Meet Steve Burton - the actor who portrays Jason Morgan, a mob hitman,  on the soap opera General Hospital.

H/T: Fiddle Dee Dee 

 Meet Rudy Reyes - a real hero -  not a fictional character on a soap opera. 

 Here are the iPhone specs - read and weep with joy.

iPhones retail at $499 and up - the opportunity to heckle Philadelphia's Mayor on his abysmal job performance -

PRICELESS 

Mayor John F. Street was among the first to get a coveted iPhone on Friday, waiting in line, on and off, for almost 15 hours and forced to defend the effort when a passer-by asked about the city's skyrocketing murder rate.

He left his spot around 11:30 a.m., soon after a 22-year-old man sporting a mohawk asked him, "How can you sit here with 200 murders in the city already?"

The mayor replied: "I'm doing my job."

Street had planned to stay in line for most of the day, waiting for the cell phones to go on sale, though he said he would to step out to make some appearances. He returned to his spot briefly around 2 p.m., then again at about 4 p.m.

H/T: Barnyard BBS 

Just so that you know - that I know - I'm way overdue in reviewing some recently watched movies;

Fight Club

Beowulf & Grendle

Annapolis

 The Holiday

The Devil Wears Prada (Actually, I prefer Calvin Klein)

Someone notify Harry Reid about this: 

Two months ago, a dozen Sunni insurgents — haggard, hungry and in handcuffs — stepped tentatively into a U.S.-Iraqi combat outpost near Baqouba and asked to speak to the commander: "We're out of ammunition, but we want to help you fight Al Qaeda."

Wait...I thought the surge wasn't working??

Is this a sign of the 'civil war' meme backfiring in the face of al-queda and their American allies -  the DNC? 

On this beautiful first day of summer my sister, Diane, her husband and son said their goodbyes to their beloved Greyhound, Isaiah. Earlier this week, he was diagnosed with advanced osteosarcoma. A bone cancer that frequently strikes Greyhounds and when diagnosed, the prognosis is poor.   He is pictured above with his constant side-kick, Peaches.  Isaiah raced into his forever home in April of 2000.  The entire family fell in love with this dog as we all helped him learn to live like a normal dog. Treats and toys were a complete mystery to this dog,  and stairs were a formidable challenge for him to overcome.  Slowly, Isaiah stepped out of his shell as he claimed my sister's couch as his personal space, and discovered that kitchen tables are just the right height for him to help himself to the food. His first public adventure was to attend a Greyhound adoption awareness rally during the 2000 Republican Convention in Philadelphia.  It was at this rally that my sister and Isaiah first met David Wolf, director of NGAP ( National Greyhound Adoption Program).

Since adopting a Greyhound, my sister has worked tirelessly in support of NGAP and in raising awareness of the inhumane nature of Greyhound racing.  Isaiah's lovable nature was an instant conversation starter, Diane credits his behavior as a fantastic way to communicate the message about the plight of racing Greyhounds.   Over the years, my sister has uncovered Isaiah's racing record, his parentage (he is half Irish) and the histories of some of his siblings.  The story she has pieced together is an anthology of the callousness of this so-called 'sport'  of dog racing.

Today Isaiah's family returned with him to NGAP, a place where he is known and loved, to gently release him into eternity.

 However, death is not the end of this tale..... 

After Isaiah had passed, Diane walked outside to the parking lot to clear her head while her husband made arrangements for cremation.  As she was walking , two women walking greyhounds came over and introduced themselves and their dogs to my sister.  She was astonished to discover one of the dogs was  Santa  .  Santa, a rescued greyhound who is up for adoption at NGAP and the same greyhound Diane and her family were considering adopting earlier this year.  

Of all the greyhounds that could have been there in that parking lot TODAY, Diane and Joe meet the one greyhound they were looking into adopting.  She believes someone or someDOG was sending them a message...

Godspeed, Isaiah - you will be missed. 

Blogger Turned Radio Host: 

Dee, blogmistress of Conservatism With Heart (formerly Chatterbox Chronicles) will be debuting her talk radio skills tomorrow morning. You can tune into the show by surfing to Togi Entertainment  and clicking on "radio" or head straight to the show by following this link: Conservatism With Heart.

Her show airs 9 am to 10 am Central Time,  and she is also set up to take callers at : 1-877-864-4869.

Tune in tomorrow for Conservatism With Heart - it's like candy for the mind! 

 "Within a decade, there will be no more 'Snows of Kilimanjaro.'" Al Gore - An Inconvenient Truth

"By the year 2020, there will be no snow left on Kilimanjaro, according to scientists, because of global warming, deforestation, human encroachment, all of that." - CNN Correspondent Jeff Koinange 08/20/2004

"...He took a photo of himself on the summit of Kilimanjaro in 1970 next to a 20ft high glacier at Uhuru Point. And 29 years later, his daughter was at the same point and there was only a trace of ice left. Maybe the people climbed up there and carted the ice off. I don't know." - Senator Hilary Clinton

 “As the photograph shows here, the snows of Kilimanjaro may soonexist only in literature"  - Senator John McCain

Uh-Huh, something tells me these esteemed 'galciologists' have never stepped foot on Mt. Kilimanjaro.  

Kilimanjaro is an example of when 'scientific consensus' does not equal scientific truth:

A joint Austrian-U.S. research team that took seven years of measurements from weather stations atop Africa's tallest mountain says that its ice fields will be around for another 30 to 40 years, while the glaciers on its slopes could last even longer.

Kilimanjaro's icepacks have been retreating since the 1800s, but "the vanishing of those glaciers between 2015 and 2020 as reported some years ago is definitely unrealistic," said study participant Thomas Moelg of the University of Innsbruck.

and...

The Center for Science and Public Policy issued a white paper refuting the claim of  melting glaciers at Kilimanjaro as evidence of human based global warming.

You can read the full document HERE

The cliff note version for those without copious amounts of free time can be found HERE

 and...

A study published in 2006 by AGU - American Geophysical Union, adds additional support to the idea that the glacial retreat in Kilimanjaro is a natural cycle.

Rapid retreat of slope glaciers at the beginning of the 20th century implies a strong departure from steady state conditions during this time. This strong imbalance can only be explained by a sudden shift in climate, which is not observed in the early 20th century. Results suggest glaciers on Kilimanjaro are merely remnants of a past climate rather than sensitive indicators of 20th century climate change.

We are not culprits, but simply witnesses to the glacier's decline, observers of the ebb and flow of the endless cycle of nature. I fully expect snow and glacier ice when I summit Kilimanjaro in 2008, despite Al's dire prediction.

Twenty years ago today, one of our nations finest Presidents spoke to the assembled crowds at the Brandenburg Gate, West Berlin, Germany and challenged Gorbachev to 'tear down this Wall'. Bold words at the height of a cold war between the US and Russia. Today this speech is widely regarded as the tipping point that ushered in a 'revolution' of freedom in Germany and Eastern Europe.

JUNE 12, 1987 

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate!

Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate!

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

YouTube link to this memorable speech. 

Back in the day, the headlines of most major newspapers told a different story,  as Steven Bird reminds us in his latest TownHall article:

NOVEMBER 11&12, 1989:

A Personal Account of the Fall of the Berlin Wall 

Don't believe the hype.  A severe 'Lion's Cut' is not a flattering style for a Pomeranian.  This was taken two years ago and her fur has finally grown back to it customary thickness.  I just got off the phone with Tiny's  groomer and we decided go with a modified Lion's cut for her mane and leaving longer fur on the rest of her body.  Blending the mane of Pomeranian into the rest of the dog's coat makes them look like a Chihuahua.

 This is a recent photo of my little princess with her favorite Beanie Baby toy.  I'm picking her up from the groomers in about 15 minutes and will post a photo of her new look.

TINY'S NEW LOOK: SUMMER 2007

The 53-38 vote to move the resolution to full debate fell seven short of the 60 required. In bringing the matter up, Democrats dared Republicans to vote their true feelings about an attorney general who has alienated even the White House's strongest defenders by bungling the firings of federal prosecutors and claiming not to recall the details.

 Read more of the good news HERE 

Found this spoiler Season 4 Trailer on YouTube.

 Possible Season 4 Spoiler

 The poster notes that he/she/it was asked to remove it by an unamed source.

IF there is any truth to this video, then Season 4 is shaping up to be a re-imagining of Galactica 1980. 

Inspiration for this post drawn from the ever vigilant Flopping Aces reporting on Iraq.

DoD press briefing with Lt. General Odierno - May 31, 2007

Speaking to the assembled press from Camp Victory in Baghdad, Lt General Odierno describes the situation in Iraq and what changes 'The Surge" has wrought since January 2007. As far as I know, not one member of congress sat in on this briefing with the Lt. General.

The slide images presented below are from the briefing and I've included them along with highlights from his presentation. You can read the full briefing HERE

 You should be looking currently at a map of Iraq, which is the current Multinational Corps-Iraq concept for Iraq. Our top priority right now is to create stability and security to protect the Iraqi people, first and foremost in Baghdad. The population and the government of Iraq are the center of gravity. Creating a stable environment in Baghdad should provide time and space for the Iraqi government to continue to mature as a government and continue to build its capacity.

 AQI represents our most significant and volatile threat within Iraq, and will go to any lengths to undermine the efforts of the coalition and the government of Iraq. Their brutal nature is unmatched, with total disregard for human life.

A fact ignored or perhaps celebrated by Code Pink and their supporters when the organization with the help from Rep. Waxman (D-Ca) chose to donate $600,000 to 'the other side' in Fallujah.

 As the chart indicates, we have 12 coalition brigades and 44 combat battalions operating in Baghdad and the belts. This equates to approximately 50,000 combat troops. Our enemy is focused on establishing footholds outside the city, and we are focused on denying them sanctuary to plan these terrible attacks that brutally terrorize Iraq's innocent civilians. Our forces within the 10 security districts, along with the Iraqi security forces, are working on securing the population. Parts of the city are more secure than others, but there's still, as you all know, a great deal of work to do.

Our soldiers' close interaction with the population is paying dividends.

Just last week we received tips from concerned citizens that led to the discover of 26 IEDs in on night in an East Rashid neighborhood. The mission of our forces in the belts around the city are denying accelerants, interdicting the enemy's lines of communication and also protecting the local citizens.

Is this the work of uneducated, uncontrolled soldiers that our elected officials often describe as terrorists? Or is this the work mercenaries - the media's  pet term for our soldiers?

The Iraqi security force continues to develop and grow, assisted by embedded transition teams. Yes, there are still problems within the Iraqi security forces -- some sectarian, some manning and some to do with equipping. But progress is being made, and it's steady. The Iraqi security force plans, coordinates and conducts missions either alongside or often independent of coalition forces.

Coalition soldiers live, work and patrol with their Iraqi counterparts, developing relationships with each other and building the trust of the local residents. That is our goal. In addition, we hope this will help to build confidence of the populace in their own Iraqi security forces. We believe overall this will provide confidence and hope to the Iraqi people. People are thanking us for driving away gangs, criminals and terrorists, but we have not completed the mission.

  The next three slides below speak for themselves and yet this information has not made the front page of any newspaper in the US.

Can anyone provide me with some statistics of what al-queda has been working on in rebuilding this nation? What is their global plan of economic development for the Iraqi people? How many schools and health clinics have they built? What benefits do they offer in exchange for lending your support to al-queda. A hug from the mother of Casey Sheehan does NOT count as a benefit!

Last, but most important:

The moral of this press briefing: We have seen real progress in this early stage of the Surge, yet far more work is needed to break al-queda and uplift Iraq. To para-phrase John Lennon: " All that we're saying is give surge a chance". 

X-posted at MidnightBlue 

PURITY 

 To insist on purity is to baptize instinct, to humanize art, and to deify personality.
Guillaume Apollinaire

 What do you get when you mix three bloggers and IVC?

Magic, baby, Magic! 

Yesterday, IVC (International Visitors Council)  hosted its monthly 'First Wednesday" welcoming 23 visitors to the United States who are sponsored by US Government, City of Philadelphia and other private programs.  This is an informal reception sponsored by IVC which allows members and guests to nosh on tasty food while welcoming our invited guests.  This is an event I'd love to share with other area bloggers once I get around to advertising it on local blogs. 

Mr & Mrs Smith made an appearance at this meeting - albeit too late for the edibles. You may know this dynamic duo as The City Troll and Grizzly Mama.  It is always a pleasure to spend time with these two fascinating people.

Last night, I had the opportunity to meet with only a few of the invited guests, a group of four Polish citizens from our sister city of Torun, Poland . I spent the bulk of the evening introducing myself to the members present at this meet, nosh & greet. I wish I had grabbed  cards as I remember more people than names.  There were a few standouts in the membership whose names I clearly recall: Steven, Linda and Joe.  Three members who I hope will keep in contact as I found them to be quite likable individuals. 

There was a tiny blip during this night - my mobile blogging ability seemed to get derailed and I still haven't figured out why this  happened. I've a fabulous picture of city hall at dusk that I'd love to share with my readership, if I can transfer the photo off my cell phone.

 IVC's premise is to Make Friends, Make Contact, Make Peace.  Last night 5 individuals found they had more in common than not, despite a varying political outlook.  I believe this was an object lesson in IVC's  outlook for world peace. 

A spot of poetry by one of the most talented poets of the 20th century:  Pablo Neruda

 If You Forget Me

 I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.

 The poem is a lifelong favorite of mine  and an excuse to post a favored picture of  "Adam". 

In Shock and Awe? You should be!

I have more interests than all politics, all the time. 

Shamelessly copied from Wordsmith

Around the room, Marines and Iraqi tribesmen and police are sitting together, swapping jokes and stories. Some of these Iraqis were probably shooting at Americans less than a year ago. Now they and the Marines are fighting side by side against Al Qaeda. "We are not just friends but also brothers," the sheik tells Kozeniesky. "This is a new beginning for both of us." Kozeniesky can only agree: "Things have changed dramatically." A 5-year-old Iraqi boy in traditional robes and headdress is racing around the room and vaulting into U.S. troops' laps. What does he want to be when he grows up? He proudly announces: "American general named Steve!"

Gathering The Tribes 

Washington Supreme Court rules speech is not money and cannot be regulated 

In April, the Intitute for justice halted one of the most egregious attacks on free speech in recent years. The Washington Supreme court unanimously ruled that on-air commentary by radio talk show hosts supporting an initiative campaign did not constitute an 'in-kind' contribution to that campaign.  A lower court had held that such speech was subject to government-imposed regulation and restriction - the first time a court or commission anywhere in the United States had held that media commentary in support of a campaign could be regulated under campaign finace laws.

You can read the rest of the article HERE 

Liberty and Law has provided a video of the their argument before the Washington's Supreme Court.

Now if we can only overturn the McCain Feingold Act, we can truly restore to the American public the ability to communicate  political ideas without the spector of censorship. 

Kiss BSG Goodbye:

  "This show was always meant to have a beginning, a middle and finally, an end. Over the course of the last year, the story and the characters have been moving strongly toward that end and we've decided to listen to those internal voices and conclude the show on our own terms," Eick and Moore said in the statement. "And while we know our fans will be saddened to know the end is coming, they should brace themselves for a wild ride getting there –- we're going out with a bang ."

More like a re-imagining of Galactica 1980, perhaps?

Maybe if Moore and Eick didn't disrupt the chemistry between the central characters and focused on writing a compelling story instead of using the show to score political points their 'internal voices' may have green lighted the series for several more years.

I hate being right all the time...but season 3 and Ron Moore's ego destroyed this series.