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Posted by
kender
..while hammering away at insane commentors over at Raeds I was struck by the Muse of Truth. In response to American "sins" I posted the following:
(Feel free to hum the Battle Hymn of the Republic while reading this.)
Open this link in a new window to hear the music
In the last two years a tyrant has been overthrown and radical islamists everywhere have flocked to iraq to martyr themsleves for a doomed, evil and wrongheaded cause. In the last two years reconstruction has been hampered by attacks on iraqi infrastructure. In the last two years more and more of saddams horrors and support for terrorists has been unearthed. In the last two years America has lost more soldiers because of evil men that have decided they don't want peace. In the last three and a half years the world has seen that, as the Japanese said after 9-11, a sleeping dragon has been awakened. This Dragon was sleeping through the attacks on our Marine barracks, our embassies and even an American warship.
Why did the Dragon sleep then? Because the Dragon understood that those people willingly put it all on the line to serve their beloved homeland. But once the war was brought into the Dragons den, the Dragon awoke with a snarl, hungry for Justice.
Radical Islamic terrorists have brought this upon themselves. The muslim community has brought this upon themselves. The moderates are afraid to speak out against the ones perpetrating this evil in the name of their religion. The Arab world refuses to help confront this problem, because alot of them are fine with it and see no need to as long as their cozy life is not affected by it.
The Dragon is hungry and must be fed. The Dragon will feed upon its' enemies.
It's enemies are radical islamic terrorists and those that support them.
The Dragons' name is Freedom.
(Feel free to hum the Battle Hymn of the Republic while reading this.)
Open this link in a new window to hear the music
In the last two years a tyrant has been overthrown and radical islamists everywhere have flocked to iraq to martyr themsleves for a doomed, evil and wrongheaded cause. In the last two years reconstruction has been hampered by attacks on iraqi infrastructure. In the last two years more and more of saddams horrors and support for terrorists has been unearthed. In the last two years America has lost more soldiers because of evil men that have decided they don't want peace. In the last three and a half years the world has seen that, as the Japanese said after 9-11, a sleeping dragon has been awakened. This Dragon was sleeping through the attacks on our Marine barracks, our embassies and even an American warship.
Why did the Dragon sleep then? Because the Dragon understood that those people willingly put it all on the line to serve their beloved homeland. But once the war was brought into the Dragons den, the Dragon awoke with a snarl, hungry for Justice.
Radical Islamic terrorists have brought this upon themselves. The muslim community has brought this upon themselves. The moderates are afraid to speak out against the ones perpetrating this evil in the name of their religion. The Arab world refuses to help confront this problem, because alot of them are fine with it and see no need to as long as their cozy life is not affected by it.
The Dragon is hungry and must be fed. The Dragon will feed upon its' enemies.
It's enemies are radical islamic terrorists and those that support them.
The Dragons' name is Freedom.
You don't stand and taunt someone that can kick your ass. That person may not have any reason to kick your ass, but when you stand there and hurl outright threats at them sometimes they will walk over and smack you down.
Sometimes though they will laugh and walk away. I hope we just laugh about these words like we laughed at Cubas "wargames".
Sometimes though they will laugh and walk away. I hope we just laugh about these words like we laughed at Cubas "wargames".
This post has been a long time coming. Let us forget for a moment that the people that sneak into America are commiting a FEDERAL OFFENSE. If you or I, dear fellow American, committed a federal offense we would be looking at time in a federal prison. These guys? Nope. They get slapped on the wrist and sent back home only to come right back. Unless they comit a crime here. Then we spend the money to lock them up here for however long and when they get out, IF American citizens are lucky, they get deported then.
Let's not forget for a moment that these people that sneak in here very often take the money they make, that they, for the most part don't pay taxes on, and send it back to family in their home countries. It is estimated that the immigrants from Latin America ALONE send 30 BILLION a year home.
And Bush wants them to send more!
Of course not all of that is from illegal immigrants, but I am going to be kind here and go with a figure that is from
here
and will consider that 43% is a fair estimate. Tell you what. To save the liberals that may cry about this post let us lower that to 33%. One third. That is 10 BILLION dollars. That is alot of money to be sent out of the country every year. Maybe we should factor that number into 'foreign aid' figures huh?
But that is not the point here.
The point is that today kids we are going to examine how much money these criminals cost us, as a nation, in healthcare, education and incarceration.
HEALTHCARE:
The tab is rising as the number of immigrants continues to swell from coast to coast. The American Hospital Association reported that its member facilities provided $21 billion in uncompensated health-care services last year.
While not all those costs can be attributed to undocumented aliens, new Census data show that non-citizens are, by far, this country's largest group of uninsured residents — 43 percent of the total.
link to story
There's that pesky 43% again. Forty three percent of 21 Billion is about 9 billion dollars and change. Take that by 33% and roughly we get 3 billion dollars. I know this is probably a low number for what illegal immigrants cost us in health care, and is a relatively small drop in the big bucket, but that is 3 BILLION dollars that we could save, minimum just from healthcare alone.
I know this number is low because California alone spends 1.4 billion on healthcare for illegals every year. One state. We aren't the only border state either.
Some stats for you.
"Although a national total of annual unreimbursed medical expenses for illegal aliens is not available, it is clear that those costs are more than one billion dollars, given estimates for Texas ($393 million), Los Angeles ($350 million), Florida ($40 million), and U.S.-Mexico border counties ($300 million)."
Further:
"The problem is on the rise: Immigrants (legal and illegal) who arrived between 1994 and 1998 and their children accounted for 59 percent of the growth in the size of the uninsured population in the last ten years."
FIFTY NINE PERCENT!!!!! This is part of the national healthcare problem people.
Enough on this. I could go on for hours about healthcare alone.
On to EDUCATION:
Providing K-12 Education to Illegal Immigrants: Costs to States
Seven point nine Billion!!!
On to INCARCERATION:
In 1999, the latest year for which full data is available, states claimed expenses of $1.5 billion for incarcerating illegal aliens that were either A) serving time for a federal crime or two misdemeanors. This doesn't include quite a few of these criminals in their costs, so we will leave that total at 1.5 BILLION.
Now let us total that up shall we?
Healthcare: 3 BILLION
Education: 7.9 BILLION
Incarceration: 1.5 BILLION
These are very lowball figures. They equal 12.4 BILLION a year in costs from illegal immigrants.
This is how I know these figures are too low.
If one state can rack up 10.5 billion a year in costs then the true figure is probably well over 20 billion and could well be over 30 billion. But like I said, I am trying to be fair.
You can do more of the research on this. I fully expect it. You are bloggers after all. I have tried to be fair and understate the costs. Believe me, I know these costs must be higher, however, reading all this research is making my head spin.
Let's not forget for a moment that these people that sneak in here very often take the money they make, that they, for the most part don't pay taxes on, and send it back to family in their home countries. It is estimated that the immigrants from Latin America ALONE send 30 BILLION a year home.
And Bush wants them to send more!
Of course not all of that is from illegal immigrants, but I am going to be kind here and go with a figure that is from
here
and will consider that 43% is a fair estimate. Tell you what. To save the liberals that may cry about this post let us lower that to 33%. One third. That is 10 BILLION dollars. That is alot of money to be sent out of the country every year. Maybe we should factor that number into 'foreign aid' figures huh?
But that is not the point here.
The point is that today kids we are going to examine how much money these criminals cost us, as a nation, in healthcare, education and incarceration.
HEALTHCARE:
The tab is rising as the number of immigrants continues to swell from coast to coast. The American Hospital Association reported that its member facilities provided $21 billion in uncompensated health-care services last year.
While not all those costs can be attributed to undocumented aliens, new Census data show that non-citizens are, by far, this country's largest group of uninsured residents — 43 percent of the total.
link to story
There's that pesky 43% again. Forty three percent of 21 Billion is about 9 billion dollars and change. Take that by 33% and roughly we get 3 billion dollars. I know this is probably a low number for what illegal immigrants cost us in health care, and is a relatively small drop in the big bucket, but that is 3 BILLION dollars that we could save, minimum just from healthcare alone.
I know this number is low because California alone spends 1.4 billion on healthcare for illegals every year. One state. We aren't the only border state either.
Some stats for you.
"Although a national total of annual unreimbursed medical expenses for illegal aliens is not available, it is clear that those costs are more than one billion dollars, given estimates for Texas ($393 million), Los Angeles ($350 million), Florida ($40 million), and U.S.-Mexico border counties ($300 million)."
Further:
"The problem is on the rise: Immigrants (legal and illegal) who arrived between 1994 and 1998 and their children accounted for 59 percent of the growth in the size of the uninsured population in the last ten years."
FIFTY NINE PERCENT!!!!! This is part of the national healthcare problem people.
Enough on this. I could go on for hours about healthcare alone.
On to EDUCATION:
Providing K-12 Education to Illegal Immigrants: Costs to States
Seven point nine Billion!!!
On to INCARCERATION:
In 1999, the latest year for which full data is available, states claimed expenses of $1.5 billion for incarcerating illegal aliens that were either A) serving time for a federal crime or two misdemeanors. This doesn't include quite a few of these criminals in their costs, so we will leave that total at 1.5 BILLION.
Now let us total that up shall we?
Healthcare: 3 BILLION
Education: 7.9 BILLION
Incarceration: 1.5 BILLION
These are very lowball figures. They equal 12.4 BILLION a year in costs from illegal immigrants.
This is how I know these figures are too low.
If one state can rack up 10.5 billion a year in costs then the true figure is probably well over 20 billion and could well be over 30 billion. But like I said, I am trying to be fair.
You can do more of the research on this. I fully expect it. You are bloggers after all. I have tried to be fair and understate the costs. Believe me, I know these costs must be higher, however, reading all this research is making my head spin.
It seems to me that most bloggers on the "right", i.e. republican, conservative or generally in touch with the truth of things, don't get tons of comments on their blogs, and those they generally do get are usually pointing out small bits they missed, expanding on the info the blogger posted or 'props' to that blogger. When the occasional 'lefty' strays onto one of those 'right' blogs and posts a comment they are generally shut down rather quickly and swamped with logical counterpoints and they swiftly melt back into cyberspace.
However on the 'left' blogs, there are always commentors popping on and arguing against them, pointing out the facts of the case and generally stirring up a ruckus with the left blogger and the comments section just grows. I have been guilty of this behavior. Mostly when I have plenty of time to kill and just feel like pissing off some wrongheaded cretin. I have also noticed that the few 'lefties' that do stick around on a 'right' blog and duke it out get tiresome quickly as they usually just recycle the same old tired arguments and refuse to admit that maybe, just maybe, they aren't thinking straight.
I am forced to conclude from this line of thought that being 'right' can sometimes be a much more lonely proposition where comments and lively dialogue (read argument) is concerned, but it sure beats being an idiot.
However on the 'left' blogs, there are always commentors popping on and arguing against them, pointing out the facts of the case and generally stirring up a ruckus with the left blogger and the comments section just grows. I have been guilty of this behavior. Mostly when I have plenty of time to kill and just feel like pissing off some wrongheaded cretin. I have also noticed that the few 'lefties' that do stick around on a 'right' blog and duke it out get tiresome quickly as they usually just recycle the same old tired arguments and refuse to admit that maybe, just maybe, they aren't thinking straight.
I am forced to conclude from this line of thought that being 'right' can sometimes be a much more lonely proposition where comments and lively dialogue (read argument) is concerned, but it sure beats being an idiot.
Army Spc. Charles Graner Jr. gets 10 years for the "abuse" that happened in Grab-An-Arab prison (Abu Ghraib) and what, I wonder, will any of the "insurgents" that have beheaded innocent hostages get if they are ever caught?
Actually the thought occurs to me that the ACLU could go international and defend them claiming that they were only excercising their freedom of religion.
Actually the thought occurs to me that the ACLU could go international and defend them claiming that they were only excercising their freedom of religion.
I am sorry if Mel Gibson gets snubbed for the Oscars. Doesn't really matter. He is still a standup guy as far as I am concerned.
The funniest thing is the probability of Michael Moore-on being snubbed for Fahrenheit 9/11. He is in a snit because iN DEMAND, the leading pay-per-view provider in the nation has decided to not air his precious little pack of lies. He has threatened to sue. Of course.
In another development I just now heard about Bush apparently called Moore-on a "slimeball" and an "asshole" during an interview with WCSH-TV in Maine. You go MR. PRESIDENT!!!!!!!
The funniest thing is the probability of Michael Moore-on being snubbed for Fahrenheit 9/11. He is in a snit because iN DEMAND, the leading pay-per-view provider in the nation has decided to not air his precious little pack of lies. He has threatened to sue. Of course.
In another development I just now heard about Bush apparently called Moore-on a "slimeball" and an "asshole" during an interview with WCSH-TV in Maine. You go MR. PRESIDENT!!!!!!!
So now the Capital of Liberal Insanity wants to charge a fee for each grocery bag used in the city. Seventeen cents to be exact.
This is insane. I once lived there. It is a beautiful city. Wonderful views and amazing architecture. But it's cold there. Lots of fog too. I think there is something in that fog, something that slowly turns ones brain to mush. How else do you explain the completely asinine ideas flowing from there?
If I still lived there and they imposed a seventeen cent tax on my grocery bag I do believe that I would be forced to use those bags for other things. Maybe I would weave them together and make curtains for my house, or clothes perhaps. I bet plastic grocery bags would be wonderful rain gear, a clothing item that is standard issue in that city.
Whatever I would do with them you can bet that I would do it with the aim of pissing off as many people as possible. That way when someone complained, as they are certain to do there, (they can't help it, they're liberals), I could say "Hey, I paid for these and I will do what I damn well please with them, so bugger off!"
What do you think?
This is insane. I once lived there. It is a beautiful city. Wonderful views and amazing architecture. But it's cold there. Lots of fog too. I think there is something in that fog, something that slowly turns ones brain to mush. How else do you explain the completely asinine ideas flowing from there?
If I still lived there and they imposed a seventeen cent tax on my grocery bag I do believe that I would be forced to use those bags for other things. Maybe I would weave them together and make curtains for my house, or clothes perhaps. I bet plastic grocery bags would be wonderful rain gear, a clothing item that is standard issue in that city.
Whatever I would do with them you can bet that I would do it with the aim of pissing off as many people as possible. That way when someone complained, as they are certain to do there, (they can't help it, they're liberals), I could say "Hey, I paid for these and I will do what I damn well please with them, so bugger off!"
What do you think?
Yes, I am going to be called a racist for the following comment. Before the comment you, dear readers, need a touch of background.
I was cruising through some of the blogs I read, and over atRaeds there is a link to a documentary. It is linked here in the title.
It purports to show the destruction in Fallujah, and deals with the refugees from that city. The film takes you, at one point, to the tent city that alot of the refugees are living in. When I saw that scene a thought crossed my mind. It is that thought for which I am going to be yelled at by alot of narrow minded people that have no appreciation for history and have failed to grasp the true meaning of comedy.
The thought?
"So what that they're living in tents. Didn't most of 'em live in tents for eons anyway? I fail to see the big deal. They should just call it 'getting in touch with their cultural roots". Hell, in America they would get money for a program like that."
Commence the vitriol!!!
I was cruising through some of the blogs I read, and over at
It purports to show the destruction in Fallujah, and deals with the refugees from that city. The film takes you, at one point, to the tent city that alot of the refugees are living in. When I saw that scene a thought crossed my mind. It is that thought for which I am going to be yelled at by alot of narrow minded people that have no appreciation for history and have failed to grasp the true meaning of comedy.
The thought?
"So what that they're living in tents. Didn't most of 'em live in tents for eons anyway? I fail to see the big deal. They should just call it 'getting in touch with their cultural roots". Hell, in America they would get money for a program like that."
Commence the vitriol!!!
First off, thanks for letting me vent and insights are very welcome here.
This morning, lying in bed talking to my wife, I was voicing my concerns about our son and his achievement in school. You see, my son is very, very bright. At teh age of five he is in kindergarten. I was a stay at home dad for his first three years and worked with him alot, reading and teaching him numbers, colors and whatever else came to mind that I thought he should know.
At about three we put him into a montessori school. We did our research and decided that teh montessori system sounded great. The children learn at their own pace and are taught basic skills like cleaning up after themselves, how to sweep, mop etc. etc. You know, those basic things everybody should know how to do. He still loves to sweep, mop and vacuum the house.
Now, at five, he blows through the work that he needs to know by the end of the first grade. He is over a year ahead and although I have talked to his teachers about it they are still reluctant to move him up any higher, even in work level. Perhaps they are correct. Maybe it would make for strained relationships with his classmates if he did work so far past them. I don't know.
The point of this little missive is this: My son has told me he gets bored in school having to listen to the teacher about the work and has a hard time listening. This gets him in trouble. My wife says, "Well, he has ADD, just like I do." "Horseshit", I said, "he is a little boy and he is bored bacause he is beyond the level of the work he is asked to do." Mind you my wife and I both read at very young ages also. Our son reads, computes and comprehends at a forst grade level and is straining to do more and sha claims he has ADD. He can concentrate, when he plays his video games, reads a new book or does something new and interesting he concentrates. He concentrates just fine if he has something he needs to do. But the repitition of doing the things that he has mastered bores him and now it earns him an ADD title?
I will tell you what. I did the same thing in school but my parents didn't seem to care so I tok matters into my own hands. I used to ditch school and hang out at the LIBRARY!!!!! Tell me their isn't something wrong there. That screams bored student. I would risk punishment to go sit and read all day. I would read books covering all sorts of subjects. History, art, science, whatever caught my eye.
A serious problem in this country is the over medication of children because they have dumbed down the schools so much that more and more kids are ahead of the curve. Simply deciding that a kid being a kid merits medication because they are rambunctuious or bored in school and acting out is wrong. My son will NOT be medicated. Absolutely not!!! My wife never even suggested that BTW.
One more thing. The person that first strung the words
"Attention", "Deficit" and "Disorder" together to make some BS diagnosis should be slowly tortured to death as an enemy of children everywhere.
Hey, it'd be "For The Children" right?
This morning, lying in bed talking to my wife, I was voicing my concerns about our son and his achievement in school. You see, my son is very, very bright. At teh age of five he is in kindergarten. I was a stay at home dad for his first three years and worked with him alot, reading and teaching him numbers, colors and whatever else came to mind that I thought he should know.
At about three we put him into a montessori school. We did our research and decided that teh montessori system sounded great. The children learn at their own pace and are taught basic skills like cleaning up after themselves, how to sweep, mop etc. etc. You know, those basic things everybody should know how to do. He still loves to sweep, mop and vacuum the house.
Now, at five, he blows through the work that he needs to know by the end of the first grade. He is over a year ahead and although I have talked to his teachers about it they are still reluctant to move him up any higher, even in work level. Perhaps they are correct. Maybe it would make for strained relationships with his classmates if he did work so far past them. I don't know.
The point of this little missive is this: My son has told me he gets bored in school having to listen to the teacher about the work and has a hard time listening. This gets him in trouble. My wife says, "Well, he has ADD, just like I do." "Horseshit", I said, "he is a little boy and he is bored bacause he is beyond the level of the work he is asked to do." Mind you my wife and I both read at very young ages also. Our son reads, computes and comprehends at a forst grade level and is straining to do more and sha claims he has ADD. He can concentrate, when he plays his video games, reads a new book or does something new and interesting he concentrates. He concentrates just fine if he has something he needs to do. But the repitition of doing the things that he has mastered bores him and now it earns him an ADD title?
I will tell you what. I did the same thing in school but my parents didn't seem to care so I tok matters into my own hands. I used to ditch school and hang out at the LIBRARY!!!!! Tell me their isn't something wrong there. That screams bored student. I would risk punishment to go sit and read all day. I would read books covering all sorts of subjects. History, art, science, whatever caught my eye.
A serious problem in this country is the over medication of children because they have dumbed down the schools so much that more and more kids are ahead of the curve. Simply deciding that a kid being a kid merits medication because they are rambunctuious or bored in school and acting out is wrong. My son will NOT be medicated. Absolutely not!!! My wife never even suggested that BTW.
One more thing. The person that first strung the words
"Attention", "Deficit" and "Disorder" together to make some BS diagnosis should be slowly tortured to death as an enemy of children everywhere.
Hey, it'd be "For The Children" right?
or perhaps the probe has landed on Michael Moore-Ons ass.
Did I say that?
Who said that?
Did I say that?
Who said that?
So Michael Newdow lost his bid to stop GW from having a prayer at his inauguration.
Was there ever any doubt?
Personally I think since it is Georges' bash, then George should set it up any dang old way he wants. Personally, if it was my inauguration, I might just have some pole dancers in red, white and blue one piece swimsuits just to tick off the dying feminist population. Maybe toss in whole choir singing some James Brown or something. "Jum' bacnkismysel'hhyyyaahhh" Something like that. Or go REEEAAALLLYY solenm. Everything quiet and somber, everyone in black talking in whispers, that kind of thing.
Naaahhh......I'd go with something like my first idea. Make it a holiday and everything. National Party Day. Oh yeah.
Anyway.
I think Newdow has become a Newshog, so henceforth, his name is Michael NewsHog the Atheist. Rings rather nicely in the ears does it not?
Was there ever any doubt?
Personally I think since it is Georges' bash, then George should set it up any dang old way he wants. Personally, if it was my inauguration, I might just have some pole dancers in red, white and blue one piece swimsuits just to tick off the dying feminist population. Maybe toss in whole choir singing some James Brown or something. "Jum' bacnkismysel'hhyyyaahhh" Something like that. Or go REEEAAALLLYY solenm. Everything quiet and somber, everyone in black talking in whispers, that kind of thing.
Naaahhh......I'd go with something like my first idea. Make it a holiday and everything. National Party Day. Oh yeah.
Anyway.
I think Newdow has become a Newshog, so henceforth, his name is Michael NewsHog the Atheist. Rings rather nicely in the ears does it not?
A friend of mine called me to ask if I could find out more on the story in the link. She heard a blurb about this story on the radio and said it sounded like the person was locked up all these years for trying to integrate a swimming pool.
I told her that you don't have to be in prison to be pardoned, that many people get pardoned well after they have served their sentence.
She said "I thought so, it's just that they should say that ya' know, it's really irresponsible reporting."
I cut in with "Let me guess, you were listening to NPR weren't you?"
With a heavy sigh that saw my rant coming she admitted she was and then asked how I knew that.
"Simple," I replied while giggling, "irresponsible reporting and NPR go hand in hand."
She growled.
I laughed harder.
I told her that you don't have to be in prison to be pardoned, that many people get pardoned well after they have served their sentence.
She said "I thought so, it's just that they should say that ya' know, it's really irresponsible reporting."
I cut in with "Let me guess, you were listening to NPR weren't you?"
With a heavy sigh that saw my rant coming she admitted she was and then asked how I knew that.
"Simple," I replied while giggling, "irresponsible reporting and NPR go hand in hand."
She growled.
I laughed harder.
I heard this today and immediately thought to myself, "Good, does that mean you aren't a citizen anymore and the constitutional protections afforded citizens no longer apply to you? And if that is so may I have you deported? To france mayhaps?"
Just a thought I had.
Just a thought I had.
..I got around to setting up those links I have wanted to do.
If I linked you at the top I like you and respect you....alot.
If you are linked in the bottom it doesn't mean I don't like you, we just have different views of things, and sometimes you may get (grudging) respect.
Except Nascarblue.
He's an idiot and I only linked him so I can say I knew him before his Darwin award.
If I linked you at the top I like you and respect you....alot.
If you are linked in the bottom it doesn't mean I don't like you, we just have different views of things, and sometimes you may get (grudging) respect.
Except Nascarblue.
He's an idiot and I only linked him so I can say I knew him before his Darwin award.
I thought I would re-post something from awhile back on my other blog. I drove past this sign recently and it has been in my head. Hope you enjoy it.
Originally posted on:
Monday, September 13, 2004
Recently I was driving up the road and noticed a sign just off of the highway. On the side of the road, beyond the freeway fence, someone had made a sign, with 4X4 posts and a sheet of plywood.
On this sign they had spray painted a message. The message made me think, "Hhhmmm...I wonder if he sits and stays also?"
The sign said "Jesus Heels"
I think I am going to get a dog and name him Jesus. I will teach him to heel....and Heal. I wonder if he needs a medical license for that? I can teach him to fetch. Yeah, I will take him to the lake and toss a stick out over the water and watch in delight when he scampers over the top of the lake to bring it back. I wonder if I can teach him to turn water to wine? THAT WOULD BE SO COOL!!!!!
I don't believe that I will teach him to play dead.
He would probably just lie there for 3 days and then wake up one morning, bark a few dog words of wisdom, and float off into the clouds.
Nah, I don't think I will teach him to play dead.
Originally posted on:
Monday, September 13, 2004
Recently I was driving up the road and noticed a sign just off of the highway. On the side of the road, beyond the freeway fence, someone had made a sign, with 4X4 posts and a sheet of plywood.
On this sign they had spray painted a message. The message made me think, "Hhhmmm...I wonder if he sits and stays also?"
The sign said "Jesus Heels"
I think I am going to get a dog and name him Jesus. I will teach him to heel....and Heal. I wonder if he needs a medical license for that? I can teach him to fetch. Yeah, I will take him to the lake and toss a stick out over the water and watch in delight when he scampers over the top of the lake to bring it back. I wonder if I can teach him to turn water to wine? THAT WOULD BE SO COOL!!!!!
I don't believe that I will teach him to play dead.
He would probably just lie there for 3 days and then wake up one morning, bark a few dog words of wisdom, and float off into the clouds.
Nah, I don't think I will teach him to play dead.
..I have to say that I won't be online very much until the first week of Feb. due to being in the final stages of pre-production. We start shooting in a week and things are hectic. I will be checking in occasionally though to try to keep up on things.
Quiet on the set people, this is a take.
Quiet on the set people, this is a take.
...at the moment is a man named Harry. Among the jobs I have, all of which I enjoy, is delivering hay for Harry. Harry is 85 years old, will be 86 this summer, and is still just about as spry and nimble as most people half his age. At 85 he still 'bucks' hay, breaks race horses, (no easy task I can assure you) and team pens, (a horsesport involving cattle), not to mention is up everyday at 5 AM and still works 6 10 hours days a week. Coincidentally he is apparently the oldest team penner in the country and one of the best.
Harry has had a great life. Born in a sod house outside of Broken Bow, Nebraska all those years ago, his family farmed and raised livestock. He came west at the age of 15, riding the rails like the hobos of the day. He came out west to ride races, and did just that, ending up riding at Santa Anita when Seabiscuit was there and clanking irons with the likes of Johnny Longden, Eddie Arcaro, George "The Iceman" Woolfe and, of course, Red Pollard.
He was drafted in February, 1942. He was made a flight engineer and gunner on a bomber in the South Pacific, flying on a B-24. His stories are exciting, and sometimes sad and would certainly take up a fair amount of time to write down. I have been doing this over the last two years that I have known Harry. His tales rarely speak of the bad in war, or the hardships. He seldom talks of the fear he must have felt, flying along so high in the sky, watching Japanese Zeros aiming for his plane while his gun and those of his crewmates chattered away at those enemy planes.
Instead he speaks longingly of the camaraderie and the men he served with. I don't believe he has forgotten one name of the men he flew with. In fact, he kept in touch with those he could, and I believe that there are only two left of that original ten man crew. Harry was assigned to a B-24 that his Captain named "Big Emma". Big Emma ran a small diner just outside the gate of the base Harry deployed from in WW2, and on their final day there Big Emma had his crew over for a farewell breakfast, her treat.
He flew with Captain Grotke, (tales of him later), and aboard his plane was a man named Charles S. Seaman. It occurs to me only now that I didn't ask Harry where Charles Seaman was from or what rank he held. Charles Seaman was directly behind Harry at induction, and indeed his serial number was one higher than Harrys' serial number. Seaman had just graduated barber college, and if you know anything of those days, a man could make a comfortable living as a barber. Seaman, in fact, would cut the hair of the entire squadron, never taking one penny for it. By Harrys' accounts Seaman was loved by one and all and he never heard one bad thing spoken of him as long as he knew him.
Seaman was an asst. radio Operator, and of course, a gunner on the Big Emma. On 14th Nov., 1943, in a bombing raid over Rabul Harbor, Seaman was mortally wounded by a Japanese Zero. The crew of the Big Emma was heart-broken over this loss of one of their most beloved Brothers of course, but didn't let that get in the way of the job at hand. History speaks well of Harrys' generation. They unselfishly answered the Call of Duty, and defended Freedom and destroyed the evil of the third reich and the axis powers. Their personal stories are being lost to time and I feel that is sad. If you know one of these brave men, talk to them about there experience. Write it down. Share it. I think it may be one of the most important and fulfilling things you may ever do.
One of the crew members on Capt. Gotkes' Big Emma was a Sgt. Logan S. Harlow. He was a bit of a poet. When Seaman was killed he wrote a poem about it. Harry still knows that poem all these years later and recites it every once in awhile. I hope you enjoy it.
In Honor of Charles S. Seaman
He flew and He fought
In the clear blue skies
His face to the burning sun
He died up there with
A smile and a sigh
His hands on a flaming gun
Many a Zero
Will pay for his death
In those same blue skies above
Many a Jap
Will draw his last breath
Revenge for
The boy we loved
High in the sky
A crew says a prayer
As they fly through flame and lead
Never for them
Will there be any rest
'Til the last damned Jap is dead.
Harry has had a great life. Born in a sod house outside of Broken Bow, Nebraska all those years ago, his family farmed and raised livestock. He came west at the age of 15, riding the rails like the hobos of the day. He came out west to ride races, and did just that, ending up riding at Santa Anita when Seabiscuit was there and clanking irons with the likes of Johnny Longden, Eddie Arcaro, George "The Iceman" Woolfe and, of course, Red Pollard.
He was drafted in February, 1942. He was made a flight engineer and gunner on a bomber in the South Pacific, flying on a B-24. His stories are exciting, and sometimes sad and would certainly take up a fair amount of time to write down. I have been doing this over the last two years that I have known Harry. His tales rarely speak of the bad in war, or the hardships. He seldom talks of the fear he must have felt, flying along so high in the sky, watching Japanese Zeros aiming for his plane while his gun and those of his crewmates chattered away at those enemy planes.
Instead he speaks longingly of the camaraderie and the men he served with. I don't believe he has forgotten one name of the men he flew with. In fact, he kept in touch with those he could, and I believe that there are only two left of that original ten man crew. Harry was assigned to a B-24 that his Captain named "Big Emma". Big Emma ran a small diner just outside the gate of the base Harry deployed from in WW2, and on their final day there Big Emma had his crew over for a farewell breakfast, her treat.
He flew with Captain Grotke, (tales of him later), and aboard his plane was a man named Charles S. Seaman. It occurs to me only now that I didn't ask Harry where Charles Seaman was from or what rank he held. Charles Seaman was directly behind Harry at induction, and indeed his serial number was one higher than Harrys' serial number. Seaman had just graduated barber college, and if you know anything of those days, a man could make a comfortable living as a barber. Seaman, in fact, would cut the hair of the entire squadron, never taking one penny for it. By Harrys' accounts Seaman was loved by one and all and he never heard one bad thing spoken of him as long as he knew him.
Seaman was an asst. radio Operator, and of course, a gunner on the Big Emma. On 14th Nov., 1943, in a bombing raid over Rabul Harbor, Seaman was mortally wounded by a Japanese Zero. The crew of the Big Emma was heart-broken over this loss of one of their most beloved Brothers of course, but didn't let that get in the way of the job at hand. History speaks well of Harrys' generation. They unselfishly answered the Call of Duty, and defended Freedom and destroyed the evil of the third reich and the axis powers. Their personal stories are being lost to time and I feel that is sad. If you know one of these brave men, talk to them about there experience. Write it down. Share it. I think it may be one of the most important and fulfilling things you may ever do.
One of the crew members on Capt. Gotkes' Big Emma was a Sgt. Logan S. Harlow. He was a bit of a poet. When Seaman was killed he wrote a poem about it. Harry still knows that poem all these years later and recites it every once in awhile. I hope you enjoy it.
In Honor of Charles S. Seaman
He flew and He fought
In the clear blue skies
His face to the burning sun
He died up there with
A smile and a sigh
His hands on a flaming gun
Many a Zero
Will pay for his death
In those same blue skies above
Many a Jap
Will draw his last breath
Revenge for
The boy we loved
High in the sky
A crew says a prayer
As they fly through flame and lead
Never for them
Will there be any rest
'Til the last damned Jap is dead.
...in bashing the U.S. as stingy I direct your stupid asses to the following stories. The link in the title and this one:
http://ushome.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/04us.htm
And here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6767190/
And here too:
http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/relatedarticles/54759.php
I could go on with these links for hours...you get the picture...once again America shows her generosity to people hit by a disaster....and all te hleft can do is whine about us being "stingy" and cry that we don't give more. If it wasn't for the U.S. military alot of that aid wouldn't be getting ANYWHERE!!!
I even saw a short mention today that the U.S. response had "ulterior motives" and as soon as I can find that damn link I will bitch about you tinfoilhatwearing asswipes again.
The point of this small rant is to once again show the left what absolute asses they really are being. They seem to hate America. They expect the worst from us.
Happily we disappoint them alot.
http://ushome.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/04us.htm
And here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6767190/
And here too:
http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/relatedarticles/54759.php
I could go on with these links for hours...you get the picture...once again America shows her generosity to people hit by a disaster....and all te hleft can do is whine about us being "stingy" and cry that we don't give more. If it wasn't for the U.S. military alot of that aid wouldn't be getting ANYWHERE!!!
I even saw a short mention today that the U.S. response had "ulterior motives" and as soon as I can find that damn link I will bitch about you tinfoilhatwearing asswipes again.
The point of this small rant is to once again show the left what absolute asses they really are being. They seem to hate America. They expect the worst from us.
Happily we disappoint them alot.
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