MOOTW

Todays lesson boys and girls, is Military Operations other than War. While everyone wants to scream about the big bad US of A and their overwhelming and threatening military power......who else can show up at your cyclone and do this?071123-M-7696M-044 BARISAL, Bangladesh (Nov. 23, 2007) A Bangladeshi soldier celebrates the arrival of bottled water delivered by Marines of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 261, the aviation element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). This mission marked the first U.S. military aid arriving in Bangladesh. The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and the 22nd MEU are supporting relief operations at the request of the government of Bangladesh. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Peter R. Miller (Released)
071123-M-7696M-062 BARISAL, Bangladesh (Nov. 23, 2007) Bangladeshi soldiers unload a shipment of bottled water delivered by Marines of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 261, the aviation element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). This mission marked the first U.S. military aid arriving in Bangladesh. The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and the 22nd MEU are supporting relief operations at the request of the government of Bangladesh. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Peter R. Miller (Released)

071123-M-7696M-096 BARISAL, Bangladesh (Nov. 23, 2007) Bangladeshi soldiers use a stretcher to unload a shipment of bottled water delivered by Marines of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 261, the aviation element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). This mission marked the first U.S. military aid arriving in Bangladesh. The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and the 22nd MEU are supporting relief operations at the request of the government of Bangladesh. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Peter R. Miller (Released)
Bravo Zulu USS Kearsarge!

Admiral Keating is "perplexed and concerned"

So am I baby! I checked with SB and his answer was, "If he is...I am." What has the Admiral "perplexed and concerned"?

This.

I read the AP story and then poked around. I found Springboarder on top of it and bringing together some other threads.

Then I sent an email out to my favorite Sailors and got a lead to these views, here, here and here.

So far, my favorite comment was at the secret squirrel site.

No Hong Kong for you! You come back one year!

Congratulations!

To Anthony & Dana & the lovely Gianna!

Jen Called

I explained my difficulties. She listened patiently until I got to the part about her stupid friend in the desert and she said "Hey!" Whatever, they are BFF.....good for them.

Then she added onto the weight of my burdens.

"You thought you were going to stay on? What's wrong with you? You know Diane is making desserts too. That was just stupid. Get over it."

I had been blocking this, but my sister-in-law makes all these little desserts.....peanut butter squares, fudge, rasberry squares, stuff like that. She cuts them up and puts them in little cupcake wrappers piled high on a platter. Evil.

So now I am going to go to the gym and do a pre-emptive strike on the damage I will do tomorrow.

Then I have to go to Stop&Shop and buy the little paper things you put on the turkey legs. That was my Dad's only instruction this year. Hope it's not as traumatic as the search for lemons last Christmas.....or was that Easter?

So........I Might As Well Explain Chutney Now

I don't know how I got this job, but on holidays I am the one who makes cranberry chutney. I cut the oranges in half and scallop the edges to serve it in. Back in the day I was very "Martha Stewart". I was a real foodie. So I have been debating this. It would be the one sugary thing that would tempt me tomorrow. I could pass on all the other sweet things (pumpkin pie, regular cranberry sauce) and just indulge in a few extra carbs (stuffing, potatoes). Maybe even hit the gym later.

Well considering what Grace is doing to me.....might as well make the effing chutney.

Another Country Heard From

Literally.

SB pops up in IM and I am ranting about Grace

SB says:
hey
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
Hi!
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
My sister Grace just made me crazy and I am blogging about it
SB says:
going to Ctown for Tday?
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
How was the gym, I didn't go
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
but of course
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
dinner at 1300
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
so I will not be online
SB says:
it was fine. still have congestion in my chest so got winded pretty quickly
SB says:
why did Grace make you crazy?
SB says:
shall I go look at the blog?
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
I have been a good girl on Atkins lately and I have been having a little internal debate about Thanksgiving. Nothing would really tempt me if I didn't make chutney. I had just about decided to not make chutney
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
no it's not up yet
SB says:
seems to me I caused a problem with your chutney once
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
then Grace called and reminded me that the desserts that my parents and Jen and I bought as part of Genevieve's school fundraiser
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
lol you did
SB says:
have not looked at the blog in days
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
anyway all the desserts will be there tomorrow
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
argh!
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
normally they have apple and pumpkin pie unless I make something else
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
I can resist those....easily
SB says:
so what's the problem?
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
but this is chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
SB says:
oh
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
all Gen's stuff is the problem
SB says:
have some willpower
SB says:
just walk away
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
what the eff are you talking about?
SB says:
walkin away from chocolate
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
who
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
are
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
you
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
talking
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
to
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
?
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
lol
SB says:
i've only had dessert 3x since i've been here
SB says:
and it is plenty tempting
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
no suh
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
you don't feel that way about dessert
SB says:
but then again i expect to get my 5k time down to 30 flat
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
how about we substitute your favorite beer for dessert?
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
shut up
SB says:
bm
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
you do not have the proper amount of sympathy for my plight
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
thank goodness for the blog
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
there are people out there who will feel my pain
SB says:
when have I ever had any sympathy?
SB says:
and why would i start now?
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
kiss my royal irish ass sailor
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
you used to be really nice and complimentary when you were trying to woo me
SB says:
you always blame your sisters for everything
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
stomp....stomp
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
don't take their side
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
you bastid
SB says:
I bet Grace is as nice as Jen
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
why do I put up with you
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
not only are you not being nice
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
you are being deliberately provocative
SB says:
when have i ever been deliberately provocative?
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
I need to find a new man
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
someone who will be nice
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
someone who will say "Maggie, you are so hot."
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
"Maggie, your sisters are evil to bring chocolate cake to your Dad's house
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
that person would deserve my attention
SB says:
and you would soon kick them to the curb because they would not hold your interest
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
bastid
SB says:
yours
bostonmaggie@yahoo.com says:
yes
SB says:
your day is not complete if i don't give you a hard time about something

Argghhh!!!! My Rotten Sister Grace!

My rotten sister Grace just called me about an hour and half ago. She was having a bad day. I was having a pretty good day. I listened to her "Direct TV" tirade and said all the right sisterly things. She said it was a rage day. OK, I said, enjoy that.

Then the conversation turned to other events. The movie last night, my good day, tomorrow, when was she going, who was going. Dinner at my parent's house will occur precisely at 1300 hours. That is the hallmark of these occasions, precise timing and punctuality.......I know what you are thinking.......how did he end up with a daughter like me? I wonder about that too.

Anyway, then she drops this bomb. "Remember the stuff everyone bought from Genevieve's school fundraiser? It will be at Mum's."
Yeah, that's Atkins.

Do you understand how hard it is for me to be good? I am a bad girl in sooooooooo many ways. This morning when I got on the scale I was down to a weight I haven't been since April of 06. Considering my complete and utter lack of self control this is a REAL accomplishment.

We ordered all this crap on Girl's Weekend. It seemed like a great idea at the time. At the time I placed my order I had a mouth full of M&Ms, I had to point to what I wanted! My goddaughter Deb was reading me all the chocolate descriptions. Did I want chocolate cake, double chocolate torte, triple chocolate bombe??????? "Deb, you know me. Circle the chocolate, chocolate thing." Jen picked a chocolate thing. My Mum got two! Of course she doesn't have this problem, I got this body from my father's side of the family, specifically my aunt Teresa, but I am taller.

OK, now it six weeks later and I have been good and going to the gym and even if I slip off, it's carbs, not sugar.

I was laughing and yelling at Grace. I told her she was rotten. I was laughing so hard I could hardly explain it to the girls in work.

I Strayed........

The plan was to work until I hit the gym. Frontline was running a show tonight on Darfur. I had every intention of being on the treadmill when it came on.

But no.

Jen called. "Bertucci's?"

I countered with the movies. My thought was some popcorn was better than chicken parm or pizza.

We saw American Gangster. I liked it, Jen was lukewarm.

I told myself (& The Commander) that I would go to the gym afterwards. Yeah....no.

AWG!

Pay attention to me!

Uncle Jimbo Wants A Parade

Uncle J wants a big "Victory" parade in DC *near* the 4th of July...he's thinking maybe the 2nd or so.

So, I'm in. I've never been able to say no to Uncle Jimbo!

Baby? Can we work a pub crawl into this deal?

An Early Thanksgiving Greeting

Harrianne, a neighbor from a long time ago, sent me this Thanksgiving pic.

Sometimes It's Not An Email Rumor!

Or something Snopes has debunked.

You know I get a lot of feel good emails that paint someone in just the right light, wrapped in a flag. Then you find out it's not true.
Bummer.
But sometimes, it is true.

I got one today that was a series of three stories that were together titled "How To Silence a Room". The first was about Colin Powell. Now the email had a few of the details wrong. But the punch line was true. Here is the correct version.

Colin Powell was attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland during January, 2003. George Carey, former archbishop of Canterburyasked Powell whether the U.S. was relying too much on "hard power" such as military action as opposed to "soft power" such as appealing to the common values of the major religions and building trust based on those values.

Powell responded by affirming the "soft power" of values but that it was the "hard power" of the military that, for example, helped free Europe and so the "soft power" of peace and reconstruction could take place.

Powell then said, "We have gone forth from our shores repeatedly over the last hundred years and we’ve done this as recently as the last year in Afghanistan and put wonderful young men and women at risk, many of whom have lost their lives, and we have asked for nothing except enough ground to bury them in, and otherwise we have returned home to seek our own, you know, to seek our own lives in peace, to live our own lives in peace. But there comes a time when soft power or talking with evil will not work where, unfortunately, hard power is the only thing that works."

USS Sampson Color Guard

071104-N-8110K-004 BOSTON, Mass. (Nov. 4, 2007) - The guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) color guard presents colors at the opening ceremony of the National Hockey League match between the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators. Sampson is the fourth ship named for Rear Adm. William T. Sampson, a naval hero during the Spanish-American War. The three previous ships, all destroyers named in honor of Sampson, were also commissioned in Boston. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Dave Kaylor (RELEASED)

The CNO & I Are On The Same Page

CNO praises IAs, calls for expanded fleet
By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writerPosted : Sunday Nov 18, 2007 9:33:54 EST
The Navy’s top admiral is putting a premium on the work of sailors on the ground in the Middle East and is pushing for more ships to maintain presence around the globe.
In his first interview since taking over as chief of naval operations at the end of September, Adm. Gary Roughead spoke of the value that having thousands of sailors on the ground in a war zone brings to the fleet.
“For the first time in history, we have more sailors on the ground in the Middle East than we do at sea — 14,000 sailors ashore and about 11,000 at sea,” Roughead said during the interview in his Pentagon office.
In his first month on the job, he unveiled a new maritime strategy, written in concert with the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and visited sailors in Iraq and Bahrain in a sweeping overview of operations there. The admiral’s own op tempo was made obvious by his office — except for the large paintings that always adorn the CNO’s workspace, the walls were bare.
During his Iraq trip, Roughead said, he had the opportunity to speak to 3,000 to 4,000 sailors on the ground.
Air Force, Army and Marine commanders all noted the strengths of sailors serving as individual augmentees in their units, he said.
“It was interesting to me that when I talked to the Army, Air Force and Marine commanders, when they are referring to U.S. Navy sailors, they refer to them as ‘my sailors,’ ” Roughead said. “And the thing that really struck me were the qualities that they talked about with respect to our sailors — a sense of accountability, the vast range of skills and capabilities that our sailors have, the discipline that they have and the way that we just do our business as sailors; the idea of how you stand a proper watch. That came through loud and clear.”
The admiral disputed the notion that an IA assignment could hurt a sailor’s career.
IA tours are producing sailors who can operate in a joint force — to the betterment of the individual sailor’s career and the Navy, he said. The skills that IA sailors bring to their parent commands are unlike what they could attain on a traditional tour, he said.
“We are becoming a much more capable force — a force that not only understands jointness, but experiences jointness in a very unique way, out there doing it with the other services,” Roughead said.
Further, he said, the new maritime strategy calls for sailors to deploy to areas of the world where the Navy has not traditionally spent much time, such as Africa.
There is more here, including interesting stuff about his plan to expand the Fleet.

The Person at the FBI.....

.....who maintains my file must be scratching his head. I know I am! I got an email this morning reminding me to register for this event.

Bowls Should Be.....

.....licked til the tongue is tired......why am I thinking of something other than dessert?

"Neighbourhood Watch on steroids"

Those are the words of Captain Patrick Moffett in describing "concerned citizens" groups -- armed locals who man checkpoints and cooperate with U.S. and Iraqi forces.

Read the whole article - it's got a few quotes from the Princess' favorite Army guy.

My Head Is Swimmin

We picked Bertucci's tonihgt. I arranged for a designated driverr. He stunk b y the way. We got there at 8 amd had a nice meal, a lot of laughs, good bartender.

but at 10:13 she hands s a check.

WTF?

10:13?

Anyway, I call the spalpeen to get us and he is so late that they sht off the TVs, then the muisc and then some lights!!!

We killed ourslves laughing on the way home

ghetto ghetto go........get out of the the car

the car had child dafe locks and I was locked in the back seat for a whele, but someone came and got me. Not my bastid son, but someoen.

i'm going to bed. wish I had a bedtime story,

I'm Lost

So, I guess I'll go out drinking...........lol!

OK, I'm kidding, I'm going out to dinner - Girl's Night - and I was already planning on having a few cocktails. A little farewell to my cheating week! Tomorrow, back on Atkins.

Anyway, what I am lost about is someone who is upset with me. I don't know why. I wish I did.

Ok, I'm signing off now..........will Bertucci's serve me dessert first? I am wondering if I should switch from Cape Codders.......maybe get something fou-fou.

The Irony of the Day

Boston is not actually the center of the universe.

Calm down, it's still the center of my universe.

It is ironic that I have have to be the one to tell some people this. Currently there is a little brouhaha going on here in the Hub regarding Pope Benedict's upcoming trip to America. The local papers, and talk shows are whipping everyone up over being snubbed by the Pope. Talk about navel-gazing. In order to be snubbed, you must come up on the radar first. Trust me, the Pope is not sitting in the Vatican telling his appointments secretary......."Boston? I'll show those Bostonians! I'll go to New York and Washington instead!" Are some of us really that smug? Are some of us that self involved?

The most ridiculous one was a guy at the Phoenix who read a poem stating the reason was that the Pope had to avoid Boston because of the priest-sex-abuse scandal. Crazy. As I commented over there; 1) Pope Benedict wasn't in charge when that happened and 2) How would his visiting Boston help heal those wounds?

The Pope, like any other world leader traveling to a foreign country, has a foreign policy agenda to advance. In this case, it is peace in the Middle East and his trip is about how best to accomplish this goal. He is going to the two seats of power in the political world. The Pope will address the U.N. in Turtle Bay and he will meet with the President in DC.

The other item on the Pope's travel agenda is to visit Ground Zero. If he's coming to America and time is short.......that's actually the most meaningful thing he can do.

And to be frank, if I were going to read anything into the Pope passing on Boston.......I'd say it's more a snub for O'Malley. I've not cared for the man since he blew into town.

What has he done that merits a Papal visit? Closing parishes? Holding meetings with parishoners and making them think they have some say and then completely disregarding their input? Disrespecting priests who have worked long and hard in those parishes? Priests who have not a breath of scandal attached to them.

Or perhaps attending an award ceremony for a certain hardworking priest and hijacking the evening with his own agenda?

Yeah. If anyone got passed over, it was O'Malley........not Boston.

I Miss Rick

He never calls....... He never writes....... Doesn't he miss me? LOL
U.S. military officer Major-General Rick Lynch (2nd L) walks with other U.S. soldiers during a visit at a U.S. military camp in the rural town of Salman Pak, southeast of Baghdad November 6, 2007. The quantity of Iranian bomb-making components being found in Iraq is increasing despite a fall in attacks and 20 Iranian-trained agents are still operating south of Baghdad, Lynch said on Sunday. Picture taken November 6, 2007. REUTERS/Erik de Castro (IRAQ)

Words of Wisdom From Sherri

Tips to Live By

1. Aspire to be Barbie - that bitch has everything.

2. If the shoe fits - buy one in every color.

3. Take life with a pinch of salt... a wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila

4. In need of a support group? Cocktail hour with the girls!

5. Go on the 30 day diet (I'm on it and so far I've lost 15 days).

6. When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just my personality.

8. I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.

10. Don't get your knickers in a knot, it solves nothing; and makes you walk funny.

11. When life gives you lemons - turn it into lemonade then mix it withvodka.

12. Remember every good looking; sweet, single male is someone else's exboyfriend!

13. Now smile and send to any girl wasting time at work, suffering from a hangover, or just suffering from work that might need a reason to smile.
*****************************
Number 9 is very true, trust me!

Counter Attack

25 Years Ago Today

The Return of Mr. Light

Four years ago, the last time my mad-man-in-the-desert was playing in the SandBox, we did a lot of chatting on Yahoo Messenger. In one of the first emails he sent I noticed the last name said "Light". I knew that wasn't his last name and I questioned it. He had no idea what I was talking about and couldn't remember the circumstance of creating the account. So we just laughed and moved on. Later when he was state-side we fell out of the IM habit.

Last night, after not the best day at work......I can home.....signed on the computer......and there was a message from Mr. Light.

It was a thrill beyond words.

Welcome back, Mr. Light.

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

To my sister and my dearest friend...........the girl with the shovel.

Long Day, Inappropriate Shoes......

......but worth it.
There were conversations with a mad-man-in-the-desert........Conversations with my favorite veteran.

Joining in with others to honor Charlestown veterans including my own.....

Once again, I want to congratulate and thank Bill Durette of the Charlestown Historical Society.

Princess Crabby Wants You........

****This stays on top until Veteran's Day****New Stuff Below The Top Two Posts****Go Navy!!!!......to donate to Valor-IT. It's that time of year again. We have broken up into service related teams to raise money for Valor-IT.
Guess which team I am on?
Sorry Rick, I love you, but in the end....I'm a Navy girl!
Here is the Valor-IT webpage.

To donate, please go to the widget in the sidebar. My sidebar sometimes drifts to the bottom. I am techno-capped (I have other assetts). Please look to the right or scroll down. Thanks to Barb for technical assistance.

Veteran's Day Blogburst

The Armorer has suggested that we all blog about this great story.
Lieutenant Awarded Distinguished Service CrossNov 02, 2007BY J.D. Leipold
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 2, 2007) - First Lt. Walter B. Jackson became the seventh Soldier since the Vietnam War ended in 1975 to receive the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action.Secretary of the Army Pete Geren presented the DSC, which is second in precedence to only the Medal of Honor for valor in battle, at a ceremony held in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes this afternoon.A second lieutenant at the time of his heroic action on Sept. 27, 2006, Lt. Jackson was cited for selfless courage under extreme enemy fire while serving as a company fire support officer with company A, Task Force 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.Lt. Jackson was engaged in combat operations with his unit against insurgents and while he attempted to recover a disabled vehicle, his unit came under heavy machine gun fire, which resulted in several Soldiers being wounded. As he applied first aid to a severely wounded comrade, he too was shot in the thigh.Lt. Jackson's citation in part reads: "Upon regaining consciousness after being shot, second lieutenant alternated between returning fire and administering first aid to the Soldier. Second Lt. Jackson was hit again with machine gun fire as he helped carry his wounded comrade to safety, but he never faltered in his aid. Although his own severe wounds required immediate evacuation and surgical care, 2nd Lt. Jackson refused medical assistance until his wounded comrade could be treated. Second Lt. Jackson's selfless courage under extreme enemy fire was essential to saving another Soldier's life and is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service..."Before the presentation, Lt. Col. Thomas C. Graves, former Task Force commander, recounted part of that September 2006 day when he arrived at the medical aid station to see his wounded Soldiers and the first words to come from 2nd Lt. Jackson were of concern for the wounded captain he'd rescued."All the leadership schools, classes and years of experience never really prepare you for that moment in time when you are standing among heroes who have given their all, where their first concerns still remain with their fellow Soldiers," he said. "It reinforces duty and commitment unlike any other experience."After Secretary Geren made the award presentation, 1st Lt. Jackson spoke to the packed room, humbly thanking his family, his West Point classmates and the Soldiers he's served with in his short two-year career and saying simply, "I believe I just had to do what I had to do in that situation... I think many Soldiers would have done the same thing."1st Lt. Jackson has been recovering from his wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, having undergone more than a dozen surgeries. While recovering at WRAMC, he volunteered as an intern with the Judge Advocate General's office. He is awaiting orders to take over a multiple launch rocket system platoon in Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division Fires Brigade.

Another Great Way to Celebrate Veteran's Day

This is from JimB, frequent commenter at the Castle.

Extreme Makeover On the Marine Corps Birthday.

It's a really great story with lot's of great pics. Definitely worth the click.

NYT Front Page

November 11, 1918

Starting Off My Veteran's Day Right

Tonight we were all at my parent's house to celebrate Jen & Tom's birthdays. Everyone showed, it was great.

We were talking about the event tomorrow down in City Square. The Charlestown Historical Society is hosting the Charlestown WWII Veterans' History Day. During the conversation my mother mentioned some letters from her father's brothers during the war. Of the nine children, seven served in World War II. So out came the letters. I couldn't stop reading them. I was absolutely fascinated. Finally about 9:30, my mother made me put them down and drive Jen home.

I hadn't realized how late it had gotten, I missed my phone call to the mad-man-in-the-desert!

So, I'm off to bed to be up early tomorrow. Mass, and CCD. Then it's off to my cousin Dan's to pick up my Uncle Dan's Purple Heart. It will be one of the exhibits.

So, if you are in City Square tomorrow around 1 or 2 pm, stop by. We'll be easy to spot. Bill Durette, who runs the deal (and does a great job) has re-enactors and vintage vehicles.

Who Is More Bold Than Maggie?

LL at Chromed Curses.

I was pimping Navy and LL was gracious enough to join the Navy team. I made some suggestions in jest and I have been called out.

Here is part of her post.
UPDATE: The idea has been tossed out to “win a date” with the blogger for donations. So I’m gonna put it out there. If you want to try to win a date with me, send me your receipt for your donation. Highest donation wins. I’ll take ya out to dinner and although I can’t promise a Happy Ending, I can promise that you’ll have a good time cuz I really AM a nice person, contrary to common fears out there. If you’re a girl and you win, I’ll still take ya out to dinner and show you a good time, but I probably won’t wear a tight t-shirt for you. *grin*
**************************
So, I must follow suit. Same rules.

Princess Crabby is up for bid.

Seriously, I'll throw in some stops on the Freedom Trail and a few choices of places to have dinner - you can pick, tourist trap or true Bostonian place.

**********UPDATE***********
The Armorer plays dirty pool.

Happy Birthday, USMC!

No Girl's Night

Jen is at her desk. Pat's with her b/f and Ed's at the Revolution game.

So.........how do I take advantage of this free Thursday?

Do I pop over to the gym?

Do I phone-a-friend and go out?

Do I go home and watch something fun on the Tube?

I punched out at 1920, and.......went across the street and grabbed a take out dinner.


I am a double loser! I am back at my desk and I ordered the burger and ate the bun! Bad Atkins-girl! Bad girl!

I may be having a boring Thursday night.....but I know this guy who is living it up in Vegas, baby! Don't tell anyone, remember....................what happens in Vegas...........

Cold? You Don't Know What Cold Is!

*****UPDATE***** I started this post early this morning. But it was so crazy busy in the office, I am just getting to it now. Half my staff was out. It was so busy that I didn't have time for my own nonsense!*******

"Cold? You don't know what cold is!"
This is something Jen says all the time. Last night upon walking through her front door, I remarked that I knew winter was coming because now it was finally warmer inside the house than it was outside. 40 outside/50 inside. I ate my pizza quickly before it froze on my plate.

At 2200 we called that mad-man-in-the-desert and he reported that it was getting cooler there too. It was 65 at his 0600. Jennifer made a noise that conveyed her disgust.

This morning when she got into her car, the dashboard displayed happy news for her. She called and left me this voice mail at 0804.

"33 and icy, baby! 33 and icy. You want it cold? You want to know what cold is? Today you have cold."

Just so you know, when it gets nippy in New England.........somebody's happy!

Reading

I think I need to reset my reading mode. There was a time when I read constantly. I kept books everywhere so I was never without. Lately, it's more likely to be a magazine. As far as books go, there has been an incredible decrease in the time I spend reading. "The Pentagon's New Map" has been staring at me from the shelf and making me feel terribly guilty. "Mayflower" in the form of an audio book, travels with me to the gym every night that I go......but somehow the headphones end up plugged into the TV. I find that there is no balance between fun reading and serious reading. My serious reading is so stacked up and there is nothing fun in the house. So, I think maybe, subconsciously, I was in revolt. So I am going to go out and get whatever the newest Stephen King book is and unplug. No foreign policy, no history, no biographies........

A Moral Dilemma

The Princess has a moral dilemma.

Can I possibly explain how difficult this is for me. I have no morals....or scruples.....or any of those other things.

It's like when I am at yoga and the instructor says "Bring your hands together in front of your heart, for mountain pose." And I think "Where is that?"

So how does a heartless, despotic Princess deal with a moral dilemma?

Above this post is info on bidding on me. Proceeds to Valor-IT. Simple right? Well, I messed up. I did not specify Team Navy. I assssssumed it was clear, but it has been pointed out by a Marine and now an Army guy, that it's not written in the deal.

Oh, I can hear the heartless chuckle from the desert now.

So.......what do I do? If the high bidder donates to the Marine Team or the Army Team, are they still the winner?

Gone Baby, Gone

Jen & I went to the movies tonight and we saw "Gone Baby, Gone" I loved it, so did Jen, but we were both uncomfortable with the ending. I don't want to spoil it for anyone. At every turn we *got* him, right up to the end. For Jen & I, the main character's actions in the end just didn't track.

We loved the accents and the local stuff. We recognized all the portrayals as people we had seen all our lives. Our favorites were Bubba Rogowski played by Bostonian rapper, Slaine and Dottie. Jen & I swore that she must have been walking down the street in Dorchester and Affleck just grabbed her up and put her on that couch! Turns out that's pretty much what happened. The Boston Globe had this amazing story on her. It is Jill Quigg's first movie and they did just spot her in the street. Of course we were drawn to the two most real players.....as our cousin Chrissie likes to say "Ya can't shit a shitter."

When we were watching the previews, they ran the trailer for "No Country for Old Men". I think it's set in Texas. The trailer is maybe 3 or 4 minutes long. Jen & I must have said "What?" 20 times. I said it looked good, but we'd have to go a screening that had subtitles, lol. Then when we were watching the credits for "Gone Baby, Gone", I told Jen everyone else was going to need subtitles for this. She laughed and said she got every word, I said........."My point exactly".

I like all Lehane's books and this was no exception. While "Mystic River" is my all time favorite book, the movie was not up to that standard. This was a better movie.

A Little Perspective

There has been much whining and nashing of teeth about contacting certain mad-men-in-the-desert. Dealing with phone cards, coordination of time, poor international connections has me pouting non-stop.

So the other night I was on the treadmill at the gym and the local PBS channel is showing "The Best Years Of Our Lives". I settle in for my 40 minutes, very happy with this. This is a very beautifully made and acted film by William Wyler. Three minutes into the movie, tears are running down my face. Thank God the treadmills face the wall! Thank God there aren't many people there at that time of night! Watching Myrna Loy's face when she realizes that he is there........ Watching them walk towards each other.......Watching them embrace............moves me more than I can express here. You can see the clip here.
So after 40 minutes and several more moments of being choked up (Dana Andrews talking to his father, Harold Russell talking to his girlfriend and his uncle), I head down to do some yoga. After my shower it's time to call the desert.

"I was watching "The Best Years of Our Lives". She hadn't seen him in years. There were just a few letters between them."

"Are you going to stop being such a baby?"

"No, but I am a little ashamed."

LOL I said it was a *little* perspective..........not an epiphany!

Happy Birthday Tommy!

Today my older son Tommy turns 26. His godmother called me and asked how old he was. I told her that if she had to ask, she was a crappy godmother. I laugh because I know why she is blocking it. The older he gets, the older she gets. So I said 26 and she moaned "Oh that's cruel." I told her it was ok, she should remember she was 9 when she became his godmother. She laughed and said that's better. Tom worked the night shift so the birthday thus far is pretty boring.

One Step Backwards

Or........How Maggie torments herself.

I have been very good with the self imposed moratorium on new purchases of body scrub/butter/cream/lotion/shower gel/souffle. I have imposed this draconian measure because my bathroom and my bedroom are packed with a myriad of these products........on shelves.........in baskets.........on my bureau.......everywhere.

But I fell off the wagon last night. I bought Bodycology Vanilla Buttercream Sugar Scrub. It's so new I can't find a pic on the Internet.

It smells exactly like the name infers..........lol.

So I stick with Atkins all day - good.
I go to the gym and do my time on the treadmill and in the yoga room - good.
Then I shower with my new sugar scrub which makes my skin really soft - good.

Now I have to take my buttercream body to bed and torment myself - lol.

CNO & the MCPON On The Road

My friend Gary has been globetrotting along with the MCPON. 071029-N-7682E-128 PERSIAN GULF (Oct. 29, 2007) - Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead shakes hands with Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Hall after receiving a tour of Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT). The primary mission of Combined Task Force 158, comprised of coalition ships, is maritime operations around both the KAAOT and Al Basrah Oil Terminal. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Heather Ewton (RELEASED)

071029-N-1598C-171 PERSIAN GULF (Oct. 29, 2007) - Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Joe R. Campa Jr. addresses the chief petty officers aboard nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). MCPON and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead are visiting Sailors in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility. Enterprise and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 are underway on a scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class McKinley Cartwright (RELEASED)******************************************

They're working hard to protect and defend us.........what are you doing?

Trauma

Tonight was very traumatic.

It started out pretty good. I brought in hot chocolate for my staff wenches. I worked hard. I had a 32 minute audio rendezvous with SB. I had a great day. Went off to get my hair colored.............the red is gone. Then, with no plans in particular, I headed for the gym. I love this gym. There were four other people there. No wait for a treadmill. The exercise room was empty so I got to do the whole 49 minutes of yoga and not feel like I was holding anyone up. Then there was a shower for as long as I wanted. Nice, huh? So I head off to Walmart to pick up a few things. I call Jen, to see if she needs anything, no. I am wandering around looking for a new kind of cheese to try. Atkins loves cheese

When the traumatic part happens.........as I wander, I realize.......I can hear.......what I think is......NO, it can't be........but yet.......it seems to be Latin.....over the loudspeaker.........a man singing Latin........it's "Ave Maria".

DEAR GOD!!!!!

It's Christmas music. I call Jennifer. I tell her. She tells me to get over it. I say "You must not have heard me, I said they are playing Christmas music in the Walmart." Her reply? "Well, you could stop shopping there." Fine, I say good bye. That's when I noticed the Christmas tree and the Christmas display from the Pepperidge Farm people.

Doesn't anyone feel my pain? It's All Souls Day, for pity's sake!

I Was Good..............

............and I was bad.

I stuck with Atkins all day.
Got a ton of stuff done at work.
Remembered to pay Frankie's cell phone bill before it got shut off.
Jumped right on that question SB had and did all the research promptly.
Was the DD for Jen & Ed.
Went to the gym after dropping them off (I love that the gym is 24/7!)

but..............

there's always a but...........

I ate the bread with dinner and munched on a few breaksticks.

You win some..............you lose some.

"V"

Nine minutes and eight seconds of successssssssssssssssssssss

I'm happy.

Brig Gen Paul Tibbetts (USAF Ret.)

Pilot of plane that dropped A-bomb dies
By JULIE CARR SMYTH, Associated Press Writer
Paul Tibbets, who piloted the B-29 bomber Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, died Thursday. He was 92 and insisted almost to his dying day that he had no regrets about the mission and slept just fine at night.
Tibbets died at his Columbus home, said Gerry Newhouse, a longtime friend. He suffered from a variety of health problems and had been in decline for two months.
Tibbets had requested no funeral and no headstone, fearing it would provide his detractors with a place to protest, Newhouse said.
Tibbets' historic mission in the plane named for his mother marked the beginning of the end of World War II and eliminated the need for what military planners feared would have been an extraordinarily bloody invasion of Japan. It was the first use of a nuclear weapon in wartime.
The plane and its crew of 14 dropped the five-ton "Little Boy" bomb on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945. The blast killed 70,000 to 100,000 people and injured countless others.
Three days later, the United States dropped a second nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, killing an estimated 40,000 people. Tibbets did not fly in that mission. The Japanese surrendered a few days later, ending the war.
"I knew when I got the assignment it was going to be an emotional thing," Tibbets told The Columbus Dispatch for a story published on the 60th anniversary of the bombing. "We had feelings, but we had to put them in the background. We knew it was going to kill people right and left. But my one driving interest was to do the best job I could so that we could end the killing as quickly as possible."
Tibbets, then a 30-year-old colonel, never expressed regret over his role. He said it was his patriotic duty and the right thing to do.
"I'm not proud that I killed 80,000 people, but I'm proud that I was able to start with nothing, plan it and have it work as perfectly as it did," he said in a 1975 interview.
"You've got to take stock and assess the situation at that time. We were at war. ... You use anything at your disposal."
He added: "I sleep clearly every night."
Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. was born Feb. 23, 1915, in Quincy, Ill., and spent most of his boyhood in Miami.
He was a student at the University of Cincinnati's medical school when he decided to withdraw in 1937 to enlist in the Army Air Corps.
After the war, Tibbets said in 2005, he was dogged by rumors claiming he was in prison or had committed suicide.
"They said I was crazy, said I was a drunkard, in and out of institutions," he said. "At the time, I was running the National Crisis Center at the Pentagon."
Tibbets retired from the Air Force as a brigadier general in 1966. He later moved to Columbus, where he ran an air taxi service until he retired in 1985.
But his role in the bombing brought him fame — and infamy — throughout his life.
In 1976, he was criticized for re-enacting the bombing during an appearance at a Harlingen, Texas, air show. As he flew a B-29 Superfortress over the show, a bomb set off on the runway below created a mushroom cloud.
He said the display "was not intended to insult anybody," but the Japanese were outraged. The U.S. government later issued a formal apology.
Tibbets again defended the bombing in 1995, when an outcry erupted over a planned 50th anniversary exhibit of the Enola Gay at the Smithsonian Institution.
The museum had planned to mount an exhibit that would have examined the context of the bombing, including the discussion within the Truman administration of whether to use the bomb, the rejection of a demonstration bombing and the selection of the target.
Veterans groups objected, saying the proposed display paid too much attention to Japan's suffering and too little to Japan's brutality during and before World War II, and that it underestimated the number of Americans who would have perished in an invasion.
They said the bombing of Japan was an unmitigated blessing for the United States and the exhibit should say so.
Tibbets denounced it as "a damn big insult."
The museum changed its plan and agreed to display the fuselage of the Enola Gay without commentary, context or analysis.
He told the Dispatch in 2005 that he wanted his ashes scattered over the English Channel, where he loved to fly during the war.
Newhouse, Tibbets' longtime friend, confirmed that Tibbets wanted to be cremated, but he said relatives had not yet determined how he would be laid to rest.
**********************************************
Tibbets said he slept easy. He should have. Thank you for your service sir.
***********************************************
***UPDATE***There is a good write-up here at American Power

Bravo Zulu, Albert Snyder!

Albert Snyder, the grieving father of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, USMC, sued those assclowns at the Westboro Baptist Church. Today he won on EVERY count. Congratulations to the panel of nine federal jurors who returned the correct verdict with a 10.9 million dollar bang!

Mr. Snyder testified ""They turned this funeral into a media circus, and they wanted to hurt my family," Snyder testified, according to the Associated Press. "They wanted their message heard, and they didn't care who they stepped over. My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside."

You are entirely correct, sir. Mr. Snyder, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your son. Please know that I sincerely appreciated his service. I further appreciate the service you have rendered in filing this lawsuit. This verdict will not wipe away your pain, but you are helping to make sure that other families do not suffer what you have gone through.

The Sea Chase

This is my all time favorite John Wayne movie. Yeah, I know SB, "In Harm's Way".... I'm not saying it's his greatest work that was "The Searchers". I'm saying that when young Maggie watched Lana Turner throw herself in John Wayne's arms (1:21 in this clip), ahhhh. If I had the ability to rewind and replay back then, I would have just sat there all day. He shuts the door and the next scene is the two of them talking and smoking in a darkened room. The lights were on when she came in. I didn't know what I knew, but I knew something. Most importantly, I knew I wanted it!

Valor-IT Snail Mail Address

For those who are not comfortable donating on the 'Net.

Soldiers' AngelsProject Valour-IT Fund - Navy Team
1792 E. Washington Blvd
Pasadena, Ca 91104

Please be sure to write NAVY on your check.

White House names 2007 'Medal of Freedom' recipients

White House names 2007 'Medal of Freedom' recipients

The White House on Monday announced the recipients of the 2007 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest US civilian honor, including a Cuban dissident, Liberia's president, and a beloved US author.
US President George W. Bush was to honor Cuban anti-abortion and pro-democracy activist Oscar Elias Biscet, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and "To Kill A Mockingbird" novelist Harper Lee at a ceremony on November 5, the White House said.
The other five winners include the 1992 Nobel economics prize winner Gary Becker; Human Genome Project leader Francis Collins; US civil rights leader Benjamin Hooks; former House Foreign Affairs committee chairman Henry Hyde; and groundbreaking television executive Brian Lamb.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established in 1963, is awarded for an honoree's "especially meritorious contribution" to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, or for their accomplishments in the areas of culture or "other significant public or private endeavors."

************************

Congratulations, Brian! Brian Lamb is the sexiest man on TV, it says so right in my profile!

I Haven't Said Much........

Jonathan Papelbon celebrated on the field as the Red Sox won the World Series. (Getty Images Photo / Jamie Squire) .........cause I don't like to jinx things. So now, I'll just say SWEET!
And I like the sound of this - "Red Sox Have the World at Their Feet"

It Begins

Click on the pic, baby!

Thank you Henri Bendel

I've been such a good girl today.......laundry.....dishes........posting about Valor-IT.
My reward?
A long shower with some delicious Moulton Brown Rose body wash. Then I explored my bedroom to find some body cream to compliment it. I am diligently trying to use stuff I already have before buying new stuff. There is a body cream/body butter/body scrub/etc. moratorium going on here. I already have enough of this stuff to cream/soften/scent a small island nation. So, I poke and move and open until....sure enough.....I find Henri Bendel Rose Petals body cream.mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

This Is Why The Armorer........

won't get me on the MilBloggers Roundtable. He thinks this is what would happen if I met MG Rick Lynch.

September 27, 2004

The Boston Red Sox ended an 86-year drought and buried the "Curse of the Bambino." They won the World Series! Their sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals was almost — but not quite — anti-climactic. The pivotal battle had taken place in the American League championship against their nemesis, the New York Yankees. Down three games to none, and facing elimination, again, Boston did what no team had ever done before in baseball history. They came back to win the series 4–3. Then they took on and dispensed with the Cardinals. Jubilant Red Sox fans around the world celebrated. Three days later, an estimated 3,000,000 of them lined the parade route in Boston and cheered themselves hoarse as the victorious team passed by.

In my email this morning from Mass Moments. There's more here.

Happy Birthday, Toni!

Happy Birthday, Toni! I love you very much. You are the nearest thing I have to a daughter and I'm glad you are part of my life.

Randolph Airmen line streets, pay respects to fallen Soldier

Randolph Airmen line streets, pay respects to fallen Soldier
by Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond
Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
10/26/2007 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Hundreds of Airmen, Air Force civilians, and their family members lined both sides of Harmon Drive here to pay their respects to a Soldier killed in Iraq.
U.S. Army Spc. Vincent A. Madero, 22, of Port Hueneme, Calif., died Oct .17 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV.
Word spread quickly across the base that a warrior was making his final flight home this morning. The crowd filed past the Taj Mahal and began lining up along the route that would take the Soldier's body off base.

When Specialist Madero's body arrived just before noon today, members of his family were present to receive him. As the funeral procession slowly drove from the flightline, uniformed members saluted and civilians held hands over their hearts -- showing respect for a fallen comrade.
The specialist was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

Final respects
Hundreds of men and women at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, line the streets of Harmon Drive Oct. 26 as a show of respect for U.S. Army Spc. Vincent A. Madero, a soldier killed while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Specialist Madero died Oct. 17 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. Specialist Madero's body was flown to Randolph Air Force Base and received by his family. (U.S. Air Force photo by Joel Martinez)

Hall of Heroes Ceremony

Maggie's Favorite Bubblehead

Writes about this day in 1944. Go read.

USS Hornet

The Battle of Santa Cruz Island took place 26 October 1942 without contact between surface ships of the opposing forces. That morning Enterprise planes bombed carrier Zuiho. Planes from Hornet severely damaged carrier Shokaku, and cruiser Chikuma. Two other cruisers were also attacked by Hornet aircraft. Meanwhile, Hornet, herself, was fighting off a coordinated dive bombing and torpedo plane attack which left her so severely damaged that she had to be abandoned. Commented one sailor, awaiting rescue, when asked if he planned to re-enlist, "Dammit, yes — on the new Hornet!" Captain Mason, the last man on board, climbed over the side and survivors were soon picked up by destroyers.
The abandoned Hornet, ablaze from stem to stern, refused to accept her intended fate from friends. She still floated after receiving nine torpedoes and more than 400 rounds of 5-inch shellfire from destroyers Mustin and Anderson. Japanese destroyers hastened the inevitable by firing four 24-inch torpedoes at her blazing hull. At 0135, 27 October 1942, she finally sank off the Santa Cruz Islands. Her proud name was struck from the Navy List 13 January 1943.

October 25, 1944

During the Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944, while commanding Samuel B. Roberts, Lieutenant Commander Copeland led his ship and crew in an attack on a greatly superior Japanese battleship and cruiser force. Though his ship was lost, this action helped defeat the Japanese counter-offensive against the Leyte invasion. For this, he was awarded the Navy Cross.

"This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can." With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’s vulnerable invasion force were the Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history. Read more."This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can."....LCDR Robert W. Copeland

Lawmaker under fire for Marine T-shirt order

Lawmaker under fire for Marine T-shirt order
By Sarah Skidmore - The Associated PressPosted : Wednesday Oct 17, 2007 5:41:17 EDT
PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Rep. David Wu fought criticism Monday following a report in the Seattle Times that he got the U.S. Marines to buy shirts that can melt in battle, causing severe burns.
The Times reported on the T-shirts Sunday as part of a story about the links between campaign contributions and earmarks, which are appropriations lawmakers tack on to spending bills that often benefit specific companies or organizations.
“These are difficult, cynical times and frequently people look for the worst,” the Democrat told the Associated Press Monday.
Wu helped get a $2 million earmark in the 2006 budget for InSport, a Beaverton company in his district. The report found InSport, parent company Vital Apparel and executives from both companies donated more than $7,000 to Wu.
But a year after the earmark was set, the Marines banned polyester T-shirts for use in combat after finding the fabric melts in intense heat, adhering to the skin.
“This essentially creates a second skin and can lead to horrific, disfiguring burns,” Capt. Lynn E. Welling, the 1st Marine Logistics Group head surgeon, who conducted research in Iraq, told the Seattle Times.
After the ban, Wu inserted another $1 million earmark into the next defense bill to make the Marines buy the InSport shirts again, the Times reported, noting the company was working to develop a heat-resistant shirt for combat use.
The Oregon congressman and the company denied any wrongdoing Monday.
Wu, who noted that no InSport shirts have melted on a soldier, said he wasn’t aware of the problem until his staff brought it to his attention, which was after the $2 million contract was in place.
The ban on synthetic fabrics took place in the middle of the purchasing process, InSport said. The company said the Marines decided to use the product for training instead.
InSport has worked with the military for about a decade, InSport spokesman David Costello said. The Marines have since gone on to buy other products from the company without earmarks, although the company did not win the bid to provide the fire-resistant T-shirts.
Both InSport and Wu said there was no link between the reported earmarks and campaign contributions.
“There are a lot of people who ask me for earmarks and the vast majority do not give campaign contributions,” Wu said. “There is no link.”
HatTip to Jim Bishop at the AOSHACK where they believe "IYAOYAS!"

I Am Exhausted!

And it's only going to get worse.
This afternoon at 1500 my boss sprang a little surprise. Could I go to a conference tomorrow? Could I pull together some documentation for it? Even though it's getting late in the day. Even though people are starting to leave. Even though I am wayyyyyy far behind already today because I had a lunch date??????????

Sure!

So I am still in the office at 2127 when the text messages start coming in from Jen.
J: "Meet me here."
M: "Maybe, I'll try."
J: "Now meet me at East Bay."
M: "Soon."
J: "Dick (the bartender) is asking for you."
M: "I'm hurrying."
So I wrap up my project..............skip the gym and head for East Bay where Dick is nice enough to introduce me to the bartender I kissed good night Sunday. I like to know their names, I'm old fashioned that way.
So we stay for end of the Sox game and now I am home to catch 6 hours of sleep.
Argghhh!

How Much Trouble Am I In?

So earlier today I post about this crazy story on Yahoo. Some crazy thing about Washington having the best dressed state troopers. Whatever. I explain why it's impossible:

"What utter nonsense! There is nothing hotter than a Massachusetts State Trooper. Good kissers too!"

This post gets picked up by Universal Hub, thank you Adam. This, of course, pushes the number of visitors up.

Visitor #35,503 is.....you guessed it, someone from the Washington State Patrol!
IP Address 167.72.240.# (Washington State Patrol)

Hehehe! Don't worry boys, if you ask real nice I'll give you a chance to prove me wrong on the kissing part.

I Am So Far Removed........

........from the author of this piece on the editorial page of the NYT. I can't even grasp how this person's mind works. I read once that a liberal is someone who's interests aren't at stake at the moment. (I don't remember where or I'd attribute it.) I can only surmise that's what we are seeing here. This is someone who doesn't have to worry about paying their bills and taxes. This is someone who isn't working every angle to get their own kid into college.

A Chance to Dream

The Senate has a chance today to pluck a small gem from the ashes of the immigration debate. A critical procedural vote is scheduled on the Dream Act, a bill to open opportunities for college and military service to the children of undocumented immigrants.

Roughly 65,000 children graduate each year from high school into a constrained future because they cannot work legally or qualify for most college aid. These are the overlooked bystanders to the ferocious bickering over immigration. They did not ask to be brought here, have worked hard in school and could, given the chance, hone their talents and become members of the homegrown, high-skilled American work force.

The bill is one of the least controversial immigration proposals that have been offered in the last five years. But that doesn’t mean much. Like everything else not directly involving border barricades and punishment, it has been branded as “amnesty,” and has languished.

But this bill is different, starting with its broad, bipartisan support, from its original sponsor, the Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, to its current champion, Richard Durbin, Democrat of Illinois. Repeated defeats have forced Mr. Durbin to pare away at the bill’s ambitions. It focuses now on a narrow sliver of a worthy group: children who entered the country before age 16, lived here continuously for at least five years and can show good moral character and a high school diploma. They would receive conditional legal status for six years, during which they could work, go to college and serve in the military. If they completed at least two years of college or military service, they would be eligible for legalization.

These young people — their numbers are estimated at anywhere from a million to fewer than 100,000 — are in many ways fully American, but their immigration status puts a lock on their potential right after high school. They face the prospect of living in the shadows as their parents do, fearing deportation to countries they do not know, yearning to educate themselves in a country that ignores their aspirations.

The Dream Act rejects that unacceptable waste of young talent. The opportunity is there, provided the votes are there in the Senate.

What nonsense. The most ridiculous part is "The bill is one of the least controversial immigration proposals that have been offered in the last five years." It's like a criminal assaulting you and saying "Hitting you in the arm is ok, it was the least painful."
I'd call my Senators and Congressman, but Good Lord what's the point.
I'm getting in the shower now.

Ridiculous Item of the Day

WA state troopers named best dressed

In this handout photo provided by the Washington State Patrol, troopers display a variety of their uniforms, including SWAT, K-9, sergeant, winter (also known as dress, with a long sleeve and bow tie), honor guard, summer (short sleeve), bicycle and motorcycle, June 28, 2007, in Olympia, Wash. The troopers are, from left, Detective Orest Wilson, Trooper Kerry Kinzley with K-9 Buddy, Sergeant Johnny Alexander, Trooper Shannon MacCormac, Sergeant John-Paul Sager, Trooper Bryan Ensley, Trooper Sherman Fox, Trooper James More and Trooper Curty Boyle. The look that lead-footed drivers know all too well: the crisp black bow-tie and blue 'smokey bear' hat of the Washington State Patrol troopers are, according to a national trade group, the best-looking state police uniforms in the country. (AP Photo/Washington State Patrol, Weldon Wilson)

What utter nonsense! There is nothing hotter than a Massachusetts State Trooper. Good kissers too!

Sharp drop seen in US deaths in Iraq

In this photo released by the U.S. Army, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of the U.S. army's Third Infantry Division, second left, speaks with Sunni Sheik Emad Ghurtani, right, in Haswah, Iraq Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007. October is on course to record the second steep decline in U.S. military and Iraqi civilian deaths in as many months, a testament, American commanders say, to the U.S. troop increase and Iraqi disgust with al-Qaida and Shiite militia extremists. Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch points proudly to what the military calls "Concerned Citizens," Iraqis, both Shiite and Sunni, who have joined the Americans to fight militants. He says he's signed up 20,000 of them in the last four months. (AP Photo/ Capt. Allie Weiskopf Chase, U.S. Army, HO)

Even the Globe has to acknowledge how awesome Rick is!

Sharp drop seen in US deaths in Iraq

By Steven R. Hurst, Associated Press Writer October 23, 2007
BAGHDAD --October is on course to record the second consecutive decline in U.S. military and Iraqi civilian deaths and Americans commanders say they know why: the U.S. troop increase and an Iraqi groundswell against al-Qaida and Shiite militia extremists.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch points to what the military calls "Concerned Citizens" -- both Shiites and Sunnis who have joined the American fight. He says he's signed up 20,000 of them in the past four months.

"I've never been more optimistic than I am right now with the progress we've made in Iraq. The only people who are going to win this counterinsurgency project are the people of Iraq. We've said that all along. And now they're coming forward in masses," Lynch said in a recent interview at a U.S. base deep in hostile territory south of Baghdad. Outgoing artillery thundered as he spoke.

Read the rest here.......

Lt. Michael Murphy - MOH Ceremony

October 23, 1983

Beirut Death Toll at 161 Americans; French Casualties Rise in Bombings; Reagan Insists Marines Will Remain
BUILDINGS BLASTED
Truck Loaded With TNT Wrecks Headquarters of a Marine Unit
By Thomas E. Friedman
Washington, Oct. 23 - President Reagan, voicing outrage over the ''despicable'' destruction of the Marine Corps headquarters in Lebanon, called on the nation today to be more determined than ever to keep a force in that country and resist ''the bestial nature of those who would assume power.''
The President, plunging into a day of emergency strategy meetings on the bombing, denounced the unidentified forces behind the attack and said the nation ''must be more determined than ever that they cannot take over that vital and strategic area of the earth.''
Administration officials, emphasizing that there would be no change in the United States' military role in Lebanon, said there was ''circumstantial evidence'' that fanatic terrorists aligned with Iran may have been responsible for the truck bomb that razed the four-story Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut, leaving 161 dead and 75 wounded.
The White House spokesman, Larry Speakes, said this evening that the Administration was also ''looking into'' Syria's possible role in the incident, but he did not cite any evidence.
Read the rest here.
Also, visit the Armorer's post from last year.

Pentagon Channel Update

1415 - Medal of Honor Ceremony: Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush presents the Congressional Medal of Honor to Navy SEAL Lt Mike Murphy's family, for his valiant actions in Afghanistan. (Live, VoD)
Encore presentation at 1900hrs.

Related post here.

My Bad Boyfriend Gets A Standing Ovation

Please, how can you not love him!