PROGRESSIVE on the party ticket.

Thank you, as always, for being a politician who listens!"

Torpedo Squadron Nine

2011-07-27T23:11:00.000-05:00

In trying to research names for the next section of my grandfather's Carrier Air Group Nine yearbook from World War II, I came across a February 1948 issue of Naval Aviation News that has an article on Torpedo Squadron Nine. It's on pages 10 & 11 of the PDF. I look forward to taking the time to read the whole thing.

2011 Project Valour-IT fundraising campaign

2011-07-04T23:06:00.002-05:00

I didn't join a team this year for the competition. I've taken on other responsibilities that prevent me from being able to post daily for during the campaign. But, that doesn't mean I won't help spread the word. Soldiers' Angels' goal is $100,000 over the two-weeks from July 1 to July 14. If you aren't familiar with Project Valour-IT, here's what Chuck has to say:

In 2005, I was wounded. For some months, I was unable to use my hands. They were simply too badly damaged from the blast, and the surgeries to make them usable again left me unable to do anything for myself.

Then came Soldier's Angels, who gave me a laptop, and paired it with special software that allowed me to control the computer, using only my voice! Imagine, being able to do anything you can do with a mouse and keyboard, using just your voice. For me, it allowed me to do one thing, that I could do before I was wounded.

That one thing--when everything: feeding, cleaning, scratching, everything had to be done for me--that one thing I could do for myself allowed me to connect to my soldiers, friends, and family. That one thing... that one thing began a long road to recovery. It gave me hope; that I could learn to do other things like I did before.

That one thing is only possible if people like you care enough to help. We have provided thousands of these systems since 2005, but the needs for these systems is still increasing. I visit military medical facilities and meet with wounded troops, and know that there are ways to help them... and right now, I have to tell them to wait because we need funding.

Should our wounded have to wait for something that can help them heal, take their mind off their pain, or bring them a little sense of self?

Please help us raise $100,000 between July 1-14; to keep us in the business of providing for our wounded. It seems like a lot of money, but every single dollar helps. Every dollar donated goes to the troops. None of the VALOUR-IT donation goes to administrative or other costs. You'd be hard pressed to find any charity that does that, but it was a stipulation I made when we set it up. That number seems huge, insurmountable. But you know how you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time. Give what you can, please. I know times are tough. Times were pretty tough for me, too, and are pretty tough for young men and women learning how to use prosthesis, getting skin grafts, having wounds washed out.

Donate if you can, please share the message with others. Get your friends to give what they can. Write about it on Facebook and twitter. Call in to a radio or TV show. Spread the word. Spread the love. Spread the hope.

Thank you.

Chuck Ziegenfuss

The Last Fish

2011-07-03T00:32:00.001-05:00

When I first posted about finding my grandfather's yearbook from his time with Carrier Air Group Nine during World War II, I soon had a comment from artist Scott Nelson, looking for some guidance about the markings of the aircraft assigned to the USS Yorktown. With a little help from BillT's comments on that same post, Scott got the information he needed to complete his project. Last weekend, I received an email letting me know the painting was finished:

Hi,
I had promised to get the photo of the painting to you, you can post it you want. The painting was a surprize for Stew Bass at his 90th BD party held at the Air Museum, Fargo ND. Stew signed the painting. The second pict. is Stew Bass and me.

The painting shows half of Torpedo 9, 7 planes (the other half, 6 planes were attacking the Yamato in the upper right of the painting). Stew's flight attacked the cruiser Yahagi, coming in at a pie shaped formation, altitude around 800 feet, releasing the torpedoes around 1500 yards from the ship. This was the high speed, high altitude, torpedo attack developed by the Navy.

Scott

The artwork:

With Stew and Scott:

I emailed back to ask if the piece had a title yet. Not officially, but he explained:

...have thought about the title "THE LAST FISH". Fish refers to what the Navy flyers called the torpedo. One of the planes from Torpedo Nine dropped the last arial torpedo ever used against enemy shipping. (could have been Stew?)
Scott

I haven't gotten to Stew's section in the yearbook yet, but I promise I haven't given up on this project. It will just take a bit of time, considering I want to research the names of the men in the book, to share whatever it is that can be shared about who they are/were. Would that there were more hours in the day ;-)

Remembering Kile

2011-05-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Today marks four years since 1Lt Kile G. West gave his life for this country. I remember.

Previous posts about Kile here.

YouServed livestreaming 2011 Milblog Conference

2011-04-30T06:33:00.002-05:00

If you wanted to attended the 2011 Milblog Conference but were unable to be here in person, you can participate online here. Once again, the Conference will be livestreamed and you can participate in the online chat (and I think you'll even be able to ask questions of the panels that way!). I sat in on the livestream last year and think it's great that it is being done again this year, thanks once again to YouServed's sponsor, the VA Mortgage Center.

Flash Mob of Kindness

2011-04-22T11:07:00.000-05:00

Posted by South Park Diva

On April 21st I participated in the amazing "Flash Mob of Kindness" that swept our great nation. It was an experience that I will not soon forget.

I am a teacher at a small community college in Missouri. I have, from time to time, given my students gas money, food money, food or just treated them to lunch, snacks or a hot beverage at the local coffee shop! I know that many of them struggle to not only pay for their education, but to just have enough to buy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of them have kids, which makes the struggle that much more difficult. They know they need to stay in school, but it sure is hard when they also need to work and provide for their families. Some of them are international students, who are excited to be here in the United States, but live on almost nothing. So I do understand that there is plenty of need around me.

When Glenn Beck invited his viewers to take part in a "Flash Mob of Kindness", I got all excited about it. I immediately got onto Freedom Connector and posted that I wanted to lead a group in my area. I checked back a couple of days, didn't see much and kind of lost my enthusiasm. I forgot to check back, thinking that Freedom Connector would email me a notice if I got any replies. It didn't. Finally, I received an email asking about it. I replied positively, but inside I was thinking "Okay, how the heck do I organize this thing?" I went back to the website, and saw a few people had posted replies, and posted my own response. I changed my settings to be sure I'd get an email notice. I didn't...

Finally, I received an email on Tuesday, two days before the planned event. My first contact, Steve, was still interested. I thought "Okay, I'm going to do this - for Glenn!". Steve stopped by and dropped off a box of food. He told me he probably couldn't take part in the event, since he worked nights and would be sleeping at the time we wanted to do this. His positive attitude heartened me, and I got back onto Freedom Connector to see who I could contact. A few hours later I'd made connections with another teacher from a different school. We decided that between me and him and his wife and Steve, we could put together five packs of groceries. I then started sending out emails trying to find out who might need our help. I also put in a last minute order for "Tea Party Patriots" t-shirts at the local print/graphics shop. It was only three people, but I figured we needed to show them who we are. We're proud Tea Party Patriots - not racists, not violent - just people who want to help out. Show people in our little community that people care and that we are praying for them.

I received back some replies and realized just how much our small effort was going to help out some people who were just barely hanging on. It was humbling.

I went shopping that night and picked up my list of items - canned fruit and veggies, peanut butter and evaporated milk - and found myself adding in some small hams, a package of gum, some Hershey's kisses and even a pack of raisins. I was excited at the prospect of just being able to help someone out.

On Thursday, I was able to talk to a prospective recipient. A mother going to school, with a teenage son and just barely hanging on. The gratitude in her voice was humbling and I wanted to thank her for allowing me the opportunity to help.

Then another phone call to the sister of an Army retiree. Disabled from a stroke, he's lost his house, car and wife. His sister pays his rent and buys him groceries, because he cannot get assistance. The Army admits that he is due his retirement after 22 years, but it is "pending". That "pending" status means he is not eligible for any assistance at all. His sister was so grateful. She felt he might be too proud to take it from us, but I was more than happy to drop the food off with her.

Finally, a quick text to some international students of mine. Two wonderful "kids" from the Congo. Both great people, always smiling and ready to work hard. And I had no idea that they needed a little help. The coordinator for these students sent the following in an email: "It's always amazing to see this group do well academically, work every opportunity they are allowed by law, and manage each day without the basic necessities. Honestly, I learn from them more than they will ever know." How true!

After knowing for sure who we were visiting, I ran out to pick up our t-shirts and then made a quick trip to Wal-Mart for a few more things. I just couldn't resist. And I couldn't wait for 5PM when my Freedom Connector friends would arrive!

At 5PM, "Doc" Broom and his wife, Lisa, arrived with more piles of food. We sorted things out by groups - mother and son - Army guy - students - and piled into the car to visit our first group, the international students. I know two of them, so we delivered the groceries to them and they promised to distribute them. They were so happy to receive the food and so grateful. It made me feel wonderful. My student asked us to pray and bless their little house. We happily complied. We got a few pictures and we were heading out to the next stop - the mother with son.

The mother was embarrassed about her little house, but gladly let us in and hugged us. Her autistic son was playing some video games, but was very cheerful when we blocked his view. She hugged us enthusiastically and asked "What is this Tea Party thing?" We answered that we're basically a political group, Republicans and left it at that.

Finally, the soldier. His street was flooded, so we had to grab the items and hike across a couple of lawns. His sister warned us that he might not talk much, but he was happy to see us and shook our hands. We talked for a few minutes about his situation, and Doc said he just might know someone who could get the ball rolling for him. We shook hands all around and his sister thanked us for being a blessing. I told her that it was a blessing to be able to help and it was!

As we left, we agreed how amazing it was to be able to help. I spent about $75 and with a few other people was able to help so many. We bought items that really go a long way and the recipients were so grateful. We're hoping to make this into a habit and keep helping people. We threw our little group together at the last minute and were still able to accomplish something important. And the man who not give up and kept asking me about it? Well, he couldn't take part in the actual distribution, but he knew it was important to contribute, and he got me moving when I had given up on the idea.

Glenn Beck gave so many in this great nation this wonderful idea. Get out and help people - let them see you and know that you care and are praying for them. Some may not even know what the Tea Party is, but that's okay. Let them see you and feel your love and compassion.

We knew we could be a great blessing - a force of good. What I didn't realize was what a blessing it was to help - to be able to help. It's a good feeling, and I hope to feel it many more times!!!

Texas Army National Guard @ the 2011 American Heroes Celebration

2011-04-19T00:00:00.002-05:00

I spent much of this past weekend volunteering for Soldiers' Angels. A lot of that time was at the American Heroes Celebration at Camp Mabry in Austin, which is the headquarters for the Texas Army National Guard. On Sunday, they had a couple of demonstrations at the parade ground (there were also various reenactments taking place over the weekend which I unfortunately wasn't able to see).

I wasn't right there on the parade ground when it started, so I didn't catch the very beginning of the first demonstration, so I'm not sure exactly what the setup was (terrorist event, mock insurgent engagement?), but here's what I recorded of it, once I got my camera on and walked from the Soldiers' Angels booth to the parade ground:

The next demonstration we had to wait a bit for. The Special Forces unit out of Camp Mabry jumped out of a helicopter at about 3000 feet. It was very windy Sunday, and it took quite a while before they got their clearance to proceed with jumping out of a perfectly good helicopter. With the display on my camera, I couldn't tell if I had the helicopter, and later the jumpers, in the frame; I could only point it in the general direction and hope I had it right. Thankfully, for the most part, I did. The tiny black spot is their UH-60 Black Hawk, and then the tiny white spots are the canopies for the soldiers. On this one, you can hear the announcer well enough, too:

One guy standing near me (who I think has done this sort of thing before) commented that this was actually a more dangerous jump: windy conditions, nearby power lines, oh, and the Mopac Expressway running alongside the parade ground to the east. Looks like they jumped with all their combat gear, too:

I didn't get a chance to go talk to the guys from the unit that did these demonstrations. We were too busy making sure our canopy didn't blow away on us, when we were down to only two people! Maybe next year...

Carrier Air Group Nine, Introduction

2011-04-04T23:15:00.004-05:00

I've been able to scan more pages from the book. Some were done out-of-order based on a comment on the previous post from artist Scott Nelson who was looking for information about the markings for an Avenger attached to the Yorktown for a project he's working on depicting the events of April 7, 1945. While I sent pages along to Scott, I'll not post them here until I "get to them" in page order. I'll do my best to post the pages as they appear with the book open. These are the next four pages.

First is a chronology for Carrier Air Group Nine from the commissioning on March 1, 1942 through to the return to San Francisco on July 6, 1945 with the carriers Yorktown and Lexington on the opposite page.

Next, "The Score". Ships sunk, probably sunk, damaged. Planes destroyed, probably destroyed, damaged, both airborne and on the ground. Sorties by squadron. Personnel lost. Aircraft lost. Operations.

Lieutenant Commander Herbert N. Houck replaced Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr.

Lieutenant Commander Houck passed away at the age of 86 on February 24, 2002, in Cape Coral, Florida. According to the article, he flew Hellcats. My grandfather doesn't mention April 7, 1945 in his combat diary, but I wonder if he was involved. Surely, he knew Houck. Would that I had been able to talk to Grandpa about his time in the Navy...

Carrier Air Group Nine, March 1944-July 1945

2011-03-21T22:25:00.004-05:00

As I have mentioned before, my grandfather was a Naval Aviator in the Pacific during World War II. Recently, my parents found Grandpa's yearbook from back then. The binding is fragile, so I need to be careful handling it. I will slowly work through scanning the whole thing. Here's a start:

I've been lucky enough to tour both the Lexington, in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the Yorktown, at Patriot's Point, South Carolina, both carriers on which Grandpa served.

Tonight, though, I'll stop with the dedication pages:

To
Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr.
United States Navy

Commander, Carrier Air Group Nine
December 1943 - February 1944

Killed in First Carrier Raids on Tokyo
16 February 1944

"Outstanding leadership is the quality above all others that inspires fighting spirit. The remarkable records of some air groups reveal and confirm the fact that the Air Group Commanders were outstandingly capable leaders. It has now become axiomatic that the fighting spirit, combat efficiency and success of air groups reflect in almost an exact ratio, the extent to which those qualities are found in their leaders"

-Commander Air Force, Pacific Fleet

Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr., United States Navy:

*TORREY, PHILIP H., JR.
Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Philip H. Torrey, Jr., Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Plane and Commander of Air Group NINE (AG-9), embarked from the U.S.S. ESSEX (CV-9), in action on 16 and 17 February 1944, while deployed over Truk in the Caroline Islands. His outstanding courage and determined skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Born: April 25, 1913 at Washington, D.C.
Home Town: Long Beach, California

Fair and Balanced? You Decide!!!

2011-03-18T21:22:00.002-05:00

Posted by South Park Diva

From an email I sent to a work colleague...

Here is a great example of why I get a great deal of my news from The Blaze, which is a fairly new website sponsored by Glenn Beck's Mercury Productions.

Have you heard the latest on the NPR funding controversy? Including some undercover video that appears to be very damning to some top execs? There has been one person fired and another person has resigned as a direct result of the video. Naturally, conservatives and Tea Party members were incensed and are currently organizing to pull NPR's federal funding. However, when The Blaze first reported this story, they questioned the journalism methods and raised some interesting questions. They then went to the trouble to get the raw footage of the video and followed up with this report and analysis: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/does-raw-video-of-npr-expose-reveal-questionable-editing-tactics/ (it includes a link to the first story they posted).

This is not a news source that is going to gleefully jump on the liberal-bashing bandwagon, regardless of what actually happened. If a conservative does something slimy, unethical, etc., they are not going to ignore it, excuse it or try to cover it up. And if they feel that someone on the conservative side has perhaps engaged in some questionable ethics in securing or airing/broadcasting/reporting an important story, they are going to talk about that! Their motto comes from Glenn: "The Truth has no agenda."

Perhaps you remember the whole Shirley Sherrod issue? Well, as many were pushing to have her fired, Glenn was cautioning his viewers, saying "we don't have the whole story - it looks like her comments were taken out of context." In the end, she was fired and he was absolutely right - and eventually apologies were issued, and she got her job back. But not before people actually blamed Glenn and Fox news for her being fired. She was fired before the story ever hit the airwaves! And neither jumped on the "Shirley Sherrod is racist and should be fired" bandwagon...

And lastly, I don't know if you are familiar with the voter intimidation case involving the New Black Panther Party in Philly. This case has been largely ignored by our Attorney General, and there are hearings concerning this case going on right now (the AG has been accused of ignoring any voter intimidation cases where the defendant is not white). AG Eric Holder made some comments that have been damned by many on the conservative side. At first, Glenn Beck was very critical (on his radio show) of what could be considered inappropriate comments. But when he heard the audio of the hearing, he realized that he may have misunderstood. He decided not to go ahead with the planned TV segment and then apologized to Holder the next day on his radio show. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/beck-rethinks-his-take-on-holders-my-people-comment/

He said, when there is doubt, we'll give him a pass on that. And that matches up with my philosophy of giving people the benefit of the doubt when it makes sense to do so. Glenn reminds me not to just jump on the liberal-bashing bandwagon, but to think critically about different stories - and to do my own research. As he often says, he is NOT a journalist, but an opinion person. His news site, The Blaze is journalism - with a debate sort of twist. You'll see all types in the comments section. Some real jerks and some normal, run-of-the mill conservatives. Takes all types to make a world! And of course, you'll see the same people over and over commenting. I'm like "why do you have all this time to comment back and forth, people? Don't you have jobs?!"

Anyway, just thought I'd share that with you. I'm very passionate about defending Glenn Beck, and I feel I have good reason. And I although I do not go looking for liberal blogs, I do trust that I am getting news from a wide variety - and from sources who honestly try to get the whole story, even when it reflects poorly on conservatives. I especially trust Michelle Malkin, Stephen Green, Glenn Beck and of course The Blaze. I have seen many issues on all four where they are willing to a) criticize conservatives b) present facts that reflect poorly on a conservative or the conservatives as a group c) do some research before they start pointing fingers at liberals and d) apologize and correct themselves when they have made an error. And they do NOT bury the apology or correction on "page 10"!!!!

Public vs. Private Unions

2011-03-18T19:25:00.003-05:00

Posted by South Park Diva

Another exchange concerning unions - this one on Facebook. I posted this link to stand with Governor Scott Walker: http://www.timpawlenty.com/stand-with-governor-scott-walker. I had also previously posted about the whole private versus public union conundrum.

To which an old HS replied: "oh yeah they are also entitled to earn a living wage which unions actually got workers earlier in the last century. if people working for private industry didn't have collective bargaining, do you really believe that big companies would actually pay a fair wage? as far as state workers go when was the last time anyone complained that teachers were over paid? without collective bargaining, they'd be paid a lot less.
as for the situation in WI the union agreed to an 8 percent cut in salary already. the governor doesn't want to give up anything. government that doesn't compromise is a dictatorship and in the U.S. wont last long especially in a state that has left leaning tendancies until recently."

To which I replied:

"My post was concerning public unions. Private unions are a different matter. Remember that when a public union goes to the bargaining table, they are basically bargaining with themselves with YOUR money! Politicians know that union money helps to win elections. So it is in their interest to keep unions happy. So when the government sits down with public unions, they are bargaining with taxpayer money - and they don't necessarily care about protecting the taxpayer, so much as protecting their own interests and getting re-elected. Unions know this. Politicians know this. Unfortunately, the taxpayers are getting duped far too often. Walker wants to end this strangle hold that public unions have on the taxpayer's wallet by taking away some (not all) of their collective bargaining rights. Basically, he only wants them to be able to negotiate salary, but not the massive pension and insurance packages that are bankrupting the state. Even FDR, a very progressive president, understood that public unions were a very bad idea.

Private unions definitely serve a purpose to combat dishonesty and greed in private industry, but they can still cause trouble in the long run. Look at our auto industry. At least some of GM's problems stemmed from unions. Remember that collective bargaining rewards people who do not want to work their hardest, perform their best and produce results. When your wages are decided in collective bargaining incentives, including raises, where is the incentive to work hard? Why should I bust my hiny to produce the best results, if my raise/bonus is already assured. My husband works for a company that is non-union. His raise is directly related to two things - first, how well does he do his job and second, how well the company is doing over all. The company will not reward him for crappy work and they will also not give out raises that they cannot afford. It's that simple. And the company is still in business after many, many decades. But what happens to a unionized company who has collectively bargained for raises at a certain percentage, but then the company has a bad year or two years? And they still have to give out larger raises (that are NOT based on performance), regardless of the fact that the company is suffering. So what do they do? Probably either lay off workers or raise prices. And raising prices can just hurt business more...

Unions have definitely served an important purpose. But when people aren't given a choice about joining, or when the union bosses admittedly don't actually care about the workers, but are more interested in creating some kind of revolution, we all suffer for it.

And last but not least, the government is under NO obligation to compromise with the union. The elected officials can pass this law if they have the majority, and in this case they do. Elections have consequences, and the consequences of electing a conservative majority into Wisconsin, is that the governor is not obliged to compromise in this legislation, as long as it does not go against the WI or US Constitution. A case in point can be seen in the massive healthcare bill that was passed last year around this time. Although polls showed that 60% of Americans were against the bill, Democrats rammed it through. There was no compromise with Republicans, because THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO. They had the majority, and that's how it goes. This is not a dictatorship. This is the consequences of elections. Period. And you will notice that Republicans did not abandon their posts in an effort to stall or kill the bill. Conservatives did not sit inside the capitol building chanting profanities and beating drums all day and night. We took our lumps and moved on. And now that conservatives have a majority in the House, they are attempting to legally reverse the decision made last year. That is how our law works. If the party in complete power does not compromise, that is not a dictatorship. That is partisan politics. And the people will have the chance to voice their feelings at the next election. That's how our REPUBLIC works. We are a Constitutional Republic."

A Conversation About Unions With My Brother

2011-02-25T18:35:00.004-06:00

Posted by Southpark Diva

I recently sent my friends and family a link to a really excellent article concerning public unions from the Ludwig von Mises Institute. I prefaced the link with these words: "As a teacher, I am so grateful that I am not forced to join a union, nor do I work in a school that has tenure-track positions. I have to WORK to keep my job and produce RESULTS! And I contribute to my own retirement!"

To understand this blogpost, you really need to read the article. If you wouldn't mind taking a moment reading it? Thank you! Going on!

My brother, someone who is very liberal, had this to say in reply:

"Are you serious? Unions are all about collective bargaining and worker's rights. We all work to keep our jobs... oh, and this article is crap... did you take critical thinking and writing? Who says that the MAIN reason States are going bankrupt is government run monopolies and government unions - oh and why doesn't the article mention more about the monopolies? What about natural disasters? What about deficit spending on state run projects? What about corrupt budget practices. Stripping the unions power away from them will not make a government fiscally responsible. Break down why a specific state is going bankrupt and work to change that, don't take away people's rights. Look, I'm in the middle of working on reforming the way the USAF spends money and it's very painful, but we are doing it. (just wrote a multi-million $ federally funded contract that will put many people to work and defend our country from jerks that want to sell us out to wikileaks). The efficiency movement is under way... why mess with my public school teachers? I can't afford private school for my kids."

After some careful consideration, I replied:

"Yes, unions are all about collective bargaining and workers rights. And they make it far too easy for someone to NOT work efficiently and well and still remained employed! And it's often the taxpayer and the students who suffer in the cases of teachers. Why should a teacher be forced to join a union and give up a nice chunk of their paycheck for a union that does not truly represent them? Why should our children suffer when it is nearly impossible to get rid of a bad/immoral/etc teacher who has achieved tenured status? This happens a lot in public schools - elementary, secondary and university. I firmly believe that teachers should be given a choice as to whether they unionize, but far too many states do not give them the option. So they are forced to pay for a union that is more concerned with staying in power/business than with the welfare of the students and the teachers. And union leaders have freely admitted that if they do not force teachers to join, then many will choose not to join. Can't have that!

A big problem in our nation is the unionization of government jobs (i.e. teachers), because the government does not need to worry about the bottom line. They can continue to pull money from the taxpayer without producing results. We pour billions into our education, and yet it clearly does not make a difference. We continue to employ teachers who do not deserve to be employed, who do not produce results. Why is this? Because unions have made it very hard to get rid of someone. When a teacher is still collecting their pension after sexually harassing his students, something is clearly wrong. Or when that same teacher is still teaching! And yes, this happens far too often...

Unions can be held responsible for certain auto companies going out of business. They run contrary to the basic principle of "Return on Investment", and businesses suffer for it. In 2003 to 2008, those states with the greatest unionization had the least private sector job growth. Businesses suffer when unions hold the power, because they no longer base labor costs on the free-market system of supply and demand. This certainly happened with GM. The company should have been allowed to declare bankruptcy and get restructured. Instead, our government, who is very tight with the unions (Richard Trumpka, the president of AFL-CIO spends more time with the president than many of his cabinet members - he was just quoted as saying he is at the White House every day!) jumped in to save a company that should have been allowed to fail. And taxpayers once again foot the bill for a company that was not run efficiently.

And yes, there are other causes, but why do so many states run a huge deficit? Because they are being crushed by the large payroll of government workers (who make 45% more than the person in the private sector for the same job!) and of course those tasty pensions that the government (both state and federal) cannot afford. Why do we continue to hold the taxpayer and future generations of taxpayers hostages for wages and pensions that we can't afford? If we can't afford it, we need to cut it. Period. I'm sure you, as the head of your household, understand that. Do not pay for things you can't afford. And don't get started on the difference between micro and macro economics. I don't live in a Keynsian world where the key to reducing debt is to spend, spend, spend!

Unions have a strangle hold on our politicians and on the taxpayer. I'm not talking about the typical union worker, but the union bosses, who have an entirely different agenda. It's no longer about protecting the worker. It's about keeping themselves in power. Yes, unions once functioned to break the strangle hold of monopolies on the American worker. But now unions themselves are relying on the monopoly of the government to stay alive and in power. Remember that public union employees are protected, whether or not they produce results or have any real talent at their job. Status and pay are set in collective bargaining agreements, rather then on your actual performance, so why bother working hard? And it's pretty darn hard to get rid of someone who is not performing, so we just keep paying for inefficiency. And paying, and paying. Yes, there are workers who still take pride in their work, and there are teachers (many teachers!) who love their students and just want to teach and help educate young minds. But they are working in a system that does not reward excellence, but protects mediocrity. And often protects outright criminals! My own voice teacher has told me how many college professors work hard to shine, shine, shine....until they get tenure. And then they just sit back and do the bare minimum to stay employed.

And what about those private schools. If unions didn't have a strangle hold on our public education, school choice would be a reality all over the country and you could put my niece and nephew in private schools without paying any extra. Yes indeed. In fact, that was just killed in DC in 2010. God forbid a parent has the right to decide where to send his/her children to school! Instead, it was killed by politicians (yes, Democrats) who are in the pockets of teachers unions. Teacher's unions do NOT like school choice, since it means that parents just may choose a school where teachers aren't unionized. And these schools are often higher performing schools, since teachers must actually prove every year that they are doing a good job!

Of course, 38% of Congress chooses to send their kids to private schools, so they don't have to deal with the results of decisions they themselves have made on the behalf of teacher's unions.

And your arguments on other problems in the government? Well, you just stated a great argument for Tea Party ideas. Smaller government. In private business, corruption eventually is punished. Bad business practices are eventually punished. The system of the free market cannot sustain bad business decisions. Criminals get convicted and go to jail. If we are running a deficit on state-run projects, then shouldn't we step back and think maybe we can't afford these projects?

If unions lost some of their stranglehold on our politicians, perhaps our politicians might actually do something that is in the interest of the taxpayer, rather than in the interest of the union. Just a thought. Much of what is wrong with our government cannot be cured by decreased union power, but much of it can. Just take a look at Chris Christie, who is taking the union thugs in NJ head on and not backing down. He has frozen spending on many projects that the state just can't afford, and is working to release the strangle hold unions have on the state. And he was voted in, in a resoundingly blue state - the people finally realized that things just weren't working any more. Period.

Natural disasters? Like Katrina? Where the government and the people of the US pour millions into a reconstruction effort? Blizzards, where cities and states receive aid? And people pull together to help each other out? This is why we're going bankrupt? I think that perhaps it is more complex than that. Yes, natural disasters will always have an effect on business and on money in a state, but the free-market system, if it is allowed to run freely, will help reset things. Some businesses will increase as they provide goods and services to combat the troubles. Other businesses, such as the evil Wal-Mart, will step in to provide aid in many different forms. The great people of the USA will step in and donate time, money, physical labor, homes and prayers to those affected. All too often it is politicians who stand in the way of these moves. Let's not forget LA governor Blanco turning back the Red Cross...

Yes, our economic woes are a complex issue. But a very big part of it is certainly the unions. When a person no longer has to deliver results in order to stay employed - when they are collecting a large amount of money in pay and benefits when they are not performing, or have been fired - when the government is forced to pay for more for union labor than in the private sector, something is indeed wrong. Again, in the private sector, businesses (usually) will be allowed to fail if a union asks for more than the actual business can afford, but in the public sector, we just keep paying for bad business."

I haven't blogged in quite a while (since I got back from 8/28), but I thought it was time to share these thoughts. I am a teacher at a rapidly growing community college. Today in a faculty meeting, we discussed the possibility of hiring new faculty in the coming year, despite state budget cuts. One faculty member stood up and asked our interim dean to make sure that the new faculty coming in really understood our culture of Servant Leadership. Because that is how we do things at our school. We are there first and foremost for the student, and it shows. We work together to figure out the best way to serve our student body, rather than just hunkering down and doing the bare minimum to keeping our jobs. And no, we are NOT union, and yes, we DO have to contribute to our own retirement. Our pay is not great, but not horrible either. Many of us work overloads to make extra money (my husband and I are trying hard to pay off the bulk of our debt). In the end, we just want our students to succeed. I cannot consider myself a success if I am not working hard to ensure the success of my students.

In Loving Memory of Tipsy

2011-01-29T10:53:00.000-06:00

September 9, 1996 - January 29, 2011

Like Abby, you were my dog all your life. As with your sister, it was time to let you go. I'll always remember my amazement when I saw you scale the 6-foot private fence so you could go play with the neighbor dog. I hated seeing you barely able to climb the stairs. I miss you already, but now you and your sister are together again.

At the Blanton

2011-01-02T17:58:00.001-06:00

I went to the Blanton Museum of Art on the University of Texas campus this afternoon. It was the last day of the exhibit Turner to Monet: Masterpieces from the Walters Art Museum. When I was finished seeing the special exhibit, I wandered upstairs to see the other pieces of art on display. I walked into one room, turning the corner to see the first piece on the wall.

And there was Frodo Baggins....

Seems I'm not the only one who think so ;-)

Peter Paul Rubens' "Head of a Young Man" is part of the permanent collection at the Blanton.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T12:43:00.000-06:00

For 90-year-old WA woman, helping soldiers is simply part of life

2010-12-21T21:12:00.001-06:00

I love this story from the Bellingham Herald:

Margaret Hardy seems to have a quip for everything. After all, the 90-year-old just had to point out that her daughter-in-law had been waiting years to bury her.

Under crocheted hats, that is.

Hardy has donated thousands of hats over the years to soldiers abroad and to local charities.

She received an award for her work from the local Republican Women's group which was presented to her by Staff Sgt. Candido Villalobos of the Washington National Guard's 81st Brigade:

Villalobos, a former Marine, told Hardy that her donation to troops in places like Afghanistan and Iraq meant a lot, especially in cold winter months when they can wear them under their helmets.

"A lot of boys don't have anybody that sends them anything," he told her as she sat in a leather chair in the room where she spends much of her days crocheting, watching Fox News and sipping on a can of root beer.

Read the whole thing.

Update 2/9/2011: I happen to know the author of the article I linked above. This evening, he posted on facebook that he received an email from a member of Margaret's extended family. She passed away yesterday. Condolences to her family and friends, and congratulations to her on a life well-lived.

APO Address Giveaway to Brighten a Soldier's Holiday

2010-12-16T23:10:00.002-06:00

Dad's Roadhouse up in Illinois is having a little giveaway contest. To show appreciation to our troops, they will send a gift package to a service member. All you have to do to sign up (or sign someone up) is to this post and put the rank, last name and a contact email. PLEASE DO NOT PUT IN THE FULL ADDRESS INFORMATION ON A PUBLIC FORUM LIKE THAT! The drawing will be 6pm Central on Sunday, December 19. As of right now, the odds are pretty good right now, but McQ has also posted it over at Blackfive, so we can expect that to change...

A big THANK YOU to Dad's Roadhouse for supporting the troops!

I Honor Back

2010-11-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today is the last day of the Project Valour-IT fundraiser. Please contribute what you can. This is truly an amazing project that has done so much good for so many who have made incredible sacrifices for the rest of us.

Don't forget, though, that no matter the time of year, Soldiers' Angels can always use your help.

Happy 235th Birthday, Marine Corps!

2010-11-10T00:00:00.003-06:00

In addition to this being the Marine Corps' birthday, it is also what would have been Marine Corporal Jason Dunham's 29th birthday. Corporal Dunham's actions - covering a grenade thrown by an insurgent with his body and his helmet - earned him the Medal of Honor, and a new Arleigh Burke Class, Aegis Guided Missile Destroyer, named in his honor, is being formally commissioned this Saturday, November 13th. When I was student teaching, one of my third graders drew a memorial for Corporal Dunham, which I was able to share with everyone here.

Happy Birthday, Marines! Gifts can be given here.

It's not over

2010-11-08T23:53:00.002-06:00

While we may have reach our initial goal of $15,000, and even surpassed the $30,000 mark so far, to say nothing of what has been raised by the other teams so far, the competition is not over. Collectively, we have exceeded the original goal of $60,000 for the current campaign. However, this friendly competition continues through Veterans' Day. Every single dime raised here goes solely to fund the important work of Project Valour-IT. The more we raise, the more Marines - and soldiers, sailors, airmen and seaman - we can help. Please do what you can.

In Loving Memory of Abby

2010-11-07T18:54:00.002-06:00

September 9, 1996 - November 7, 2010

You were my dog your entire life. I saw you be born. I always loved how your one ear never really stood up all the way. But it was time to let you go. I miss you already. I love you.

Valour-IT Auction begin to finish up tomorrow!

2010-11-07T15:44:00.002-06:00

Act fast to win one of these great items in the Valour-IT auctions - these items close tomorrow (end time noted is Pacific time). Proceeds go to Valour-IT, bid now - don't miss out!

RESTREPO mini poster signed by the filmmakers 05:45:33

"Restrepo plunges viewers into the experiences of soldiers on the front lines of the Afghan War" - a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.

"RESTREPO mini poster signed by filmmakers Tim Hetherington (recipient of four World Press Photo awards, including the World Press Photo to the Year (2008), and an Alfred I. duPont Broadcast award for his work in Afghanistan for ABC's 'Nightline') and Sebastian Junger (bestselling author of "The Perfect Storm" and "War.")

Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran Medallion 07:08:49

This coin from Eagle Crest commemorates the Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and features intricate, multi-colored designs on both sides and the words, "Democracy, Bravery, Honor, Sacrifice & Freedom"

U.S. Army Combat Infantryman Medallion 07:14:14

This coin from Eagle Crest commemorates the U.S. Army Combat Infantryman. Its green and gold face displays four Infantryman on foot. The blue and gold flip has 5 stars and a long rifle.

Personalizable US Coast Guard cross-stitch 07:42:34

Counted cross-stitch of the U.S. Coast Guard emblem suitable for personalization with name/rank and additional information (years of service, unit, etc.)(see example photo). Finished piece is designed for a 3.5" x 5" opening (mat or frame). Can be mounted with a custom-cut mat (NOT part of auction item) for dual openings in an 6x10 frame (see example photo). Auction winner will need to provide contact information in order to arrange personalization before item can be shipped.

Leadership in Action signed by author ADM Greg Slavonic 08:16:59

This auction is a copy of ADM Slavonic's upcoming book Leadership In Action. It will be released to the general public on Amazon.com in MID-NOVEMBER. This is an ADVANCED copy. ADM Slavonic will sign and ship. SPECIAL TO VALOUR-IT! Greg Slavonic has brought together several contributors for this book that would rightly be on a "Who's Who" list of our nation's most highly honored and decorated military leaders; two-, three- and four-star Generals, Admirals, Captains and Colonels, war heroes and two Medal of Honor recipients--they know what it takes to lead and to succeed. In the pages of this book, you will find something that is critical to success in life--a philosophy of leadership that you can take for your own. By reading each chapter, giving thought to what you've read and applying what you've learned in action; a discerning reader will gain a thorough understanding of what real leaders are made of--and in the learning can become one too.

Day by Day comic strip book. Signed and Numbered. 09:18:49

The first DayByDay Cartoon book collecting all of the www.daybydaycartoon.com strips from 2002-2003. This miniature coffee table book measures 7"x7", features a high gloss softcover, is 132 pages with 363 toons and is signed and numbered by creator Chris Muir.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes (2010, Hardcover) 12:38:18

A visceral, gripping, epic novel of the Vietnam War written by a highly decorated war veteran, MATTERHORN throbs with compelling authenticity on each of its many hundred pages. Though its topics are embedded in our cultural consciousness--napalm, Agent Orange, tortured soldier's souls, the chaos of guerrilla warfare, the impossible ethics of violence, the beauty and horrors of the jungle, loyalty, insanity, friendship, and death--MATTERHORN renders the Vietnam experience anew, boring relentlessly down on the specific kinetic reality of the time and place. Karl Marlantes writes with an intense immediacy reminiscent of Mailer's THE NAKED AND THE DEAD or James Jones's THE THIN RED LINE. MATTERHORN deserves to take its place on the short list of great works about America's engagement in Vietnam and the powerful reality of armed combat.

'This We'll Defend' Army Medallion 13:08:45

This coin from the Northwest Territorial Mint commemorates the U.S. Army. It has an Army themed front side with the words, "This We'll Defend." The flip side has the Department of the Army seal.

Demotivator Contest

2010-11-05T19:24:00.002-05:00

Cassandra over at Villainous Company is holding a Demotivator contest over at her place as part of the current Project Valour-IT fundraising effort. As of this moment, Team Marine has raised $18,500, less than $1000 ahead of early leader Team Army. We still have six days left. Help keep Team Marine in the lead!

“It was only natural I became a Marine, and thank God I did”

2010-11-04T23:06:00.000-05:00

Veterans’ Reflections: Following in Her Father’s Footsteps

Marie Peckham is a small woman. While it wouldn’t be technically inaccurate to assume she wears military-themed pins and jewelry because her husband served in the military -- he did -- it would be an underestimation of Peckham’s strength.

Even though she stands only somewhere between four and five feet tall, she was a Marine Corps staff sergeant, following in her father and brothers’ footsteps.

“It was only natural I became a Marine, and thank God I did,” she said

Marie served during World War II, enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1943. She learned something while in the Corps:

“My service taught me camaraderie, it taught me to not be prejudiced, and it taught me to appreciate all of the blessings of this country,” she said.

That appreciation, she said, is something that isn’t as prevalent today because a gap between civilians and servicemembers needs to be remedied.

“I’m a bit prejudiced,” Peckham said of the nation’s current conflicts when asked if she has any advice for today’s servicemembers. “We want all of it to be over as soon as possible, but while it’s going on, do your part.”

Civilians don’t need to feel pressured to serve in uniform, she said, but they need to do everything they can to support those who do don the uniform. Members of the all-volunteer force are putting themselves at great risk, she added, and the least people can do at home is to create an environment of support and caring.

“Read more about veterans issues – read about their problems, what they need, and what they deserve,” she said. “And always, always support them – always.

You can support them by supporting programs like Project Valour-IT. Please donate what you can, or take a look at the items up for auction - remember all proceeds go to Soldiers' Angels' Project Valour-IT. Those who have served - and sacrificed - deserve our support.

Project Valour-IT auctions

2010-11-03T23:59:00.002-05:00

One part of the Valour-IT fundraiser is the various items donated for auction, with all proceeds going to Project Valour-IT. This year, the guys at YouServed are hosting and managing the auction items on eBay.

I want to call special attention to three items. They are ones I donated to last year's fundraiser, with the winner donating them back to Soldiers' Angels. Yes, I know, there isn't a Marine piece - that one was customized for someone last year, along with the Army one, but the proceeds from these three items are to go to Team Marine. So, without further ado:

To bid on this U.S. Navy cross-stitch piece you can have personalized with name, rank and additional information, click here.

To bid on this U.S. Air Force cross-stitch piece you can have personalized with name, rank and additional information, click here.

To bid on this U.S. Coast Guard cross-stitch piece you can have personalized with name, rank and additional information, click here.

Here's what these can be turned into, with appropriate framing (after I finish customizing to the winner's specification):

That's my Grandpa, who was a naval aviator in the Pacific during World War II.

Take a moment...

2010-11-02T23:31:00.000-05:00

...to think about why you had the freedom to go to the polls today and cast your vote. The men and women of our Armed Forces help to keep us free so we can make our own decisions about whether or not to perform our civic duty, and choose for whom we will cast our vote. Regardless of your political leanings, you should appreciate those who protect our ability to participate in our Republic. Some of those who stand between us and those who would take our freedoms away literally shed their blood doing their duty. The least we can do is help them in return in their time of need. Please donate whatever you can, even if it is only a dollar or two. Click the donate link on the sidebar to support Soldiers' Angels Project Valour-IT.

What your donation helps buy:

$800 for a laptop
$400 for an iPad
$200 for a Wii system used for physical rehabilitation
$200 for a personal GPS to give a measure of independence to those dealing with the effects of TBI & PTSD

To date, Soldiers' Angels Project Valour-IT had distributed nearly 6000 laptops. But, Soldiers' Angels cannot continue this invaluable program without your help. Every little bit helps.

For Us All

2010-10-30T00:35:00.003-05:00

Help us help the ones who have shed their blood for us all. Please donate to Team Marine for Project Valour-IT.

2010 Project Valour-IT Fundraising Competition

2010-10-28T22:53:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. Today began the annual Project Valour-IT fundraiser with a friendly little inter-service rivalry to make it fun. This year, the ladies heading up Team Marine beat Team Army (this time lead by Matt from Blackfive) again in inviting me to be on their team. So, even though Dad was in the Army and Grandpa was in the Navy, I'm working for the Marines again.

Over the past year, I got only a little taste of what it is like to lose your independence. I had an "episode" just before Christmas that resulted in being told I wasn't allowed to drive for six months, to see if whatever it was that happened to me while I was sitting at my desk at the office happened again. Wouldn't do to be behind the wheel and be unconscious... It sucked to have to have my parents drive me to work and pick me up and to have to arrange ahead of time for getting to and from any extracurriculars I wanted to do. But, I still had the use of my arms, legs and eyes.

There are those of our service members who have lost that, too often times permanently. Project Valour-IT seeks to return some of that independence back to troops. Originally, this project solely provided laptops with voice-activated software to Wounded Warriors.

Since then, it has been expanded to help meet the needs of other Wounded Warriors with other technology. One of the side effects of TBI and PTSD is short-term memory loss; handheld GPS units for those coping with TBI and PTSD gives them back a measure of independence. Wii Video Game Systems are used as part of physical therapy in hospitals, improving recovery times and likely giving the troops an outlet for their competitive drive they didn't lose when they were injured.

In order for Soldiers' Angels to continue providing this technology for our Wounded Heroes, we need YOUR help. I know times are tough - I think most everyone is feeling the pinch - but please consider donating to Project Valour-IT. The goal this time around is $60,000. The fundraising drive runs through Veterans' Day, November 11, 2011. Just click on the widget on the sidebar on the right. No amount is too small.

In addition to the "normal" donation option, this time, you have the option to donate unwanted & unused balances on gift card, to transfer stock, to make a wire transfer, or, you can check out the items up for auction, all proceeds going to Project Valour-IT (check the auction items regularly, new items will became available every day, through Thursday, November 4th, with each auction running 7 days).

Other Team Marine blog posts about Project Valour-IT:

Why I Support Valour IT

It's Time For The Project Valour-IT Blog Competition

I remember

2010-09-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

9/11/01 was the last morning I just listened to the radio in the morning while getting ready to go to work. That morning, I was going into work late because I had to take my car in to get payment for repairs arranged after I had been re-ended in my new car. I always just had the radio on as part of my alarm clock, and it would turn off an hour after my alarm. The radio had turned off before I left for the insurance office.

When I arrived at the insurance office, the agent I was dealing with (the agent for the guy who rear-ended me) asked if I had been watching or listening to the news. I told him no, and he informed me that a jet had hit the World Trade Center. At first, I thought small jet, not commercial airliner. While he was looking at the damage on my car, the Pentagon had been hit. I immediately thought Bin Laden. I went home before going into the office. I called in to see if they knew yet - yes, they did. I had turned the TV on when I got home, and I watched as the first tower collapsed. I knew that about 50,000 people worked in the towers, and I anticipated a death toll far more horrifying than it was, although nearly 3000 dead is horrifying enough.

At the time, I was part of a small church group at my parish in Fayetteville, and we had our regular weekly meeting that night. Instead of what we originally had scheduled, we went into the church and prayed the Rosary.

Since that day, I am even more of a news-junkie than I was before. I kept the TV on all the time when I was home, even overnight, watching nothing but news for days on end. I kept hoping for survivors. To this day, I often sleep with the TV on FoxNews channel.

Sadly, the deaths resulting from that attack didn't all occur on that day, or as a result of physical injuries received that day. Another friend of mine has a boyfriend who had a brother who had recently moved to Virginia and worked at the Pentagon. Stephen was a helicopter pilot. He had been part off Dust-Off during the Vietnam War. I'm not sure what Dust-Off was - I'd have to do a bit of research. Anyway, Stephen was at the Pentagon that day. Apparently, he was often in the part of the building that was hit and he lost people he knew. I'm not sure, but I think he was involved in either rescuing or dealing with the people who were pulled from the building that first day. Stephen later commited suicide. My friend and I surmised that what Stephen saw that day brought back the traumatic memories of the Vietnam War, and did not seek help in dealing with what he was going through. Stephen in buried at Arlington National Cemetry. My friend accompanied her boyfriend to the funeral. Stephen's wife moved away from there - I think she had been home when Stephen killed himself there. I happened to have a business trip to DC in May 2003, after Stephen's funeral over the winter. I was able to find Stephen's grave and photograph the headstone, since it was not in place yet at the time of the funeral. I'm sure Stephen's wife was still visiting - there were small stones placed on the top of the headstone. I don't remember the significance of that gesture.

We will never know the true toll of people whose lives will end as a direct result of the attacks. I'm sure Stephen's was not the only suicide of a survivor or a family member of those killed, and there are also those who are now getting sick and dying from illnesses connected to working at Ground Zero....

This was originally posted in May 2006 on a blog that is no longer active on the internet.

Restoring Honor - 8/28 in DC

2010-09-08T20:41:00.001-05:00

When I explained to my sister that I was going to the 8/28 “Restoring Honor” rally hosted by Glenn Beck in Washington DC, it was difficult to explain that I didn’t actually know what was going to happen. I had spent a great deal of money on plane tickets and a hotel (within walking distance of the Lincoln Memorial), and yet I could only guess at what would happen. This is the same leap of faith made by hundreds of thousands of Americans from all over the country.

Glenn Beck opens his daily radio show with the words “this is the third most listened to show in the country.” This sentence embodies the phenomenon of Glenn Beck. Recently voted the “Number One Most Hated Conservative” in the country, Glenn Beck is a controversial figure, even among conservatives. Yet his fans are un-swayed by his detractors and negative press.

A recovered alcoholic and drug addict, Beck completely changed his life in the past ten years. He readily admits that he was a “dirtbag” before he became sober. On his radio show he often discusses one of his biggest regrets is the loss of his word - of his integrity: “I lost trust once in my life. When I was drinking… I lost my word because nobody could trust me because I was living a lie. I was an alcoholic…The one thing I promised myself is if you give me a second chance, Lord, I won't do that again. I promise you, I will not lie. I won't cheat, I won't steal, I won't do it. He's given me a second chance. I'm not going to violate that.”

A devout Mormon, Beck is unabashedly unafraid to openly discuss God on his radio and television programs. Going against a research study conducted by his own company (which advised him against it for ratings purposes) he has spent a good portion of 2010 urging Americans to get “down on [their] knees and pray.” He has also dedicated a good portion of this year to re-educating Americans on the actions, principles and religious beliefs of the founders of our country. “Founder’s Fridays” on his television show have concentrated on many important figures surrounding the American Revolution, including two specials on African-American founders who have been all but erased from our history books. Online, he has begun “Beck University”, with lectures given by different academics that underscore his main theme: “Faith, hope and charity.” These three ideas were also the main focus of the Restoring Honor rally. Not politics, but something beyond politics – something deeper, that people from all walks of life and political persuasions could relate to.

The rally had been planned almost a year in advance and was originally intended to be a political event. However, immediately after announcing it, Beck felt that he was going in the wrong direction. Through the following months, his listeners began to get an idea of what they could expect, as he continually discussed the ideas of faith, hope and charity. There were still no details other than Beck’s request that political signs should be left home – that this would be a day to talk about honor, integrity, character and faith.

Naturally there was a lot of controversy about the rally, especially since 8/28 was the forty-seventh anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech in the same location. Originally, Glenn wanted to hold the rally on 9/12 (after the 9/12 Project, which he founded), but that is a Sunday this year, and he did not want to ask people to take part in this event on the Sabbath. The only other day that worked for all involved was 8/28. It wasn’t until after the event was announced, that the NY Times discussed the importance of that particular date. At first nervous, Glenn decided that there are no coincidences, and that this was indeed the right date for this gathering: “Whites don't own Abraham Lincoln. Blacks don't own Martin Luther King. Those are American icons, American ideas. And we should just talk about character and that's what this event is about. It's about honoring character.”

As the weeks and months led up to the rally, Glenn continually discussed the importance of character and of faith in our country. He maintained that our country’s ills cannot be solved by politics, but by a return to the values that our country was founded on. He reminded us that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights by our Creator; that our rights are God-given and not granted by any man or woman. His passion was and is undeniable, and his listeners responded by taking the Forty Days and Forty Nights Pledge: “I will pray on my knees every night for the next 40 nights...starting TONIGHT. Pray for guidance, inspiration, peace...pray for the leaders of our country. Pray for their safety, and that they will receive wisdom. I will re-establish my relationship with God.” He made it clear that listeners needed to follow their religious beliefs, whether they be Christian, Jewish, Muslim or another faith. He urged listeners to figure out what they actually believe and to pray, pray, pray.

One thing we did know going into this event was that we would be honoring our military, the last group in the US that Americans still trust in great numbers. We knew we would hear Sarah Palin, another controversial figure, speaking to us as a mother of soldier. We knew we would hear Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, speak about her uncle’s dream of equal rights for everyone, about God and our great country. And we knew we would hear Glenn talk about the importance of Faith, Hope and Charity.

One of many t-shirts on display.

Arriving at 5:30 in the wee hours of the morning, my husband and I arrived to an already massive crowd. Thanks to the kindness of a group of people, we were able to squeeze in fairly closely to the stage. We spent time visiting with the people around us, talking about politics and about God. One woman near us had attended the event “America’s Divine Destiny” the night before at the Kennedy Center, which brought religious leaders from many different faiths together to deliver an inspiring evening of prayer, music and worship. She was exhausted, but ecstatic to be a part of the rally.

As I looked around me at the masses of humanity, I saw that people had trusted Glenn. He told us to leave our signs home, and we did. He said “bring your families” and we did. My husband and I were surrounded by people of all ages, races and faiths. A common theme was patriotic and religious t-shirts, but not a sign in sight. As we waited for the rally to begin, I made the rounds of the mall. With a new friend, I pushed through the happy, polite crowd and saw the same thing wherever I looked – people smiling and excited to be standing together in such a sacred place.

At 10AM the patient crowd was finally rewarded, and the rally began. Although we did not know entirely what to expect, we were not disappointed. We stood together and honored our military. Glenn emotionally spoke of how his listeners had contributed over 5 million dollars to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The bulk of the contributions were less than $100 each – most coming in at $10 increments. Charity indeed.

As the rally progressed, three outstanding veterans were commended for their great honor and integrity in action. Non-military outstanding citizens were also honored with awards for “Faith”, “Hope” and “Charity”. Following these awards, Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stepped forward to thunderous applause to deliver a speech echoing her uncle’s. And finally, in the last hour, Glenn delivered his speech. While it is impossible to give due justice to Glenn’s words in a short column, but a short survey can share some of his basic thoughts.

He spoke of the power of the individual and of the need for each person to stand for what we believe in: “I testify to you here and now. One man can change the world. And I share with you an equal testimony. That man or woman is you. You make the difference. Do not stand and look to someone else. Look to yourself. Pick up your stick and stand (in reference to an earlier comment about Moses).” He went on to encourage people to look inward with honesty and work to better themselves: “We must be better than what we’ve allowed ourselves to become. We must get the poison of hatred out of us. No matter what anyone may say or do…we must look to God and look to love. We must defend those that we disagree with, but are honest and have integrity.” He reminded us of the words of the Gandhi, who told us to “become the change you want to see.”

Throughout his speech, he reminded the audience to hold true to the ideals of faith, hope and charity. For faith he advised people to figure out what they believe in and then believe! “Pray on your knees with the door open for your children to see. Not only pray with them, but let them see their father or their mother humbled by God in prayer. That which they gaze upon, they will become.”

On his show he has long held that you cannot hope without knowing the truth. He exhorted his audience to tell the truth – to be truthful in every aspect of your life. Get rid of the lies; the big ones and the small ones. “Tell the truth in your own life and then expect it from others.”
And finally; charity. The old adage says charity begins at home, and in the months leading up to the rally, Glenn had asked his listeners to give extra time and attention to their families. During and after the rally he also urged people to give ten percent to their churches, synagogues, temples and mosques. Give ten percent to worthy charities. Give ten percent and feel the great blessing of giving. He has often said that it is his honor and privilege to tithe ten percent, and he encouraged the crowd to do the same.

And so we stood for over an hour and listened and wept and cheered. And those who trusted Glenn Beck were not disappointed. And we were not surprised at anything we heard. Glenn did not say anything that we had not heard from him many times before. What was really important was the fact that we came and stood together to hear him and his guests speak these things. We affirmed our belief in a country that was founded on divine providence. We affirmed our belief and devotion in our loving heavenly Father. As two hundred and forty leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths (representative of many more throughout the United States) came together to reform the “Black Robed Regiment”, we agreed that denomination doesn’t matter. We agreed that we must set aside our individual theological differences and stand together, using God as our shield.

As we finish up the first week following this amazing event, we are seeing its effects on our great nation in our media. Crowd numbers are being debated (one news commentator likened it to “typical foot traffic” for the area), with numbers from 87,000 being a lowball guess, and upwards of 500,000 probably being closer. Judge for yourself!!

This is an aerial photo showing the crowd that stretched 8/10ths of a mile from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument.

Crowd closeup taken from someone sitting at the Washington Monument – almost a mile away from the stage.

The message is also being exhaustively discussed. People on the left just aren't sure what to make of it, and since everyone left their signs at home, they can't latch onto one nut-job with a hateful sign. In fact, the only signs I saw were after the rally, with a few dissenters who apparently showed up late. The crowd looked at them and just walked by!

Labor leaders, liberal religious leaders and the NAACP will be holding a “counter-rally” on 10/2/10. Advertisements for the event assure people that they are “fueled by hope and note hate.” For the hundreds of thousands of attended, and for those who watched it live on C-SPAN and Facebook, it doesn’t really matter. We know what we heard and experienced. It was Faith, Hope and Charity. We stood there and looked around us at the vast crowd and we knew, without a doubt, that these people all agreed with the inscription on the very top of the Washington Monument. Laos Deo. Praise be to God.

It was an honor to be there. South Park Diva.

Showing my patriotism as only a diva can...

Glenn Beck Honors the military on 8/28 - and does NOT dishonor the Purple Heart

2010-07-20T01:22:00.001-05:00

As we move ever closer to the Restoring Honor Rally on 8/28, which is being hosted by Glenn Beck, a lot of liberal groups are moving to discredit him in any way possible. The New Black Panther Party has threatened to be there, possibly in the hopes that people will be too scared to attend. Other more insidious attacks include the continuing “Glenn Beck hates Jesus” arguments (see this article for a great rebuttal) and of course, the “Glenn Beck is dishonoring recipients of the Purple Heart" attack.

Of course, anyone who listens to Glenn on a semi-regular basis knows that Glenn has nothing but respect for our troops. In fact, the Restoring Honor rally is commited to honoring our troops! But Glenn's detractors never seem to care about honor or honesty, as they work to smear Glenn and keep people away from the Lincoln Memorial on 8/28.

Any fan of Glenn knows that he is not dishonoring Purple Heart recipients, but rather reaching back into history in order to honor the non-military, non-wounded person. He is going back to the "Badge of Military Merit" established by George Washington (check out the history of the Purple Heart), which honored soldiers who displayed great honor and merit, regardless of whether or not they were wounded. After Washington created it, it fell out of use until it was revived as the Purple Heart and given only to those wounded in battle. He's not trying to replace the Purple Heart, but rather add another award (that is actually truer to Washington's original vision) to honor the non-military folk who act with great honor.

Recently at the American Revival, I had a chance to email in a question to Glenn after he began discussing the Badge of Merit. What follows is first a transcript of the discussion of the Badge of Merit by David Barton, who is the author of numerous books on the founding fathers and an expert on George Washington. Glenn was then read my question and answered it pretty fully. I’ve edited out the pauses and some of the repetitions, when it appeared he was gathering his thoughts and not repeating for emphasis.

David Barton – {answering a question on the Badge of Merit, which Glenn is wearing as an insignia on his shirt, presumably so that people can see it}.

“This is actually what George Washington gave. This is the Badge of Merit. There are three of them still known to exist today. Washington was different from so many others in that he didn’t {only?} want the generals to get recognition; he wanted the common people who did remarkable things to get recognition. And he would look out among the troops, and he saw things that were courage – and by the way, if you read his diaries from Valley Forge it’ll make you cry to see what he saw among his troops.

As he saw that, he wanted to honor those guys nobody had honored in that era by the British troops. If you’re a commoner, you’re a peon. You’re down low. Washington wanted to exalt the common man and exalt particularly virtues of honor and courage and faith and integrity, and when he saw it, the Commander in Chief gave you that badge right there. It was on a little bracelet you got to wear on your arm. There’s three of them still known to exist today.

They’ve taken that {he gestures to the badge} and turned it into the Purple Heart, because it was a purple heart. Now {i.e. today} it means you’ve been wounded in battle. But Washington’s original Badge of Merit was the purple heart to honor and recognize great traits he saw among common average ordinary soldiers.”

Glenn: “We are assembling people on 8/28 in Washington DC that have earned this – that have truly earned this. And we are bring this back for the common people. On 8/28 three people are going to receive it. “

My question (which was emailed in earlier in the event, and coincided very nicely with this discussion): A lot of people are moving against 8-28 by saying that you are dishonoring the recipients of The Purple Heart. I know that you are simply trying to restore the original intent of the Badge of Military Merit, but where do you see the place of the Purple Heart going forward?

Glenn’s answer:

“Where the purple heart already is. I’m saying that we need to honor merit inside, not just for the troops. We know if you look at all the things that are happening, if you look at the things that we trust, and the things that we hold up in high esteem now, the troops are number one. In fact they’re the only things that we look at now and say ‘Those are honorable people.’

You’re gonna meet…I’m gonna showcase some people – Marcus Lutrell will be there – and I’m gonna showcase some other people. I met a guy this week – we had him on the radio – his hands were blown off. His hands had been blown off. This guy…he still wants to serve. They’re remarkable, remarkable people. Well we can’t only have the people in our military being the only honorable remarkable people. You need to do that. I need to do that. We all need to do that, and all I’m saying with this {he gestures to the Badge of Merit insignia on his shirt} for all the rest of us ‘You know what? Are you willing to lose your hands? Are you willing to lose your house for it? Are you willing to lose sleep? Are you willing to have people just bash you in the head, over and over and over again?’

You know it is an insult, to say at this point in our history that we can compare ourselves to those who stood with Martin Luther King. We haven’t had a dog sicced on us. We haven’t had fire-hoses opened on us. We haven’t had a baton to the head yet. We may. But if that happens the only way we will stand is if we understand honor and merit.”

This morning I happened to listen to that radio interview with the Marine who lost his hands (podcast - I'm days behind on my Glenn listening!):

GLENN: "There was never a time, never a time that you thought, 'I don't have hands. What am I going to do?' I mean, was there a time where you were quite honestly pissed off or, why me?"

SGT. WRIGHT: "No, I don't think so. I don't think I let myself get complacent or — you know, we don't really have an attitude, we don't foster the attitude of 'I can't' or 'I quit.' And when you have an obstacle in front of you, you just keep putting one foot in front of the other and focus on what you can."

GLENN: "America, let me tell you something. This is exactly, exactly why we're doing 8/28. Here's a guy with incredible honor. Here's a guy who has sacrificed more than I will ever sacrifice. Here is a guy who has an American attitude of, "What? We just do it." This is why our country is struggling right now. Because there's not enough of us that are just like, 'Do the damn job,' and it's an honor to do the job. I am deeply humbled by not only you but all of the brothers that you serve with. It is remarkable what you guys accomplish, and we can never thank you enough, although I do believe you have far too many medals. It's a showoff kind of thing."

And yes, Glenn was joking about the medals – read the whole thing!

Now, my own father, who is a Vietnam vet, doesn't necessarily see the need to do the Badge of Merit in the military, since there are other ways of recognizing honor in our troops who are not wounded. But it seems pretty clear that Glenn is trying to find a way to honor those who are not necessarily soldiers.

I'm going to 8/28 in DC with my husband, so I'll just have to see!

Major Ziegenfuss speaks to the American Legion

2010-05-31T01:29:00.000-05:00

This Memorial Day weekend, Major Charles W. Zeigenfuss shares the text of his speech to American Legion Dick Munkres Post 287 in Savannah, Missouri.

Commander Burns, Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and family: thank you for attending this remembrance for our fallen warriors.

On the 23rd of July, 2003, Captain Joshua T. Byers, 29, of Sparks, Nev.; assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Troop, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, in Fort Carson, Co.; was killed when his convoy hit an explosive device. Josh was not only my friend, but was my mentor and peer.

While supporting (which is a Department of Defense word for fighting) in Operation Enduring Freedom, another very close friend of mine was killed. He died May 29, 2004, just two days short of a Memorial Day, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when his vehicle struck a land mine. Captain Daniel W. Eggers, 28, of Cape Coral, Florida. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), from Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

LTC Gary R Derby, 44, of Missoula, Montana; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division; died Feb. 9 2009 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds sustained when a car bomb was driven into his vehicle. LTC, then Captain Derby commanded a company in my battalion when I was a young shave-tail lieutenant. Aside from his candid leadership and sense of humor, he was the kind of guy who you could always count on to tell you when you were being an idiot—and how to really improve on style points.

One thing that each of these heroes had in common—besides having the unfortunate luck to serve with me, was that they took their duty very seriously; and themselves much less so. The loved the military, they loved serving this country; every day, and no days off.

Each was a family man. Each left behind a great legacy. Each served to the fullest measure. I am sure if they had the chance to be alive today, each would ask that someone who died alongside them would instead take their place among the living.

Many of our fellow citizens have no understanding of the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day, other than it means a long weekend. Many people, especially those with no connection to the military, often confuse the two, citing Memorial Day as a day to thank those serving the nation in uniform. Recently, a friend of mine commented that “Memorial Day is meant to pay homage to those who gave their lives for this country and our way of life. It is a day to honor the dead. There is NO such thing as “Happy Memorial Day.”

Respectfully, I disagree, in part, anyway.

Memorial Day is a happy yet solemn, joyful yet tearful, partly sunny yet mostly cloudy kind of day.

We are living the days these men and women never will. Live them well, be happy, and enjoy the blessings of liberty their service and sacrifice have bought. Although we take pause today to remember their absence, we must also take this day to celebrate the very liberty they have secured.

Memorial Day should be a "happy" day, the same as Easter. We remember the sacrifice, and the cost, yet we rejoice in the promise of chocolate rabbits, only six more weeks till spring (if Christ came out of the tomb and saw his shadow) and painted eggs, god-awfully early church services, plastic grass, and kids on a blood-sugar bender. We remember the sacrifice, and the cost, of the loss of friends and family on this day. I remember Josh wearing a cape and boxer shorts and little else, standing in the Kuwaiti desert and saluting passing vehicles. I remember sharing stories and fixing the world’s problems over barbeque and beer with Dan. I remember Gary creatively counseling another lieutenant who just refused to “get it.” I remember these men fondly, and am thankful to wear the same uniform, to serve the same nation, and to carry forward where they cannot.

Dan, Josh, and Gary can't spend this day, or any other day with their families, or among us, and we are a poorer nation because of that. I miss them, but today I pay special attention to their absence, and jealously guard my time with my family. We will have a happy day, because my friends, my mentors, my brothers have already paid for it, in advance, with interest.

I do not mean to suggest that it is proper to tell a recent widow to have a “Happy” Memorial Day. I know the families of the fallen, and especially the recently fallen, spend this day in grief, but they spend this day remembering none the less. They will, in time, first recall the good things, the joys and happiness, the special days; and will lock away the days which hurt the most. These families, these survivors, have something their warriors no longer have… time. They have time to grieve, time to mourn, and time to heal. They will, soon enough, spend their memorial days at family barbeques, pool openings, amusement parks, and all manner of fun and happy occasions.

On Memorial Day, these families, mine and hopefully yours, will also pause to remember all of the joyful times we spent with those who have stood their final muster, and then we too, will go on living, and have a happy Memorial Day.

Thank you for your time and your attention.

Not forgotten

2010-05-28T00:00:00.003-05:00

1LT Kile G. West was killed in action on Memorial Day 2007. Today marks three years since that fateful day. I was honored to be able to attend his funeral. Kile will not be forgotten. I remember, too.

Update:

Heard a news report this morning on the way to work that there will be a ceremony tomorrow, May 29th, at 11am to rename a post office in Georgetown in Kile's honor. Looked it up on the internet after I got to the office. Unfortunately, with me not being able to drive right now, I won't be able to make it.

National Anthem

2010-05-23T19:44:00.001-05:00

I went to my first baseball game of the season today. I hadn't seen most everyone I know out there since September, so after getting side the park, I started making the rounds. I was at the First Base Gate when it was time for the National Anthem. I couldn't help but notice a young man in front of me facing the flag and saluting...

That's his pink cotton candy in his left hand ;-) Sorry it's not a better photo - I had to take it with my cell phone...

Update 5/24/10: Thanks, MaryAnn, for helping clean up the image so we can see that young man a little better!

More Art I Like: Lepa Zena

2010-05-02T22:28:00.006-05:00

One of Cassandra's posts from Friday lead to Cousin Dave's comment:

Think about it: who do you know that buys original art? Very few people do. Very few people even have any contact with original art. Why? Because the art world has turned up its nose at Everyman. Artists no longer make any attempt to communicate with the "sheeple"; their work consists largely of in-jokes that they tell each other. As long as they maintain the politically correct stance in their art, such that their NEA grants keep coming, they need not make any attempt to communicate anything outside of their inner circle.

Now, this is not true of all artists in America today. But it is true of nearly all of the ones who get press attention and major museum showings. My wife and I have made it a point, the past few years, to seek out original art for our home. We go to fairs and shows and such and seek artists who are not in the NEA loop, who make their living by selling to the public. And we've found some refreshing and surprising works. There's a lot of different viewpoints there too. But one thing you won't find is the snarky/petulant attitude of the grant artists. Why do the NEA-grant-supported artists do the things they do? Because they can. Because it's their way of asserting their superior position over the audience. It's their way of letting us know that they get paid for whatever the hell they want to do, and that they have a claim on our tax money, and that there's not a damn thing we can do about it. It's simply them thumbing their noses at us.

I will have to admit, I've not ever bought much in the way of original art. I know I bought a small watercolor or two from one of those street vendors when I went to Florence on a Humanities trip my junior year of high school. Also bought a small watercolor when I was in Seward, Alaska in June 2004. I've seen other original art - larger pieces - from time to time that I do like, but it's never been something I could afford. I have one original piece that was a gift, and I will dig it out of storage when I get a chance and share it with you. Until then, I thought I would share another of the prints I have bought for myself.

I was living in Arkansas, but I was down in Austin visiting with my family. For some reason, we were out at the mall and we'd gone into Deck the Halls. On the back wall, there was a huge print framed in a fancy gilt frame. It was stunning: a big, black horse; I just loved it. I wasn't in a position to buy anything like that then, but I did ask about it. It was called Lepa Zena, painted by Marta Gottfried. I eventually did buy the print, but it's still rolled up waiting to be framed. It's a large piece, and it is larger than all of the other prints I've had custom framed and it's not going to be cheap to have it done "right".

Funny how all the large prints I have have horses in them.... And generally speaking, I likely would not be struck the same way - positively, that is - by the art created the NEA-type artists of whom Cousin Dave speaks.

Dedication at Austin Memorial Park

2010-04-18T23:24:00.001-05:00

Austin Memorial Park is the cemetery American Legion Travis Post 76 visits on Memorial Day to plant American flags by the grave markers of veterans. I participated last year. One marker I saw was for someone who had served in the Spanish-American War. I've been told there are some veterans dating back to the Civil War.

One of the ladies at the Post, Sharon Blythe, has been working for many years to gain recognized historic status for the cemetery, in an effort to prevent the City of Austin selling off part of the cemetery - a section which is apparently the resting place for many veterans - for some other purpose. She and Rescue Austin Memorial Park will be hosting a dedication this Saturday, April 24, 2010, at 10:30 in the morning for the marker recognizing Austin Memorial Park as an Historic Texas Cemetery. Among the veterans interred there is LCpl. Nicholas S. Perez. Sharon would like to see as many people attend the dedication as possible, to help show City of Austin officials that this cemetery is important to the people of Austin. If you can, please come out to show your support. Austin Memorial Park is located at 2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, Texas.

Fundraiser to benefit LCpl Nicholas S. Perez Elementary's Library

2010-04-15T19:39:00.002-05:00

American Legion Auxiliary Travis Unit 76 is holding a fundraiser. It was decided we would donate the proceeds to help the library at LCpl Nicholas S. Perez Elementary School. Perez Elementary is a newer school, so there is much empty space on the bookshelves. A new school gets a limited number of books, and it takes time to expand beyond that, especially for a school with many families of lower socio-economic status. Our Auxiliary wants to help fill those shelves.

So....the prize is a customized cross-stitch of the service emblem of the winner’s choice that will be framed along with a photo of the selected service member. This is an example of what you could win.

Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. You can purchase raffle tickets by mail. Make your check payable to American Legion Auxiliary Travis Unit 76. Mail it - along with your contact information so we can send you your raffle tickets and contact you if you win - to:

ALA Travis Unit 76
c/o American Legion Travis Post 76
PO Box 1214
Austin, Texas, 78767.

Jeremy Kane Benefit Run April 2010

2010-04-11T13:46:00.001-05:00

My friend Carrie, who posts over at Villainous Company from time to time, sent a link and asked for help in spreading the word on this.

The Jeremy Kane Benefit Run will take place on Sunday, April 25th "at 10:00am sharp at Cherry Hill East High School" in Cherry Hill, NJ.

From the website for the run:

Lance Cpl. Jeremy Kane was a student at Rutgers-Camden studying Criminal Justice and Political Science. He had joined the Marine Reservists on September 11, 2006 because "he felt that every American had the duty to give back to his country."

When his Reserve Unit was activated for deployment, Jeremy was hesitant leaving his mother behind, as Jeremy's Father recently passed away from stomach cancer. Shedding his reluctance, Jeremy Kane deployed with enthusiasm because he knew it was the right thing to do. For this, Jeremy Kane made the ultimate sacrifice for his family, and country.

We will all run to raise a monument for Jeremy Kane, and other students and graduates of Rutgers who have also sacrificed their lives in the interest of our protection. We ask that you join us on April 25, 2010 to celebrate the fact that such heroes have not passed, but lived.

So, if you are in the vicinity and are willing and able, please considering either participating in the run, or contributing to this cause.

Some Things Don’t Need Embellishment

2010-03-10T22:59:00.000-06:00

From Old Blue over at Afghan Quest:

Landstuhl isn’t just for wounded. It’s where servicemembers from Iraq and Afghanistan go for medical treatment and evacuation for any number of reasons. Many are ill. Some have been diagnosed with serious diseases, such as cancer. It is also the waypoint for seriously and critically wounded warriors on their way to places like Walter Reed, the burn centers and the first big step on what may be a long road of recovery. Those people never see the outpatient barracks. They are stabilized and moved again. Some others are there for lengthier stays. For them, many of whom came in with little or nothing, a change of clothes can mean the world.

Enter Soldiers’ Angels and the force that defies gravity and fatigue; MaryAnn Phillips.

I can’t describe MaryAnn as unassuming, a word often associated with people who share her trait of recoiling physically whenever any kind word is directed at her (by anyone who is not a patient, the family of a patient or a medical professional). MaryAnn is a force of nature, possessing seemingly boundless energy and a benevolently powerful presence that melts barriers. She can appear to be tired, but while some would get a charge out of a Red Bull, all you have to do to give MaryAnn a charge of energy is tell her that a patient needs something. She is suddenly on the go, tracing the long halls of Landstuhl for the millionth time, seemingly tireless.
...
Personally, I am awed. MaryAnn and the Angels of Landstuhl do things that I could never do on an ongoing basis. To me, they are legend. Truly amazing. Volunteers all. You do not need to embellish their amazing work. But recently a journalist credited MaryAnn with coordinating medical care for a wounded British soldier. While I’m sure it sounded like a great story, it’s not true. The story has been corrected, but in the meantime it made it look like the very professional organizations involved weren’t doing the best they could until they were coordinated by this volunteer. This simply isn’t so. Soldiers’ Angels are truly heroes to me without having to give them superhuman multinational medical powers. They do many wonderful things, but international medical coordination isn’t one of them. Soldiers’ Angels supports soldiers and their families.

Go read it all.

I am honored to know MaryAnn, even as just an acquaintance. She is an amazing person. I am glad I can even be a tiny part of what Soldiers' Angels does for our service men and women and their families.

Kudos to Delta Tau Delta, Gamma Iota Chapter

2010-02-06T16:46:00.003-06:00

Five weeks ago, I joined my sisters on a exercise walk that goes to one of the parking garages on the University of Texas. This morning, I went with them again. On the way to campus, I saw something that wasn't there last time: someone had painted an image of the Iwo Jima flag raising and a big "Support the Troops" yellow ribbon on the fence. I wished I hadn't left my cell phone in my purse in the trunk of my sister's car. On the way back, I saw that along the fence around the corner, there was also the Marine Corps' Eagle, Globe & Anchor, a Navy anchor, the Air Force logo and the Army logo. Then, I saw that this was a frat house. When I was in college, I didn't have a good impression of fraternities in general because of behaviors I observed, so I still carry a wariness about them. But, I do have to give kudos to the Gamma Iota Chapter of Delta Tau Delta fraternity for their public support of our troops. I plan on going on the walk again next weekend, and if I do, I'll try to remember to bring my camera, and if the fence is still painted the same, I will update this post with photos.

Letter to Blanche Lincoln (posted by South Park Diva)

2010-02-02T14:22:00.001-06:00

This is the third email I've written to my Senator, Blanche Lincoln (D) of Arkansas:

"It has been awhile since I last emailed you. I first begged you not to vote for the Senate healthcare reform bill. Then I asked you what your price was when you did vote for it, seeing as how the majority of Arkansas do not want it passed.

You didn't listen then. Now that Scott Brown has been elected, are you listening now? I've heard that you are worried about your Senate seat - about the upcoming elections. Are you ready to listen to the people that (mostly) elected you?

We hope today that the healthcare reform bill is dead. But Nancy Pelosi is going to ram it down our unwilling throats. She wants to "pole vault over the fence" - the fence that is built by the will of the American people! When did Congress and the Senate decide that they will do whatever they want regardless of the will of the people? When did this arrogance begin that we are just too stupid to understand what they are "trying to do for us"?

Now Obama is presenting a budget that is truly amazing. It is amazing in its sheer "not-caring-ness". Yes, I've just invented a word. Any proponent of this budget obviously does NOT care about the future of this country at all. They don't care about our children, to whom we are handing this hefty price tag. The budget significantly raises our national debt even more, and yet it seems that to many want to blithely wave it on through. For crying out loud, the budget is counting on tax money from cap and trade, which hasn't even been presented yet! And hopefully won't pass if it does get presented!

I don't have a problem with Democrats or Republicans. I have a problem with any politician who will not listen to his or her constituents. I have a problem with any politician who thinks him/herself somehow above the people that they represent. I have a problem with a politician who wants to recklessly spend and heavily tax us when we can least afford it. Heavily taxing our corporations, when they have already cut jobs dealing with our struggling economy. Heavily taxing "the rich" because it is somehow okay for them to shoulder even more of the burden caused by the bad decisions made in Washington D.C.

When will this end? Are you ready to listen yet? The American people are not yet willing to have Obama's socialist/progressive agenda rammed down their throats. Are you listening? Are you ready to once again do your job? The one where you are elected by a group of people, and then you go to represent their will? Or are you going to have to learn the hard way - by losing your job as Senator? Your numbers are dipping. Have you finally realized why? Or, as some cynics predict, will you, along with other ousted Democrats, going to go on to a job in Obama's administration - another payoff for voting against the will of the people."

Although her website assures that each email is answered, I never received an answer for the last two emails, nor do I expect one from this one. Maybe I'll be wrong. I'll let you all know!

Cooking with the Wounded

2010-01-30T00:00:00.003-06:00

Back in September, Laughing Wolf spearheaded a wonderful event for our Wounded Warriors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Originally, it was going to be "Cooking with Laughing Wolf", but somewhere along the line, it became "Cooking with the Wounded". Because of this first event's success, the seed was planted to try doing it again. Cooking with the Wounded is now an official part of Soldiers' Angels.

For Phase II began at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in November: the ladies from The Yellow Bowl Bakery in Lafayette, Indiana and a number troop supporters in the Washington DC area, with help from the Warrior Legacy Foundation, served up Southern hospitality and tasty bakery items. Now, the focus is on raising awareness about the program, and the funds to send The Yellow Bowl Bakery ladies to cook for the wounded at Landstuhl. You can donate online or you can mail a check to:

Soldiers' Angels
Cooking with the Wounded
1792 E. Washington Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91104

Cooking with the Wounded has a Facebook page; please help spread the word, or just go to get the latest on the program. Or, if you know or have connections to a "top chef", see if they would be interested in working with Cooking with the Wounded. If you would like additional information, contact Blake Powers at cooking@soldiersangels.org

As noted in the press release on the current fundraising efforts:

This also marks the start of the 2010 fundraising campaign for Cooking with the Wounded. In addition to raising money for this first trip, three other trips are planned to Landstuhl in 2010. A number of chefs, including well-known chefs, have expressed interest in taking part. The money raised will help cover the three trips to Landstuhl, and support "practice" and other meals and events at locations here in the United States.

Comedienne and long-time troop supporter Phyllis Diller has generously donated photos of her entertaining with Bob Hope in Vietnam, autographed by her, to help raise funds for both Cooking with the Wounded and Project Valour-IT. One of these photographs will be given to the individual who makes the largest contribution in the first two weeks of the fundraiser; and, one will be sent to the company that makes the largest cash contribution. In addition, one significant donor will be chosen to receive a Christmas card sent by Ted Nugent to Cooking with the Wounded.

In addition, companies who sponsor Cooking with the Wounded will be able to receive additional benefits. In a first for Soldiers' Angels, companies that agree in 2010 to provide $100,000 in funding each year for five years will be listed as Founding Sponsors, and that list will remain on the Cooking with the Wounded site until at least the end of the calendar year 2020, with links. Individuals and companies that donate $5,000 - $10,000 will be named Bronze Level Sponsors; those that donate $10,001-$25,000 will be listed as Silver Level Sponsors; those that donate $25,001 to $50,000 will be listed as Gold Level Sponsors; and, those who donate $50,001 or more will be listed as Platinum Level Sponsors. These sponsorships will include listing in a special section of the site along with appropriate links. Other benefits may also apply. For more details please contact cooking@soldiersangels.com.

Cooking with the Wounded began with one person wanting to cook a steak dinner for the wounded at Landstuhl. As other chefs asked if they could do a meal of their own, it has grown into a program that seeks to send a team of chefs to cook a special meal for the troops at Landstuhl and those that care for them. In addition to the meal, these guest chefs also take the time to talk about their experiences in getting started and share lessons learned. The ultimate goal for the program is to help those leaving military service, most especially the wounded, who are interested in a career in the food and beverage industry get the knowledge and training they need. It is also hoped that teams of chefs can be sent to Afghanistan, Iraq, and other locations to cook for the troops there.

I look forward to the time when Cooking with the Wounded is able to hold an event at Brooke Army Medical Center: I would very much like to lend a hand in person. Please do what you can to support this wonderful effort: spread the word to family and friends, or if you are able, contribute financially, however small. Every little bit helps.

Update via email received from Laughing Wolf:

Kicking off the 2010 fundraising campaign the day before the Haiti earthquake was not the best possible timing, but I want to thank one and all for donations that way, and particularly the support given to Team Rubicon.

Because of that, and the fact that some can't do but one thing a month, the contest to with the autographed photo donated by Phyllis Diller has been extended through next Tuesday [ed. - February 9th]. The individual (and company, if any) making the largest donation via http://soldiersangels.org/cooking-with-the-wounded.html will win the photo.

Book Club: Bendigo Shafter

2010-01-15T12:45:00.000-06:00

Over at Grim's Hall, Grim proposed doing a kind of book club, beginning with Louis L'amour's Bendigo Shafter. I'd not really read any of L'amour, except for a copy of Last of the Breed my dad had many years ago. So, I decided I'd give it a go and ordered the book. So far, we're to have read through Chapter 3, with discussion to be found here. I received the book a week ago, and read those first chapters by Sunday. Since then, I've tried to read about a chapter a day. I read Chapter 9 last night before going to bed. I'm enjoying the book, and figure I'm on track to meet Grim's suggested pace of ten chapters a week. I've you've a mind to, why don't you look up a copy, catch up on the book and join us?

Resolution Update: 52 weeks

2010-01-03T02:02:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was 52 weeks since my first weigh-in on Saturday, January 3rd, 2009. When I weighed in yesterday morning, my total weigh loss was 53.2 pounds. I have been very pleased with my progress this past year.

Things have changed over the past year. The biggest difference - besides the weight - is the greatly reduced calorie need. When I started a year ago, I was aiming to eat about 1737 calories a day (based on moderate activity). After my latest weigh-in, my target is 1378. If I had tried eating so few calories when I first started, I'm not sure I'd have been able to do it - I would have been hungry all the time. However, as my body gradually changed, and I gradually made adjustments accordingly, the gradual reduction in calorie intake wasn't really noticeable; for the most part, I continue to be satisfied with what I eat, though I do occasionally get REALLY hungry for no apparent reason.

I will say that my weight today is not the most I've lost this year. My greatest weight loss was 61.4 pounds, on Saturday, December 19th. I know exactly why I have gained 8.2 pounds over the last two weeks. I went five days without exercising, from the 19th through the 23rd. I didn't plan it that way. I was busy over that weekend, finishing up with my sewing for my sisters' Christmas gifts. I was fully prepared to get back to my exercise on Monday. Fate conspired against me. I had a medical emergency - I blacked out - at work and was taken by EMS to the ER, and when the first tests they ran came back normal, they decided they wanted to admit me, and I wasn't allowed to just walk around. I didn't leave the hospital until about 7:30 Tuesday night. I took it easy on Wednesday, though I didn't really have to. I did exercise Christmas Eve, but Christmas Eve presented other issues: the abundance of sweets. That Monday night, I was to have gone to the Legion's Christmas dinner, and I had baked a cake. Needless to say, the cake didn't make it to the dinner, since I didn't either. That cake found its way out to Grandma's for Christmas Eve dinner. Daddy had also baked some chocolate chip cookies. There was also hot chocolate and Lebkuchen while we opened our presents. Christmas Day, Daddy always bakes up those Pillsbury cinnamon and orange danish rolls. I had two or three. Then, back out to Grandma's for the turkey dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing, and corn, and again, a variety of sweets. A week later, we had pizza New Year's Eve, and then lots of food New Year's Day when we again headed out to Grandma's: ham, barbecue chicken, barbecue sausage, potato salad, pork & beans and corn, and a few more cookies. Oh, and we can't leave out the large number of sodas I've been consuming over the holidays, either. I'm not really freaking out about the 8 pounds in two weeks. I'd already told myself I'd not be obsessing about the calorie counting over the holidays, so I could enjoy them, and I know why I put the weight back on. But, it's now time to get back into the swing of things. Two weeks of not closely minding the calorie intake is enough.

To work towards my ultimate goal - from the latest weigh-in, I've got in the ballpark of 40 more pounds to lose. For the next ten pounds or so, I can continue to aim for a 1000 calorie deficit each day. After that, I will have to make some adjustments. I will have to reduce my daily calorie deficit to 500 calories, so as to keep my body from thinking there is a shortage of food and as a result, slowing my metabolism. So, it may taken me the next year to lose these last 40 pounds. I've not ever really hit a "plateau" (those times when I've not lost, I know why - either not enough exercise or too many calories). I will continue to update here from time to time as I continue my weight loss journey.

My exercise routines are a little different than when I first started a year ago. Those days I go into the office, I still work out with my sisters. I am still walking on the treadmill (though my sisters do intervals on the other treadmill and also the elliptical, trading places), and still doing some free weights. When I'm not at the office, I have mostly been doing in-home walking. Over the summer months, it was just too hot to walk in the neighborhood during the day. Also, with the DVDs, it doesn't really matter what time I do it - right when I get home from school, later in the evening after I've eaten something for dinner, in the middle of the day on the weekends. The important thing is that I continue to get exercise. I asked for - and received - two more exercise DVDs for Christmas. Yesterday morning, I went with my sisters (in 30 degree weather, even!) for the "Shredder Walk" that a trainer at a local gym does. It is a roughly 4-mile walk from the gym to one of the parking garages on the UT campus. When the garage is reached, everyone goes up the stairs to the top level for some exercises (I was a little wobbly at that point) and then it's down the stairs and back to the gym. I'm not sure of the schedule, but I think I'll do it again. It just sucked getting up that early on a Saturday morning, and then having to get my dad up so he could drive me over to my sister's place, since I'm not allowed to drive for a while after my little blackout episode two weeks ago...

So, the plan is to renew the New Year's Resolution. I will keep up with the exercise. I will try to push myself: as I get closer to my goal, it is likely that I will have to do more to see the same results. Time will tell. I will continue to count my calories, and I know I will soon need to make some adjustments soon, when I get to those last thirty pounds. I will also work at making sure I get a decent night's sleep each night. Lack of sleep can contribute to weight problems, and getting enough sleep was also a part of the discussion when I was in the hospital. To that end, I'm off to bed. It's Sunday, and I don't have to get up for anything in particular once morning rolls around.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T12:59:00.000-06:00

Milblogs Silent Today

2009-12-16T00:00:00.013-06:00

Army Master Sgt. C. J. Grisham has always led from the front, from combat that earned him the Bronze Star with V device, to doing right by the men he led. His honesty won him readership and respect, from the White House on down. Yet, when he stood up for his children in school, his command did not stand by him. You can read more at Military Times to get the full story.
Please donate via PayPal; or you can log into PayPal on your own, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk -at- yahoo -dot- com; or, you can send donations directly to:

Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893
Please write "Grisham Legal Fund" in the memo line if you use this option.

Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to you. Today, many milblogs are gone and others are under attack from within and without. Today, you have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Make your voice heard by writing your congressional representatives and others, and by making donations as you see fit.

The battle for freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas is fought on many fronts and in many ways. Without your help, the battle may well be lost.

Commentary

From my personal point of view, as an educator myself, the idea of contacting the employer of a parent over a policy disagreement or because I felt "threatened" is highly unprofessional. Policy disagreements should be restricted to the school system and the parent, and if the disagreement cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the court system should be involved. NEVER the parents' employer. If someone at the school truly feels threatened, contact campus security or local law enforcement. The parents' employer should have NOTHING to do with this. In CJ's case, school district personnel have overstepped the boundaries of ethical, professional behavior. The reason, IMO, they contacted his employer - the United States Army - is because they KNEW it would cause problems for CJ. I am disappointed beyond words that CJ's Chain of Command did not back CJ up on this issue. CJ acting as a parent - even if he had actually threatened someone, which he did not - has NOTHING to do with the Army.

As far as donating, I don't have deep pockets from which to spare vast sums of money. I'm sure many of us are in that same boat. However, I'm sure I'll be able to spare $5 or so from time to time. That will just be one less trip through the drive-thru. So, I would ask, even if money is tight, anything will help. This fight against the school district won't be over soon, I'm guessing. I'll be able to handle smaller amounts over time. I will be doing it because I believe in CJ, and I believe he is doing the right thing with regard to the school district.

As for the Army, I hope SOMEONE will come to their senses and put an end to the hell CJ and his family have been going through in regard to damaging an impressive career. We need more people like CJ in the Army, and telling its story from the Soldier's Perspective, not fewer. CJ needs to have the freedom to continue blogging, and sharing the unvarnished truth. CJ's smart enough to know what shouldn't be general public knowledge. The Army should trust him to do on this - he gets the fact that sharing certain information publicly can get good people killed unnecessarily. There's a reason he's been invited - as a milblogger - to the White House both under Bush and Obama. There is no legitimate excuse the Army could provide to justify losing his voice. The Army needs to stand behind a soldier like CJ, not punish him. From where I sit, CJ hasn't done anything to deserve the treatment he's received from the Army in recent months.

If you are so inclined, you can join the Pitchfork Brigade on CJ's behalf. Or, since this issue is larger than just CJ and his blog (other blogs have gone silent, gone away, or self-censored their content based on taking flack from various chains of command), consider writing your own representatives. Find out where to contact your Senator or Representative on this issue. Milblogs provide an invaluable service to us, the American public. They provided "ground truth", and the positive stories coming from Iraq and Afghanistan that are sorely lacking in most mainstream media outlets. We cannot allow them to disappear because some in the military do not understand, do not want to deal with, or are downright hostile towards, milblogs.

Updated 6:38pm

Participating blogs:

A Soldier's Perspective
You Served
Bouhammer
The American Legion
Laughing Wolf
Hugh Hewitt
This Ain't Hell
Castle Argghhh
Boston Maggie
Blackfive
Miss Ladybug
Hooah Wife
Kiss My Gumbo
Some Soldiers Mom
Assoluta Tranquillita
Knee Deep in the Hooah
Soldiers' Angel New York
Drunken Wisdom
Grim's Hall
From my position
CDR Salamander
Confederate Yankee
Chromed Curses
Homefront Six
Pvt Murphey's Law
Delta Bravo Sierra
The Sniper
Another Voice
Support your Local Gunfighter
Knottie' s Niche
Great Reader JihadGene
America's North Shore Journal
Righty in a Lefty State
Thunder Run
Gazing at the Flag
Neptunus Lex
Soldiers Angels Germany
Bring the heat, bring the stupid
Little Drops..... Into the pool of life.
The Gun Line
Thirdwavedave
In Iraq Now (at 56)
Milblogging.com
Army Houesehold6
From Cow Pastures to Kosovo
Susan Katz Keating
Kitchen Dispatch
Right Wing Right Minded
The Foxhole
The SandGram
My Own Political Party
Registered Evil
Drunken Wisdom
Storm'n Norm'n
OPFOR
Texas Fred
No Runny Eggs
Keep My Soldier Safe
FlashPoint
Asymmetric Military
The Army of Dude
LTC John - Miserable Donuts
The Mudville Gazette

Covering the story:

Army Times
Air Force Times
Marine Times
Navy Times
Military Times
The AtlanticWire
Muncie Free Press
Flopping Aces
Small Dead Animals
Navy Experience
The Pink Flamingo
World Net Daily
CNN IReport
Michelle Malkin
Instapundit
Bookworm Room
National Review's The Corner
Ace of Spades
Jawa Report
Winds of Change
Cao's Blog
Free Republic
United Conservatives of Virginia
Miss Beth's Victory Dance
Wake up America
Dr. Melissa Clouthier
Villainous Company
The Washington Independent
In the Crosshairs

USO tour brings happiness, strength to Fort Hood

2009-12-13T23:33:00.000-06:00

Again, from News 8 Austin:

It's been a little over a month since the shooting at Fort Hood shook the nation.

On Friday, soldiers and their families gathered to remember the tragedy and show that they will be strong in moving on. Thousands celebrated at the post with celebrities, carnival rides and live music--all compliments of the USO.
...
At the end of the day for people like Decker, the event fills a void.

"We need this for some closure, to move on. We need to know that we're remembered," she said.

You can see the video report here. You can also watch video from the press conference connected to this USO event. Speaking at the microphone include Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, Gary Sinise and Dana Carvey.

Witness to History

2009-12-07T18:00:00.001-06:00

Earlier this morning, I got an email notification of a post on the Sons of the American Legion Travis Squadron 76 blog. It is the recollection of Firman Balza, a crewman on the USS Maryland on December 7, 1941. He'd joined the Navy less than a year before. I share this link with a few people, one of whom was my high school government teacher. It never really dawned on me that he was a very young boy on that infamous day. With his permission, I am reprinting his response about those events:

What a horrible day it must have been for many Americans. I was almost 6 years old, and i recall only a bit. It was in the afternoon, and I remember my parents listening to the radio. I didn't understand much, but I do remember it being rather astonishing for them. Later, in 1944, my father was drafted into the army despite the fact that he had four kids, and after only a brief training period was assigned to the army in France. He was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and recovered in a hospital near Paris. Later, he was assigned to guard German prisoners at a camp also in Paris. I never did get to talk with him about what it was like there in 1935 [sic] when the war ended. He didn't like to talk about his experiences at all.

In requesting his permission to share this, I said "There is much of these little personal bits of history that we are losing. I know Joe, an 95 year old WWII vet from the ballpark. I want to try to record his story, with the help of a vet friend of mine, before Joe's no longer with us. I never talked to my grandfather, a naval aviator in the Pacific during WWII (though he was in high school still when Pearl Harbor was attacked." It's been twenty years now, since we lost my grandfather to lung cancer.

If you know a World War II vet, ask if they are willing to share their story, before it is lost forever.

White Christmas

2009-12-06T01:44:00.001-06:00

I don't recall ever seeing the movie White Christmas until one Christmas break during college before my dad was assigned to Fort Hood. I was spending the holiday with my grandmother since I was unable to go home to Augsburg. It was incredibly cold that year, and I spent much time sitting at the dining table which was located right next to the fireplace. My grandmother has been confined to a wheelchair for more than five decades because of polio, so I took charge of tending the fire to help keep us warm. I don't remember what else I was doing, sitting at the table (maybe working on a cross-stitch project?), but I distinctly remember watching White Christmas on television. Ever since then, it's been one of my favorite Christmas movies. In more recent years, I acquired a copy on DVD (which has already been watched once this season), but they'll run it on cable, too. I watched it again this evening, on AMC.

When watching this movie, especially the opening sequence, you can't help but remember those who serve so far from home, and in dangerous places, at this time of year:

You can help share the holiday spirit with today's heroes. Soldiers' Angels is in the process of sending approximately 140,000 care packages to every service member deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you are able, please consider supporting this project.

Pacific War museum 'inspires youth by honoring heroes'

2009-12-06T01:03:00.004-06:00

Had the local cable news channel on again this afternoon, as I didn't want to get hooked into watching something when I had someplace I wanted to go this afternoon. While it was playing in the background, a story about the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. A little over a year ago, I went to their living history Pacific Combat Zone, and just a few weeks ago, I walked through the grounds on the way to a local German restaurant. I noticed they would be having a special event on Monday, December 7th, with George H.W. Bush as a speaker. They'll be re-opening the George H. W. Bush Gallery at the museum. Unfortunately, I couldn't even consider going, since I need to be at work. I did like seeing the story on the news today, though.

In the piece, they talk to WWII vet of the Battle of the Bulge and Bronze Star recipient Curley Awalt.

"All we want to do is teach them history. We don't teach discipline or anything else, we only teach history to the children," Awalt said.

While volunteering may keep Awalt active, he's also working to honor the important meaning behind the museum.

"I'm doing it because of the enjoyment of showing people what we have here," he said.

It's inspiring the next generation by helping them connect to the past.

It won't let me embed the video, but you can access it here.

This was also apparently the second part of a series running all weekend. The first piece talks about the history of the museum:

Rob Esterlein is the CEO of the Nimitz Foundation, which funds the museum. He said the museum ended up in Fredericksburg by both chance and intention. It started as a homespun idea to honor a favorite son and turned into a world class museum.

"A group of people in Fredericksburg wanted to honor the most famous and influential man to ever come from this town," Esterlein said.

That man is Chester Nimitz. He was born in 1885 and grew up in Fredericksburg, in his grandfather's steamboat shaped hotel. He pursued the military as a way to further his schooling.

Video of this first report can be seen here. I'll check back later to see if there is a part three for Sunday.

Update 12/8/09:

I checked late Sunday, but they didn't have it posted yet. Then, I was watching News 8 again yesterday afternoon and caught the report on the re-opening of the George H.W. Bush Gallery. I've since had the chance to check up on the website.

Video report for part three is here. From the text:

From pre-war mobilization to an incredible look at the attack on Pearl Harbor, the new George H.W. Bush Gallery and National Museum of the Pacific War tells the story like never before.

"This is the only museum in the United States that is devoted 100 percent to the Pacific Operation," World War II veteran and volunteer Curley Awalt said. "The museum is something that the people of Fredericksburg are very proud of."

Lastly, the final video report can be seen here. From the text:

Sixty-eight years ago, Rob Jensen was aboard the USS Maryland at Pearl Harbor.

Tuesday, he waited patiently for a chance to hear a fellow World War II veteran and former president of the United States speak.
...
Jensen toured the museum and said he was overwhelmed by its impact.

"Too many memories, I don't want anything to do with the war pictures. I can't do it anymore," he said.

The museum tells the story of the War in the Pacific.

I hope to visit the museum some time soon. I think it would make for a nice Saturday or Sunday trip, heading out early, so I can take my time going through the exhibits. I'm sure it will be well worth it.

French farmer sends letter of thanks to WWII vet

2009-11-21T16:32:00.000-06:00

Another veteran story I caught on News 8 Austin, the local cable channel, this past week:

It was around that time of year, not too long ago, when a letter arrived from a 40-year-old French farmer singing the praises of a World War II hero, Baskin's father.

"We the people of Normandy will always be grateful," the letter read.

For Litton, the emotional moment for his family was a humbling one, however unexpected it may have been.

"I was surprised, I had no idea, I don't know where he got all of his information, he seemed to know a lot, he knew our plane and who all was in it," Litton said.

There are those who do remember, and are thankful for what our servicemen (and women) have done...

Also noted in the article is the importance to recording the stories of those World War II veterans who are still with us. I know a man, born on the 4th of July, who served in WWII, and hope to record his story (with some help from a friend). If you know a veteran - particularly from this Greatest Generation - I would encourage you, too, to try recording their stories before it's too late to do so.

Hundreds gather to remember Fort Hood fallen civilian

2009-11-21T16:18:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, I caught a news story on the local cable news channel. They covered the funeral of the one civilian killed in the mass shooting at Fort Hood on November 5th:

An estimated 500 people showed up to the Saint Monica's Catholic Church in Cameron on Sunday, to pay their respects to 62-year-old Michael Grant Cahill.

Cahill was among the 13 who were killed when a gunman opened fire in Fort Hood at the Soldier Readiness Center on Nov. 5. He was the only civilian to be killed that day.

Although he was working as a civilian, Cahill was no stranger to military service. He spent more than 20 years with the Army National Guard before he retired as a Chief Warrant Officer.

Follow the link to read the full article, and to watch their video report.

Resolution Update: 46 Weeks

2009-11-21T16:02:00.000-06:00

Today is 46 weeks since I began my New Year's Resolution. I successfully fit into my dress for my sister's wedding a couple of weeks ago (though I am not completely happy with all the photos I've seen). That Saturday morning, I had lost a total of 58 pounds. After my weigh-in that morning, I wasn't going to obsess over calories and what-not. I went to out to my favorite local Chinese restaurant for lunch with my best friend, Lyric Mezzo. I ate wedding cake. Sunday, we drove out to Fredericksburg to visit Lyric Mezzo's old voice teacher from college. The three of us had a nice lunch at Der Lindenbaum then had some dessert at Clear River Pecan Company (they make homemade ice cream). I didn't get any exercise in on the weekend. Oh, and I hadn't mentioned that we have all the leftover wedding cake here in the house...

Needless to say, since the wedding, I've not been exercising and eating as I should. When I weighed in last weekend, I'd put on 6.6 pounds. I've been better this weekend about exercising, but I haven't been eating like I should. When I stepped on the scale this morning, I hadn't gained any more weight, but I hadn't lost any since last weekend, either.

The big thing for me was to be satisfied with how I looked for my sister's wedding. I didn't look as fabulous as she did, but that wasn't going to happen - I'd have had to have lost ALL the weight I want to lose, and living a normal life (e.g. - I don't have the time or money to devote to the physical training, etc.) making that kind of progress just wasn't feasible. I'm just happy that I can once again shop in the petite department; that's something I haven't been able to do in years...

I'm going to try not to get too worked up about calories and such over the holidays. Thanksgiving is less than a week away. There will be turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, bread and, of course, desserts. Since the wedding is behind me, I will allow myself to eat what I want and enjoy the holidays. Christmas dinner will be much the same, with the possible addition of ham for Christmas Day. Christmas Eve, we'll have the traditional German bratwurst and the traditional Mexican tamales (hey, we're from Texas, what can I say?) and chili. I'll continue to do my exercise (something I still need to do today, and I even put a couple of exercise DVDs on my Christmas wish list), and once all the holidays are behind us, and can return to the concerted effort to continue my weight loss.

After nearly a year, I have something that works for me. I can afford to slack a few times over a couple of months without doing too much (if any, if I work it right) damage. I am nearly to the point where I will have to "cut back on cutting back", which will slow my progress towards my ultimate goal, which I had always expected. But, when I do finally reach that goal, the only thing that I plan to change is the fact I won't have to cut calories anymore. I would expect to be at that point by this time next year. We'll see how that goes...

Master Sergeant Robert (Bob) Horrigan

2009-11-19T22:49:00.000-06:00

While I was cat-sitting for my sister and her new husband while they were honeymooning in Cancun, I caught part of a local 10 o'clock newscast. It was the night of Veterans' Day, which is why they were doing the story.

A local man, Daniel Horrigan, lost his brother, MSG Robert Horrigan, in Iraq. When he died in Al Qaim on June 17, 2005, he was serving with Headquarters and Headquarters, United States Army Special Operations Command. Danny is building a memorial wall for the Fallen from the State of Texas in his yard here in Sunset Valley in Austin (view the news report here). He also carves figures of soldiers (not sure if they are "portraits" or not) and gives them to families of the Fallen. He expects to have his memorial wall completed by Veterans' Day 2010.

Daniel isn't the only one who remembers. An organization, Operation Honor Our Heroes, was inspired by MSG Horrigan. They tell his story:

Robert had completed three tours in Afghanistan and was completing his fifth and final tour in Iraq. Robert died in Al Qaim, Iraq, on June 17, 2005 with his comrades beside him after receiving mortal wounds during an early morning raid on known enemies of the United States. He was “the best of the best” serving his country while protecting everyone’s right to life and liberty. Every man dies, but not every man lives. Robert truly lived --- for family, for nation, and for the guys next to him. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved turkey and deer hunting, as well as fishing. He was an accomplished Bladesmith and his knives are cherished by many throughout the world. Robert was planning on retiring to Texas with his family after this deployment.

He also left behind family, including a wife, a daughter and his mother. He was had also earned many awards and decorations, including a Bronze Star with V device and an oak leaf cluster.

Phil Taylor, of the American Fallen Soldiers Project, has painted a portrait of Robert. This portrait was sponsored by Michael Rater of Frisco, TX. I highly recommend taking the time to watch the 12-minute documentary (at the link) about Robert and the portrait. Judging by what his family had to say, it wasn't just their loss when Robert was killed, but for all of us, as well. Where do we find such men?

Freedom of Speech & the Army

2009-11-13T23:15:00.001-06:00

I've been reading A Soldier's Perspective since about 2005. I've been privileged since then to be able to call CJ, the site's creator, a friend, though I've only been able to meet him in person once, this past April at the Milblog Conference. CJ is a good and honorable man and hasn't been afraid of sharing his thoughts about all kinds of things on his blogs. Earlier this year, someone took exception to what he had to say and complained to the Army.

Now, because of some very small-minded, petty, dictatorial people within the school system in Huntsville, Alabama, CJ has turned over ownership of A Soldier's Perspective to his wife, Emily, and even more recently made the decision to shut ASP down. What should have been a simple, personal issue between a parent and school administrators and the PTA has now involved CJ's chain of command because of unfounded accusations made against him. Basically, instead of allowing CJ to tell his side of the story, those in his chain of command are reprimanding him for these false accusations when no actual proof of wrongdoing on CJ's part has been proven. And, to top is all off, they have in essence ordered CJ to keep his opinions to himself because he's supposedly "making the Army look bad". If you ask me, the only ones making the Army look bad are those in CJ's chain of command who do not have the backbone to tell this unprofessional middle school principal and the woman from the PTA that this issue has absolutely nothing to do with the Army. The Army isn't allowing CJ to speak about this issue, even to defend himself in publi, so that job has fallen solely on the shoulders of Emily. She did a wonderful job explaining the dreadful treatment they, and their children, have been subjected to at the hands of the Huntsville school system this morning on a local talk radio program. It runs about 35 minutes, but it is well worth the listen. Because of the behavior of those within the Huntsville school system, CJ & Emily removed their children from the school and moved them to live with family elsewhere. This wonderful American family is being unnecessarily disrupted and will be separated for months due to the unprofessional, vindictive behavior of these "educators". Someone needs to put a stop to it and right the wrong that has been done to the Grishams.

CJ, not surprisingly, has many friends and supporters ready, willing and able to speak up for him, too, since he isn't allowed to do so himself:

Troy, milblogger and CJ's cohost on the YouServed radio show, has issued a rallying cry to the Pitchfork Brigade with suggestions on how to help right this wrong.

Greyhawk of Mudville Gazette notes the difference between how CJ's free speech rights fair compared to the agruably treasonous statements of Major Nidal Hasan.

Matt at Blackfive is helping spread the word, pointing out this injustice has come to the attention of big-time blogger Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit.

CJ's coblogger at ASP, Marcus, puts in his "Two Cents" on the issue, as well.

War On Terror News notes how milbloggers, and CJ in particular, are shutting their sites down after being taken to task for opinions they've expressed on their blogs.

Greta Perry of Kiss My Gumbo interviewed Emily on November 7th on her WIST 690 (New Orleans) radio show.

Previous posts from CJ & Emily on the school uniform issue:

CJ's Speech To The Board (11/7/09)
Picking Up The Pieces (11/3/09)
Fed Up (10/29/09)
Thug-ocracy At Its Finest (10/27/09)
Fighting The Mob (10/20/09)
When To Say When (10/9/09)
Get Your Hands Off My PTSD (10/7/09)
The Battle Is Won (10/2/09)
The Myth of Security in School Uniforms (10/2/09)
Off Topic: School Ignores Parents (10/2/09)

I'll be joining Troy's Pitchfork Brigade and writing some letters. If you know CJ, or you are dismayed by the treatment he has received, join us.

Update 11/20/09:

I became aware of additional content online on this situation (h/t CJ):

Huntsville Times - "Did complaint get him demoted?" (11/20/09) (CJ says he wrote the paper to correct that he never said he was demoted over this.)
The Attack Machine - "Show notes 11/20: School Board digs in, CJ Grisham is a terrorist and we “talk turkey”…" (11/20/09)
Flashpoint - "Bringing the spirit of terror into school" (11/20/09)
Liberty Research Institute - "CJ Grisham: A Man and His Beliefs" (10/28/09)

To All Veterans...

2009-11-11T07:27:00.000-06:00

Thank you for your service to our nation.

Team Marines met its goal!

2009-11-10T22:00:00.000-06:00

Thank you to everyone to contributed to Team Marines for this year's Project Valour-IT fundraiser. Today, we met - and exceeded - our goal of $35,000. There are, however, three other teams still working towards that same goal. So, since the real winners of this fundraising competition are the Wounded Warriors who will be the recipients of the laptops and other technology purchased with the funds we are able to raise. So, to help out Team Army, I'm switching out the button on my page. So, if you can, please help out this incredible cause with a donation, no matter how small.

Remembering Jason Dunham

2009-11-10T11:25:00.004-06:00

Originally posted November 21, 2006.

One of the things I like best about teaching is educating children about social studies topics. Recently, I presented a lesson focusing on presidential memorials. As an extension, students were asked to select a person they would like to honor, and draw a memorial for that person.

My cooperating teacher is the wife of a retired Army officer, so she also stresses an appreciation for the sacrifices made by our military. After it was announced another Congressional Medal of Honor would be awarded to a service member from the Global War on Terror, she mentioned it in class during the morning announcements time, which includes the Pledge of Allegiance. Being a frequent reader of milblogs, I knew the name of the newest recipient, and what he had done to earn it. I shared that information with the class.

So, back to the lesson on memorials: one student came up to me and asked for ideas about who to honor. I suggested presidents, police officers, firefighters, and the military. This little boy, who says he wants to be a soldier when he grows up, liked the suggestion of the military, and asked about the most recent person to be selected for the Congressional Medal of Honor. I hopped online and looked up and printed some information on Corporal Jason Dunham. Another student also liked that idea, so I printed out some additional information for the second student. What this second student drew was very touching, I thought. I wanted to share it with my friends in the military, but I first had to request permission from his parents to do so. I received that permission today. So, above is a third-grader's memorial to Corporal Jason Dunham...

In addition to today being the 234th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, today is also what would have been Marine Corporal Jason Dunham's 28th birthday. Give Jason and the Marine Corps a present, no matter how small, by clicking on the Soldiers' Angels' Project Valour-IT donation button in the top right corner. While Team Marines may only be - as of this writing - less than $2000 from the individual team goal of $35,000, overall, we still have a way to go to reach the total goal of $140,000, and the current fundraiser will end tomorrow, Veterans Day 2009. Help us work towards that goal.

What is Freedom worth to you?

2009-11-02T00:00:00.001-06:00

Give back to those who have shed their blood to give you the freedoms you enjoy. Click on the donation button in the upper right-hand corner to make a direct donation. Or, check out the Valour-IT auction items at eBay. There is Nolan Ryan baseball memorabilia, military-themed counted cross-stitch, works of art, books and more. Last, but certainly not least, several online sellers are offering to donate portions of their sales to benefit Project Valour-IT. Remember, 100% of the funds donated to Project Valour-IT goes directly to providing the hardware and software our Wounded Warriors need.

Cross-stitchin' for Project Valour-IT

2009-11-01T02:00:00.000-06:00

Okay, the rest of my items for the Valour-IT fundraiser auction are up on eBay...

One of my long-time hobbies is counted cross-stitch. I learned how to do it when I was about 13 years old. We'd just moved to El Paso, where my dad was the new First Sergeant in his unit. The commanding officer, a Captain, was also new there. My mom and the Captain's wife became friends. She was into various arts and crafts, one of them being counted cross-stitch. She was teaching my mom, and I decided I wanted to learn, too. I found a pattern I liked (a unicorn: what can I say, I was a 13-year-old girl in the 80s...), and she helped me get started. Said I had "sticktoitiveness" for completing the project I selected. It got framed and I still have it, though it currently is packed away in storage with most of my possessions. Over the years, I've gone through alternating periods of doing a lot of cross-stitch and long dry spells of doing none at all. I'm currently in one of those "doing a lot" periods.

More recently, I found a set of patterns I thought might prove to be a good thing for fundraising. I did the first project in honor of my grandfather, who served as a naval aviator in the Pacific during World War II:

Now, what you have to choose from are the five services:

Army

Navy

Air Force

Marines

Coast Guard

The winner of each of these five auctions can request customization with name and rank, as well as details such as years of service, unit or theater/operation where the service member served. Also, the winner will receive the special dual 3.5" x 5" opening 8" x 10" mat.

Again, others have also generously donated items for auction, as well. There are signed prints from Marine combat artist Michael Fay among the auction items. The eBay listings are still being updated, so if you don't see something you like, keep checking back. If the auction items just aren't your thing, but you still want to contribute to providing laptops and other adaptive technology to our severely wounded Warriors, you can always click that donation button in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

Nolan Ryan is helping support Project Valour-IT

2009-10-31T19:45:00.006-05:00

As I mentioned on Monday, I've found some creative ways to contribute to the fundraiser this year, since funds are a little tight, as I'm sure they are for lots of folks. Not having extra cash doesn't have to stop us, though, from helping out a good cause.

I spend a fair amount of time out at the ballpark during the season. The Round Rock Express are pretty good about showing support for our military. This past season, I contacted them about their Military Appreciation Night game, and they allowed Soldiers' Angels to set up a table, and we got a pretty prime location, right behind Section 119, directly behind home plate (and in the SHADE!). So, when I got an idea for an item for this year's Valour-IT fundraiser, I made contact with the Express. Nolan Ryan is one of the principal owner. I was given the contact information for Mr. Ryan's assistant in Round Rock.

My idea? Well, I make those fleece tie blankets. In shopping for fleece, I've seen the MLB licensed prints. The Express are the Astros' Triple-A affiliate, but the licensed fleece isn't the current color scheme for the team, and I don't really like it. However, Nolan Ryan - in addition to having been an Astros during his baseball career - was a Texas Ranger and is currently the President of that ball club. The licensed Rangers fleece was perfect: the same good ol' red, white & blue. So, I bought the fleece, made the blanket, then made my proposal to Mr. Ryan's assistant. I hoped to have the 2009 Texas Rangers autograph it so it could then be auctioned off in support of Soldiers' Angels Project Valour-IT.

Mr. Ryan's assistant passed my request along to the appropriate person with the Rangers organization. Unfortunately, the answer turned out to be a polite "No". Seems they get hundreds of these types of requests... However, there was a counteroffer. If I was interested, I could send the blanket and Nolan Ryan would sign it. Of course, I accepted. I made arrangements to deliver the blanket to the office in Round Rock. I had a lovely chat with Mr. Ryan's assistant. Turns out, her husband was in the Marine Corps, and is a Vietnam vet. In chatting with her, she said they could probably also provide an autographed baseball and photograph. Maybe we could make a "Nolan Ryan package".

Well, folks with more experience with auctions than me recommended not making it a package deal, so we have three separate Nolan Ryan items up for auction in support of Project Valour-IT:

A one-of-a-kind Texas Rangers licensed fleece tie blanket, autographed by Nolan Ryan, comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the Office of Nolan Ryan.

An autographed photo of Nolan Ryan as a Texas Ranger, comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the Office of Nolan Ryan.

A Nolan Ryan autographed Official Major League Baseball, comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the Office of Nolan Ryan.

These aren't the only items I've donated for auction, but the others aren't up yet. Others have also generously donated items for auction, as well. The Valour-IT auction items can be found on eBay, go check them out. As I said, not everything donated is up on eBay yet, so if you don't see something you like, keep checking back. And, if the auction items just aren't your thing, but you still want to contribute to providing laptops and other adaptive technology to our severely wounded Warriors, you can always click that donation button in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

Remembering and supporting

2009-10-30T01:21:00.002-05:00

More than two years ago, I found out about LCPL Nicholas S. Perez. Since then, I had the honor of meeting his family - his mother and father, his sister, and the nephew I don't think he ever met (I'm not sure how old little Nicholas is) - at an event for Wounded Warriors hosted by the local American Legion. More recently, I found myself once again subbing at the school named in his honor.

When I first found myself at the school, it had opened its doors only seven months before. It is in the middle of its fourth year in operation. Those children who went there the first year as fifth graders aren't even in high school yet. However, it's been there long enough to expand the memorial to Nicholas' life found in the display case in the lobby:

If you look closely, you'll see a Soldiers' Angels fleece blanket, pin, coin and dogtag. You'll also see items from throughout his life: his artwork, his toys, photos, and other mementos. There is also a Gold Star Flag. I also learned that the school remembers Nicholas on the anniversary of his death, with Nicholas Perez Day. I hoped to have a sub assignment on this past September 3rd to observe these remembrances, but I wasn't that lucky.

Thankfully, not all our service members make the same sacrifice as LCPL Perez. But, even if they haven't given the ultimate in service to our nation, many of those who earn a Purple Heart face great struggles to find their new normal. Carren, the amazing wife of Project Valour-IT inspiration Major Charles Ziegenfuss, shares her perspective on what a voice-activated laptop can do for a Wounded Warrior:

Not only was Chuck able to blog with his new laptop and voice-activated software, I was able to relax a little bit more. Instead of trying to figure how to get Chuck some sort of outlet, I knew he had one. Instead of going to the Mologne House every night, wondering how Chuck will manage throughout the night, I knew he had an outlet. Instead of feeling guilty as hell when I went somewhere without him (for ME time), I knew Chuck had his connection to the outside world.

The laptop and software were truly a gift that can not be put into words. Even after Chuck was initially discharged from Walter Reed, we returned MANY times for subsequent surgeries. His Valour-IT laptop and software were always there for him, especially when he couldn't type with his hand(s). I could go on all day about how amazing this program is...

Help support this astounding program. Please click on the donation button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.

Project Valour-IT's Annual Fundraiser

2009-10-26T00:00:00.006-05:00

Today is Soldiers' Angels' Fourth Annual Day of the Deployed:

Proclamation Day of the Deployed October 26
WHEREAS, this nation is kept strong and free by the loyal citizens who preserve our precious heritage through their positives declaration and actions; and

WHEREAS, our deployed service members have courageously answered their nation’s call to service by defending our freedoms on foreign lands; and

WHEREAS, Americans are encouraged to reaffirm their patriotism and allegiance to our flag and country, and honor the brave men and women currently deployed to protect and preserve our way of life; and

WHEREAS, since 2006 Soldiers' Angels has honored our deployed heroes with a day set aside in recognition of their hard work, dedication and commitment to the United States of America; and

NOW, THEREFORE, Soldiers’ Angels hereby proclaim October 26 as DAY OF THE DEPLOYED throughout the United States of America and where ever our service members are serving.
Patti Patton-Bader, Founder
Shelle Michaels, National Communication Officer

Today also marks the beginning of the annual Soldiers' Angels Valour-IT Fundraiser. In previous years, I'd decided to join the Army Team, since my father served nearly 27 years. This year, Chuck Ziegenfuss of From My Position: On the Way invited me to be join him on Team Army, but Cassandra and Carrie of Villainous Company beat him to the punch, inviting me to be on the Marine Team with them. Anyway, what Chuck said in his email asking bloggers to join the Army Team really struck me:

There's nothing in this for me. I gain nothing here. But trust me, one of the best days in my life was the few days after I'd died--twice--then came back and met the Angels, Then saw my wife, and finally when I was given back the ability to use a computer--even though I couldn't [use] my hands.

Another in my list of "Best Days" is the day I got to give a kid--an 18 year old kid who'd lost his hands--a laptop that he could use with his voice. The look on his face was priceless when I gave him the laptop--like I was a special kind of stupid and he didn't have a pencil to stick in his teeth. Then I put the headset on him, and showed him how he could train the computer to use his voice to do EVERYTHING he used to do with a computer. Minutes later, he was reading his email, then chatting with his buddies back in Iraq. I left a soldiers angels coin with him, and my card, and quietly walked away. That day ranks with the Marriage and birth of my children as best days in life. It ranks as the best day I've ever had in 17 years of service. And I had that same experience three times that day.

Giving that laptop to those soldiers was amazing. If I could, I'd spend every day doing it. My hope is to raise as much awareness for this as we can, so that we can make sure every wounded servicemember who has lost the use of their hands and eyes, can get one of these machines, and not have to be placed on a "waiting list."

I can only try to imagine what it is like, giving someone back some measure of independence after they've had it so suddenly and violently taken away from them. I can also only try to imagine what it is like, losing that independence so many of us take for granted. Chuck goes on to say:

The goal I want to raise for all services is $1 Million. That's more than one thousand laptops, That will give us the ability to meet every need we currently have, and should help us (god willing) have enough to last throughout the year. Injuries we see today take arms and legs and eyes. Taking away eyes and arms isn't something we can fix, but we do have the opportunity here to give the men and women who've lost the use of theirs the technology to help them get some function of normality back in their lives.

While we are having a little friendly competition between the four teams, representing the Marine Corps, the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy, the real goal is raising the money to support our Wounded Warriors.

Valour-IT doesn't just provide laptops anymore:

Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries. Technology supplied includes:

Voice-controlled Laptops - Operated by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, they allow the wounded to maintain connections with the rest of the world during recovery.

Wii Video Game Systems - Whole-body game systems increase motivation and speed recovery when used under the guidance of physical therapists in therapy sessions (donated only to medical facilities).

Personal GPS - Handheld GPS devices build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to severe TBI and severe PTSD.

The experience of Major Chuck Ziegenfuss, a partner in the project who suffered serious hand wounds while serving in Iraq, illustrates how important these laptops and other technologies can be to a wounded service member's recovery.

I realize money is tight for a lot of folks. I feel that pinch myself, so I've worked at finding creative ways to contribute, which I will be sharing a little later, once the fundraiser competition gets started. If you are able, please click on the Valour-IT Fundraiser (which officially run through Veterans Day, November 11th) link in the top right corner to make whatever donation you can make. If you prefer to mail your donation, please send it - along with the indication of which team (the MARINES!) you wish to support, and that it is for the Valour-IT fundraiser - to:

Soldiers Angels
1792 E. Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104

Resolution Update: 35 Weeks

2009-09-05T23:16:00.000-05:00

This week, I have surpassed the half-way mark towards reaching my goal. As of my weigh-in this morning, I have lost 48.2 pounds since I made my New Year's Resolution to lose weigh. I have 46.8 more pounds I want to lose. As said in my previous post, there are still weeks when I don't make much - if any - progress, but thankfully, over the past 5 weeks, I haven't gained anything from weigh-in to weigh-in.

I have made an effort to bump up my cardio - walking further than I used to during my workouts, which of course means I have to increase my pace.

I am also continuing to keep an eye on what I eat, but I still don't deny myself sodas and sweet. I'm just being judicious about when I'm eating them. I've even doing this for some baking/cooking I've done recently. I calculated that if I make the Peanut Brittle Brownie recipe that Sarah sent me, and I divide the pan into 24 pieces, each one is 236 calories. Knowing that helps keep me from eating a second one, especially considering I have to be smart about when I have even just one of them... I also calculate calories for other things that are home-made and not just prepared out of a box with a convenient label on the outside. Plan on doing that for the holiday baking I'd like to do, too.

So, I will keep at it. I won't reach my goal before the end of the year - that is unrealistic - but I fully expect to look nice in my dress in my sister's wedding in nine weeks.

Welcoming Home a Hero - Fallen Marine LCpl Brandon Lara

2009-08-06T22:35:00.000-05:00

H/T Haole Wahine

Resolution Update: 30 Weeks

2009-08-02T22:27:00.002-05:00

Yesterday marked thirty weeks since I began my weight loss journey. Two weeks ago, I surpassed another milestone. I weighed in at less than 190 pounds. As of yesterday morning's weigh-in, I am 188.4 pounds. I have lost a total of 41.6 pounds since I started. That means I've only lost 10.2 pounds in the last eleven weeks. There were two weeks in a row, weeks 21 & 22, when I actually gained weight. There were two weeks, from week 26 to week 27, where I didn't lose any weight at all. And other weeks, the weight loss has been hardly notable. It has been frustrating at times.

However, I have to remind myself that times like this to happen when trying to lose weight. These times I've either gained, or not lost, or not lost much, I can sometimes connect to not being as mindful of either my diet or my exercise. The week of Memorial Day (week 21) and the following week, I had several days each week where I didn't hit my calorie-cutting target. I also have to consider if I was completely honest with how I gauged my physical activity.

I also need to keep in mind that, now that I am in better physical condition, I'll need to put forth additional effort. The mile or two walk I had been doing on the treadmill probably doesn't burn as many calories as it used to. I'll need to walk a little farther, walking a little faster. I'll need to considering adding more sets of my anaerobic exercises (a variety of weights, as well as things like lunges & crunches).

I do have to be quite a bit more judicious when selecting what to eat. When I first began this back in January, so long as I was "moderately active" each day, and allowing for cutting 1000 calories from the number of calories I was burning in order to lose weight, I could allow myself about 1737 calories a day. As I have lost weight, my body does not require as many calories as it used to. Now, after yesterday's weigh-in, I'll be aiming for 1453 - nearly 300 calories fewer. That's about two cans of soda, or two Twinkies, or an Oscar Meyer beef frank on a bun, or a peanut butter sandwich.

I also need to consider trying to be a little more exact in calculating my calorie burn each day. What I have been doing up until now has been using my BMR to make a rough calculation of my calorie needs. Have I been sedentary, lightly active or moderately active? Only once, maybe twice, have I judged myself to be "very active". This rough calculation has been okay when cutting 1000 calories, but I'll soon need to cut back on cutting back, so I'll need to be a little more precise. I'll just need to find new tools to help me figure out how many calories I'm burning through walking X amount of miles in X amount of time, or by lifting the weights, or, as I hope to start doing once the weather cools down again, riding X amount of miles in X amount of time. I should check in with my sister about that...

I did order my dress on June 22nd. I need to double check when it is supposed to come in, but that should be in the next week or two. When I placed the order, I fit into a size 16, so I ordered a size 14. It probably won't fit yet when it comes in, and I doubt I'll be in a position to have it altered down to a size 10, and at the slowed rate of weight loss, it may not need to be altered at all. I can fit into some size 14 things - I have a few in my closet - but not every size 14 is the same...

I've also been able to take even more things out of my closet. I've had two large black trash bags full of clothes that no longer fit riding around in the trunk of my car for weeks. Every time I'd stopped by the Goodwill donation point, it was unmanned, until yesterday. Now, I can continue to work on yet another bag of clothes that are too big, since I once again have room in the trunk of my car to put it once it is full. Also, yesterday, I tried on some old clothes that had been too small. For now, they fit. These things are for fall and winter, so I won't be wearing them yet, but hopefully they will fit long enough that I don't have to do too much shopping over the next few months for things to wear as the weather begins to cool down.

Not sure when I'll post my next update. Guess that will largely depend on when I hit the next milestone...

Declaring Independence

2009-07-04T17:57:00.000-05:00

A little history lesson for today.

The Hutto News: Carter measure to honor West

2009-06-30T23:57:00.000-05:00

About a week and a half ago, I got an email from Gold Star Mother Nanette West. She was sharing a link from her local paper about another way in which her son, 1LT Kile G. West, is being remembered:

The spirit of 1st Lt. Kile West lives on in the memory of his family, friends and neighbors in Hutto, but a measure approved by the U.S. House of Representatives Monday could make sure his name lives on in Williamson County for a very long time.

The bill (HR 2422) sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Carter will rename the U.S. Post Office in Georgetown the “Kile G. West Post Office Building”. The bill passed the House unanimously and now must pass in the Senate and be signed into law by the President.

“This is a moment to honor the ultimate sacrifice of one of our Texas war heroes,” Carter said. “With this renaming we should not only recognize the sacrifice of Lieutenant West, but the kind of life he led as an example to all our youth in the future.”

Georgetown is just a stones throw from Hutto. I can't imagine that this won't come to pass. I look forward to reporting on the dedication, whenever that may be.

To the writer's credit, although this is a "hometown hero" piece, didn't forget about the others:

West, assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, was killed in Abu Sayda, Iraq on Memorial Day, May 28, 2007 when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Four others also died in the attack. West had volunteered for the mission to rescue a downed helicopter pilot.

The other soldiers who died were Sgt. Anthony Ewing of Phoenix, Ariz., Cpl. Zachary Baker of Vilonia, Ark., Cpl. James Summers III of Bourbon, Mo., and Spc. Alexandre Alexeev of Wilmington, Calif.

I remember.

2009-05-28T00:00:00.001-05:00

Two years ago today, 1LT Kile Grant West was killed in the line of duty in Abu Sayda, Iraq. I was privileged to be able to attend his funeral on June 9, 2007. I have come to be acquainted with Kile's mother. She shared with me photos of the new field house named in his honor at his high school alma mater. She has also shared about the memorial portrait painted for her by Texas artist Phil Taylor. I do my best to stop by to see Kile any time I find myself up around Fort Hood. The last time, I was able to introduce him to a friend, so maybe one more person might be stopping by from time to time.

I remember.

The Night Crossing

2009-05-20T22:04:00.000-05:00

I subbed again on Monday, in a fourth grade class for a language arts teacher. I took the opportunity to look over the books on the shelf and found The Night Crossing by Karen Ackerman, illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles. On the back cover of this short (56 page) book, which is recommended for ages 7 to 9, are two endorsements:

This is an excellent fictional introduction to the Holocaust....Ackerman's writing is clear and direct.
~School Library Journal

and

Realistically child-centered.
~The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

It is a simple enough story. It is 1938. Clara is a little Jewish girl living in Innsbruck, Austria. The Nazis have taken control and things are getting bad: they must wear yellow stars on their clothes; they are forbidden "from celebrating the Sabbath or going to the synagogue"; some people have been dragged away, never to be heard from again.

Clara's father, Albert, tells his wife, Helen, they must leave while they still can. Clara and her older sister, Marta, help their father find things around their home that can be sold to get the money they will need to escape. They can only bring with them what they can carry.

The family will make a night crossing, just like Clara's grandmother did when she was a little girl, when the Jews in Russia were being persecuted. And, the dolls Grandma carried with her, Gittel and Lotte, will make another night crossing, this time with Clara.

The journey is a dangerous one. They must travel by night, by foot. They must hide during the day. They must avoid being seen by patrols of Nazi soldiers. They must pretend to be Swiss citizens who have just been visiting family in Austria.

For children unfamiliar with this period in history, this book, as the School Library Journal says, is a good introduction. It is a quick read and touches on the dangers Jews faces during the Holocaust. The epilogue isn't graphic about it, but does mention "horrors of the Nazi concentration camps" being reported in the papers, sometimes accompanied by pictures from English, American and Soviet photographers; also "Clara and Marta began to understand what had truly happened to the people like Mr. Duessel, the kosher baker who'd disappeared." They girls also come to understand their father made the right decision. They had family who chose to stay behind that were never seen again.

Resolution Update: 19 Weeks

2009-05-16T13:12:00.001-05:00

It has been 19 weeks now since I first weighed in to see where I was starting in my quest to reach my ideal weight. I stepped on the scale this morning, and I have passed a significant milestone. I now weigh 199 pounds, even. It's the first time in years that I have weighed less than 200 pounds! I have lost a total of 31.4 pounds since I started this journey.

Another big deal for me is being able to shop for clothes in "regular" stores. I have bought a summer dress and a couple of skirts and tops at Old Navy (something I couldn't have done when I started all this), and I've bought some tanks tops for the warmer weather in the regular department in JC Penney. Thursday morning, I went through a couple of boxes of old clothes that I had recently taken out of storage, and I am able to fit back into most of it - cute skirts, a few pairs of jeans, and a variety of tops. And, I've also been able to put lots of stuff into a big, black trash bag to be taken to Goodwill - I think I'm working on bag number 4. It was nice, a few weeks ago, to put on a pair of shorts from last summer and have the waistband fall down to my hips.

Also, I went to David's Bridal Wednesday evening on my way home from work. I needed to get some information about how far in advance I'm going to need to order my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding. I've decided to go with a short dress, and with the color my sister chose, that only gives me four dresses to pick from. I was able to try on a smaller size than the first time we all went to the dress shop with my sister, when she bought her dress. I've narrowed it down to two dresses - my first choice, which is the same dress my other sister chose, and a "runner-up" dress, but it was also good to be able to say "I don't like either of those". Both the dresses I'm considering will take 12 weeks to come in, and then I need to allow 4-6 weeks for them to do any needed alterations. I did explain that I am in the process of losing weight, and that I had lost about 30 pounds since the beginning of the year. They said that - if I will be continuing to lose weight - when I order my dress, I should order one size smaller than what fits at that point, and then they can take it in up to two dress sizes from there. Eighteen weeks from the wedding is July 4th, but I don't want to cut it that close, so I have decided I'll order my dress on/around June 20. That gives me five weeks more...

I will admit, I don't always get the exercise in, but when that happens, I also make adjustments to what it is I consume. I still eat fast food, but I try to be smart about my choices. I love Sonic, but that's about one of the worse choices I could make, so I don't go there. And, I'll often order the kid's meal or order items a la carte to keep portion size under control. I've been able to keep my sweet tooth from getting out of hand. I bought a box of Twinkies several weeks ago because I had a craving for a real one, and I'm happy to say I still have several of them left. I also still have some of my Easter candy left, too. I will have the occasional soda (I pick up some of those 8-ounce cans), if I can spare the calories. Since I've been seeing steady progress (there has still only been that one week when I didn't lose weight), it's been a lot easier to think "do you want that *soda, candy, fast food*, or do you want to keep losing weight?" to keep myself from making poor choices. So far, so good.

Help a Wounded Marine get a new home

2009-05-07T01:09:00.002-05:00

In my inbox Wednesday afternoon:

Hello everyone!

I hope that you are all doing well. I know it’s been a while since we’ve asked for help or support for our hero, but there has been a new flurry of activity in the Emery camp recently!

An incredible organization, “Homes for our Troops” is building an ADAPTIVE home for DJ! This is a wonderful organization and an incredible opportunity for DJ and Carlee! Since 2004 this nonprofit organization has built 40 specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans who have returned from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. These homes, and DJ’s home, will be built at NO COST to the veteran, but only with our help!!!! Homes for our Troops is looking for foundation grants, corporate sponsors and volunteers to make this project possible! Fundraisers are also needed! DJ’s dream has been to build a home for himself and Carlee that includes a therapy room and is fully accessible to him, I am so excited that this dream of his is coming true! Below is the link to DJ’s page on the Homes for our Troops website where you can donate or sign up to volunteer. There will also be a registration day for interested trades-people and volunteers to sign up to help build the home for DJ from 1-8 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday 5/7/09) at the Ramada Conference Center at 1450 S. Atherton St. in State College. There will also be a presentation given at 6:30 by project manager Rick Goyette. DJ will be participating in the presentation!

Please, please, PLEASE pass this email along to anyone and EVERYONE you know. It is going to take A LOT of wonderful people stepping forward to make this the success that DJ deserves!!!!

Here’s the link:

http://www.homesforourtroops.org/site/PageServer?pagename=DavidEmery

As always, thank you all so much for all of your help and support!!!!

Thunder Rose

2009-05-07T00:16:00.000-05:00

When I was working on my Masters, I had to design several "units". One of them was part of the requirements for student teaching, and had to relate directly to the grade level I was teaching. So, I settled on a unit centered around Tall Tales. There are the various traditional tall tales: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Pecos Bill. But, I also went looking to see if I could find something new. I found that something new in Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The book is recommended for children 5 to 8 years old.

Thunder Rose takes elements from many of those traditional tall tales, but has other elements all its own. Rose sits up and talks immediately after her birth to freed slaves in the post-Civil War American West. Born the night of a storm, she grabs hold of a bolt of lightening, placing upon her shoulder after she "rolled it into a ball." The next morning, her mother's milk isn't enough, so she takes to drinking directly from the family's cow...

As a two-year-old, she takes some scrap iron and fashioned into a big thunderbolt and named it Cole. "Wherever she went, Cole was always by her side." Of course, she performs a myriad of amazing feats growing up, to include wrestling a big Longhorn bull to stop the stampeding herd before it overran the family farm when she was twelve, after which she tamed him by humming her song to him. She decided to name him "Tater" on account of potatoes being his favorite vegetable. She also invented "Barbara's Wire" while building a pen for all those stampeded Longhorns: she found that "little twisty pattern seemed to make the baby laugh"... She captures a gang of cattle rustlers... She lassos a cloud to make it rain... She calms a pair of tornadoes with her song... All this and still a girl!

Thunder Rose is a cute story, and I really like the illustrations. The author's note at the front of the book gives a little explanation on what was behind the writing of this tall tale: an old desire to add to American folklore and wanting to share "a little-known part of American history" of how many freed slaves went West, how "these bold, brave and adventurous spirits heroically took the opportunity to set themselves down in those wide-open spaces to live free."

Thunder Rose is also a 2004 Coretta Scott King Honor Book for illustrator Kadir Nelson. "The Coretta Scott King Awards are presented annually by the American Library Association to honor African-American authors and illustrators who create outstanding books for children and young adults."

Liberty & Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto

2009-04-28T23:44:00.002-05:00

I had to order Mark Levin's new book, Liberty & Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto, from online. When I stopped by the local Barnes & Noble the day after it was released, it was already sold out, which was a little surprising, given Austin's liberal reputation. I started reading it shortly after it arrived in the mail. However, I've had a bit of a crazy schedule, so I didn't get to finish it until the trip back from the 2009 Milblog Conference this past Sunday.

I cannot more highly recommend this book. What Levin has to say is too important for me to try to paraphrase here. All I will do is say that he gives a history of Conservatism, and also of what is more correctly labeled Statism, and the threat that the growing trend toward Statism poses to the freedoms and liberties the Founding Fathers set forth at this nation's beginning. He does this through what really is a series of essays:

On Liberty and Tyranny
On Prudence and Progress
On Faith and the Founding
On the Constitution
On Federalism
On the Free Market
On the Welfare State
On Enviro-Statism
On Immigration
On Self-Preservation

He closes with a guideline for what Conservatives need to do to stop the slide towards Statism, to preserve the free country we have always believed the United States of America to be: A Conservative Manifesto.

So, if you are worried about the path the government is on, and want to know what we - what I believe has been The Silent Majority - can do to prevent further erosion of the Rights of the Individual in favor of the Power of the State, you need to read this book, and get as many others as you can to read this book. Conservatives, who have until now mostly been content to mind our own business and take care of ourselves and our families, need to break that mold and become more engaged with how our governments - federal, state and local - are being run.

The Princess and the Castle

2009-04-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Princess and the Castle, written and illustrated by Caroline Binch, is a little different than the other children's books I've picked up. The first thing you'll notice in reading it is that it doesn't sound "American". It was originally published in Great Britain. As such, in addition to the "sound" of the book, you'll also see the English spellings of some words. If you're sharing this book with a child old enough to notice the differences, it will be a "teachable moment" about how, although we share a common language with Great Britain, there are some differences, as well.

Genevieve lives with her mum and baby brother in a seaside town, but she "hated the sea." Her father was lost at sea while he was out on his fishing boat. Her mother used to cry a lot, along with the baby.

She likes to pretend that she is a princess and that her father is a king and he lived in the castle on an island out in the bay, "waiting for her to come home." She doesn't go with her friends when they go to the beach to play in the sand. She prefers to stay home and play at being a princess, riding her horse, or being kissed by a prince.

One sunny morning Genevieve watched a small boat enter the harbour. A tall dark man lowered the red sails.

"Ah, here comes the Red Knight," she told her court.

Some days later Mum introduced Jack and Genevieve to her new friend, Cedric.

"Hello, you must be Genevieve," said a deep voice. It was the giant, the Red Knight from the boat. Genevieve gasped in fright and fled to her room.

Mum talked a lot about Cedric after that, but Genevieve refused to meet him again, even though Mum got upset.

Genevieve thought Cedric was a "scary giant" who would catch her, or maybe Mum. However, Genevieve began to notice a change in her: she was happier "and hardly ever got cross. Genevieve knew that after she went to bed, Cedric came to visit Mum. She became familiar with the gentle music from Cedric's guitar flowing up the stairs."

Eventually, Genevieve warmed up to Cedric. He would go places with Mum, Jack and Genevieve. Genevieve was even coaxed into going down near with water while sitting up on Cedric's shoulders. They played on the beach, but she got scared when the tide came up to their sandcastle. But, she eventually found the courage to get in the water and play.

Genevieve didn't want Cedric to go out in his boat. She was very afraid something would happen to him. Mum tried to reassure her that he would be okay.

So when Cedric said one day, "How would you like to visit the castle, little princess? We could sail across the bay," Genevieve was struck dumb. It was a terrifying idea. Yet she hated the thought of being left behind. All her stories were set in the castle.

She had to go.

They all went on Cedric's boat, sailed across the bay and went all over the castle, and they also had their own feast while looking back across the bay, seeing their house instead of the usual view she had of the castle.

"I'm a really happy princess now," smiled Genevieve. "We are in the castle with our own king," and she gave Cedric a great big hug.

I could see this story being helpful in helping a small child (this book is recommended for ages 4 to 8), who has lost a parent - for whatever reason - in learning to deal with the changes that come with that unfortunate fact of life. Also, it is an example of facing fears and overcoming them.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

2009-04-18T22:20:00.006-05:00

Sadly, too many sports stars today are not proper role models for young people. Fortunately, there are still some that can be held up as good examples. One of those sports stars is Michael Jordan.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, written by Deloris Jordan (Michael's mother) with Roslyn M. Jordan (Michael's sister) and illustrated by Kadir Nelson tells the story of a young Michael. It is recommended for children age 4 to 8.

"Michael loved to play basketball." He likes to go with his older brothers in hopes of getting to play on their team if one of the regular guys wasn't able to play. But, Michael had a hard time against the bigger boys on the other team, especially Mark, who would taunt Michael about not being tall enough. Mark blocked the ball when Michael attempted to pass it to one of his brothers.

Michael blames himself for losing the game and apologizes to his brothers: "If I were taller that wouldn't have happened." His brothers tell him he played well, and to not worry about it. However, Michael is still bother by it. His mother talks to him, and he asks how he can become taller:

Now, Mama knew the answer to a lot of questions, but this was a tough one. She thought for a moment as she sprinkled salt and pepper on the chicken she was making for dinner. Then she smiled, looked at Michael, and said, "Salt."

"Salt?" Michael looked at his mama.

"Salt in your shoes. We'll put salt in your shoes and say a prayer every night. Before you know it, you'll be taller!" she replied.

"Salt in my shoes?" Michael said quietly to himself. Surely Mama was teasing. He sat staring out of the window trying to figure out how salt was going to help him grow.

He noticed the rose bushes outside in Mama's garden. They had grown high along the fence, and roses of all colors were blooming on the vines. He thought to himself, I remember when Mama first planted those bushes. Michael's face lit up. If Mama knows how to make those rose bushes grow taller, then maybe she's right. Maybe salt in my shoes really will help me grow.

He wanted to know how long it would take. Mama tells him to be patient and to say his prayers every night. He asks what his prayers have to do with it. "Everything."

Michael wanted to be taller before going to play basketball again, but he took that time to practice. But, after 2 months, he discovered he wasn't any taller. Mama asks Daddy to go talk to him:

"Michael, why do you want to be taller?" Daddy asked.

"If I were taller I'd be a great player, and I could help our team win," Michael answered.

"But you are a great player, son. And you already have everything it takes to be a winner, right in here." Daddy tapped Michael on his chest. "Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are things that make you a real winner."

Michael decides to go to the park to play. The game had already started, but he got his chance when one of the players on his team got hurt. Michael volunteers to score the one point they'll need to win the game.

Mark was there, and he was again giving Michael a hard time, but Michael didn't let it bother him this time. The game continues, and Michael gets past Mark and makes the winning basket!

After that day, Mama stopped putting salt in Michael's shoes, but Michael didn't stop being patient and working hard and praying.

I just think this is a wonderful story. It is a portrait of a real American family who has a deep faith in God, and it teaches a good lesson: be patient, but also work hard and practice!

Don't Mess with Texas Tea Party - Austin

2009-04-15T15:16:00.002-05:00

I made myself unavailable to substitute teach today because I wanted to attend the Tea Party at Austin City Hall. I've never done anything like this before - attending a protest of any kind - and I wasn't sure what kind of gathering it might be, given the liberal tendencies of the city in which I live. Let's just say, it turned out very well. I'll only be posting a few pictures for now, but when I have time, I'll write more, off the notes I took. I got there early (parking garage ticket said 10:17am, and the event was scheduled to begin at 11:30). They announced that the police department estimated attendance was 1500, and when that announcement was made it was said to be a "conservative" estimate!

Uncle Sam was passing out these:

Mine now hangs from my rearview mirror...

Some kids were there, too:

Some people displayed flags with historic significance:

From the Texas Revolution:
"Come and Take It"

The 1824 flag

From the American Revolution:
The Gadsden flag: "Don't Tread on Me"

The Betsy Ross flag

The MC today was a bricklayer from Odessa, "Jason the Mason":

There were all kinds of signs, as well:

There was lots of Red, White & Blue being worn. I even wore the t-shirt I got last summer that I couldn't wear until recently, and someone was passing out buttons:

Everyone was very well behaved, I didn't see anything that could be considered "trouble". The crowd got a little loud and raucous at times, but that is only to be expected. More later when I have the time...

They did say there would be another event later today, at 4:30, at the State Capitol Building, but I've got someplace else I have to be: work...

Help a Soldiers' Angel give the gift of time to her returning soldier

2009-04-13T01:33:00.007-05:00

Forwarded to me via email:

A Soldiers Angel has planned a special gift for her Soldiers homecoming. She needs help in voting for him. See below:

My name is Roselle Portin and I am a friend of Lorraine Blacklock.

I have a favor to ask of you. Your consideration of this would be greatly appreciated.

I am a member of Soldiers Angels. My family and I have been blessed to receive Kxxxx Xxxxxxxxx as our adopted soldier. Through the program we write to him, send care packages and keep him in our thoughts and prayers every day. He has a family in NY that he will be returning home to soon.

I wanted to do something very special for Xxxxx upon his return. In order to do this I entered a contest to win a family dude ranch vacation in Idaho. The kids went door to door, we asked our church family for help, we asked everyone at school, everyone we came into contact with throughout the day and all our friends and family for help. We were winning.

Now we are not. My family will cover air fare for the Family but we cannot afford the ranch if we don't win it.

I was wondering if you had a network of people that would be willing to help me out in this. It is VERY easy to vote. No personal info is required and it only takes a minute.

Here's how it works.
1. go to www.redhorsemountainranch.com
2. click on 'win a family dude ranch vacation' under Guest Story Contest
3. click on Roselle Portin and VOTE.
The contest ends April 15th.

I know it's a big favor. I just wanted a really special way to send a very big 'thank you' to Xxxx and his family (he is not aware of this). If you could help I would be so thankful.

Please let me know what you decide.

Thanks for your time and all you do,
Roselle Portin

I've voted. Currently, Roselle is 313 votes behind the story with the most votes (currently in the lead with 827 votes). Please help. It will, indeed, only take a minute...

Updated:

~~The code was supposed to embed the poll, but it's doing the results, instead:~~ Looks like they fixed it...

Click Here for Poll Online Survey
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View MicroPoll

Results:

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Road 2 Recovery Texas Challenge

2009-04-13T00:49:00.000-05:00

I wanted to posted this the week it happened, but I've been a little busy: working for a paycheck and working on job hunt stuff (it is the season where schools start the search for any new staff they'll need for next school year...). I'm forcing myself to get it done before another day goes by!

Monday, March 30th, began the Road 2 Recovery Don't Mess With Texas Challenge, starting at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, and ending at The Ballpark in Arlington. Unlike the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride that took place about two-and-a-half weeks earlier, the cyclists ride the entire route, instead of riding a course one place, then traveling to a new city for the next route.

The Don't Mess With Texas Challenge was nearly 350 miles, and was chronicled over at Big Hollywood:
Day 1: BAMC to San Marcos
Day 2: San Marcos to Austin
Day 3: Austin to Fort Hood
Day 4: Fort Hood to Waco
Day 5: Waco to Cleburne
Day 6: Cleburne to Arlington

My part of the story starts with my acquaintance with Jason Denny. I came to "know" Jason via email after I posted about attending the Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour event here in Austin in March 2008, but I did not meet him until he invited me to attend last month's dinner held at American Legion Post 76, where he currently serves as Historian. Jason also invited me to come to the dinner the post was hosting for the R2R riders on March 31st. I was very glad I was able to take him up on the invitation.

I got there a little early, both to miss rush hour traffic, and to help out with anything that still needed doing. A lot of the setup had already been done, so there wasn't too much they needed me to do at that point. I did meet some of the ladies from the American Legion Auxiliary, and also Jason's aunt, who I learned is a Gold Star Mother. In talking to the ladies from the Auxiliary, I learned that one of the riders was an actor with the last name Baldwin: Adam Baldwin. I didn't recognize the name, and I never saw a face I "recognized" with all the people who showed up with the riders. I saw Nathan Hunt, who I had chatted with briefly after the Soldier Ride event earlier that month.

Nathan was one of several riders in wheelchairs. While the Post building itself can't completely accommodate wheelchairs (the building dates to 1858 and is a state historic landmark), the event, thanks to the lovely weather, was taking place on the front lawn. Tables and chairs had been set up in front of a stage area, and there was also a buffet table set up with all the food that had been provided by several of the local American Legion posts. I'm pretty comfortable around people in wheelchairs: I grew up with a grandmother who has been in a wheelchair since long before I was born as the result of contracting polio in the 1950s. But, I also know that, depending on where you are, getting around in a wheelchair isn't always easy, and trying to carry things (such as plates of food or open cups full of a drink) and also propel a non-motorized chair around can be kinda difficult. So, I directed the guys in the wheelchairs down to a spot where they could more easily transition from the walkway in front of the Post building onto the lawn, moved some of the folding chairs out of the way at the table they selected, and then I offered to do a beverage run.

A cover band, APD Under Cover, entertained everyone. I thought they were pretty good! There was also some "ceremony": local dignitaries, and the fire department presenting one of the riders with the flag they had flown over the ride route earlier in the day. All the American Legion posts put on a pretty good spread. There was barbecue sausage and brisket, burgers, plenty of sides, water, soft drinks, tea, and even some beer, and a cake. General Cheek, the commander over all the Army's Warrior Transition Units, was in attendance, and he would be joining them for the ride to Fort Hood the next morning.

I also meet the family of LCPL Nicholas S. Perez. His mother arrived first. When I learned who she was, I informed her that I had substituted at the school named in honor of her son. LCPL Perez's father and sister (who had also served in the Marine Corps) also attended the dinner, as well as his nephew, who is named after his uncle. I told Nicholas' mother I really liked the display case with the uniform and photos. LCPL Perez's parents seem to be active at the school, but I'm not quite sure in what capacity. Part of the time I was speaking with LCPL Perez's mother, Jason's aunt was there. Listening to how they have a school named for their son, and also how another Gold Star family in the area has a post office named for their Fallen Warrior, and how 1LT Kile West now has the field house at his high school alma mater named for him, Jason's aunt would like to see about having something named in honor of her son.

I did chat a little bit with some of the riders. One of the guys at the table I'd served earlier was wearing a Red Sox ballcap. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask if he was looking forward to opening day. We talked about baseball a little bit, me sharing about going to the minor league games up in Round Rock. I met the president of Save A Vet, an organization whose goal is to help vets who are dealing with PTSD, but with an alternative approach from what is typical of current treatments that rely heavily on medication. I also met a woman who is also a veteran, but is now with the VA Vet Center here in Austin. As the event was winding down, I was chatting with her on the front porch of the post , and a man in a t-shirt and ballcap walked up, thanked us, and gave us both a big hug before departing. Only later, after I saw one of Jason's photo's on facebook, did I realize that man was Adam Baldwin. I got a big hug from a celebrity! I was watching Independence Day last night after getting home from the Express game, and I recognized Adam as Major Mitchell ;-)

Overall, it was a lovely evening. Everyone involved in organizing the event can be proud of themselves, and it was an honor to be able to be there and help out, even just a little.

My Kingdom for a Horse: An Anthology of Poems about Horses

2009-04-07T21:07:00.000-05:00

Back when I was in summer school, working on my M.Ed., I would find myself up in Round Rock with some time to kill before the gates opened at the Diamond, so I would sometimes stop in at the Hastings up there. They happened to have a shelf in the children's book department full of used books. One of the ones I picked up that summer was My Kingdom for a Horse: An Anthology of Poems about Horses (recommended for ages 8 to 12 years old), edited by Betty Ann Schwartz and illustrated by Alix Berenzy.

I've had a love of horses since I was a little girl. Always wanted to go on the pony rides whenever we went to a fair or fest or some such. Got to get on one of the Army's horses from the equestrian unit out of Fort Hood when they came to Fort Bliss for some sort of exhibition when I was in junior high. Went on a couple of trail rides in my 20s, and I was finally able to really learn how to ride when I lived in Austin in the early 90s, taking adult beginner hunter/jumper lessons at Switch Willow Stables in Northwest Austin. I still like horsey books and art (yes, I read The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Sparks, and saw the movie, which was a decent adaptation, but not for kiddos...). So, it was only natural that I would be drawn to a book of poems about horse that were accompanied by lovely illustrations in charcoal and pastels...

Poems included range from those by famous poets - Robert Frost and William Shakespeare - to those adapted from Native American songs, to those composed by names otherwise unknown to me. As with any poetry, not all of the pieces struck my fancy, but I liked the majority of them, with a few really striking a cord:

Early One Morning on Featherbed Lane
by Jack Prelutsky

Early one morning on Featherbed Lane,
I saw a white horse with a strawberry mane,
I jumped on his back just as fast as I could,
and we galloped away to the green willow wood.

We galloped all morning with never a stop,
where mockingbirds whistle and ladybugs hop,
we drank from a stream where the water runs free,
and we slept in the shade of a green willow tree.

In the Beauty Parlor
by April Halprin Wayland
(accompanied by a charcoal drawing of a little girl with her toy horse, seen peeking out from behind her mother's skirt, which is draped down from the beautician's chair...)

I am sitting under the chair
the haircutting lady is trimming Mom's hair.
My horse is asking, "Is there any more?"
grazing in the curls upon the floor.

The Policeman's Horse
by Betty Ann Schwartz

Standing tall
Gentle and brave
A marvel of poise
Despite the city's incessant noise

Do I dare approach
And touch his nose?

Any Soldier Raffle

2009-04-03T20:56:00.000-05:00

I was just checking up on Any Soldier's website, and I see they have a raffle on that ends on Memorial Day, May 25th. There are some very nice items up for raffle, and not many raffle tickets have been sold to date (anywhere from 3 to 95 tickets, as of this writing, depending on the item). Any Soldier does excellent work and is a worthy cause, so please go check out the raffle items and see if there is something you like. All items are $5 per chance to win.

From the Dayton Daily News: Local couple helps back Iraq war film

2009-03-31T13:30:00.000-05:00

After actually seeing Brothers At War on Friday, I signed up as a fan on my facebook account. This morning, I received notification of a story about an average couple in Ohio who helped bring this movie into being when "big money" backers weren't forthcoming:

"We thought it was important to tell a soldier's story in an apolitical way," said Glen Shilland, an Air Force major stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The family now lives in Beavercreek, but Shilland was a bombardier in Afghanistan when Yiotula heard about the movie while visiting Decatur.

"I thought this would be a good use of my combat pay," said Glen Shilland, 37. "This was a way to get our story out."

I would like to offer a word of thanks to the Shillands and all the other small donors who helped Jake Rademacher tell this story.

The project has raised more than $50,000 for veterans' groups and has been seen, free of charge, by thousands of service members and their families.

"They say 'it's not just a film about you and your family, it's a film about me and my family,'" Rademacher said.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

2009-03-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

I didn't actually read From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler myself when I was a kid. The book, by E. L. Konigsburg, was read by my sixth grade teacher (one of my favorite teachers, who I am glad to say I still keep in touch with, more that a quarter of a century later) to the class (it is recommended for 8 to 12 year olds). I rediscovered this classic Newbery Award winner from 1968 while working on my M.Ed. The copy I purchased is a 35th anniversary edition with an afterword from the author.

For those of you unfamiliar with this book, it tells the story of Claudia Kincaid. She is nearly twelve, "the oldest child and the only girl and was subject to a lot of injustice". So, she decides to run away. However, in order to be successful, she has chosen her younger brother, Jamie, to go along with her. They live in Greenwich. They will go to New York City; the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be their hideout.

While in the Museum, they come across a beautiful marble statue of an angel. There is a mystery surrounding it: was it really carved by Michelangelo? The Museum acquired it at auction, and it had previously belong to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler... Claudia and Jamie set out to solve the mystery...

Do Claudia & Jamie get found out? Claudia didn't plan on being gone forever; she just wanted to send a message to her parents. Can they discover the true origins of the Angel on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? If you share this book with today's children, you could also have an interesting discussion about how things have changed since 1968. Claudia and Jamie don't have video games, cell phone or cable TV. Also, could a Claudia and Jamie do something like this today?

Brothers At War

2009-03-29T01:36:00.001-05:00

Last night, I had the opportunity to drive down to San Antonio for a screening of the new documentary Brothers At War. I thank Soldiers' Angels for the treat. I had to decide whether to see the movie in Killeen or San Antonio. The theater in San Antonio was about 10 miles closer, plus I didn't have to drive across Austin during rush hour traffic, and I got to see Jim & Gerry Riley from Soldiers' Angels again. I had meet them three or four years ago when I volunteered to help out at a golf tournament benefiting wounded warriors that was held at a country club out in Boerne.

There were 4 screenings yesterday. I chose the one at 7:30. I was substitute teaching, so I couldn't go to either of the afternoon screenings, and since I had to drive back to Austin after the movie, the 10:15 screening was out of the question. I called Jim when I got to the theater about 7 o'clock, and he met me at the box office. Entering the auditorium in which Brothers At War was showing, there were already a lot of people there. The Santikos is one of the theaters where you can order a meal to eat while you watch your movie. Jim had already laid claim to the seats in the last row at the back, so I sat in the next row up. Since I'd grabbed something to eat after school, all I ordered was some popcorn and a bottle of water. Jim, being the outgoing person that he is, spoke up and asked who in the audience was Active Duty. After a number of people raised their hands, Jim told the waitstaff to get them all popcorn and soda. Jim also informed me that, although the link from the Brothers At War website indicated the movie was only showing on the 27th, it is actually showing at the Santikos Bijou at Crossroads (in the Crossroads Mall inside Loop 410 and I-10) through Thursday, April 2nd. So, just because the showtimes only list one date, check to see how many days it is actually showing, if it is coming to your area (it's in Killeen through Thursday, as well).

The auditorium was nicely filled. I was glad to see that. I'm really bad at guessing numbers, but I'd say it was at least75% full - a respectable showing, I thought, for a movie that hasn't been highly publicized outside certain circles. I went into this movie not knowing anyone who has served in Iraq or Afghanistan outside of the friends I've made on the internet, the vast majority of whom I have never meet in person. I don't know what it's like to have someone close to me in a combat zone. And, I certainly can't say I know what it's like to actually be in a combat zone.

In this movie, we meet the Rademacher family. Jake, the oldest son, is a filmmaker. Two of his brothers, Isaac and Joe, are in the Army. Isaac is a West Point grad and a Captain with the 82nd Airborne. Joe, a sniper, is a sergeant, and is also assigned to the 82nd Airborne. Isaac and Joe had both served in Iraq. Growing up, Jake had wanted to go to West Point and be a soldier, but couldn't get accepted. Now, he wanted to understand what it was his brothers did and why. Since he'd become a filmmaker, he arranged to embed with combat units, embedding with Isaac's unit for a time, and also with a sniper team, in addition to spending some time with Marines mentoring an Iraqi Army unit. He documented that experience in Iraq, as well as what it is like for those left behind: their parents, the other siblings, and the wife and girlfriend.

I was able to watch this movie with a bit of detachment, since I wasn't watching something I've had to personally confront: having a family member go off to war. What Jake documents while with the Iraqi Army unit - coming under ambush - demonstrates some of what our troops experience and see - to include a brief glimpse at the damage modern weapons can do to the human body.

In addition to talking to his family, Jake also speaks with the soldiers and Marines he comes into contact with. A soldier who lost a friend, but wasn't ready to talk about it. Soldiers talking about the mail they get from people back home. He talks with the soldiers during their down-time on a surveillance mission near the Syrian border. There is no politics to this movie. Just those who serve, in their own words, expressing why they do what they do, and what they think about when they are deployed; just the thoughts of the Rademacher family back on the home front, explaining what it is like for them to have a son, husband/fiance or brother in a combat zones.

All in all, I highly recommend this film. If it is coming to your area, please make the effort to go see it. If you are in the San Antonio area, and would like to see it this week, email me (address on the sidebar), and I can put you in touch with someone who might be able to help out with getting you in to see the movie. This movie needs to be seen at those theaters in which is it already scheduled to screen. It needs to do well now in order to have a chance of being shown more widely around the country. This is a film more Americans need to be given the opportunity to see.

Update 3/30/09:

I received a notice on facebook today that the movie will be opening in additional cities this weekend:

Osio Cinema in Monterey, CA
Cinemark Carefree Circle in Colorado Springs, CO
Regal Augusta Exchange in Augusta, GA
Cinemark Tinseltown 17 in Shreveport, LA
Carmike 16 in El Paso, TX

Patrick the Somnambulist

2009-03-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

One of my classmates, from when I was working on my M.Ed., published a children's picture book last year. Sarah Ackerley wrote and illustrated Patrick the Somnambulist, which is recommended for children 4 to 8 years old. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend any of her book signings, but I did find an autographed copy in-store.

Patrick is a penguin, "a pretty normal penguin. He ate normal food. He played normal games, and had plenty of normal friends. But sometimes, just sometimes, Patrick would wake up, in the middle of the night... and find himself in a not-so-normal situation."

Patrick's parents thought his behavior strange, and they eventually decided to take him to see a doctor. After lots of questions, the doctor announced that Patrick was a somnambulist...

Now, this is just a fancy work for sleepwalker, but Patrick thought it was pretty cool all the same. "I'm Patrick the Somnambulist!" he declared.

After this, Patrick's parents were more understanding of his unusual behavior.

And, amazingly, with his newfound confidence in being...
"Patrick the Somnambulist,"
Patrick began to do some very remarkable things in his sleep.

He became rich and famous, and when asked about what made him successful, he would say "It's all in a good night's sleep."

Patrick's is a bit of a silly story: it is common for him to wear a plunger on his head when he sleepwalks, and his sleepwalking accomplishments are wildly unrealistic, but that's what makes it entertaining. And, for any child who might also be or know a somnambulist (it's an issue I've never had to deal with), it can let them know that it's nothing to be ashamed of...

Don't Eat The Bluebonnets

2009-03-17T22:33:00.001-05:00

I saw my first bluebonnets of the season on Sunday on my way out to the mall. This year is unlikely to be a bumper cropped, since we have been experiencing drought conditions (recent rains notwithstanding...).

Anyhow, I thought it was time to share a book I found last year called Don't Eat The Bluebonnets by Ellen Leventhan and Ellen Rothberg, and illustrated by Bill Megenhardt.

Sue Ellen isn't like the rest of the cows. She doesn't like to follow orders, especially when they come from Max, the Longhorn:

Every spring Max puts up a sign in Sue Ellen and Lisa Jean's favorite pasture.

The sign said: DON'T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS

"Humph," Sue Ellen said. "Max is not the boss of me. He can't tell me what to do." With that she hooked tails with Lisa Jean and they sashayed across the field.
"I can eat the bluebonnets if I want to," she snorted.
"The bluebonnets won't come back next spring if you eat them," Lisa Jean warned.
"But we eat the grass, and it comes back," Sue Ellen argued.
"That's true," replied Lisa Jean, "but bluebonnets are different. They won't come back."
Having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen wasn't totally convinced. The next day when Sue Ellen and Lisa Jean arrived at the south pasture, the bluebonnets were just starting to pop up. Sue Ellen's mouth watered.

Lisa Jean reminds Sue Ellen about not eating the bluebonnets. She's just looking at them. Don't eat the bluebonnets. She's just smelling them. Don't eat the bluebonnets. She's just licking them.

She tells Lisa Jean that the water in the pond comes back each year, and so do the leaves on the trees. And, the birds come back, too.

By the end of the week the bluebonnets covered the pasture and Sue Ellen couldn't stop thinking about them.
...
...she charged into the south pasture and ate every single bluebonnet.

Max comes to Sue Ellen with a bag of bluebonnet seeds, saying someone ate all the bluebonnets. Sue Ellen isn't concerned. She's convinced they'll come back next year on their own. She doesn't believe Max when he tells her that sometimes, nature needs a little help.

Spring passes, then summer, fall and winter. Finally, it is springtime again. But, when they get to the south pasture, there are no bluebonnets. Max tells Sue Ellen that he doesn't need to put his sign up this year. All the other cows are unhappy with Sue Ellen.

She thinks she can fix it herself. She moves some bluebonnets from another pasture, but they wilt. She tried painting bluebonnets onto the bales of hay, but the other cows eat the hay. She tries making individual bluebonnets with her paints, and construction paper and scissors, but they washed away in a rain storm.

So, having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen decided to take charge. That night she went to the south pasture and planted a packet of Max's seeds she had found in the barn.

The next spring, she fixed up Max's sign and asked him to put it out in the south pasture, but he didn't because he didn't think the bluebonnets would be back. So, Sue Ellen took the sign herself.

It wasn't long before their favorite pasture was beautiful again. Having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen decided she could
...look at the bluebonnets
...smell the bluebonnets
...lick the bluebonnets...
but she could not eat the bluebonnets.

This picture book is great for using with any elementary school aged child. The little ones will like the story, and it can also be used as a teaching tool for the older ones. At the back of the book, there is information about those who helped bring us this book. In addition, there are "Authors' Notes" which includes:

Although there is no specific law protecting bluebonnets, everyone from schoolchildren to groundskeepers know the importance of preserving nature, so although you make look at the bluebonnets, sit among the bluebonnets, and even photograph the bluebonnets, please don't ever pick the bluebonnets.
While cows can eat bluebonnets without harm, they can sometimes be toxic to other animals including humans.

There is a lesson about being environmentally responsible: just a simple lesson about caring for a natural resource, without getting into issues such as global warming or, as is more commonly heard these days, "climate change". It can be used in a lesson about the life cycle of plants: why didn't the bluebonnets grow back after Sue Ellen ate them all? It can also be used in illustrating cause and effect. What happens after Sue Ellen eats all the bluebonnets? What happens are Sue Ellen plants the bluebonnet seeds?

Although this book might be hard to find (Barnes & Noble seems to carry it as a new item online, but Amazon.com appears to only have used copies available), I recommend this book. I love the illustrations, and it's just a cute story ;-)

"The Way We Get By"

2009-03-16T18:20:00.002-05:00

About three and a half weeks ago, I learned of The Way We Get By while listening to the weekly YouServed BlogTalkRadio show. It was mentioned that the film would be making its World Premier at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin.

I checked the screening schedule and found out when and where it would screen. There would be a screening on March 15, March 16 and March 19. I preference was to attend the Monday screening at noon. Then, I emailed an old friend of mine that I was aware had some knowledge of how the film fest worked.

With my changing work schedule, I was able to have today off, and I called the theater last night to see when I might be able to purchase a ticket. Tickets go on sale 15 minutes before the screenings, but people who have purchased a badge for SXSW have first priority. My pockets aren't that deep, so I was going to have to take my chances.

I got to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar about 11:40am. I had a good feeling when I didn't see a big line waiting to get in. I parked my car and walked up to the front doors. I approached a couple of people who were holding the door open, asking if I could purchase a ticket for The Way We Get By. She pointed me inside to a lady behind the counter. I paid my $10 and was directed where to go.

Alamo Drafthouse is one of those rare movie theaters where they serve food and drinks to the patrons. Since I hadn't had any breakfast and neglected to grab one of my protein bars before heading out the door, I perused the menu for something to tide me over until the end of the movie, wrote down my order, and a waitress came to pick it up.

Then, the movie started. The Way We Get By is a documentary. It follows three retired persons who also happen to act as Troop Greeters at the airport in Bangor, Maine. Bangor is the main pass-through point for troops headed to and returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. No matter what time of day or night, no matter the weather, there is a group of people out there to greet the deplaning troops, offering handshakes, hugs, free cellphone usage and snacks.

Bill Knight is a widower World War II veteran. Joan Gaudet is a widowed mother of eight grown children (one of her sons, Aron, is the director of this film), grandmother of many, and even great-grandmother to a few. Jerry Mundy, "not as lean, not as mean, but still a Marine", is also dealing with what aging brings. He is alone now, having lost his son many years ago, quite unexpectedly, at the age of 10. These three people find purpose in greeting our troops.

This film is very powerful. It will make you laugh out loud. It will make you cry. It will make you think: if given the opportunity, would I make myself available, on short notice, at any time of night or day, to drop everything to go do what they do? It will make you think: what kind of legacy will I leave behind? have I made a difference in anyone's life?

The Way We Get By - Trailer from The Way We Get By on Vimeo.

The Way We Get By is entered in the Documentary Feature Competition at SXSW. The award ceremony is to take place Tuesday, March 17 at 8pm. Good luck to Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly, Dan Ferrigan and the rest of the crew in this competition.

Aron, Gita and Dan participated in a Q&A after the screening today. Since much of what they shared was follow-up on what has happened since the filming ended, and even after the project was completed, I won't spoil the film by sharing. They did say, however, that they were focusing on screenings at film festivals, and were looking to have screenings at US military bases, and to have it broadcast on PBS in November, along with releasing a DVD, around Veterans Day. I did approach them at the end of the Q&A to let them know I'd heard about the movie through YouServed. Gita said she loves the t-shirt she got from CJ ;-)

If you have an opportunity to see this film, I would highly recommend it.

Update:

The Way We Get By did win an award. If I am deciphering the announcement page correctly, for Feature Film Jury Awards, in the Documentary Feature category, it was recognized with a Special Jury Award. I can't find anything that explains exactly what that means, but not all of the documentaries were recognized (it appears there were two other awards for documentaries). Very cool, and congratulations to Aron, Gita and crew!