Four years....

It has been some time since I posted anything on this blog - four years, give or take a couple of weeks.  I noticed a couple of things as I read my posts again.  First, I cannot spell or spell check myself.  Second, I was a little keyed-up when I wrote some of my posts.  Neither of these things are particularly surprising, but I am laughing a little at myself right now.  I am also wondering why I stopped this in the first place.   Blogging is fun. 

Alfred Vukosa - 9.11.01

The information below was originally posted on 09/11/06 as part of the "Project 2996." I am updating and reposting it in memory of Alfred Vukosa and all the other victims of that dreadful day.

Today I remember Alfred Vukosa. Alfred was the typical American family man. He meet his wife Annette on the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Annette's family was Guyanese and Alfred's was Croatian. According to his wife, Alfred learned about Hinduism and blended into her family. Alfred and Annette were close to their families, both of which lived in New York.

Annette and Alfred made their home in Brooklyn, where they raised their two sons, Adam and Austin. According to the people who knew Alfred, he was devoted to his family and loved spending time with them. His sons looked forward to his returning home from work because he would take them on walks. He also enjoyed taking his family on vacation, and traveled to Hawaii, Aruba, Puerto Rico, and Disney World in Florida. Like so many Americans, Alfred was a man with dreams and was striving to reach them. He loved computers and technology and was earning a degree in computer engineering. Often Alfred and his oldest son Austin would do their "homework" together. He was employed at Cantor Fitzgerald, whose offices were on the 103rd floor of Tower One at the World Trade Center, as an Information Technology Specialist.

On September 11, 2001, Alfred went to work as usual and became one of the 2,996 who perished that day. His niece Stacy Lalman said the following of him: "I truly thought that he would get out because he was a very strong man; but I also believed that if he had the opportunity; he would rather try to help someone else's life than his own!" His wife remembered him as a man who, "was always there to please us." She says that "he was a good husband."

Alfred Vukosa was a hard working man who loved his family and was motivated to improve his life and theirs. His family was a melting pot of people from different ends of the earth who blended together in love and support. He was an ordinary American who in so many ways epitomized the American Dream. On this, the 7th anniversary of 9/11, let us remember the way he lived his life. A life that stands in stark contrast to those of the terrorist who sought to destroy American by murdering men and women like Alfred Vukosa.

My sources of information about Alfred Vukosa are here and here.

Welcome Home!

The three American hostages who were freed from the FARC yesterday are now home. They arrived at Lackland Airforce Base in Texas late last night. Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes were held for over five years by the FARC. Here are the details.

It's not often that one opens a newspaper or watches the news on TV and smiles. Thank God they are finally free. Welcome home guys and happy 4th of July!

She's Free

My mouth about fell open when I saw the headline on MSNBC. Ingrid Betancourt has finally been rescued by the Colombian government. Here is the story.

The Urbie government deserves to be commended for all it has done not only in driving back the narco-terrorist group FARC but also in for the stability that is coming back to that country. Now if only our glorious Madam Speaker and her fellow party members would remove their ideological blinders and acknowledge this.

Ingrid Betancourt has been held by FARC since February 2002. I cannot begin to imagine the nightmare that she went through, not to mention what her family has gone through. Thank God she's finally free.

Endangered Species

As if one needed further proof that real journalism is an endangered species, the LA Times has printed what has to be the one of the most frivolous stories about a Presidential candidate in the history of the press. Do John McCain's injuries from his years as a POW in Vietnam seriously raise fitness questions in any one's head?

FDR was crippled from polio and successfully lead this country through WWII. While I think his policies ultimately prolonged the Great Depression, he did give real hope to many Americans that there was a light at the end of the tunnel during that dark time. Not Barak Obama hope, real hope.

So far the biggest concerns about McCain in print seem to revolve around his age, temper, a bit of gossip about an affair with a lobbyist, and now physical fitness. The man's schedule on the campaign trail would tax me, and I'm about a third of his age. (Maybe his energy and his reported temper come from the same internal source? Just a thought). I think he's physically up to the challenge in spite of his age and injuries. Is this really the most serious concern about McCain as a potential President? Members of his political part have raised more legitimate concerns.

(Hat tip: Blackfive)

Is Convenience a Right?

I read this and wanted to scream. Convenience is not a right and the current growth in the number of canceled and delayed fights cannot be simply explained by accusing the airlines of not caring about the consumer.

I never flew prior to 9/11, so I expect delays and inconvenience and lost baggage and I still love to fly every chance I get. I've been told I have no idea how different flying used to be, which is true. I don't doubt that it could be so much better, but flying is a privilege and privileges are not rights!

Mostly, I don't like the idea of Congress passing a "bill of rights" for air travelers because it muddies the waters so to speak. A right is something that you have by virtue of your existence as a human being. It cannot be taken away and when infringed upon is an injustice. Things such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are rights.

However, no passenger should have his or her health recklessly endangered by a travel service that they have paid handsomely to use; and sitting on the tarmac for 9 plus hours in the heat with little food or water and poor toilet facilities is a potential health risk. If Congress wants to ensure that delays do not risk someone health more power to them, but for the love of all that's good a sane don't call that legislation a "bill of rights." Safety regulations are just that, regulations.

When we start describing things that are not basic human rights as rights we degrade the value of our real rights and create a lack of moral clarity about what our rights truly are. If we are to preserve our rights for future generations we need to stop calling everything we want a right.

Stranger than Fiction

Just when you think you have read every conceivable type of story in the news you come across something like this. What in the world?

A Little Humor Makes an Election Year Tolerable

I came across the list below on the 101 Funny Jokes website and thought it entirely appropriate for this election season as just about every other ridiculous statement has been made about or by the candidates.

Top Ten Things Never Before Said by a Presidential Candidate
10. "Vote for me or I'll slash your tires"
9. "Forget universal health care -- I'm buying every American an XBox"
8. "In a crisis I ask myself, 'What would Tony Danza do?'
7. "I'd give you my plan for economic recovery if I wasn't rip stinkin' drunk"
6. "If your last name begins with 'M' through 'Z,' sorry -- your taxes are doubling"
5. "We're gonna cut the deficit by selling North Dakota to Canada"
4. "I have tons of experience from being president of the Burt Reynolds fan club"
3. "Lady, that is one ugly baby"
2. "When I'm president, I'm putting Regis on Mt. Rushmore"
1. "Read my lips: no new wardrobe malfunctions"

I voted #5 for comment most likely to be made by McCain, #9 for Obama, and #10 for Hillary. Just joking folks. Well mostly.

Governor Spitzer's downfall

Earlier today the governor of the state of New York, Eliot Spitzer, admitted that he was involved in a prostitution ring. So much for the man who took on crime and corruption. This sort of hypocrisy no longer surprises me.

I feel very sorry for his wife and family. The next few weeks and months will be terrible for them. It won't be so great for the citizens of New York state either. Is it too much to expect that elected officals obey the law?

Obama and Clinton

I don't care what his wife says, Obama will never make me give up my cynicism nor does he have the right to. Ratchet down the hyperbole, please. Besides, cynics are right most of the time. Saying that might not win elections, but its true.

Clinton is funny when she's snarky. I'd mock Obama too. I don't know how she refrains from it most of the time. He's so full of pretty ideas and thoughts and not so full of a realistic understanding of the world around him. In a presidential candidate that is laughable. Does that make me petty too? Oh well.

Why does hope draw in so many supporters/followers for Obama? Are we that hopeless? We have our problems, but most of the world does not have a fraction of our wealth, freedom, or opportunities. Why are we acting like we are living during the Great Depression? I like hope too, but real hope. The kind that comes from good solutions to real problems.

A Year and A Day

So, it's been exactly one year and a day since I posted anything on this blog. I don't really remember why I decided to quit, but I could never bring myself to click on that "delete" button.

Now I find myself eager to blog again. Maybe it's the election year and my growing frustration at the rhetoric of a certain sect of my own party and the hollow "change" and "hope" talk of the opposing party that has me ready to blog again.

Either way my renewed desire to blog will most likely be met with little excitement as I had only a handful of readers. (Is blogging to a non-existent audience a cyber form of talking to one's self?) Still, it is fun and on the off chance that I do have readers/comments again I'm going to list my blog commenting rules again.

Rule 1: No comments with profanity, threats of violence, racial slurs, or anything else designed harass and intimidate. I do not tolerate verbal bullying.

Rule 2: No comments with links that are product or service advertisements. My blog does not exist to help random strangers sell vacations or Viagra.

Rule 3: I love debate and those who comment are free to disagree with me and other who comment. However, you are expected to treat others with respect. And yes, I will be the judge of when you have broken Rule 3 without breaking Rule 1.

As always I apologize in advance about the grammar/spelling errors I may fail to catch from time to time.

Amazing Grace

I don't usually write a review or recommendation of a movie or book on my blog, but I'm making an exception for the film Amazing Grace. I saw this movie on Friday and loved it.

The film is about William Wilberforce and the movement to abolish the slave trade in the British empire. It is well acted and very moving. The horrors of the slave trade are discussed more than they are actually show, which is think is a flaw of the film, so it has a rating of PG and is suitable for pre-teen children.

The movie's official website has a link to the Amazing Change Campaign. Slavery is alive and well in much of today's world. Go visit the website and learn how you can continue the work of people like William Wilberforce.

Why I Respect Joe Lieberman

Courtesy of NRO here is the text of the speech that Joe Lieberman delivered on the Senate floor. If ever there was a democrat that I would vote for in a presidential race, Joe Lieberman is it.

Sadly, his speech will largely fall on deaf ears. What we are witnessing in Congress is a monumental failure of will. Most in Congress lack the will to fight or to out-rightly quit, and the will to do anything but complain. What happened to the resolution and the unity after 9/11?

I believe we have a moral responsibility to finish what we started in Iraq. We also owe it to our soldiers to do what is reasonable and necessary to win. If we cannot find the fortitude to do that we should not be asking our soldiers to still be in harms way.

Update on Nazanin

Iran is not going to execute Nazanin Fatehi after all. She has been exonerated from the bogus murder charge, but her act of self-defense against attempted rape was ruled to be too "excessive." She has to pay the family of the dead man for his death.

Nazanin still sits in prison while her lawyers appeal the ruling that she pay "blood money." An effort is currently underway to raise the bail money needed to secure her release. For more information go here.

Nazanin is alive today due to international pressure, yet I have heard no out cry among America's main stream media or feminist organizations? Why the silence? Why can I read about this from NRO but not the New York Times? According to the helpnazanin.com website, some main stream media outlets reported on the story, but I've not seen the sort of outrage that you'd think this story should have provoked. I guess the only human rights abuse stories that merit front page coverage are those that involve American soldiers.

Death Watch

According to the latest news, the execution of Saddam Hussein will take place with in the hour. In typical cable news fashion, several commentators are discussing "the issue." Most seem to agree that he was given his day in court and that his crimes warrant death. The fact that anyone would question whether or not the death penalty is the right course action baffles me.

An elected Iraqi government will execute a man who brutally oppressed his country men for decades in an orderly and dispassionate manner. This is justice.

UPDATE

As of 9:10 CT, 6:10 Baghdad time, Al-Arabiya is reporting that Saddam Hussein was executed 10 mins ago.

Why am I not surprised?

I knew it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. President Ford, who was a Republican, has passed away. Therefore, it must be time for some extremist ideology to begin making outrageous claims about him.

Enter Cindy Sheehan. Apparently in her world Ford is responsible for the war in Iraq because he pardoned Nixon. That pardon is responsible for every President since then thinking he is above the law. Here is the full text of her latest break from reality.

This statement is about as logical as saying "Birds fly, and I flew in a plane; therefore, I am a bird." I wish I could run around making stupid comments all the day long and still be covered by the media like I was the next Martin Luther King Jr.

There was a time when I felt sorry for Cindy Sheehan. She seemed blinded by her grief. I'd imagine that if anything would turn me into a peace activist, losing my child in war would. Then she started making a host of fanatical statements, camping out in Crawford and visiting people like Hugo Chavez. I have no pity left for her. She is a disgrace to her son's memory.


Hat tip: Wizbang

Merry Christmas!

I know I am a day late, but I wanted to wish the few people who read this blog a Merry Christmas. I was away from a computer all Christmas day and did not get to post any Holiday greetings.

Personally, December 26 is my least favorite day of the year. All the excitement is over. Oh well, time to make those New Year's Resolutions. Maybe I will manage to keep one in 2007, LOL.

Michael Yon/HFM Update

According to the New York Post, HFM (Hachette Filipacchi Media) is canceling Shock Magazine. The details of the story are here. I imagine HFM is regretting the day it used Michael Yon's photograph with out permission. It's unfortunate that HFM still plans on keeping Shock on line, but the fact that Shock magazine will no longer be on any shelves makes me smile.

Many people participated in Michael Yon's campaign against HFM, its distributors, and the businesses that refused to pull Shock magazine off their shelves. It's great to see that the efforts paid off and that individuals can get involved and make a difference.

I hope this sends a message to all the magazine and papers who have violated the copy rights of photographers because most of them will not fight a legal battle over a picture that is worth a few hundred dollars at the most. You can't step on the little guys forever.

Hat tip : Pajamas Media

Giving Thanks

Today is the day that most of the people in American eat more food in a few hours than many in this world eat in a week. To say that I have many things to be grateful for is an understatement. I have freedom, family, health, a good job, abundant opportunities, and a myriad of small, daily blessings. Today is the day that American’s are supposed to stop and give thanks, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving I would like to express my appreciation to several people.

First, I must give thanks to God for all He has blessed me with; blessings that I often fail to see in anything but hind-sight. Everything that I have, I have by His good grace.

Second, I would like to thank my parents who have made more sacrifices than I can count on my behalf. I cannot say thank you to the two of you enough.

Third, I would like to thank the men and women who serve their country or their communities as members of the U.S. military, law enforcement, and fire departments. Your sacrifices are not forgotten.

Finally, I would like to thank the rest of my family and friends for there constant support and encouragement; especially my sister who has done so many things for me over the years.

Straw Poll

Below is the link for the GOP Bloggers Straw Poll for 2008. Go cast you vote.

GOP Bloggers Straw Poll 2008