You Have No Idea How It Pains Me

But the press and pundits on the right have put me in an untenable position.

They have labelled certain statements made by President Obama during the recent West Point commencement as being an insult to the military.

I don't know if they are jumping the gun or lying, but they are wrong.

And now I have to defend POTUS.

As Dr. Smith used to say "Oh the pain, the pain!"

Here’s my bottom line: America must always lead on the world stage. If we don’t, no one else will. The military that you have joined is, and always will be, the backbone of that leadership. But U.S. military action cannot be the only -- or even primary -- component of our leadership in every instance. Just because we have the best hammer does not mean that every problem is a nail.

That is no insult.  Far from it.  It is the assurance that every citizen, never mind politician should give our military.  We should all vow that we will not use the power of the U.S. Military unless absolutely necessary.

Now don't go off on a tangent here - "Bush did this...."  "Obama did that....".  We are talking about the commencement speech.

This highlights a problem I have with some on the right.  President Obama does eough stuff wrong without anyone having to make shit up.  And when they do make stuff up, it just draws away from the real problems.

I'm Still Here

I think of blogging every day.  I compose posts about stuff in the news....books I'm reading....plans.....I'm making..... people who aggravate me.......my gorgeous grandson.

But I don't make it very far.  I don't know why.

Right now I am sitting in Logan.  My 7:15pm flight was cancelled and the replacement flight has been delayed until midnight.  I made the most of it;  I grabbed Beachmont Roast Beef and headed to Kathy's to take up the time.  And getting here at this hour gave me the chance to buy a Sailor a cup of coffee.

And now I can just scroll through pics of Frank & Frank.

The Difference Between President Obama's Easter/Passover & Ramadan Addresses

So the President used his weekly address to speak to Christians about Easter and Jews about Passover.  It's a nice gesture, right?  You can go to WhiteHouse.gov and read the transcript.  But I will just point out the part that struck me as odd:

 The common thread of humanity that connects us all – not just Christians and Jews, but Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs – is our shared commitment to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. 

Umm, yeah, it's Easter.  It's Passover.  Why are Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs in this address?  So I thought, maybe the President likes to give everyone a shout out.  So I Google President Obama & Ramadan.  Here's the transcript aaannnnddddd no mention of anyone else.

So, not to sound selfish, but why is President Obama talking about Muslims on our Holy Day?  I'll say it.  It's an asshat move.

  

People Who Judge

Being labelled for the actions of a few or out of sheer ignorance always hurts.  No matter who you are.  It hurts more if you view your situation with pride.  And I am proud to be 3rd generation Charlestown on my mother's side and 2nd on my Dad's.  All my life I have had people judge me because I was from Charlestown.  Don't get me wrong, it's nothing compared to what other minority groups have endured.  And I have freely admitted that there was nothing easier than growing up Irish Catholic in Boston as a whole and Charlestown in specific.  I'm a big girl, I'm not gonna fall down in two inch squares over an ignorant comment.

But I am still gonna call you out on it!

There is a silly little quiz going around Facebook lately "What Boston Neighborhood are you?"

So this is the random tweet of some clown who took the quiz.

I got Charlestown...maybe without the townies and better parking http://t.co/cFbK27ruG5
— Margaret Szerlip (@sizzerlip) March 31, 2014

Really Margaret?  You think it's ok to just slam us?  If you got Roxbury would you say "...without the black people..."?  How about "...Chinatown without Asians..."?

Margaret you jackass, Charlestown is awesome BECAUSE of the Townies.  And by the way, use a capital "T" it's a proper pronoun.  And as far as the parking situation, that is entirely due to the influx of people from Newton and New Jersey, etc.

So stay classy in Newton.....or not, but definitely stay in Newton and out of Charlestown.

Remember, if you are looking for a Realtor in Newton, Massachusetts, pick anyone but Margaret Szerlip.

Justina Pelletier Case Hits Home With Me

When I was very young there was an incident in my family where a child was bothered at a teaching hospital while the parent sat by.  It wasn't really that big a deal.  The parent was a very good parent, just a little overwhelmed by the situation.  The other parent entered the room and called out the medical personnel almost immediately.

That story really had an effect on me.  Because of it, I am always on guard when interacting with the medical community.

First example, when Tommy was 2 or 3 we went to Florida for Christmas.  My late mother-in-law (who is dearly missed) lived on the west coast near Sarasota.  Christmas Eve Tommy was nauseous and listless.  We took him to the ER  Now full disclaimer, I am a wicked snob about Boston being the hub of the medical world and if you are down there in "God's Waiting Room", well......  So anyway, we are in an exam room and a very pleasant young man comes in and begins checking on Tommy.  Eyes, ears, heart, temperature.  He tells us that the rectal thermometer isn't reading correctly and excuses himself.  He comes back with another and tries again.  He's still not happy.  Now Tommy is sick and in a strange place and being prodded..... So when the nice young man says he has to get someone/something else to get this temp, I reply "Nope, you had two shots  at it, put your hand on his head and guess.  He feels bad enough already."  LOL!  My ex and this guy are flabbergasted!  So there was some conferencing with the other medical people and they told us he had an ear infection.  They gave us a script, which I threw away on the was out the door.  Tommy hadn't touched his ear once.  The next day Tommy was better and everyone else was sick.  It was a 24 hour stomach bug.  The script would have been useless.  But even if it had been an ear infection, there is still no reason to treat a sick baby that way.  And I didn't care if people in this hospital thought I was rude or abrupt.

Second example, Tommy again.  Now he 3 1/2 and his cardiologist was ready to correct Tommy's PDA.  Patent Ductus Arteriosis is a condition where a small neonate blood vessel doesn't close at birth.  Everyone has the ductus arteriosis while in the womb, but in most people it closes.  So when it doesn't close on it's own, it must be surgically closed.  If there is no shortness of breath and the baby gains weight normally, they wait for the baby to gain enough weight/hit a certain age.  So Tommy had no other symptoms and they had been doing this surgery since the '40s and never lost anyone.  But that didn't matter too me.  I read everything they gave me.  This was 1985 - no internet.  But there was one thing that I did know about; AIDS.  1985 was when they started screening the nation's blood supply.  So I told them that we would be donating the blood for Tommy's operation.  They tried to dismiss me but I held fast.  Some people thought I was overreacting.  But I stuck to my guns and made them screen us and take our blood.  I KNOW they thought I was a pain in the ass.  When we took Tommy in for his one year post-op visit, the doctor told me that I was ahead of the curve and everyone was donating their own blood.  That the whole pre-op process was changed.

What's my point?  I was pushy, bossy, aggressive and I'm sure some found me abrasive.  In other words, no different than the Pelletiers.  I was aggressive when advocating for my child.  Reading their story is like finding out you have no brakes after you safely glide to a stop.  I look back and realize the very same thing could have happened to me.  As a matter of fact, according to the December 15th article on the case;

Dr. Eli Newberger, a pediatrician who founded the child protection team at Children’s in 1970 and ran it for three decades, cautions that “doctors in this new specialty have enormous and really unchecked power.”

As an expert witness in cases around the country, Newberger said he’s seen a tendency for state child-welfare agencies to be “overly credulous to hospitals” and for some child protection teams to show a “reflexive willingness to label and to punish,” especially educated mothers who are perceived as being too pushy.

Sounds like me.  There but for the grace of God.....

The Annual Updating Of The Blogger Profile

Today, the vernal equinox, I hit the update button to note my move from 52 to 53.  Time I am grateful to have.

And I noted the addition in my life of the handsomest grandson evah!

Why Mireille Miller-Young & The Left Should Be Ashamed

UPDATE*****Mirielle Miller-Youmg is being charged for her assault on pro-life protester.  I am happy*****
A few days ago an anti abortion group set up in the designated free speech zone at University of California Santa Barbara.  They had literature to pass out and some poster with graphic photos of aborted fetuses.  Their First Amendment rights were violated.

Mirielle Miller-Young, an associate professor of feminist studies, stole one of the posters and gave it to some students who verbally harassed two of the protesters.  The protesters followed calling for the poster to be given back, asserting their 1st Amendment rights to speak and were met with such smug ignorance that I am shaking my head.

Can you imagine such uncouth and self righteous behavior being tolerated if this had been a pro-choice poster?  Of course not.

There is no issue that allows the speaker to be touched.  Period.

The two protesters were sisters Thrin & Joan Short.  And considering that they were set upon by a grown woman, an associate professor no less, I find them very brave.

Thrin & Joan Short called out that their poster was taken and being carried away.  Those helping Professor Miller-Young (who grins maddeningly throughout) tell the girls that Miller-Young can do this because she is a professor and besides the Short girls are not students, they "don't pay money to go here".

Perhaps these students should spend a little more time in a government class than in "feminist studies" class.  And what does one do with a degree in "feminist studies" besides teach the same nonsense at other schools?  What is the practical application?

It doesn't matter if Miller-Young is an associate professor, a full tenured professor, an administrator, a janitor or a student; she had no right to touch the poster, direct anyone to carry away the poster or, most of all, touch Thrin Short.

Assault charges should be filed.  As well as petty larceny and destruction of private property.  The police showed up and found the poster destroyed.

Now for the part I find bitterly amusing.  The thing people are quibbling about.  The thing this professor and her students seem to find justification in.  The red herring.

The graphic images on the posters.  What rank hypocrisy.  The poster shows the reality of an abortion.  It educates you about what a fetus really is and what an aborted fetus really looks like.

Now to those who would say that it's just for shock value and not education, let me ask you this -

What about the anti-smoking campaigns that show people who have trachs?  Or are horribly disfigured?  That's supposedly ok.  It's very graphic but it's meant to educate on the dangers of smoking cigarettes.

What about the "Faces of Meth" campaign that shows people's booking photos to illustrate the ravages of meth-amphetamine abuse?  They are graphic, but they are meant to educate.

What about the people who want you to stop buying from puppy mills or eating veal?  They show us poor animals in horrible, stomach churning conditions.

There are people out there every day demanding that little elementary school student receive sex education and information on sexual orientation.  Many before their parents want them to know about sex in such detail.  But those parents concerns are pushed aside in the crusade to educate.

And what about the pro-choice protesters who never miss a chance to wave a bloody coat hanger at their rallies?  That's pretty graphic.  And the pro-choice people who brought used tampons and sanitary napkins to the Texas legislature to throw at those opposing that ridiculous Wendy Davis.  Even if it was some other substance to make the tampons just look used (ketchup?), still gross.

But apparently when it comes to abortion, no education is necessary.  People, that's how we end up with such fiends as Kermit Gosnell (no, I will not call him Doctor).  Many of Gosnell's victims had no idea what the procedure would do to them and how they'd feel afterwards.

And before you dismiss me as "Republican" and "Catholic" and "conservative"; on abortion I am libertarian.  You want one, have one.  But don't involve me.  I would never, it's my personal choice.

Just don't ask me to drink the Kool-Aid when certain people cry for education on all these things and often times in very graphic terms.....but not for abortion.

Please Support Ranger Up & Their Veteran Entrepreneurship Program!

From their press release:

Ranger Up, the fast growing North Carolina-based apparel company owned by veterans of the United States Army Rangers and Special Forces, today launched a crowdfunding effort on indiegogo.com: to support their successful Veteran Entrepreneurship program which provides business training and seed investment to returning veterans interested in entrepreneurship.

Recently recognized by Internet Retailer as one of the Hot 100 e-commerce firms in the United States, Ranger Up was started in an apartment just seven years ago by a duo of veterans intent on providing the military community with its own brand. Now with a Facebook following of over 250,000 and millions in annual revenue, Ranger Up is equally focused on paying forward their success by working with and investing in the business ventures of other veterans.

“Engaging veterans in entrepreneurship is good for society. Small business is the driving force behind our economy and veterans succeed at it more than anyone,” said Ranger Up Founder and CEO Nick Palmisciano. “They come from a world where failure isn’t an option; they are used to having a mission they have to complete.”

Palmiciano and Ranger Up COO Tom Amenta have had their confidence in veteran entrepreneurial skills affirmed watching inaugural Veteran Entrepreneurship Jon Walsh successfully launch a Mixed Martial Arts training gym with the mentorship and investment capital of Ranger Up. Walsh, a former Force Recon Marine and a Navy Cross recipient is now the proud owner of Five Rings MMA, a fast-growing mixed martial arts gym in the greater Camp Lejeune area.

While Ranger Up loves the program and is inspired to continue it, hopefully at a larger level, Palmisciano admits the program has a cost – in the case of Walsh, over $100,000. 

“We have so much knowledge to share, but at our revenue size, the program isn’t sustainable on an annual basis.  We’re left with a choice: do it every two years or look to our community for support.  So we’re asking for help.”

In order for the Veteran Entrepreneurship program to expand and continue without hindering Ranger Up’s growing business, Palmisciano and Amenta are turning to both the public and its loyal customer base to support the next addition to the program. Costs of full-time employment for the selected veteran during business training and the additional seed capital that will launch the new company are expected to exceed $100,000 once again. 

A five-minute video featuring Palmisciano and Walsh explaining the program has been posted indiegogo.com: where supporters from around the world will have the opportunity to contribute to making another year of the Veteran Entrepreneurship program a reality.

“I had 100% drive and zero percent direction,” said Walsh of himself once he left active duty military service and began thinking about starting his own company. “Ranger Up took me start to finish and taught me how to run a business successfully -- from bookkeeping to operations.” 

Ranger Up is based in Durham, N.C., where a team of mostly veterans oversee every aspect of one of the fasting growing apparel companies in America. Palmisciano and Amenta share ownership in Ranger Up with decorated UFC fighter Tim Kennedy, who also served as a Special Forces Army Ranger. For two consecutive years Ranger Up has ranked within the Top 1000 e-commerce sites on the internet. For more information on Ranger Up, patriotism, and veteran entrepreneurship, visit RangerUp.com.

Don't Be So Quick To Praise

*************
UPDATE: Ms. Frank has posted a reply to this post on her FaceBook page.  I have put a screen shot at the bottom of the post.  Apparently she purchased & resold stolen goods because *I* am old & divorced!  LOL!  I kid you not!
**************************
Yahoo is highlighting lovey-dovey stories on their front page in honor of Valentine's Day.

One in particular is about a New Jersey photographer, Kristen Frank.  Ms. Frank is in possession of wedding photos and she is purportedly looking to find the bride in the pics.  Yahoo is assisting in her efforts to use social media to accomplish her goal.  Here's a link to the story,

Woman searches for couple in decade old wedding photos she discovered

In the story there is a link to Ms. Frank's business page on FaceBook.  I followed the link to see if she had found the bride.  Imagine my surprise when I saw this exchange!

• 

  Eddie Brinkley Kristen ! $5 bucks for a 220 Hasselblad back ?. Gee I remember what the 220 backs for my RB 67 use to cost.Good luck on your search.

  Like · Reply · 2 · 14 hours ago
• 

  Kristen Frank Photography Hahaha Eddie! And u better believe I knew just what I was doing! Lol! I sold that puppy on EBAY for $200! I really had no use for it.

  Like · 1 · 14 hours ago
• 

  Jessica Robbins It's too bad that you sold the camera because when you find the couple they probably could have given you the name of the photographer & I'm sure that he or she would have LOVED getting their camera back.

  Unlike · 5 · 6 hours ago
• View more replies

So, before you buy her  “I just died. I was like, ‘This is horrible that somebody is not going to get to see their pictures of their grandmother and of them walking down the aisle during the ceremony,”....  Remember this - Kristen Frank purchased stolen property; made no effort to find the rightful owner; bragged on her FB page that she knew exactly what she was doing; made a huge profit on the stolen property and now has received tons of free publicity from Yahoo.

Ms. Frank is accepting praise on her FaceBook page for reuniting the family and the photos.  When in reality, they likely would have been returned much sooner had Ms. Frank turned her $5 purchase into the police.  The camera was reported stolen.  Instead, she made her profit and now ten years later reaped another reward.

Yeah, my heart is not so warm.
***********************************
Here is Kristen Frank's reply -

Kristen Frank Photography Hello "BOSTONMAGGIE". I would love to hear what YOU would have done in this situation. 
Maybe you are not familiar with how NYC police do their jobs, but I am. There is no way they would have found these people at that time,10yrs ago, as there was no such thing as "social media", nor would they have cared as much as I did for they had to many murders, rapes and other crimes to investigate. I held onto that camera back for a whole year and I had NO IDEA it was stolen, because, as the article reports if you had paid attention to what you were reading, the woman told me she found it on the subway train! After deciding what to do with it and having had zero leads, finally, I made the decision to sell it. A choice I do not feel one ounce of regret for making. That money helped me pay my rent that month because I was only making a measly $8.50 an hour at that photo lab. I was almost homeless back in 2004 when I lived in Queens, NY. I had absolutely NO IDEA I would ever find the couple. NEVER did I expect any compensation, or financial gain by doing what I did. I AM a professional photographer. I would lose my credibility as an honest business person!! Maybe no one has ever done anything nice for you out of the goodness of their heart. Maybe you could never see yourself doing the same for anyone else. Maybe you are jealous, just want to steal the spotlight from a good Samaritan, and are just trying to drive more traffic to your lame blog that no one has even heard of. I don't know. 
Next time GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT before you judge someone on doing a good deed. You should be ashamed of yourself. A woman of your age should know better. You are no better than the trash you write. I'm not surprised by your cynicism , there are always going to be a few haters. Bitter, old divorcees who have been beaten down by life. God bless you with a chance to stop your bitchy ways.

Like · 

Dear Massachusetts Voters

Just some facts for you -

Massachusetts State Rep.Carlos Henriqez, D-Dorchester was convicted on two counts of assault against his ex-girlfriend.  Rep Henriquez is currently serving six months in Billerica HoC.

He has been asked to resign by many of his fellow Democrats, including Gov. Deval Patrick.  But he declined.  So the Legislature was forced to call for a vote on expelling him.

Today Rep Henriquez came before the Massachusetts State Legislature in shackles to plead his case.  During the discussion, State Rep Russell E. Holmes, D-Boston brought forth an amendment to only censure, not expel the Honorable Mr. Henriquez (it's weird to use that word for a man who beat and terrorized his ex-girlfriend as he drove her around, but it is proper for his position).  Ten representatives voted for the censure only option, but it was otherwise soundly defeated.

At the end of the day, 146 representatives voted to expel and some abstained, but five voted not to expel.

Who voted NOT to expel?

State Rep Russell Holmes D-Boston

State Rep Benjamin Swan D-Springfield

State Rep Carl Sciortino, D-Medford

These three are bad enough, but the next two are women.  Really?  Disgusting.

State Rep Gloria Fox D-Roxbury

State Rep Denise Provost D-Somerville

Oh, and can you see any pattern/commonality among these five?

Why North Korea Is The Way It Is.....

....here's a hint - It's not what this guy thinks.

So this morning on my FaceBook feed there was a link to "North Korea is not changing with the times Only getting worse and for what you ask?" by "An Average American Patriot".

I was reading it and thinking "Uh huh. Uh huh." as the author laid out all the frightening  things about the threat.  Because it is a very troublesome to me.  But then halfway down I read "Remember we were talking about a story line that was front and center because of President Bush's Bullying and war mongering."  I'm sorry?  What?  Does the author realize that "W" has retired to Texas to be a grandfather?  Except when he is painting buildings in Africa?  Yeah,  and Kim Jong-Un didn't even come into power until "W" had been gone for years?

That's when I realize that I have been rick-rolled into reading another post from a jamoke who believes if only America would behave..... fill in the blank with your concern.....would be solved.

No, the instability in North Korea is not because of joint American/South Korean military exercises.  And even responding to North Korea's temper tantrum makes about as much sense as responding to a two year old's temper tantrum.  North Korea knows damn well that these exercises/war games pose no threat to them.  They've been going on for years and they go on in other parts of the world.

Mind you, we already have scaled back "Key Resolve" and that's bad enough.

And even if I did want to sip a Coke and sing "America the Beautiful" in some obscure language and indulge Kim Jong-Un.......do you really think Kim is going to say "Thanks" and start planting wildflowers by the side of the road?

Do you really want to live in a "Twilight Zone" episode where Billy Mumy decides what you can do?

The author also makes the assertion that China could fix north Korea but can't be bothered.  Au contraire mon frere!  China cares.  Deeply.  Because when North Korea does collapse or do the unthinkable and attack South Korea, China knows where all those refugees are headed.  Oh they care.

But all is not hopeless Dear Reader!  North Korea is allowing family reunion visits later this month.  And some North Koreans are employed by South Korean companies near the DMZ.  And most hopeful of all, North Koreans love their children just like parents around the world.  When those South Korean companies give their employees snacks, the North Korean workers sneak them home to their children.  Humans, they're not so bad.

Blind Outrage

I don't get it.

Now don't get me wrong, I can get pretty steamed at things.  My Marine calls me the "Queen of Outrage".  But  it's not because I want to be outraged.  It's not as though you can't reason with me......most of the time.

But out here in the blogosphere and on FaceBook, I keep running across people who want to be outraged.  They will find a story somewhere and post it; then they and all their friends get all riled up.  So far, I'm with them.  You read the sensationalized headline and rip apart the human failings of those involved.

But then someone, like me, spoils all that fun by actually reading the story and pointing out facts.  Now like my friend Stella says, the back and forth between people of different political views; backgrounds; upbringing; religion, etc., makes for interesting discourse.  And that's all good.  But it's disheartening when someone on one side or the other just wants to hold onto their outrage.

For example -  "Church closes food bank because it attracts poor people"  Now I can't give you a link to the actual story from the Ottowa Citizen because the story doesn't appear in their archives.  However, most people agree it was an actual story because a follow up story can be sourced from the archives of Canada's CBC.

But then you read the story and the only one using the words "poor people" is the author.  The people in both stories talk about how some (not all) of the clients of the food bank caused problems.  The pastor said that there were "safety concerns".  But internet critics didn't want to acknowledge that was possible.  They wanted to hang onto their bitter contempt of the church leadership.  They made sneering comments about Jesus and how disappointed he'd be with this church.  They accused me of having disdain for poor people because I pointed out that sometimes, along with the working poor, your food bank attracts drug addicts and people with psych problems.  The church also has a duty to protect vulnerable parishioners from the bad element.  Because I dared to defend the church I was labelled as "delusional".  I was told my only charitable activities were "dropping off your designer clothes at some drive to support the arts".

I pointed out that attacking me didn't negate the facts.  But I realize, they just wanted to be angry.  That if the facts beyond the headline didn't support their narrative, they would just attack anyone pointing out those facts.  They chose blind outrage over reasoned thought.

It's not the first time.  A short while ago I wrote about legislation being proposed in Virginia that would keep a pervert on the sex offender registry and keep other sexually deviant persons in custody.  But a militant element of the gay community was fighting it..  The words "sodomy" and "Republican" appearing together in one article can only mean one thing to these people, homophobia.  Facts be damned, if a Republican is legislating anything with the word "sodomy" it's an attack on gay rights.  Even if it isn't.

So  despite the best intention of people like Stella, discussion between opposing viewpoints isn't always possible.  Some people just don't want to have the discussion.  They only want to be outraged.

January 14, 1964

Fifty years ago today.

Jacqueline Kennedy thanks the nation for condolence letters.

In the aftermath of the assassination of President Kennedy, people from all over the world wrote to Mrs. Kennedy and her children expressing sympathy and respect. On January 14, 1964, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy appeared on television with Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Senator Edward M. Kennedy to thank the nation for the condolence letters she and her children received, and to let the public know that their letters would reside at President Kennedy's presidential library.

Follow this link to watch the video at the JFK Library website.

Dear Militant Gays,

....when you hear the word "sodomy" it doesn't always mean we are talking about you.

Why I dislike "headline readers" part 2,734.

Mad Mike posts

"GOP State Senator Wants Emergency Bill to Make Anal and Oral Sex a Felony"

Garrett is attempting to resurrect Virginia’s “crimes against nature” statute. Cuccinelli, as Virginia’s AG, tried to convince the U.S. Supreme Court that the law was both necessary or constitutional. He failed.

Of course, the goal behind the bill is to make sex between two people of the same gender more consequential. The bill does not make penile-vaginal sex between minors a felony, because that’s not a “crime against nature.”

OK, really?  Well if that's the case I'm mad.  Lawrence v Texas took care of this years ago.  People need to give this up.  You know all I ask is that you shut the fucking door!  When I want to watch someone make out, I will pop in a DVD and watch John Wayne kiss Lana Turner and then smoke a cigarett..  I don't want you doing it in public or in a parade or at Chick-fil-A.  Smoke what you want.  Drink what you want.  Kiss, lick, suck who you want.  Just be two or more consenting adults and shut the door.

Once the door is shut, it's no one else's business.  Period.

So if Garrett or Cuccinelli are trying to criminalize adult behavior between two consenting adults of any persuasion, I don't want to hear it.

However, I don't just "share" or "like" stuff on FB that I don't check.  So I check.

Turns out this has NOTHING to do with gay people.  Some creep named William Scott McDonald at age 47 was creeping on a 17 year old girl.  McDonald forced, coerced, whatever, oral copulation.  McDoanld was tried and convicted, in part under the Virginia Unnatural Acts law.  Now McDonald is appealing his case on the grounds that Lawrence v Texas nullified the sodomy law in Virginia.  Which it did, for two consenting adults.  Not for you, ya diddler!  So Cuccinelli and Garrett are trying "clarify" this statute to say it's not about two consenting adults, it's not even about two consenting teens.  It's about sodomy between pervs and underage persons.

Oh but gay rights activists are howling about Garrett and Cuccinelli.  It's all a big trojan horse so they can go after gays.  Seriously?  Do you nitwits actually believe that somehow they got this creep McDonald to file an appeal, so they could fight it, just to sneak in laws that hurt gay people????  Who told you this?  The Smoking Man?

Get a grip.  The only thing this case is about is punishing diddlers as much as humanly possible.  They can't lock them away in a dank, dark place until the 12th of never.  So they use whatever tools are at their disposal.  Let them.

RIP Corporal Farrell Gilliam, USMC

Reposted from The Boys of The 3/5, with permission.

Corporal Farrell Gilliam, USMC.

On January 5, 2011, our 25 year old Farrell stepped on an IED while on a dismounted patrol with his unit, (3/5 Marines, Lima Co.) in the Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He suffered many catastrophic injuries, including the amputation of both legs above the knee and several open fractures of his right arm including a 6 inch segment that is missing bone and tissue. His worst injury however was to the right side of his chest and abdomen, which took the full impact of the explosion, and left him completely eviscerated as a result of the blast.

With the help of Hospital Corpsman HM3 Brown, HM3 Gojar, Cpl Griff, and Lcpl Gutierrez, lifesaving measures were immediately undertaken to stop his bleeding in the field. He fought for his life in the back of the Marine transport truck which raced him back to camp. He fought for his life as he was Medi-Vac'd from base camp to a hospital in Kandahar where he underwent 9 hours of damage control surgery. He fought for his life as he was medi-vac'd again to Bagram Hospital in Afghanistan, where he underwent further damage control surgery. He fought for his life as he was flown to Landsthul Germany, where he underwent further surgery and again as he was flown to the US, arriving state side, on Janury 9, 2011 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda Maryland (outside Washington DC), with trips to the OR continuing every other day since then. But Farrell is a fighter! The Doctors have said that to survive an abdominal wound like his is one in ten million - they rarely see them because nobody ever survives them.

We are sad to say that earlier this week Farrell succumbed to further injuries from which he did not recover. We pray for the family and ask for God's peace. We also pray for the brothers and sisters left behind. You know who you are!! Pick up the sword - be the heart, be the love and be the voice. As long as you stick together and remain as one nothing can beat you! You will make a difference!!

Semper Fi,
The Boys of 3/5

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 LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE TO FARRELL GILLIAMS FAMILY - 

For anyone who is interested in sending a private letter or card of condolence, peace and well wishes. Please mail them to the following address and we will make sure they get to the family. Semper Fi!

The Farrell Gilliam Family
c/o The Honor Group 
3555 Taylor Road, Suite C
Loomis, Ca. 95650

Happy New Year!

2013 had it's ups and downs.  But I will forever be grateful because this is the year my beautiful grandson Frankie came into my life.

And 2014 with Frankie and my family and friends can only get better!  

USS Constitution Army Navy Spirit Video

Mandela

Back in the day, before social media, people like me pushed our issues by writing "Letters to the Editor" and sending "The Hell with Shell" messages with our pagers, lol!  We bought Little Steven's "SunCity".

I clearly remember getting up at some crazy hour (you know how I love my sleep) so that I could be in front of the TV to watch Nelson Mandela walk out of Victor Verster prison.  And feeling the great and historical significance of the moment right there on my couch in the US.  I had my cup of tea and my afghan on that cold February morning.....before DVRs and On Demand, lol!  Totally worth it.  An amazing man and an amazing life.

Years later I recall being further amazed by South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission which Mandela established.  That sort of forgiveness is beyond my ken.

I was agog at the presentation of former LTCol Hentie Botha, Former, South African police.  He was sitting on the panel at the 2006 EPIIC, "The Politics of Fear", calmly discussing the abuses he had visited on South African blacks.  Botha explained the policies that called for these atrocities and his compliance with that system.  No shame.  I looked around expecting some visible sign of outrage.  But Mr. Botha had been through the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.  So all is forgiven.

Intellectually, I get it.  In my heart I don't.  But fortunately for the world.....Mandela got it, and believed in it and gave such forgiveness to the world.  I say sincerely, Mandela was a man will not see the like of again.

The Reason I Blog

So you don't miss stories like this.

From the blog "I Drive Warships" this heartbreaking & heartwarming post "A Sailor's Dying Wish".

After signing my Pop, EM2 Bud Cloud (circa Pearl Harbor) up for hospice care, the consolation prize I’d given him (for agreeing it was OK to die) was a trip to “visit the Navy in San Diego.”

I emailed my friend and former Marine sergeant, Mrs. Mandy McCammon, who’s currently serving as a Navy Public Affairs Officer, at midnight on 28 May. I asked Mandy if she had enough pull on any of the bases in San Diego to get me access for the day so I could give Bud, who served on USS Dewey (DD-349), a windshield tour.

The next day she sent me an email from the current USS Dewey (DDG 105)’s XO, CDR Mikael Rockstad, inviting us down to the ship two days later.

Go and read the rest.!  You will be moved and proud.  Bravo Zulu to all involved.

h/t Mr. Wolf

I Thought This Clown Was Supposed To Be A Constitutional Scholar?

Last month, some GOP Congresspeople tried to get up support to amend the ACA, aka #ObamaCare.  Most notable were Senators Ted Cruz & Mike Lee.  The President, Harry Reid, and the rest of the Democratic Party said, "No, it's the law.  And furthermore, we won't even discuss it.  Period."

The government shuts down and in an incredibly shameful move, the Administration makes the shutdown as ugly and painful as possible.  They spend time and taxpayer money on scumbag moves like closing down the WWII Memorial.

Incredibly, the Administration and the Main Stream Media blamed Cruz, Lee, Republicans and the Tea Party!  Seriously?  Anyway, the #ACA is law deal with it.

Fast forward a few weeks - the Healthcare.gov website doesn't work.  Why?  It isn't ready, insufficient testing.  Why did you open it?  Sibelius says "We had to, the law said so." Buzz!  That's a lie, the ACA law says the Secretary (Sibelius) can open it any time they wish.  But deal with it, it's the law.

Fast forward another few days - Numbers start coming out.  Few can sign up.  Rates and policies don't appeal to anyone except those getting Medicaid.  Democrats & MSM explain this is because Republicans want the #ACA to fail.  Ummm, what?  Well anyway, the #ACA is law, deal with it.

Then the individual market cancellations started coming in.  I'm sure this is also the fault of Republicans somehow.  Anyway, it's the law, deal with it.

And today,
"Insurers can extend current plans that otherwise would have been canceled in 2014," Obama said.

Ahhh, the President does not have that power.  The Executive Branch does not just call out changes to law.  I thought Obama was the smartest man ever to be President?  Not only would it not be possible for him to make such a change to the law, it can't happen no matter how hard he wishes.  So what was this?  Smoke & mirrors.  President Obama just wants you to redirect you frustrations America.  Don't fall for it.