The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel will be conducting a hearing on the issue of homosexuals in the military. Among the witnesses who will offer testimony will be Brian Jones, a highly-decorated former Sergeant Major of the US Army's elite Delta Force, who served with the Department of Defense in Iraq in 2004.

Sgt. Maj. Jones will testify in support of the 1993 law stating that homosexuals are not eligible for military service. The law passed Congress with veto-proof majorities in 1993 and has been upheld as constitutional several times.

The hearing will take place in Room 2118 of the House Rayburn Office Building, at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, 23 July .

John Howland from USNA-at-Large sends this along from Allan Slaff,

I am delighted that...Sergeant Major Jones will be on hand to testify before the House Armed Service Committee on Personnel on 23 July in regards to gays in the military.

I am confident that...he will do a superb job. I have a concern...on the unique sociological problems that would be generated by permitting openly practicing gays to serve in the ships of the fleet. These unsolvable problems make it absolutely impossible to permit that to happen.

Let me summarize here:

The habitability standards under which our enlisted personnel serve in the ships of the fleet afford almost no possibilities for human privacy. I examined the habitability standards afforded our bluejackets at sea for the Secretary of the Navy many years ago and found that the habitability standards afforded our enlisted personal in the ships of the fleet were less than 50% of the habitability standards allowed our federal prisoners.

Other than a privacy curtain which may be pulled across a man's berth, there is none. Outside that small space of stacked berths the remainder of the compartment is completely open; thus public nakedness is the norm. The same applies to the heads, washrooms and showers.

These ships deploy for normally 9 months at a time and sometimes much longer. Unlike our air force and army personnel there is no leaving the base after normal working hours except on very restricted liberties when in foreign ports from time to time.


That compartment is our bluejackets' home 24/7 as long as the ship is deployed. It would create a truly impossible sociological situation to permit openly gay personnel to live in such an environment.


It would most assuredly wreak havoc with the good order and discipline of the ships company Requiring gays to abstain for long periods would be akin to berthing two heterosexual men in a compartment of essentially naked women for long periods; especially when those young men were being driven by an absolute rush off hormones. Impossible!


There is another issue. Homosexuals are as intellectually capable as heterosexuals. Therefore, eventually the gay will win advancement in rate. He will then be in a powerful position to bring exquisite sexual pressure on the non-rated personnel under his control.


As you know, I am also opposed to women serving in the combatant ships of the fleet. I base my opposition not on any failure of intelligence, courage, patriotism or ability of women.


It is based solely on the absolute impossibility of eliminating the powerful drive of sexuality. At least, however, in the case of the women, they may be isolated into their own living accommodations on board ship.


Instead of establishing my qualifications to speak with authority on this vitally important issue, I shall send along an abbreviated curriculum vitae. Please note the enormous experience I have had in serving in eleven ships of the fleet and commanding four of our very best.

Under a B. Hussein Obama administration, homosexuals will be allowed to openly serve in the armed forces. As Allan notes, this will destroy unit cohesion and hurt our military readiness.

Military Readiness will not matter under Obama anyhoo. He will simply surrender to the jihadists making our military power moot.

Voting for John McCain is important. He knows how to run the military.

B. Hussein Obama is an accomplished community organizer.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Update: Alert Reader CourtneyMD comments below on the need for the presentation of a compelling argument rather than two homosexuals pictured enjoying a cruise. This may help:

CourtneyMD, You are close: I'm not 14, but this is an argument any 14-year-old understands. Even My 15-year-old daughter.

We all may not have the reasoning power of a 14-year-old, but let us attempt a review.

The arguments are simple to comprehend, especially for those few that have served in the armed forces.

Close quarters, intimate surroundings strip away modesty. It does not promote good order and discipline in a military unit to enable sexual attraction. The military mission does not have the margin of error to tolerant the distraction caused by having a girlfriend or boyfriend in arm's reach in harm's way 24/7.

See close quarters -- men and women -- on a submarine.

This is different than the soft civilian life most people enjoy, even in dangerous occupations. Females and homosexual firefighters and police-persons can go off-duty.

Can't really go off-duty on a submarine.

In the absence of privacy, no person -- whatever they may tell the pollsters -- does not want other service members lusting after their bodies.

A sailor wants his buddy to watch his back -- not covet his backside.

As requested, see a compelling argument for unit cohesion.

And let's not forget B. Hussein Obama's other sugar stick women in combat.

B. Hussein Obama and Jesus.

Double standards for women in the military.

And thank you for noticing the repetition of B. Hussein Obama -- and thank you for repeating it back. Perhaps you are trainable.

Repeating back a negative is something even the professionals have trouble with. See the Bimbo Awards with the late Tony Snow.

Your Business Blogger(R) works at teaching business sense. Here, we are reduced to teaching common sense.

Thank you for commenting,
Jack

See Dana Milbank from the WaPo. Your Business Blogger(R) is not related to the Cynthia Yost mentioned in the Milbank article

Posted at 9:25 AM | Permalink
Comments (2)

Alert Reader Richard Neault sends this email,

Mr. Yoest,

I was stationed on the Bonefish (SS-582)from 1984-1988. In 1988 we had a fire that killed three of our friends and ended the career of the Bonefish. I had met the widow of the CO of the first Bonefish when she presented the crew with a Holy Bible.

I have been assembling different items for a framed tribute piece for both the first and second bonefish. I have always been fascinated with the first boat and what happened to her.

I have been trying to find information about the battleflag of the first bonefish and have been unable to. I have also been trying to find an original, or at least a good reproduction, of the patch from the first bonefish. If you can help me with either of these items, I would be very grateful. I am in the process of founding a local museum about the Cold War and hope one day to place these items in the museum. It must have been an honor to have had a father who was a part of the Greatest Generation.

I appreciate his service to our country.

Please tell your wife that I also appreciate the things she has done and that we are one family that appreciates the FRC and the real conservatives in politics.

Richard Neault
www.calcoldwar.org

Here is the patch of which he may be speaking. I would be honored to donate the Bonefish artifact to the museum, if the item would be helpful.

If there are other Alert Readers who might have items of interest, please contact Mr. Neault through his website -- or email Your Business Blogger(R)

Thank you (foot)notes:

Also see USS Bonefish Lost: A Remembrance 18 June

See Virtual Paintings of Bonefish by Tom McMahon

Posted at 12:35 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

The following was made available thru John Howland at USNA-AT-Large and deserves a wide audience.

General to General

Richard Carroll asked my opinion of General Tony McPeak, and his
current support of the far, Socialist-Left. He is co-chairman of
Obama's National Election Committee. I have been asked the same
question by many others.

Rich wrote this and asked for as much coverage as possible...

I consider this a weak version of how I really feel about Wesley
Clark, Tony McPeak, the traitor Army Generals, and the rest of their
ilk who are supporting the far-left in this election.

Most, if not all, waited until they thought there was a predictable winner to the
Democratic nomination, then ran to show their support in hopes of
receiving a Cabinet appointment after the election. This is
absolutely unforgivable to me, and the majority of the military
members that I served with for upward to 35 years. In my opinion,
they are supporting the destruction of our military, and willing to
do irreparable damage to our country strictly for their own personal gain.

J. C.
B/G, USAF, Ret.
==========================================
A Four Star Tool;
Generally Speaking

by Rich Carroll

'As one who for 37 years proudly wore the uniform of our
country'. General Merrill 'Tony' McPeak, Co-Chairman of Barack
Hussein Obama Campaign.

History, General, will remember you by not how proudly you wore your
uniform, but by how you betrayed our trust and by how defiantly your
current boss refuses to wear an American flag pin.

Veterans will remember you for choosing to support a political party that trashes
and degrades our military. You have separated yourself from 'those
who served' to become entrenched with a candidate inextricably
connected to a political and religious cult determined to control
America and murdering millions in their effort to do so.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 8:53 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Charmaine calls early morning from Edinburgh. "I'm having trouble flying into London," she says.
I'm still waking up -- I didn't see the news. I ask, "When can you come home?"

"I don't know," she says, her voice unsteady, "They're still clearing the bodies."

Three years ago Your Business Blogger(R) sent the Little Woman to the G-8 with the B3: Bono and Branson and Bush.

We here in the US of A have not been attacked on our soil since 9.11. We must be doing something right.

Bush must be doing something right. Would Obama be able to protect us as Bush has? As McCain would?

Charmaine on the plane with Richard Branson

Following is an edited cross post from Reasoned Audacity, July 1 - 7, 2005.

Charmaine calls early morning from Edinburgh. "I'm having trouble flying into London," she says.

I'm still waking up. I ask, "When can you come home?"

"I don't know," she says, her voice unsteady, "They're still clearing the bodies."

A wake up call.

London, welcome to the war.

It started, as most things these days do, with Powerline.

Following is original posting from London as Charmaine called it into me, when her site went down. Any inconsistencies may be due to transcription overload.

This is Jack, the husband: Charmaine called. Her site is still down, but she wanted to file a report to Powerline.

"Flew into Heathrow airport and took a $150 cab ride into north London to conduct interviews and document the bombsites. Bobbies cordoned off area around the sites sealing the scene of the explosions. I got to within a block or so of Edgware Tube station entrance with Londoners sitting calmly, relaxing in pubs. Everything is strangely calm, business as usual. I interviewed a woman, an interior designer, expecting some emotional display. There was none. "We don't do a lot of group hugging in England," she said, making me think of the stiff-upper lip. "We are not sentimental."

And she seemed to reflect the mood of the London population. Not for what they were doing but for what they were not doing: No candles, no out-pouring of grief, no hoards of gawkers milling around police tape, no teddy bears, no bouquets of flowers. No movement. No tears. Everything normal, except, maybe for that bus with the top blown off. Workers cleared and cleaned up the area real well. Spiffy. And got back to their pints.

I visited hospitals and learned that 'only' 37 were confirmed dead at that time. More confirmations were expected.

There were no moms with little children in downtown London. I interviewed middle-aged businessmen on cell phones and kids with Mohawks, none who were surprised.

Londoners gently reproached me about my concern over the bloodshed, "You Americans get sentimental over silly things. We're used to getting bombed." The IRA Troubles had hardened hearts as well as the London infrastructure.

I expected some grief, at least as much as there was when Lady Di died. And grief I got. I interviewed three very ordinary, normal teenaged English Muslims, one with short spiky hair (dressed not unlike my 10 year-old-dude). All three seems to be parroting Muslim talking points. "The bombings were a conspiracy by Blair to generate support for the war," they recited in a charming British accent.

The bombers were quite indiscriminate. Edgware is not far from the heart of Little Beirut, a Muslim ethnic neighborhood.

A young British black woman told me, "The bombings are Tony Blair's fault -- they killed a 100,000 Iraqis -- and it's like a boomerang [coming back at the British]." Most everyone I talked to believed that the British caused the bombing or had it coming.

Of the dozen or so people I interviewed only white males in business attire expressed surprise that anyone would think the British were at fault in anyway.

But these gentlemen were the minority. Most felt that the Brits were complicit. The people at London's ground zero were sounding like the "wobbly" Spanish after their train bombings.

The day is a cloudy, cold, rainy 7.7."

Charmaine is still out on the streets -- 9pm local London time and will be sending pictures soon.

Read the entire story at My Wife Flew off with Bono and Branson; Bombed in London 7.7.05 .

Posted at 12:54 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine is quoted in Obama works to mobilize 'Christian left.'

She says that all voters should care, "...[A]bout the public policies the person is going to put in place."

Charmaine is pictured at left on an earlier CNN appearance debating abortion.

The policies of which Charmaine speaks are the 'vote-changing' issues Grover Norquist writes about in his book Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government's Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives.

The Leave Us Alone coalition is made up of groups who want the government to do only constitutionally-restricted work, and to, well, leave us alone.

Following is a short list of loose associations Norquist cites who want less government and less outside intrusion:

Homeschoolers
Gun Owners
Church-goers
Taxpayers
Pro-Lifers

The Alert Reader will note that this conservative Leave Us Alone coalition includes the Pro-Life community. This is the only group in Grover's group that wants the government and the courts to protect life and stop the option of killing of unborn children -- just as the government stopped the option of slavery.

The Christian Left is willing to sacrifice freedom in order to pay higher taxes -- this small segment that occasionally attends church is delighted with large government and the government confiscation of property, life and wealth.

These young Christians are confusing government with God -- remember, for most liberals, the government is their god.

The Leftist group is a bit confused on Biblical teaching and looks forward to the tyranny of a ObamaNation. Mature followers of Jesus Christ look to the Ten Commandments, including the directive, Do Not Kill, or more accurately, Do No Murder.

The deliberate taking of innocent life is a vote-changer for thinking Christians.

Posted at 3:11 PM | Permalink
Comments (3)

Charmaine is taping an interview for CNN American Morning on the Senator Barack Obama flirtation with Bible believing, Jesus loving, Evangelicals who hold for the Right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D. is pictured at left during a taping of Ethics in America with Barney Frank(D).

Obama has a chance with some church goers. About 30% of self-identified Christians voted for Bill Clinton.

Obama believes reporter Michael Weisskopf who wrote that members of the Christian Right are, "largely poor, uneducated, and easy to command."

So while the poor impoverished are clinging to guns and religion, how would the elitist Obama lead the nation?

1) Bring legislation forcing citizens to embrace homosexual demands: Homosexual Marriage and the Homosexuals in the military.

2) Raise taxes.

3) Raise gas prices by punishing oil companies. He refuses to explore and drill for energy.

4) Demand that some babies born alive be left to die.

5) Force citizens how and what to think. Mark Steyn is being sued under hate-crimes law in Canada for his writing about Islam in America Alone, a must read. Barack X. Obama supports this mind-thought control through legislation.

The ObamaNation will force churches and the Boy Scouts to hire Homosexuals.

The ObamaNation will force government-controlled doctors on the country.

The ObamaNation will place women in land combat and in submarines.

The ObamaNation will take more of the citizen's money in taxes and fees.

The ObamaNation will force these government doctors to perform abortions.

The ObamaNation will force babies born during a botched abortion (re: live birth) to die.

The ObamaNation will continue the African-American genocide thru Planned Parenhood.

The clip will air next week. Hit times will be announced. Please let us know what you think. Comments are now open.

Thank you (foot)notes,

Obama may be a disciple of Jesus Christ, but he doesn't understand the Bible. And after attending Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years, it figures. For example, the Old Testament dietary restrictions no longer apply. This is a "new" teaching in the New Testament that is different from the Old. Obama is going to be confused about these Old and New Testament issues:

Dietary restrictions.
Circumcision.
Animal sacrifice.

Homosexual abominations remain in effect.

Obama is fuzzy on his Biblical interpretations. And a bit confused on secular matters -- but he is consistent with the old-style liberal world view.

Your Business Blogger(R) looks forward to the continuing debate between Obama and Dr. Dobson of Focus on the Family.

Obama might come to Jesus yet...

Voters will not answer the ObamaNation altar call, Lord willing.

Click here for more on Ethics in America.

Larry Cirignano sends us this article by Bishop Harry Jackson on Planned Parenhood.

Posted at 10:09 AM | Permalink
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Two items for June 18th:

1) It is a day of remembrance in Your Business Blogger(R)'s household, and
2) Charmaine gave speech.

Charmaine's talk was on the impact that women can have in our culture.
See her From Femme to Fatale.ppt Power point presentation.

MEDIA ALERT: Charmaine to speak at the EPC 28th Assembly

Charmaine's talk reminded us of the eternal values. Life and Death; this side of eternity and beyond.

At a recent funeral -- they seem to come faster and faster as we get older and older -- we talked about burials. Cremation, well, lights our fire and speeds up that dust-to-dust transition.

Charmaine asked what we plan to do with the ashes, where on earth to put them. We talk about the extended family's burial plots.

"Where do you want to get buried?" She asks.

"37º18'N, 137º55'E," I say.

"What?"

"The Sea of Japan," I remind her. Women!

"What's there?" she wonders.

Bonefish.

June 18th is the day we remember the loss of USS Bonefish.

My father, then only a teen-ager from Jersey, left high school, went to war and was assigned to the submarine, USS Bonefish. Just before the final mission of the Bonefish, my father walked off the gangplank - transferred to another assignment. Another man took his place.

On its eighth mission, on June 18, 1945, the Bonefish was lost fighting the enemy in the Sea of Japan, with the loss of all 53 officers and men. It was the last U.S. submarine sunk in World War II...

The article was first published by a number of outlets including the Virginian-Pilot in my hometown.

Posted at 10:38 PM | Permalink
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Remembering the fallen

Watch the video
courtesy: Military Times
Alert Readers know that Your Business Blogger(R) does not care to see women any where near combat.

Real men fight their own battles.

Real men fight their country's battles.

Watch how How One Woman Serves. This is why men fight. She is why families sacrifice.

Thank you (foot)notes:

The forward torpedo room Pictured is the Penta-Posse on the retired submarine USS Becuna moored at Philadelphia. This highlights the close quarters men and women would live for months at a time under a Obamanation.

When boys and girls are close together, they get, well, close together.

The Navy will not tell us how many women get pregnant.

Our guess is that the pregnancy numbers are so high that the politically correct Navy will not disclose the prego incidents for fear of feminists. One anonymous service member said that the only women not getting pregnant in the military are the lesbians.

Barack X. Obama, the metro-sexual, girlie-man plans to put women in land combat, in harm's way and into submarines.

He is not quite a real man.

John McCain does not want women on submarines or in combat. He is a real man. With the scars to prove it.

McCain gives us his body once broken. Obama has never broken a sweat. Never had a blister, the poor sweet man.

Our poor country...

Your Business Blogger(R) was once honored to give a speech to some sub vets,

Submariners' Memorial Service, Saturday May 13, 2000, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Debt of Honor

It is an honor to join you here today and remember the submariners "still on patrol." And to remember our debt of honor due. I've asked my son, John, to join us today -- a day I expect him to remember and take to his grave.

During World War II, my dad, a teenager from New Jersey, left high school, went to submarine school and was assigned to the USS Bonefish.

When John saw previews of the blockbuster movie U-571, he asked if it was about his grandfather. The movie is a story about honor, courage, strength, character, what being a man, a warrior really is. Yes John, your grandfather was in the movie, and so were each of the submariners here today.

But in the movie the men came home. We are here today for the men who didn't.

The only women on submarines during WWII were the Korean "Comfort Women" used as sex slaves on the Japanese boats. We won that war.

Posted at 6:43 AM | Permalink
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The Dreamer scored in the 93rd percentile in Math for her grade in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I promised her a reward night out -- But a daddy-daughter-dinner-date at Subways won't be happening.

A good deal of her education was in homeschooling where Your Business Blogger(R) worked with her on that topic that counted: Counting. The hard sciences that "girls don't do well."

Not good in Math? Not my girls. My expectation was that they would do well in the quantitatives. (Parent and teacher expectations are the biggest variable in the success of students.) My wife is a genius with SPSS and regression analysis . The Dancer and The Diva are rabid readers and love 'rithmatic -- and are bloggers.

The Penta-Posse are outliers on the bell curve of school age young'ums.

So. I promised The Dreamer a night out. But not at Subway. The restaurant is off the good-guy list for two reasons:

1) The company doesn't care for homeschoolers, and

2) They can't spell.

Our friend Don Wildmon at the American Family Association sends this along,

Subway tells home schoolers: We will not allow you to participate in our contest. Subway discriminates against home schoolers.

Subway, the sandwich restaurant, wants to hear your child's story – unless he or she is home schooled.

The national chain's "Every Sandwich Tells a Story Contest" offers prizes and a chance to be published on the Subway Web site and in Scholastic's "Parent & Child" magazine but specifically excludes home schoolers. Subway's website states:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Contest is open only to legal residents of the Untied (sic) States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted.

Subway will probably say they excluded home schools because of the main prize ($5,000 worth of athletic equipment to the winning child's school). But Subway could have given it to a local park, church or school of the winning home schooler's choice.

Subway's Web site promotion not only misspells "Untied (sic) States," but offers the grand prize winner a "Scholastic Gift Bastket (sic) for your home."

Subway's leadership clearly does not understand the value of homeschooling. In addition to learning how to spell, we are keeping our kids clear of the public schools' Family Life Education: Which is, as is commonly known, Sex Ed taught by liberals. When almost 20% of teens have herpes -- one would hope that this objective fact might persuade our feminist free-lovers that the condom classes might not be working.

Nope. The public payroll sex trainers are working even harder.

Here's some of what appears in Family Life Education for grades six through eight,

6.1 The student will learn that there are many health care and safety agencies in the community.
No need to talk with mom or dad, or aunt Sally or uncle Joe. The Planned Parenthood abortion clinic is just around the corner.

6.7 The student will be able to describe the etiology, effects and transmission of the HIV virus.
Clean needles for drug users? Contaminated blood supply? This is more important than spelling or math? The school will not reveal the detail of homosexual sex acts in the spread of the HIV virus. I did see a very nice man who teaches the course, however.

6.8 ...[E]valuate ...sexuality, and gender stereotyping...
The feminists are determined to get women in combat in the armed services.

7.7 The student will recognize that sexual behaviors are conscious decisions...
The public schools are a bit confused even about their own world view: homosexuality is a conscious decision; a preference -- not an orientation. FLE lurched into the truth.

So Subway supports only public schools, can't spell and doesn't like homeschoolers.

Dinner at Subway? No sirree -- We all are a-going to Chick-fil-a.


Chick-fil-A

Thank you (foot)notes:

Tom Peters once remarked that excellence should permeate an organization, especially for managing the perceptions of the customer. This is why managers make so much money. Airlines, in the consumers' mind, must understand that if the tray tables are dirty, the airline doesn't do engine maintenance.

The Army taught if boots were not shined, the soldier couldn't shoot straight.

If Subway can't spell, their food will make you [sic].

Send an e-mail to Subway President Frederick A. DeLuca. Tell him you will not eat with them anymore until and unless they allow home schoolers to participate. ©2008 Doctor's Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor's Associates Inc.

This is an unpaid endorsement of Chick-fil-A.

See some commonsense at The sexual ‘revolution’ that keeps on turning

This is a cross post from Pro-Life Unity.

Posted at 10:36 PM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Martha McCallum on FOX Charmaine will be appearing on the FOX News Live Desk with Martha McCallum to discuss today's hot topics:

Clinton's undisciplined messaging; McCain invites Obama to Iraq; Allergic to WiFi under ADA?

Alert Readers might be interested in our recent article in National Review Online by Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine on Hillary Clinton's management style: The woman can’t manage. “Bad Management”

Hit time is 1pm eastern on FOX News.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Please email us your comments.

See Does Wi-Fi Violate the ADA?

I'm dubious that this is a violation of the ADA. If the plaintiffs feel the effects of Wi-Fi signals even inside their specially protected homes, it's hard to see how the city (which has got to be an awfully minor contributor to the aggregate Wi-Fi signals within its boundaries) could reasonably modify its policies and practices to avoid the problems these plaintiffs are facing.

USAToday, Allergic to WiFi? Group fights Internet hotspots in Santa Fe,

[t]he World Health Organization says there's little to suggest that electromagnetic fields are responsible for the "range of non-specific symptoms" that such sufferers have described.

"A number of studies have been conducted where [electromagnetic hypersensitivity] individuals were exposed to [electromagnetic fields] similar to those that they attributed to the cause of their symptoms. The aim was to elicit symptoms under controlled laboratory conditions," the organization says. "The majority of studies indicate that EHS individuals cannot detect EMF exposure any more accurately than non-EHS individuals. Well controlled and conducted double-blind studies have shown that symptoms were not correlated with EMF exposure."

The World Health Organization reports on This reputed sensitivity to EMF has been generally termed “electromagnetic hypersensitivity” or EHS,

A number of studies have been conducted where EHS individuals were exposed to EMF similar to those that they attributed to the cause of their symptoms. The aim was to elicit symptoms under controlled laboratory conditions.

The majority of studies indicate that EHS individuals cannot detect EMF exposure any more accurately than non-EHS individuals. Well controlled and conducted double-blind studies have shown that symptoms were not correlated with EMF exposure.

It has been suggested that symptoms experienced by some EHS individuals might arise from environmental factors unrelated to EMF. Examples may include “flicker” from fluorescent lights, glare and other visual problems with VDUs, and poor ergonomic design of computer workstations. Other factors that may play a role include poor indoor air quality or stress in the workplace or living environment.

There are also some indications that these symptoms may be due to pre-existing psychiatric conditions as well as stress reactions as a result of worrying about EMF health effects, rather than the EMF exposure itself.

From TechDirt, If You're Going To Claim That WiFi Violates The ADA, Shouldn't You Need To Prove It Actually Hurts People?

Posted at 10:42 AM | Permalink
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The Penta-Posse at
Arlington National Cemetary, 2005 Our good friend Mackubin Owens, Ph.D., has a terrific article up on NRO, Mystic Chords of Memory, From America's Founding, to the sacrifices of her sons and daughters, we remember.

This weekend, we mark the 140th anniversary of the first official observation of the holiday we now call Memorial Day, as established by General John A. Logan’s “General Order No. 11” of the Grand Army of the Republic dated 5 May, 1868. This order reads in part: “The 30th day of May 1868 is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers and otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.” Logan’s order served to ratify a practice that was already widespread, both in the North and the South, in the years immediately following the Civil War.

Alas, for many Americans today, Memorial Day has come to signify nothing more than another three-day weekend, a mere excuse for a weekend cook-out. Such an observance of Memorial Day obscures even the vestiges of its intended meaning: a solemn time, serving both as catharsis for those who fought and survived, and to ensure that those who follow will not forget the sacrifice of those who died that the American Republic and the principles that sustain it, might live.

"Mac" continues,

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address gives universal meaning to the particular deaths that occurred on that hallowed ground, thus allowing us to understand Memorial Day in the light of the Fourth of July, to comprehend the honorable end of the soldiers in the light of the glorious beginning and purpose of the nation. The deaths of the soldiers at Gettysburg, of those who died during the Civil War as a whole, and indeed of those who have fallen in all the wars of America, are validated by reference to the nation and its founding principles as articulated in the Declaration of Independence.

Some will object, claiming that linking Memorial Day and Independence Day glorifies war and trivializes individual loss and the end of youth and joy. How can the loved ones of a fallen soldier ever recover from such a loss? I corresponded with the mother of one of my Marines who died in Vietnam for some time after his death. He was an only child and her inconsolable pain and grief put me in mind of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, Epitaphs of the War, verse IV, “An Only Son”:

I have slain none but my mother, She
(Blessing her slayer) died of grief for me.

Kipling too, lost his only son in World War I.

But as Holmes said in 1884, “[G]rief is not the end of all. I seem to hear the funeral march become a paean. I see beyond the forest the moving banners of a hidden column. Our dead brothers still live for us, and bid us think of life, not death — of life to which in their youth they lent the passion and joy of the spring. As I listen, the great chorus of life and joy begins again, and amid the awful orchestra of seen and unseen powers and destinies of good and evil our trumpets sound once more a note of daring, hope and will.”

This Memorial Day the household of Your Business Blogger(R) will fly our Flag as we always do and remember those who "gave the last full measure" and died in service.

Dad is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The years on his head stone tell of his full life. Our family was so lucky.

Nearby head stones tell of service men who died far too soon. Far too young. In war for us.

Danny Boy
The BalladThe Irish classic Danny Boy has a long and varied history. The following explanation is my favorite and the simplest,

Once, a long time ago there was an old man who had raised many sons who he loved dearly. A war raged over the land that they lived in and one by one he saw each of them go off to fight and not return. Then one day, as harvest time drew near, he knew that his youngest, and most precious, son would soon be going off to fight just as his brothers before him. The old man was sad and knew that he may never see his last boy alive. He looked intently at the young lad, and with tears in his eyes he sang this song.

The ballad cannot begin to reveal the emotion and the pain of fathers and mothers who bury sons in a time of war.

I do not know how families do this.

But I do know that we must be grateful.

We are so lucky. Happy Memorial Day.

Thank you (foot)notes:

See Meditation on Suffering and Sacrifice,

The famous chapel on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains is more truly a cathedral. Outwardly, it is all sleek silver-wing metal, with seventeen external buttresses, knifing severely skyward. Designed to evoke an air-frame, the architecture does not immediately summon spiritual devotion.

But cross the threshold, step inside, and one is transported to another plane. The solemn air is bathed in the soft splendor of muted light. While the stern steel silhouette dominates the external view, the interior reveals the fragile panels of stained-glass that the harsh ribs support. The intricate glass panes filter and animate the sunlight, illuminating the sacred space with almost a visual hush.

At the front of the chapel, a single row is roped off. "Reserved" the sign says, for all the United States aviators who are missing in action or prisoners of war. The only occupant of the pew is a single, burning candle.

"Greater love hath no man than this. . ." reads the plaque. The Scripture it alludes to concludes: "that a man lays down his life for his friends."

My thoughts immediately fly to my boy, my sweet Dude, who wants to be a fighter pilot. And baby Boo, who will almost certainly want to follow his older brother. My heart blanches. How could I bear it? And yet so many other mothers -- gold-star mothers -- even this very day, must find a way when their sons have given the last measure of devotion.

Be sure to read Charmaine's post from 2005, Memorial Day: Arlington National Cemetery

Danny Boy Lyrics at the jump

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Posted at 9:54 PM | Permalink
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A product of...
Navy Office of Information
www.navy.mil
703.697.5342
April 24, 2008
U.S. Fourth Fleet Re-Establishment
“Re-establishing the Fourth Fleet recognizes the immense importance of maritime security in the southern part of the Western Hemisphere and signals our support and interest in the civil and military maritime services in Central and South America. Our Maritime Strategy raises the importance of working with international partners as the basis of global maritime security. This change increases our emphasis in the region on employing naval forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests.”
– Adm. Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations
After extensive consideration and consultation, the Secretary of the Navy and the CNO have concluded that there are clear and compelling reasons to re-establish Commander, U.S. Fourth Fleet Headquarters as dual-hatted with Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.
Conducting the Maritime Strategy in a dynamic maritime region
A Fourth Fleet headquarters would be more effective in conducting the full spectrum of Maritime Strategy missions which promote and strengthen coalition building, develop partner nation capabilities and deter aggression.
• The command will provide enhanced support to U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) Operational and Contingency Plans, which are primarily maritime missions.
• As we have seen in other areas of the world, forward presence of naval forces provides regional stability and understanding of our local partners. The nation has vital interests in this dynamic region and economic stability is an imperative.
Ensuring optimal support to SOUTHCOM
Re-establishing a fleet-level staff will ensure optimal support to U.S. Southern Command through:
• Improved alignment for implementation of the Maritime Headquarters with Maritime Operation Center (MHQ/MOC) to enhance operational collaboration and exchange of information with regional maritime partners to improve regional maritime security activities.
• Operational compatibility with other Fleets including force management and resource allocation.
Demonstrating commitment to the SOUTHCOM region
SOUTHCOM is a maritime theater with more than 30 countries and about 15.6 million square miles of water.
• Designation as a numbered U.S. Navy fleet signals to civil and military maritime services in Central and South America our recognition of the importance of maritime security in the southern Western Hemisphere.
• Recent deployments to the region in 2007 include USNS Comfort, the USS Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group, HSV Swift Global Fleet Station pilot, and Partnership of the Americas (POA).
• Current and upcoming deployments include humanitarian assistance/disaster response deployment Continuing Promise and the ongoing POA 2008 which includes the annual multinational exercise UNITAS, hosted this year by Brazil and Peru; and FA PANAMAX, hosted each year by Panama.
Key Messages
Facts & Figures
• A Fourth Fleet headquarters will be more effective in conducting the full spectrum of operations to promote and strengthen coalition building, develop partner nation capabilities and deter aggression.
• The United States has vital national interests in this dynamic region of the world. Regional economic stability is a must.
• Re-establishing the Fourth Fleet elevates the attention this area will receive.
• Approximately 40% of U.S. trade and 50% of oil imports are within this hemisphere, including more than 33% of U.S. energy imports.
• Approximately 50% of Latin American exports go to the United States.
• The command will initially be in Mayport, Fla. and use existing infrastructure and personnel.
• Fourth Fleet will not control ships in Mayport.

Thank you (foot)note to John Howland.

Posted at 9:53 PM | Permalink
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Your Business Blogger(R) has an old article at National Review Online about the loss of the submarine,

Five Days in May: The loss of the USS Scorpion.

By Jack Yoest

Yolanda Mazzuchi was about the prettiest girl in our school class. Our dads were in the Navy, often gone for months at a time. And they would be welcomed home at dockside with cheers and homemade signs. These gatherings at the D&S Piers at the Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia, were a regular part of our lives growing up. Families often took children out of school to celebrate a ship’s homecoming.

At 1 in the afternoon on Monday, May 27, 1968, at the height of the Cold War the USS Scorpion was due in port.

Yolanda didn’t know it then, but her dad was already dead....

Follows is an invitation to the 40th Anniversary Memorial Weekend for the USS Scorpion.

April 24, 2008

Dear USS Scorpion Families / Shipmates / Friends:

MaryEtta and I hope you have made your reservations at Norfolk’s Downtown Radison Hotel for the USS Scorpion, SSN-589 40th Anniversary Memorial Service weekend. The program has been finalized and we are honored to have Vice Admiral John J. Donnelly, Commander, Submarine Forces, as our keynote speaker at the memorial service. We have a full weekend planned, thanks to our sponsors and your support of our T-shirt sale.

After checking-in at the Radison, please join us in the USS Scorpion, SSN-589 Hospitality Room. There you can pick up all the information for the weekend activities as well as reuniting with old friends. The room will be open all day and well into the evening, so if you are staying at another location, please come by and say hello.

***Note to USS Scorpion family members and crew***
The Newport News Father Bader Assembly of the Knights of Columbus is hosting a picnic at Fleet Park starting at 1:00 PM on Saturday in honor of the USS Scorpion family and former crewmembers. This is a ticketed event, so please see Barbara Lake in the Hospitality Room to receive your tickets. If you can’t pick them up on Friday, please see me before or after the memorial service.

This will be the last mailing we will be sending out before the memorial service. As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to call Mary Etta.... I will have my cell phone on all weekend if anyone needs assistance or information.

Attached you will find the full schedule events. Look forward to seeing everyone very soon.

Sincerely,

Art Nolan
In honor of Wally Bishop, Chief of the Boat

More at the jump.

Thank you to John Howland at USNA-AT-LARGE

Continue Reading »

Posted at 9:42 PM | Permalink
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Our liberal friends at PBS have put together a program on the Navy.

Remember, any time 'Hollywood' gets near the military, the result always degenerates to an anti-war film.

USS Nimitz From: Chief of Naval Operations...

Beginning Sunday, April 27, PBS will air a reality-TV documentary
entitled "CARRIER", filmed while the production company was embarked
during the entire USS NIMITZ's 2005 deployment. The program will air
over five nights from Sunday, April 27, to Thursday, May 1, 2008,
9:00-11:00 p.m. ET.

Ten hours of film will be aired, selected from almost 2,000 hours that
were shot over the course of a 6-month deployment to CENTCOM. I have
viewed the production and want to share context and some thoughts
with you.

While "Carrier" shows the outstanding work our young Sailors do every
day and the opportunities the Navy offers, it also shows Sailors
making mistakes in their personal and professional lives. The
snapshot is frank and may be somewhat disconcerting to some who came
into the Navy some time ago. However, that said, I believe it will
also resonate with a significant segment of our country, especially
potential recruits and young Sailors serving today.

1) What we did. We provided unprecedented access to our Sailors,
and this production tells their story in a very personal way. There
is no narrator -- the stories are told by the Sailors themselves.
You get unvarnished views from junior personnel about their hopes,
aspirations, and challenges of life in the Navy aboard the carrier.
We did not get between the film crews and the Sailors.

2) What we got. The production highlights the racial, gender,
religious, and socio-economic diversity of our Navy. The hard work
our Sailors perform and the remarkable feat of forging thousands of
individuals on a carrier into a truly unique team really shines
through. Culling through hundreds of hours of video, the producers
created a 10-hour reality-TV documentary that shows selected aspects
of our Sailors' personal and professional challenges. The
cinematography is very high quality and the visuals and music are
sure to appeal to younger audiences.

3) What we did not get. We did not get a Navy "commercial" in the
traditional sense. "CARRIER" is very different from the hardware
documentaries we have supported in the past. This program focuses on
our people and the reality-TV approach gives it a sense of
authenticity and credibility. Since we did not monitor the
individual interviews and ongoing production, the program contains
material that does not always and fully represent the discipline,
values and mission of the U.S. Navy.

You will see some Sailors making personal and professional mistakes,
and expressing opinions that are different from the Navy's. However,
the production shows that these are the exception, not the norm, and
that leadership is engaged to shape lives and appropriate outcomes.
There are abundant examples of how the Navy changed Sailors' lives
for the better by giving them opportunities and a disciplined
environment.

4) Why did we agree to the project? This production, although not an
all-inclusive picture of the Navy, will give potential recruits and
those who influence them a glimpse of what life is really like in the
Navy. We want the American people to know, understand and appreciate
the contribution our Sailors make each and every day while deployed
around the world. We also want them to know us, not as a monolithic
bureaucratic entity, but as a diverse organization of individual
Americans who have set aside the comforts of home and have put
themselves on the line to serve a greater cause. You already know
how inspiring our people are, but few in our Nation get to see our
people in an operational environment.

Some of you may be called upon to offer public comments about this
film to the media or to community groups. We will soon distribute PA
guidance to support your efforts and will be putting additional
information on www.navy.mil in the near future. If you need any
additional information, please contact CHINFO, RDML Frank Thorp.

Thank you for all that you do.

All the best,

Gary Roughead

Thank you (foot)notes:

Thank you to John Howland at USNA-AT-LARGE for sending this out.

See more pictures.

Posted at 11:35 AM | Permalink
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Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D. addresses
the 2,600 attendees at last year's Summit
Photo Credit: Peter Shinn Hold September 12 on your calendar for the Values Voter Summit in Your Nation's Capital.

Called "the most exciting meeting there is in Washington" by author and radio host Bill Bennett, FRC Action's 2007 Values Voter Summit (formerly "The Washington Briefing") attracted over 400 national and international members of the media, a waiting list of speakers, and thousands of values voters representing nearly every state in the union and many foreign countries.

On September 12-14, 2008, 60 days before an historic election, FRC Action (a 501c4) will host its third annual Values Voter Summit at the Hilton Washington in downtown D.C., and you are invited.

As a participant in one of the conservative movement's must-attend events of the year, you'll have the opportunity to hear from some of America's key leaders at a decisive moment in our nation's history, including invited speakers such as Newt Gingrich (confirmed), Chuck Colson, Lou Dobbs, Bill Bennett (confirmed), Lt. Col. Oliver North, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Gov. Mike Huckabee, Star Parker (confirmed), Justice Clarence Thomas, Patricia Heaton, Roger Hedgecock (confirmed), House and Senate leaders, and all the 2008 presidential nominees.

Charmaine at the podium 2006 In addition to lively discussions on issues ranging from life, marriage, school choice, and radical Islam to judicial activism and religious liberty, attendees can take part in: celebrity book signings; breakout training sessions; Radio and Bloggers' Row; special co-sponsored meals hosted by Focus on the Family Action, American Values, and Alliance Defense Fund; a unique student track (including a Friday night reception); and the Faith, Family, and Freedom Gala Dinner on Saturday evening.

The Values Voter Summit is quickly becoming one of Washington's most anticipated weekends of the year. Packages start at just $95 for adults and $50 for students and pastors. Sign up now and enjoy a $25 early-bird discount! Registration opens online tomorrow, March 15, at www.valuesvotersummit.org. Call 1-877-372-2808 for more details.

Thank you (foot)notes:

See Values Voter Summit 2007 and more.

Posted at 3:26 PM | Permalink
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Governor Huckabee and Charmaine
In the background, Princella Smith and our Diva-girl Watching the Huckabee concession speech and leaving the race Tuesday night made for an emotional evening in the Yoest household.

Charmaine sent short emails to the Huckabee team -- their responses were each measured and even-tempered, almost upbeat, having fought the good fight.

Today's Washington Update, from FRCAction notes:

Despite his exit, no one can deny how influential Mike Huckabee was in championing values issues in this crucial race. While yesterday was clearly a victory for McCain, the Arizona senator acknowledged that his work is just beginning.


To succeed in his bid for the White House, McCain must consolidate his support among conservatives, including social conservatives, which will not happen just because he is the Republican nominee.


In the wake of the Republican scandals that began to surface in 2006 and the failure to advance most of the social conservative agenda, unqualified support for the GOP has diminished.

David Huckabee and Charmaine

A poll released last month by George Barna revealed that if the election were held then, only 45 percent of Evangelicals would vote for a Republican candidate.


That number is down from 85 percent of Evangelicals who voted for George W. Bush in 2004.


John McCain will have to convince social conservatives that their issues matter and that he can talk about them as a candidate and act upon them as president.

Conservatives/evangelicals still have questions about McCain's stand on the major issues of family values, immigration, campaign finance and women in combat. But McCain is our guy.

Obama-Clinton is not.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Read Mike and Janet Huckabee's email at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 7:24 PM | Permalink
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The Dude and Baby Boo circa 2005
USAF Academy The Dude wants to fly military war planes. Never too early to start planning. So which branch? Air Force or Navy?

John Howland who runs USNA-AT-Large has (very) Alert Readers who have written in with suggestions on just this topic. The following deserves a wide audience to aid the high schoolers -- and younger -- students in picking a military academy.

"Bill Taylor provides this handy guide for young Americans who have the choice --

Great comparison of USAF vs. USN Aviators. Pretty much fits my experience.
Regards, Bill

The piece is written by Bob Norris, a former Naval aviator who also did
a 3 year exchange tour flying the F-15 Eagle. He is now an accomplished
author of entertaining books about U.S. Naval Aviation including "Check
Six" and "Fly-Off".

Check Six
Bob Norris

In response to a letter from an aspiring fighter pilot on which military
academy to attend, Bob replied with the following:

22 December 2005
Young Man,

Congratulations on your selection to both the Naval and Air
Force Academies. Your goal of becoming a fighter pilot is impressive and
a fine way to serve your country. As you requested, I'd be happy to
share some insight into which service would be the best choice.

Each service has a distinctly different culture. You need to ask
yourself "Which one am I more likely to thrive in?"

Baby Boo, Your Business Blogger, The Dude
P-51 Mustang, USAF Academy

USAF Snapshot: The USAF is exceptionally well organized and well
run. Their training programs are terrific. All pilots are groomed to
meet high standards for knowledge and professionalism. Their aircraft
are top-notch and extremely well maintained. Their facilities are
excellent. Their enlisted personnel are the brightest and the best
trained. The USAF is homogenous and macro.

No matter where you go, you'll know what to expect,what is
expected of you, and you'll be given the training & tools you need to
meet those expectations. You will never be put in a situation over your
head. Over a 20-year career, you will be home for most important family
events. Your Mom would want you to be an Air Force pilot...so would your
wife. Your Dad would want your sister to marry one.

Navy Snapshot: Aviators are part of the Navy, but so are Black
Shoes (surface warfare) and Bubble Heads (submariners). Furthermore, the
Navy is split into two distinctly different Fleets (West and East
Coast). The Navy is heterogeneous and micro. Your squadron is your home;
it may be great,average, or awful. A squadron can go from one extreme to
the other before you know it.

Fly Off
Bob Norris

You will spend months preparing for cruise and months on cruise.
The quality of the aircraft varies directly with the availability of
parts. Senior Navy enlisted are salt of the earth; you'll be proud if
you earn their respect. Junior enlisted vary from terrific to the
troubled kid the judge made join the service. You will be given the
opportunity to lead these people during your career; you will be humbled
and get your hands dirty. The quality of your training will vary and
sometimes you will be over your head. You will miss many important
family events. There will be long stretches of tedious duty aboard ship.

The Chapel at the USAF Academy
Credit: The Diva

You will fly in very bad weather and/or at night and you will be scared
many times. You will fly with legends in the Navy and they will kick
your ass until you become a lethal force. And some days - when the
scheduling Gods have smiled upon you - your jet will catapult into a
glorious morning over a far-away sea and you will be drop-jawed that
someone would pay you to do it.

The hottest girl in the bar wants to meet the Naval Aviator.

That bar is in Singapore.

Bottom line, son, if you gotta ask...pack warm & good luck in
Colorado.

Banzai

P.S.: Air Force pilots wear scarves and iron their flight suits."

Thank you (foot)notes:

The Diva on the stick

Posted at 7:32 PM | Permalink
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Equal Treatment Under Law, by Steve Myers

Let us have the women join us, as we tumble down to war,

As we spill our blood - and others' only men have spilled before;

When the sisters see the monster that awaits us - will they cry

As it rushes, hits, and maims us in the twinkle of an eye?

Let the women see us weeping as we view our comrades, dead,

Then, continue to the skirmish with sheer mayhem in our heads,

"Follow me!" courageous mother! Mother Courage, know your name,

You may find yourself a leader when the choice is doom or fame

That takes us down to Hell's last ring, before we lift our eyes,

To a Nature without nurture - in the cordite-scented skies.

Yes, let us march together as we face the foe and fight,

You, the woman on my left hand I the man there at your right,

We will face the test together, but must struggle each, alone,

As a brother and a sister, but never quite as one.

For, when that moment happens, then the Solider-hood of arms

Confuses war's dark passion - and may do us deadly harm;

Now, command makes its decision; now the forward line will move,

It matters not this moment, whether talking heads approve,

We set aside the quibbling - take a deep and fearful breath --

The offering's gender - yours or mine - means naught to Sergeant Death.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Credit: John Howland's USNA-AT-LARGE, who says, "Maybe we will have to change the game if there are no satisfactory rules in the present contest."

Change.

Posted at 12:07 AM | Permalink
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The armed services has carefully outlined rules for engagement of the enemy and the use of deadly force. The USNA-At-Large and Don Rockwell have passed along to us this unclassifed (or so Your Business Blogger hopes) listing for each service.

Marine Corps Rules
1. Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.
2. Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
3. Have a plan.
4. Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won't work.
5. Be polite. Be professional, but, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
6. Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a "4."
7. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
8. Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral & diagonal preferred.)
9. Use cover or concealment as much as possible.
10. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours.
11. Always win. There is no unfair fight.
12. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
13. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating your intention to shoot.

Navy SEAL's Rules
1. Look very cool in sunglasses.
2. Kill every living thing within view
3. Adjust speedo.
4. Check hair in mirror.

US Army Rangers Rules
1. Walk in 50 miles wearing 75 pound rucksack while starving.
2. Locate individuals requiring killing.
3. Request permission via radio from "Higher" to perform killing.
4. Curse bitterly when mission is aborted.
5. Walk out 50 miles wearing a 75 pound rucksack while starving

US Army Rules
1. Curse bitterly when receiving operational order.
2. Make sure there is extra ammo and extra coffee.
3. Curse bitterly.
4. Curse bitterly.
5. Do not listen to 2nd LT's; it can get you killed.
6. Curse bitterly.

US ARMY RECON
1. Slip silently into area of operations.
2. Kill anything that moves or breathes.
3. Sneak out of area of operations.
4. Haul @ss to the LZ for the pickup.
5 Call in heavy artillery and an air strike to cover up infiltration activity.
6. Destroy all maps and reference materials.
7. Play dumb when you return to firebase.

US Air Force Rules
1. Have a cocktail.
2. Adjust temperature on air-conditioner.
3. See what's on HBO.
4. Ask "what is a gunfight?"
5. Request more funding from Congress with a "killer" Power Point presentation.
6. Wine & dine 'key' Congressmen, invite DOD & defense industry executives.
7. Receive funding, set up new command and assemble assets.
8. Declare the assets "strategic" and never deploy them operationally.
9. Hurry to make 13:45 tee-time.
10. Make sure the base is as far as possible from the conflict -- but close enough to have tax exemption.

US Navy Rules
1. Go to Sea.
2. Drink Coffee.
3. Deploy Marines

Posted at 5:39 PM | Permalink
Comments (3)

Rush Limbaugh
Photo Credit:
Your Business BloggerHow can one objectively measure support for a subject?

A person a talk on and on about caring and commitment, but how would a third party measure the good intention? Or even, dare we say, the condition of the heart?

The measurable answer may be seen in two items:

A calendar

A checkbook

A simple review of these two artifacts will reveal how much one does care. (Or even You, Gentle Reader.)

By this measure we can note that Limbaugh cares more about the troops than Reid. It is clear where Limbaugh puts his time and his treasure.

Rush Limbaugh talks about supporting the troops on his program and with his personal visits.

Harry Reid talks about surrender.

Tom McMahon presents this simple idea simply. Conservatives like to keep score. (Conservatives still want victory.) See Tom's scorecard on Limbaugh and Reid.

Thank you (foot)notes:

See: This War is Lost; Incompetent Generals: A Letter To Liberal Democrat Harry Reid

Harry Reid Democrat: This War is Lost; LT Landaker died for nothing

Where can the Alert Reader support the troops? Please consider Soldiers' Angels. And see Enlist in Soldier's Angels

Even if you don't care for George Soros (and how he made jillions shorting the British pound) there is no doubt where his heart is.

Posted at 4:12 PM | Permalink
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The Washington Briefing hosted by the Family Research Council in Your Nation's Capital this weekend was a success.

Over 400 people were issued media credentials. The media hits are still being counted. The FRC straw poll was mentioned a half-dozen times on the FOX debate last night.

This just in from FRC,

...the Briefing was covered by well over 400 members of the media, including 31 bloggers. C-Span broadcast the event live gavel-to-gavel and camera crews from all five networks and countries including Norway, Italy, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the Netherlands were present. The Briefing ended up with over 1200 media "hits" -- 1000 stories in print, as well as 235 in television coverage.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Be sure to read Management of New Media: 4 Lessons From The Washington Briefing by Your Business Blogger

Also see evangelical outpost: Reflections on culture, politics, and religion from an evangelical worldview.

And visit: Dr. Charmaine Yoest

And another view at Another monkey put in charge of the zoo

Family Research Council: General Schedule

More at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 2:13 PM | Permalink
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Gary Bauer has an excellent analysis of how liberal Democrats behave in power. Their disrespectful behavior would not improve if another Clinton were in the White House.

Charmaine has given congressional testimony and Your Business Blogger has attended a number of congressional hearings. Hearings are usually conducted with decorum and respect and dignity. The high ceiling-ed hearing rooms are treated as sanctuaries; like churches. And people are mindful of being considerate and deferential.

But not these days.

Bauer, as usual, gets it right on yesterday's hearings -- and his message deserves a wide audience.

The Inmates Are Running The Asylum

I spent most of the day on Capitol Hill yesterday, meeting with members of Congress and discussing important issues. The terrain is familiar to me, though it can be hostile at times. I have worked in this town for three decades, served eight years in the Reagan administration and have been through some tough hearings myself.

But yesterday something happened that I have never seen before, and even the Washington Post felt compelled to report the “theatrics” on page A2 today, noting, “the lid came off” of the liberals’ anger during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.

Simply put, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Peter Pace were ambushed by radical activists and liberal Democrats on the committee. Senator Robert Byrd, chairman of the committee and the top recipient of campaign cash from MoveOn.org, whipped the audience into a frenzy. Here is an excerpt from the Washington Post:

“He [Byrd] invited the audience in the room to join him in heckling the witnesses [Secretary Gates and General Pace], creating a responsive Greek chorus.

“Byrd: Are we really seeking progress toward a stable, secure Iraq?
“Chorus: No!

“Byrd: Is our continuing occupation encouraging the Iraqi people to step up?
“Chorus: No!

“Byrd: Are Iraq's leaders doing the hard work necessary?
“Chorus: No!

“Emboldened, two dozen hecklers in the audience from the antiwar group Code Pink continued to shout at the witnesses and wave signs for the better part of an hour. Finally, after Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) challenged Pace on his view that homosexuality is immoral, the hearing collapsed as the hecklers shouted down the nation’s top military officer.

“...When the proceedings resu