One of Princess Crabby's favorite Sailors (is that redundant?) was the first one on the ground Monday in Burma! I love Admiral Keating! Way to go, baby!
Today's Blogger's Roundtable featured Capt. Trevor Hall, USAF. Capt. Hall piloted the first American C-130 to land in Burma on Monday the 12th. They flew out of Thailand we they happened to be in relation to Cobra Gold. They had wrapped up their troop transport of the Marines involved in the exercise and would have been headed back to Tokyo. Then fate intervened in the form of Cyclone Nargis, so Capt. Hall and his men were told to standby in Thailand.
The C-130 was loaded with bottled water, mosquito nets and blankets. On board, besides Tim, were USAID people. They were on the ground for about two hours, during which the supplies were off loaded by the Burmese military. Capt. Hall remarked on how graciously they were recieved and how happy the Burmese military was to see them. He said not everyone was in uniform per se, but those who weren't in uniform were wearing T-shirts that indicated they were in the service. He mentioned that there was pictures taking and effort was made to convey gratitude and hope that more aid would be forthcoming.
I was listening to NPR Morning edition while I was half asleep in bed and came fully awake when the mentioned "A four star Admiral being in Burma". I sat up and thought "That's SouthieBoy's friend Tim!". So I wasn't surprised to hear him mentioned by Capt. Hall and would have asked if he hadn't brought it up.
Capt. Hall told us that Admiral Keating was met by the head of Burma's navy, Rear Adm. Soe Thein and they went to discuss future aid for the two hours they were on the ground. This is going to be even more urgent in light of news today that another cyclone is expected to form in the next 24 hours and sweep across the same areas that are already devastated.
Capt. Hall also sent along a few pics which Jack forwarded to us.
I will post more later............my paying job calls.
2 comments:
Hi Boston Maggie. Thanks for stopping by our liberal blog. OK, I knew you were a Republican from your comments about Wal*Mart. Although this is off the subject from your post, I just wanted to drop by and call your attention to the fact that Wal*Mart used to tell employees to sign up for state health programs so they wouldn't have to pay insurance and residents end up paying higher taxes.
Further, the corporation caused great environmental damage from all their building, and their quest for cheap labor caused significant job loss in the blue collar sector. I'll be glad to supply facts. Wal*Mart paid for Debbie Shank's medical costs, then wanted to take the money back. I'm not sure of the specific contract, but I do not believe a corporation should weasel out of their commitment to their employees for medical insurance. Ultimately, Shank's money would have come from the taxpayers. I don't think additional taxes is a Republican position. If I'm wrong, please let me know.
I am intrigued with your profile. I lived in New England for two years and deeply love Boston, which I consider the best city on the East Coast. (A Republican? In Boston? Hmmmmm...?) You and I are both Brian Lamb fans. I look forward to Friday mornings on CSPAN when I can wake up early for The Washington Journal.
Please visit our blog for agressive and smart. I would genuinely welcome a civil dialogue between us sharing our differing views. I am a die-hard liberal, as you probably guessed. Your perspective would certainly liven up our discussions.
Thanks very much for coming by. I sincerely mean that. No, I don't agree with your assessment about Wal*Mart. I think that's called dissent, one of the most patriotic of all American values.
I like blogs, conservative ones, liberal ones, nonsense ones (like mine), as long as the discourse is pleasant.
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My comments about about Walmart do not reflect my political views. I said nothing about their environmental policies or the effect they have on the local economies where they pop up. My point was people's anger here was misplaced.
Also, you do understand that the courts found in Walmart's favor, don't you? They were legally correct. Everyone gets upset because they see Walmart as having deep pockets, but that money came out of a pool that is for all the employees enrolled in the health plan. So because you feel bad for Mrs. Shanks, the pool of money should be less? What happens when the next sad story comes along? And the next?
Are you aware that when the lawsuit was filed those bills (the ones that Walmart's healthcare plan paid) were brought in as evidence? Her attorney Maurice Graham put those bills and calculations of her future earnings and the loss to her husband on the table and said "Here is our loss. Make us whole." And the Shank's attorney and the trucking company's insurance company reached a settlement. Now the healthcare bills that Walmart's plan paid, have been paid again. I understand that the Shank's didn't know what subrogation was - but her attorney did.
A smart attorney would have factored that information in. He didn't. A smart attorney would have consulted someone to assist in managing that money so that it couldn't be touched and the Shank's would have been isolated from lawsuits. He didn't
My point is not that Walmart is good or bad or indifferent. You say that you do not agree with my assessment of Walmart....but I haven't made one. My point is you should be angry with Maurice Graham, the attorney.
Like Walmart or hate them, the fact of the matter is, in this specific case the only mistake they made was to let the beancounters handle this without checking with PR. This was a PR nightmare for them and could have been avoided. However, on principle they were and remain correct. I suppose, that's my Republican side showing itself. I see past Mrs. Shank's sad plight and take in the big picture.
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OK, next, lol. I am from Boston, I was born here and have never been anywhere else for more than 10 days at a stretch and that's not often. I am a Republican and so are my father and my sisters. My mother is a Democrat. My brother.......I don't know.
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