America Fighting Back - Restoring the American Promise

Email
of the
Week

New Governor of Maine - Paul LePage

"Meet the new Governor of Maine"

Paul Lepage

He makes Governor Chris Christie look tame......

He says what he thinks and his popularity grows every time.

Thanks, Jaime

Gov Christie of New Jersey

Meet Maine 's New Governor --- In case you haven't heard about
this guy before, his name will stick in your mind!
The new Maine Governor, Paul LePage is making New Jersey 's Chris
Christie look like an enabler. He isn't afraid to say what he
thinks. Judging by the comments, every time he opens his mouth, his
popularity goes up.

Maine press corps

He brought down the house at his inauguration when he shook his fist toward the media box and said, "You're on notice! I've inherited a financially troubled State to run. Observe...cover what we do...but don't whine if I don't waste time responding to your every whim just for your amusement."

During his campaign for Governor, he was talking to commercial fishermen who are struggling because of federal fisheries rules.They complained that 0bama brought his family to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park for a long Labor Day holiday and found time to meet with union leaders, but wouldn't talk to the fishermen. LePage replied, "I'd tell him to go to hell and get out of my State." The Lame Stream Media crucified LePage, but he jumped 6 points in the
pre-election poll.

Maine Fishremen

The Martin Luther King incident was a political sandbag, which brought him National exposure. The 'lame stream' media crucified him, but word on the street is very positive. The NAACP specifically asked LePage to spend MLK Day visiting black inmates at the Maine State Prison. He told them that he would meet with ALL inmates, regardless of race, if he were to visit the prison. The NAACP balked and then put out a news release claiming falsely that he refused to participate in any MLK events. He read it in the paper for the 1st time the next morning while being driven to an event and went ballistic because none of the reporters had called him for comment before running the NAACP release.

He arrived at that event & said in front of a TV camera, "If they want to play the race card on me they can kiss my ass", and he reminded them that he has an adopted black son from Jamaica and
that he attended the local MLK Breakfast every year that he was mayor of Waterville. (He started his morning there on MLK Day.)
He then stated that there's a right way and a wrong way to meet with the Governor, and he put all special interests on notice that press releases, media leaks, and all demonstrations would prove to be the wrong way. He said any other group, which acted like the NAACP could expect to be at the bottom of the Governor's priority list!

Maine blizzard

He then did the following, and judging from local radio talk how callers, his popularity increased even more: The State employees union complained because he waited until 3 P.M. before
closing State offices and facilities and sending non-emergency personnel home during the last blizzard. The prior Governor would often close offices for the day with just a forecast before the
first flakes. (Each time the State closes for snow, it costs the taxpayers about $1 million in wages for no work in return.)
LePage was CEO of the Marden's chain of discount family bargain retail stores before election as governor. He noted that State employees getting off work early could still find lots of retail
stores open to shop. So, he put the State employees on notice by announcing: "If Marden's is open, Maine is open!"

He told State employees: "We live in Maine in the winter, for heaven's sake, and should know how to drive in it. Otherwise, apply for a State job in Florida !"

Governor LePage symbolizes what America needs; Refreshing politicians who aren't self-serving and who exhibit common sense.

Canadian Housewife

One Pissed Off Canadian Housewife

Not for the faint of heart......

Thanks, Jamie

Canadian, Austrailian, British and U.S. soldiers

ONE PISSED OFF CANADIAN HOUSEWIFE

This is very good PLEASE read....

Thought you might like to read this letter
to the editor. Ever notice how some people
just seem to know how to write a letter?

This one surely does!

This was written by a Canadian woman, but oh how
it also applies to the U.S.A. , U.K. and Australia .

THIS ONE PACKS A FIRM PUNCH

Written by a housewife in New Brunswick , to
her local newspaper. This is one ticked off lady...

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was
it or was it not, started by Islamic people who
brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001
and have continually threatened to do so since?

Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered
that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from
the capitol of the USA and in a field in Pennsylvania ?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible,
burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

Do you think I care about four U. S. Marines urinating on some dead
Taliban insurgents?

And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were
claiming to be tortured by a justice system of a
nation they are fighting against in a brutal Insurgency.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle
East, start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief
of which, is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan .

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are
sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head, while Berg
screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called insurgents
in Afghanistan , come out and fight like men,
instead of disrespecting their own religion by
hiding in Mosques and behind women and children.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow
themselves up in search of Nirvana, care about the
innocent children within range of their suicide Bombs.

I'll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that
their freedom of Speech on stories, is more important than
the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting
at home, to hear about them when something happens.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a
CANADIAN soldier roughing up an Insurgent
terrorist to obtain information, know this:

I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the
head when he is told not to move because he
might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:

I don't care. Shoot him again.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer
mat, and fed 'special' food, that is paid for by my tax dollars, is
complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can
absolutely believe, in your heart of hearts:

I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes
it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.'
Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it.

I don't care!!

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to
all your E-mail Friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to
the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!

If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete
button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't
complain when more atrocities committed by radical
Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering, if
during their life on earth, they made a difference in
the world. But, the Soldiers don't have that problem.

I have another quote that I would like to
share AND...I hope you forward All this.

One last thought for the day:

Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The British Soldier.

3. The Canadian Soldier.

4. The US Soldier, and

5. The Australian Soldier

One died for your soul,
the other four, for you and your children's Freedom.

Below video added by the editors:

God bless this housewife and any others that stand up for what their country believes in.

Mark Wheatley

America's First Sergeant

President Harry Truman

Harry and Bess Truman

We will never see the likes of them again.....

Thanks, Burt

First Lady Bess Truman

President Truman and the First Lady

Harry Truman was a different kind of President. He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 42 Presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri . His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now for sale. (sic. Illinois )

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!

I say dig him up and clone him!!

Europe

The European
Tax Rates

VVAT = Sales Tax

Thanks, Burt

European Union

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Income Tax: 50%

VAT: 17.5% TOTAL: 67.5%

France

Income Tax: 40%

VAT: 19.6% TOTAL: 59.6%

France

Greece

Greece

Income Tax: 40%

VAT: 25% TOTAL: 65%

Spain

Income Tax: 45%

VAT: 16% TOTAL: 61%

Spain

Norway

Norway

Income Tax: 54.3%

VAT: 25% TOTAL: 79.3%

Netherlands

Income Tax: 52%

VAT: 19% TOTAL: 71%

Netherlands

Portugal

Portugal

Income Tax: 42%

VAT: 20% TOTAL: 62%

Sweden

Income Tax: 55%

VAT: 25% TOTAL: 80%

Sweden

Denmark

Denmark

Income Tax: 58%

VAT: 25% TOTAL: 83%

Finland

Income Tax: 53%

VAT: 22% TOTAL: 75%

Finland

Germany

and finally

Germany

Income tax: 42-45%

Corporate Tax Rate: 33 1/3rd%

Sales Tax/VAT 19%

If you've started to wonder what the real costs of socialism are going to be - once the full program in these United States hits your wallet, take a look at the table. As you digest these mind-boggling figures, keep in mind that in spite of these astronomical tax rates, these countries are still not financing their social welfare programs exclusively from tax revenues! They are deeply mired in public debt of gargantuan proportions. Greece has reached the point where its debt is so huge it is in imminent danger of defaulting. That is the reason the European economic community has intervened to bail them out. If you're following the financial news, you know Spain and Portugal are right behind Greece .

The United States is now heading right down the same path. The VAT tax in the table is the national sales tax that Europeans pay. Stay tuned because that is exactly what you can expect to see the administration proposing after the fall elections. The initial percentage in the United States isn't going to be anywhere near the outrageous numbers you now see in Europe . Guess what. The current outrageous numbers in Europe didn't start out as outrageous either. They started out as minuscule - right around the 1% or 2% where they will start out in the United States . Magically, however, they ran up over the years to where they are now. Expect the same thing here.

It is the very notion that with hard work and perseverance, anybody can get ahead economically here in the USA . Do you think that can ever happen with tax rates between 60% and 80%? Think again. With the government taking that percentage of your money, your life will be exactly like life in Europe . . . You will never be able to buy a home. You will never buy a car. You will never send your children to college. Let's not shuffle the battle cry of the socialists under the rug either. It's always the same cry. Equalize income. Spread the wealth to the poor (whoever they are). Level the economic playing field. Accomplish that and everything will be rosy.

It's time to take a really hard look at reality. Greece is a perfect example. Despite the socialism system that has ruled this country for decades, with a 65% tax rate, they are drowning in public debt, would have defaulted without hundreds of billions in bailout money from the EU, and still . . . 20% of their population lives in poverty. What has all that socialism money bought, besides ultimate power for the politicians running the show? Do you think these people are "free?" They're not. They are slaves to their economic "system."

Instead of spreading the wealth around, spread this info around. It might wake up some people.
If you agree with this, forward it, if you do not agree with it, read it again.

Philadelphia Mayor at Church Podium
Some emails are self-explanatory..... VERY PROFOUND-STRAIGHT-UP-NO CHASER MESSAGE FOR OUR YOUTH, ESPECIALLY YOUNG MEN BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! PLEASE SHARE...:)
Thanks, Rocky

Johnny Cash

Steve Jobs

TEN YEARS AGO
IN AMERICA

Thanks, Jaime

Bob Hope

10 years ago the United States had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash.

Now we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

Bar stool economics

THE TAX SYSTEM EXPLAINED IN BEER
Finally, an economic explanation of our tax situation that can be
understood and related to.

We are reposting this email in light of President Obama's assault on the those that make money.

Thanks, Jamie

Taxes explained in beer

10 guys $100 bar tab

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100...

If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go
something like this...

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7..
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do..

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with
the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball.
"Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to
reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20". Drinks for the ten men
would now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes.
So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for
free. But what about the other six men ? How could they divide the
$20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?
They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they
subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the
sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each
man's bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the
principle of the tax system they had been using, and he proceeded
to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.

And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100%
saving).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% saving).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% saving).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% saving).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% saving).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four
continued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men
began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving," declared the sixth
man. He pointed to the tenth man,"but he got $10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a
dollar too. It's unfair that he got ten times more benefit than me!"

"That's true!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10
back, when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison, "we didn't
get anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine
sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to
pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have
enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and government ministers, is
how our tax system works. The people who already pay the highest
taxes will naturally get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax
them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not
show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas, as
many are considering where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics.

Thomas Jefferson

"Thomas Jefferson"

Way ahead of his time

Amazing!

Thanks, Will

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped.

    At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor.

   At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French.

    At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages.

   At 16, entered the College of William and Mary.

    At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe.

    At 23, started his own law practice.

    At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

    At 31, wrote the widely circulated
"Summary View of the Rights of British America " and retired from his law practice.

    At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.

    At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence .

    At 33, took three years to revise Virginia�s legal code and

   wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom.

    At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia succeeding Patrick Henry.

    At 40, served in Congress for two years.

   At 41, was the American minister to France and negotiated commercial

   treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.

   At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.

   At 53, served as Vice President and was elected

president of the American Philosophical Society.

At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions and became the active head of

   Republican Party.

   At 57, was elected the third president of the United States .

   At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase doubling the nation�s size.

   At 61, was elected to a second term as President.

   At 65, retired to Monticello .

   At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.

   At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia

and served as its first president.

At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

along with John Adams

Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous

failed attempts at government.

He understood actual history, the nature of God, His laws and the nature of man.
That happens to be way more than what most understand today.
Jefferson really knew his stuff.

A voice from the past to lead us in the future:

John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the

brightest minds in the nation at that time.
He made this statement:
"This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time

in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

�When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe,

we shall become as corrupt as Europe .� -- Thomas Jefferson

�The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those

who are willing to work and give to those who would not.�
-- Thomas Jefferson

�It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes.
A principle which, if acted on, would save one-half the wars of the world.�

-- Thomas Jefferson

�I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government

from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.�

-- Thomas Jefferson

�My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results

from too much government.� -- Thomas Jefferson

�No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.� -- Thomas Jefferson
�The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is,

as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.�

-- Thomas Jefferson

�The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the

blood of patriots and tyrants.� -- Thomas Jefferson

�To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas

which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.�
-- Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: �I believe that banking institutions are more

dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.
If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency,

first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up

around the banks will deprive the people of all property -

until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.�
I wish we could get this out to everyone!!!

Retirement Plan

"Patriotic Retirement Plan"

Written in response to a question by the St. Petersburg, FL times

How Would You Fix the Economy?"

The writer was 80 years old......

He nailed it.

Thanks, Rocky

One Million to all wrokers over 50

BEST THING I HAVE HEARD YET.....

From a senior citizen around 80 yrs. Of age.

We aren't useless yet.

The Fix
There recently was an article in the St. Petersburg , Fl. Times. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on: "How Would You Fix the Economy?" I think this guy nailed it!

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America 's economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan.

You can call it the

"Patriotic Retirement Plan"

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

Buy American Car

2) They MUST buy a new AMERICAN Car. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.

Housing fixed

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

Congress pay taxes

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their taxes

Congress retire on Social Security

Mr. President, while you're at it, make Congress retire on Social Security and Medicare. I'll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

If you think this would work, please forward to everyone you know..
If not, please disregard.

With Memorial Day coming up, we decided to reprint the "Airline Captain" and "Burial at Sea" emails . They are two of the best emails we have ever received......

"Airline Captain"

MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an
H.R. on this flight." (H.R.   stands for human remains.) "Are they
military?" I asked.

'Yes',   she said.

'Is   there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes,   I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would   you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him
early," I said..

A   short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He
was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier.    He introduced himself
and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers
talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to   Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded
to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I   asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I
told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I
appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen
soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his
hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We   completed our preflight checks, pushed back and   performed an
uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call
from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family
of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded
to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were
escorting their son, husband, and father home.    The family was upset
because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in
before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was
going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son
was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too
much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant
if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our
arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the
soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the
flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could
do.. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of
e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my
flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator
in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the
dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.. I explained the
situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted.
He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher.   We were going
to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a
text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the
dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain,   sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy
on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a
dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the
family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains
with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their
departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen
on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting
aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side
to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of
us here in flight control are veterans.    Please pass our condolences on to
the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job.   I
printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass
on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told
me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing.   After
landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is
huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy
area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we
entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that
all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked
like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the
seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family
from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the
copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate
to make an announcement to the passengers.   He did that and the ramp
controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake.   I pushed the public
address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain
speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement.
We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name
is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life.   Private XXXXXX
is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army
Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and
daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain
in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our
shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door.
I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do
not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the
aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the
aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly
started to clap his hands.   Moments later more passengers joined in and
soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm
sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind   words were uttered to the
family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane.
They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had
made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over
again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the
sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our
freedom and safety in these   United States of AMERICA .

Foot note:
As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the
ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they we were
treated. When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not
turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones
today and give them the respect they so deserve.

I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have tears
in their eyes, including me.
Prayer chain for our Military... Don't break it!

AND

"Burial At Sea"

"Burial at Sea"

Thanks, Burt

If you can read this and still have a dry eye at the end, you're stronger than us......

An emotional read....

Subject: Burial at Sea

To: Only those who would and could appreciate it

Semper FI...

________________________________

Tough duty then as it is now.

"Burial at Sea" by LtCol George Goodson, USMC (Ret)

In my 76th year, the events of my life appear to me, from time to time, as a
series of vignettes. Some were significant; most were trivial.

War is the seminal event in the life of everyone that has endured it.
Though I fought in Korea and the Dominican Republic and was wounded there,
Vietnam was my war.

Now 37 years have passed and, thankfully, I rarely think of those days in
Cambodia, Laos, and the panhandle of North Vietnam where small teams of
Americans and Montangards fought much larger elements of the North
Vietnamese Army. Instead I see vignettes: some exotic, some mundane:

*The smell of Nuc Mam.
*The heat, dust, and humidity.
*The blue exhaust of cycles clogging the streets.
*Elephants moving silently through the tall grass.
*Hard eyes behind the servile smiles of the villagers.
*Standing on a mountain in Laos and hearing a tiger roar.
*A young girl squeezing my hand as my medic delivered her baby.
*The flowing Ao Dais of the young women biking down Tran Hung Dao.
*My two years as Casualty Notification Officer in North Carolina, Virginia,
and Maryland.

It was late 1967. I had just returned after 18 months in Vietnam.
Casualties were increasing. I moved my family from Indianapolis to Norfolk,
rented a house, enrolled my children in their fifth or sixth new school, and
bought a second car.

A week later, I put on my uniform and drove 10 miles to Little Creek,
Virginia. I hesitated before entering my new office. Appearance is important
to career Marines. I was no longer, if ever, a poster Marine. I had returned
from my third tour in Vietnam only 30 days before. At 5'9", I now weighed
128 pounds - 37 pounds below my normal weight. My uniforms fit ludicrously,
my skin was yellow from malaria medication, and I think I had a twitch or
two.

I straightened my shoulders, walked into the office, looked at the nameplate
on a Staff Sergeant's desk and said, "Sergeant Jolly, I'm Lieutenant Colonel
Goodson. Here are my orders and my Qualification Jacket."

Sergeant Jolly stood, looked carefully at me, took my orders, stuck out his
hand; we shook and he asked, "How long were you there, Colonel?" I replied
"18 months this time." Jolly breathed, "Jesus, you must be a slow learner
Colonel." I smiled.

Jolly said, "Colonel, I'll show you to your office and bring in the Sergeant
Major. I said, "No, let's just go straight to his office."
Jolly nodded, hesitated, and lowered his voice, "Colonel, the Sergeant
Major. He's been in this G*dd@mn job two years. He's packed pretty tight.
I'm worried about him." I nodded.

Jolly escorted me into the Sergeant Major's office. "Sergeant Major, this is
Colonel Goodson, the new Commanding Office. The Sergeant Major stood,
extended his hand and said, "Good to see you again, Colonel." I responded,
"Hello Walt, how are you?" Jolly looked at me, raised an eyebrow, walked
out, and closed the door.

I sat down with the Sergeant Major. We had the obligatory cup of coffee and
talked about mutual acquaintances. Walt's stress was palpable. Finally, I
said, "Walt, what's the h-ll's wrong?" He turned his chair, looked out the
window and said, "George, you're going to wish you were back in Nam before
you leave here. I've been in the Marine Corps since 1939. I was in the
Pacific 36 months, Korea for 14 months, and Vietnam for 12 months. Now I
come here to bury these kids. I'm putting my letter in. I can't take it
anymore." I said, "OK Walt. If that's what you want, I'll endorse your
request for retirement and do what I can to push it through Headquarters
Marine Corps."

Sergeant Major Walt Xxxxx retired 12 weeks later. He had been a good Marine
for 28 years, but he had seen too much death and too much suffering. He was
used up.

Over the next 16 months, I made 28 death notifications, conducted 28
military funerals, and made 30 notifications to the families of Marines that
were severely wounded or missing in action. Most of the details of those
casualty notifications have now, thankfully, faded from memory. Four,
however, remain.

MY FIRST NOTIFICATION

My third or fourth day in Norfolk, I was notified of the death of a 19 year
old Marine. This notification came by telephone from Headquarters Marine
Corps. The information detailed:

*Name, rank, and serial number.
*Name, address, and phone number of next of kin.
*Date of and limited details about the Marine's death.
*Approximate date the body would arrive at the Norfolk Naval Air Station.
*A strong recommendation on whether the casket should be opened or closed.

The boy's family lived over the border in North Carolina, about 60 miles
away. I drove there in a Marine Corps staff car. Crossing the state line
into North Carolina, I stopped at a small country store / service station /
Post Office. I went in to ask directions.

Three people were in the store. A man and woman approached the small Post
Office window. The man held a package. The Storeowner walked up and
addressed them by name, "Hello John. Good morning Mrs. Cooper."

I was stunned. My casualty's next-of-kin's name was John Cooper!

I hesitated, then stepped forward and said, "I beg your pardon. Are you Mr.
and Mrs. John Copper of (address.)

The father looked at me-I was in uniform - and then, shaking, bent at the
waist, he vomited. His wife looked horrified at him and then at me.
Understanding came into her eyes and she collapsed in slow motion. I think I
caught her before she hit the floor.

The owner took a bottle of whiskey out of a drawer and handed it to Mr.
Cooper who drank. I answered their questions for a few minutes. Then I drove
them home in my staff car. The storeowner locked the store and followed in
their truck. We stayed an hour or so until the family began arriving.

I returned the storeowner to his business. He thanked me and said, "Mister,
I wouldn't have your job for a million dollars." I shook his hand and said;
"Neither would I."

I vaguely remember the drive back to Norfolk. Violating about five Marine
Corps regulations, I drove the staff car straight to my house. I sat with
my family while they ate dinner, went into the den, closed the door, and sat
there all night, alone.

My Marines steered clear of me for days. I had made my first death
notification.

THE FUNERALS

Weeks passed with more notifications and more funerals.. I borrowed Marines
from the local Marine Corps Reserve and taught them to conduct a military
funeral: how to carry a casket, how to fire the volleys and how to fold the
flag.

When I presented the flag to the mother, wife, or father, I always said,
"All Marines share in your grief." I had been instructed to say, "On behalf
of a grateful nation." I didn't think the nation was grateful, so I didn't
say that.

Sometimes, my emotions got the best of me and I couldn't speak. When that
happened, I just handed them the flag and touched a shoulder. They would
look at me and nod. Once a mother said to me, "I'm so sorry you have this
terrible job." My eyes filled with tears and I leaned over and kissed her.

ANOTHER NOTIFICATION

Six weeks after my first notification, I had another. This was a young PFC.
I drove to his mother's house. As always, I was in uniform and driving a
Marine Corps staff car. I parked in front of the house, took a deep breath,
and walked towards the house. Suddenlythe door flew open, a middle-aged
woman rushed out. She looked at me and ran across the yard, screaming "NO!
NO! NO! NO!"

I hesitated. Neighbors came out. I ran to her, grabbed her, and whispered
stupid things to reassure her. She collapsed. I picked her up and carried
her into the house. Eight or nine neighbors followed. Ten or fifteen later,
the father came in followed by ambulance personnel. I have no recollection
of leaving.

The funeral took place about two weeks later. We went through the drill. The
mother never looked at me. The father looked at me once and shook his head
sadly.

ANOTHER NOTIFICATION

One morning, as I walked in the office, the phone was ringing. Sergeant
Jolly held the phone up and said, "You've got another one, Colonel." I
nodded, walked into my office, picked up the phone, took notes, thanked the
officer making the call, I have no idea why, and hung up. Jolly, who had
listened, came in with a special Telephone Directory that translates
telephone numbers into the person's address and place of employment.

The father of this casualty was a Longshoreman. He lived a mile from my
office. I called the Longshoreman's Union Office and asked for the Business
Manager. He answered the phone, I told him who I was, and asked for the
father's schedule.

The Business Manager asked, "Is it his son?" I said nothing. After a moment,
he said, in a low voice, "Tom is at home today." I said, "Don't call him.
I'll take care of that." The Business Manager said, "Aye, Aye Sir," and then
explained, "Tom and I were Marines in WWII."

I got in my staff car and drove to the house. I was in uniform. I knocked
and a woman in her early forties answered the door. I saw instantly that she
was clueless. I asked, "Is Mr. Smith home?" She smiled pleasantly and
responded, "Yes, but he's eating breakfast now. Can you come back later?" I
said, "I'm sorry. It's important, I need to see him now."

She nodded, stepped back into the beach house and said, "Tom, it's for you."

A moment later, a ruddy man in his late forties, appeared at the door. He
looked at me, turned absolutely pale, steadied himself, and said, "Jesus
Christ man, he's only been there three weeks!"

Months passed. More notifications and more funerals. Then one day while I
was running, Sergeant Jolly stepped outside the building and gave a loud
whistle, two fingers in his mouth.... I never could do that... and held an
imaginary phone to his ear.

Another call from Headquarters Marine Corps. I took notes, said, "Got it."
and hung up. I had stopped saying "Thank You" long ago.

Jolly, "Where?"

Me, "Eastern Shore of Maryland. The father is a retired Chief Petty Officer.
His brother will accompany the body back from Vietnam."

Jolly shook his head slowly, straightened, and then said, "This time of day,
it'll take three hours to get there and back. I'll call the Naval Air
Station and borrow a helicopter. And I'll have Captain Tolliver get one of
his men to meet you and drive you to the Chief's home."

He did, and 40 minutes later, I was knocking on the father's door. He opened
the door, looked at me, then looked at the Marine standing at parade rest
beside the car, and asked, "Which one of my boys was it, Colonel?"

I stayed a couple of hours, gave him all the information, my office and home
phone number and told him to call me, anytime.

He called me that evening about 2300 (11:00PM). "I've gone through my boy's
papers and found his will. He asked to be buried at sea. Can you make that
happen?" I said, "Yes I can, Chief. I can and I will."

My wife who had been listening said, "Can you do that?" I told her, "I have
no idea. But I'm going to break my ass trying."

I called Lieutenant General Alpha Bowser, Commanding General, Fleet Marine
Force Atlantic, at home about 2330, explained the situation, and asked,
"General, can you get me a quick appointment with the Admiral at Atlantic
Fleet Headquarters?" General Bowser said," George, you be there tomorrow at
0900. He will see you.

I was and the Admiral did. He said coldly, "How can the Navy help the Marine
Corps, Colonel." I told him the story. He turned to his Chief of Staff and
said, "Which is the sharpest destroyer in port?" The Chief of Staff
responded with a name.

The Admiral called the ship, "Captain, you're going to do a burial at sea.
You'll report to a Marine Lieutenant Colonel Goodson until this mission is
completed."

He hung up, looked at me, and said, "The next time you need a ship, Colonel,
call me. You don't have to sic Al Bowser on my ass." I responded, "Aye Aye,
Sir" and got the h-ll out of his office.

I went to the ship and met with the Captain, Executive Officer, and the
Senior Chief. Sergeant Jolly and I trained the ship's crew for four days.
Then Jolly raised a question none of us had thought of. He said, "These
government caskets are air tight. How do we keep it from floating?"

All the high priced help including me sat there looking dumb. Then the
Senior Chief stood and said, "Come on Jolly. I know a bar where the retired
guys from World War II hang out."

They returned a couple of hours later, slightly the worst for wear, and
said, "It's simple; we cut four 12" holes in the outer shell of the casket
on each side and insert 300 lbs of lead in the foot end of the casket. We
can handle that, no sweat."

The day arrived. The ship and the sailors looked razor sharp. General
Bowser, the Admiral, a US Senator, and a Navy Band were on board. The sealed
casket was brought aboard and taken below for modification. The ship got
underway to the 12-fathom depth.

The sun was hot. The ocean flat. The casket was brought aft and placed on a
catafalque. The Chaplin spoke. The volleys were fired. The flag was
removed, folded, and I gave it to the father. The band played "Eternal
Father Strong to Save." The casket was raised slightly at the head and it
slid into the sea.

The heavy casket plunged straight down about six feet. The incoming water
collided with the air pockets in the outer shell. The casket stopped
abruptly, rose straight out of the water about three feet, stopped, and
slowly slipped back into the sea. The air bubbles rising from the sinking
casket sparkled in the in the sunlight as the casket disappeared from sight
forever.

The next morning I called a personal friend, Lieutenant General Oscar
Peatross, at Headquarters Marine Corps and said, "General, get me the f*ck
out of here. I can't take this sh_t anymore." I was transferred two weeks
later.

I was a good Marine but, after 17 years, I had seen too much death and too
much suffering. I was used up.

Vacating the house, my family and I drove to the office in a two-car convoy.
I said my goodbyes. Sergeant Jolly walked out with me. He waved at my
family, looked at me with tears in his eyes, came to attention, saluted, and
said, "Well Done, Colonel. Well Done."

I felt as if I had received the Medal of Honor!

5 Year Old

The Five Year Old and the
Marine

Thanks, Will
Every parent will love this one

U. S. Marine

Silence shattered

The peace is shattered in an airplane by a five-year-old boy who picks the moment after the plane has taken off to throw a wild temper tantrum. No matter what his frustrated, embarrassed mother does to try to calm him down, the boy continues to scream furiously and kick the seats around him.

Suddenly, from the rear of the plane, a man in a Marine uniform is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle. Stopping the flustered mother with an upraised hand, the courtly, soft-spoken Marine leans down and, motioning toward his chest, whispers something into the boy's ear.

Instantly, the boy calms down, gently takes his mother's hand, and quietly fastens his seat belt. All the other passengers burst into spontaneous applause.

As the Marine slowly makes his way back to his seat, one of the cabin attendants touches his sleeve. "Excuse me, sir," she asks quietly, "but could I ask you what magic words you used on that little boy?"

The Marine smiles serenely and gently confides, "I showed him my pilot's wings, service stars, and battle ribbons, and explained that they entitle me to throw one passenger out the plane door on any flight I choose."

United States Marine

Calm boy on flight

Wal-Mart Senior Greeters

Senior Greeter at Wal-Mart

You just have to appreciate this one. Young people sometimes forget that old people had a career before we retired...

Thanks, Judy
Very funny

Senior Greeter at Wal Mart

Charley, a new retiree-greeter at Wal-Mart, just couldn't seem to get to work on time.

Every day he was 5, 10, 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean-shaven, sharp-minded

and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their "Older Person Friendly" policies.

One day the boss called him into the office for a talk.

"Charley, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang-up job when you finally get here;

but your being late so often is quite bothersome."

Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it."

"Well good, you are a team player. That's what I like to hear.

Yes sir, I understand your concern and I'll try harder.

Seeming puzzled, the manager went on to comment, It's odd though your coming in late. I know you're retired from

the Armed Forces. What did they say to you there if you showed up in the morning so late and so often?"

The old man looked down at the floor, then smiled.

He chuckled quietly, then said with a grin, "They usually saluted and said,

Good morning, Admiral, can I get your coffee, sir?

Admiral, United States Navy (retired)

Liberal College girl

Father and Daughter Discussion

Liberal College Girl v Conservative Dad

Thanks, Jamie

Conservative Dad

Liberal College Daughter

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very Liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words, redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch conservative, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that She had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

Conservative Dad

Bigger Government

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends, because she spent all her time studying.

4.0

Party girl

Her father listened and then asked , 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, ' Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She Is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's Office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA, and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.' The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'

Share the wealth

	We just found this YouTube about students and sharing their GPA. It speaks volumes about how those that believe in redistribution of wealth really feel: Not if it's mine.

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to The Conservative party.' If anyone has a better explanation of the difference between Conservative and Liberal I'm all ears.

1957

High School

1957 v 2011

Thanks, Phyllis and Barb

2011

Scenario 1:
Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack.

1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2011 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Hunting

Lockdown

Scenario 2:
Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2011 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Fighting

SWAT

Scenario 3:
Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.

1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2011 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family gets extra money (SSI) from the government because Jeffrey has a disability.

Spanking

Drugged

Scenario 4:
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.

2011 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse, Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Dad spanking

Dad arrested

Scenario 5:
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock.

2011 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Aspirin

Expelled

Scenario 6:
Pedro fails high school English.

1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2011 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

F in English

Life of mowinng

Scenario 7:
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.

1957 - Ants die.

2011 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Firecrakers

FBI raid

Scenario 8:
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 " In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2011 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

This should hit every email inbox to show how ignorant we have become!

Teacher comforts child

Teacher arrested

New Preamble

NEW PREAMBLE
TO THE CONSTITUTION

Thanks, Jay

Rights you don't have

This is probably the best e-mail I've seen in a long, long time. The following has been attributed to State Representative Mitchell Kaye from GA. This guy should run for President one day...

Actually, the New Preamble below is not the work of Mitchell Kaye. It was written by Lewis Rapper, Libertarian candidate in 1991. Does it really matter who wrote it or when it was written. It applies today just as much as 1991.

Snopes link: http://www.snopes.com/language/document/norights.asp

'We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time toordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny,
guilt ridden, delusional. We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights.'

ARTICLE I:

You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II:

You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III:

You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV:

You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V:

You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI:

You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair

ARTICLE VII:

You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII:

You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX:

You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X:

This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you came from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from!
Lastly

ARTICLE XI:

You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!

If you agree, share this with a friend. No, you don't have to, and nothing tragic will befall you if you don't. I just think it's about time common sense is allowed to flourish. Sensible people of the United States must speak out because if you do not, who will?

Bduget cutting

Cutting our budgets like President Obama did.......

Thanks, Gavin

11 cents

Cutting our personal budgets just as much as President Obama did.

By making sacrificial and proportional cuts in your own personal budget, you can appreciate that budget cutting really cuts to the quick.

The President ordered the cabinet to cut a whopping $100 million from the $3.5 trillion federal budget.

I'm so impressed by this sacrifice that I have decided to do the same thing with my personal budget. I spend about $4,000 a month on groceries, utilities, medicine, TAXES, bills, etc., and now it's time to get out my budget cutting ax, go line by line through my expenses, and get to work.

I'm going to cut my spending at exactly the same ratio as the President - 1/35,000 of my total budget. After doing the math, it looks like instead of spending $4,000 a month; I'm going to have to cut that number downward by eleven cents!

Yes, I know that's a lot and I must somehow get by with $3,999.89, but that is what sacrifice is all about. The President has requested that we get some of our own ?skin in the game? with everyone else. So we'll just have to do without some things, that are, quite frankly, luxuries those eleven cents normally buy us.

Hope this helps brighten your day ... and gives you a little better understanding of just how serious our current President is about his job.

Don't you feel better now?

R.I.P. Common Sense

The Death of Common Sense

Thanks, Rocky

The Death of Common Sense

An Obituary printed in the London Times -
Interesting and sadly rather true.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion..

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Elizabeth V. Wright

Attorney at Law

U. S. Tax System

THE TAX SYSTEM EXPLAINED IN BEER

Thanks, Jaime

Cold mug of beer

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for
all ten comes to $100...
If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go
something like this...

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7..
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do..

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with
the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball.
"Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to
reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20". Drinks for the ten men
would now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes.
So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for
free. But what about the other six men ? How could they divide the
$20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they
subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the
sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each
man's bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the
principle of the tax system they had been using, and he proceeded
to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.

And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100%
saving).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% saving).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% saving).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% saving).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% saving).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four
continued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men
began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving," declared the sixth
man. He pointed to the tenth man,"but he got $10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a
dollar too. It's unfair that he got ten times more benefit than me!"

"That's true!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10
back, when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison, "we didn't
get anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine
sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to
pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have
enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and government ministers, is
how our tax system works. The people who already pay the highest
taxes will naturally get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax
them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not
show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas, as
many are considering where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

The Veteran

It is the Veteran.........

Veterans

_{Thanks, Ricky}

Subject: ONE OF THE BEST EMAILS EVER

Pray for all our Servicemen and Women. who risk their lives everyday for each and everyone of us....Cass

Keep it
moving, please, even if you've seen it before.

It is the
VETERAN
, not the
preacher,

who has
given us freedom of religion.

It is
the
VETERAN , not the
reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is
the
VETERAN , not the
poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is
the
VETERAN , not the
campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is
the
VETERAN , not the
lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is
the
VETERAN , not the
politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

It
is the
VETERAN
who
salutes the Flag,

It is
the
veteran

who serves
under the Flag,

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE ON THEM

I'd be
EXTREMELY proud if this email reached as many as possible.

We can be very
proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

God
Bless them all!!!

U. S. Marines, Afghanistan

The REAL NEWS......

Lindsay Lohan

Thanks, Judy

Lindsay Lohan, 24, and Paris Hilton got their names and faces all over the
news because they went to jail for a few short weeks or days for acting out,
negative behavior, resisting arrest, cocaine possession, being drunk and
disorderly, not to mention their insolent attitude.

What do you know about these men?

Justin Allen, 23

Brett Linley, 29

Matthew Weikert, 29

Justus Bartett, 27

Dave Santos , 21

Chase Stanley, 21

Jesse Reed, 26

Matthew Johnson, 21

Zachary Fisher, 24

Brandon King, 23

Christopher Goeke, 23

Sheldon Tate, 27

Do you recognize any of their names? No? None of them starred in a movie or
made a record album, hit a homerun or scored a 2 point conversion or did a
celebration in the end zone after scoring a touchdown. None of them brags
about "showcasing their talents for their fans" while being paid millions
and millions of dollars.

Did that help? No? Well then I should tell you that they are all Marines who
gave their lives for YOU this week. They died for honor and country. They
are all heroes of the highest magnitude. How much did you read about them ?

Honor THEM by forwarding this. I just did!

We are asking everyone to say a prayer for "Darkhorse" 3rd Battalion 5th
Marines and their families. They are fighting it out in Afghanistan & they
have lost 9 marines in 4 days. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE the message spread if
more could pass it on..

God Bless America and

God Bless the United States Marine Corps...

Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever

The Movie Test

Pretty amazing......

Take it

The Movie Test

This is pretty amazing!

I was surprised how this worked. Be honest and don't look at the movie list till
you have done the math!

Try this test and find out what movie is your favorite. This amazing math quiz
can likely predict which of 18 films you would enjoy the most. Don't ask me how,
but it really works!

Movie Test:

Pick a number from 1-9.

Multiply by 3.

Add 3.

Multiply by 3 again.

Now add the two digits together to find your predicted favorite movie in the
list of 18 movies below:

Movie List:

   1. Gone With The Wind
   2. E.T.
   3. Beverly Hills Cop
   4. Star Wars
   5. Forrest Gump
   6. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
   7. Jaws
   8. Grease
   9. The Defeat of Obama in 2012
   10. Casablanca
   11. Jurassic Park
   12. Shrek
   13. Pirates of the Caribbean
   14. Titanic
   15. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
   16. Home Alone
   17. Mrs. Doubtfire
   18. Toy Story

This email is perfect considering the debate over the Bush tax cuts being extended.

Bar Stool Economics......

Bar Stool Economics

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100 and if they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve.

"Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20." So drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers?

How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33, but if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before and the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, �but he got $10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"

"That's true!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, PhD.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Georgia

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

From a Romanian Newspaper.....

From a Romanian Newspaper

This is an authentic Newspaper article according to www.snopes.com - http://www.snopes.com/rumors/soapbox/nistorescu.asp

Thanks Burt,

We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA

Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under

the title 'C'ntarea Americii, meaning 'Ode To America ') in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei 'The Daily Event'

or 'News of the Day'.

~An Ode to America ~

Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one

color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and

religious beliefs.
On 9/ll, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart.

Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the Army, or the Secret Service that they are only a bunch

of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby

to gape about.
Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.
After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts,

caps and ties in the colors of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in

every place and on everycar a government official or the president was passing. On every

occasion, they started singing: 'God Bless America!'
I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who

went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the

Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from

hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? Imperceptibly, with every

word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with

every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into collection aimed at rewarding not a

man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy. What on earth unites the Americans in such

a way? Their land? Their history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer,

humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought

things over, I reached but only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles.
Cornel Nistorescu

(This deserves to be passed around the Internet forever.) It took a person on the outside - looking in

- to see what we take for granted !

GOD BLESS AMERICA !!!

If you can read this and still have a dry eye at the end, you're stronger than us......

An emotional read....

Subject: Burial at Sea

To: Only those who would and could appreciate it

Semper FI...

________________________________

Tough duty then as it is now.

"Burial at Sea" by LtCol George Goodson, USMC (Ret)

In my 76th year, the events of my life appear to me, from time to time, as a
series of vignettes. Some were significant; most were trivial.

War is the seminal event in the life of everyone that has endured it.
Though I fought in Korea and the Dominican Republic and was wounded there,
Vietnam was my war.

Now 37 years have passed and, thankfully, I rarely think of those days in
Cambodia, Laos, and the panhandle of North Vietnam where small teams of
Americans and Montangards fought much larger elements of the North
Vietnamese Army. Instead I see vignettes: some exotic, some mundane:

*The smell of Nuc Mam.
*The heat, dust, and humidity.
*The blue exhaust of cycles clogging the streets.
*Elephants moving silently through the tall grass.
*Hard eyes behind the servile smiles of the villagers.
*Standing on a mountain in Laos and hearing a tiger roar.
*A young girl squeezing my hand as my medic delivered her baby.
*The flowing Ao Dais of the young women biking down Tran Hung Dao.
*My two years as Casualty Notification Officer in North Carolina, Virginia,
and Maryland.

It was late 1967. I had just returned after 18 months in Vietnam.
Casualties were increasing. I moved my family from Indianapolis to Norfolk,
rented a house, enrolled my children in their fifth or sixth new school, and
bought a second car.

A week later, I put on my uniform and drove 10 miles to Little Creek,
Virginia. I hesitated before entering my new office. Appearance is important
to career Marines. I was no longer, if ever, a poster Marine. I had returned
from my third tour in Vietnam only 30 days before. At 5'9", I now weighed
128 pounds - 37 pounds below my normal weight. My uniforms fit ludicrously,
my skin was yellow from malaria medication, and I think I had a twitch or
two.

I straightened my shoulders, walked into the office, looked at the nameplate
on a Staff Sergeant's desk and said, "Sergeant Jolly, I'm Lieutenant Colonel
Goodson. Here are my orders and my Qualification Jacket."

Sergeant Jolly stood, looked carefully at me, took my orders, stuck out his
hand; we shook and he asked, "How long were you there, Colonel?" I replied
"18 months this time." Jolly breathed, "Jesus, you must be a slow learner
Colonel." I smiled.

Jolly said, "Colonel, I'll show you to your office and bring in the Sergeant
Major. I said, "No, let's just go straight to his office."
Jolly nodded, hesitated, and lowered his voice, "Colonel, the Sergeant
Major. He's been in this G*dd@mn job two years. He's packed pretty tight.
I'm worried about him." I nodded.

Jolly escorted me into the Sergeant Major's office. "Sergeant Major, this is
Colonel Goodson, the new Commanding Office. The Sergeant Major stood,
extended his hand and said, "Good to see you again, Colonel." I responded,
"Hello Walt, how are you?" Jolly looked at me, raised an eyebrow, walked
out, and closed the door.

I sat down with the Sergeant Major. We had the obligatory cup of coffee and
talked about mutual acquaintances. Walt's stress was palpable. Finally, I
said, "Walt, what's the h-ll's wrong?" He turned his chair, looked out the
window and said, "George, you're going to wish you were back in Nam before
you leave here. I've been in the Marine Corps since 1939. I was in the
Pacific 36 months, Korea for 14 months, and Vietnam for 12 months. Now I
come here to bury these kids. I'm putting my letter in. I can't take it
anymore." I said, "OK Walt. If that's what you want, I'll endorse your
request for retirement and do what I can to push it through Headquarters
Marine Corps."

Sergeant Major Walt Xxxxx retired 12 weeks later. He had been a good Marine
for 28 years, but he had seen too much death and too much suffering. He was
used up.

Over the next 16 months, I made 28 death notifications, conducted 28
military funerals, and made 30 notifications to the families of Marines that
were severely wounded or missing in action. Most of the details of those
casualty notifications have now, thankfully, faded from memory. Four,
however, remain.

MY FIRST NOTIFICATION

My third or fourth day in Norfolk, I was notified of the death of a 19 year
old Marine. This notification came by telephone from Headquarters Marine
Corps. The information detailed:

*Name, rank, and serial number.
*Name, address, and phone number of next of kin.
*Date of and limited details about the Marine's death.
*Approximate date the body would arrive at the Norfolk Naval Air Station.
*A strong recommendation on whether the casket should be opened or closed.

The boy's family lived over the border in North Carolina, about 60 miles
away. I drove there in a Marine Corps staff car. Crossing the state line
into North Carolina, I stopped at a small country store / service station /
Post Office. I went in to ask directions.

Three people were in the store. A man and woman approached the small Post
Office window. The man held a package. The Storeowner walked up and
addressed them by name, "Hello John. Good morning Mrs. Cooper."

I was stunned. My casualty's next-of-kin's name was John Cooper!

I hesitated, then stepped forward and said, "I beg your pardon. Are you Mr.
and Mrs. John Copper of (address.)

The father looked at me-I was in uniform - and then, shaking, bent at the
waist, he vomited. His wife looked horrified at him and then at me.
Understanding came into her eyes and she collapsed in slow motion. I think I
caught her before she hit the floor.

The owner took a bottle of whiskey out of a drawer and handed it to Mr.
Cooper who drank. I answered their questions for a few minutes. Then I drove
them home in my staff car. The storeowner locked the store and followed in
their truck. We stayed an hour or so until the family began arriving.

I returned the storeowner to his business. He thanked me and said, "Mister,
I wouldn't have your job for a million dollars." I shook his hand and said;
"Neither would I."

I vaguely remember the drive back to Norfolk. Violating about five Marine
Corps regulations, I drove the staff car straight to my house. I sat with
my family while they ate dinner, went into the den, closed the door, and sat
there all night, alone.

My Marines steered clear of me for days. I had made my first death
notification.

THE FUNERALS

Weeks passed with more notifications and more funerals.. I borrowed Marines
from the local Marine Corps Reserve and taught them to conduct a military
funeral: how to carry a casket, how to fire the volleys and how to fold the
flag.

When I presented the flag to the mother, wife, or father, I always said,
"All Marines share in your grief." I had been instructed to say, "On behalf
of a grateful nation." I didn't think the nation was grateful, so I didn't
say that.

Sometimes, my emotions got the best of me and I couldn't speak. When that
happened, I just handed them the flag and touched a shoulder. They would
look at me and nod. Once a mother said to me, "I'm so sorry you have this
terrible job." My eyes filled with tears and I leaned over and kissed her.

ANOTHER NOTIFICATION

Six weeks after my first notification, I had another. This was a young PFC.
I drove to his mother's house. As always, I was in uniform and driving a
Marine Corps staff car. I parked in front of the house, took a deep breath,
and walked towards the house. Suddenlythe door flew open, a middle-aged
woman rushed out. She looked at me and ran across the yard, screaming "NO!
NO! NO! NO!"

I hesitated. Neighbors came out. I ran to her, grabbed her, and whispered
stupid things to reassure her. She collapsed. I picked her up and carried
her into the house. Eight or nine neighbors followed. Ten or fifteen later,
the father came in followed by ambulance personnel. I have no recollection
of leaving.

The funeral took place about two weeks later. We went through the drill. The
mother never looked at me. The father looked at me once and shook his head
sadly.

ANOTHER NOTIFICATION

One morning, as I walked in the office, the phone was ringing. Sergeant
Jolly held the phone up and said, "You've got another one, Colonel." I
nodded, walked into my office, picked up the phone, took notes, thanked the
officer making the call, I have no idea why, and hung up. Jolly, who had
listened, came in with a special Telephone Directory that translates
telephone numbers into the person's address and place of employment.

The father of this casualty was a Longshoreman. He lived a mile from my
office. I called the Longshoreman's Union Office and asked for the Business
Manager. He answered the phone, I told him who I was, and asked for the
father's schedule.

The Business Manager asked, "Is it his son?" I said nothing. After a moment,
he said, in a low voice, "Tom is at home today." I said, "Don't call him.
I'll take care of that." The Business Manager said, "Aye, Aye Sir," and then
explained, "Tom and I were Marines in WWII."

I got in my staff car and drove to the house. I was in uniform. I knocked
and a woman in her early forties answered the door. I saw instantly that she
was clueless. I asked, "Is Mr. Smith home?" She smiled pleasantly and
responded, "Yes, but he's eating breakfast now. Can you come back later?" I
said, "I'm sorry. It's important, I need to see him now."

She nodded, stepped back into the beach house and said, "Tom, it's for you."

A moment later, a ruddy man in his late forties, appeared at the door. He
looked at me, turned absolutely pale, steadied himself, and said, "Jesus
Christ man, he's only been there three weeks!"

Months passed. More notifications and more funerals. Then one day while I
was running, Sergeant Jolly stepped outside the building and gave a loud
whistle, two fingers in his mouth.... I never could do that... and held an
imaginary phone to his ear.

Another call from Headquarters Marine Corps. I took notes, said, "Got it."
and hung up. I had stopped saying "Thank You" long ago.

Jolly, "Where?"

Me, "Eastern Shore of Maryland. The father is a retired Chief Petty Officer.
His brother will accompany the body back from Vietnam."

Jolly shook his head slowly, straightened, and then said, "This time of day,
it'll take three hours to get there and back. I'll call the Naval Air
Station and borrow a helicopter. And I'll have Captain Tolliver get one of
his men to meet you and drive you to the Chief's home."

He did, and 40 minutes later, I was knocking on the father's door. He opened
the door, looked at me, then looked at the Marine standing at parade rest
beside the car, and asked, "Which one of my boys was it, Colonel?"

I stayed a couple of hours, gave him all the information, my office and home
phone number and told him to call me, anytime.

He called me that evening about 2300 (11:00PM). "I've gone through my boy's
papers and found his will. He asked to be buried at sea. Can you make that
happen?" I said, "Yes I can, Chief. I can and I will."

My wife who had been listening said, "Can you do that?" I told her, "I have
no idea. But I'm going to break my ass trying."

I called Lieutenant General Alpha Bowser, Commanding General, Fleet Marine
Force Atlantic, at home about 2330, explained the situation, and asked,
"General, can you get me a quick appointment with the Admiral at Atlantic
Fleet Headquarters?" General Bowser said," George, you be there tomorrow at
0900. He will see you.

I was and the Admiral did. He said coldly, "How can the Navy help the Marine
Corps, Colonel." I told him the story. He turned to his Chief of Staff and
said, "Which is the sharpest destroyer in port?" The Chief of Staff
responded with a name.

The Admiral called the ship, "Captain, you're going to do a burial at sea.
You'll report to a Marine Lieutenant Colonel Goodson until this mission is
completed."

He hung up, looked at me, and said, "The next time you need a ship, Colonel,
call me. You don't have to sic Al Bowser on my ass." I responded, "Aye Aye,
Sir" and got the h-ll out of his office.

I went to the ship and met with the Captain, Executive Officer, and the
Senior Chief. Sergeant Jolly and I trained the ship's crew for four days.
Then Jolly raised a question none of us had thought of. He said, "These
government caskets are air tight. How do we keep it from floating?"

All the high priced help including me sat there looking dumb. Then the
Senior Chief stood and said, "Come on Jolly. I know a bar where the retired
guys from World War II hang out."

They returned a couple of hours later, slightly the worst for wear, and
said, "It's simple; we cut four 12" holes in the outer shell of the casket
on each side and insert 300 lbs of lead in the foot end of the casket. We
can handle that, no sweat."

The day arrived. The ship and the sailors looked razor sharp. General
Bowser, the Admiral, a US Senator, and a Navy Band were on board. The sealed
casket was brought aboard and taken below for modification. The ship got
underway to the 12-fathom depth.

The sun was hot. The ocean flat. The casket was brought aft and placed on a
catafalque. The Chaplin spoke. The volleys were fired. The flag was
removed, folded, and I gave it to the father. The band played "Eternal
Father Strong to Save." The casket was raised slightly at the head and it
slid into the sea.

The heavy casket plunged straight down about six feet. The incoming water
collided with the air pockets in the outer shell. The casket stopped
abruptly, rose straight out of the water about three feet, stopped, and
slowly slipped back into the sea. The air bubbles rising from the sinking
casket sparkled in the in the sunlight as the casket disappeared from sight
forever.

The next morning I called a personal friend, Lieutenant General Oscar
Peatross, at Headquarters Marine Corps and said, "General, get me the f*ck
out of here. I can't take this sh_t anymore." I was transferred two weeks
later.

I was a good Marine but, after 17 years, I had seen too much death and too
much suffering. I was used up.

Vacating the house, my family and I drove to the office in a two-car convoy.
I said my goodbyes. Sergeant Jolly walked out with me. He waved at my
family, looked at me with tears in his eyes, came to attention, saluted, and
said, "Well Done, Colonel. Well Done."

I felt as if I had received the Medal of Honor!

Thanks Rocky

Barack Obama is no Fool

President Obama

Obama's COLLEGE ROOMMATE SPEAKS OUT

Mr. Root was not President Obama's roommate. According to snopes.com he didn't even know the president at Columbia. The oped is true - the relationship is false. still worth reading.

By Wayne Allyn Root, June 6th, 2010

Barack Hussien Obama is no fool.

He is not incompetent.

To the contrary, he is brilliant.

He knows exactly what he's doing.

He is purposely overwhelming the U.S. economy to create systemic failure, economic crisis and social chaos -- thereby destroying capitalism and our country from within.

Barack Hussien Obama is my college classmate ( Columbia University , class of '83).He is a devout Muslim

do not be fooled.Look at his Czars...anti-business..anti- American

As Glenn Beck correctly predicted from day one,

Barack Hussien Obama is following the plan of Cloward & Piven, two professors at Columbia University .

They outlined a plan to socialize America by overwhelming the system with government spending and entitlement demands.

Add up the clues below.

Taken individually they're alarming.

Taken as a whole, it is a brilliant, Machiavellian game plan to turn the United States into a socialist/Marxist state with a permanent majority that desperately needs government for survival ... and can be counted on to always vote for bigger government.

Why not?

They have no responsibility to pay for it.

-- Universal health care.

The health care bill had very little to do with health care.

It had everything to do with unionizing millions of hospital and health care workers, as well as adding 15,000 to 20,000 new IRS agents (who will join government employee unions). Obama doesn't care that giving free health care to 30 million Americans will add trillions to the national debt. What he does care about is that it cements the dependence of those 30 million voters to Democrats and big government. Who but a socialist revolutionary would pass this reckless spending bill in the middle of a depression?

-- Cap and trade.

Like health care legislation having nothing to do with health care, cap and trade has nothing to do with global warming.

It has everything to do with redistribution of income, government control of the economy and a criminal payoff to Obama's biggest contributors.

Those powerful and wealthy unions and contributors (like GE, which owns NBC, MSNBC and CNBC) can then be counted on to support everything Obama wants.

They will kick-back hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions to Obama and the Democratic Party to keep them in power. The bonus is that all the new taxes on Americans with bigger cars, bigger homes and businesses helps Obama "spread the wealth around."

-- Make Puerto Rico a state.

Why?

Who's asking for a 51st state?

Who's asking for millions of new welfare recipients and government entitlement addicts in the middle of a depression?

Certainly not American taxpayers.

But this has been Barack Hussien Obama's plan all along.

His goal is to add two new Democrat senators, five Democrat congressman and a million loyal Democratic voters who are dependent on big government.

-- Legalize 12 million illegal Mexican immigrants.

Just giving these 12 million potential new citizens free health care alone could overwhelm the system and bankrupt America .

But it adds 12 million reliable new Democrat voters who can be counted on to support big government.

Add another few trillion dollars in welfare, aid to dependent children, food stamps, free medical, education, tax credits for the poor, and eventually Social Security.

-- Stimulus and bailouts.

Where did all that money go?

It went to Democrat contributors, organizations (ACORN), and unions -- including billions of dollars to save or create jobs of government employees across the country.

It went to save GM and Chrysler so that their employees could keep paying union dues.

It went to AIG so that Goldman Sachs could be bailed out (after giving Obama almost $1 million in contributions). A staggering $125 billion went to teachers (thereby protecting their union dues).

All those public employees will vote loyally Democrat to protect their bloated salaries and pensions that are bankrupting America . The country goes broke, future generations face a bleak future, but Obama, the Democrat Party, government, and the unions grow more powerful. The ends justify the means.

-- Raise taxes on small business owners, high-income earners, and job creators. Put the entire burden on only the top 20 percent of taxpayers, redistribute the income, punish success, and reward those who did nothing to deserve it (except vote for Obama). Reagan wanted to dramatically cut taxes in order to starve the government. Barack Obama wants to dramatically raise taxes to starve his political opposition.

With the acts outlined above, Barack Hussien Obama and his regime have created a vast and rapidly expanding constituency of voters dependent on big government; a vast privileged class of public employees who work for big government; and a government dedicated to destroying capitalism and installing themselves as socialist rulers by overwhelming the system.

Add it up and you've got the perfect Marxist scheme -- all devised by my Columbia University college classmate

Barack Hussien Obama using the Cloward and Piven Plan.

True per snopes!

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/overwhelm.asp

Thanks, Barry

The New Preamble

November 2nd

NEW PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION

This is probably the best e-mail I've seen in a long time... The
following has been attributed to State Representative Mitchell Kaye
from GA.

"We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help
everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more
riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the
blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our
great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain
and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny,
guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters. We hold these
truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by
the Bill of Rights"

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or
any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire
them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This
country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone - not
just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a
different opinion, etc; but the world is full of idiots, and probably
always will be.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If
you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not
expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives
independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing.
Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly
help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing
generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve
nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional
couch potatoes ..

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That
would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not
interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other
people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone,
don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the
electric chair.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of
others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of
other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and
lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big
screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure
want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times,
but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education
and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an
American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by
the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance
of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill
of Rights.

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don't care
where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to
wherever it is your language is spoken. And lastly...

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country's
history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one
true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any
religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution.
The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if
you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!

If you agree, share this with a friend. Nothing tragic will
befall you if you don't. I just think it's about time common sense is
allowed to flourish. Sensible people of the United States speak out
because if you do not, who will?

Thanks, Jay

The new Dr. Seuss

November 2nd

I do not like `this' Uncle Sam, I do not like his health care scam. I do not like these dirty crooks, or how they lie and cook the books.

I do not like when Congress steals, I do not like their secret deals. I do not like this speaker, Nan, I do not like this 'YES WE CAN.'

I do not like this spending spree, Not stupid, I know that nothing's free. I do not like your smug replies, when I complain about your lies.

I do not like this kind of hope. I do not like it, nope, nope, nope! So, I do plan to vote, vote, vote!

###

November 2^nd 2010

The day America takes out the trash!

Honor their sacrifice

"Tennessee Funeral"
Funeral for James, nephew of Vicki Pierce
Killed while serving in Iraq

One of the best emails we've ever received........

God Bless you Tennessee

Funeral in Tennessee

In Tennessee we really do pull off the road and stop for funerals... nobody moves until the last car has gone by.

What follows is a message from Vicki Pierce about her nephew James' funeral, who was killed while serving his country in Iraq!

However, the most incredible thing was what happened following the service on the way to the cemetery. We went to our cars and drove to the cemetery escorted by at least 10 police cars with lights flashing and some other emergency vehicles,
with Tennessee police handling traffic.

Everyone on the road who was not in the procession, pulled over, got out of their cars, and stood silently and respectfully, some put their hands over their hearts.

When we turned off the highway suddenly there were teenage boys along both sides of the street about every 20 feet or so, all holding large American flags on long flag poles, and again with their hands on their hearts. We thought at first it was the Boy Scouts or 4 H club or something, but it continued for two and a half miles.

Hundreds of young people, standing silently on the side of the road with flags. At one point we passed an elementary school, and all the children were outside, shoulder to shoulder holding flags kindergartners, handicapped, teachers, staff, everyone.
Some held signs of love and support. Then came teenage girls; and younger boys, all holding flags. Then adults. Then families. All standing silently on the side of the road. No one spoke, not even the very young children.

The military presence, at least two generals, a fist full of colonels, and representatives from every branch of the service, plus the color guard who attended James, and some who served with him, was very impressive and respectful, but the love and pride from this community who had lost one of their own was the most amazing thing I've ever been privileged to witness!

I've attached some pictures, some are blurry (we were moving), but you can get a small idea of what this was like. These photos are awesome!!

Click photos to enlarge

Thanks Will,

"Interesting Stats"
U. S. vs England and Canada

"Interesting Stats"

The last stat comparing previous President's Cabinet level business experience is incredible......

A recent "Investor's Business Daily" article provided very interesting statistics from a survey by

the United Nations  International Health Organization.

Percentage of men and women who survived a cancer five years after diagnosis:

U.S.    65%

England    46%

Canada 42%

Percentage of patients diagnosed with diabetes who received treatment within six months:

U.S.    93%

England    15%

Canada 43%

Percentage of seniors needing hip replacement who received it within six months:

U.S.    90%

England    15%

Canada 43%

Percentage referred to a medical specialist who see one within one month:

U.S.    77%

England    40%

Canada 43%

Number of MRI scanners (a prime diagnostic tool) per million people:

U.S.    71

England    14

Canada 18

Percentage of seniors (65+), with low income, who say they are in excellent health":

U.S.    12%

England    2%

Canada 6%

I don't know about you, but I don't want "Universal Healthcare" comparable to England or Canada.

Moreover, it was Sen. Harry Reid who said, "Elderly Americans must learn to accept the inconveniences of old age."

SHIP HIM TO CANADA OR ENGLAND!

He is "elderly" himself but be sure to remember his health  insurance is different from yours as Congress has their own high-
end coverage! He will never have to learn to accept  "inconveniences"!!!

AND THE WINNER IS VERY INTERESTING!

The percentage of each past president's cabinet who had worked in  the private business sector prior to their appointment to the   cabinet. You know what the private business sector is... a real  life business, not a government job.

Here are the percentages.

T. Roosevelt........ 38%

Taft.....................40%

Wilson ................52%

Harding..................49%

Coolidge.............. 48%

Hoover .................. 42%

F. Roosevelt......... 50%

Truman..................50%

Eisenhower........... 57%

Kennedy.............. 30%

Johnson.................47%

Nixon................... 53%

Ford..................... 42%

Carter................... 32%

Reagan...................56%

GH Bush................. 51%

Clinton .................. 39%

GW Bush................ 55%

And the winner of the Chicken Dinner is:

Obama................ 8%  !!!

Yep! That's right! Only Eight Percent!!!(including our President)..the least by far of the last 19 presidents!! And these people are trying to tell our  big corporations how to run their business? They know what's best for GM...Chrysler... Wall Street... and you and me?

How can the president of a major nation and society...the one with the most successful economic system in world history...

stand and talk about business when he's never worked for one? !!!

or about jobs when he has never really had one? !!!

And neither has 92% of his senior staff and closest advisers! They've spent most of their time in academia, government and/or non-profit jobs....or as "community organizers" when they should have been in an employment line.

May want to pass this on,we will NEVER see it in the

main street media, I gar-0n-tee!!!

Thanks, Jamie
(From Canada)

"My Neighbor"

This is great: From Florida :

Ralph, My neighbor is a "lefty" of sorts (Obama bumper stickers,
gung-ho socialized medicine,

"guns should be banned", etc.). So last week I put this sign up in
my yard after one of

His anti-gun rants at a neighborhood cocktail party. The sign
wasn't up more

than an hour before he called the police and wanted them to make me
take down

the sign. Fortunately, the officer politely informed him that it
was not their job to take

such action without a court order and that he had to file a
complaint "downtown" first, which

would be reviewed by the city attorney to see if it violated any
city, county, or state

Ordinances, which if there was a violation a court order would be

sent to the offending

party (me) to "remove the sign in seven days".

After several weeks he was informed that the sign was legal (by a

quarter of an inch) and there

was nothing the city could do, which obviously made him madder. I
tried to smooth things over

by inviting him to go shooting with me and my friends at the hunt
club but that seemed to make him even

More angry. I then asked him if he wanted to go to a Tea Party
rally but again he declined my outreach

efforts to bring about a better understanding between political and
social opponents.

I am at a loss how to reconcile our long relationship (notice I did
not say friendship), any suggestions

would be welcome.

Anyway, that's life in our neck of the woods, how's about yours?

click to enlarge

Thanks, Jay

Doctors versus Gun Owners

-vs-

Doctors

(A) The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000.

(B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year are

120,000.

(C) Accidental deaths per physician is

0.171.

Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health and Human
Services.

Now think about this:

Guns

(A) The number of gun owners in the U.S. is
80,000,000.

(Yes, that's 80 million)

(B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year,
all age groups,
is 1,500.

(C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner

is .000188.

Statistics courtesy of FBI

So, statistically, doctors are approximately nine thousand (9,000) times more dangerous than gun owners.

Remember, 'Guns don't kill people, doctors do.'
FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT
Almost everyone
has at least one doctor.

This means you are over 900 times more likely to be killed by a doctor than a gun owner!

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat.

We must ban doctors before this
gets completely out of hand!

Out of concern for the public at large, I withheld
the statistics on
Lawyers
for fear the shock would cause
people to panic and seek medical attention !!!

Thanks, Rockey

This is sooo Good

John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock

(MADE IN JAPAN )

for 6 am.

While his coffeepot

(MADE IN CHINA)

was perking, he shaved with his

electric razor

(MADE IN HONG KONG)

He put on a

dress shirt

(MADE IN SRI LANKA),

designer jeans

(MADE IN SINGAPORE)

and

tennis shoes

(MADE IN KOREA)

After cooking his breakfast in his new

electric skillet

(MADE IN INDIA)

he sat down with his

calculator

(MADE IN MEXICO)

to see how much he could spend today. After setting his

watch

(MADE IN TAIWAN )

to the radio

(MADE IN INDIA )

he got in his car

(MADE IN GERMANY )

filled it with GAS

(from Saudi Arabia )

and continued his search

for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging

and fruitless day

checking his

Computer

(made in MALAYSIA ),

John decided to relax for a while.

He put on his sandals

(MADE IN BRAZIL),

poured himself a glass of

wine

(MADE IN FRANCE)

and turned on his

TV

(MADE IN INDONESIA),

and then wondered why he can't

find a good paying job

in AMERICA

AND NOW HE'S HOPING HE CAN GET HELP FROM A PRESIDENT

MADE IN KENYA.

You gotta keep this one circulating!

Thanks, Judy

'The American Flag'

Great grandfathers watched as their friends Died in the First World War. My father watched as his friends died in WW II. I WATCHED AS MY FRIENDS DIED IN KOREA. My SON watched as his friends died in Vietnam .AND WERE ALL WATCHING OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN DIE IN THE TWO WARS BEING FOUGHT AS THIS MESSAGE MAKES ITS WAY AROUND THE NET.
None of them died for the Mexican Flag. Everyone died for the American flag.

Texas high school students raised a Mexican flag on a school flagpole, other students took it down. Guess who was expelled...the students who took it down.

California high school students were sent home on Cinco de Mayo, because they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them.

Enough is enough.

This message needs to be viewed by every American; and every American needs to stand up for America.

We've bent over to appease the America-haters long enough. I'm taking a stand.

I'm standing up because the hundreds of thousands who died fighting in wars for this country, and for the American flag.

If you agree, stand up with me. If you disagree, please let me know. I will gladly remove you from my e-mail list.

And shame on anyone who tries to make this message racist.

AMERICANS, stop giving away Your RIGHTS!

Let me make this clear! THIS IS MY COUNTRY!

This statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration!

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY, welcome to come legally:

1. Get a sponsor!

2. Learn the LANGUAGE, as immigrants have in the past!

3. Live by OUR rules!

4. Get a job!

5. Pay YOUR Taxes!

6. No Social Security until you have earned it and paid for it!

7. NOW find a place to lay your head! If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, then YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

We've gone so far the other way . . . bent over backwards not to offend anyone.

Only AMERICANS seems to care when American Citizens are being offended!

WAKE UP America

Maynard......

Thanks, Mitchell.

BY A 15 yr. Old SCHOOL KID IN ARIZONA

New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME)!

Since the Pledge of Allegiance
And
The Lord's Prayer
Are not allowed in most
Public schools anymore
Because the word 'God' is mentioned.....
A kid in Arizona wrote the attached

NEW School prayer:

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene..
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all..
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks...
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles..
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen

If you aren't ashamed to do this, Please pass this on

This is a true story verified: http://www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks.asp

Thanks, Will

A lesson that should be taught in all schools . . And colleges

Back in September, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School , did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

'Ms.. Cothren, where're our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'

'No,' she said.

'Maybe it's our behavior.'

She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) War Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall... By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned..

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'

By the way, this is a true story.

Your Party affiliation doesn't matter, this has to make you angry!

Thanks, Will

Cheap Tomatoes

This English teacher has phrased it the best I've seen yet.
Tomatoes and Cheap Labor

CHEAP TOMATOES?
This should make everyone think, be you Democrat, Republican or Independent

From a California school teacher - - -

"As you listen to the news about the student protests over illegal immigration, there are some things that you should be aware of:

I am in charge of the English-as-a-second-language department at a large southern California high school which is designated a Title 1 school, meaning that its students average lower socioeconomic and income levels.

Most of the schools you are hearing about, South Gate High, Bell Gardens , Huntington Park , etc., where these students are protesting, are also Title 1 schools.

Title 1 schools are on the free breakfast and free lunch program. When I say free breakfast, I'm not talking a glass of milk and roll -- but a full breakfast and cereal bar with fruits and juices that would make a Marriott proud. The waste of this food is monumental, with trays and trays of it being dumped in the trash uneaten.

I estimate that well over 50% of these students are obese or at least moderately overweight. About 75% or more DO have cell phones. The school also provides day care centers for the unwed teenage pregnant girls (some as young as 13) so they can attend class without the inconvenience of having to arrange for babysitters or having family watch their kids.

I was ordered to spend $700,000 on my department or risk losing funding for the upcoming year even though there was little need for anything; my budget was already substantial. I ended up buying new computers for the computer learning center, half of which, one month later, have been carved with graffiti by the appreciative students who obviously feel humbled and grateful to have a free education in America ..

I have had to intervene several times for young teachers and substitute teachers whose classes consist of many illegal immigrant students, here in the country less then 3 months, who raised so much hell with the female teachers, calling them "Putas"(whores) and throwing things, that the teachers were in tears.

Free medical, free education, free food, free day care etc., etc, etc. Is it any wonder they feel entitled to not only be in this country but to demand rights, privileges and entitlements?

To those who want to point out how much these illegal immigrants contribute to our society because they LIKE their gardener and housekeeper and they like to pay less for tomatoes: spend some time in the real world of illegal immigration and see the TRUE costs.

Higher insurance, medical facilities closing, higher medical costs, more crime, lower standards of education in our schools, overcrowding, new diseases. For me, I'll pay more for tomatoes.

Americans, We need to wake up.

It does, however, have everything to do with culture: It involves an American third-world culture that does not value education, that accepts children getting pregnant and dropping out of school by 15 and

that refuses to assimilate, and an American culture that has become so weak and worried

about"political correctness" that we don't have the will to do anything about it.

If this makes your blood boil, as it did mine, forward this to everyone you know.

CHEAP LABOR? Isn't that what the whole immigration issue is about?

Business doesn't want to pay a decent wage. Consumers don't want expensive produce.

Government will tell you Americans don't want the jobs.But the bottom line is cheap labor. The phrase

"cheap labor" is a myth, a farce, and a lie. There is no such thing as "cheap labor."

Take, for example, an illegal alien with a wife and five children. He takes a job for $5.00 or 6.00/hour.

At that wage, with six dependents, he pays no income tax, yet at the end of the year, if he files an Income

Tax Return, he gets an "earned income credit" of up to $3,200 free.

He qualifies for Section 8 housing and subsidized rent.

He qualifies for food stamps.

He qualifies for free (no deductible, no co-pay) health care.

His children get free breakfasts and lunches at school.

He requires bilingual teachers and books.

He qualifies for relief from high energy bills.

If they are, or become, aged, blind or disabled, they qualify for SSI. If qualified for SSI they can qualify for Medicaid. All of this is at (our) taxpayer's expense.

He doesn't worry about car insurance, life insurance, or homeowners insurance.

Taxpayers provide Spanish language signs, bulletins and printed material.

He and his family receive the equivalent of $20.00 to $30.00/hour in benefits.

Working Americans are lucky to have $5.00 or $6..00/hour left after paying their bills and his.

Cheap labor? YEAH RIGHT!

THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS OF EITHER PARTY. 'AND WHEN THEY LIE TO US AND DON'T DO AS THEY SAY, WE SHOULD REPLACE THEM .

The email below identifies the Sergeant Major as a Marine. He is actually a Retired Army Command Sergeant Major.
He in fact did write the speech but he titled it "On Your Hands". The point is still taken no matter the title.

Thanks, Will

"ON YOUR HANDS"

This retired Army Command Sergeant Major has his Stuff together.

Jimmy Carter, you are the father of the Islamic Nazi movement. You threw the Shah under the bus, welcomed the Ayatollah home, and then lacked the spine to confront the terrorists when they took our embassy and our people hostage. You're the "runner-in-chief."

Bill Clinton, you played ring around the Lewinsky while the terrorists were at war with us. You got us into a fight with them in Somalia and then you ran from it. Your weak-willed responses to the USS Cole and the First Trade Center Bombing and Our Embassy Bombings emboldened the killers. Each time you failed to respond adequately, they grew bolder, until 9/11/2001.

John Kerry, dishonesty is your most prominent attribute. You lied about American Soldiers in Vietnam ... Your military service, like your life, is more
fiction than fact. You've accused our military of terrorizing women and children in Iraq .. You called Iraq the wrong war, wrong place, wrong time, and the same words you used to describe Vietnam . You're a fake! You want to run from Iraq and abandon the Iraqis to murderers just as you did to the Vietnamese. Iraq , like Vietnam , is another war that you were for, before you were against it.

John Murtha, you said our military was broken. You said we can't win militarily in Iraq . You accused United States Marines of cold-blooded murder without proof and said we should redeploy to Okinawa . Okinawa, John? And the Democrats call you their military expert! Are you sure you didn't suffer a traumatic brain injury while you were off building your war hero resume? You're a sad, pitiable, corrupt, and washed up old fool.. You're not a Marine, sir. You wouldn't amount to a good pimple on a real Marine's ass. You're a phony and a disgrace. Run away, John.

Dick Durbin, you accused our Soldiers at Guantanamo of being Nazis, tenders of Soviet style gulags and as bad as the regime of Pol Pot, who murdered two million of his own people after your party abandoned Southeast Asia to the Communists. Now you want to abandon the Iraqis to the same fate. History was not a good teacher for you, was it? Lord help us! See Dick run.

Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Carl Levine, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Russ Feingold, Pat Leahy, Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, the Hollywood Leftist morons, et al, ad nauseam: Every time you stand in front of television cameras and broadcast to the Islamic Nazis that we went to war because our President lied, that the war is wrong and our Soldiers are torturers, that we should leave Iraq, you give the Islamic butchers - the same ones that tortured and mutilated American Soldiers - cause to think that we'll run away again, and all they have to do is hang on a little longer. It is inevitable that we, the infidels, will have to defeat the Islamic jihadists. Better to do it now on their turf, than later on ours after they have gained both strength and momentum.

American news media, the New York Times particularly: Each time you publish stories about national defense secrets and our intelligence gathering methods, you become one united with the sub-human pieces of camel dung that torture and mutilate the bodies of American Soldiers. You can't strike up the courage to publish cartoons, but you can help Al Qaeda destroy my country. Actually, you are more dangerous to us than Al Qaeda is. Think about that each time you face Mecca to admire your Pulitzer.

You are America 's 'AXIS OF IDIOTS.' Your Collective Stupidity will destroy us.. Self-serving politics and terrorist-abetting news scoops are more important to you than our national security or the lives of innocent civilians and Soldiers It bothers you that defending ourselves gets in the way of your elitist sport of politics and your ignorant editorializing. There is as much blood on your hands as is on the hands of murdering terrorists. Don't ever doubt that. Your frolics will only serve to extend this war as they extended Vietnam . If you want our Soldiers home as you claim, knock off the crap and try supporting your country ahead of supporting your silly political aims and aiding our enemies.

Yes, I'm questioning your patriotism. Your loyalty ends with self. I'm also questioning why you're stealing air that decent Americans could be breathing. You don't deserve the protection of our men and women in uniform. You need to run away from this war, this country. Leave the war to the people who have the will to see it through and the country to people who are willing to defend it.

Our country has two enemies: Those who want to destroy us from the outside and those who attempt it from within.

J. D. Pendry - Command Sergeant Major, U. S. Army, Retired

MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an
H.R. on this flight." (H.R.   stands for human remains.) "Are they
military?" I asked.

'Yes',   she said.

'Is   there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes,   I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would   you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him
early," I said..

A   short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He
was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier.    He introduced himself
and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers
talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to   Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded
to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I   asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I
told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I
appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen
soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his
hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We   completed our preflight checks, pushed back and   performed an
uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call
from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family
of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded
to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were
escorting their son, husband, and father home.    The family was upset
because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in
before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was
going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son
was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too
much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant
if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our
arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the
soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the
flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could
do.. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of
e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my
flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator
in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the
dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.. I explained the
situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted.
He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher.   We were going
to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a
text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the
dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain,   sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy
on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a
dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the
family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains
with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their
departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen
on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting
aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side
to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of
us here in flight control are veterans.    Please pass our condolences on to
the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job.   I
printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass
on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told
me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing.   After
landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is
huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy
area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we
entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that
all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked
like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the
seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family
from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the
copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate
to make an announcement to the passengers.   He did that and the ramp
controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake.   I pushed the public
address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain
speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement.
We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name
is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life.   Private XXXXXX
is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army
Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and
daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain
in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our
shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door.
I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do
not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the
aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the
aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly
started to clap his hands.   Moments later more passengers joined in and
soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm
sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind   words were uttered to the
family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane.
They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had
made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over
again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the
sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our
freedom and safety in these   United States of AMERICA .

Foot note:
As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the
ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they we were
treated. When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not
turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones
today and give them the respect they so deserve.

I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have tears
in their eyes, including me.
Prayer chain for our Military... Don't break it!

With Memorial Day coming up, we felt that this email was the best way to Honor those that died for our Freedom.......
Thanks, Burt

THE FINAL INSPECTION

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true?'

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

Author Unknown~

Thinking of all of the

American

Canadian

Australian

and British Soldiers

AMEN

It's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.

If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the military, please pass this on and pray for our men and women who have served and are currently serving our country and pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

Thanks Nick,

What Are the Rules?

I was in my neighborhood restaurant this morning and was seated behind a
group of jubilant individuals celebrating the successful passing of the
recent health care bill. I could not finish my breakfast. This is what
ensued:

They were a diverse group of several races and both sexes. I heard the
young man exclaim, "Isn't Obama like Jesus Christ? I mean, after all, he
is healing the sick." The young woman enthusiastically proclaimed,
"Yeah, and he does it for free. I cannot believe anyone would think that
a free market would work for health care. They are all crooks and
thieves and don't deserve all of that money." Another said, 'The stupid
Republicans want us all to starve to death so they can inherit all of
the power. Obama should be made a Saint for what he did for those of us
less fortunate." At this, I had had enough.

I arose from my seat, mustering all the restraint I could find, and
approached their table. "Please excuse me; may I impose upon you for one
moment?" They smiled and welcomed me to the conversation. I stood at the
end of their table, smiled as best I could and began an experiment.

"I would like to give one of you my house. It will cost you no money and
I will pay all of the expenses and taxes for as long as you live there.
Anyone interested?" They looked at each other in astonishment. "Why
would you do something like that?" asked a young man, "There isn't
anything for free in this world." They began to laugh at me, as they did
not realize this man had just made my point. "I am serious, I will give
you my house for free, no money what so ever. Anyone interested?" In
unison, a resounding "Hell Yeah" fills the room.

"Since there are too many of you, I will have to make a choice as to who
receives this money free bargain." I noticed an elderly couple was
paying attention to the spectacle unfolding before their eyes, the old
man shaking his head in apparent disgust. "I tell you what; I will give
it to the one of you most willing to obey my rules." Again, they looked
at one another, an expression of bewilderment on their faces. The perky
young woman asked, "What are the rules?" I smiled and said, "I don't
know. I have not yet defined them. However, it is a free home that I
offer you." They giggled amongst themselves, the youngest of which said,
"What an old coot. He must be crazy to give away his home. Go take your
meds, old man." I smiled and leaned into the table a bit further. "I am
serious, this is a legitimate offer." They gaped at me for a moment.

"Hell, I'll take it you old fool. Where are the keys?" boasted the
youngest among them. "Then I presume you accept ALL of my terms then?" I
asked. The elderly couple seemed amused and entertained as they watched
from the privacy of their table. "Oh hell yeah! Where do I sign up?" I
took a napkin and wrote, "I give this man my home, without the burden of
financial obligation, so long as he accepts and abides by the terms that
I shall set forth upon consummation of this transaction." I signed it
and handed it to the young man who eagerly scratched out his signature.
"Where are the keys to my new house?" he asked in a mocking tone of
voice. All eyes were upon us as I stepped back from the table, pulling
the keys from pocket and dangling them before the excited new
homeowner.

"Now that we have entered into this binding contract, witnessed by all
of your friends, I have decided upon the conditions you are obligated to
adhere from this point forward. You may only live in the house for one
hour a day. You will not use anything inside of the home. You will obey
me without question or resistance. I expect complete loyalty and
admiration for this gift I bestow upon you. You will accept my commands
and wishes with enthusiasm, no matter the nature. Your morals and
principles shall be as mine. You will vote as I do, think as I do and do
it with blind faith. These are my terms. Here are your keys." I reached
the keys forward and the young man looked at me dumb founded.

"Are you out of your freaking mind? Who would ever agree to those
ridiculous terms?" the young man appeared irritated. "You did when you
signed this contract before reading it, understanding it and with the
full knowledge that I would provide my conditions only after you
committed to the agreement." was all I said. The elderly man chuckled as
his wife tried to restrain him. I was looking at a now silenced and
bewildered group of people. "You can shove that stupid deal up you're
a** old man, I want no part of it" exclaimed the now infuriated young
man. "You have committed to the contract, as witnessed by all of your
friends; you cannot get out of the deal unless I agree to it. I do not
intend to let you free now that I have you ensnared. I am the power you
agreed to. I am the one you blindly and without thought chose to enslave
yourself to. In short, I am your Master." At this, the table of
celebrating individuals became a unified group against the unfairness of
the deal.

After a few moments of unrepeatable comments and slurs, I revealed my
true intent. "What I did to you is what this administration and congress
did to you with the health care legislation. I easily suckered you in
and then revealed the real cost of the bargain. Your folly was in the
belief that you can have something you did not earn; that you are
entitled to that which you did not earn; that you willingly allowed
someone else to think for you. Your failure to research, study and
inform yourself permitted reason to escape you. You have entered into a
trap from which you cannot flee. Your only chance of freedom is if your
new Master gives it unto you. A freedom that is given can also be taken
away; therefore, it is not freedom." With that, I tore up the napkin and
placed it before the astonished young man. "This is the nature of your
new health care legislation."

I turned away to leave these few in thought and contemplation and was
surprised by applause. The elderly gentleman, who was clearly
entertained, shook my hand enthusiastically and said, "Thank you Sir,
these kids don't understand Liberty these days." He refused to allow me
to pay my bill as he said, "You earned this one, it is an honor to
pickup the tab." I shook his hand in thanks, leaving the restaurant
somewhat humbled, and sensing a glimmer of hope for my beloved country.

Use reason, it is the closest you are going to get to Godly conduct.
-- Clifford A. Wright

Thanks Will,

Verified true at http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/shoebomb.asp

Subject: Remember the Shoe Bomber?

THIS IS INTERESTING!!!!!

Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe and tried to light it?

Did you know his trial is over?

Did you know he was sentenced?

Did you see/hear any of the judge's comments on TV or Radio?

Didn't think so.!!!

Everyone should hear what the judge had to say.

Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court.

Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything to say. His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his 'allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah,' defiantly stating, 'I think I will not apologize for my actions,' and told the court 'I am at war with your country.'

Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below:

January 30, 2003, United States vs. Reid.

Judge Young: 'Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.

On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General. On counts 2, 3, 4and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutively. (That's 80 years.)

On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years again, to be served consecutively to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you for each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 that's an aggregate fine of $2 million. The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.

The Court imposes upon you an $800 special assessment.. The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further.

This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a fair and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence.

Now, let me explain this to you. We are not afraid of you or any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is too much war talk here and I say that to everyone with the utmost respect. Here in this court, we deal with individuals as individuals and care for individuals as individuals.. As human beings, we reach out for justice.

You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much stature. Whether the officers of government do it or your attorney does it, or if you think you are a soldier, you are not----- you are a terrorist. And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not meet with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.

So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I've known warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal that is guilty of multiple attempted murders. In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and the TV crews were, and he said: 'You're no big deal.'

You are no big deal.

What your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today?

I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing? And, I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you, but as I search this entire record, it comes as close to understanding as I know.

It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose. Here, in this society, the very wind carries freedom. It carries it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom, so that everyone can see, truly see, that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely.. It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf, have filed appeals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges.

We Americans are all about freedom. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bear any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms. Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. The day after tomorrow, it will be forgotten, but this, however, will long endure.

Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America , the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done. The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.

See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America . That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom. And it always will.

Mr. Custody Officer. Stand him down.

So, how much of this Judge's comments did we hear on our TV sets? We need more judges like Judge Young. Pass this around. Everyone should and needs to hear what this fine judge had to say. Powerful words that strike home.

We're posting two emails. One we posted three months ago, the other is new. They both represent how many Americans feel right now. Both letters have been verified and they are written by real people, not plants.

Thanks Nick,

Pictured below is a young physician by the name of Dr.Starner Jones. His short two-paragraph letter to the White House accurately puts the blame on a "Culture Crisis" instead of a "Health Care Crisis".
It's worth a quick read:

Dear Mr. President:
During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.
While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that her payer status was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer.
And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman's health care? I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis of culture", a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".
Once you fix this "culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.
Respectfully,

       STARNER JONES, MD

      If you agree...pass it on.
Or pass on the website.......

Thanks Nick

(Update: Petty Officer, Second Class Monsoor was laid to rest in 2006. In Honor of Petty Officer Monsoor we are reprinting this email, because the author of the email is right. most Americans didn't even hear about his burial or his actions.

Medal of Honor recipient Petty Officer Mike Monsoor:

I BET YOU DIDN'T SEE THIS

IN THE NEWSPAPER OR ON THE 6 O'CLOCK NEWS"
~
The Sailor Pictured Below Is,

Navy Petty Officer,

PO2

(Petty Officer, Second Class)

EOD2

(Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Second Class)

"MIKE MONSOOR"

April 5th, 1981 ~ September 29th, 2009 (2006)

Petty Officer Mike Monsoor

Mike Monsoor,

Was Awarded "The Congressional Medal Of Honor" Last Week,

For Giving His Life In Iraq , As He Jumped On, And Covered With His Body, A Live Hand Grenade,

Saving The Lives Of A Large Group Of Navy Seals That Was Passing By!

During Mike Monsoor's Funeral,

At Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery , In San Diego , California ..

The Six Pallbearers Removed The Rosewood Casket From The Hearse,

And Lined Up On Each Side Of Mike Monsoor's Casket,

Were His Family Members, Friends, Fellow Sailors, And Well-wishers.

The Column Of People Continued From The Hearse, All The Way To The Grave Site.

What The Group Didn't Know At The Time Was,

Every Navy Seal

(45 To Be Exact)

That Mike Monsoor Saved That Day Was Scattered Through-Out The Column!

~

As The Pallbearers Carried The Rosewood Casket

Down The Column Of People To The Grave Side.

The Column Would Collapse..

Which Formed A Group Of People That Followed Behind.

~

Every Time The Rosewood Casket Passed A Navy Seal,

He Would Remove His Gold Trident Pin From His Uniform,

And Slap It Down Hard,

Causing The Gold Trident Pin To Embed Itself

Into The Top Of The Wooden Casket!

Then The Navy Seal Would Step Back From The Column, And Salute!

~

Now For Those,

Who Don't Know What A Trident Pin Is,

Here Is The Definition!

~

After One Completes The Basic Navy Seals Program Which Lasts For Three Weeks,

And Is Followed By Seal Qualification Training,

Which Is 15 More Weeks Of Training,

Necessary To Continue Improving Basic Skills And To Learn New Tactics And Techniques,

Required For An Assignment To A Navy Seal Platoon.

After successful completion,

Trainees Are Given Their Naval Enlisted Code,

And Are Awarded The Navy Seal Trident Pin.

With This Gold Pin They Are Now Officially Navy Seals!

It Was Said,

That You Could Hear Each Of The 45 Slaps From Across The Cemetery!

By The Time The Rosewood Casket Reached The Grave Site,

It Looked As Though It Had A Gold Inlay From The 45 Trident Pins That Lined The Top!

This Was A Fitting End To An Eternal Send-Off For A Warrior Hero!

This Should Be Front-Page News!

Instead Of The Garbage We Listen To And See Every Day.
~

Here's A Good Idea!
Since The Main Stream Media Won't Make This News.
Then We Choose To Make It News By Forwarding It.
~
I Am Proud Of All The Branches Of Our Military..
If You Are Proud Too, Please Pass This E-Mail On.

Or in this case pass on the website. The email will be on front page for one week
and then memorial to Petty Officer, Second Class Mike Monsoor
will be on our "American Heroes" page.
Link: http://www.americafightingback.com/inmemoriam/americanheroes.html

Thanks Gavin,

Subject: 1938 Austria

The author of this article lives in South Dakota and appears to be very active in attempting to maintain our freedom. I encourage everybody to read this article and pass it along. I see so many parallels in this country-are we going to sit by and watch it happen? Spread the word; also contact your congressional reps; vote them out if they don't do what they should. If you don't want to be bothered, then you're part of the problem! Google Kitty Werthmann and you will see articles and videos.

Truly is the Greatest Country in the World. Don't Let Freedom Slip Away

By: Kitty Werthmann

What I am about to tell you is something you've probably never heard or will ever read in history books.

I believe that I am an eyewitness to history. I cannot tell you that Hitler took Austria by tanks and guns; it would distort history. We elected him by a landslide - 98% of the vote.. I've never read that in any American publications. Everyone thinks that Hitler just rolled in with his tanks and took Austria by force.

In 1938, Austria was in deep Depression. Nearly one-third of our workforce was unemployed. We had 25% inflation and 25% bank loan interest rates.

Farmers and business people were declaring bankruptcy daily. Young people were going from house to house begging for food. Not that they didn't want to work; there simply weren't any jobs. My mother was a Christian woman and believed in helping people in need. Every day we cooked a big kettle of soup and baked bread to feed those poor, hungry people - about 30 daily.

The Communist Party and the National Socialist Party were fighting each other. Blocks and blocks of cities like Vienna , Linz , and Graz were destroyed. The people became desperate and petitioned the government to let them decide what kind of government they wanted.

We looked to our neighbor on the north, Germany , where Hitler had been in power since 1933. We had been told that they didn't have unemployment or crime, and they had a high standard of living. Nothing was ever said about persecution of any group -- Jewish or otherwise. We were led to believe that everyone was happy. We wanted the same way of life in Austria We were promised that a vote for Hitler would mean the end of unemployment and help for the family. Hitler also said that businesses would be assisted, and farmers would get their farms back. Ninety-eight percent of the population voted to annex Austria to Germany and have Hitler for our ruler.

We were overjoyed, and for three days we danced in the streets and had candlelight parades. The new government opened up big field kitchens and everyone was fed.

After the election, German officials were appointed, and like a miracle, we suddenly had law and order. Three or four weeks later, everyone was employed. The government made sure that a lot of work was created through the Public Work Service.

Hitler decided we should have equal rights for women. Before this, it was a custom that married Austrian women did not work outside the home. An able-bodied husband would be looked down on if he couldn't support his family. Many women in the teaching profession were elated that they could retain the jobs they previously had been required to give up for marriage.

Hitler Targets Education - Eliminates Religious Instruction for Children:

Our education was nationalized. I attended a very good public school. The population was predominantly Catholic, so we had religion in our schools. The day we elected Hitler (March 13, 1938), I walked into my schoolroom to find the crucifix replaced by Hitler's picture hanging next to a Nazi flag. Our teacher, a very devout woman, stood up and told the class we wouldn't pray or have religion anymore. Instead, we sang "Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alles," and had physical education.

Sunday became National Youth Day with compulsory attendance. Parents were not pleased about the sudden change in curriculum. They were told that if they did not send us, they would receive a stiff letter of warning the first time. The second time they would be fined the equivalent of $300, and the third time they would be subject to jail. The first two hours consisted of political indoctrination. The rest of the day we had sports. As time went along, we loved it. Oh, we had so much fun and got our sports equipment free. We would go home and gleefully tell our parents about the wonderful time we had.

My mother was very unhappy. When the next term started, she took me out of public school and put me in a convent. I told her she couldn't do that and she told me that someday when I grew up, I would be grateful. There was a very good curriculum, but hardly any fun - no sports, and no political indoctrination. I hated it at first but felt I could tolerate it. Every once in a while, on holidays, I went home. I would go back to my old friends and ask what was going on and what they were doing. Their loose lifestyle was very alarming to me. They lived without religion. By that time unwed mothers were glorified for having a baby for Hitler. It seemed strange to me that our society changed so suddenly. As time went along, I realized what a great deed my mother did so that I wasn't exposed to that kind of humanistic philosophy.

Equal Rights Hits Home:

In 1939, the war started and a food bank was established. All food was rationed and could only be purchased using food stamps. At the same time, a full-employment law was passed which meant if you didn't work, you didn't get a ration card, and if you didn't have a card, you starved to death. Women who stayed home to raise their families didn't have any marketable skills and often had to take jobs more suited for men.

Soon after this, the draft was implemented. It was compulsory for young people, male and female, to give one year to the labor corps. During the day, the girls worked on the farms, and at night they returned to their barracks for military training just like the boys. They were trained to be anti-aircraft gunners and participated in the signal corps. After the labor corps, they were not discharged but were used in the front lines. When I go back to Austria to visit my family and friends, most of these women are emotional cripples because they just were not equipped to handle the horrors of combat. Three months before I turned 18, I was severely injured in an air raid attack. I nearly had a leg amputated, so I was spared having to go into the labor corps and into military service.

Hitler Restructured the Family Through Daycare:

When the mothers had to go out into the work force, the government immediately established child care centers. You could take your children ages 4 weeks to school age and leave them there around-the-clock, 7 days a week, under the total care of the government. The state raised a whole generation of children.. There were no motherly women to take care of the children, just people highly trained in child psychology. By this time, no one talked about equal rights. We knew we had been had.

Health Care and Small Business Suffer Under Government Controls:

Before Hitler, we had very good medical care. Many American doctors trained at the University of Vienna . After Hitler, health care was socialized, free for everyone. Doctors were salaried by the government. The problem was, since it was free, the people were going to the doctors for everything. When the good doctor arrived at his office at 8 a.m., 40 people were already waiting and, at the same time, the hospitals were full. If you needed elective surgery, you had to wait a year or two for your turn. There was no money for research as it was poured into socialized medicine. Research at the medical schools literally stopped, so the best doctors left Austria and emigrated to other countries.

As for healthcare, our tax rates went up to 80% of our income. Newlyweds immediately received a $1,000 loan from the government to establish a household. We had big programs for families. All day care and education were free. High schools were taken over by the government and college tuition was subsidized. Everyone was entitled to free handouts, such as food stamps, clothing, and housing.

We had another agency designed to monitor business. My brother-in-law owned a restaurant that had square tables. Government officials told him he had to replace them with round tables because people might bump themselves on the corners. Then they said he had to have additional bathroom facilities. It was just a small dairy business with a snack bar. He couldn't meet all the demands. Soon, he went out of business. If the government owned the large businesses and not many small ones existed, it could be in control.

We had consumer protection. We were told how to shop and what to buy. Free enterprise was essentially abolished. We had a planning agency specially designed for farmers. The agents would go to the farms, count the live-stock, then tell the farmers what to produce, and how to produce it.

"Mercy Killing" Redefined:

In 1944, I was a student teacher in a small village in the Alps . The villagers were surrounded by mountain passes which, in the winter, were closed off with snow, causing people to be isolated. So people intermarried and offspring were sometimes retarded. When I arrived, I was told there were 15 mentally retarded adults, but they were all useful and did good manual work. I knew one, named Vincent, very well. He was a janitor of the school. One day I looked out the window and saw Vincent and others getting into a van. I asked my superior where they were going. She said to an institution where the State Health Department would teach them a trade, and to read and write. The families were required to sign papers with a little clause that they could not visit for 6 months. They were told visits would interfere with the program and might cause homesickness.

As time passed, letters started to dribble back saying these people died a natural, merciful death. The villagers were not fooled. We suspected what was happening. Those people left in excellent physical health and all died within 6 months. We called this euthanasia.

The Final Steps - Gun Laws:

Next came gun registration.. People were getting injured by guns. Hitler said that the real way to catch criminals (we still had a few) was by matching serial numbers on guns. Most citizens were law abiding and dutifully marched to the police station to register their firearms. Not long after-wards, the police said that it was best for everyone to turn in their guns. The authorities already knew who had them, so it was futile not to comply voluntarily.

No more freedom of speech. Anyone who said something against the government was taken away. We knew many people who were arrested, not only Jews, but also priests and ministers who spoke up.

Totalitarianism didn't come quickly, it took 5 years from 1938 until 1943, to realize full dictatorship in Austria . Had it happened overnight, my countrymen would have fought to the last breath. Instead, we had creeping gradualism. Now, our only weapons were broom handles. The whole idea sounds almost unbelievable that the state, little by little eroded our freedom.

After World War II, Russian troops occupied Austria . Women were raped, preteen to elderly. The press never wrote about this either. When the Soviets left in 1955, they took everything that they could, dismantling whole factories in the process. They sawed down whole orchards of fruit, and what they couldn't destroy, they burned. We called it The Burned Earth. Most of the population barricaded themselves in their houses. Women hid in their cellars for 6 weeks as the troops mobilized. Those who couldn't, paid the price. There is a monument in Vienna today, dedicated to those women who were massacred by the Russians. This is an eye witness account.

"It's true..those of us who sailed past the Statue of Liberty came to a country of unbelievable freedom and opportunity.

America Truly is the Greatest Country in the World. Don't Let Freedom Slip Away

"After America , There is No Place to Go"

Thanks Barry,

(Update: This is a legitimate email. Harold Estes does exist and he did write the letter to the President)
Link: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/haroldestes.asp

Well worth reading for its straight forward honesty.

Wow! Read this one. It is really good. And this gentleman says it just like it is.

Subject: WW II Battleship sailor tells Obama to shape up or ship out!

WW II Battleship sailor tells Obama to shape up or ship out!

This venerable and much honored WW II vet is well known in Hawaii
For his seventy-plus years of service to patriotic organizations and causes
All over the country. A humble man without a political bone in his body,
He has never spoken out before about a government official, until now.
He dictated this letter to a friend, signed it and mailed it to the president.

Dear President Obama,

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a "rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor, allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.

So here goes.

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.

I can't figure out what country you are the president of.

You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like:

             " We're no longer a Christian nation"

             " America is arrogant" - (Your wife even

                 Announced to the world,"America is mean-

                 Spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching

                 That nonsense to 23 generations of our

                 War dead buried all over the globe who

                 Died for no other reason than to free a

                 Whole lot of strangers from tyranny and

                 Hopelessness.)

I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."

Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.

Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue. You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts, who was putting up a fight? You don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you're the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you're thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president.

You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.

And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle.

Sincerely,

Harold B. Estes

When a 95 year old hero of the "the Greatest Generation"

stands up and speaks out like this, I think we owe it

to him to send his words to as many Americans as

we can.

Thanks Bert,

DIVORCE AGREEMENT

THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY WELL PUT AND I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT'S BY A YOUNG PERSON, A STUDENT!!! WHATEVER HE RUNS FOR, I'LL VOTE FOR HIM.
OUTSTANDING!

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists, Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU, and abortion clinics. Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell...

We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms and rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood.

You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us. You can have the peaceniks, and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N., but we will no longer be paying the bill.

We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors. We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right. We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickle down economics and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot. Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you ANWAR which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,

John J. Wall
Law Student and an American

Thanks Rocky:

There is a huge rock near a gravel pit on Hwy 25 in rural Iowa. For generations, kids have painted slogans, names, and obscenities on this rock, changing its character many times.

A few months back, the rock received its latest paint job, and since then it has been left completely undisturbed. (Note: first painted in 1999)

It's quite an impressive sight.

Be sure to scroll down and check out the multiple photos. (all angles) of the rock.
I thought the flag was draped over the rock, but it's not. It's actually painted on the rock too.

Update 2010:
The painter, Ray 'Bubba' Sorensen II, takes three weeks off each year around Memorial Day to repaint the 'The Freedom Rock'.
'The Freedom Rock' has been vandalized only once since 1999. It was right after Memorial Day 2001. Ray painted 'The Freedom Rock' in honor of Pearl Harbor. The vandal was reportedly taken care of by a Vietnam Vet.
Home website for 'The Freedom Rock" is: http://www.thefreedomrock.com/
Pictures of years past (must see)

Pictured below: Ray 'Bubba' Sorensen II

Click thumbnail photos below to enlarge.....

Thanks Erin:

A Dog's purpose - from a 6 year old

Being a veterinarian, I was called to examine a ten year old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for the four-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a
few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion.

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, "People are born so they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Thanks Jude.....

Click on link to see "If I Die Before You Wake" tribute to our troops.....

http://www.andiesisle.com/ifidiebeforeyouwake.html

Thanks Will...

This Picture is Worth

1000 Million Words (minimum!) . . .

WWII Veteran and Iraq War Vet 2004

We truly take a lot for granted.

Forget the football 'heroes' and movie 'stars'.

AND MICHAEL JACKSON!

Pass this on so that all may know

the price of freedom.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,

Jesus Christ and a Soldier.

One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.

This email speaks for itself.
Thanks, Barry

Here is something all the media doesn't report or carry.....

Mornings at the Pentagon

By JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY
McClatchy Newspapers

Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air
Force personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is
war.
Thousands more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and
facing months or years in military hospitals.

This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former
roommate, Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman, who recently completed a
year long tour of duty in Iraq and is now back at the Pentagon.

Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that
fills the halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers,
applause and many tears every Friday morning. It first appeared on May 17 on
the Weblog of media critic and pundit Eric Alterman at the Media Matters
for America Website.

"It is 110 yards from the "E" ring to the "A" ring of the
Pentagon. This section of the Pentagon is newly renovated; the floors shine,
the hallway is broad, and the lighting is bright. At this instant the
entire length of the corridor is packed with officers, a few sergeants and
some civilians, all crammed tightly three and four deep against the
walls.

There are thousands here.

This hallway, more than any other, is the `Army' hallway. The G3
offices line one side, G2 the other, G8 is around the corner. All
Army. Moderate conversations flow in a low buzz. Friends who may not have
seen each other for a few weeks, or a few years, spot each other,
cross the way and renew.

Everyone shifts to ensure an open path remains down the center.
The air conditioning system was not designed for this press of bodies in
this area.

The temperature is rising already. Nobody cares. "10:36 hours: The
clapping starts at the E-Ring. That is the outermost of the five
rings of the Pentagon and it is closest to the entrance to the building. This
clapping is low, sustained, hearty. It is applause with a deep
emotion behind it as it moves forward in a wave down the length of the
hallway.

"A steady rolling wave of sound it is, moving at the pace of the
soldier in the wheelchair who marks the forward edge with his presence. He
is the first. He is missing the greater part of one leg, and some of
his wounds are still suppurating. By his age I expect that he is a
private, or perhaps a private first class.

"Captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels meet his gaze
and nod as they applaud, soldier to soldier. Three years ago when I
described one of these events, those lining the hallways were
somewhat different. The applause a little wilder, perhaps in private guilt
for not having shared in the burden ... yet.

"Now almost everyone lining the hallway is, like the man in the
wheelchair, also a combat veteran. This steadies the applause, but
I think deepens the sentiment. We have all been there now. The
soldier's chair is pushed by, I believe, a full colonel.

"Behind him, and stretching the length from Rings E to A, come
more of his peers, each private, corporal, or sergeant assisted as need
be by a field grade officer.

"11:00 hours: Twenty-four minutes of steady applause. My hands
hurt, and I laugh to myself at how stupid that sounds in my own head. My
hands hurt. Please! Shut up and clap. For twenty-four minutes,
soldier after soldier has come down this hallway - 20, 25, 30.. Fifty-three
legs come with them, and perhaps only 52 hands or arms, but down this
hall came 30 solid hearts.

They pass down this corridor of officers and applause, and then
meet for a private lunch, at which they are the guests of honor, hosted
by the generals. Some are wheeled along. Some insist upon getting out of
their chairs, to march as best they can with their chin held up,
down this hallway, through this most unique audience. Some are catching
handshakes and smiling like a politician at a Fourth of July parade. More than
a couple of them seem amazed and are smiling shyly.

"There are families with them as well: the 18-year-old war-bride
pushing her 19-year-old husband's wheelchair and not quite understanding why
her husband is so affected by this, the boy she grew up with, now a
man, who had never shed a tear is crying; the older immigrant Latino
parents who have, perhaps more than their wounded mid-20s son, an
appreciation for the emotion given on their son's behalf. No man in that hallway,
walking or clapping, is ashamed by the silent tears on more than a few
cheeks. An Airborne Ranger wipes his eyes only to better see. A couple of the
officers in this crowd have themselves been a part of this parade in the
past.

These are our men, broken in body they may be, but they are our
brothers, and we welcome them home. This parade has gone on, every single
Friday, all year long, for more than four years.

"Did you know that?

Don't send it back to me, just send it on its way as you see fit.

    'The Yankees Are Up There, but Not as High'

    By Jerry Coleman

    Ballplayer, sportscaster, baseball team manager, Marine Corps
aviator-former New York Yankees second-baseman Jerry Coleman succeeded at
all of these.

    Guess which one he prizes most?

    " By any standard, I've had a great career. I played second base for the
New York Yankees, was manager of the San Diego Padres, and have been a sportscaster for almost
five decades. But the most important part of my life was the five years I
spent in uniform. I was a Marine Corps aviator in World War II and the
Korean War."

    I made my decision to join when I was 17. The Japanese had just attacked
Pearl Harbor , and in my generation the question wasn't whether to enlist in the military; it was
which branch you were going to join.

    Then two naval aviators visited my high school to recruit for the V-5
program, which turned out Navy pilots. I decided right then that I wanted
those wings of gold.

    You had to be 18 to start flight school, and that was still six months
away. I'd already been awarded a baseball and basketball scholarship to the
University of Southern California , and a Yankee scout gave me a chance to
play with their minor league club that summer. When the season was over, on
my 18th birthday I went to San Francisco to enlist.

    I barely made it into the V-5 program. My high school grades were mainly
Cs, and the recruiting officer was skeptical. But I promised him I'd study hard, and I did. At
preflight school, Joe Foss, the war's celebrated Marine Corps ace, inspired
us with tales of his combat experiences, and I decided to become a Marine
aviator.

    Like a lot of people, I saw my share of action. Commissioned in April
1944, I spent the next 12 months flying Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bombers out of Green Island, a
speck in the Solomons that had little else besides an airstrip, as a member
of VMSB-341.

    I never sank a carrier as I'd envisioned as a high school senior. But I
flew 57 missions in the battles for the Solomon Islands and the Philippines
, including dive-bombing raids and close air support for Army and Marine
Corps ground troops. When the Japanese surrendered, I returned home and
resumed my baseball career.

    In October 1951, I got word that the Marine Corps would want me back for
a second tour-this time in the Korean War. I'd been playing second base for the Yankees,
and we'd just beaten the New York Giants in the World Series when I was
called to Alameda , California . A Marine Corps major offered to take me to
lunch.

    "What do you think about going back in the service?" he asked. I told
him I hadn't thought much about it. "We're going to get you," he said, for a
tour of 18 months. I asked if he could take me immediately so I'd miss only
one baseball season, but it didn't work out that way. I traded my Yankee
pinstripes for Marine greens in April 1952, with no hard feelings.

    I flew Corsair attack planes in Korea . They were magnificent aircraft,
but the nose was so far from the cockpit that you couldn't see right in front of you. If you made a
mistake, either taking off or landing, you were in trouble. I had two close
calls on a runway, each time carrying 1,000-pound bombs, but I escaped
unharmed. I flew 63 missions overall.

    I wasn't the only major league player to go off to war, either in World
War II or in Korea . Ted Williams, Bobby Brown, Bob Feller-there were many of them. But I
think I was the only one who saw combat in both wars. By the time I returned
from Korea , in 1953, my record for both wars included two Distinguished
Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals, and three Navy citations.

    The Marine Corps has never left me. I stayed in the Reserve, retiring in
1964 as a lieutenant colonel. I've helped with recruiting drives and special assignments that
the Corps wanted me to carry out. I married the daughter of a retired Marine
colonel. And most of all, I've kept in touch with my squadron-mates.

    When I came back from Korea , I found myself dealing with the same
question that every veteran asks: Why was I returning, when my buddies weren't? I wasn't that great
a pilot. No one was. But God let some of us come back, and called others.
The Yankees' publicity department gave me a hero's welcome, but I was uneasy
about it.

    One of my most disheartening experiences was when, just before a game at
Yankee Stadium, I met the wife of Major Max Harper, a great guy who had been my
tent-mate in Korea . Max had gotten hit during a raid over North Korea and
went straight in. There was nothing anyone could do.

    Max's wife showed up, distraught, on the morning of "Jerry Coleman Day,"
which the Yankees had set up to honor my military service. Mrs. Harper had
been hoping that Max had been captured and might still be alive. She wanted
to know whether he really had died, and said she wouldn't accept it from
anyone but me. I was flying right behind Max. She was devastated when I told
her he was dead.

    In truth, I left a lot in Korea . I never was as good on the ball field
as I'd been before the war. I'd lost my depth perception, and I couldn't hit
anything. A year after I returned home, I broke my collar bone in Yankee
Stadium. During my final two years with the team I had to play part-time.

    But overall, my career has been a rewarding one. All told, I spent nine
years with the Yankees and did a year as manager of the San Diego Padres. Then, too old to play
baseball anymore, I became a sportscaster-first for the Yankees and later
for the Padres. In 2005 I was elected to the broadcasters' wing of the
Baseball Hall of Fame.

    I still look back at my military service as the most important thing
I've ever done. Sure, it's a thrill to be part of a championship baseball
team, and it's heady to be a recognized broadcaster. But serving in the
military-particularly in the Marines, if you'll forgive a little
partisanship-trumps all that in a flash. The Yankees are up there, but not
as high.

Training and going into combat with people imbues you with a sense of
loyalty that makes you put your responsibility to your comrades ahead of
everything else-not only while you're in uniform, but for the rest of your
life. The friends I made in the Corps have been like brothers all these many
years-and they'll remain so for life.

    My years on active duty left me with a heightened sense of
perspective-about life, about my career, and about the preciousness of life
itself. The memories of the guys I flew with in World War II and in Korea
have never faded, and neither has my pride in the Corps. I was lucky to get
home alive. And I was lucky to have been a Marine.

    Answering the Call is a monthly series of short articles by prominent
men and women discussing the impact of their time in the military on their
later achievement.

"Crabby Old Man"

Editor's note: Thanks Judy, this is a great email. The Christmas season is particularly hard on our Senior citizens. Many times they are left alone. This Christmas make an effort to put a little Christmas spirit into a Crabby Old Man or Woman. Merry Christmas.

Crabby Old Man

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte , Nebraska , it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri .

The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am. . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . with wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . . my wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . . . and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . . a young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . . . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . see ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet

an older person who you might brush aside

without looking at the young soul within.

We will all, one day, be there, too!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM

THE FINAL INSPECTION

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true?'

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

Author Unknown~

Thinking of all of the

American

Canadian

Australian

and British Soldiers

AMEN

It's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.

If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the military, please pass this on and pray for our men and women who have served and are currently serving our country and pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

Editor's note:
Take the time to absorb this. This is exactly why we're fighting.......

                   Government and How Government Works

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So They created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, Then hired two people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one Year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."

So they laid off the night watchman.

NOW slowly, let it sink in.

Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.

Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.... during the Carter Administration?

Anybody?

Anything?

No?

Didn�t think so!

Bottom line. We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of
an agency...the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!

Ready??
It was very simple...and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.

The Department of Energy was instituted on 8-04-1977.
TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.

Hey, pretty efficient, huh???

AND NOW IT'S 2009 -- 32 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

Ah, yes -- good ole bureaucracy.

AND, NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?
HELLOOO!     Anybody Home?

'I'm Alive'

Received this email during the summer. It's one f the best I've received. Enjoy

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage
compartment and sat down in my
assigned seat. It was going to be a
long flight. 'I'm glad I have a
good book to read. Perhaps I will get
a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of
soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally
surrounding me. I decided to
start a conversation.
'Where are you headed?'

I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

'Petawawa. We'll be there for two
weeks for special training, and then
we're being deployed to Afghanistan.

After flying for about an hour, an
announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five
dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached the east, and I
quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time....

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard
a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to
buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of
money for just a sack lunch. Probably
wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait
till we get to base.'

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers.

None were buying lunch. I
walked to the back of the plane and
handed the flight attendant a
fifty dollar bill.
'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.'

She grabbed my arms and squeezed
tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she
thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in
Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it
for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up
the aisle to where the soldiers
were seated. She stopped at my seat
and asked, 'Which do you like
best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why
she asked. She turned and went to
the front of plane, returning a
minute later with a dinner plate from
first class. 'This is your thanks..'

After we finished eating, I went
again to the back of the plane,
heading for the rest room.
A man stopped me. 'I saw what you
did. I want to be part of it. Here,
take this.' He handed me twenty-five
dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I
saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle
numbers as he walked, I hoped he
was not looking for me, but noticed
he was looking at the numbers only
on my side of the plane. When he got
to my row he stopped, smiled, held
out his hand, and said,

I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I
stood and took the Captain's hand.
With a booming voice he said, 'I was
a soldier and I was a military pilot..
Once, someone bought me a lunch.
It was an act of kindness I never
forgot.' I was embarrassed when
applause was heard from all of the
passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the
plane so I could stretch my legs.
A man who was seated about six
rows in front of me reached out his
hand, wanting to shake mine. He left
another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my
belongings and started to deplane.
Waiting just inside the airplane door
was a man who stopped me, put
something in my shirt pocket, turned,
and walked away without saying a
word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the
soldiers gathering for their trip to the
base. I walked over to them and handed
them seventy-five dollars.

'It will take you some time to reach the
base. It will be about time for a sandwich.
God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight
feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers.. As I walked briskly to
my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe
return.
These soldiers were giving their all for
our country...

I could only give them a couple of meals.
It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one
point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to 'The United States of
America ' for an amount of 'up to and
including my life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many

people in this country who no longer

understand it.'

May God give you the strength and
courage to pass this along to
everyone on your email buddy list....

I JUST DID......

Lake Tapps is in the Seattle area of Washington.

I was walking along the shore of Lake Tapps on Monday, and noticed a big
commotion a little more than 1/4-mile away was measured later by Google
Earth). I saw a Bald Eagle circling and repeatedly diving on what I thought
must be a school of fish. Soon he was joined by another Eagle and they began
to fight each other for the prey. Territorial Eagle fights do happen, but I've
never seen one, nor have I seen any good photos...

Naturally, I grabbed my camera. The action was so furious and far away
that it was hard to see if I was getting any good photos. So I just snapped
lots pics and hoped for the best. I didn't quite realize what I was watching,
until I got home and looked at the pics on my computer. It turned out I
had photographed a three-way life & death struggle between two mature
Bald Eagles fighting over one very frightened duck! The Eagles fought
each other for several minutes while trying to get that duck! It was like
WWIII in the air!

The fellow sitting on the tailgate of his pickup truck never realized the show he was missing.

The little duck watches as the Eagle speeds straight at him at about 40 mph.

With perfect timing, the duck always dove and escaped with a mighty splash!
Then he'd pop to the surface as soon as the Eagle flew past. This was repeated over
and over for several minutes. I worried the poor duck would tire and that would be the
end of him.

A second Eagle joins the attack! The duck kept diving "just in time", so the Eagles

began to dive into the water after him!

After several minutes the Eagles got frustrated and began to attack each other.
They soon began to dive vertically, level out, and attack head-on in a good old-fashioned
game of high-speed "Chicken". Sometimes they banked away from each other at the last possible second. Other times they'd climb vertically and tear into each other while falling
back toward the water. (The duck catches his breath at the right side of this picture.)

A terrible miscalculation! The luckiest shot of my life catches this 100 mph head-on collision between two Bald Eagles.

One Eagle stayed aloft and flew away, but the other lies motionless in a crumpled heap.
The lucky duck survived to live another day.

It's sad to watch an Eagle drown. He wiggled, flapped and struggled mostly underwater.He finally got his head above water and with great difficulty managed to get airborne.To my astonishment, he flew straight toward me, and it was the most wretched and unstable bird flight I've ever seen!

The bedraggled Eagle circled me once - then lit atop a nearby fir tree. He had a six-foot wingspread and looked mighty angry. I was concerned that I might be his next target, but
he was so exhausted he just stared at me. Then I wondered if he would topple to the ground.

As he tried to dry his feathers, it seemed to me that this beleaguered Eagle symbolized America in its current trials.

My half-hour wait was rewarded with this marvelous sight. He flew away, almost good as new. May America recover as well.

The Music Stops in Baghdad

Email from Chaplain serving with our forces in Iraq

For those who are unaware, at a military theater, the National Anthem is played before every movie.

This is written from a Chaplain in Iraq :

I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3' here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments; and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.

Here, the 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again. The Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped.. What would you expect to happen? Even here I would imagine laughter, as everyone finally sat down and expected the movie to start.

But here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier continued to stand at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off:

"And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave."

It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq . I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here. Remember them as they fight for you!

Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. For many have already paid the ultimate price..

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins
LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad

If you can read this and still have a dry eye at the end, you're stronger than us......

An emotional read....

Subject: Burial at Sea

To: Only those who would and could appreciate it

Semper FI...

________________________________

Tough duty then as it is now.

"Burial at Sea" by LtCol George Goodson, USMC (Ret)

In my 76th year, the events of my life appear to me, from time to time, as a
series of vignettes. Some were significant; most were trivial.

War is the seminal event in the life of everyone that has endured it.
Though I fought in Korea and the Dominican Republic and was wounded there,
Vietnam was my war.

Now 37 years have passed and, thankfully, I rarely think of those days in
Cambodia, Laos, and the panhandle of North Vietnam where small teams of
Americans and Montangards fought much larger elements of the North
Vietnamese Army. Instead I see vignettes: some exotic, some mundane:

*The smell of Nuc Mam.
*The heat, dust, and humidity.
*The blue exhaust of cycles clogging the streets.
*Elephants moving silently through the tall grass.
*Hard eyes behind the servile smiles of the villagers.
*Standing on a mountain in Laos and hearing a tiger roar.
*A young girl squeezing my hand as my medic delivered her baby.
*The flowing Ao Dais of the young women biking down Tran Hung Dao.
*My two years as Casualty Notification Officer in North Carolina, Virginia,
and Maryland.

It was late 1967. I had just returned after 18 months in Vietnam.
Casualties were increasing. I moved my family from Indianapolis to Norfolk,
rented a house, enrolled my children in their fifth or sixth new school, and
bought a second car.

A week later, I put on my uniform and drove 10 miles to Little Creek,
Virginia. I hesitated before entering my new office. Appearance is important
to career Marines. I was no longer, if ever, a poster Marine. I had returned
from my third tour in Vietnam only 30 days before. At 5'9", I now weighed
128 pounds - 37 pounds below my normal weight. My uniforms fit ludicrously,
my skin was yellow from malaria medication, and I think I had a twitch or
two.

I straightened my shoulders, walked into the office, looked at the nameplate
on a Staff Sergeant's desk and said, "Sergeant Jolly, I'm Lieutenant Colonel
Goodson. Here are my orders and my Qualification Jacket."

Sergeant Jolly stood, looked carefully at me, took my orders, stuck out his
hand; we shook and he asked, "How long were you there, Colonel?" I replied
"18 months this time." Jolly breathed, "Jesus, you must be a slow learner
Colonel." I smiled.

Jolly said, "Colonel, I'll show you to your office and bring in the Sergeant
Major. I said, "No, let's just go straight to his office."
Jolly nodded, hesitated, and lowered his voice, "Colonel, the Sergeant
Major. He's been in this G*dd@mn job two years. He's packed pretty tight.
I'm worried about him." I nodded.

Jolly escorted me into the Sergeant Major's office. "Sergeant Major, this is
Colonel Goodson, the new Commanding Office. The Sergeant Major stood,
extended his hand and said, "Good to see you again, Colonel." I responded,
"Hello Walt, how are you?" Jolly looked at me, raised an eyebrow, walked
out, and closed the door.

I sat down with the Sergeant Major. We had the obligatory cup of coffee and
talked about mutual acquaintances. Walt's stress was palpable. Finally, I
said, "Walt, what's the h-ll's wrong?" He turned his chair, looked out the
window and said, "George, you're going to wish you were back in Nam before
you leave here. I've been in the Marine Corps since 1939. I was in the
Pacific 36 months, Korea for 14 months, and Vietnam for 12 months. Now I
come here to bury these kids. I'm putting my letter in. I can't take it
anymore." I said, "OK Walt. If that's what you want, I'll endorse your
request for retirement and do what I can to push it through Headquarters
Marine Corps."

Sergeant Major Walt Xxxxx retired 12 weeks later. He had been a good Marine
for 28 years, but he had seen too much death and too much suffering. He was
used up.

Over the next 16 months, I made 28 death notifications, conducted 28
military funerals, and made 30 notifications to the families of Marines that
were severely wounded or missing in action. Most of the details of those
casualty notifications have now, thankfully, faded from memory. Four,
however, remain.

MY FIRST NOTIFICATION

My third or fourth day in Norfolk, I was notified of the death of a 19 year
old Marine. This notification came by telephone from Headquarters Marine
Corps. The information detailed:

*Name, rank, and serial number.
*Name, address, and phone number of next of kin.
*Date of and limited details about the Marine's death.
*Approximate date the body would arrive at the Norfolk Naval Air Station.
*A strong recommendation on whether the casket should be opened or closed.

The boy's family lived over the border in North Carolina, about 60 miles
away. I drove there in a Marine Corps staff car. Crossing the state line
into North Carolina, I stopped at a small country store / service station /
Post Office. I went in to ask directions.

Three people were in the store. A man and woman approached the small Post
Office window. The man held a package. The Storeowner walked up and
addressed them by name, "Hello John. Good morning Mrs. Cooper."

I was stunned. My casualty's next-of-kin's name was John Cooper!

I hesitated, then stepped forward and said, "I beg your pardon. Are you Mr.
and Mrs. John Copper of (address.)

The father looked at me-I was in uniform - and then, shaking, bent at the
waist, he vomited. His wife looked horrified at him and then at me.
Understanding came into her eyes and she collapsed in slow motion. I think I
caught her before she hit the floor.

The owner took a bottle of whiskey out of a drawer and handed it to Mr.
Cooper who drank. I answered their questions for a few minutes. Then I drove
them home in my staff car. The storeowner locked the store and followed in
their truck. We stayed an hour or so until the family began arriving.

I returned the storeowner to his business. He thanked me and said, "Mister,
I wouldn't have your job for a million dollars." I shook his hand and said;
"Neither would I."

I vaguely remember the drive back to Norfolk. Violating about five Marine
Corps regulations, I drove the staff car straight to my house. I sat with
my family while they ate dinner, went into the den, closed the door, and sat
there all night, alone.

My Marines steered clear of me for days. I had made my first death
notification.

THE FUNERALS

Weeks passed with more notifications and more funerals.. I borrowed Marines
from the local Marine Corps Reserve and taught them to conduct a military
funeral: how to carry a casket, how to fire the volleys and how to fold the
flag.

When I presented the flag to the mother, wife, or father, I always said,
"All Marines share in your grief." I had been instructed to say, "On behalf
of a grateful nation." I didn't think the nation was grateful, so I didn't
say that.

Sometimes, my emotions got the best of me and I couldn't speak. When that
happened, I just handed them the flag and touched a shoulder. They would
look at me and nod. Once a mother said to me, "I'm so sorry you have this
terrible job." My eyes filled with tears and I leaned over and kissed her.

ANOTHER NOTIFICATION

Six weeks after my first notification, I had another. This was a young PFC.
I drove to his mother's house. As always, I was in uniform and driving a
Marine Corps staff car. I parked in front of the house, took a deep breath,
and walked towards the house. Suddenlythe door flew open, a middle-aged
woman rushed out. She looked at me and ran across the yard, screaming "NO!
NO! NO! NO!"

I hesitated. Neighbors came out. I ran to her, grabbed her, and whispered
stupid things to reassure her. She collapsed. I picked her up and carried
her into the house. Eight or nine neighbors followed. Ten or fifteen later,
the father came in followed by ambulance personnel. I have no recollection
of leaving.

The funeral took place about two weeks later. We went through the drill. The
mother never looked at me. The father looked at me once and shook his head
sadly.

ANOTHER NOTIFICATION

One morning, as I walked in the office, the phone was ringing. Sergeant
Jolly held the phone up and said, "You've got another one, Colonel." I
nodded, walked into my office, picked up the phone, took notes, thanked the
officer making the call, I have no idea why, and hung up. Jolly, who had
listened, came in with a special Telephone Directory that translates
telephone numbers into the person's address and place of employment.

The father of this casualty was a Longshoreman. He lived a mile from my
office. I called the Longshoreman's Union Office and asked for the Business
Manager. He answered the phone, I told him who I was, and asked for the
father's schedule.

The Business Manager asked, "Is it his son?" I said nothing. After a moment,
he said, in a low voice, "Tom is at home today." I said, "Don't call him.
I'll take care of that." The Business Manager said, "Aye, Aye Sir," and then
explained, "Tom and I were Marines in WWII."

I got in my staff car and drove to the house. I was in uniform. I knocked
and a woman in her early forties answered the door. I saw instantly that she
was clueless. I asked, "Is Mr. Smith home?" She smiled pleasantly and
responded, "Yes, but he's eating breakfast now. Can you come back later?" I
said, "I'm sorry. It's important, I need to see him now."

She nodded, stepped back into the beach house and said, "Tom, it's for you."

A moment later, a ruddy man in his late forties, appeared at the door. He
looked at me, turned absolutely pale, steadied himself, and said, "Jesus
Christ man, he's only been there three weeks!"

Months passed. More notifications and more funerals. Then one day while I
was running, Sergeant Jolly stepped outside the building and gave a loud
whistle, two fingers in his mouth.... I never could do that... and held an
imaginary phone to his ear.

Another call from Headquarters Marine Corps. I took notes, said, "Got it."
and hung up. I had stopped saying "Thank You" long ago.

Jolly, "Where?"

Me, "Eastern Shore of Maryland. The father is a retired Chief Petty Officer.
His brother will accompany the body back from Vietnam."

Jolly shook his head slowly, straightened, and then said, "This time of day,
it'll take three hours to get there and back. I'll call the Naval Air
Station and borrow a helicopter. And I'll have Captain Tolliver get one of
his men to meet you and drive you to the Chief's home."

He did, and 40 minutes later, I was knocking on the father's door. He opened
the door, looked at me, then looked at the Marine standing at parade rest
beside the car, and asked, "Which one of my boys was it, Colonel?"

I stayed a couple of hours, gave him all the information, my office and home
phone number and told him to call me, anytime.

He called me that evening about 2300 (11:00PM). "I've gone through my boy's
papers and found his will. He asked to be buried at sea. Can you make that
happen?" I said, "Yes I can, Chief. I can and I will."

My wife who had been listening said, "Can you do that?" I told her, "I have
no idea. But I'm going to break my ass trying."

I called Lieutenant General Alpha Bowser, Commanding General, Fleet Marine
Force Atlantic, at home about 2330, explained the situation, and asked,
"General, can you get me a quick appointment with the Admiral at Atlantic
Fleet Headquarters?" General Bowser said," George, you be there tomorrow at
0900. He will see you.

I was and the Admiral did. He said coldly, "How can the Navy help the Marine
Corps, Colonel." I told him the story. He turned to his Chief of Staff and
said, "Which is the sharpest destroyer in port?" The Chief of Staff
responded with a name.

The Admiral called the ship, "Captain, you're going to do a burial at sea.
You'll report to a Marine Lieutenant Colonel Goodson until this mission is
completed."

He hung up, looked at me, and said, "The next time you need a ship, Colonel,
call me. You don't have to sic Al Bowser on my ass." I responded, "Aye Aye,
Sir" and got the h-ll out of his office.

I went to the ship and met with the Captain, Executive Officer, and the
Senior Chief. Sergeant Jolly and I trained the ship's crew for four days.
Then Jolly raised a question none of us had thought of. He said, "These
government caskets are air tight. How do we keep it from floating?"

All the high priced help including me sat there looking dumb. Then the
Senior Chief stood and said, "Come on Jolly. I know a bar where the retired
guys from World War II hang out."

They returned a couple of hours later, slightly the worst for wear, and
said, "It's simple; we cut four 12" holes in the outer shell of the casket
on each side and insert 300 lbs of lead in the foot end of the casket. We
can handle that, no sweat."

The day arrived. The ship and the sailors looked razor sharp. General
Bowser, the Admiral, a US Senator, and a Navy Band were on board. The sealed
casket was brought aboard and taken below for modification. The ship got
underway to the 12-fathom depth.

The sun was hot. The ocean flat. The casket was brought aft and placed on a
catafalque. The Chaplin spoke. The volleys were fired. The flag was
removed, folded, and I gave it to the father. The band played "Eternal
Father Strong to Save." The casket was raised slightly at the head and it
slid into the sea.

The heavy casket plunged straight down about six feet. The incoming water
collided with the air pockets in the outer shell. The casket stopped
abruptly, rose straight out of the water about three feet, stopped, and
slowly slipped back into the sea. The air bubbles rising from the sinking
casket sparkled in the in the sunlight as the casket disappeared from sight
forever.

The next morning I called a personal friend, Lieutenant General Oscar
Peatross, at Headquarters Marine Corps and said, "General, get me the f*ck
out of here. I can't take this sh_t anymore." I was transferred two weeks
later.

I was a good Marine but, after 17 years, I had seen too much death and too
much suffering. I was used up.

Vacating the house, my family and I drove to the office in a two-car convoy.
I said my goodbyes. Sergeant Jolly walked out with me. He waved at my
family, looked at me with tears in his eyes, came to attention, saluted, and
said, "Well Done, Colonel. Well Done."

I felt as if I had received the Medal of Honor!

Editors America Fighting Back - If you haven't listened recently here's a great version

If you have the time and the patience read all 1012 pages of HR 3200 (Click here>>>>>)

FROM A DOCTOR IN SOUTH FLORIDA (NAME WITHHELD)

I am not in the habit of engaging friends in politics, but

the Obama proposal under consideration in congress is so

heinous that I feel compelled to speak out.

Here is what you can see in the first 500 pages only

>Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!

> Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!

> Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)

> Page 42: The "Health Choices Commissioner" will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None.

> Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.

> Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.

> Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.

> Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (read: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)

> Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.

> Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)

> Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens

> Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.

> Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.

> Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No "judicial review" is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.

> Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.

> Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.

> Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families.

> Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll

> Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll

> Page 167: Any individual who doesn't have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.

> Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).

> Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.

> Page 203: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." Yes, it really says that.

> Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected."

> Page 241: Doctors: no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)

> Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc.

> Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries.

> Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.

> Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!

> Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.

> Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.

> Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited for owning and investing in healthcare companies!

> Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.

> Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on "community" input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN.

> Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.

> Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.

> Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.

> Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone).

> Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?

> Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.

> Page 425: Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.

> Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends.

> Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.

> Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.

> Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN.

> Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN.

> Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.

> Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.

IF YOU ARE UPSET WITH ANYTHING UP ABOVE, I STRONGLY URGE

YOU TO CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN. DO NOT SEND

VIA MAIL. EITHER EMAIL, FAX, OR CALL! (See contact information above news....)

We are not un-American, mobs or anti-Obama just because we do not accept their solutions to healthcare reform. Most Americans do not want the government involved with making their healthcare decisions.

They say that there is a lot of outlandish misinformation going on. We are told that if we are happy with our insurance and provider we will not lose them They do not tell you that if your plan changes in any way after the bill is signed you will be required to participate in the public plan. Also, they don't tell you that all Corporations will be given a grace period to switch your coverage from private to Government without your approval.
Have you been to the White House website - Reality Check. (Click here....) They don't use any references in the health care bill to dispel the myths. Their only source is speeches and articles which the actual wording in the health bill completely contradicts. Let's be clear about one thing - single payer, government run healthcare is the goal. As the email below says - do something. We must stop this attempt to take over our healthcare system.

Americans, Brits and Aussies

Australians have fought alongside U. S. troops in every major war in the last 100 years:

World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan

Thank You Australia.....

Written by an Australian Dentist:

To Kill an American:

You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)

An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish , Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one

of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan . The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion.....

For that he will answer only to God, not to the Government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the Government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.

The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return........

When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army

20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other Nation to the poor in Afghanistan ....

The National symbol of America , The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America .

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11 , 2001, earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different Countries, Cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself . Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

Thanks Australia

"50,000 Names on the Wall"

A touching song with related pictures to follow with the music.....really worth watching.

"50,000 Names on the Wall"......remembering those who died in Viet Nam. Brought tears to my eyes it did!

WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETS......

George Jones:
http://home.comcast.net:80/~singingman7/TNOTW.htm

                                     The Old Man

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of
groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a
lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.

The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my
car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet
away.

I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his
arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too and
took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open
hood and say something.

The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new
Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at
the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at
your age.'

And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled
rubber out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow
as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to
his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay.

I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and
stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a
problem.'

He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. Looked under the
hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me.
Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I
would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three
attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the
problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could
follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and
appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and
thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated
engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier he had noticed my Marine Corps
ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I
nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'

He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at
Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal    He had hit all the big ones and
left the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine
come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the
old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I
would just put the bill on my AAA card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed
had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook
hands all around again and I said my goodbye's to his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to
the station.   Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted
their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted
to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me.

One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like
the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that
they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as
I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had
given to me. I said I would and drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and
took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The
name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his
name.......Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'

I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and
over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled
that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us
needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood
next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.

' Remember, old men like him gave you FREEDOM for America '

America Fighting Back - est. 2008

Restoring the American Spirit.....

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