Wreathes Across America

Today -- Saturday, December 15 -- is Wreaths Across America Day.

Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, was a 12 year old paper boy for the Bangor Daily News when he won a trip to Washington D.C. His first trip to our nation’s capital was one he would never forget, and Arlington National Cemetery made an especially indelible impression on him. This experience followed him throughout his life and successful career in business, reminding him that his good fortune was due, in large part, to the values of this nation and the Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their Country.

In 1992, Worcester Wreath found themselves with a surplus of wreaths nearing the end of the holiday season. Remembering his boyhood experience at Arlington, Worcester realized he had an opportunity to honor our country’s Veterans. With the help of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, arrangements were made for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery, a section which had been receiving fewer visitors with each passing year.

As plans were underway, a number of other individuals and organizations stepped up to help. James Prout, owner of local trucking company Blue Bird Ranch, Inc., generously provided transportation all the way to Virginia. Volunteers from the local American Legion and VFW Posts gathered with members of the community to decorate each wreath with traditional red, hand-tied bows. Members of the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C. helped to organize the wreath-laying, which included a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The annual tribute went on quietly for several years, until 2005, when a photo of the stones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in snow, circulated around the internet.  Suddenly, the project received national attention. Thousands of requests poured in from all over the country from people wanting to help with Arlington, to emulate the Arlington project at their National and State cemeteries, or to simply share their stories and thank Morrill Worcester for honoring our nation’s heroes.

I know that at this time of the year most of us are short of time and money, but if you have a little bit of either to spare, please consider helping out the Wreaths Across America folks. You can sponsor a wreath, purchase some merchandise, or simply make a donation.

"To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen... to be forgotten is the worst." -Pierre Claeyssens

Friday Follies Happy Hour 2012.12.14

Due to the school shootings in Connecticut, there's no happy hour today. Instead, here's some more appropriate music.

Pray for the victims and their families. Give thanks for your blessings. Then go hug your loved ones.

Tragic News From Connecticut

MASS KILLINGS AT SCHOOL

At least 27 people were killed Friday in a school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut...

Go hug your kids. Worry about all the other crap later.

A Modern Christmas Letter

Running late today. Here's a letter to Santa that I borrowed from Jeff at A Nod to the Gods. Enjoy!

* * * 
Dear Santa,

How are you? How is Mrs. Claus? I hope everyone, from the reindeer to the elves, is fine. I have been a very good boy this year. I would like an X-Box 360 with Call of Duty IV and an iPhone 5 for Christmas. I hope you remember that come Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas,
Timmy Jones

* * *
 Dear Timmy,

Thank you for you letter. Mrs. Claus, the reindeer and the elves are all fine and thank you for asking about them. Santa is a little worried all the time you spend playing video games and texting. Santa wouldn’t want you to get fat. Since you have indeed been a good boy, I think I’ll bring you something you can go outside and play with.*

Merry Christmas,
Santa Claus

* * *
Mr. Claus,

Seeing that I have fulfilled the “naughty vs. Nice” contract, set by you I might add, I feel confident that you can see your way clear to granting me what I have asked for. I certainly wouldn’t want to turn this joyous season into one of litigation. Also, don’t you think that a jibe at my weight coming from an overweight man who goes out once a year is a bit trite?

Respectfully,
Tim Jones

* * *
 Mr. Jones,

While I have acknowledged you have met the “nice” criteria, need I remind you that your Christmas list is a request and in no way is it a guarantee of services provided. Should you wish to pursue legal action, that is your right. Please know, however, that my attorney’s have been on retainer ever since the Burgermeister Meisterburger incident and will be more than happy to take you on in open court. Additionally, the exercise I alluded to will not only improve your health, but also improve your social skills and potentially help clear up a complexion that looks like the bottom of the Burger King fry bin most days.

Very Truly Yours,
S Claus

* * *
Now look here Fat Man,

I told you what I want and I expect you to bring it. I was attempting to be polite about this but you brought my looks and my friends into this. Now you just be disrespecting me. I’m about to tweet my boys and we’re gonna be waiting for your fat ass and I’m taking my game console, my game, my phone, and whatever else I want. WHAT EVER I WANT, MAN!

T-Bone

* * *
 Listen Pizza Face,

Seriously??? You think a dude that breaks into every house in the world on one night and never gets caught sweats a skinny G-banger wannabe? “He sees you when you’re sleeping; He knows when you’re awake”. Sound familiar, genius? You know what kind of resources I have at my disposal. I got your shit wired, Jack. I go all around the world and see ways to hurt people that if I described them right now, you’d throw up your Totino’s pizza roll all over the carpet of your mom’s basement. You’re not getting what you asked for, but I’m still stopping by your crib to stomp a mud hole in you’re ass and then walk it dry. Chew on that, Petunia.

S Clizzy

* * *
Dear Santa,

Bring me whatever you see fit. I’ll appreciate anything.

Timmy

* * *
Timmy,

That’s what I thought you little bastard.

Santa

In A Nutshell

This pretty much says it all.

So, to Sum Up Our Day

A Democratic senator hired an unpaid intern who was an undocumented immigrant but a documented sex offender. Apparently Senator Menendez needed an immigrant to do sex offending that Americans won’t do.

There are also reports that administration officials forced immigration authorities to delay the arrest until after the Nov. election.

A source familiar with the case told NBC 4 New York that ICE agents were set to pick up the intern weeks before Election Day but were told from the Homeland Security Department to wait until after the election.

Meanwhile...

...Representative Jim Moran is “embarrassed” by the revelation that his voter-fraud-orchestrating son smashed his girlfriend’s face into a garbage can and pleaded guilty to assault. The girlfriend appears to be doing what she can to make the story go away. But don’t worry, the phrase “war on women” may still only be used to describe people who don’t want to pay for someone else’s birth control. No word if anyone on the left will be expressing their gratitude for the Violence Against Women Act for this.

Over in Michigan, defenders of the union protestors who tore down an Americans for Prosperity tent are heading toward trutherism, suggesting that it was all a set up, the canvas-and-rope equivalent of the Reichstag fire. No word yet if anyone is claiming the Jews inside the tent got advance notice.

As part of the 'boisterous' union protests, they also sucker-punched a journalist and destroyed a black man's catering business while shouting racial epithets.

The MSM has, of course, ignored all this. One can only imagine the depth of their coverage and the degree of their righteous indignation if a group of Tea Party members behaved similarly.

Oh, and after months — nay years — of rhetoric from the president and his proxies about how taxes are simply a sign of neighborliness and the dues we pay to live in this great country, we learn that Obama’s staff owe nearly a million dollars in back taxes.

And the Republicans are losing to these guys.

It's only 9:00 in the morning, and after wading through all this I'm already eyeing the liquor cabinent ... sigh...

Numbers Don't Lie, But Politicians And Journalists Do

Gee, what a surprise. Both the unemployment and underemployment rates 'unexpectedly' shot up in November (right after the election) following a dramatic and trend-bucking decrease in October (right before the election).

U.S. unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, was 7.8% for the month of November, up significantly from 7.0% for October. Gallup's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 8.3%, nearly a one-point increase over October's rate.

What a coincidence...

If you happen to know an obama voter who just got laid off, here's a helpful list of things you can say to make them feel better about their situation.

1. "Hey, at least that successful Mormon businessman didn't win."

2. "Didn't your lady parts warn you this would happen?"

3. "Look at the bright side. Gay marriage passed in four states."

4. "Hey, Big Bird still has a job. Isn't that the important thing?"

5. "I am sure Obama cares deeply about your situation. Maybe he'll send you a postcard from Hawaii."

6. "Well, look at the bright side. Rush Limbaugh is getting a massive tax increase."

7. "Hey! Now you'll have more time to play with your unicorn."

8. "Isn't it worth losing your job to know that religious organizations now have to pay for abortions and contraceptives?"

9. "Well, now you and Keith Olbermann have something else in common."

10. "Forward!"

(From here via here.)

And In Other News

I'm tired of reading and writing about depressing topics such as the fiscal cliff, assaults on our privacy, turmoil in the Middle East, and other downers. It's time for something a little more upbeat.

Ladies, are you having trouble getting the attention of the man in your life? Men, are you wondering what to get that special someone for Christmas?  Well, search no further. Here's the answer to both those dilemmas.

Pizza Hut Launches Perfume Line

It began as a joke on the company’s Facebook page in August when Pizza Hut Canada’s marketing firm, Grip Ltd., published a post about bottling the pizza chain’s scent, Business Insider reported. Thousands of fans commented asking where they could purchase the fragrance prompting Pizza Hut to actually make it.

The limited-edition perfume features subtle notes of freshly baked dough and seasoning...

Gives a whole new meaning to nibbling on your gal's ear.

And if pizza perfume doesn't excite you, how about this?

Sex Toy Giveaway leaves Boston Abuzz

Hundreds lined up in Boston's South End Monday for a giveaway that some people wished would go away.

The free giveaway by Trojan was so controversial it originally got booted from City Hall Plaza.

The company said it handed out 10,000 adult devices during the giveaway Monday.

"My mom called me and told me they were giving free things out," said one woman.

The event was originally scheduled to be held on the plaza in front of Boston's City Hall, but a group of atheists got it moved.

They felt that repeated exclamations of "Oh my God ... Oh my God" would violate the separation of church and state...

More Big Brother - Now He's Listening On The Bus

Just a few short hours after my previous post I ran across this story. Just one more example of how privacy in America is becoming an endangered species.

Government officials installing audio surveillance systems on public buses

The era of private conversations on city buses — and even on San Francisco’s iconic streetcars — may be coming to an end. 

Government officials are quietly installing sophisticated audio surveillance systems on public buses across the country to eavesdrop on passengers, according to documents obtained by The Daily. Plans to implement the technology are under way in cities from San Francisco to Hartford, Conn., and Eugene, Ore., to Columbus, Ohio.

Linked to video cameras already in wide use, the microphones will offer a formidable new tool for security and law enforcement. With the new systems, experts say, transit officials can effectively send an invisible police officer to transcribe the individual conversations of every passenger riding on a public bus.

I was kidding in my previous post when I said something snarky about how the government's next step was to install black boxes in our cars that would record our words and actions. I guess I'm a better fortune-teller than I realized.

A spokesman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Paul Rose, declined to comment on the surveillance program. But procurement documents explain the agency’s rationale.

“The purpose of this project is to replace the existing video surveillance systems in SFMTA’s fleet of revenue vehicles with a reliable and technologically advanced system to increase passenger safety and improve reliability and maintainability of the system,” officials wrote in contract documents. (emphasis added)

Ever notice how all these changes are for our own good? "To increase passenger safety..." What a load of crap.

In San Francisco, the Department of Homeland Security is funding the entire cost with a grant. Elsewhere, the federal government is also providing some financial support. Officials in Concord, N.C., for example, used part of a $1.2 million economic stimulus grant to install a combined audio and video surveillance system on public transit vehicles, records show.

DHS is behind this latest assault on our liberties. What a surprise. I suppose the system will be keyed to identify anyone who uses the word "sucks" in connection with Dear Leader's name.

“Given the resolution claims, it would be trivial to couple this system to something like facial or auditory recognition systems to allow identification of travelers,” said Ashkan Soltani, an independent security consultant asked by The Daily to review the specs of an audio surveillance system marketed to transit agencies. “This technology is sadly indicative of a trend in increased surveillance by commercial and law enforcement entities, under the guise of improved safety.” (emphasis added)

In one of my classes we just finished discussing the implementation of facial recognition systems and related technology on a widespread basis.

The FBI has begun installing state-of-the-art facial recognition technology across the country as part of an update to the national fingerprint database, Sara Reardon of the New Scientist reports.

The agency's $1 billion Next Generation Identification (NGI) program will also include iris scans, DNA analysis and voice identification by 2014.

And the system could be easily be integrated with the National Security Agency's domestic spying apparatus, which whistleblower William Binney said can track electronic activities—phone calls, emails, banking and travel records, social media—and map them to collect "all the attributes that any individual has" and build a profile based on that data.

"... the National Security Agency's domestic spying apparatus..." That should send a chill down your spine.

There's a movie that came out way back in 1998 -- Enemy of the State -- that opens a frightening window on the implications of technological surveillance. If you've got a couple of spare hours this weekend pop some popcorn and watch it.


And if I suddenly stop posting, and this blog disappears, you'll know why...

Big Brother Redux

Big Brother has been flexing his muscles lately. Some of us are starting to sit up and take notice.

OldNFO started the ball rolling with this post.

We 'are' being watched, and you can bet at least 'some' of us are on a variety of lists, thanks to DHS among others...

That triggered something I'd been thinking about regarding police using automatic data recorders to record and track the license plate, location, and time of every vehicle around them.

After reading that post, kerrcarto sent me a link to a video detailing how the FBI routinely engages in widespread and pervasive surveillance of nearly all US citizens (including members of congress). Jimbo at the Parkway Rest Stop posted the same video, along with links to the interview transcript and additional information.

Think about that for a moment. Recall what happened to David Petraeus, former Army general and, most recently, head of the CIA until he boinked some bimbo who was writing a book about him. He was brought down in part because his emails were recorded, decoded, and distributed. If the head of the CIA can't protect his emails, what chance do we poor ordinary citizens have?

Now we have this story.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would like to make it mandatory for automakers to install a so-called "black box" in all new cars and light trucks.

The devices, also known as event data recorders, have long been used by investigators to discover the root cause of commercial airplane crashes. In recent years however, automakers have quietly begun installing similar products in more and more cars.

The data recorders track a number of items, including vehicle speed, whether a driver tried to step on the brakes before a crash, information about engine throttle, air bag readiness before a crash, and whether seat belts were buckled.

Combine that technology with an easily-installed GPS chip, and the government will then have the capability of tracking your movements coupled with your driving habits.

What's next? In-cabin videocams? Is the government going to track what kind of music I listen to while I'm driving? Or worse yet, what I yell at the radio when obama comes on the news and makes another idiotic statement? (Note to the Secret Service - I don't really mean what I say in the heat of the moment...).

I teach courses in information systems - not the technology itself, but the individual, organizational, and societal aspects of information systems and technology. One of the concepts we talk about in class is privacy, defined as the right to left alone when you want to be, to have control over your own personal data, and to not be observed or monitored without your consent.

Sadly, from where I sit our right to privacy is being eroded in a similar manner to many of our other rights and liberties. The old saying about 'those who would sacrifice a little freedom in exchange for security gain neither' can be readily reworded to state that 'those who would sacrifice a little privacy in exchange for convenience likewise gain neither'.

Think about that the next time you install an app that records your location in exchange for a promise of coupons or discounts from nearby establishments, or the next time you check the "I agree" box when installing new software, without actually reading the terms of agreement.

Is it really worth it?

If this topic concerns you, check out the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It is IMO the foremost organization devoted to defending our rights in a digital world.

FOD 2012.12.10

Let's imagine for a moment that obama was your financial adviser. A scary prospect, to be sure. Most of us would run screaming from his office. But we would be hard-pressed to quantify exactly why that notion fills us with such dread. The numbers in the federal budget are so large that it's hard to wrap our minds around them. So let's bring them down to a scale we can understand.

By taking the government’s economic numbers and dividing by $100 million we can simulate a household budget, and here’s what that household financial situation would look like for 2013:

Income: $26,000
Spending: $37,000
Deficit: $(11,000)
Debt: $170,000

If President Obama were your financial adviser he would propose that you cut spending by a whopping $1,000 per year. That plan would take 11 years to get spending in line with income and accumulate an additional $55,000 in debt. Interest payments would increase to greater than 30 percent. I hope that plan sounds as ridiculous to you as it does to me.

If any professional financial adviser put this plan in front of a paying customer he would be laughed out of business. Yet this is what passes for intelligent financial banter inside the D.C. Beltway.

Even worse, obama is advocating for new stimulus spending in his avoid-the-fiscal-cliff proposal. After all, the last stimulus worked out so well [sarc off].

His new proposal includes "tens of billions of dollars of little-noticed stimulus measures."

The stimulus measures in the White House’s debt proposal stem from President Obama’s long-since-scuttled American Jobs Act proposal, and include a continuation of emergency support for long-term unemployed workers, an extension of the payroll tax cut, billions in infrastructure investment and a mortgage refinancing proposal.

We here at Bergheim Follies have received an advance notice of just exactly how the stimulus package will affect ordinary working Americans. By the time it trickles down to us it will include:

• a packet of tomato seeds
• a box of cornbread mix
• two discount coupons to KFC
• an Obama 'Forward' bumper sticker
• a prayer rug
• a machine to blow smoke up your ass
• a 'Blame it on Bush' poster for the front yard

The directions will be  in Spanish.

Yours should arrive soon.

Double Standard

Tragedy struck the NFL again this weekend, as a Dallas Cowboys player evidently was driving drunk and crashed, killing his passenger - a friend and teammate.

Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent has been arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter stemming from a late night crash that resulted in the death of a teammate.

CBS Station KTVT reports that Jerry Brown Jr., a 25-year old currently on the Cowboys' practice roster, was killed in the accident.

Irving police spokesman John Argumaniz said the accident happened about 2:20 a.m. Saturday in the Dallas suburb, hours before Brent was to be on a team flight to Cincinnati for the Cowboys' game Sunday against the Bengals.

Bob Costas, in a halftime editorial statement, strongly deplored society's drink-and-drive culture and called for more stringent automobile control laws.

Oh, wait...

Sunday Funnies 2012.12.09

We got our Christmas tree yesterday. With that in mind, here's a little humor about that particular tradition.

One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip, but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule. Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them had got into the eggnog and were in no condition to fly. Two others had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress.

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the sacks of toys tore and scattered toys all over the ground. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum.

When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor, and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider pot, and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritable Santa trudged to the door. He opened the door, and there was a little angel with a great Christmas tree.

The angel said, very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't it a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to put it?"

Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Two blondes decided that this Christmas they wanted to cut down their own Christmas tree. They went deep into the woods searching for a just the right one.

After hours of subzero temperatures and a few close calls with hungry wolves, one blonde turned to the other and said,

"I'm chopping down the next tree I see. I don't care whether it's decorated or not!"

WHY A CHRISTMAS TREE IS BETTER THAN A MAN

 A Christmas tree is always erect.
 A Christmas tree has cute balls.
 You don't have to put up with a Christmas tree all year.

WHY A CHRISTMSA TREE IS BETTER THAN A WOMAN

A Christmas tree doesn't get jealous around other Christmas trees.
A Christmas tree doesn't care if you watch football all day.
You can feel a Christmas tree before you take it home.

When we got the tree home our dogs were very interested in it. Much sniffing ensued...

In this part of the country we have our fair share of rednecks. Here's our neighbor's approach to putting up the tree.

Merry Christmas, y'all...

What Big Eyes You Have

OldNFO had a recent post lamenting the death of privacy in this country. That prompted me to write this post. I'd been thinking along those same lines, but on a more local level.

I originally snapped to this when the Texas DMV announced they were scrapping the current license plate design in favor of a 'classic' or 'retro' look. I was upset, because IMO it continued a trend from iconic plates that celebrated our state's heritage to less distinctive, blander plates.

In 2000 we had plates that included a stylized red white and blue state outline, a cowboy on horseback, the space shuttle, oil wells, and the Texas night sky ("The stars at night, are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas..."). I really, really liked that one.

In 2009 the design was changed to a more abstract conception of the Texas sky, along with a Lone Star. It was okay, but not as appealing as the previous one.

Then, this summer, came the announcement that the design was changing yet again to new plates designed 'for public protection.'

The Department of Motor Vehicles ... said the plate ... is designed for the highest public safety protection.

The new plate is black and white with vertical-running security threads in the sheeting. The threads will help law officers better identify a legitimate plate from a distance.

Letters and numbers will be an inch wider and slightly taller.

I was a bit skeptical about that explanation, but trusting fool that I am, I went along with it.

Until I read this.

For more than two years, the police in San Leandro, Calif., photographed Mike Katz-Lacabe's Toyota Tercel almost weekly. They have shots of it cruising along Estudillo Avenue near the library, parked at his friend's house and near a coffee shop he likes. In one case, they snapped a photo of him and his two daughters getting out of a car in his driveway.

Mr. Katz-Lacabe isn't charged with, or suspected of, any crime. Local police are tracking his vehicle automatically, using cameras mounted on a patrol car that record every nearby vehicle—license plate, time and location.

"Why are they keeping all this data?" says Mr. Katz-Lacabe, who obtained the photos of his car through a public-records request. "I've done nothing wrong."

Until recently it was far too expensive for police to track the locations of innocent people such as Mr. Katz-Lacabe. But as surveillance technologies decline in cost and grow in sophistication, police are rapidly adopting them.

Why in the name of all that's Holy are the police tracking the activites of innocent people in the first place? We should be challenging that behavior, not subsidizing it.

During the past five years, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has distributed more than $50 million in federal grants to law-enforcement agencies—ranging from sprawling Los Angeles to little Crisp County, Ga., pop. 23,000—for automated license-plate recognition systems. A 2010 study estimates that more than a third of large U.S. police agencies use automated plate-reading systems.

A report by the International Association of Chiefs of Police warns that "recording driving habits" could raise First Amendment concerns. It noted that plate readers might record "vehicles parked at addiction-counseling meetings, doctors' offices, health clinics, or even staging areas for political protests."

Now when I think about the new Texas license plates, it makes a disturbing kind of sense. Remeber that line about "Letters and numbers will be an inch wider and slightly taller?"

The better to see you with, my dear...

Friday Follies Happy Hour 2012.12.07

It's that time of the year - Christmas time in Texas. Pull on your boots, pop another Shiner, and do a little two-steppin'... (and check out the youngest version of George Strait you've ever seen).

The Best Explanation I've Heard Yet

Q: Why did Romney lose?

A: Because he said "When I'm elected, I will put Americans back to work," and 51% of the voters said "Fuck That!!"

December 7th Deep In The Heart Of Texas

Today marks the 71st anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that triggered WWII. In recognition, I thought I'd do something a little different.

Just up the road from where I live is the small Central Texas town of Fredericksburg. Among it's other claims to fame is the fact that it is home to The National Museum of the Pacific War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War is dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the Pacific Theater of WWII in order that the sacrifices of those who contributed to our victory may never be forgotten.

Since the war in the Pacific was mainly a Navy war -- with a little help from the Marines -- you might be wondering why the National Museum of the Pacific War is located in the heart of Texas, far from the Pacific Ocean.

The answer is that Chester W. Nimitz, CinC of the Pacific Fleet, was born and raised in Fredericksburg. And here in Texas, we remember our own.

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who at the height of the Pacific war commanded more than two million men and women, 5,000 ships and 20,000 planes, was of humble and landlocked beginnings. Nimitz was born February 24, 1885 to an already widowed mother, and was raised in the small German community of Fredericksburg, Texas.

This next item might be a little hard for you Navy types to swallow, but facts are facts.

Hoping for an appointment to West Point but offered a chance for an education at Annapolis instead, young Chester studied early mornings and late evenings around his schoolwork and chores to prepare for the three-day Annapolis examination. His self-discipline paid off and he was accepted to Annapolis in 1901 at age 15 before he completed high school.

The Army's loss was the Navy's gain.

Every year the museum hosts a ceremony on December 7th honoring our veterans. This year is no exception.

The Admiral Nimitz Foundation will be paying homage to those who served the United States on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor.  2012 marks the 71th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor.  The ceremony will be held on Friday December 7, 2012 at 12:25 pm in the Memorial Court Yard. The start time of 12:25 pm CST is the exact time that the attack on Pearl Harbor began.

Colonel Richard D. Creed Jr., Commander 479 FA Brigade (TSB) will be the keynote speaker for the ceremony.  The Admiral Nimitz Foundation is proud to welcome Pearl Harbor survivors who will be recognized by General Michael Hagee, USMC (Ret).  The program will include a wreath laying, rifle salute and a flyover by World War II aircraft.

United States military installations were attacked on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii.  The Admiral Nimitz Foundation and National Museum of the Pacific War are proud to honor those who served as well as those service members who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedom of the United States of America.

On a personal note, our son has participated in a few WWII War in the Pacific reenactments sponsored by the museum (he once played Jimmy Doolittle). Not only did he have a great time, he actually learned about historical events, people, and most importantly, character and values.

On scheduled weekends throughout the year, the Pacific Combat Zone comes alive with the sights and sounds of combat on a Pacific island as American Marine re-enactors move in to capture fortified positions from their Japanese defenders. Employing landing craft, tanks, explosive charges and flame thrower, the Pacific Combat Living History programs explain and illustrate the equipment, weapons and tactics American Army and Marine and Imperial Japanese Army forces employed in the deadly struggles on islands like Tarawa, Peleliu, Saipan and Iwo Jima.

I know that most of you reading this aren't geographically close enough to visit the museum, but if you're ever down this way set aside a few hours. It's well worth the visit. And if you have a few extra bucks laying around (I know, I know, bad timing) please consider a donation. Or at least a purchase from the Museum Store. Some of the items are great for relieving stress...

Relieve the stress with a Stressball Grenade.  Made with soft foam, you can squish it over and over until you feel relaxed. Comes printed with the National Museum of the Pacific War logo in white on the side.

Or perhaps you prefer your stress relief come in a more liquid form.

Single shot glass featuring the image of The National Museum of the Pacific War.

In any event, please take a few moments today to give thanks for all those who served, not just in WWII but throughout our history. They deserve our remembrance.

And more. Much, much more...

So What Else Is New?

Is anyone really surprised by this?

President Obama met with a litany of liberal media personalities on Tuesday to push his tax cut message.

Spotted filing into the West Wing were Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Ed Schultz and Al Sharpton.

The meeting was not on the president's public schedule and White House officials initially declined to comment on the meeting. They later issued a statement to POLITICO:

"This afternoon at the White House, the President met with influential progressives to talk about the importance of preventing a tax increase on middle class families, strengthening our economy and adopting a balanced approach to deficit reduction,” spokesman Josh Earnest said.

The Obama administration conducts regular briefings of reporters from different media markets, but this did not immediately appear like such a briefing. According to White House visitor records, O'Donnell, for example, has not attended such briefings before.

(H/T to Jeff at A Nod to the Gods for the link)

Lest anyone think that this is an isolated incident -- in spite of the nonsensical disclaimer that "The Obama administration conducts regular briefings of reporters from different media markets" -- check out their record with regard to Fox News.

1)  The State Department called a media conference call the night before its employees testified on Capitol Hill and OMITTED FOX FROM THE CALL; (they claimed it was an accidental oversight);

2) About 2 weeks after the above State Department conference call to all in the media, the CIA had a media wide briefing and released their timeline.  The CIA invited major news organizations to the briefing but THE CIA EXCLUDED FOX FROM THOSE INVITED TO THE BRIEFING

3) and now the latest…. the DNI released a memo to the media last night indicating that DNI Director James Clapper was wrong last week when he said that (incidentally two plus months after the murders.) ... The DNI LEFT FOX NEWS CHANNEL OFF ITS DISTRIBUTION LIST last night when it released this new memo to the media.

This brings to mind the line from Goldfinger: "Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is enemy action."

What Do You Call A Box Of Ducks?

A box of quackers...

One of the (few) benefits of working out of town during the week is that I can watch whatever I want on TV without protests -- or worse, disgusted sighs and rolling eyes -- from my wife.

It's not just sports and action movies. She's pretty tolerant of those - more tolerant than I am of chick flicks. But where she draws the line is my weakness for reality shows. Not Dancing with the Stars or Real Housewives of Wherever. I can't stand those either. But I am hooked on Storage Wars and, most especially, Duck Dynasty.

And I'm in good company. No less an august authority than noted television critic Neil Genzlinger of the New York Times agrees with me.

“Duck Dynasty” follows the goings-on at Duck Commander, a family business in Louisiana that is built on duck calls...

...The result is a pretty entertaining show.

It's not just entertaining. It embraces a philosophy of life that I agree with.

As if that's not enough, there's an interesting backstory. For all you NFL fans that know who Terry Bradshaw is, take note.

So do yourself a favor. Grab an adult beverage or two and sit through just one Duck Dynasty episode. It's only a short 30 minutes out of your life. What have you got to lose?

Try it. You just might like it...

Leno Strikes Again

Just heard on the Jay Leno show:

"President Obama meet today with Native American tribal leaders attending the White House Tribal Nations Summit. They addressed him by his Indian name:

Running Deficit."

It is to laugh...

Another Turn Of the Wheel

It’s that time of the year again. Days are shorter, classes are longer, students are whinier, and Shiner consumption is greater.

Yes, the end of the semester approacheth. In fact, today was my last day of scheduled classes. All that remains is a couple of finals ... plus the grading apocalypse of papers and projects ... plus the inevitable begging ("But I really need to pass. Otherwise I lose my scholarship/internship/girlfriend/life.") ... plus a seemingly endless succession of committee meetings consisting of nonstop babbling, pointless arguing, absurd preening and posturing, and a total lack of accomplishment.

But one week from today I'm hopping in the truck and heading north for five plus weeks of family time, holiday parties, glorious inactivity, and ... oh yeah, did I mention Shiners?