I am back on my Bible reading. I still hope to get the whole Bible read in twelve months. This week, I finished reading the Book of Revelation, and read the Books of Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and part of Zechariah. I plan to go by "the book", and I found the following interesting Bible verses about government policy:
"Walk humbly and do what is right; perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you from his wrath in that day of doom." Zephaniah 2:3.
"Tell them to be honest and fair--and not to take bribes--and to be merciful and kind to everyone. Tell them to stop oppressing widows and orphans, foreigners and poor people, and to stop plotting evil against each other." Zechariah 7:8-10.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Afghan soldier kills three US troops!
"Afghan soldier kills three US troops
"Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:15AM GMT
"LAST UPDATE
MSH/HJL/MA
US-led forces in Afghanistan (file photo)
"An Afghan soldier has opened fire on American troops, killing at least three of them and injuring five others in western Afghanistan, Press TV reports.
"Local sources told Press TV that the attack took place on Saturday evening at a training base in Pusht-Rod district of the western province of Farah after a quarrel between Afghan army soldiers and US-led foreign troops.
"An Afghan army soldier was killed and another was injured in the assault, the governor of Posht-Rod said.
"Most of the foreing troops stationed in Pusht-Rod are from the US.
"The incident is the latest in a string of attacks by Afghan security personnel on foreign forces.
"In a similar incident in November, an Afghan army soldier injured at least three US-led Australian soldiers in southern Uruzgan province.
"In April, an Afghan military pilot opened fire on US-led forces at Kabul airport, leaving eight foreign soldiers dead.
"The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 with the stated goal of dismantling the al-Qaeda militants, toppling the Taliban regime, democratizing the country and restoring security to the nation.
"A decade after the invasion, security situation remains fragile in Afghanistan despite the presence of around 140,000 US-led foreign forces in the Asian country.
"Civilian casualties caused by US-led military operations have triggered deep anger among Afghans, prompting demonstrations throughout the country.
"The United States and the NATO leaders have set 2014 as the date to hand over security to local authorities in Afghanistan.
"MSH/HJL/MA
IT'S TIME TO BRING HOME THE AMERICAN TROOPS NOW FROM AFGHANISTAN. ONE MORE VICTORY LIKE THIS AND WE ARE FINISHED. WE ARE LOSING TOO MANY U.S. TROOPS TO FRIENDLY FIRE. IT'S TIME TO BRING THE TROOPS HOME ALIVE! KENNETH STEPP
"Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:15AM GMT
"LAST UPDATE
MSH/HJL/MA
"An Afghan soldier has opened fire on American troops, killing at least three of them and injuring five others in western Afghanistan, Press TV reports.
"Local sources told Press TV that the attack took place on Saturday evening at a training base in Pusht-Rod district of the western province of Farah after a quarrel between Afghan army soldiers and US-led foreign troops.
"An Afghan army soldier was killed and another was injured in the assault, the governor of Posht-Rod said.
"Most of the foreing troops stationed in Pusht-Rod are from the US.
"The incident is the latest in a string of attacks by Afghan security personnel on foreign forces.
"In a similar incident in November, an Afghan army soldier injured at least three US-led Australian soldiers in southern Uruzgan province.
"In April, an Afghan military pilot opened fire on US-led forces at Kabul airport, leaving eight foreign soldiers dead.
"The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 with the stated goal of dismantling the al-Qaeda militants, toppling the Taliban regime, democratizing the country and restoring security to the nation.
"A decade after the invasion, security situation remains fragile in Afghanistan despite the presence of around 140,000 US-led foreign forces in the Asian country.
"Civilian casualties caused by US-led military operations have triggered deep anger among Afghans, prompting demonstrations throughout the country.
"The United States and the NATO leaders have set 2014 as the date to hand over security to local authorities in Afghanistan.
"MSH/HJL/MA
IT'S TIME TO BRING HOME THE AMERICAN TROOPS NOW FROM AFGHANISTAN. ONE MORE VICTORY LIKE THIS AND WE ARE FINISHED. WE ARE LOSING TOO MANY U.S. TROOPS TO FRIENDLY FIRE. IT'S TIME TO BRING THE TROOPS HOME ALIVE! KENNETH STEPP
Obama still on top in the polls!
Daily Kos
ELECTIONS
"Dec 23, 2011 at 08:38 PM PST.
"Gingrich bounces off of the floor
"by Steve Singiser.
"Reposted from Daily Kos Elections by David Nir
"With the Christmas weekend approaching, it has been a quiet few days of polling (made more quiet by the absence of the Wrap yesterday, for which I apologize). But one thing we can see from the limited array of data available is that the Gingrich swoon has levelled off. He remains competitive in a nominally Romney-centric early state (Nevada), he remains locked within striking distance in Iowa (granted, it's an ARG! poll, but still), and, most tellingly, Gingrich has stayed out in front of the Gallup daily tracking poll, and actually clings to a slightly larger lead that he held at the start of the week.
"As for the president, the small spate of general election polling seems to hint that Obama is benefitting from his battles with the Republicans in Congress.
"But before we get to that news, let's first examine the primary election polling that has accumulated in the ol' in-box over the last couple of days.
"NATIONAL (Gallup Tracking): Gingrich 26, Romney 22, Paul 13, Perry 8, Bachmann 6, Santorum 3, Huntsman 1
"IOWA (American Research Group): Paul 21, Romney 20, Gingrich 19, Perry 9, Bachmann 8, Huntsman 6, Santorum 4, Roemer 1
"NEVADA (Univ. of Nevada/LVRJ): Romney 33, Gingrich 29, Paul 13, Bachmann 5, Huntsman 3, Perry 3, Santorum 3
"NEW YORK (Quinnipiac): Gingrich 29, Romney 26, Paul 9, Huntsman 5, Bachmann 4, Santorum 3, Perry 1
"As for those general election numbers:
"NATIONAL (Rasmussen): Obama d. Romney (44-41); Obama d. Bachmann (48-35)
"NEVADA (Univ. of Nevada/LVRJ): Obama d. Romney (46-40); Obama d. Paul (45-36); Obama d. Gingrich (47-35); Obama d. Santorum (49-31); Obama d. Huntsman (49-30); Obama d. Perry (51-31); Obama d. Bachmann (50-27)
"NEW YORK (Quinnipiac): Obama d. Romney (53-35); Obama d. Gingrich (55-32)"
It looks like Obama is still on top. Where is the heart of the Republican Party? Can Conservatives and neocons close ranks after the primaries? Stay tuned. Elect More Democrats!
ELECTIONS
"Dec 23, 2011 at 08:38 PM PST.
"Gingrich bounces off of the floor
"by Steve Singiser.
"Reposted from Daily Kos Elections by David Nir
"With the Christmas weekend approaching, it has been a quiet few days of polling (made more quiet by the absence of the Wrap yesterday, for which I apologize). But one thing we can see from the limited array of data available is that the Gingrich swoon has levelled off. He remains competitive in a nominally Romney-centric early state (Nevada), he remains locked within striking distance in Iowa (granted, it's an ARG! poll, but still), and, most tellingly, Gingrich has stayed out in front of the Gallup daily tracking poll, and actually clings to a slightly larger lead that he held at the start of the week.
"As for the president, the small spate of general election polling seems to hint that Obama is benefitting from his battles with the Republicans in Congress.
"But before we get to that news, let's first examine the primary election polling that has accumulated in the ol' in-box over the last couple of days.
"NATIONAL (Gallup Tracking): Gingrich 26, Romney 22, Paul 13, Perry 8, Bachmann 6, Santorum 3, Huntsman 1
"IOWA (American Research Group): Paul 21, Romney 20, Gingrich 19, Perry 9, Bachmann 8, Huntsman 6, Santorum 4, Roemer 1
"NEVADA (Univ. of Nevada/LVRJ): Romney 33, Gingrich 29, Paul 13, Bachmann 5, Huntsman 3, Perry 3, Santorum 3
"NEW YORK (Quinnipiac): Gingrich 29, Romney 26, Paul 9, Huntsman 5, Bachmann 4, Santorum 3, Perry 1
"As for those general election numbers:
"NATIONAL (Rasmussen): Obama d. Romney (44-41); Obama d. Bachmann (48-35)
"NEVADA (Univ. of Nevada/LVRJ): Obama d. Romney (46-40); Obama d. Paul (45-36); Obama d. Gingrich (47-35); Obama d. Santorum (49-31); Obama d. Huntsman (49-30); Obama d. Perry (51-31); Obama d. Bachmann (50-27)
"NEW YORK (Quinnipiac): Obama d. Romney (53-35); Obama d. Gingrich (55-32)"
It looks like Obama is still on top. Where is the heart of the Republican Party? Can Conservatives and neocons close ranks after the primaries? Stay tuned. Elect More Democrats!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas! I pass this on to you what I received from David Maggard.
Christmas at the Gas Station
The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.
Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go."
"Not without something hot in your belly." George said. He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."
Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front.. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.
"You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.
"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."
George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.
George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.
"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln . They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.
As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."
George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.
"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."
The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.
He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."
George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."
George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.
"None for me," said the officer..
"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.
The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.
"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.
"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."
The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"
The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."
He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."
George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."
George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."
He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."
The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."
"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.
George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer. 'Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"
"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man. Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran." George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.
"Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."
The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?" Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."
"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."
George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."
The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you." "And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."
George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours." The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier. "And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."
The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good." "Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."
George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?" "I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"
"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."
The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."
George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.
"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."
The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned." George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.
"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas." George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"
This story is better than any greeting card.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!
Now clear the lump from your throat, blow your nose, and send this along to a friend of yours or someone who may need a reminder as to why we celebrate Christmas.
The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.
Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go."
"Not without something hot in your belly." George said. He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."
Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front.. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.
"You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.
"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."
George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.
George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.
"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln . They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.
As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."
George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.
"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."
The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.
He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."
George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."
George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.
"None for me," said the officer..
"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.
The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.
"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.
"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."
The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"
The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."
He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."
George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."
George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."
He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."
The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."
"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.
George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer. 'Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"
"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man. Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran." George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.
"Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."
The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?" Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."
"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."
George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."
The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you." "And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."
George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours." The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier. "And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."
The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good." "Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."
George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?" "I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"
"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."
The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."
George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.
"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."
The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned." George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.
"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas." George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"
This story is better than any greeting card.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!
Now clear the lump from your throat, blow your nose, and send this along to a friend of yours or someone who may need a reminder as to why we celebrate Christmas.
The slaying of America's youth continues!
"Longview soldier killed in Afghanistan
"The family of a Longview woman serving with the Army in Afghanistan says she was shot and killed Wednesday in a guard tower.
"The Associated Press
"LONGVIEW, Wash. —
"The family of a Longview woman serving with the Army in Afghanistan says she was shot and killed Wednesday in a guard tower.
"The stepmother of 21-year-old Spc. Mikayla Anne Bragg told The Daily News ( http://is.gd/69n5zi) she had been scheduled to leave Afghanistan and return to the United States on Jan. 6.
The Defense Department has not confirmed the death.
The stepmother, Amber Bragg of Longview, said Bragg's father, Steve Bragg, flew to Dover Air Force Base to identify the body.
Mikayla Bragg joined the Army after graduating from Mark Morris High School in 2008. She was deployed in August from Fort Knox in Kentucky to Afghanistan as truck driver with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Her mother, Sheyanne Baker, lives in Shelton.
Information from: The Daily News, http://www.tdn.com"
The slaying of America's youth in Afghanistan continues. It is time to bring them home alive. Let's bring home the American troops from Afghanistan now. Kenneth Stepp salutes Mikayla Bragg who gave the supreme sacrifice for America.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Joe Biden praises basic dignity, fairness, and opportunity!
Mitt Romney: Joe Biden's vision of dignity and opportunity is 'a fantasyland'by Laura Clawson .
Reposted from Daily Kos Labor by Laura Clawson
(White House Photo)Vice President Joe Biden,
writing in the Des Moines Register:
"The president and I firmly believe, like my father, that every man and woman is entitled to basic dignity. And we believe deeply in opportunity — that if you work hard and play by the rules, no opportunity should be out of reach. That is a fundamentally different vision than what the other side has proposed. [...]
"We believe in reducing the deficit in a fair, balanced and responsible way. They refuse to raise taxes on millionaires and billionaires to reduce the deficit, even if they are given $10 dollars in spending cuts for every $1 in tax increases. [...]
"Quite simply, the president and I believe this country succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot, when everyone does their fair share, and when everyone plays by the same rules. That is how we define opportunity. It’s an America where everyone has a fair chance to go as far as their talents and drive will take them, and where the middle class is growing, not shrinking.
"GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's response:
"Romney said Biden and President Barack Obama don't "understand from fantasyland what it's like in real America."
"Well ... what Biden wrote was explicitly aspirational. But basic dignity, fairness and opportunity are a fantasy Mitt Romney wants to mock?"
I agree with Joe Biden and Barak Obama! I'm in favor of basic dignity, fairness, and opportunity! It's too bad the Republicans can't get on board for this basic Democratic belief! Kenneth Stepp.
Kenneth Stepp salutes Pvt. Jalfred D. Vaquerano, 20, of Apopka, Florida.
3:34 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011
Fort Bliss soldier dies in Afghanistan
Facebook By Jamel E. Valencia
Fort Bliss
FORT BLISS, Texas —
The death of a Fort Bliss soldier was announced Wednesday.
Pvt. Jalfred D. Vaquerano, 20, of Apopka, Fla., died on Tuesday in Landstuhl, Germany.
Officials with the Department of Defense said Vaquerano suffered injuries from an enemy small-arms fire while deployed in Logar province, Afghanistan.
Kenneth Stepp salutes Pvt. Jalfred D. Vaquerano, 20, of Apopka, Florida. The President said we had "one war to end, and one war to win." He has announced we ended our participation in the war in Iraq. Now, we still have troops in Afghanistan. Let us pray for the Vaquerano family of Apopka Florida as this foreign war continues to cost more American lives. Kenneth Stepp.
Fort Bliss soldier dies in Afghanistan
Facebook By Jamel E. Valencia
Fort Bliss
FORT BLISS, Texas —
The death of a Fort Bliss soldier was announced Wednesday.
Pvt. Jalfred D. Vaquerano, 20, of Apopka, Fla., died on Tuesday in Landstuhl, Germany.
Officials with the Department of Defense said Vaquerano suffered injuries from an enemy small-arms fire while deployed in Logar province, Afghanistan.
It's the Economy. Thank the lord that you live in a country with a good economy!
The United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe all have good economies. They also have good school systems. Thank the Lord that you live in a country with a good economy. Kenneth Stepp.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Al Franken on National Defense Authorization Act.
"Al Franken.U.S. Senator, Minnesota
"GET UPDATES FROM Al Franken
"Why I Voted Against the National Defense Authorization Act
Posted: 12/16/11 03:09 PM ET React Important
"Yesterday, the Senate passed a bill that includes provisions on detention that I found simply unacceptable. These provisions are inconsistent with the liberties and freedoms that are at the core of the system our Founders established. And while I did in fact vote for an earlier version of the legislation, I did so with the hope that the final version would be significantly improved. That didn't happen, and so I could not support the final bill.
"The bill that passed on Thursday included several problematic provisions, the worst of which could allow the military to detain Americans indefinitely, without charge or trial, even if they're captured in the U.S.
"At their core, these provisions will radically alter how we investigate, arrest, and detain individuals suspected of terrorism. What's more, they could undermine the safety of our troops stationed abroad, and they introduce new and unnecessary uncertainty into our counterterrorism efforts.
"But before I get into the details of why I opposed these detainee provisions, I think it is important to recognize that September 11th irrevocably and unalterably changed our lives. I was in Minnesota that terrible day. A number of Minnesotans died -- in the towers, in the air, and at the Pentagon. In New York in the months following the attacks, I attended the funerals of brave firefighters and law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives to help rescue Americans from the towers. I can't shake those images from my mind, and I am guessing like many of you, I won't ever be able to erase the horrors of September 11th from my head.
"But it is exactly in these difficult moments, in these periods of war, when our country is under attack, that we must be doubly vigilant about protecting what makes us Americans.
"The Founders who crafted our Constitution and Bill of Rights were careful to draft a Constitution of limited powers -- one that would protect Americans' liberty at all times -- both in war, and in peace.
"As we reflect on what this bill will do, I think it is important to pause and remember some of the mistakes this country has made when we have been fearful of enemy attack.
"Most notably, we made a grave, indefensible mistake during World War II, when President Roosevelt ordered the incarceration of more than 110,000 people of Japanese origin, as well as approximately 11,000 German-Americans and 3,000 Italian-Americans.
"In 1971, President Richard Nixon signed into law the Non-Detention Act to make sure the U.S. government would never again subject any Americans to the unnecessary and unjustifiable imprisonment that so many Japanese-Americans, German-Americans, and Italian-Americans had to endure. It wasn't until 1988, 46 years after the internment, when President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, that the government formally acknowledged and apologized for the grave injustice that was done to citizens and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry.
"These were dark, dark periods in American history. And it is easy today to think that is all behind us.
"But I fear the detention provisions in the bill forget the lessons we learned from the mistakes we made when we interned thousands of innocent Japanese, Germans, and Italians.
"With this defense authorization act, Congress will, for the first time in 60 years, authorize the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens without charge or trial, according to its advocates. This would be the first time that Congress has deviated from President Nixon's Non-Detention Act. And what we are talking about here is that Americans could be subjected to life imprisonment without ever being charged, tried, or convicted of a crime, without ever having an opportunity to prove their innocence to a judge or a jury of their peers. And without the government ever having to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
"I think that denigrates the very foundations of this country. It denigrates the Bill of Rights. It denigrates what our Founders intended when they created a civilian, non-military justice system for trying and punishing people for crimes committed on U.S. soil. Our Founders were fearful of the military--and they purposely created a system of checks and balances to ensure we did not become a country under military rule. This bill undermines that core principle, which is why I could not support it.
"Yesterday was the anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, and this wasn't the way to mark its birthday."
I agree with Al Franken. We shouldn't scrap the Bill of Rights. Sure, they don't have Bills of Rights in the Muslim Countries nor the remaining Communist Countries, but we should never stoop to their level. It's time to remove from office Hal Rogers, and the other members of the two houses of Congress that support such trampling on Constitutional liberty. Sure, se can stop terrorism, but we don't need to don black shirts or brown shirts to do it. Oust the supporters of the National Defense Authorization Act in its present form. Vote for true Democrats that support the Constitution. Kenneth Stepp.
"GET UPDATES FROM Al Franken
"Why I Voted Against the National Defense Authorization Act
Posted: 12/16/11 03:09 PM ET React Important
"Yesterday, the Senate passed a bill that includes provisions on detention that I found simply unacceptable. These provisions are inconsistent with the liberties and freedoms that are at the core of the system our Founders established. And while I did in fact vote for an earlier version of the legislation, I did so with the hope that the final version would be significantly improved. That didn't happen, and so I could not support the final bill.
"The bill that passed on Thursday included several problematic provisions, the worst of which could allow the military to detain Americans indefinitely, without charge or trial, even if they're captured in the U.S.
"At their core, these provisions will radically alter how we investigate, arrest, and detain individuals suspected of terrorism. What's more, they could undermine the safety of our troops stationed abroad, and they introduce new and unnecessary uncertainty into our counterterrorism efforts.
"But before I get into the details of why I opposed these detainee provisions, I think it is important to recognize that September 11th irrevocably and unalterably changed our lives. I was in Minnesota that terrible day. A number of Minnesotans died -- in the towers, in the air, and at the Pentagon. In New York in the months following the attacks, I attended the funerals of brave firefighters and law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives to help rescue Americans from the towers. I can't shake those images from my mind, and I am guessing like many of you, I won't ever be able to erase the horrors of September 11th from my head.
"But it is exactly in these difficult moments, in these periods of war, when our country is under attack, that we must be doubly vigilant about protecting what makes us Americans.
"The Founders who crafted our Constitution and Bill of Rights were careful to draft a Constitution of limited powers -- one that would protect Americans' liberty at all times -- both in war, and in peace.
"As we reflect on what this bill will do, I think it is important to pause and remember some of the mistakes this country has made when we have been fearful of enemy attack.
"Most notably, we made a grave, indefensible mistake during World War II, when President Roosevelt ordered the incarceration of more than 110,000 people of Japanese origin, as well as approximately 11,000 German-Americans and 3,000 Italian-Americans.
"In 1971, President Richard Nixon signed into law the Non-Detention Act to make sure the U.S. government would never again subject any Americans to the unnecessary and unjustifiable imprisonment that so many Japanese-Americans, German-Americans, and Italian-Americans had to endure. It wasn't until 1988, 46 years after the internment, when President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, that the government formally acknowledged and apologized for the grave injustice that was done to citizens and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry.
"These were dark, dark periods in American history. And it is easy today to think that is all behind us.
"But I fear the detention provisions in the bill forget the lessons we learned from the mistakes we made when we interned thousands of innocent Japanese, Germans, and Italians.
"With this defense authorization act, Congress will, for the first time in 60 years, authorize the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens without charge or trial, according to its advocates. This would be the first time that Congress has deviated from President Nixon's Non-Detention Act. And what we are talking about here is that Americans could be subjected to life imprisonment without ever being charged, tried, or convicted of a crime, without ever having an opportunity to prove their innocence to a judge or a jury of their peers. And without the government ever having to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
"I think that denigrates the very foundations of this country. It denigrates the Bill of Rights. It denigrates what our Founders intended when they created a civilian, non-military justice system for trying and punishing people for crimes committed on U.S. soil. Our Founders were fearful of the military--and they purposely created a system of checks and balances to ensure we did not become a country under military rule. This bill undermines that core principle, which is why I could not support it.
"Yesterday was the anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, and this wasn't the way to mark its birthday."
I agree with Al Franken. We shouldn't scrap the Bill of Rights. Sure, they don't have Bills of Rights in the Muslim Countries nor the remaining Communist Countries, but we should never stoop to their level. It's time to remove from office Hal Rogers, and the other members of the two houses of Congress that support such trampling on Constitutional liberty. Sure, se can stop terrorism, but we don't need to don black shirts or brown shirts to do it. Oust the supporters of the National Defense Authorization Act in its present form. Vote for true Democrats that support the Constitution. Kenneth Stepp.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Indefinite Military Detention of U.S. Citizens!
"Michael McAuliff
"mike.mcauliff@huffingtonpost.com
"Indefinite Military Detention: Revised Defense Bill Still Gives President Authority To Lock Up Citizens
First Posted: 12/13/11 02:27 PM ET Updated: 12/13/11 03:30 PM ET
"WASHINGTON -- Congress would give the president ultimate authority to detain American citizens indefinitely in military custody under the final version of a defense bill expected to pass this week.
"The National Defense Authorization Act was facing the threat of a presidential veto after the White House complained that it restricted the administration's ability to fight terrorism and raised "serious and unsettled legal questions." The conference committee working out the differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill added and amended several provisions in an attempt to produce legislation that would pass muster with President Barack Obama, who appealed personally for fixes.
"But the version released Monday night still contains the authority to indefinitely imprison suspects linked to al Qaeda or associated groups, including citizens captured in the United States.
"We have [in the bill] the authority to detain without charge or trial terrorism suspects," said Raha Wala, a lawyer with the Law and Security Program of the group Human Rights First. "There aren't any material changes to the indefinite detention provision," he said in a conference call organized by the progressive National Security Network.
To try to meet the White House's concerns, lawmakers shifted the responsibility for granting waivers under the legislation from the Defense Department to the president. They also added language to state that civilian law enforcement retains the authority to investigate and interrogate terrorism suspects, even though the bill requires that those suspects be held by the military.
Opponents argued that although agencies like the FBI would still be allowed to investigate in theory, the compromise could prove unworkable in practice. They questioned how civilian authorities will work with their military counterparts, who could take over any terror-related case unless the president grants a waiver.
"What does that actually mean in practice?" asked Heather Hurlburt, executive director of the National Security Network. "It's unclear, and the people who have to implement it think it's unclear, and it's just inviting years of litigation. ... In some ways, it makes it even worse."
"The national security establishment really comprehensively rejects these provisions as representing the militarization of our justice system," Hurlburt added. "You're deliberately throwing things back into the courts, which is a very strange thing to be seeing."
Proponents have argued that the bill is designed is to spell out what is already being done so that there is less uncertainty surrounding counterterrorism efforts. They say that the military needs clear authority to ensure that the ever-changing terrorist threat can be met. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) declared as the Senate passed its version that the bill affirms that "the homeland is part of the battlefield."
In an effort to soothe those worried about American liberties, the Senate had already added a provision that said the detainee measure will not affect current law regarding Americans.
But current law remains unsettled. One American accomplice of al Qaeda who was held in military detention was Jose Padilla. An appeals court ruled that he could be held by the military, but the Bush administration transferred him to a civilian court before the issue advanced to the Supreme Court. Padilla was convicted in federal court, one of more than 400 such terrorism convictions since 9/11 that would, for the most part, become much more difficult under the latest legislation.
The bill also bars the expenditure of any funds to close the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison for terrorism suspects, which likely would have to be expanded to hold all the people who could no longer remain in the U.S. court system.
U.S. allies have already complained that they do not want to turn over suspects or information that leads to imprisonment at Guantanamo, Hurlburt said, arguing that such concerns are yet another roadblock to counterterrorism efforts.
White House officials were still weighing whether to veto the new bill, which authorizes the budget and sets policy for the Defense Department. The budget itself is expected to pass separately later this week in a larger legislative package to fund the government.
Opponents of the bill said the distinction between the budget and budget authorization is key because presidents have vetoed the authorization in the past, most recently in 2007, while funding still went forward, allowing the military to function.
"We're hoping the president reiterates his veto threat," said Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union. He argued that if President Obama signed the legislation, the authority to indefinitely detain suspects, including citizens, would become a permanent abridgment of rights.
"This would make this authority permanent. And given how broadly this definition of covered persons has been written, this is something that this president would have if he signs this into law. ... It also means that this is authority that any future president will have for decades to come," said Anders.
Even some members of the conference committee that produced the final bill were disturbed by the detention provisions.
"I do not support the two flawed detention provisions," said Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) in a statement Tuesday on the measure that was shepherded along by the top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and ranking member John McCain (R-Ariz.).
"I appreciate that Senators Levin and McCain heard the concerns I raised -- which were echoed by the Secretary of Defense, Director of National Intelligence and the directors of the FBI and CIA -- and made some changes to reduce the harm those provisions would do to national security," Udall said. "Those changes alleviate some, but not all, of my concerns. Therefore, when signing the conference report, I explicitly stated that I do not support sections 1021 and 1022 on detention."
The legislation is likely to pass the Senate and the House this week.
Michael McAuliff covers politics and Congress for The Huffington Post."
Previous posts show that the President has a license to kill. Less seriously, Congress in now giving the President a license to detain without trial indefinitely. It's time to kick Hal Rogers and his similar cronies out of office and replace them with some people who will work to undo the harm to civil liberties during the Bush-Cheney and Obama Administrations. Civil liberties and civil rights shall be restored!
--Kenneth Stepp
"mike.mcauliff@huffingtonpost.com
"Indefinite Military Detention: Revised Defense Bill Still Gives President Authority To Lock Up Citizens
First Posted: 12/13/11 02:27 PM ET Updated: 12/13/11 03:30 PM ET
"WASHINGTON -- Congress would give the president ultimate authority to detain American citizens indefinitely in military custody under the final version of a defense bill expected to pass this week.
"The National Defense Authorization Act was facing the threat of a presidential veto after the White House complained that it restricted the administration's ability to fight terrorism and raised "serious and unsettled legal questions." The conference committee working out the differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill added and amended several provisions in an attempt to produce legislation that would pass muster with President Barack Obama, who appealed personally for fixes.
"But the version released Monday night still contains the authority to indefinitely imprison suspects linked to al Qaeda or associated groups, including citizens captured in the United States.
"We have [in the bill] the authority to detain without charge or trial terrorism suspects," said Raha Wala, a lawyer with the Law and Security Program of the group Human Rights First. "There aren't any material changes to the indefinite detention provision," he said in a conference call organized by the progressive National Security Network.
To try to meet the White House's concerns, lawmakers shifted the responsibility for granting waivers under the legislation from the Defense Department to the president. They also added language to state that civilian law enforcement retains the authority to investigate and interrogate terrorism suspects, even though the bill requires that those suspects be held by the military.
Opponents argued that although agencies like the FBI would still be allowed to investigate in theory, the compromise could prove unworkable in practice. They questioned how civilian authorities will work with their military counterparts, who could take over any terror-related case unless the president grants a waiver.
"What does that actually mean in practice?" asked Heather Hurlburt, executive director of the National Security Network. "It's unclear, and the people who have to implement it think it's unclear, and it's just inviting years of litigation. ... In some ways, it makes it even worse."
"The national security establishment really comprehensively rejects these provisions as representing the militarization of our justice system," Hurlburt added. "You're deliberately throwing things back into the courts, which is a very strange thing to be seeing."
Proponents have argued that the bill is designed is to spell out what is already being done so that there is less uncertainty surrounding counterterrorism efforts. They say that the military needs clear authority to ensure that the ever-changing terrorist threat can be met. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) declared as the Senate passed its version that the bill affirms that "the homeland is part of the battlefield."
In an effort to soothe those worried about American liberties, the Senate had already added a provision that said the detainee measure will not affect current law regarding Americans.
But current law remains unsettled. One American accomplice of al Qaeda who was held in military detention was Jose Padilla. An appeals court ruled that he could be held by the military, but the Bush administration transferred him to a civilian court before the issue advanced to the Supreme Court. Padilla was convicted in federal court, one of more than 400 such terrorism convictions since 9/11 that would, for the most part, become much more difficult under the latest legislation.
The bill also bars the expenditure of any funds to close the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison for terrorism suspects, which likely would have to be expanded to hold all the people who could no longer remain in the U.S. court system.
U.S. allies have already complained that they do not want to turn over suspects or information that leads to imprisonment at Guantanamo, Hurlburt said, arguing that such concerns are yet another roadblock to counterterrorism efforts.
White House officials were still weighing whether to veto the new bill, which authorizes the budget and sets policy for the Defense Department. The budget itself is expected to pass separately later this week in a larger legislative package to fund the government.
Opponents of the bill said the distinction between the budget and budget authorization is key because presidents have vetoed the authorization in the past, most recently in 2007, while funding still went forward, allowing the military to function.
"We're hoping the president reiterates his veto threat," said Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union. He argued that if President Obama signed the legislation, the authority to indefinitely detain suspects, including citizens, would become a permanent abridgment of rights.
"This would make this authority permanent. And given how broadly this definition of covered persons has been written, this is something that this president would have if he signs this into law. ... It also means that this is authority that any future president will have for decades to come," said Anders.
Even some members of the conference committee that produced the final bill were disturbed by the detention provisions.
"I do not support the two flawed detention provisions," said Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) in a statement Tuesday on the measure that was shepherded along by the top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and ranking member John McCain (R-Ariz.).
"I appreciate that Senators Levin and McCain heard the concerns I raised -- which were echoed by the Secretary of Defense, Director of National Intelligence and the directors of the FBI and CIA -- and made some changes to reduce the harm those provisions would do to national security," Udall said. "Those changes alleviate some, but not all, of my concerns. Therefore, when signing the conference report, I explicitly stated that I do not support sections 1021 and 1022 on detention."
The legislation is likely to pass the Senate and the House this week.
Michael McAuliff covers politics and Congress for The Huffington Post."
Previous posts show that the President has a license to kill. Less seriously, Congress in now giving the President a license to detain without trial indefinitely. It's time to kick Hal Rogers and his similar cronies out of office and replace them with some people who will work to undo the harm to civil liberties during the Bush-Cheney and Obama Administrations. Civil liberties and civil rights shall be restored!
--Kenneth Stepp
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