What a Reminder!

Sometimes I guess we need a reminder of just how weak, fragile, and impotent we are. You know, like we build an unsinkable ship and what happens? It sinks. This week we got the reminder again. What country in most prepared for serious earthquakes? That's right, Japan.

In spite of all the preparation the Japanese have been hit with an incredible disaster. It's not that I'm laughing or amused by what is happening. I am just reminded of my own weak, fragile, and impotent I am.

In Proverbs 27:1 we are told, "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." I'm not some "prophet of doom " or something like that. I do know that death is a reality for all of us and that none of us knows when.

We need to start examining ourselves to see if we are walking as the Lord wants us to walk. I am convinced that it is time for believers to get right with the Lord. None of us know how much time we have left. Now is the time. How many more reminders do you need?

I'm back!!! At least today.

It's been a while since I've written. Between school work, shoveling snow, and being sick for what seemed like 2 months I haven't thought about writing anything. Of course, it could also be that it took awhile to get over the disappointment of the November elections, locally. After seeing so many people put so much effort into several campaigns and to see the same results was very discouraging. I think I'm over it now.

I have been thinking a lot about what has been going on locally, across the country, and around the world. Frankly, I would be surprised if the things happening now aren't setting up the end times scenarios of the Bible.

Locally, the stepping down of Chris Lee certainly seems to have brought out the worst in some people. We all know that the GOP county chairmen wouldn't take long to show that they are in charge. Jane Corwin isn't a bad choice but it might have been good to examine a few people before jumping to Jane.

As far as a third party candidate, David Bellavia seems to have attracted some tea party support but I have a question, "Where was Dave last fall?" I don't ever remember seeing his name before last week. Shouldn't the tea parties support someone who has supported them? And besides being a very decorated Vet what has he done? I may not be a "decorated" Vet, but I am a vet. Does that make me a good candidate? hummmm???? Oh, never mind.

In Wisconsin the legislature is trying to end state employee's collective bargaining rights. Here's an idea - allow them to keep the right to collectively bargain but don't allow them as unions to lobby, support candidates, advertise (I'd love this here - no more Danny Donahue), form PACs, have private unions do these things for them, or be able to join national labor unions. I know the unions wouldn't like this but I think it could be workable.

Around the world, what was the spark the set the Muslim world ablaze? I don't remember. Was there one? The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this could be manufacture by people who would benefit by having say, oil prices skyrocket. Nah, no one would be like that.

I'm still disappointed with the man who has the title of President of the United States. I know he is not natural born. Both parents were not U.S. citizens. This is a problem but I am really tired of Presidents ignoring the law just because they don't like it. The Defence Of Marriage Act is the law. Do you job, Barry.

I guess I have vented enough for now. I close with a prayer. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Why Does a British Paper To Get it?

Here is a link to a British paper. They get it. The ones here are so owned by the DEMs that they won't even consider thinking that this could be true.

U.K. TELEGRAPH

Lazio-Faire Politics 101

Having a winning political strategy is important to any candidate. Rick Lazio has taken the strategy that I call lazio-faire - If you ignore it (Carl Paladino), it (Paladino) will go away. Carl asks for a debate. Rick ignores it. Carl says something and the press wants a response. Rick ignores it. Rick gets invited to a Tea Party/Reform group convention. Rick ignores it. Have a scheduled event with a Tea Party group. Rick ignores it.

There seems to be a pattern here. I wonder what a Lazio Administration would do. Raising unemployment, ignore it. Raising crime, ignore it. No budget, ignore it. Declining state population, ignore it....etc, etc, etc. You get the idea.

September 14th will tell if the Lazio-faire strategy will work. My guess and my hope is that it won’t.

New Movie Coming

I can't wait to see this new movie: I Want Your Money

Here is the link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wty7974IKg

Freedom of Religion

Freedom of Religion. One of the most important of our unalienable rights. The right to worship or not to worship according to the dictates of our conscience. A free society must have this freedom if it is to be truly free.

Now the mosque. Do the Muslims have a right put a mosque in the shadow of ground zero? Yes, they do. Like it or not. However, people do also have the right to object to it and try to convince the Muslims to not put it there. Just like someone would have the right to put a barbecue place right next store to it. This would be my dream - a barbecue place on one side, an evangelical, fundamentalist Baptist church on the other side. Uuuhhhmmm, that would smell like freedom me.

I Quess We Can't Handle The Truth

After all the hoopla last week about the last combat troops leaving Iraq, what I find out is that what they said wasn't exactly true. Here is a copy of an article from The Army Times:

Combat brigades in Iraq under different name

7 Advise and Assist Brigades, made up of troops from BCTs, still in Iraq

By Kate Brannen - Staff writer

Posted : Saturday Aug 21, 2010 16:10:59 EDT

As the final convoy of the Army’s 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Lewis, Wash., entered Kuwait early Thursday, a different Stryker brigade remained in Iraq.

Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division are deployed in Iraq as members of an Advise and Assist Brigade, the Army’s designation for brigades selected to conduct security force assistance.

So while the “last full U.S. combat brigade” have left Iraq, just under 50,000 soldiers from specially trained heavy, infantry and Stryker brigades will stay, as well as two combat aviation brigades.

Compared with the 49,000 soldiers in Iraq, there are close to 67,000 in Afghanistan and another 9,700 in Kuwait, according to the latest Army chart on global commitments dated Aug. 17. Under an agreement with the Iraqi government, all U.S. troops must be out of Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011.

There are seven Advise and Assist Brigades in Iraq, as well as two additional National Guard infantry brigades “for security,” said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Craig Ratcliff.

Last year, the Army decided that rather than devote permanent force structure to the growing security force assistance mission, it would modify and augment existing brigades.

The Army has three different standard brigade combat teams: infantry, Stryker and heavy. To build an Advise and Assist Brigade, the Army selects one of these three and puts it through special training before deploying.

The Army selected brigade combat teams as the unit upon which to build advisory brigades partly because they would be able to retain their inherent capability to conduct offensive and defensive operations, according to the Army’s security force assistance field manual, which came out in May 2009. This way, the brigade can shift the bulk of its operational focus from security force assistance to combat operations if necessary.

To prepare for their mission in Iraq, heavy, infantry and Stryker brigades receive specialized training that can include city management courses, civil affairs training and border patrol classes.

As far as equipment goes, the brigades either brought their gear with them or used equipment left behind that is typical to their type of brigade, said Ratcliff.

The first Advise and Assist Brigade — the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss, Texas — deployed last spring to Iraq, serving as a “proof of principle” for the advisory brigade concept.

Of the seven Advise and Assist Brigades still in Iraq, four are from the 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart, Ga. The 1st Heavy Brigade of the 1st Armored Division, based at Fort Bliss, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colo., are also serving as Advise and Assist Brigades.

The 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division is based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. A combat medic from that unit was killed Aug. 15 when his Stryker combat vehicle was hit with grenades, according to press reports.

Two combat aviation brigades also remain in Iraq, according to Dan O’Boyle, Redstone Arsenal spokesman. Three more are deployed in Afghanistan, where there are currently no Advise and Assist Brigades.

I think I can handle the truth if someone in government or the press would just try me.