Archive for July, 2008

Don’t worry, be happy. It’s just Chi-coms who will be watching your every move in your hotel room. Nice….

From National Terror Alert:

“The Chinese government has put in place a system to spy on and gather information about every guest at hotels where Olympic visitors are staying,� Kansas Senator Sam Brownback told reporters.

“This means journalists, athletes’ families, human rights advocates and other visitors will be subjected to invasive intelligence gathering by the Chinese Public Security Bureau.�

The State Department issued a warning in March that Americans traveling to China for the Olympic Games could expect their hotel rooms there to be monitored.

China responded at the time that security arrangements were in accordance with international standards.

Brownback said he was first notified months ago by human rights advocates of Beijing’s plan to monitor Internet use at foreign-owned hotels, and that “several international hotel chains� have confirmed receiving orders to install software and hardware to monitor Internet activity.

He declined to reveal the names of the hotels, saying they feared losing their licenses to operate in China and faced large fines if they did not comply with the Chinese order.

“They don’t want to do this. They are being forced to do this,� Brownback said. “If they are specifically identified, they could face retaliation by the Communist government.�

So, I guess it’ll be okay if you’re staying at a Chinese owned hotel. And if you believe that I’ve got some swampland in Florida…..

1st. Lt. Thomas M. Martin
27 years old from Ward, Arkansas
C Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division
October 14, 2007

An Eagle Scout, Thomas M. Martin took on cleaning up an old red train caboose as a service project. “He remodeled it to make it where people could go inside. If you saw it before and looked in it after he was through – it was daylight and dark”, said his former principal, Robert Martin, who is no relation. “Tom was involved in Key Club, German Club and band, making All-Region Band his sophomore year”, said Robert Martin. “He was a wonderful young man. Those that knew him knew he was funny and outgoing.”

Lt. Martin died in Al Busayifi, Iraq of wounds sustained from small-arms fire when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations. He enlisted in the Army in 1998 after graduating high school and served in Korea before accepting an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 2005.

“He was very polite and respectful. I can’t think of him ever overreacting; he had a wonderful, good-natured personality”, said Pat Hagge, a family friend. “It’s a terrible tragedy; he was a great young man.”

Lt. Thomas Martin is survived by his parents, Edmund and Candis.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

From Freedom Folks

Our weekly podcast — vlog on illegal immigration and border security. In this weeks edition…

Our coverage of the rally against the enforcement of our immigration laws in Postville Iowa. Extra special thanks to those who helped fund the trip, thanks!

Make sure to visit our sponsor….

If you’d like to sponsor a show contact us here.

This has been the Blogs For Borders Video Blogburst. The Blogs For Borders Blogroll is dedicated to American sovereignty, border security and a sane immigration policy. If you’d like to join find out how right here.

Technorati Tags: postville, iowa, open borders, agriprocessors, illegal immigration, vlog, podcast, deportation, amnesty, sanctuary, guatemala, ice, raids,

From the VFW:

Tomorrow is the last day to vote for your favorite photo in VFW’s Patriotic Photo Contest. Will it be the soldiers who hiked 3 hours to show old glory on a mountain in Afganistan? Shamu’s moment of pride? The grateful mother-to-be? Every vote counts! Don’t miss your chance to help choose the winning shot!

Finalist 1) Finalist 2)

Finalist 3) Finalist 4)

Finalist 5)

And to thank you for simply casting your vote, you’ll receive a complimentary song download, “A Soldier Like You,â€? from country music artist Ricky Lee.

The winner will be announced in the August 4th VFW at Work eNewsletter. The winning photo and more information will be posted on www.vfw.org/vfwatwork the following day.

There’s still time to cast your vote in the contest. But act fast – there’s only one day left!

Voting for the photo contest ends tomorrow, but you can celebrate our American freedom throughout the entire summer with the VFW. Learn more about other ways to show your support and devotion to our great nation by joining the 2008 VFW Fly the Flag Campaign!.

P.S. Share the fun with your family and friends. Send an eCard to encourage your friends and family to get involved.

I voted for finalist 3, these guys hiked to the top of a mountain in Afghanistan to fly their flag. Yep, they get my vote!

Robin at Chickenhawk Express posted this video and it’s so damn hilarious I had to steal it. I scared the dog when I burst out laughing.

Did you know that our Coasties are on duty in the Arabian Gulf? A good friend’s son is currently deployed for a year to the North Arabian Gulf. Mostly what we hear is that “IT’S HOT”! Course he can’t really say a whole lot about his mission so it seems the temperature is always a safe bet to talk about.

Here’s a story about a rescue by the CGC Wrangell off the Kuwait coast:

FYI – This is a stock photo I found of the Wrangell, not of the Wrangell in the Gulf

OFF KUWAITI COAST – A civilian Kuwaiti vessel with four people on board sank 15 miles off the Kuwaiti coast Friday night.

The Kuwaiti Navy Operations Center contacted the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters and requested Search and Rescue support. Kuwaiti officials coordinated all diplomatic clearance arrangements for the operation.

Combined Task Force 158 took the lead of the mission and quickly commenced SAR operations, dispatching the U.S. Coast Guard coastal patrol boat Cutter Wrangell, home ported in South Portland, Maine, and a helicopter from the Australian guided missile frigate HMAS Stuart. The helicopter from Stuart launched in less than one hour from initial notification and began difficult nighttime search efforts.

The aircrew of the SH-70B-2 Seahawk located the four survivors and kept them in sight until Wrangell arrived on the scene to recover the four. All were reported in good condition, suffering only from minor exposure.

Coalition forces have a long standing tradition of helping mariners in distress by providing assistance, such as food, water and rescues at sea. This marks the fourth time during the past month Coalition ships have rendered assistance in the CMF area of operations.

CTF 158, currently commanded by Rear Adm. Kendall Card, U.S. Navy, operates in the North Arabian Gulf and oversees U.S. and coalition ships involved in Maritime Security Operations. CTF 158’s primary mission in the NAG is maintaining security in and around both the Al Basrah and Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminals, in support of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1790.

When is someone going to bring a modicum of sanity to NIH grants! This is a waste of taxpayer dollars and why am I not surprised that the word “Memphis” showed up.

U.S. Spends $1 Million Researching Syrians ‘Hooked on Hookahs’

For the last several years, U.S. taxpayers have spent more than $1 million to fund research on waterpipes and waterpipe use in studies being conducted at the Syrian Center for Tobacco Study, in Aleppo, Syria.

“We’ve done some studies in Syria just looking at the prevalence of it in the general population, and in average groups like college students,� researcher Ken Ward of the University of Memphis Department of Health and Sport Sciences, told CNSNews.com.

Ward and his associates in Syria have received a number of grants from the federal National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the years for research on waterpipes – $21,000 for a project that ended in 2007; $326,000 in 2006 to establish the Syrian Center for Tobacco Study; $334,000 for center projects in 2004; and $438,000 in 2005.

Mr. Ward and NIH, just in case you aren’t aware, Syria is our ENEMY and a supporter of terrorism against the US. I don’t care what hokey hookah research study you invent, don’t aid and abet our enemies. Absurdity run amok.

Brian’s ‘Pocky Stan and Tally Ban – priceless.

Live From Londonistan:

Tom Brokaw: President Obama, you’ve shocked the globe. In the past week, world leaders have gobbled your balls and asked for seconds. You’re a giant on the world stage and have been compared with the saviour of mankind.

Does this surprise you?

Sen. Obama: Quite frankly no, Tom. You’ve tasted my balls and their creamy goodness is self-evident.

Brokaw: Right you are, sir. Though omniscient, have you learned anything through your travels to the Middle East, France, Germany, and England?

Obama: Um, nothing I didn’t know already. We still need to gather allies to fight the Tally Ban and apply pressure to Pocky Stan. Nor can we underscore the “Sunni Awakening� that has conveniently given our nation’s enlisted war criminals an opportunity to leave Iraq gracefully or be thrown out.

For those too dim to understand, this is S.A.T.I.R.E.

From Captains Journal is news on diagnosing TBI and treatment. This is very promising and will benefit not only our troops but also those civilians.

“This is still in the research stage,� Bullock said. “But the idea is that you could take sample and know whether the person has had a brain injury, how severe it is, and whether there’s ongoing brain damage from hour to hour based on the biomarkers present in the blood.�

Once doctors know TBI has happened, treatment can begin. One of the most promising areas of research in treating TBI is in the field of neuroprotection, essentially finding substances that can protect neurons and give them an extra line of defense against secondary damage.

Check out the story…..

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Toni

1st LT. Frank B. Walkup, IV
23 years old from Woodbury, Tennessee
2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
June 16, 2007

Toni already has a great post up on her site, so I’ll just link to it.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.