$1 Million for Sheriff Joe's head...

That's right folks. There's a bounty out on Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Found this via MAINFO . Here's the link; http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/immigration/mexican-drug-cartel-sheriff-arpaio-07292010

So what will the Feds do about this? Will the US Marshals be mobilized to protect the sheriff in the same manner they were mobilized to protect abortion clinics after George Tiller was murdered? Will any protest be taken to the Mexican Government? Will border security in Arizona be beefed up? Will the MSM show the same attention here as when a Cambridge, MA. cop had a minor altercation with a black professor? Will those advocating on behalf of illegal aliens condemn this, since there is a tie in between the sheriff's enforcement of immigration laws and the cartel's bounty on him?

Sorry for the stupid questions. It's an old habit.

Stick to hairdressing...

Cheerfully stolen from Cookie at The Cookshack;

This is something to think about when negative people are doing their best to rain on your parade. Remember this story the next time someone who knows nothing and cares less tries to make your life miserable.

A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband.. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:

" Rome ? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty. You're crazy to go to Rome . So, how are you getting there?"

"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!"

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. "That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome ?"

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome 's Tiber River called Teste."

"Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks it's gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump."

"We're going to go to see the Vatican and maybe get to see the Pope."

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. "You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant.

Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome .

"It was wonderful!" exclaimed the woman, "Not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot.

And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!"

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope."

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican , a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, He would personally greet me."

"Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down, and he spoke a few words to me."

"Oh, really! What'd he say?"

He said: "Who f*cked up your hair?"

Ft. Hood shooter can't cash his checks...

Found this via Jihad Watch;

Banks won't take Fort Hood shooting suspect's paychecks

By Jeremy Schwartz AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

As he sits in the Bell County Jail, accused of the Nov. 5 Fort Hood shooting that left 13 dead, Maj. Nidal Hasan continues to receive his monthly U.S. Army paycheck, which based on his rank and experience is probably more than $6,000.

That's standard procedure for soldiers who are confined before military trial, according to Army officials.

But Hasan, charged with a shooting spree that shocked the country, is not a standard defendant. And he's having a hard time finding a bank to take his money.

According to his civilian attorney John Galligan , Bank of America notified Hasan last month that it was closing his account and no area bank so far has agreed to open an account for the Army psychiatrist. Military regulations require soldiers to be paid through direct deposit, making a bank account indispensable.

"I think it's just another example of the prejudice that he's been exposed to," Galligan said. "It's money that he's entitled to, that he has a right to."

But Hasan shouldn't miss a paycheck. Army regulations allow commanders to grant waivers exempting soldiers from the SURE-PAY direct deposit system. Fort Hood officials said that when a soldier has a pay problem, commanders and finance officials help the soldier fix the issue, and Galligan said he is working with Fort Hood officials on finding a solution.

Galligan said he and his staff have tried to open accounts in Hasan's name at half a dozen banks but were turned down at each one. He was especially angry that Fort Hood National Bank also refused, he said.

"In its unique position as the one major bank on post, with access to all of the soldiers, they turned us down too," Galligan said. "Well, give me a break. How many other people pending a court-martial, still presumed to be innocent, does the bank say, 'Hey, we're not going to do business with you?"

Galligan said, "How do you expect me to get a fair trial at Fort Hood if he can't even get a bank account?"

A Bank of America spokeswoman declined to comment for privacy reasons, and officials with Fort Hood National Bank did not return a call for comment. But experts say banks have the right to choose their clients as long as they do not discriminate against a class of people. Neither federal nor state bank regulations address when a bank may refuse to open or close an account, according to officials with the Texas Banking Commission and the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

"As far as deciding who to do business with or not, they have discretion," said Shannon Phillips , the deputy general counsel with the Independent Bankers Association of Texas.

Galligan said Hasan has a car payment, legal fees and obligations to family members. According to the Department of Defense military pay table, a soldier at Hasan's pay grade earns more than $6,000 a month.

Hasan's pretrial Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a grand jury hearing in the civilian judicial system, is scheduled to begin in October. Based on the results of that hearing, which could last several weeks, an investigating officer will recommend whether the case should proceed to a court-martial.

I love the phrase, "...still presumed to be innocent..." The guy is confined to a wheelchair. He got there because the security personnel who answered the distress call had to gun him down amongst his victims. If this guy has any reasonable chance of being innocent then I'm General George Patton.

Poor baby, nobody wants his stinking money.

We stopped doing business with Bank of America some years back because of their buttkissing of illegal aliens. Seems they've got standards after all.

Back door amnesty...

"The American public’s confidence in the federal government’s ability and commitment to enforce our immigration laws is at an all-time low,"--Senator John Cornyn.

No shit.

Here's a great example why we feel that way: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/29/memo-outlines-backdoor-amnesty-plan-for-obama/

"Back door amnesty" is a fitting term, especially as the American public will be taking it right up the ass.

Build a fence along the border, make it 10 feet high and topped by concertina wire. Then mine the perimeters on both sides for a distance of 25 yards. After that we'll start talking about immigration "reform".

Get off your butt and get to work!

I found this via Lucianne.com, 12 Things We Used to Do Ourselves That We Pay for Today

Let me just say this about that; Are-You-Shitting-Me?

Let me go down the list quickly;

1) Lawn mowing-mine will get mowed by someone else when I can't push the mower around the yard. Hopefully that should be long after I'm fitted for a walker.

2) House Cleaning-Huh? I thought only rich folk had that done. No way, no how.

3) Home Security-Never mind some schmoe dozing at the console when a remote alarm starts blinking. We exercise our 2nd Amendment rights and have the Castle Doctorine working for us. If I call 911 about a home invasion, it'll be for a cleanup squad.

4) Cooking-Yesterday I baked some more bread. After the last bread machine bit the big one (fourth one in eight years) I said "Screw it" and started making it by hand. No problem. All other cooking is done by yours truly, did I mention I just bought a pizza stone?

5) Laundry-Who would send their jeans out for cleaning?

6) Auto Maintenance-I do what I can, with everything under the hood being computerized that list is a LOT smaller than a few decades ago. But I know not to buy halogen fluid for the headlights.

7) Childcare-Why would I pay strangers to watch my kids? The whole reason we're a single income family is to prevent that crap.

8) Car Wash-Three or four times a year the minivan gets done at the do-it-yourself around the corner. Water restrictions in this area prevent me from doing it at home (go figure).

9) Hair Cuts-Okay, THAT one gets done by a pro. But my hair is C-U-T and not "styled", plus the only type of moose I come close to is on the cover of the Field & Stream mag I read while waiting.

10) Manicures & Pedicures- They're kidding, right?

11) Coffee- A grinder from WalMart costs fifteen bucks. Since getting married I've gotten spoiled. Prior to that I bought ground coffee and that was also the brand name. GROUND COFFEE in black letters on a white background. It doubled as paint thinner. They should take everything at Starbucks and give the customers an enema with it. With the prices charged at that place they're taking it up the ass anyway.

12) Painting- People pay for someone else to do this?

Now excuse me, I've a blueberry pie to bake, laundry to wash and need to price some shingles for the broken ones I found the other day while removing an old TV antenna off the roof.

The stupid are with us always...

As I enter the local grocery today I'm passed by a twenty-something guy going out.

He's dressed completely in black including a vest and trenchcoat. The goth symbol around the neck was cute.

Today it'll hit over 100 degrees with no breeze and PLENTY of sunshine. Welcome to North Texas.

If you're gonna be dumb, ya gotta be tough.

12 hour school days? Extending the school year?

I don't fancy giving teachers more time to show my daughter how to put a condom on a cucumber. Found via Lucianne.com at dailycaller.com;

If Education Secretary Arne Duncan has his way, kids would be spending a lot more time at school — and a three-month summer would be a thing of the past.

Duncan joked with attendees at a luncheon at the National Press Club Tuesday in Washington that he would like schools to stay open 13 months out of the year. Then he told the audience of over 100 that he seriously supports longer school hours.

“In all seriousness, I think schools should be open 12, 13, 14 hours a day, seven days a week, 11-12 months of the year,” Duncan said. “This is not just more of the same. There would be a whole variety of after-school programs. Obviously academics would be at the heart of that. But you top it off with dancing, art, drama, music, yearbook, robotics, activities for older siblings and parents, ESL classes.”

He continued by explaining that the American school calendar is antiquated and must be modified so that American students can compete at the highest levels internationally.

“Most people realize that our current day is based on the agrarian economy, and we don’t have too many kids working out in the fields nowadays,” Duncan said. “Schools in countries that are beating us are going to school 25-30 days more than us. If you practice basketball five times a week, you’re gonna be better than the people who practice three times a week.”

Duncan, former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, also announced that 19 states are finalists for an estimated $3.4 billion of federal funding through President Obama’s Race to the Top education initiative.

Race to the Top is part of the Obama administration’s effort to offer incentives to higher performing schools.

“As you guys know, our world has changed, our economy has changed,” said Duncan. “The days of telling kids to go home at 2:30 and having mom there with a peanut butter sandwich, those days are gone. Whether it’s a single parent working one, two, three jobs or two parents working, the hours from 3 o’clock to 7 o’clock are a huge anxiety, and that’s why we have to keep our schools open longer.”

But Duncan explained that although he intends to use the leverage of the federal government to drive reform, he intends to give officials and teachers at the local level the flexibility to improve while also holding them accountable.

“Our blueprint envisions a more humble, realistic federal role in education reform,” Duncan said. “We are a long way in our nation’s capital from our nation’s classrooms. One-sized-fits-all remedies from the federal government don’t work. In fact, one-sized-fits-all remedies tend to stifle creativity at the local level.”

Race to the Top proposes raising academic standards, attracting and keeping the best teachers, improving statewide data systems and promoting collaboration between business leaders and educators.

“Nothing moves people as quickly as the opportunity for more funding, especially at a time like today,” Duncan said.

The 19 states chosen Tuesday will travel to Washington during the second week of August for a peer review session that will assess their educational plans. Delaware and Tennessee have already received $600 million to implement their own school reform plans as a part of Race to the Top.

Duncan highlighted what he describes as a “quiet revolution” that he feels will reform the current education system.

“This quiet revolution is driven by motivated parents who want better educational options for their children,” said Duncan. “They know how important education is to succeed and compete in the global economy, they insist on the very best, and they are willing to sacrifice to make it happen.”

Duncan also envisions a system in which schools’ structural resources such as libraries, gymnasiums and pools are shared among and are more accessible to the community.

“They don’t belong to you, me or the principal. They belong to the community,” Duncan said. “We need to keep schools open longer to where schools become the center of the neighborhood and part of family life. And when the family is learning together, students do very, very well.”

IMO this could be either a good or bad thing. At the top of this post I listed something negative. But as a stay-at-home parent I'll say my housekeeping goes into slow-mo when the kids are home. Gone are the days when we could give them some milk and a plate of cookies after school, then send them out to play sandlot baseball (I'm old enough to remember doing that too!). Instead we have to monitor our kids MUCH more closely than heretofore. Since two of mine are autistic, the attention required is greater.

Had they somewhere safe to go, where they'd be constructively engaged (music lessons, dancing, art & crafts) we'd all be a lot happier. I'd also get ahead of the dust bunnies around here.

So what determines if my girl is learning how to quilt vice how to rubberize fruit & veggies? Parental involvement at the school board level. We get what we work for.

How many stories have appeared in the blogosphere about some idiocy occurring at a school? Quite a lot. How often do those situations get resolved favorably when the local parents band together to express their outrage? Same answer. Not all of the time, but MOST of the time.

The idiot libs and their allies in the teacher unions WILL try all kinds of mischief, as evidenced by the idiocy I cited. More often than not they'll back off PDQ when the shit hits the public fan.

So if more parents are PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE we'd see less monkey business with our kids. It follows that should the school year and hours be extended, it will be districts where the parents strongly voice their opinions to the public servants on local school boards where the children will benefit most. Remember, like it or not those fools on any school board are servants of We The People. Hold them accountable, make them do their damned job and we'll get good results.

Slack off and look for the mischief to start.

On persecution's slippery slope...

Found this at FOXNews.com via Lucianne.com;

Court Upholds Expulsion of Counseling Student Who Opposes Homosexuality

A federal judge has ruled in favor of a public university that removed a Christian student from its graduate program in school counseling over her belief that homosexuality is morally wrong. Monday's ruling, according to Julea Ward's attorneys, could result in Christian students across the country being expelled from public university for similar views.

A federal judge has ruled in favor of a public university that removed a Christian student from its graduate program in school counseling over her belief that homosexuality is morally wrong. Monday's ruling, according to Julea Ward's attorneys, could result in Christian students across the country being expelled from public university for similar views.

“It’s a very dangerous precedent,” Jeremy Tedesco, legal counsel for the conservative Alliance Defense Fund, told FOX News Radio. “The ruling doesn’t say that explicitly, but that’s what is going to happen.”

U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh dismissed Ward’s lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University. She was removed from the school’s counseling program last year because she refused to counsel homosexual clients.

The university contended she violated school policy and the American Counseling Association code of ethics.

“Christian students shouldn’t be expelled for holding to and abiding by their beliefs,” said ADF senior counsel David French. “To reach its decision, the court had to do something that’s never been done in federal court: uphold an extremely broad and vague university speech code.”

Eastern Michigan University hailed the decision.

“We are pleased that the court has upheld our position in this matter,” EMU spokesman Walter Kraft said in a written statement. “Julea Ward was not discriminated against because of her religion. To the contrary, Eastern Michigan is deeply committed to the education of our students and welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds into our community.”

In his 48-page opinion, Judge Steeh said the university had a rational basis for adopting the ACA Code of Ethics.

“Furthermore, the university had a rational basis for requiring students to counsel clients without imposing their personal values,” he wrote in a portion of his ruling posted by The Detroit News. “In the case of Ms. Ward, the university determined that she would never change her behavior and would consistently refuse to counsel clients on matters with which she was personally opposed due to her religious beliefs – including homosexual relationships.”

Ward’s attorneys claim the university told her she would only be allowed to remain in the program if she went through a “remediation” program so that she could “see the error of her ways” and change her belief system about homosexuality.

The case is similar to a lawsuit the ADF filed against Augusta State University in Georgia. Counseling student Jennifer Keeton was allegedly told to stop sharing her Christian beliefs in order to graduate.

Keeton's lawsuit alleged that she was told to undergo a reeducation program and attend “diversity sensitivity training.”

University officials declined to comment on specifics of the lawsuit but released a statement to FOX News that said Augusta State does not discriminate on the basis of students’ moral, religious, political or personal beliefs.

Tedesco said both cases should be a warning to Christians attending public colleges and universities.

“Public universities are imposing the ideological stances of private groups on their students,” he said. “If you don’t comply, you will be kicked out. It’s scary stuff and it’s not a difficult thing to see what’s coming down the pike.”

The Alliance Defense Fund told FOX News it will appeal the ruling.

IMO this places our legal system onto the slippery slope of religious persecution. This case involved a counseling student, will future cases involve pharmacy students whose religion forbids selling the "morning after" pill? How about OB-GYN students whose beliefs forbid abortion? The mindset is there and in place. How far it will be enforced is questionable.

Class trip memories...

Cheerfully stolen from Cookie at The Cookshack;

Unfortunately I've two sons for whom this may be a glimpse into the future.

B.O. as Eye-gore...

Mr. "Hope & Change" now says things could be worse. Hyperlink here

For some reason that brings to mind the following;

At least she isn't under double secret probation...

AUGUSTA, Georgia, July 22, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed suit against Augusta State University Wednesday on behalf of a counseling student who was allegedly told that her Christian beliefs are unethical and incompatible with the prevailing views of the counseling profession. The student, Jennifer Keeton, says she has been told to stop communicating her beliefs and that she must undergo "training" to accept homosexuality in order to graduate from the counseling program.

Augusta State ordered Keeton to undergo a re-education plan, in which she must attend “diversity sensitivity training,” complete additional remedial reading, and write papers to describe their impact on her beliefs. If she does not change her beliefs or agree to the plan, the university says it will expel her from the Counselor Education Program.

“A public university student shouldn’t be threatened with expulsion for being a Christian and refusing to publicly renounce her faith, but that’s exactly what’s happening here. Simply put, the university is imposing thought reform,” said ADF Senior Counsel David French.

“Abandoning one’s own religious beliefs should not be a precondition at a public university for obtaining a degree. This type of leftist zero-tolerance policy is in place at far too many universities, and it must stop."

Keeton, 24, is pursuing her master’s degree in counseling at Augusta State. Lawyers say that after her professors learned of her biblical beliefs, specifically her views on homosexual conduct, the school imposed the re-education plan. Keeton says she never denigrated anyone in communicating her beliefs but merely stated factually what they were in appropriate contexts.

The plan, according to ADF lawyers, assails Keeton’s beliefs as inconsistent with the counseling profession and expresses suspicion over “Jen’s ability to be a multiculturally competent counselor, particularly with regard to working with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (GLBTQ) populations.” They say the plan requires her to take steps to change her beliefs through additional assignments and additional “diversity sensitivity training" and to “work to increase exposure and interactions with gay populations. One such activity could be attending the Gay Pride Parade in Augusta.”

Each month, Keeton is allegedly required to complete a report on how the “remediation” assignments have influenced her beliefs so that faculty can “decide the appropriateness of her continuation in the counseling program.” Lawyers say the plan concludes by noting that “failure to complete all elements of the remediation plan will result in dismissal from the Counselor Education Program.”

In an ADF video, Keeton said that, “While I want to stay in the school counseling program, I know that I can't honestly complete the remediation plan knowing that I would have to alter my beliefs." "I'm not willing to, and I know I can't, change my Biblical views," she said.

ADF attorneys filed the complaint and a motion for preliminary injunction in Keeton v. Anderson-Wiley with the U.S. District Court for the District of Georgia.

ADF is currently litigating a similar case involving a counseling student at Eastern Michigan University and successfully resolved a case at Missouri State University. Also in litigation is a case involving a Georgia counselor fired by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because she would not agree to affirm homosexual behavior as morally acceptable.

So who says we'll be going to reeducation camps? This story proves we'll get sent back to school!

Tinfoil hat question...

Since recently receiving my cell phone I've gotten a number of calls asking for "Awana". I routinely tell them no such person is at this number and they're probably looking for whoever had it last. No biggie, sooner or later they'll get the message.

Tonight the wife gets a message for "Awana". Since I routinely call her I-phone from my new cell, I'm wondering if there is a way to get her number from my device. Nutty maybe, but something doesn't add up here.

So if any geeky kind of folk reading this have any ideas, I'd appreciate hearing them. I'm lost with new technology, as a matter of fact I'm still looking for the grease fitting for this computer. Gotta have one somewhere, right?

Shirley Sherrod: my two cents.

Proof positive that no matter how rock bottom solid a story may seem, it pays to wait a couple of days and check out other sources for it. That applies to Breitbart, B.O. & Co., the NAACP, etc.

That's all. What more do you expect for two cents?

I was terrified of dolls...

No kidding, the things scared the daylights out of me. No, it wasn't because I saw the movie "Child's Play", that flick was about thirty years down the road. I just had some fear of rubber or plastic people. Go figure.

That was until the age of 6 when Sister Mary Tarantula had me holding one in a school play. It was around Christmas and dealt with the five Joyful Mysteries of the rosary. For anyone not Catholic, one of those (The Presentation) has a holy man (Simeon) holding the baby Jesus and prophesying on His mother's heartbreak (among other things, hyperlink here). I was Simeon.

Sister M.T. let me know that firing a newborn Baby Jesus across the room was guaranteed to get me ejected and would eventually factor into God's final judgment of yours truly. Heavy stuff for a six year old but it worked!

Methinks the teacher cited below needs a checkup from the neck up, or at least a visit from a 300 lb., ruler wielding nun. Found the story at http://www.news24.com/ via Lucianne.com;

Berlin – A German court on Tuesday threw out the case of a schoolteacher against a pupil who had allegedly been tormenting her by scrawling pictures of rabbits on the blackboard.

The court in Vechta, northern Germany declined to hear the complaint of the teacher, who was seeking an injunction against the 16-year-old girl to stop her from making the drawings or claiming the plaintiff had a paralysing fear of rabbits.

"The plaintiff now has a month to appeal the verdict," the court's chief judge Mechthild Beckermann said, declining to elaborate.

Witnesses had told the judge that the teacher ran sobbing out of the classroom when she saw the image of a rabbit on the blackboard. The girl denied making the drawings.

Two years ago at another school, the teacher took a pupil to court and reached a settlement in which the teenager agreed never again to claim that the plaintiff "freaked out" when she saw a rabbit or heard the word.

Easter time must be pure hell for the woman. Why do I smell bullshit when reading this story?

The Military Factor...

Things are getting downright scary. The present occupant of the White House seems like Jimmy Carter on steroids. Conservatives are hoping for a turnaround starting this November, while the party in power continues with it's "ends justify the means" mindset. So who really knows how it will turn out this November and two years later? IMO it's up for grabs.

But one group never gets mentioned, the military. Those guys fighting a war while we fight the line at the mall.

I read that all troops will be out of Afghanistan in 2014, Iraq even sooner. Who knew you could schedule victory in any conflict?

Okay, enough sarcasm.

What must it be like to risk your life on a daily basis, knowing what you're involved in has become a political game? That question applies to both parties, because with the exception of Sarah Palin I haven't heard ANY Republican speak of our troops and the work they're doing. That line at the mall really demands a lot of attention.

What must it be like to be ignored in that fashion? Viet Nam was different in that the troops were openly castigated & despised by too many of their fellow Americans. But even that is different than almost total disregard and inattention.

Negative strokes are better than no strokes.

So when they're all home and see just how the lay of the land really is, then what? That never gets factored into anyone's predictions.

FWIW, I believe they'll get a good dose of apathetic attitude and will really get pissed. Getting shot at, having members of your unit die violently or become crippled can really lower the tolerance for the " not my problem" frame of mind.

There probably won't be any armed insurrection. This isn't Venezuela or any other South American banana republic. But they'll work together with peers, get really active to change things to their liking. Look for a lot of support from their fathers/grandfathers who either fought in or were on active duty during Viet Nam. That last group will be bitter because they'll see a variation of the crap endured by themselves in their youth. One of the constant themes amongst those who AREN'T disregarding today's wars has been, "What happened to me won't happen to my kin." Seeing the apathy will be galling.

The result? Hell if I know, but I'd take with a grain of salt any predictions not factoring in this large group of (so far) silent Americans.

I may be as wrong as a football bat, but doubt it.

The athiest's non-ritual ritual...

Found via Pewsitter at http://www.myfoxdc.com/ ;

American atheists lined up to be "de-baptized" in a ritual using a hair dryer, according to a report Friday on U.S. late-night news program "Nightline."

Leading atheist Edwin Kagin blasted his fellow non-believers with the hair dryer to symbolically dry up the holy water sprinkled on their heads in days past. The styling tool was emblazoned with a label reading "Reason and Truth."

Kagin believes parents are wrong to baptize their children before they are able to make their own choices, even slamming some religious eduction as "child abuse." He said the blast of hot air was a way for adults to undo what their parents had done.

"I was baptized Catholic. I don't remember any of it at all," said 24-year-old Cambridge Boxterman. "According to my mother, I screamed like a banshee ... so you can see that even as a young child I didn't want to be baptized. It's not fair. I was born atheist, and they were forcing me to become Catholic."

Kagin donned a monk's robe and said a few mock-Latin phrases before inviting those wishing to be de-baptized to "come forward now and receive the spirit of hot air that taketh away the stigma and taketh away the remnants of the stain of baptismal water."

Ironically, Kagin's own son became a fundamentalist Christian minister after having "a personal revelation in Jesus Christ."

"One wonders where they went wrong," he chuckled to the TV show.

What I've been told is really inspiring about being an athiest is how it frees you from all ritual and dogmatic beliefs. Yep. Got it. Not even in jest, no rituals at all. Uh-huh. Absolutely no belief system to subscribe to. Noted.

Thoughts on the AARP...

Is it remotely possible this group is looking out for anyone but themselves? They couldn't stop praising B.O. in the run up to the election, shilled for Obamacare with no thought of consequences (even consequences for their members). Now via Lucianne.com I see they're doing PR for Iran; http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/07/irans_friends_at_aarp.html

For a group whose membership is still mostly comprised of the "Greatest" generation (often touted as typically self-sacrificing and exemplars of morality) it would seem they're more self centered and narcissistic than not.

They're certainly thick headed. For years I've been ignoring their membership offers, they keep coming.

R.I.P. Spc. David A. Holmes

Army Spc. David A. Holmes
Died June 26, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

34, of Tennille, Ga.; assigned to 810th Engineer Company, Georgia National Guard, Swainsboro, Ga.; died June 26 at Sayed Abad, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

(The following was taken from 13wmaz.com of July 10, 2010) Family and friends said goodbye to Sergeant David Alexander Holmes on Friday afternoon.

Holmes died in June after an explosive hit his vehicle during a routine mission.

Crowds gathered outside New Birth Christian Ministries in Tennille to pay their respects to the National Guardsman they call a hero. More than 300 people attended the services.

"He's a fallen hero and I think a lot of him and what he did for our country," says Vietnam Veteran Ted Thompson.

Thompson and other lined the streets and paths leading to the church holding American flags. He said while he did not know Holmes personally, he wanted to honor his memory.

During the funeral, songs and stories from friends comforted the family.

The military awarded Holmes with the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart, which were given to Holmes' family members.

Following the funeral, a burial service was held at the Georgia Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville.

On the way to the site cars drove under an arch formed by the two city fire department engines ladders with a flag hanging in the air. Veterans held flags along the street as well.

Friends remember Holmes as being one of the most outgoing and friendly people they have ever met. Many spoke of his love for his family and dedication to any task he set out to accomplish.

"Those who know him know what I'm talking about; they'll miss him just as much as I do. He'll be remembered and he'll be missed," said Devan Hampton, who worked in the same unit as Holmes.

Holmes served his county in the Marines, Navy, and Georgia National Guard. He also worked at Washington State Prison.

34-year-old Holmes leaves behind a wife and four children.

R.I.P. Lance Cpl. William T. Richards

Marine Lance Cpl. William T. Richards
Died June 26, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

20, of Trenton, Ga.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

(The following was taken from blogal.com of July 2, 2010) MOBILE, Ala. -- A young Marine who was a former resident of Mobile died Saturday, June 26, 2010, in Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.

Lance Cpl. William T. Richards, 20, died June 26 during a "hostile incident while supporting combat operations in the Helmand province of Afghanistan," according to a news release from Camp LeJeune, N.C., where Richards was based.

Richards resided in Trenton, Ga., but as a child lived in Mobile until 2001, his uncle by marriage, Les Pouliot said Thursday, July 1.

Richards is survived by a wife, according to the release.

"He was always a very good-hearted, sweet child," Pouliot said. "He was just as good a kid as you've ever meet. He always did the right thing."

Pouliot said his nephew was a talented banjo player who "would take requests. You could say, 'Play this,' and he'd play it perfectly. He was extremely musically inclined."

Richards followed in his father's and brother's footsteps when he entered the Marines, Pouliot said.

Richards served as a squad automatic rifleman. He joined the Marines, according to the release, in September 2008 and was promoted to the rank of lance corporal in November 2009.

Richards was deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in March 2010, according to the release.

During his service, Richards was awarded the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, according to the release.

R.I.P. Sgt. Joseph D. Caskey

Marine Sgt. Joseph D. Caskey
Died June 26, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

(The following was taken from the Associated Press)PITTSBURGH — A Marine from Pittsburgh has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department reports that 24-year-old Sgt. Joseph D. Caskey died Saturday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province.

He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Caskey followed his grandfather, father, mother and two older brothers into the military after graduating from North Hills High School in 2004.

His family says he was killed when an improvised explosive device struck the vehicle he was riding in. It was his second tour of duty overseas.

11 years.

That's how long I've been married to the wife as of today. Hard to believe, seems like just a few months ago I drove the UHaul down from Connecticut on the chance the college student I'd met online might actually see something in me worth risking marriage for.

Three children, two cats, one house later and we're still trucking. Not too bad, so far so good. God has been good to me, don't know why as there are plenty of others more deserving. But thanks be to Him for what I've got.

Lardasses beware, Big Brother is looking at our big butts!

Found via Drudge;

CNSNews.com) – New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records--that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year--must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.

The obesity-rating regulation states that every American's electronic health record must: “Calculate body mass index. Automatically calculate and display body mass index (BMI) based on a patient’s height and weight.”

The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange.

The new regulations are one of the first steps towards the government’s goal of universal adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by 2014, as outlined in the 2009 economic stimulus law. Specifically, the regulations issued on Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, define the "meaningful use" of electronic records. Under the stimulus law, health care providers--including doctors and hospitals--must establish "meaningful use" of EHRs by 2014 in order to qualify for federal subsidies. After that, they will be subjected to penalties in the form of diminished Medicare and Medicaid payments for not establishing "meaningful use" of EHRs.

Section 3001 of the stimulus law says: "The National Coordinator shall, in consultation with other appropriate Federal agencies (including the National Institute of Standards and Technology), update the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (developed as of June 3, 2008) to include specific objectives, milestones, and metrics with respect to the following: (i) The electronic exchange and use of health information and the enterprise integration of such information.‘‘(ii) The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014."

Under this mandate in the stimulus law, Secretary Sebelius issued a regulation--developed by Dr. Blumenthal--that requires that all EHRs keep track of a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) score. Body Mass Index is a ratio between a person’s weight and height, and is used to determine whether or not someone is overweight or obese. It is the preferred method of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for measuring obesity.

Michelle Obama has made dealing with the problem of childhood obesity the main theme of her term as First Lady.

According to the CDC, “BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.”

A person’s BMI score is used as a tool to screen for obesity or excessive body fat that could lead to other health problems. While it does not actually measure body fat directly, according to CDC, the BMI scores generally correlate with a person’s body fat percentage.

The new regulations also stipulate that the new electronic records be capable of sending public health data to state and federal health agencies such as HHS and CDC. The CDC, which calls American society “obesogenic” – meaning that American society itself promotes obesity – collects BMI scores from state health agencies every year to monitor obesity nationwide.

“Electronically record, retrieve, and transmit syndrome based public health surveillance information to public health agencies,” the regulations read.

With the spread of electronic health records, the CDC apparently will be able to collect such data more efficiently and with greater accuracy because the electronic record keeping systems can send the data automatically, eliminating the need for government – both state and federal – to keep, send, and process physical records.

Disclaimer time; I'm 6'3" and 275 lbs. When in topnotch shape I weigh 215-225. That STILL makes my BMI high enough to rate me as "pleasantly plump". Part of that comes when you've got a long torso and relatively short legs, plus having spent a fair amount of time lifting weights in my younger days. So I lose no matter what with the BMI measurement.

Do I think we'll see some kind of "sin tax" on fatties? Is the Pope Catholic? Does a wild bear shit in the woods? Look out brothers & sisters, it's coming our way. Take a look at whats happened to cigarette smokers and how they've been demonized over the years. It's only a matter of time.

About Tea Party racism...

Taken from Priests For Life:

Atlanta, GA – Dr. Alveda King, Director of African American outreach for Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., responded today to the NAACP’s charge that the Tea Party movement tolerates racism.

“We all need to examine and repent of our own tolerance for discrimination,” said Dr. King, “but to condemn an entire group because of a few people, yet support Planned Parenthood, an organization marinated in racism, is to strain out gnats and swallow a camel.”

“The most obvious practitioner of racism in the United States today is Planned Parenthood, an organization founded by the eugenicist Margaret Sanger and recently documented as ready to accept money to eliminate black babies,” added Dr. King. “The most positive step we can take to fight racism is to end the hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies given to an organization that fulfills the dreams of the Ku Klux Klan – a group Planned Parenthood’s founder once addressed.”

Pretty much covers all bases.

Just lie your ass off and be a hero!

You cannot make this shit up. Found via Lucianne.com at http://www.denverpost.com/;

A federal judge in Denver has ruled the Stolen Valor Act is "facially unconstitutional" because it violates free speech and dismissed the criminal case against Rick Strandlof, a man who lied about being an Iraq war veteran.

U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn issued his decision this morning.

"The Stolen Valor Act is declared to be facially unconstitutional as a content-based restriction on speech that does not serve a compelling government interest, and consequently that the Act is invalid as violative of the First Amendment," Blackburn wrote in his opinion.

Strandlof, 32, was charged with five misdemeanors related to violating the Stolen Valor Act - specifically, making false claims about receiving military decorations.

He posed as "Rick Duncan," a wounded Marine captain who received a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. Strandlof used that persona to found the Colorado Veterans Alliance and solicit funds for the organization.

Actual veterans who served on the board were suspicious of his claims and the FBI began investigating.

Robert Pepin, Strandlof's attorney, the ACLU of Colorado and the Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties group, all filed briefs with Blackburn contesting the Stolen Valor Act.

They argued that simply lying is not illegal.

The Stolen Valor Act prohibits people from falsely claiming they have been awarded military decorations and medals.

The act, signed into law in 2006, carries a punishment ranging from fines to six months in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Sibert had argued false statements made by Strandlof are not protected speech because they damaged the reputation and meaning of military decorations and medals. (The words; libel, slander, defamation of character all come to mind for some reason.)

Remember the Executive Order regarding abortion?

Everytime I read something like the article below I wonder how those Catholics who felt B.O. would actually work against abortion feel?

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Add Maryland to the list of states, including Pennsylvania and New Mexico, where the Obama administration authorized federal taxpayer funding of abortions under high risk insurance programs created under the new national health care plan President Barack Obama signed.

The National Right to Life Committee, which blew the lid off of the abortion funding programs in the other two states, informed LifeNews.com today that Obama officials authorized funding in a third state.

"It looks like you can add Maryland to the list of states that were on the way to providing federally funded abortion coverage in the new federal Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP), at least until NRLC blew the whistle on the issue earlier this week," NRLC legislative director Douglas Johnson told LifeNews.com today.

Johnson refers to a July 7 press release in which Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley announced the creation of the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP), administering a new program in the state.

"MHIP currently operates a state high risk pool program and has the experience and expertise necessary to establish and operate the federal high risk pool program," the statement says.

It refers to a FAQ that asks and answers: "What benefits are offered by the MHIP Federal Plan? The MHIP Federal Plan offers the same benefit package as other MHIP plan options."

Johnson says that statement is "referring to the state plans that Maryland already had in effect -- and those plans cover abortion."

Johnson also notes the irony that the first and only director of the abortion-funding Maryland MHIP, Richard Popper, is now overseeing the new federal PCIP program at DHHS.

"Each day brings more evidence that federal DHHS was merrily approving abortion-funding plans without a second thought, until NRLC blew the whistle on them," Johnson concluded.

The Obama administration has backed down on authorizing the abortion funding in the high risk insurance programs and promised no abortions will be funded with federal taxpayer dollars.

However, pro-life groups regard this as a promise that may never come to fruition and they are demanding a federal law be approved in Congress and signed by Obama ensuring no tax money will be spent on funding any abortions under the health care plan.

Yep, a real pro-life kinda President. Thats what we have alright.

R.I.P. Pfc. Bryant J. Haynes

Army Pfc. Bryant J. Haynes
Died June 26, 2010 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom

21, of Epps, La.; assigned to the 199th Support Battalion, Louisiana National Guard, Alexandria, La.; died June 26 in Al Diwaniyah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover.

R.I.P. Cpl. Daane A. Deboer

Marine Cpl. Daane A. Deboer
Died June 25, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Ludington, Mich.; assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 25 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

(The following was taken from blog.mlive.com of July 2, 2010) GRAND RAPIDS -- Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan Innis was looking forward to a hunting trip with Daane DeBoer when his best friend's military tour in Afghanistan was done.

"I planned on it. He was coming back, and we were going to go deer hunting," Innis said Friday, just outside the doors of the Mayflower Congregational Church where friends and family of DeBoer gathered for his funeral.

DeBoer, a 24-year-old Marine corporal from Rockford, died a week ago when an improvised explosive device went off in Afghanistan.

Innis, who was attending sniper school in North Carolina, had the somber task of escorting DeBoer's body back in a plane from Dover Air Force Base to Gerald R. Ford Airport.

"That was definitely the most difficult thing I've ever had to do and probably will be for the rest of my life," Innis said.

About 300 people gathered at the church Friday to say goodbye to DeBoer, who joined the Marines in spring 2009 and was deployed in March.

A group of Marines in dress uniform walked silently down the center of the church ahead of DeBoer's casket and, later, a Marine bagpipe player played "Amazing Grace" before pallbearers loaded the flag-draped casket in a hearse.

In letters read by a pastor, friends described DeBoer as "incredibly deep, always reliable and intensely loyal."

"He laughed so much that, around him, there was never a dull moment," the pastor said.

Lt. Michael Manning, battalion commander for DeBoer, lauded him in a note.

"Daane will be remembered for his constant professionalism and absolute loyalty to his fellow marines," he wrote. "He was a brave man."

Marine Cpl. Seth Jenkins, who knew DeBoer well, said he was a man of faith who was "more squared away than any other Marine I worked with."

Innis described his friend as someone with an infectiously positive attitude and a strong desire to be in the military.

"He wanted to do something more, something bigger than himself," Innis said. "He was dedicated from the get-go,"

Innis last talked with DeBoer about two weeks ago.

"He sounded optimistic. He was doing his job. He was helping people," he said. "He loved what he was doing.

"Tinkering with bombs is not what I would consider enjoyable, but Daane liked it."

As a combat engineer, DeBoer would search for mines and IEDs, clear roads and do construction demolition, according to other Marines at Friday's service.

"It's going to be hard," Innis said. "He was always there for me to talk to on the phone."

Innis and DeBoer worked and lived in Colorado before joining the Marines at about the same time. Innis recalled how they worked at restaurants to support their passion for skiing.

He remembered how DeBoer would convince him to go for a run while they both trained for the Marines.

"I was having trouble keeping the motivation and commitment. Daane just knew no pain," Innis said.

Army specialist James McGovern called DeBoer a friend.

"He passed away, but in my opinion, he died in the most honorable way," he said.

DeBoer was to be buried with full military honors in a private service at Blythefield Memorial Gardens in Rockford.

R.I.P. Spc. Jared C. Plunk

Army Spc. Jared C. Plunk
Died June 25, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

27, of Stillwater, Okla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 25 in Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Also killed in the attack was Army Spc. Blair D. Thompson.

(The following was taken from www.swdtimes.com of July 7, 2010) The Turpin High School auditorium stage was set to honor an American hero on Independence Day.

Family, friends, military personnel, children and many others packed the auditorium to pay their respects to Army Spc. Jared C. Plunk who gave his life to serve this country.

Plunk, a former Turpin, Okla., resident and a 2001 THS graduate was killed in battle last month when his mounted patrol came under fire.
Plunk’s casket sat below the stage draped in an American flag. The THS auditorium flag stood to the left and Plunk’s No. 71 THS football jersey hung to the right. Plunk’s family and close friends sat at the front.

Rev. Stan Lehnart and the Rev. Ronnie Hepperley presided over the service. Both called upon the crowd to remember the sacrifices made by Plunk and those who serve the country today in a time of war.

"Today as we celebrate Independence Day, we are reminded the price we pay for our freedom,” said Lehnart. “Thank you Jared."

Lehnart is an elementary school teacher at Turpin. He never taught Plunk in the classroom but instead knew Plunk from his high school football days. Lehnart spoke of Plunk as a jokester, someone always with a smile on his face and with a twinkle in his eyes.

“As I think of Jared, some thoughts come to me,” said Lehnart. “He was not the valedictorian of Turpin. He was not the star of the football team. He was not the boy the girls’ wanted to sit next to at assemblies in this auditorium. He is the one that gave his life for us to sit here today. He is the one that served his country. He is a hero."

A slide show was shown over Plunk’s 27-year life. Family photos, youth football photos, birthday photos with a Snoppy inspired cake, shots from Plunk’s wedding to Lindsay Fisher Plunk and recent photos of the family of four were shared as music by Breaking Benjamin, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw played. Members of the community unable to be seated in the auditorium took turns looking in to see Jared’s smiling face. Tissues were passed among those in the crowd and eyes were wiped.

Plunk’s younger brother, Justin Plunk, will also remember his brother as a hero. Through tears and pausing to collect his composure, he told the crowd how he and his brother shared bunk beds in a house south of Baker, Okla. They would share bunks again at infantry basic training in Georgia in the fall of 2006. That was the last time, he said.

"Jared, I miss you,” said Justin Plunk. “The family misses you. Despite your absence, you bring the family warmth. I am proud of you, and it was an honor to serve with you."

Hepperley called for no one to forget the legacy Plunk leaves behind.

“Death can't stop the love,” said Hepperly. “It can't stop the legacy of Jared. When you look at the blond-haired little boy, nine-months old, you will see Jared's legacy.”

Hepperley ended the service in prayer. Bagpipe music filled the auditorium, and the bagpiper led Plunk’s casket rolled out of the auditorium. Family members followed, some adorned in yellow ribbons and camouflage ribbons over their hearts.

The funeral procession traveled north on U.S. Highway 83 through Turpin. Community members waved American flags, some held their hand over their hearts and some with tears in their eyes as the vehicles passed.

R.I.P. Spc. Blair D. Thompson

Army Spc. Blair D. Thompson
Died June 25, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

19, of Rome, N.Y.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 25 at Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Also killed in the attack was Spc. Jared C. Plunk.

(The following was taken from www.romesentinel.com of July 6, 2010) Those who knew Blair Thompson wept. So did many who had never met him.

Family, friends and strangers said goodbye to the 19-year-old infantryman from Rome on Sunday, July 4. A funeral Mass for the 2008 graduate of Rome Free Academy was celebrated in St. Peter’s Church, followed by military rites at Fort Stanwix National Monument.

The rituals were punctuated by remembrances of the young soldier who was killed on June 25 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by insurgents firing rocket-propelled grenades. Army Spc. Blair D. Thompson of the 101st Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team was the 11th serviceman with Oneida County ties to die in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last seven years.

More than 1,000 mourners filled nearly every pew in St. Peter’s, where some of Blair’s young life was revealed.

The Rev. Paul Carey, principal celebrant of the Mass, said that just before his deployment in May, Blair asked his paternal grandmother, Marian Thompson, to baptize him, which she did. The Town of Lee woman is a member of St. Joseph’s Church and its choir, where until this past week, Father Carey had been pastor.

In a letter, Blair’s stepmother, Jennifer, remembered how Blair helped assemble toys for his two younger brothers, Noah and Gavin. Her thoughts were of how he helped them take their first steps and helped the boys learn to swim. Those memories were read by Blair’s father, Vincent, now a resident of Little Falls.

Vincent Thompson told how his son loved being in the infantry, and how he had been wounded by shrapnel just two weeks before he was killed. Blair could have taken time off, perhaps even come home, but he refused, his father said, insisting on rejoining his unit on patrol. "Don’t worry, Dad, I’m doing my job, it’s what I was trained to do," Blair said in numerous phone calls and e-mails to his worried family.

The most emotional moment was at the conclusion of Vincent Thompson’s eulogy, when he raised his head and hands in prayer, declaring, "Almighty God you saw fit to bless me with a son. I return to you a real American hero." Hundreds stood in tearful applause.

"My son understood what he was doing and why he was doing it," Thompson said. "He understood the meaning of America and what the flag stands for...he believed that it was better to fight terrorists in Afghanistan than for us to have to fight them here."

R.I.P. Pfc. Robert K. L. Repkie

Army Pfc. Robert K. L. Repkie
Died June 24, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

20, of Knoxville, Tenn.; assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 24 at Forward Operating Base Farah, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident

(The following was taken from www.knoxnews.com of July 8, 2010) ALCOA - Robert K.L. Repkie's final return to his East Tennessee home was met Wednesday by hundreds of solemn salutes and a relentless July sun.

Army Pfc. Repkie, 20, of Knoxville, was killed in a noncombat incident in Afghanistan on June 24 at Forward Operating Base Farah, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. His body arrived home in a flag-draped casket via a small chartered jet Wednesday morning at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, accompanied by his father, Russell Repkie.

Family members and about 60 uniformed members of the armed services stood silently near the tarmac as the casket was removed from the aircraft. A white-gloved honor guard acted as pallbearers.

Hundreds of uniformed military personnel lined the exit route from the base and silently saluted as Repkie's hearse rolled slowly by, accompanied by a phalanx of police motorcycles and cruisers from Blount County, Alcoa and other agencies.

The circumstances of Repkie's death have not been released, except that it was not combat related.

Repkie had attended Sweetwater High School in Monroe County and is said to have kept in touch with former classmates and teachers through Facebook and MySpace. He told them he worked as a cook and planned to take online college courses when he returned.

The soldier was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C.

On arrival in East Tennessee, Repkie's body was taken to Mynatt Funeral Home in Fountain City, accompanied by about two dozen motorcyclists of the Patriot Guard. An 8 p.m. Sunday service will be held at the funeral home, and family will receive friends 5-8 p.m. prior to the service.

Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery

R.I.P. Staff Sgt. Edwardo Loredo

Army Staff Sgt. Edwardo Loredo
Died June 24, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

34, of Houston, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 24 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

(The following was taken from www.fayobserver.com of June 29, 2010) A Fort Bragg soldier was killed June 24 while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, the Department of Defense announced Monday.

Staff Sgt. Edwardo Loredo, 34, a native of Houston and an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, was killed by an improvised explosive device during a dismounted operation in the Arghandab River Valley in Afghanistan.

Loredo joined the Army on Oct. 5, 1999 and entered training at Fort Benning, Ga. After he completed his training, Loredo reported to Camp Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, where he joined the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Brigade Combat Team, according to a news release from the 82nd Airborne Division.

In March 2003, Loredo deployed to Iraq for six months before returning to Italy and serving as traffic management coordinator with the 663rd Movement Control Team and finishing his enlistment in August 2004.

Loredo rejoined the Army on Sept. 29, 2004 and returned to duty as an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 508 Parachute Infantry Regiment, deploying to Afghanistan from February 2005 to February 2006.

Loredo was reassigned to Company F, 51st Infantry (Long Range Surveillance) at Fort Bragg in May 2007 and returned to Iraq for a 14-month deployment from July 2007 to September 2008. Loredo arrived at 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment in October 2009 and deployed to Afghanistan in December 2009.

"(He) had a presence that could brighten even the darkest rooms. With a smile that was overly contagious, he could instantly make a bad situation tolerable," said 1st Lt. Matt Jarmon, Loredo's company executive officer.

Loredo's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, three Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 2 device, four Overseas Service Ribbons, the Overseas Reserve Component Training Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.

Loredo is survived by his wife, 1st Sgt. Jennifer Loredo; his daughter, Laura Isabelle; his stepdaughter, Alexis; and his son, Eduardo Enrique.

A memorial in his honor will be held in Afghanistan.

R.I.P. Pfc. Anthony T. Justesen

Army Pfc. Anthony T. Justesen
Died June 23, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Wilsonville, Ore.; assigned to 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 23 at Ganjkin village, Pusht Rod district, Farah province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

(The following was taken from www.oregonlive of July 8, 2010) WOODBURN -- This should have been a month of welcome-home hugs, family barbecues and a 5-year-old boy showing off for Uncle Tony.

Instead, more than 100 family members and friends of U.S. Army Pfc. Anthony T. Justesen gathered Thursday to remember his generous spirit and to honor his service to his country.

Justesen, a member of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team, died last month in Afghanistan at age 22. He was killed when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised bomb June 23, about a month before he was to come home.

At Thursday's funeral Mass, smiling pictures of Justesen filled a poster board at the front of the church. Friends remembered him as fun, caring and overflowing with generosity.

"When he said he would join the service, I was not surprised," said Patty Eamons, who was Justesen's choir teacher. "I was actually more worried that he would throw himself in front of a bullet for someone, because that's just the type of person he is and was."

Eamons told how a young Justesen would offer to carry choir books to and from her car and how other parents always wanted him in their group for field trips.

The presiding priest remembered how proud Justesen had been to serve his country. "I can still see his face when he stood here for the first time in his uniform," the Rev. Dave Zegar said. "This life for him would have meaning."

Army Gen. K.K. Chinn presented Justesen's family with his awards and decorations including the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge.

Justesen attended St. Luke's in Woodburn for both school and church after his family moved from Aurora to Wilsonville. In honor of Justesen, his family set up a memorial fund to raise money for a new classroom at St. Luke's.

Last month Teniele Justesen, one of Justesen's sisters, told The Oregonian that her 5-year-old son Shawn was still waiting for him to return home to share an important accomplishment with him.

"Shawn learned how to ride his bike," Teniele Justesen said. "He just wanted to show Uncle Tony."

Another sister, Samantha, sang "Heaven Was Needing a Hero" to her brother, her voice strong until the very end of the song.

"I guess heaven was needing a hero, somebody just like you," she sang.

"When I try to make it make sense in my mind, the only conclusion I come to, is heaven was needing a hero, like you," she quietly finished.

As the song came to a close, mourners followed Justesen's casket out of the church, the memories of his life lingering in whispers.

Justesen will be buried in a private ceremony in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

R.I.P. Pfc. Russell E. Madden

Army Pfc. Russell E. Madden
Died June 23, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

29, of Dayton, Ky.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Conn Barracks, Germany; died June 23 at Charkh district, Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with rocket fire.

(The following was taken from www.kentucky.com of July 8, 2010) Pfc. Russell E. Madden, 29, loved to compete.

At Bellevue High School in Northern Kentucky, he excelled in track and football. In his Army unit's flag football games, he quarterbacked.

A gunner and armored-vehicle driver, he was at the head of a convoy in the Konar province of Afghanistan last month when it was attacked by enemy rockets.

Pfc. Madden died June 23, leaving behind a wife, Michelle, two sons, his parents and a brother and sister.

He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team based in Germany.

For Father's Day last month, he sent his father, Martin Madden, an Airborne flag.

His mother, Peggy Davitt of Newport, told the Kentucky Enquirer that "there is no aspect of his life you would not be proud of" and that she was "honored to be his mother."

Flags at state buildings are flying at half-staff in his honor. Funeral services for the Dayton, Ky., resident will be held this morning at the Divine Mercy Parish in Bellevue with burial at St. Stephen Cemetery in Fort Thomas.

Stars and Stripes reports that his troop commander, Capt. Matt Booth, said that officers and his fellow soldiers will remember Pfc. Madden for his fearless attitude, that they counted on him "to make things happen when times were tough" and that he "would never leave his buddies in a bad situation."

"If God needed a quarterback, he found a great one in Russell Madden," the captain wrote.

A 2000 graduate of Bellevue High School, Pfc. Madden is the second of his class of 200 to die in combat. Justin Scott was killed in Iraq in 2004, according to the Enquirer.

Pfc. Madden was posthumously promoted to specialist.

R.I.P. Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw

Marine Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw
Died June 22, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

23, of Spokane Valley, Wash.; assigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.; died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Nimruz province, Afghanistan.

(The following was taken from www.spokesman.com of July 9, 2010) Joshua R. Dumaw was remembered Thursday as a man of courage, loyalty, and leadership; a man of adventure who had an endless smile for any soul who crossed his path.

At a standing-room-only memorial service at Opportunity Presbyterian Church in Spokane Valley, uniformed members of the U.S. Marine Corps, including a commanding officer and first sergeant, presented the 23-year-old corporal’s family with a Purple Heart for Dumaw’s service in Afghanistan.

Dumaw, a military policeman assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force based in Cherry Point, N.C., was killed by an improvised explosive device while on patrol June 22 in the Nimruz province.

“He had a desire to be something greater than himself,” and his service to the country reflected that aspiration, said the Rev. Matthew Paul, who officiated Thursday’s services along with Chaplain John Dobbs of the United States Air Force.

Dumaw grew up in Spokane Valley, graduating from West Valley High School in 2005. After high school he explored a career in the electrical field, but “soon discovered that it did not provide enough adventure for him,” his family wrote in the program for the memorial service.

He joined the Marines, and in two short years rose from the rank of private to corporal, receiving one of his promotions while serving a tour of duty in Iraq in 2008.

“When Josh committed to do something…he was all in,” Andrew Dahlman Jr., said in a eulogy to his son. Dumaw was proud to be a Marine, and proud to serve his country, his family said.

Before the service, members of the Patriot Guard lined the church building with American flags. During the services, a chorister sang “On Eagle’s Wings.”

Dumaw was described as a young man who could befriend anyone, and always had a smile.

“The empathy and caring he possessed was very rare and genuine,” Dahlman said. “He astonished the adults around him.”

Dumaw was also remembered as the adventurous guy who loved anything outdoors, from snowboarding to skateboarding, camping, riding motorcycles and fishing. A “country boy” at heart, he loved to visit his friend’s farm back East on the weekend and ride on the tractor.

“There was definitely never a dull moment when Josh was around,” said his wife, Kailyn Dumaw, who is expecting the couple’s first child in September, Joshua Bodie Robert Dumaw. The Dumaws were married in August.

“His smile could comfort me even in the most unknown territory,” Kailyn Dumaw said.

Dumaw’s mother, Jenifer Dumaw-Gorman, wrote in a statement that her son “had chosen a wonderful girl who understood him, and loved him as much as I did. She let him have his fun, even enjoyed it with him, but was there to watch over him.”

Dumaw-Gorman said she named her son Joshua because it means “a gift from God.”

“The number of people Josh touched is truly overwhelming and says a lot about the person he was when words will never accurately tell his whole story,” his family wrote.

Dumaw is survived by his wife; his mother and stepfather, Mike Gorman; his father and stepmother, Gia Dahlman; siblings, Adam, Kyle, Christopher, and Abby; step-siblings, Austin and Ann; grandparents, Andrew Reid and Connie Rae Dahlman, and Pat and Eilene Dumaw; as well as uncles, aunts, in-laws, and cousins.

R.I.P. Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto

Marine Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto
Died June 22, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

23, of San Jose, Calif.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Cpl. Claudio Patino IV.

(The following was taken from the Associated Press) SAN JOSE, Calif. — The aunt of a 23-year-old Marine corporal from San Jose who was killed in Afghanistan says the family worried about him and told him about the dangers of military service.

But she says Kevin Cueto would respond that if he was going to die, he “wanted to go out for his country and for his family.”

The Defense Department says Cueto died June 22 in the southwestern province of Helmand when a roadside bomb went off.

Cueto, a rifleman, was on his second combat deployment since he joined the Marines in 2005 after graduating from Westmont High School in Campbell. He served in Iraq in 2009.

Cueto was assigned to a unit based at Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County.

His aunt, Maria Cueto, says Kevin’s father was in Delaware awaiting the arrival of his son’s body.

R.I.P. Cpl. Claudio Patino IV

Marine Cpl. Claudio Patino IV
Died June 22, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Yorba Linda, Calif.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto.

(The following was taken from www.ocregister.com of July 2, 2010) YORBA LINDA — Cpl. Claudio Patiño IV was known to friends as a brave Marine, a fighter to the end.

To his family though, the Marine was Nene, a young man who had a subtler kind of courage: The ability to be brave in love.

In an emotional eulogy on Friday, his uncle, Guillermo Patiño, told some 400 mourners at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that Nene fearlessly showed his love for aunts, uncles and cousins.

"He was Nene the humble, Nene the veteran, Nene the husband, Nene the son, and on June 22 in Helmand Province, he became Nene the hero, sacrificing his own life," Guillermo Patiño said, his voice choking as he spoke of his nephew.

The tough and gentle qualities of Patiño – who was killed by small arms fire in combat in Afghanistan – were celebrated during services in Yorba Linda before his burial at Riverside National Cemetery.

Patiño joined the Marines shortly after graduating from El Dorado High School in 2006. He was a scout sniper, who had transferred units just a few months after returning from Afghanistan in 2009 in order to redeploy this March. He was the 53rd service member from Orange County killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002.

Family friend Raul Carrillo read during the service an email from his son Ryon, serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.

"If there was one thing everyone knew about Claudio, it was the fact that he was a fighter, so it would make sense that he would leave this world fighting," Ryon wrote.

The Mormon church on Bastanchury Road began filling up shortly before the morning service began. As mourners came in, an organist played "My Country Tis of Thee."

Patiño's flag-covered casket had been brought into the church and placed at the front. Two Marines stood guard, one at each side of the casket. On one side was a photo of Patiño in his Marine uniform, on the other a photo of him standing in front of his red sports car.

The 22-year-old Yorba Linda native is from a large, close-knit family, and leaves behind seven brothers and sisters.

Everyone at the service had been touched in some way by Patiño, Raul Carrillo said, and that made everyone in attendance family. He urged them to hug, shake hands, and share how they knew Patiño.

By the time the motorcade prepared to leave the church, hundreds of community members had gathered along the way, on each block the hearse was to pass, including sizable groups at El Dorado High, at Yorba Linda Community Center and Yorba Linda Middle School.

Some carried signs thanking Patiño for his service, while others carried U.S. flags.

Patiño was the third Yorba Linda Marine to be killed in Afghanistan this year. Sgt. Major Robert Cottle and Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni were killed by an improvised explosive device on March 24.

"We have certainly as a community paid a great price toward protecting our freedom," Yorba Linda Mayor John Anderson said.

The funeral service follows a week of remembrances. About 500 people attended memorial at El Dorado High School on Monday, viewing a slide show of his life and sharing memories.

On Wednesday, family members met the casket bearing the body of Patiño during a solemn moment at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base.

Dozens of people throughout the day on Thursday paid their respects at a viewing at Hilgenfeld Mortuary in Anaheim as Marines stood guard at a flag-draped casket.

Everything during the week, from his return to a solemn open-casket viewing in Anaheim, was open to the public.

At the cemetery, hundreds gathered around the interment shelter, the sound of weeping could be heard while taps played softly and shots from a 21-gun salute pierced the air.

Marines solemnly lifted the flag from Patiño's casket and folded it, presenting it – and two other flags – to Patiño's parents and wife, Jamie Burns.

After the crowd of mourners was dismissed, Marines lifted the silver casket and marched off, leading his family away to bury their Nene, but not their memories of him.

"Te recordaré toda mi vida, como un buen hijo y un buen Marine. Tu Papa," wrote Patiño's father, in a program prepared for the funeral service. That means:

"I'll remember you all my life, as a good son and a good Marine."

R.I.P Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk

Army Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk
Died June 21, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

25, of Orono, Maine; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 21 near Gaza Ridge, Afghanistan, when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in which he was traveling made a hard landing.

R.I.P. Spc. Andrew R. Looney

Army Spc. Andrew R. Looney
Died June 21, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Owasso, Okla.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 21 from wounds sustained when a suicide bomber attacked his unit at Lar Sholtan Village, Afghanistan. Also killed was Pfc. David T. Miller.

(The following was taken from www.tulsaworld.com of June 24, 2010) OWASSO — A young Owasso soldier who lost part of his foot while serving in Iraq three years ago, yet stayed with the Army out of a sense of patriotic duty, was killed this week in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense said Spc. Andrew R. Looney, 22, of Owasso, was one of two soldiers killed Monday when a suicide bomber attacked their unit at Lar Sholtan, Afghanistan.

The other soldier was identified as Pfc. David T. Miller, 19, of Wilton, N.Y.

Both were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Ky.

According to Fort Campbell’s website, the two were at a traffic-control checkpoint near the village when an insurgent wearing an explosives-packed vest approached them and blew himself up.

Looney’s father, Richard Looney, said his son developed an avid interest in the military while in his teens, and he was further inspired by military movies, in particular the HBO series “Band of Brothers.”

Looney played football while at Owasso High School, where he graduated in 2005.

That summer, his father said, his son joined the Army because he truly felt it was his calling.

“He was very determined about that. Very strong,” the father said.

Richard Looney said his son grew up respecting authority, and further described him as “very compliable … a young man who was nonchalant, who took things in stride.”

“He was very unassuming,” Richard Looney said. “He loved sports and history, but, most of all, he loved the military. He was very straight and narrow about that.”

The father said his son arrived in Iraq in Febuary 2007, and in August of that year, while his son was in a Humvee in Baghdad a roadside bomb exploded and blew off part of his right foot.

He spent more than a year at Brooke Army Medical Center at San Antonio, recuperating from his injuries, while undergoing rehabilitation after being fitted with a prosthetic.

“While he was at Brooke, I kept thinking he would pursue other interests,” his father said.

But that wasn’t to be.

Richard Looney said his son didn’t want to pursue other things, not even go to college. Instead, he said, his son was bound and determined to stay in the military, to stay in the infantry.

“He was very patriotic, very much so. He was very much that way,” he said.

“I think he felt he was making a difference in the war, and was much needed.”

From Brooke Army Medical Center, Andrew Looney was assigned to Fort Campbell, arriving there in February 2009.

Richard Looney said his son went to Afghanistan about six weeks ago.

The last time the family saw him was in April, “and he was looking forward to his assignment in Afghanistan,” the father said.

The soldier’s body has already been returned to the United States, though funeral arrangements are pending.

In addition to his father, he is survived by his mother, Martha Looney; a sister, Joanna Looney, 27; and a brother, Steven Looney, 24, who recently discharged from the Navy.

A family friend, Kelly Holliday of Broken Arrow, said the soldier’s death left her saddened, and that this loss brought home more vividly the loss of her own son.