The U.S. Senate, on Friday, passed and sent a bill to President Bush that authorized 700 miles of new fencing to be erected along the U.S./Mexico border.
FoxNews.com
Reuters
A few of things.
1) Will Bush sign it or will he continue to pander to Latinos?
2) If he does sign it, will it actually ever get put up?
3) Why is it only 700 miles?
4) Why do Congressional Democrats bitch about it when they've yet to put forth their plan to stop illegal immigration?
5) Anyone else not care what Mexico thinks about this?
Categories:
Border Issues,
Democrats/Liberals,
George W. Bush,
Mexico,
Politics
If this post comes off a sexist, I don't apologize for it. I spent the morning doing some Christmas shopping with some people today. Of the female persuasion. Three hours into it and I'm shot. Please, tell me how you all do it. I'm walking through Kohl's, one of maybe three men in the store, pushing the silliest basked on Earth, feeling like a tool, wishing it would hurry and end. If you've never heard of Kohl's, it's a store that caters more to women then men. Sure, they have a men's section, but no men. Guys, back me up on this. Waiting in front of the changing room is no fun. Just four words to sum up this day. I Hate The Mall. I like going Christmas shopping, but at Wal-Mart or Best Buy. Never the mall. Although, I did end up with a rather good Pink Floyd CD, so maybe it wasn't all bad. I need sleep.
Categories:
Christmas,
Insanity,
Personal Stuff
This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Toni At Bear Creek Ledger
If you tell Army Staff Sgt. Paul Brondhaver he's a hero, he'll just laugh and shake his head. He's heard it before, but he doesn't think he's any more of a hero than the millions of men and women who served before him or alongside him.
Brondhaver, an Ohio National Guardsman, was severely wounded in a rocket-propelled-grenade and small-arms ambush in July 2004 in Samarra, Iraq, where his Guard unit was serving with the 1st Infantry Division. More than 300 pieces of shrapnel tore through his body, and a rocket-propelled-grenade that killed Pfc. Sam Bowen continued its mindless path and struck Brondhaver, causing his own weapon to explode and further ravage his body.
On hand for yesterday's Freedom Walk here commemorating the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and honoring the nation's past and present servicemembers, Brondhaver made no effort to hide his tears as he showed the bracelet he wears in Bowen's honor.
"If we can stay together as a bunch of good guys in America, it's going to be easier for us to keep our resolve and remind each other of the importance of honoring those (fallen troops) so that their lives weren't given in vain," he said.
With a new lease on life as he steadily recovers from injuries that brought him to the precipice of death, the 20-year Guardsman said he has a responsibility to speak for those who now can't speak for themselves. During his recovery, he has spoken in several states to spread his message.
Walking with a cane, Brondhaver helped lead several hundred Freedom Walk participants on the mile-and-a-half trek from the future site of the Colorado Freedom Memorial to the Aurora Municipal Center. At his side was Fairfax County (Va.) Fire Department Battalion Chief John Everett, who was one of the first responders to the attack on the Pentagon.
"All of our hearts were touched and damaged" by 9/11 and with the losses incurred in its aftermath, Brondhaver said. "We need to build our hearts back up to be full and strong," he said. "And events like this can do that. Events like this hopefully can inspire and motivate others to tell their neighbors how important it is to stay strong. It will be a stronger America in the end."
Brondhaver said he intends to spend the rest of his life spreading his message of "faith, family and friends," his belief in America and his appreciation for freedom one event at a time.
Though he has suffered a personal tragedy with his injuries, Brondhaver said, he hopes to show people that the effect any tragedy has depends on how they react to it.
"In the end, my cup is half full," he said. "I have nothing negative to say. Life is positive."
Twice after he suffered his injuries, Brondhaver's heart stopped beating.
"I flatlined in Balad, Iraq, in surgery, and they revived me," he said. "I had lost a lot of blood. Then I'm 30,000 feet in the air on the way to Landstuhl, Germany, to a medical facility there, and I flatlined again and they revived me. Having near-death experiences has really brought home the important things in life. If you have faith, family and friends, you have a strong America. That's my message."
Needing and receiving his parents' permission, Brondhaver joined the Ohio Guard at 17 because, he said, he wanted to help people. Serving in the National Guard has taught him how to live his life to help others, Brondhaver said. He's been activated for prison riots, floods, tornadoes, snow emergencies and other missions that have allowed him to help his fellow citizens. He wears 21 medals, including the Bronze Star for valor, the Purple Heart, and Army Commendation medals. But he prizes his Humanitarian Service Medal the most, he said.
"They're all important; they're all accepted with honor," he said. "But a soldier doesn't go to war saying, "Man, I hope I get the Purple Heart." But it's OK to say, "It would be nice if I can get the Humanitarian Medal, because that means I can help others."
Helping others is a habit for Brondhaver. When he deployed to Iraq, he noticed that many children had nothing on their feet. This led to "Socks for Paul," a joint effort with his wife, Lisa — they were high school sweethearts — that collected more than 6,000 pairs of shoes and socks for Iraqi children.
"We put them in a Humvee and went from school to school," he said, his eyes dancing as if he were Santa Claus describing his favorite Christmas. "We delivered shoes and socks to those children, along with school supplies and Spaghetti-O's and Girl Scout cookies."
Even as he faces various surgeries for the rest of his life, Brondhaver said that if he were 17 again and knew what lay ahead for him, he still would have signed on the dotted line. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat," he said. "I wouldn't even have to think about it. I never look back."
He pointed to the American flag on the right shoulder of his uniform and said people wonder why the field of stars is on the right side of the emblem. "The blue part always goes forward. America always goes forward. We don't retreat. We don't look back. We stay steady. We stay strong."
These brave men and women risk their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.
Brondhaver, an Ohio National Guardsman, was severely wounded in a rocket-propelled-grenade and small-arms ambush in July 2004 in Samarra, Iraq, where his Guard unit was serving with the 1st Infantry Division. More than 300 pieces of shrapnel tore through his body, and a rocket-propelled-grenade that killed Pfc. Sam Bowen continued its mindless path and struck Brondhaver, causing his own weapon to explode and further ravage his body.
On hand for yesterday's Freedom Walk here commemorating the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and honoring the nation's past and present servicemembers, Brondhaver made no effort to hide his tears as he showed the bracelet he wears in Bowen's honor.
"If we can stay together as a bunch of good guys in America, it's going to be easier for us to keep our resolve and remind each other of the importance of honoring those (fallen troops) so that their lives weren't given in vain," he said.
With a new lease on life as he steadily recovers from injuries that brought him to the precipice of death, the 20-year Guardsman said he has a responsibility to speak for those who now can't speak for themselves. During his recovery, he has spoken in several states to spread his message.
Walking with a cane, Brondhaver helped lead several hundred Freedom Walk participants on the mile-and-a-half trek from the future site of the Colorado Freedom Memorial to the Aurora Municipal Center. At his side was Fairfax County (Va.) Fire Department Battalion Chief John Everett, who was one of the first responders to the attack on the Pentagon.
"All of our hearts were touched and damaged" by 9/11 and with the losses incurred in its aftermath, Brondhaver said. "We need to build our hearts back up to be full and strong," he said. "And events like this can do that. Events like this hopefully can inspire and motivate others to tell their neighbors how important it is to stay strong. It will be a stronger America in the end."
Brondhaver said he intends to spend the rest of his life spreading his message of "faith, family and friends," his belief in America and his appreciation for freedom one event at a time.
Though he has suffered a personal tragedy with his injuries, Brondhaver said, he hopes to show people that the effect any tragedy has depends on how they react to it.
"In the end, my cup is half full," he said. "I have nothing negative to say. Life is positive."
Twice after he suffered his injuries, Brondhaver's heart stopped beating.
"I flatlined in Balad, Iraq, in surgery, and they revived me," he said. "I had lost a lot of blood. Then I'm 30,000 feet in the air on the way to Landstuhl, Germany, to a medical facility there, and I flatlined again and they revived me. Having near-death experiences has really brought home the important things in life. If you have faith, family and friends, you have a strong America. That's my message."
Needing and receiving his parents' permission, Brondhaver joined the Ohio Guard at 17 because, he said, he wanted to help people. Serving in the National Guard has taught him how to live his life to help others, Brondhaver said. He's been activated for prison riots, floods, tornadoes, snow emergencies and other missions that have allowed him to help his fellow citizens. He wears 21 medals, including the Bronze Star for valor, the Purple Heart, and Army Commendation medals. But he prizes his Humanitarian Service Medal the most, he said.
"They're all important; they're all accepted with honor," he said. "But a soldier doesn't go to war saying, "Man, I hope I get the Purple Heart." But it's OK to say, "It would be nice if I can get the Humanitarian Medal, because that means I can help others."
Helping others is a habit for Brondhaver. When he deployed to Iraq, he noticed that many children had nothing on their feet. This led to "Socks for Paul," a joint effort with his wife, Lisa — they were high school sweethearts — that collected more than 6,000 pairs of shoes and socks for Iraqi children.
"We put them in a Humvee and went from school to school," he said, his eyes dancing as if he were Santa Claus describing his favorite Christmas. "We delivered shoes and socks to those children, along with school supplies and Spaghetti-O's and Girl Scout cookies."
Even as he faces various surgeries for the rest of his life, Brondhaver said that if he were 17 again and knew what lay ahead for him, he still would have signed on the dotted line. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat," he said. "I wouldn't even have to think about it. I never look back."
He pointed to the American flag on the right shoulder of his uniform and said people wonder why the field of stars is on the right side of the emblem. "The blue part always goes forward. America always goes forward. We don't retreat. We don't look back. We stay steady. We stay strong."
These brave men and women risk their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.
Categories:
9/11,
Iraq,
United States Military,
War On Terror,
Wednesday Hero
Did anyone else see the Clinton interview on Fox News last night? I only got to see part of it but it was the part everyone's talking about. Bubba's little bitchy meltdown. Same old Clinton's. It's the evil Right-wing. First we made up Monica Lewinski and now we're to blame for pointing out that he didn't have the stones to kill bin Laden. You know, I don't see Bush blaming the Left-wing for not dealing with bin Laden before 9/11. I did like how he said that he's never criticized Bush and then he tried to make it seem that he, Bush, had more time to deal with bin Laden than he himself did. Now, I know I failed high school math and had to take summer school to graduate, but even I can see that four years, when bin Laden declared war on America, is longer than eight months. He then made it seem that maybe the U.S. should violate Pakistan's sovereignty by marching in and taking bin Laden out thereby putting the death nail in one of the very few quasi-allies we have in the Middle East. That being said, I will give him some credit. He did except responsibility for not doing enough. Must be the first time he's ever taken responsibility for his actions, or lack of actions as the case my be.
Categories:
9/11,
Big Media,
Democrats/Liberals,
Politics,
War On Terror
A British man had a visit from the police because he missed on appointment with the vet. Boy, PeTA's becoming a little too powerful.
An Iowa man was busted while carrying his pot plant down the street. Police spotted him when he walked by their station. Wow.
Russian men are ordered to go home during the day and make love. Have you seen some of these Russian women? I think I'd stay at work.
Jackie Chan's new character is too evil for Chinese audiances. The government makes him tone it down. Lone live Communism.
Some Austrian burglers got the shock of their lives. Just read it.
An Oregon woman was cited for driving her lawnmower without insurance. Oh yeah, she had a wreck and broke her leg as well but the insurance thing is the funny part.
And the winner of this weeks Darwin Award is this guy. He's drunk. He threatens a bunch of bikers. He gets out of his car with a pool cue only to have his own car run him over. Congratulations, Richard Brooks.
An Iowa man was busted while carrying his pot plant down the street. Police spotted him when he walked by their station. Wow.
Russian men are ordered to go home during the day and make love. Have you seen some of these Russian women? I think I'd stay at work.
Jackie Chan's new character is too evil for Chinese audiances. The government makes him tone it down. Lone live Communism.
Some Austrian burglers got the shock of their lives. Just read it.
An Oregon woman was cited for driving her lawnmower without insurance. Oh yeah, she had a wreck and broke her leg as well but the insurance thing is the funny part.
And the winner of this weeks Darwin Award is this guy. He's drunk. He threatens a bunch of bikers. He gets out of his car with a pool cue only to have his own car run him over. Congratulations, Richard Brooks.
Categories:
Entertainment,
Funny Stuff,
In Case You Missed It
Categories:
Christmas,
Personal Stuff
There's a new additon to the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. http://journals.aol.com/kasee267/SupportingtheTroops/. Head over and check her out. That makes three people who've signed up. Come on people, there should be more. If you'd like to sign up to show your support for the brave men and women who defend this country you can go here to find out how.
Categories:
United States Military,
War On Terror,
Wednesday Hero
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