~ FIVE YEARS LATER ~

At this point in time we are about to pass the five year aniverery of the last terror attacks on American soil. I say last more hopefully than confidently . I see our countrys resolve weakening. I hear stories in the main stream media that serve the terrorists more than they serve the citizens of the greatest nation on earth.I don't make these claims from outside the war effort, I have family that is serving there , my son served four years in the Marine Corps. He did not fight in a war but he was at the disposal of the Corp to dispatch as they would. He was happy to go wherever they would send him and I was proud to know that he was willing and able to serve . I spent two tours in Viet Nam. Most said that we were baby killers and that we didn't belong there. There are many who say we don't belong anywhere. There are some statistics that claim as high as 80% of homeless people are Viet Nam vets, maybe its because of the way were we welcomed back. You noticed I didn't say home but when you come home most are glad to see you. That wasn't the case here.

I recieved this in my E-Mail. I don't know if it is true, but I do know I agree with it. I want to pass it on to as many as I can. Perhaps it will make you think. Perhaps it will maybe put all of the eggs in one basket so that you all can focus on the issues. I don't know, all I know is that it touched me.

This was written by a retired attorney, to his sons, May 19, 2004. Dear Tom, Kevin, Kirby and Ted, As your father, I believe I owe it to you to share some thoughts on the present world situation. We have over the years discussed a lot of important things, like going to college, jobs and so forth. But this really takes precedence over any of those discussions. I hope this might give you a longer term perspective that fewer and fewer of my generation are left to speak to. To be sure you understand that this is not politically flavored, I will tell you that since Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led us through pre and WWII (1933 - 1945) up to and including our present President, I have without exception, supported our presidents on all matters of international conflict. This would include just naming a few in addition to President Roosevelt - WWII: President Truman - Korean War 1950; President Kennedy Bay of Pigs (1961); President Kennedy - Vietnam (1961); eight presidents (5 Republican & 4 Democrat) during the cold war (1945 - 1991); President Clinton's strikes on Bosnia (1995) and on Iraq (1998). So be sure you read this as completely non-political or otherwise you will miss the point.

This WAR is for REAL ! To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII). The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means. First, let's examine a few basics: 1. When did the threat to us start? Many will say September 11, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us: * Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; * Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983; * Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983; * Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988; * First New York World Trade Center attack 1993; * Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996; * Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998; * Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998; * Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000; * New York World Trade Center 2001; * Pentagon 2001. (Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide). 2. Why were we attacked? Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocations by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter. 3. Who were the attackers? In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims. 4. What is the Muslim population of the World? 25%. 5. Isn't the Muslim Religion peaceful? Hopefully, but that is really not material. There is no doubt that the predominately Christian population of Germany was peaceful, but under the dictatorial leadership of Hitler (who was also Christian), that made no difference. You either went along with the administration or you were eliminated. There were 5 to 6 million Christians killed by the Nazis for political reasons (including 7,000 Polish priests). (see http://www.nazis.testimony.co.uk/7-a.htm ) Thus, almost the same number of Christians were killed by the Nazis, as the six million holocaust Jews who were killed by them, and we seldom heard of anything other than the Jewish atrocities. Although Hitler kept the world focused on the Jews, he had no hesitancy about killing anyone who got in his way of exterminating the Jews or of taking over the world - German, Christian or any others. Same with the Muslim terrorists. They focus the world on the US, but kill all in the way -- their own people or the Spanish, French or anyone else. The point here is that just like the peaceful Germans were of no protection to anyone from the Nazis, no matter how many peaceful Muslims there may be, they are no protection for us from the terrorist Muslim leaders and what they are fanatically bent on doing -- by their own pronouncements -- killing all of us "infidels." I don't blame the peaceful Muslims. What would you do if the choice was shut up or die? 6. So who are we at war with? There is no way we can honestly respond that it is anyone other than the Muslim terrorists. Trying to be politically correct and avoid verbalizing this conclusion can well be fatal. There is no way to win if you don't clearly recognize and articulate who you are fighting. So with that background, now to the two major questions: 1. Can we lose this war? 2. What does losing really mean? If we are to win, we must clearly answer these two pivotal questions. We can definitely lose this war, and as anomalous as it may sound, the major reason we can lose is that so many of us simply do not fathom the answer to the second question - What does losing mean? It would appear that a great many of us think that losing the war means hanging our heads, bringing the troops home and going on about our business, like post Vietnam. This is as far from the truth as one can get. What losing really means is: We would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. Remember, they want us dead, not just quiet. If they had just wanted us quiet, they would not have produced an increasing series of attacks against us, over the past 18 years. The plan was clearly, for terrorist to attack us, until we were neutered and submissive to them. We would of course have no future support from other nations, for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see, we are impotent and cannot help them. They will pick off the other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. It will be increasingly easier for them. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops. Anything else they want Spain to do will be done. Spain is finished. The next will probably be France. Our one hope on France is that they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, in that they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France. France is already 20% Muslim and fading fast! If we lose the war, our production, income, exports and way of life will all vanish as we know it. After losing, who would trade or deal with us, if they were threatened by the Muslims. If we can't stop the Muslims, how could anyone else? The Muslims fully know what is riding on this war, and therefore are completely committed to winning, at any cost. We better know it too and be likewise committed to winning at any cost. Why do I go on at such lengths about the results of losing? Simple. Until we recognize the costs of losing, we cannot unite and really put 100% of our thoughts and efforts into winning. And it is going to take that 100% effort to win. So, how can we lose the war? Again, the answer is simple. We can lose the war by "imploding." That is, defeating ourselves by refusing to recognize the enemy and their purpose, and really digging in and lending full support to the war effort. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. If we continue to be divided, there is no way that we can win! Let me give you a few examples of how we simply don't comprehend the life and death seriousness of this situation. President Bush selects Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation. Although all of the terrorist attacks were committed by Muslim men between 17 and 40 years of age, Secretary Mineta refuses to allow profiling. Does that sound like we are taking this thing seriously? This is war! For the duration, we are going to have to give up some of the civil rights we have become accustomed to. We had better be prepared to lose some of our civil rights temporarily or we will most certainly lose all of them permanently. And don't worry that it is a slippery slope. We gave up plenty of civil rights during WWII, and immediately restored them after the victory and in fact added many more since then. Do I blame President Bush or President Clinton before him? No, I blame us for blithely assuming we can maintain all of our Political Correctness, and all of our civil rights during this conflict and have a clean, lawful, honorable war. None of those words apply to war. Get them out of your head. Some have gone so far in their criticism of the war and/or the Administration that it almost seems they would literally like to see us lose. I hasten to add that this isn't because they are disloyal. It is because they just don't recognize what losing means. Nevertheless, that conduct gives the impression to the enemy that we are divided and weakening. It concerns our friends, and it does great damage to our cause. Of more recent vintage, the uproar fueled by the politicians and media regarding the treatment of some prisoners of war, perhaps exemplifies best what I am saying. We have recently had an issue, involving the treatment of a few Muslim prisoners of war, by a small group of our military police. These are the type prisoners who just a few months ago were throwing their own people off buildings, cutting off their hands, cutting out their tongues and otherwise murdering their own people just for disagreeing with Saddam Hussein. And just a few years ago these same type prisoners chemically killed 400,000 of their own people for the same reason. They are also the same type enemy fighters, who recently were burning Americans, and dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq. And still more recently, the same type enemy that was and is providing videos to all news sources internationally, of the beheading of American prisoners they held. Compare this with some of our press and politicians, who for several days have thought and talked about nothing else but the "humiliating" of some Muslim prisoners -- not burning them, not dragging their charred corpses through the streets, not beheading them, but "humiliating" them. Can this be for real? The politicians and pundits have even talked of impeachment of the Secretary of Defense. If this doesn't show the complete lack of comprehension and understanding of the seriousness of the enemy we are fighting, the life and death struggle we are in and the disastrous results of losing this war, nothing can. To bring our country to a virtual political standstill over this prisoner issue makes us look like Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned -- totally oblivious to what is going on in the real world. Neither we, nor any other country, can survive this internal strife. Again I say, this does not mean that some of our politicians or media people are disloyal. It simply means that they are absolutely oblivious to the magnitude, of the situation we are in and into which the Muslim terrorists have been pushing us, for many years. Remember, the Muslim terrorists stated goal is to kill all infidels! That translates into ALL non-Muslims -- not just in theUnited States, but throughout the world. We are the last bastion of defense. We have been criticized for many years as being 'arrogant.' That charge is valid in at least one respect. We are arrogant in that we believe that we are so good, powerful and smart, that we can win the hearts and minds of all those who attack us, and that with both hands tied behind our back, we can defeat anything bad in the world! We can't! If we don't recognize this, our nation as we know it will not survive, and no other free country in the world will survive if we are defeated. And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone -- let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the world. This has been a long way of saying that we must be united on this war or we will be equated in the history books to the self-inflicted fall of the Roman Empire. If, that is, the Muslim leaders will allow history books to be written or read. If we don't win this war right now, keep a close eye on how the Muslims take over France in the next 5 years or less. They will continue to increase the Muslim population of France and continue to encroach little by little, on the established French traditions. The French will be fighting among themselves, over what should or should not be done, which will continue to weaken them and keep them from any united resolve. Doesn't that sound eerily familiar? Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece. And they are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide, that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power. They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they then start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses. Will we ever stop hearing from the politically correct, about the "peaceful Muslims"? I close on a hopeful note, by repeating what I said above. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. I hope now after the election, the factions in our country will begin to focus on the critical situation we are in, and will unite to save our country. It is your future we are talking about! Do whatever you can to preserve it. After reading the above, we all must do this not only for ourselves, but our children, our grandchildren, our country and the world. Whether Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal and that includes the Politicians and media of our country and the free world! Please forward this to any you feel may want, or NEED to read it. Our "leaders" in Congress ought to read it, too. There are those that find fault with our country, but it is obvious to anyone who truly thinks through this, that we must UNITE!

~ I Can't Believe My Ears ~

I hear on the news that Brittish televisions channel 4 called More4 has produced a little ditty called "Death Of A President" It mixes real footage with digital manipulations to look as though it is actual footage. The directors name is Gabriel Range and his so called work is called "Death of a President". It shows the assination of President Bush. This is so deplorable that this was even considered as artistic by this ass hole and then even approved by the Brittish Government as acceptable. What the Hell has this world come to. We are in the middle of a war against terrorists and our supposed allies produce a film showing this horrible crime against America. To top it off there are plans to show this piece of crap at the Toronto Film Festival. I would of thought that since we have kept the Cunucks free all these years we would have deserved better from them. Maybe it is time for America to withdraw all support weather military,financial, or even disaster relief from these ungrateful bastards and lets stay within our borders with our up to now generous monetary and physical help.At the end of the day I can't remember one single solitary instance of help from a foreign source for any disaster we have ever experienced.Not so much as a drackma`s worth of aid to help with our national debt. Not even so much as two bricks stacked together to help with a natural disaster.Not even Hollyweird has sunk this low..........Shame on you Brits if it weren`t for us you would be having sourkraut on your crumpets.

~ Still Another Update ~

After waiting another ten days for my assigned physcian to return numerous phone calls with no reply from them, I called the main office number. Sorry my train of thought was interupted by the secretary finally calling. (this is after I called the office manager) She states that I never called her or at the very least none of my calls ever showed up on her voice mail. Humbug pure freakin humbug. I know I called at least 15 times and each time I left a message but mysteriously her voice mail decided arbitrarily to not record my messages because "I return all my calls everyday even if I have to stay here after five o`clock to do it"Cut to the chase..... she states that she needs certification by my family physcian that I have been on a diet for six months, the actual report by a Pulmanologist is insufficient as documentation I also need a certification from him, A copy of the stress test that put me in the hospital is insufficient I must have a certifification by a cardiologist that I am fit for the surgery. Documentation that I have been weighed at my doctors at least six times in two years must come from him ( A insurmountable requirement since this cheap bastard don't have a scale that will weigh my obese ass.)A statement of what type of diet he has had me on, and oh yeah.........tell us all about the exercise program that I am involved in.I am so sick and freakin tired of even trying to accomplish this it seems as though it is so slanted that I will never meet their criteria I may as well order a deep dish pizza with all the toppings and die with a smile on my fat fucking face.

~ One Year Later ~

For lack of something better to watch on the ol boob tube (you wouldn't imagine that that would be possible since i have about a hundred gazillion stations) I settled on a one year anniversery revisiting on New Orleans,and the damage done by hurricane Katrina. The progress they have made is deplorable. This is due mainly to the folks just not wanting to do the work of cleaning up what was left and actually setting hammer to nail and rebuilding what has been left them.I honestly have not ever seen a bigger bunch of whining complaining folks in my life. The show highlighted certain victems and where they are now. There was a older ,disabled (legless) man who was stuck between the eve of his home and a huge ammount of flotsam from the flood. His dog was trapped on the peak of his roof. He was calling out for help and finally a boat came by and heard his calls. This was a small john boat with three guys in it already. They went to the fella that was stuck and got him unstuck and pulled him onto the roof so they could pull him into the boat. After much effort they finally get the guy in the boat and he is in deplorable condition. He is nakie as the day he was born,legless, beat up from the debri in the flood water and the rescuers dragging his naked body up and onto a shingle roof after his skin was tenderized by the flood water for about a day or so.They finally get this "gentleman" in the boat and he states...." I want you to go back and get my dog" They try to calm him and tell him there is only room for humans on the boat and they promised to come back for the pooch if they were able.This did not set well but considering the circumstances there was little he could do. The show cuts to current time The rescuers ,true to their word do get the dog and somehow manage to reunite them The "gentleman" who was rescued, whos life was saved, who was snatched from a watery grave,states one year later.........The rescuers could of done a better job and got my dog out of trouble before they did. ................EXCUSE ME?????
these unpaid people risked life and limb to help out a unknown human and all this guy was concerned with a year later was criticizing his rescuers and absolutely negating their effort in saving his wretched life. That in and of itself is the problem in New Orleans. The citizenry thinks someone ,anyone, everyone owes them whatever it takes to get things set up to their liking again. I was in a flood.....twice. I chose to live along a river ..........my fault for what I get. My problem trying to re claim my property.....my effort for my choice. And our neighbors in chocolate town need to understand that when they pick it up and fix it themselves ,at that time ,and only that time will things be back to normal in New Orleans.

~ As Time Goes By ~

Another week has passed with no response from the "Good Doctor" . If our health care system were any better I would swear we were under "Socialized Medicine." I would not believe what is happening in my case if I read it in a BLOG somewheres but the sad truth is, I am living it and getting angrier by the moment. I will attempt to fight my way through the voice -mail world of my physcian, and find out what is going on . If I am lucky enough, perhaps this week comming up, I will know something that is fit for reporting or at least I will have something further to rant about next week. Oh by the way does anyone know a site that will walk you through do -it- yourself- gut surgery? Well you can't blame a guy for trying.

~There Has To Be A Better Way~

I, at one time,had faith in our medical community. I knew in my heart that they either would, or did, do anything that was within realms of possibilities for them to do.In this process of arrainging this gastric by-pass surgery for me, I have learned a lot of lessons. Sadly none of them have given me much hope for myself or any of you out there that are facing a medical problem yourselves.
For you folks who have been kind enough to read my postings. You know that my next and final step prior to surgery was a psycological evaluation to see if in fact that I am doing this "for the right reasons." I understand that weighing nearly 400 lbs and being only 5`6" tall may NOT be clue enough for someone who is a true medical professional,so rather than making a error in judgement and passing me on through, I was in fact required to see "Da Shrink" That meeting, although a major farce, and a collosal waste of my time, and money, went as well as could be expected. She decided that I was in fact moral enough to sit on the group "W" bench with all the other mother killers and father rapers, and passed me with flying colors.
And heres the rub Horatio.........I waited four days before I called for a additional appointment with the surgeon prior to surgery. I called the main office and attempted to set it up with no success. I was told my case was refered to another physcian who was a "specialist" in the type of by-pass surgery that I required and was given her number and told to call them. Needless to say I complied and reached her secretarys voice mail. She left a lovely electronic message on her voicemail that more or less wanted to know all my particulars and only simply stated that she was either away from her desk or on another line and that she would get back to me.
Not wanting to blow up her voicemail, I waited the rest of the day for her to return my call. Mind you this is a call from a "sick" patient. I also waited all of the next day and the next. I, at that point, placed another call and finally got.....................SUPRISE.....her voice mail. I left still another message and she in-fact called back.Our conversation went something like this.......I see you had your psyc evaluation here a few days ago and everything is fine with that BUT (and that is a big ol butt you got there) I need you to get a lot of other testing done prior to seeing the doctor. I replyed....What do you mean? I have been examined ,poked,prodded, turned inside out, put in so much stress as to nearly have a heart attack to proove I am fit enough to have this surgery, and now you want "a lot" more testing. Well sorry sir but these things need to be done first. I said ok what are these things. She stated ....blah blah blah I replyed with those results have been forwarded to your office a week or so ago. My family physcian had all those tests done in preperation for this and I was there last week and asked him to forward all the results to your offices. She states....I am sorry sir but there is nothing here. I say ok I will call my family physcian and see what is going on.
I call his office talk to the chief flunky he has there and she tells me no it hasn`t been sent but she will do it right now. I supply her with the fax number for the appropriate office and I stupidly take her at her word. I wait three days and call Miss voiemail again after three days of getting her recorded messages she finally comes through and calls me back. Tells me she still has not recieved anything but after speaking with my family physcian they will not be able to send her ALL of the test results. I will after all this, have to either retest or somehow aquire the test results my self and hand carry them to her office . She then proceeds to tell me that sometime late next week she will call me and tell me what she has and what I still need to accomplish my self. I am sure this will take another two months to accomplish and then depending on the surgeons schedule I may in fact get this surgery by somtime next year. Providing I live long enough. If I do die before then I hope she buys a new Jaguar and has trouble making the payments because she is short my surgery fee.

Terror is Dead-------------NOT

For all of you whiners and complainers out there look no further that todays main stream media news reports and see that there has been multiple arrests and more pending. Who you might ask? Al Quada memebers. They figured no one could get through airline security carrying a bomb or a weapon BUT perhaps if 5or 6 or whatever the number, would each carry a small disguiseable segment of a bomb, perhaps they could actually pull it off.
Look around you people. Chances are that someone you know or knew has been affected by a act of terror. We must not falter, we must not hesitate. This particular caldren of evil was stirred up in Pakistan. All of these occurances originate somewhere in the Mid East,and yet you folks keep asking why are we there?
You would be better off understanding that this is a war. Not one like your used to, but still all in all, a war. Back in the Revolutionary war the bad guys wore red coats and marched in a straight line. We wore buckskins and hid behind trees. The face of war has totally changed. Today it may be a little boy your children are playing with or a eldely lady who just got on the bus or a couple of truckers who passed you on the freeway not ten minutes earlier. We can't know who they are or what they look like. That is why it is important that your gov. has powers that you think may be out of the ordinary. They don`t want us, they want the bad guys and hopefully this will help them get them. We can't back off, or withdraw, untill the job is done. Regardless of the cost. If we do, it will be here before you know it.

~UPDATE~

As promised..........At last I think I am at the last hurdle.....I am to report this comming Mon for a Physcological Evaluation.....there are those who say that this is as far as I will get BUT I think I can probably convince the good doctor that considering I am 200 pounds past my ideal weight that I'm most probably not making this up and i do in fact require this life saving surgery.It has taken nearly a year to push through the system and get the help i need......Thank God I wasn't bleeding out................ Will keep all posted.

~Time For Peace In The Mid - East~

I mean really. Isn't it time for peace in the Mid - East? How many have to die? how freakin tragic does it have to get. You may think that it is impossible, but you know what kiddies ? It freakin isn't. All that needs to be done is Isreal put down its arms, park its weaponry, and promise not to kill any more innocent civilians in Lebanon accidently and i'm positive that hezbolla will jump through hoops to comply with the movement and promise to not kill Jewish civilians on purpose and quit hiding in areas that are populated by mostly civilians and lie down their weapons and park their missle launchers and such.
Just picture it. Peace and prosperity will come to the area that is the epicenter of all the major religions of the world. Beautiful huh? JUST FREAKIN BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!
Look folks get yer heads all the way out of your asses and really look at what is going on. The Muslem world wants nothing more than to eliminate the Jewish people. Sound like someone we remember? Some Nazi guy, think his name was hitler or sumpin. I forget just like most of you out there. Wait a minute its comming back.........If I remember right he wasn't alone there was that Russian guy oh yeah Stalin . Its seems like its all comming back. If I remember right there must of been at least 20,000,000 of them killed between the two. I don't suppose we should leave out the atrocites that were and are still taking place in Africa. Ask.com dosen't have a handle on all of the mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, uncles, aunts, cousens and who knows who else that have given their lives to to a terrorist, or a nation of terrorists. This is the evil out there. It isn't Jews or Arabs or Germans or Russians or even Africans. It is terror commited by people who are dedicated to destroying life as we know it.
Yes Elizabeth there is a Santa Clause and sadly there is pure evil out there also. It is time the people of the world put a stop to all this hate, all this terror while we still have a world to wake up to. At least thats the way I see it here at Arathorns Alley.

~ UPDATE ~

As promised........ I said that I would keep everyone posted as to my progress in my by-pass quest. I have successfully completed all of the physical aspects of the pre- testing. I must still under go a physcological exam. I honestly don't understand the need for that considering that if I had the cash I could find almost any plastic surgeon who would make me look like almost anybody for a fee of course. Regardless that must still be scheduled to see if I really am seriously over weight, and that this surgery could actually help save my life.
More word as I find out.....................

~Please~

Please, please, please......there now I said it three times. You won't be able to say you didn't know. or you weren't aware.I Found out today there are in excess of 200,000 homeless Veterans. At least 80,000 are Viet Nam Vets. The remaining ones are from WW2, Korea, Grenada, and the first Iraqi War. There were no stats for the ongoing war but I am sure that there will be many who will not be able to come back to the world. Many for whom the dreams will not stop. Many of them reduced to hiding in fear at the sound of a car back firing or perhaps the weather helicopter flying over head.
These brave men and women reduced to living hand to mouth,often outdoors, many not using the veterans benefits they so richly deserve.These brave souls have lost the ability to spend a peaceful, quiet, relaxing evening in the safety and security of their own homes. Many afraid to be indoors because of feeling trapped.
We as a nation need to be ashamed of the way these heros are being treated. We need to know that these brothers and sisters laid it all on the line . They paid the ultimate price for all of your and my freedoms. Because of what they did and gave up you and I are safe and secure in our own homes.
Get interested and involved in helping our homeless vets, donate all you can spare. If you are involved with a community project, make the focus of that group help the homeless vets. After all look what they have done for you. 

~ HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ~

Today is a National holiday. It is a day that we as a nation should reflect on, well, what brought us to the "dance". We here in America enjoy a lot of things.Most things we don't even notice and as a result we take for granted. Most of us enjoy a standard of living that is way beyond what the majority of the world experiences. Take for example the simple act of brushing your teeth. You stumble out of bed in your air conditioned home, totter to the bathroom and flip on the over head light.Most will avial themselves of the lavatory and then head to the sink and wash your hands and brush your teeth. Some will even begin their day by taking a hot shower and putting on freshly laundered clothing. These are a few of the small things we take for granted.
We then head to the front door and get the daily morning paper. It, as usual, is full of claptrap and nonsence BUT they are free to write anything they want, about anything they want. The only constrainment is that is must be true and even that is rarely adhered to.
Well it is time to prepare for the days festivitys. We make sure the beer is iced down, the charcoal is in the grill waiting for the guests to arive. Our food is stored safely in the refridgerator untill it is time to grill it.
Soon our guests arive,cars parking in the yard,in front of the houses, every available space. Most of the guests bring their family specialtys.....those special baked beans or perhaps potatoes au gratin. Maybe a pasta salad or a green salad. We all pool together our resourses and a grand party comes together. We celebrate by getting our buzz on and watching the fireworks, perhaps setting off a few ourselves. Patriotic feelings coursing through our veins as we hear the thunderous report of the ordances we are setting off.
The day has come and gone. Our familys and friends have gathered. We celebrated as hard as we could, and all have returned home safely.
How many truly will reflect on what our forefathers actually paid to bring this country together? All of the signers of the Constitution paid horrific prices. They lost their fortunes, their familys and their property. Most did not live long enough to see our fledgling nation flourish.
We live in the greatest nation on the face of this earth. Some of our citizens have no clue as to what it took to get us here. Some don't care any longer,it seems we are turning into a nation of self centered people instead of a band of citizens that work together for a common goal.Most fail to understand what it takes to remain free and strong. They can't even be bothered to get off their lazy duffs and venture out in their own community and vote. Vote for the people who represent us, vote for whom we want , oh yeah that is another privelege . If you don't like what is going on you may run for office and work towards changing it.
Please people it is high time we quit knocking our country and our President and our troops. We are so blessed to live in this country. We have so much more than any nation I have ever seen. Happy Birthday America !!! May God continue to bless us. 

~ R.I.P~ THE AMERICAN WAY~

Today is one of the saddest days of my life. I say this unequivocally,without reservation. I say this bearing in mind all the tradgedys that this life has seen fit to deal me as my hand.Today one more little piece,one small piece of what I hold dear has been taken away. Not for its becoming broken or outdated or even out of fashion,but for it losing it's potential for making a profit. To increase it's profitability in the "World Market".Like some kind of diseased whore......"I'm only in it for the money."
I'm sure by now some of my readers are wandering just what I am going on about....well in the new Superman movie they have eliminated a part of his creed. From day one Superman stood for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way.This was something solid. Something we could hang on to. Something children could hold near and dear. A sort of guide to live your life by. Goals to try and emulate. Knowing these things to be good and right and proper. The "American Way" we would defend to the end if necessary the "American Way" regardless what its cost is.We would and did sacrifice those lives in huge numbers to promote the American Way. Don't believe me? Think I'm over reacting? Look at the endless rows of white crosses ,standing as a mute tribute, to the "American Way" at Arlington National cemetery perhaps gaze at that strangely quiet field known as Flanders Field in France. These people, knew the value of the "American Way"
they paid the price to spread that word.
Look at our borders. People are trying desperately to find a way to get here. To enjoy "The American Way" they risk their lives as a matter of routine, just to be here,to breathe the free air to be allowed to do as they please,when the want to.The "American Way" has immeasurable value and yet Hollyweird says because they want to make more money,to increase their profitability they eliminate the phrase "The American Way" from Supermans creed.
I feel this is a act of treason . It is so insidious. It whittles aways one more little piece of American uniqueness.For money,.......money. They sold out the hopes and dreams and sacrifices of untold numbers of people for money. Is there a word that is dispicable enough to describe them ?If there is I would love to know it. I would love to shout it from the mountaintops. From shore to shore of this great country. God bless America and may God bless and keep "The American Way"

~ When Are They Going To Learn ? ~

I want to rant a little about the main stream media. It is the primary information source for most of our country. As much as myself and my fellow bloggers want to think that we are reaching out and touching a lot of people it is a fly spec in proportion to those who turn on Wolf Blitzer or Charlie Gibson .
In light of that, our media has a obligation to report as accurately and as truthfully as humanly possible to inform the general public of the facts in each and every news story.
Dan Rather did not, and it cost him his career and his network their credibility to some degree. It cost the public the ability to believe what they see or hear on the news. More importantly it has made a nation of cynics out of us. How many times are we charged with the admonition to believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see.
We are in a situation now where we are engaged in a brutal war to help a nation rid itself of tyrant whose likes have not been seen since Adolf Hitler. The media reports as its agenda dictates as opposed to the truth of what is really going on. We hear stories posted in the msm of how our troops murdered citizens in cold blood. Well as far as I know our troops have not given up their right to be considered innocent until proven to be guilty. Storyies like this turn our peoples minds from the reality of what is going on. The Insurgents will lie to serve their own agenda and have more insurgents swear that it is true.We have been accused of mis- treating our prisoners of war. Perhaps we shoud have Sen. McClain exactly what mistreatment in a POW camp is really like. We have been acused of being ruthless in our dealings with the Iraqi's. I have not heard how ruthless and against the Geneva Convention is the way the two soldiers who were just kidnapped, brutalized, and beheaded the way the insurgents are behaving.
And yes Virginia there were Weapons Of Mass Destruction found in Iraq they were trucked to Lybia and are hidden there or somewhere else for use by the terrorists.
And how long will it take before the good people of the world understand that it won't be long before the terrorists strike in their homeland. Killing their familys. Our media needs to get their heads all the way out of their collective asses and start telling the truth...... the whole truth .....not just some version that suits their agenda or their bosses agenda or perhaps their owners wallet.
We have had two attacks on American soil with nearly 3,000 fatalitys. We better wake the hell up before 3,000 looks like a mere drop in the bucket. Surely the terrorists will go where it is easyest to do the most damage and if our media is willing to convince the public that there is in reality, no problem and the terrorists are really freedom fighters, fighting against all forms of oppression, we better invest in a coffin company cause the body count right here in America will go through the roof.

~ UPDATE ~

As promised......I said I would keep everyone informed and I will. The Endoscopy went very well and posed no problem at all. The medical staff was considerate and informative each step of the way. I realized absolutely no pain and the scope never bothered me at all. I suppose it was from the novacain I was given to gargle with prior to insertion of the tube. They also ( as a matter of routine ) did a biopsy of my stomach tissues and the Doc said he expected no problem but still was required to send the sample for analyses. All in all it was painless and easy. I am scheduled the 17 of July for the proctoscope and I hope that goes as well. I understand the worst part of that test is the preparation. Before they let me go home, they gave me two photos with 4 images on each of my innards......talk about introspection....

~STEP 987 ~

Well tomorrow is what seems like step 987 in what must be the worlds longest journey.I am scheduled up for a endoscopy tomorrow. I am waiting on the hospital to call and let me know what time they want me, but, regardless of the time I will be there so that I can step one process closer to my goal. Some time in early July I will also be scheduled for the EWWWWWW, the much dreaded.....Proctoscope. I suppose regardless of needing clearence for my surgery, the proctoscope should be performed on everyone at age fifty to help protect from the possiblitity of colo-rectal cancers.So having dodged this rather blunt bullet and all my aprehension this long I suppose it is time I take it like a a stout heart. I will post on my results as soon as I know them. I`ve heard that you can actualy order a DVD I suppose to show with the rest of the family albums....................... 

One Small Step For Mankind....A Hell Of A Leap For Me

As I have posted previously one more step has been taken towards my by-pass surgery. I passed my stress test (I'm not sure if that means I have plenty of stress or my stress levels are low)regardless though, I have scheduled for the Endoscopy and Proctoscope .By mid July ,as far as I can tell all i will have to do is get through the physcological evaluation and I will be ready for the surgery. I truly had no idea that it would of taken as long as it has.
I will never look like the guy in the photo that I have posted,nor do I want to . Geeze the guy is as bald as a Q ball!! I have come to terms with the fact that I will never have a athletic body. As a matter of fact I would look silly if I did. But the dream of being fit enough to be able to do things for myself is certainly starting to come into my mind. Perhaps walk the 300 feet or so to the river and fish a little or be able to tie my own shoes. I don't know how I got this fat but I do know that it will be nice being a little smaller. A man can dream can't he?

~ MEMORIAL DAY ~

As we approach this day to remember our brave sons and daughters,brothers and sisters,uncles or aunts that have fallen in battle to protect our nation,or perhaps to bring freedom from tyrany or even to bring a better life to most of the peoples of the world, I must ask myself why.
Oh not why we do it but why those who we do it for don't appreciate it. Most aren't even aware of the basic knowledge that a citizen of our nation should.
I was listening to talk radio yesterday and the radio personality was talking to five college grads or seniors. Out of that lot of obviously intellegent folks only one knew knew who the vice president was, he also knew who the sec. of state was. he was not able to either sing or recite the words to the National anthem or the pledge of allegience. One person got as far as "and to the publik that it stands for and was stymied.
So I ask my self why do we keep on ? Why do men and women try and keep the American way of life? Why do we give up our sons and daughters for a bunch of people who never bothered to take the time to learn the most rudimentry aspects of our history. Maybe we would be better off being ASSIMILATED by the mexican horde at least they have some ethnic pride, they at least are aware of their history.I truly don't understand how I can be so proud to be a American ..........and so ashamed at the same time. 

~ WORLDS WORST MOM ~

Once more, the worlds worst mother has come to my attention. Her disrespect for her fallen hero son is way past anything that could be imagined. Cindy Sheehan is too busy out and about to bother to mark the grave of her son. Casey Sheehan was killed in the line of duty. He gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend the United States Of America. He swore an oath and held to his pledge till he drew his last breath. His mother was properly notified and was given a quarter of a million dollars in insurance money that she refused to part with to mark his final resting spot can understand that it may of been a financial hardship to part with any of that cash BUT the Veterans Administration would pay for a marker that would be appropriate to the other markers in the cemetery. All she need do is authorize it and pick it out. She seems too busy to do even that for one of Americas finest. God Bless you Casey Sheehan. You didn't have a mom but at least you had a country that loved you and will remember you.

When Yer Wrong Yer Wrong

Dear Mr. President, I hate to give you this thumbs down because I have been one of your biggest supporters. You missed a perfect opportunity to show the Chinese a life lesson yesterday. When Pres. Hu Jintao was with you at the brief press conference and a documented press representative from the Epoch Times, a New York based newspaper, spoke out,her name is Wang Wenyi and is obviously a chinese national. She was quickly whisked away and you apoligized for the incedent you would of been better served by stating that this is America Mr. President, and we believe in free speech. Sometimes its difficult but in all the world there isn't a finer system. You must not ever let a chance to shine go by.