A letter from Iraq

Hope Rides Alone By Eddie

I stare out into the darkness from my post, and I watch the city burn to the ground. I smell the familiar smells, I walk through the familiar rubble, and I look at the frightened faces that watch me pass down the streets of their neighborhoods. My nerves hardly rest; my hands are steady on a device that has been given to me from my government for the purpose of taking the lives of others.

I sweat, and I am tired. My back aches from the loads I carry. Young American boys look to me to direct them in a manner that will someday allow them to see their families again...and yet, I too, am just a boy....my age not but a few years more than that of the ones I lead. I am stressed, I am scared, and I am paranoid...because death is everywhere. It waits for me, it calls to me from around street corners and windows, and it is always there.

There are the demons that follow me, and tempt me into thoughts and actions that are not my own...but that are necessary for survival. I've made compromises with my humanity. And I am not alone in this. Miles from me are my brethren in this world, who walk in the same streets...who feel the same things, whether they admit to it or not. And to think, I volunteered for this... And I am ignorant to the rest of the world...or so I thought.

But even thousands of miles away, in Ramadi, Iraq, the cries and screams and complaints of the ungrateful reach me. In a year, I will be thrust back into society from a life and mentality that doesn't fit your average man. And then, I will be alone. And then, I will walk down the streets of America, and see the yellow ribbon stickers on the cars of the same people who compare our President to Hitler.

I will watch the television and watch the Cindy Sheehans, and the Al Frankens, and the rest of the ignorant sheep of America spout off their mouths about a subject they kn ow nothing about. It is their right, however, and it is a right that is defended by hundreds of thousands of boys and girls scattered across the world, far from home. I use the word boys and girls, because that's what they are. In the Army, the average age of the infantryman is nineteen years old. The average rank of soldiers killed in action is Private First Class.

People like Cindy Sheehan are ignorant. Not just to this war, but to the results of their idiotic ramblings, or at least I hope they are. They don't realize its effects on this war. In this war, there are no Geneva Conventions, no cease fires. Medics and Chaplains are not spared from the enemy's brutality because it's against the rules. I can only imagine the horrors a military Chaplain would experience at the hands of the enemy. The enemy slinks in the shadows and fights a coward's war against us. It is effective though, as many men and women have died since the start of this war. And the memory of their service to America is tainted by the inconsiderate remarks on our nation's news outlets. And every day, the enemy changes...only now, the enemy is becoming something new. The enemy is transitioning from the Muslim extremists to Americans. The enemy is becoming the very people whom we defend with our lives. And they do not realize it. But in denouncing our actions, denouncing our leaders, denouncing the war we live and fight, they are isolating the military from society...and they are becoming our enemy.

Democrats and peace activists like to toss the word "quagmire" around and compare this war to Vietnam. In a way they are right, this war is becoming like Vietnam. Not the actual war, but in the isolation of country and military. America is not a nation at war; they are a nation with its military at war. Like it or not, we are here, some of us for our second, or third times; some even for their fourth and so on. Americans are so concerned now with politics, that it is interfering with our war.

Terrorists cut the heads off of American citizens on the Internet...and there is no outrage, but an American soldier kills an Iraqi in the midst of battle, and there are investigations, and sometimes soldiers are even jailed...for doing their job.

It is absolutely sickening to me to think our country has come to this. Why are we so obsessed with the bad news? Why will people stop at nothing to be against this war, no matter how much evidence of the good we've done is thrown in their face? When is the last time CNN or MSNBC or CBS reported the opening of schools and hospitals in Iraq? Or the leaders of terror cells being detained or killed? It's all happening, but people will not let up their hatred of Bush. They will ignore the good news, because it just might show people that Bush was right.

America has lost its will to fight. It has lost its will to defend what is right and just in the world. The crazy thing of it all is that the American people have not even been asked to sacrifice a single thing. It's not like World War Two, where people rationed food, and turned in cars to be made into metal for tanks. The American people have not been asked to sacrifice anything. Unless you are in the military or the family member of a service member, its life as usual...the war doesn't affect you.

But it affects us. And when it is over, and the troops come home, and they try to piece together what's left of them after their service...where will the detractors be then? Where will the Cindy Sheehans be to comfort and talk to soldiers and help them sort out the last couple years of their lives, most of which have been spent dodging death and wading through the deaths of their friends? They will be where they always are, somewhere far away, where the horrors of the world can't touch them. Somewhere where they can complain about things they will never experience in their lifetime; things that the young men and women of America have willingly taken upon their shoulders.

We are the hope of the Iraqi people. They want what everyone else wants in life: safety, security, somewhere to call home. They want a country that is safe to raise their children in. Not a place where their children will be abducted, raped, and murdered if they do not comply with the terrorists demands. They want to live on, rebuild and prosper. And America has given them the opportunity, but only if we stay true to the cause, and see it to its end. But the country must unite in this endeavor...we cannot place the burden on our military alone.

We must all stand up and fight, whether in uniform or not. And supporting us is more than sticking yellow ribbon stickers on your cars. It's supporting our President, our troops and our cause.

Right now, the burden is all on the American soldiers. Right now, hope rides alone. But it can change, it must change. Because there is only failure and darkness ahead for us as a country, as a people, if it doesn't. Let's stop all the political nonsense, let's stop all the bickering, let's stop all the bad news, and let's stand and fight! Isn't that what America is about anyway?

Is it Bush's Fault?

Dr. Sanity's viewpoint.

Former Mayor of NYC, Ed Koch's viewpoint.

A World Without America?

I won a head cold?

Had a great weekend with my son and family. Watched the Daytona 500 on television. Noticed that there are a lot of NASCAR fans who don't fit the profile the media caters toward. The media doesn't spend much time with NASCAR, other than the announcers you'd expect to be knowledgeable, like Darrell Waltrip (Boogity, boogity, boogity). Thankfully FOX gives NASCAR air time and the other major outlets do so in smaller quantities because NASCAR really IS big business.

NASCAR fans are loyal. Even in the wake of reported anomolies (do we have to say "cheating?"), NASCAR fans support their favorite drivers. They also support the businesses who support NASCAR. Look at the advertisements on the vehicles and you'll see "middle America" at its best.

If you don't understand NASCAR, there's even online instruction.

My favorite driver didn't win, but I didn't come home empty handed, I brought home a head cold.

More news than a car full of NASCAR drivers at Instapundit.

If you were wondering why bread and water are not good for you, the answer is here. Oh, surely you were wondering, weren't you? Bookmark Dark Roasted Blend for additional outrageous information and for days when you just need a good laugh . . . that's every day, right?

“HOUSE HEARING ON ‘WARMING OF THE PLANET’ CANCELED AFTER SNOW/ICE STORM”

How to purchase a camera

1- Decide what you want in a camera.
2- Read the reviews and compare sample photos at Steve's Digicams.
3- Purchase new camera from manufacturer's website. In this case, Sony.
(Steve's Digicams lists trusted merchants on his site.)

I chose to order from the manufacturer because the price was comparable and shipping was free. And if there was a question, I have their phone number on my cell phone.

Why is it always someone else's fault?

Why can't some people just apologize and admit that their actions or words were offensive and that they will contain their contempt in the future?

Amanda Marcotte has left the John Edwards campaign and in the process maligned Bill Donohue once again.

If Ms Marcotte really supports John Edwards, she could volunteer her services to him. And if she really supports him, she will be willing to curtail her disingenuous remarks on her blog at least for the duration of the electoral process.

Stay tuned.

Addendum:
The open letter that the GOP doesn't want you to read found here

The Saga of "the NIB Camera that wasn't"

True Saga.

In January of this year I finally decided on a camera to take backpacking: the Sony Cyber-shot DSC S600. I came to this conclusion by comparing pictures at Steve's Digcams and talking to my brother. (Hmm, his website is still under construction.)

Anyway, I made a major mistake. At Steve's Digicams, if I had scrolled down, I would have found online stores that sell the camera. But I played "Scot" and did a froogle search. The best price was at Rite Buys dot Com. So I proceed to order online. I got an email asking me to contact them by phone. I called and ordered a New In Box (as advertised) Sony DSC S600 camera. The salesman stated that the camera didn't have any memory and I'd need a memory card. (Now this RED FLAG should have indicated a problem in the making.) I assumed the salesman was just a phone operator and didn't know anything about cameras. He offered a 1 Gig Sony memory card for $89, at which I balked. Then he offered a 512 mb card for $69, at which I balked. So he stated he'd sell me the 1 Gig card for the price of the 512 mb card, which was fine. And he stated he was including for free a Sony new camera kit. I then received in quick succession an email confirmation and verification of my order. (More RED FLAGS as neither email listed the items I had purchased.)

I went on a short vacation and when I returned, I picked up my mail and the box with my camera. In great anticipation, I opened the box and to my surprise, the first thing I see is the memory card. It's NOT a Sony Memory Pro card, it's a SanDisk 1 Gig memory card. I'm disappointed as I already priced the SanDisk at a local store and online and could pick up a 1 Gig card for a lot less than $69. I remove the packing and there sits a rather "banged up" (tossed around, shuffled across a floor, scuffed up) box for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC S600. I carefully look at the box. It's been opened. In fact, it's been opened so many times that the manufacturers tape over the opening tab is totally missing. Lots of tape residue, no tape. The opening tab had been bent back, there appeared to be the SONY UPC code on one side of the box and another unknown (think refurbished, maybe) UPC code on the other side. I carefully open the box and the various booklets and the CD were not stacked in any order. Some were upside down some were hind-part before. Hmmm, I'm thinking, something is amiss. Then I look at the camera. It's in the box, but the wrapping doesn't look right. The batteries are tossed in the box and not in a glascene wrap. The wrist strap is just tossed in the box. I'm getting a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Then I look at the camera kit. It's not a Sony kit. I don't even bother opening it up. I can't take any more disappointment at this point.

I have been scammed. Bait and switch. And then the disappointment is replaced by anger. I am not a happy camper.

The next day, I go to a friend's office and show him the camera and relate the story to him. I then make a phone call to the salesman. He argues with me. I ask for his supervisor. He forwards the call to a woman who answers with something other than Rite Buys dot Com and I ask her if the phone number is Rite Buys, she states yes, so I put my phone on "speaker phone" before I talk to her. I am polite and firm. I mention to her that the shipping receipt states that opened packages are not eligible to be returned and that they have scammed me because they sent me an opened box. I tell her that I am sending the camera back and I'm not paying a restocking fee. The woman argues with me. I ask to speak to her supervisor. She states she has none. I ask to speak to her manager. Again, she says she handles all complaints and has no manager. I think ask for the name of the president of her company. She refuses to give me a name. Then I ask for the names of her board of directors and their phone numbers. She states she has no board of directors. (By this time, I am fully aware that this woman is lying through her teeth.) She tells me I will have to fill out a form to return the camera and it will be emailed to me within 24 hours. She finally gives me a name of the president as she's hanging up.

The Return Authorization request form is emailed within a few minutes and I make a copy, complete it and fax it to the number on the form. I then receive an email with a number and instructions on how to return the item. I complete three pages of explanation and include a dozen and a half photos I've taken of the box and the camera to show that it was not "NIB" (new in box), but an opened box.

While I'm writing this letter, I do a bit of research. I learn the truth about Rite Buys dot Com. They are not a new-camera store, they are a RESELLER. All the information you will ever need for Rite Buys or all the other active and inactive business names used by "the 1 Stop Camera Family" can be found here. And that's not all. There are pages of RESELLER RATINGS for Rite Buys here.

I did my homework, I just failed to dig a bit deeper to where Rite Buys dot Com's skeletons were.

After I mailed the package back with signature tracking and insurance Priority Mail, I emailed Rite Buys and asked them if the package had been received. They emailed me a day later claiming that they had not received it. So I emailed back and told them, yes they had and included the USPS tracking information. No response. A few days later I found the ratings page on the Internet and I contacted my charge card and disputed the amount billed, not to Rite Buys as the many companies owned by "the 1 Stop Camera family" do not use that name for billing. They used Digital Net Shop when they billed me.

Then the other day I got a letter from my charge card with instructions for information they needed for their files. Needless to say, I sent them just about everything and wrote another three page letter describing in greater detail what I've just posted here.

The lesson? Search a little deeper before you buy something on the Internet unless it's from a well-known and trusted company.

My favorite online companies -- and they all have great return policies --

REI

Campmor

BassPro

Sierra Trading Post

L L Bean

Northern Mountain Supply

Sports Authority

Radio Shack

Kohls

Referrals on a Busy Saturday in February

Today, I refer you to:

Instapundit for lots of good information and news.

Extreme Mortman discusses the Washington Post "misattribution" of the source of information on Iraq. The actual source for the "intelligence information" was a Democrat Congressman and not the Pentagon's inspector general. Seems like a reporter for the WaPo wouldn't confuse those two sources. Not that the WaPo would lie for emphasis or anything.

OnPoint Blog written by embeds in Iraq. Great stories of what's really happening in Iraq. We are winning the hearts and minds of the various tribal sheiks. It just takes time and patience. And we have to have a product that's better than what AlQaida in Iraq has.

The Volokh Conspiracy has an article which describes the desperation of the Global Warming fanatics. Global Warming advocates don't want anyone questioning the results of their environmental studies and are proposing that we nay-sayers are "now on a par with Holocaust deniers" (according to Ellen Goodman of the Boston Globe). And that's not all. Former Vice President Al Gore reportedly "has proposed that the media stop covering climate skeptics." Heidi Cullen, chief climatologist of the Weather Channel states in her blog:

"If a meteorologist can't speak to the fundamental science of climate change, then maybe the AMS shouldn't give them a Seal of Approval."

If they were sure of their science, would they not want other scientists to question their statements, if only to come to the same conclusion? What are they afraid of?

Hot Air, Michelle Malkin's blog, responds with video proof that William Arkin of the Washington Post misspoke when he stated:

"So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them . . . ."

Watch the video before you comment.

More on the Edwards and his bloggers situation.

Just saw this and wonder why in the world do they even attempt to act as if they're "doing the correct thing" when they know they're going to find some way to worm around what's correct and still get what they want. They? Congress!

Tolerance and the lack thereof

Tolerance.

The catch word for "anything and everything goes." The excuse used for offending others. If I publish something on this blog that is obscene, crude, rude and repulsive and you mention it, then I can screech "freedom of speech" and "you're intolerant."

What a slap in the face the word "intolerant" is.

Well, maybe.

If I am tolerant of you and your beliefs, then, do I publish things on this blog that are obscene, crude, rude and repulsive? In other words: Is Tolerance a Two Way Street?

If you live in this society, do you use freedom of speech responsibly? Do you screech obscenities about a certain religion and then hide behind your interpretation of the Bill of Rights when someone confronts you for your obscenities? Do you call the other person "intolerant" because they are offended by the volatile words you use and the disrespectful comparisons you make?

We bloggers have a right to question, to confront, to expose. We also have a responsibility to do so in a respectable manner.

I could use expletives when discussing the fallacies in Muhammadanism. I would probably lose readers. Do I tell the truth? Yes. Do I use logic and reason? Yes. So what would using profanity prove? How would it help my argument?

My mother always told me that people who use profanity have small vocabularies.

Maybe the two "Edwards Bloggers" are just "vocabulary challenged." And maybe their understanding of tolerance is entirely one-sided and hasn't matured into a complete understanding of the respect and responsibility which goes hand in hand with tolerance.

Women in the news

A very sad occurance early this afternoon was the untimely death of Anna Nicole Smith. No matter what you thought of her, she was a new mother of a five month old whose 20-year old first born son died three days after her daughter was born. Her life was turmoil and popularity. She was beautiful, talented, and considered herself akin to Marilyn Monroe. It appears that like Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith died before her time.

Then there's the story of the Astronaut, Lisa Nowak, charged with attempted murder. NASA is going to revamp its psychological screening process as a result of Mrs. Nowak's actions.

And finally, there's Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. If you're not familiar with them, then you have not visiting the John Edwards for President in 2008 website. The two women take an anti-Catholic position in their blogs (as well as anti-men and anti-South) and carry that attitude over to Mr Edward's website. William Donohue of the Catholic League wrote Mr Edwards about their anti-Catholic harangue. Other bloggers blogged. And there were no apologies. The women are still working for Mr Edwards.

The question for the reader: does this or how does this affect you personally?

Missing Shame

Would we get headlines like this if we/they felt shame?
Astronaut Charged with Kidnap Attempt.
State Lawmaker: Send Ninth-Graders to Prison to Teach Them Lesson.
FEMA Seeks to Recoup $309 Million in Katrina Recovery Aid.
Britain Plan to list paedophile web names.
Lost Greek boy "may be sex victim".
Indian Army and Police Tied to Kashmir Killings.

Lack of feeling shame for one's indecent, illegal actions creates headlines like these. Feel free to add the url/web address of other headlines in which a feeling of shame might have stopped a person's actions.

It's criminal; it's a crime; it's a crying shame

A New York City police officer was hospitalized in serious but stable condition this morning (02/05/07) after being attacked by a man with a baseball bat while on foot patrol in Queens, the police said.

The man stole his gun but another Officer (also on foot patrol in the high-crime area) was able to chase down the perpetrator and arrest him.

There were 161 homicides in New Orleans last year, and there have been 18 so far this year, making New Orleans by most measures the nation’s per capita murder capital, given its sharply reduced population.

Other cities have plenty of murders. But only in New Orleans has there been the uniquely poisoned set of circumstances that has led to this city’s position at the top of the homicide charts. Every phase of the killing cycle here unfolds under the dark star of dysfunction: the murderers’ brutalized childhoods, the often ineffectual police intervention, a dulled community response, and a tense relationship between the police and prosecutors that lets many cases slip through the cracks.

Hurricane Katrina’s devastation loosened the fragile social restraints even further, making the city perhaps more dangerous than ever.

Two-thirds of the murders in New Orleans have not been solved. They still have no crime lab, although the Federal Government has put up $5 million. When arrests are made, by the time the evidence is gathered, the 60-day jail time has passed and the criminals are on the street again. There is a lot of mistrust between the police and inner-city residents.

Eric E. Malveau, who has worked as a prosecutor and a public defender stated “As long as you have a large population that is uneducated and has no job and no hope, what else is there to do but sell drugs? Until you fix that, it’s hard to see the problems getting much better.”

Bureau of Justice Statistics
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Federal Crime Statistics compiled by the White House

Crime statistics are a crying shame. Why? Because as a Nation, as individuals, we have allowed ourselves to be emotionally anesthetized beyond the point of shame.

Shame? Yes: A painful emotion caused by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace. Capacity for such a feeling.(1)
We have allowed ourselves to be unaffected by crime. We watch realistic television and dull our senses. We feel no shame when we lie, steal, cheat, or kill. We excuse our own or others behaviors which would have been considered "improper" a few years ago and would have caused us or others to feel a sense of shame.

Would there be less crime if we, if each of us, regained a sense of shame? If murder were not considered a gang "rite of passage" but instead was a disgrace to the person and his/her family, would murder statistics decline? If rape, theft, larceny, car jacking, fraud, embezzlement were considered a disgrace to the person and his/her family, would those statistics decline? If adultery were considered a disgrace, would Hollywood's "musical bedrooms" continue to make the headlines in the "movie magazines?"

Where does shame belong in morality? Is shame even a part of moral decisions? Deep thoughts for a Monday morning.


(1)Modern Language Association (MLA): "shame." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 05 Feb. 2007.

Video on Immigration

Roy Beck's celebrated demonstration of the population consequences of current U.S. immigration policies has entertained and shocked all audiences across the country. This video is packed with the facts and analysis that make moral and practical sense of a complex and highly contentious issue.

Linked through the subject line and the photo of Mr. Beck. This 14 minute video is worth your time. Please forward this to your State and Federal Legislators.

For more detailed information go to NumbersUSA.

How to win in Al-Anbar

1- ABC News article about Capt. Travis Patriquin, author of the idea.
Another ABC article regarding the Captain.

2- HamNation YouTube demonstration of Capt. Patriquin's idea.

Capt. Travis Patriquin, 32, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, was killed by a roadside bomb in Ramadi, Iraq, on December 6th.

HeraldNewsOnline.com article.

Michael Fumento's article regarding the late Capt. Travis Patriquin.

CopTheTruth.com article.

BlackFive honors Capt. Patriquin.

From FindAGrave.com:

Travis is a direct descendant of John Hart, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War, John Hart lost everything he had -- his farm, his home, his wife, his children, and his life -- for freedom and independence. He was known as "Honest John" and he followed his heart, beliefs, dreams, and hopes to help establish the lifestyle we all enjoy today. Travis did the same thing. History does repeat itself.

Surviving family includes Patriquin's wife, Amy, and three children, Emily, 7, Harmon, 5, and Logan, 1. There is a memorial fund for the Captain's children at:

TRAVIS PATRIQUIN FAMILY MEMORIAL FUND
HARRIS BANK
111 W. MONROE ST. 111/1C
CHICAGO, IL 60603

Global Warming, again.

When John Travolta gives up his "gas guzzling" 707 and Gulf Stream, I'll worry about how much I am personally "warming" the environment.



Addendum 02/13/2007
When Al Gore explains how the USofA is responsible for Mars' global warming, I'll worry about how much I am personally "warming" Mars' environment.

Global warming is a smoke screen for bigger government and additional State and Federal regulations which will erode our Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. The ‘Left’ has made global warming an emotional issue and attacks dissenters with a vengeance. Instead of promoting scientific discussion, they effectively impede it by attacking the scientists who disagree with the “official” party ideology. As far as the Left is concerned, the issue of global warming has been resolved and no analytical, rational proof to the contrary will persuade them to abandon their dogma.

The Leftists, Liberals, Democrats have determined the “enemy” of the people to be “the people.” And they have named themselves as the “redeemer” and their doctrine as the only legally acceptable authority.

Who's to Blame for The Killing

By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, February 2, 2007; Page A15 The Washington Post

We have made a lot of mistakes in Iraq. But when Arabs kill Arabs and Shiites kill Shiites and Sunnis kill all in a spasm of violence that is blind and furious and has roots in hatreds born long before America was even a republic, to place the blame on the one player, the one country, the one military that has done more than any other to try to separate the combatants and bring conciliation is simply perverse.

It infantilizes Arabs. It demonizes Americans. It willfully overlooks the plainest of facts: Iraq is their country. We midwifed their freedom. They chose civil war.

Interesting War Statistic

An Interesting Statistic:

Regardless of where you stand on the issue of the US involvement in Iraq, here's a sobering statistic:

There has been a monthly average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theatre of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of 2,112 deaths. That gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000 soldiers.

The firearm death rate in Washington DC is 80.6 per 100,000 persons for the same period.

That means that you are about 25 percent more likely to be shot and killed in the US Capital than you are in Iraq.

Conclusion: The US should pull out of Washington

How Illegal Aliens Affect the USofA

Wooldridge: How Much Further Into This Nightmare?

t-fire-news documents 25 reasons to deport illegal aliens.

Immigration Facts by Texans for Immigration Reform.

Immigration and Welfare

Some people mistakenly think that immigrants are not eligible for welfare. Several years ago, Congress did attempt to render immigrants ineligible for most forms of welfare. However, subsequent backpedaling by Congress and the executive branch has undone most of those reforms. Furthermore, many immigrant families get welfare through the eligibility of their U.S. citizen children. (It is also important to realize that even when immigrants are ineligible for federal welfare programs, the burden of their support is simply shifted over to the state and local welfare agencies.)

Here's the real Christmas story of illegal invaders by Robert Ussery in the DesMoines Register.

Today, kingpins from Mexico sent their mules to the north, bearing 80 percent of its imports of cocaine, 50 percent of its imports of heroin and, in Iowa, bringing 80 percent of its meth.

The illegal invaders also bring with them leprosy, multiple-drug-resistant TB, Chagas disease, dengue fever, polio, malaria and intestinal parasites.

How Tennesseans view illegal immigration.

Citizens for a Constitutional Republic on illegal immigration.
I direct your attention to the links on this page concerning the prosecution of two Border Patrol Agents and the immunity granted to an illegal alien drug smuggler for his testimony against those Border Patrol Agents. The facts of this case would have created a different conclusion had all the evidence been presented. The DA not only prosecuted men who are supposed to stop illegal alien drug smugglers, he also incorrectly used a Texas law to put those Border Patrol Agents in jail.

Until we in the USofA stop hyphenating our nationality/race/religion, we will not be the great Country we once were. Either we are a "melting-pot" called US Americans or we sink into a "multicultural third world identity." Take your pick.

Who is Baraka Hussein Obama, Jr.?

1- After two years in the U.S. Senate, he is running for President? Has he even been in Washington long enough to be able to direct a tourist from Capitol Hill to the White House without getting him lost?

2- His full name--as by now you have probably heard--is Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. Hussein is a Muslim name, which comes from the name of Ali's son--Hussein Ibn Ali. And Obama is named after his late Kenyan father, the late Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., apparently a Muslim.

And while Obama may not identify as a Muslim, that's not how the Arab and Muslim Streets see it. In Arab culture and under Islamic law, if your father is a Muslim, so are you. And once a Muslim, always a Muslim. You cannot go back. In Islamic eyes, Obama is certainly a Muslim. He may think he's a Christian, but they do not.

3- . . . in his own two autobiographies, Obama writes that his teacher at the school sent a note home to his mother that Obama made trouble by making faces while the class was studying the Koran. Uh, sorry, but public schools DO NOT study the Koran. Islamic schools do. And which suras was Obama studying? How about the many suras that preach deception and killing of Infidels? It's doubtful that the school didn't teach those. It's more likely that they did. And which violent Hadiths did the school teach? We'll never know. And Obama won't be trumpeting them.

4- An investigation of Mr. Obama by political opponents within the Democratic Party has discovered that Mr. Obama was raised as a Muslim by his stepfather in Indonesia. Sources close to the background check, which has not yet been released, said Mr. Obama, 45, spent at least four years in a so-called Madrassa, or Muslim seminary, in Indonesia.

5- Is Barack Obama Lying About His Life Story?

I leave this for you to decide after doing your own research. Do not accept anything you hear or read at face value. Research. Ask the hard questions. Learn about Muhammadanism. You will find that the Koran does declare that lying is forgiven by "allah" if the lying is done to further the cause of Muhammadanism. This begs the question: "Can a Muhammadan be trusted to tell the honest truth?"

I can't answer this question for anyone except myself. Using reason and logic, what conclusion do you come to?

Integrity - some lack it

This is totally disgusting behavior. This is uncivilized.

But I forgot, they call themselves "Anarchists" and so they are.

Anarchist: a person who seeks to overturn by violence all constituted forms and institutions of society and government, with no purpose of establishing any other system of order in the place of that destroyed.*{Source listed below}

Here's a short description of Anarchist behavior over the weekend:

Anti-war protesters were allowed to spray paint on part of the west front steps of the United States Capitol building after police were ordered to break their security line by their leadership, two sources told The Hill.

Approximately 300 protesters were allowed to take the steps and began to spray paint "anarchist symbols" and phrase such as "Our capitol building" and "you can’t stop us" around the area, the source said.

The Anarchists use First Amendment Rights to get close enough to the Capitol Building to have done more damage than "just" graffiti. Why were they allowed to get that close to the Capitol Building? Why were the police told not to stop them? Where was security?

Do we have to wait until some "anti" group destroys a Federal Government Building before we do something to protect the remainder?

I want answers and I will be writing my Congressmen in an attempt to get an answer to this breach of security.

Now is no time for apathy. Apathy is a destroyer our democracy.

The Capitol employs Safety Ambassadors who remove graffiti. They were undoubtedly busy after the "Anti-War Protest" this past weekend.

*{Source of definition} Modern Language Association (MLA):
"anarchist." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 29 Jan. 2007.

Michael Yon an embedded photographer/reporter

Michael Yon is a young man who has the distinct privilege and honor to be allowed to pay his own way to Iraq so that he can embed with our soldiers. His photographs and his front-line reports are awe inspiring. I encourage you to stop, click on the title or the photo and spend some time with Mr. Yon through his photos and reports from Iraq. I hope you encounter a similar admiration for this fine young man as I have.

God Bless Our Troops. God Bless America.

Of lies and distortions

The War on Terror in Iraq is not immune to distorted reporting. There's an article at Mickey Kaus' blog in reference to Andrew Sullivan's obviously distorted version of what is occurring in Iraq as US Soldiers act as advisors while Iraqi National Forces apprehend insurgents. The insurgents were in a vehicle carrying a bag full of mortars.

Sullivan was not in the Iraqi vehicle to know what the insurgents were saying to their captors which precipitated the Iraqis stopping to pummel an insurgent. Nor can he truthfully comprehend what it is like to fear for your life because you belong to one sect of a religion/cult which is considered by another sect of the same religion/cult as merely "targets" and not "true" followers of that religion/cult.

But what disturbs me is that so many people will accept what Andrew Sullivan says as truthful. It's a distortion. Andrew Sullivan lies in order to promote an agenda contrary to the facts in this situation. That is the bottom line.

Articles on Global Warming and Mars Warming

List of scientists opposing global warming consensus.


Photo of Mars from Hubble Space Telescope
Mars is warming. Can this be blamed on the Space Utility Vehicle (SUV) Rover?
Heartland Institute Environmental News referenced above.

National Center for Policy Analysis articles on Global Warming. Approximately 150 articles.

Humans are not the initial or direct cause of Global Warming or of Mars Warming. There's not enough evidence to blame humanity for Global Warming and definitely not any evidence to blame humanity for Mars Warming! The cycle of life is at work in the Universe. And the Earth is a part of that Universe. Think about it.

POLITICS, that's why

The reason I'm putting off my Thru Hike this year . . . is politics. I can't go off and worry that some "Tokyo Rose" or "Tokyo Ross" is voicing her/his opinion and my voice is silent because I'm on the Appalachain Trail for six months.


Tokyo Rose
She had the best music on her station and most people just laughed. She reported that one ship was sunk no less than five times but each time Davey Jones threw her back up.

During World War II -- the Japanese developed a way to demoralize the American forces. Psychological warfare experts developed a message they felt would work.

They gave the script to their famous broadcaster "Tokyo Rose" and every day she would broadcast this same message packaged in different ways, hoping it would have a negative impact on American GI's morale.

What was that demoralizing message? It had three main points:

1. Your President is lying to you.
2. This war is illegal.
3. You cannot win the war.

Does this sound familiar?

Is it because:

Tokyo Hillary,
Tokyo Harry,
Tokyo John,
Tokyo Teddy,
Tokyo Nancy,

have picked up the same message and are broadcasting it on

Tokyo CNN,
Tokyo ABC,
Tokyo CBS,
Tokyo NBC,

to our troops?

The only difference is that they claim to support our troops before they demoralize them.

Come to think of it, Tokyo Rose told the troops she was on their side, too!

News and Views

Guess I should do as Glenn Reynolds and post every day, even if it's just for a website I've found that is interesting.

How do you feel about animals being killed for convenience?

From July 1998 through the end of 2005, PETA killed over 14,400 dogs, cats, and other "companion animals" -- at its Norfolk, Virginia headquarters. That's more than five defenseless animals every day. Not counting the pets PETA spayed and neutered, the group put to death over 90 percent of the animals it took in during 2005.

I'm not making this up. There's a trial in Winton, NC right now. And the North Carolina District Attorney hints that the killing of animals by PETA in NC is not an isolated incident.

I'd like to see Al Gore and the Global Warming theorists try to pin the warming on Triton, Neptune's largest moon, on the USofA.

The Earth is not alone in suffering global warming. According to observations made by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and several ground-based instruments, temperatures on Neptune's largest moon have increased dramatically since the Voyager space probe swung by in 1989. So much so, in fact, that Triton's surface of frozen nitrogen is turning into gas, making its thin atmosphere denser by the day.

So, you think maybe the idea that 'global' or 'universal' warming isn't the USofA's fault has any credibility? What do you die-hards say? Keep it clean and I'll post it in comments.

Pres. Bush; Mr. Cheney; Ms. Pelosi

What are you thinking?

The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment -- even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents. They commit a FELONY and now they cannot be prosecuted; they can draw money on forged documents and false Social Security numbers. Sounds like amnesty to me.

It's not "FAIR" you say? What's not fair? Someone coming into a country illegally and depleting resources that could and would be used by resident citizens of that country? Illegals go to emergency rooms because they know they can sign a form stating they'll pay a certain amount each month and then never pay it because the hospital can't find them. They used false paperwork and gave false Social Security numbers. And WHO ultimately pays the bill? Resident citizens in higher health costs or increased deductibles.

It's not "FAIR" you say? Someone comes into a country illegaly, uses a false identity and Social Security number to work and then thinks he's/she's a VICTIM when he/she cannot draw Social Security payments based on those false documents?

I'll tell you what's UNFAIR -- Congress. They are acting very close to traitorous toward resident citizens of the United States of America. They (or at least 51 Senators of which we are aware) are trying to undermine the financial stability of the USofA. And the financial stability of this country is hanging by a hair as we spend billions all over the world and take responsibility for anything and everything Nature (or God - the REAL One) throws into the mix.

I'll tell you what's UNFAIR - While Sen. John Ensign, the Nevada Republican was among 44 Republicans and five Democrats who voted for his ammendment to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 to permanently block Social Security payouts to illegals who used faked identity and Social Security numbers to work in the USofA, 51 Senators: 40 Democrats/Independents and 11 Republicans voted to "table" this issue and never to bring it up again during this Congress!

From Progressive U

The bill that says, "you stole someone's social security number and ruined their credit history and job history? No problem, you can have some of their benefits as well!" Are you kidding me!!!! This is completely outrageous!!! We continue to be duped and now even conservatives are being duped!!! Or are they? Are we the people this dumb? How can something like this fly by without being noticed? Well senator John Ensign (R-NV) noticed it and Voted No on the bill. He even went a step further and proposed an amendment to the bill that would "ensure that persons who receive an adjustment of status under [the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act] are not able to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity." The senate then by a vote of 51-49 voted to kill the amendment and never bring it up again in what's called a Motion to Table.

These are the Senators who voted to for the Motion to Table, thereby stoping Senator Ensign's best efforts to have that part of the Amendment of allowing illegals to recieve benefits be changed to read that should those illegal immigrants later apply for US citizenship, none of the years they worked and paid Social Security while they were using forged documents could be used when subsequently applying for Social Security:
Alabama:
Alaska: Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Arizona: McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Arkansas: Lincoln (D-AR), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Yea
California: Boxer (D-CA), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Colorado: Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Connecticut: Dodd (D-CT), Yea Lieberman (D-CT), Yea
Delaware: Biden (D-DE), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea
Florida: Martinez (R-FL), Yea
Georgia:
Hawaii: Akaka (D-HI), Yea Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Idaho:
Illinois: Durbin (D-IL), Yea Obama (D-IL), Yea
Indiana: Bayh (D-IN), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Iowa: Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Kansas: Brownback (R-KS), Yea
Kentucky:
Louisiana: Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Maine:
Maryland: Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Sarbanes (D-MD), Yea
Massachusetts: Kennedy (D-MA), Yea Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Michigan: Levin (D-MI), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Minnesota:
Mississippi:
Missouri:
Montana: Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Nebraska: Hagel (R-NE), Yea
Nevada: Reid (D-NV), Yea
New Hampshire:
New Jersey: Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
New Mexico: Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
New York: Clinton (D-NY), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea
North Carolina:
North Dakota: Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Ohio: DeWine (R-OH), Yea Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Oklahoma:
Oregon: Wyden (D-OR), Yea
Pennsylvania: Specter (R-PA), Yea
Rhode Island: Chafee (R-RI), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea
South Carolina: Graham (R-SC), Yea
South Dakota: Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Tennessee:
Texas:
Utah:
Vermont: Jeffords (I-VT), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Virginia:
Washington: Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea
West Virginia: Rockefeller (D-WV), Not Voting
Wisconsin: Feingold (D-WI), Yea Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Wyoming:

To write a thank you note to Senator John Ensign of Nevada, go here.
Thank you.

A New Direction

If you've read any of the post from January 7, 2007, you know that I've discovered a truth that has eluded many hikers and backpackers who have become mesmerized by one dimensional E-Lists and E-Groups: We are not alone in our love of trails, the outdoors, wilderness and preserving our resources from total destruction by the invasion of housing projects, multi-lane highways, over-use and abuse.

Now that I have discovered this truth, I want to pass this information on to others so that they, too, can broaden their horizons and become involved in preserving our resources with like minded individuals who enjoy outdoor recreational opportunities.

The BlueRibbon Coalition Website is the venue. Who are they?

"We are recreationists of all types, working together to preserve our precious natural heritage." We campaign to replace "user conflict" with "user cooperation". All recreationists must learn to share trails and facilities. All must learn acceptance and good manners."

Unlike many groups who assume a code of ethics, the Blueribbon Coalition publishes theirs on their website.

Blueribbon Coalition Code of Ethics
1. I will respect the rights of all recreationists to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. I will respect public and private property.
2. I will park considerately, taking no more space than needed, without blocking other vehicles, and without impeding access to trails.
3. I will keep to the right when meeting another recreationist. I will yield the right-of-way to traffic moving uphill.
4. I will slow down and use caution when approaching or overtaking another recreationist.
5. I will respect designated areas, trail-use signs and established trails.
6. When stopping I will not block the trail.
7. I will not disturb wildlife. I will avoid areas posted for the protection of feeding wildlife.
8. I will pack out everything I pack in, and will not litter.
9. I realize that my destination objective and travel speed should be determined by my equipment, ability, the terrain, weather, and the traffic on the trail. In case of an emergency, I will volunteer assistance.
10. I will not interfere with or harass others. I recognize that people judge all trail users by my actions.
11. As a motorized trail user, I will pull off the trail and stop my engine when encountering horse back riders (it is also a good idea to take off your helmet and greet the riders).

Right now, some of you are developing an attitude. You think that foot travel is the only approved method of "wilderness" or "backwoods" exploration. Before you dash off a comment, I want you to read the BLUERIBBON COALITION OFFICIAL ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND POSITIONS. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. And I think that some of you will want to become members and get involved.

Protecting our resources is serious business. Visit this website. I don't think anyone will be disappointed.

Prayer Request

Prayer card from the Guild of All Souls


I've just received information that an acquaintance "is having times when she can't move her hand and it's getting worse." I will be praying for her and I respectfully request prayers for her from everyone who reads my blog. God knows who she is as do a few of you. Let us pray that God's will be done in her life and for her health and healing. Please pray for her husband and for her family, also.

My style is a finger print to my soul.

The above was emailed to me by a close friend. It's an awesome statement as I mentioned I was going to have to find a new "Trail Name" and/or "reinvent" myself.

I've written what I deem a worthy article (see below) about people who hike on the Appalachian Trail and who congregate on the Internet. The percentage of the total number is small. I've also looked at the member lists of The American Hiker and The Appalachian Trail Conservancy. While there are some activists from AT E-Groups/E-Lists who are members of one or the other group, there are many members of both groups, the majority of paying members it would seem, who are not.

What does that really say? I contend it means that political and environmental activists have less time for E-Groups and E-Lists because they are busy studying and writing, attending meetings, seminars, and conventions and lobbying for their group(s).

Which is what I plan to become involved in during the remainder of this year.

What happened to the Thru Hike in 2007? I guess that's the $24 Million Question of the Day. Life took a detour. I'm adopting a second dog, a puppy, who needs to be trained, so I will be taking long pre-hikes of a week to four weeks on various parts of the Trail to prepare for next year's Thru Hike. The dogs will accompany me on shorter hikes, but the cat gracefully declined and will be kenneled. I will not be taking either dog on my Thru Hike as I have probably mentioned in past posts that it is unnatural for a dog to hike 2175 miles in six months or less. A long hike wears out a dog and my pets' Veterinarian discourages taking a dog on a long hike.

So that's settled. I will be able to visit family more often this year, too.

Politically, I hope to post more information here which will spark some discussion.

Strategy Page has a new Dead Men Walking article, posted in part:

January 10, 2007: Sunni Arab countries (everyone in the region but Iraq and Iran) are in an uproar over what is seen as an Iranian takeover of Iraq. The takeover actually occurred centuries ago, when the population became majority Shia Arab. But the Turkish empire delayed the inevitable, by submerging the Shia Arab majority in Basra province, in a Sunni sea called the Ottoman Empire. That empire disappeared in 1918, replaced by many new countries, or at least ones that had not been independent for hundreds of years.

I think the reader will find the remainder of the article historically educational and a wake up call to Europe and the Americas as the article ends with this paragraph:

Each month, 50-100,000 Iraqis, mostly Sunni Arabs, leave the country. There are nearly a million Iraqi refugees in Syria, about 700,000 in Jordan, nearly 100,000 in Egypt, about 40,000 in Lebanon, and about 20,000 in Turkey. Over a hundred thousand have fled further still, to Europe and the Americas. The U.S. is trying to keep Sunni Arab refugees out, as it is believed many of them would be inclined to support Sunni Arab terrorist groups like al Qaeda, and seek revenge against the United States.

A long and well written article by embedded blogger Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail, entitled Iraq, the greatest enemy is the time, states:

The average life of an insurgency is about nine years. In Iraq, the insurgents and al-Qaeda hope to wear down the will of the American government and people, and precipitate a premature withdrawal.

The article also states:

Nationwide, the Iraqi Army and Police clearly are not ready to fight the insurgents and militias on their own. Baghdad and Ramadi are clearly two cities where the police and Army would collapse without U.S. backing. But the police and soldiers in Fallujah believe they can. Pride, courage and fighting spirit are certainly traits these soldiers do not lack. They will need time to develop the capacity to fight on their own, and time is the one commodity the West seems to be short of.

If you don't want to comment, please take the time to read the linked articles and educate yourself about Iraq and the war on terror.

Thank you and have a great weekend!

Deeper Thoughts Part Deux

Although I am livid about the unwarranted emotional reaction by those on backpacking, AT, and hiking internet groups, I have calmed down somewhat.

I'm especially disappointed in hikers who cannot accept the fact that not everyone believes as they do. Years ago someone told me that I could not be a backpacker if I wasn't concerned with reducing the consumption of resources, zero population growth, and living "green." I contended then and now that the earth belongs to the Lord and He owns the fullness thereof and He gave it to man. Man is to be a steward of the resources, but he's definitely supposed to use them! Who are we saving them for? The USofA has a population growth around .94 to 1.7, depending on which statistician you use, which means we are not producing enough children to maintain the Nation. So, who are we "saving" our resources for if we are not producing enough children to enjoy them?

Do the leftists, liberals, socialists and communists think that the USofA is going to give our resources away to nations with larger birthrates? Or maybe they expect the nations who need the resources to over run the USofA and just take them, as some residents of New Orleans did after Hurricane Katrina.

And just which nations would be so inclined as to take what is not theirs? Look South and look to the Middle East and you have a two pronged answer.

Part of who I am is "political" although right now any political party is suspect because no one seems willing to take the bull by the horns and straighten out the USofA. I assume no one is willing to upset his or her money sources which are needed to be elected (back) into Congress. Even State and local elections cost a lot of money. It's not like you have to ride your horse into town, make a speech at the town square and then ride off to the next town. And since nominees today do not need all that much time to get their message out, I believe and advocate a shorter "Primary Election to National Election" time frame. With the advent of radio and then television, Congress should have had a little foresight to realize that the electoral process was much too long. Now that we have the internet and instant messaging and YouTube, it is not cost effective to have such a long time between the first Primary and the National Election. I also contend that a lot of productive time in businesses and homes is lost due to the extravagant length of time between the initial Primary and the November elections.

Part of who I am is also Catholic. I am a great admirer of Pope Benedict XVI, as some of you have already surmised. I believe that just as Pope John Paul II was God's Pope during his papacy, I am convinced that Pope Benedict XVI is God's Pope at the present time. Critics of religion always choose the Catholic Church as their target since the Church traces its history of existance back to the Upper Room in Jerusalem. In the first and subsequent century there have been heresies which tried to disprove what the apostles preached and wrote, but their lies failed to affect the Church negatively. In fact, the Church has always grown stronger when under oppression. If the media attacked one of the protestant churches, that church could disband, disappear and then reappear with a new name. But the Catholic Church as an institution can never do that, therefore it is a target for heresy and hate. I pray that the common enemy, the anti-christ/anti-jew Muhammadanism will be a catalyst for Catholic Christians, protestant Christians and Jews to bond together in prayer and action.

I found out yesterday that a dear friend had innocently responded to an email on a certain e-List with the Discovery of Constant, Sun Spot Induced, Harmless 1500 Years Global Warming Cycles website asking the Global-Warmist-ites what their take was on the article. She was immediately removed from the e-List. I know the backpacker and it was an innocent question with no malice aforethought. So, I invited her to join my new Yahoo Group Global Warming is a HOAX.

[Editorial Note: my dear friend has found freedom from the one-eyed-monitor now that she no longer has the certain e-List as part of her repertoire. What some meant for evil, Someone turns into good.]

And if you have a good sense of humor, I invite you to join the fun. I do moderate and have control of the Group and I can and will remove those who blaspheme as well as those who attack anyone else in the Group. I am very generous, even if I'm not a leftist or a liberal. Surprising to some of you, common knowledge to my friends.

And PS: That global warming thing is just a way for Al Gore to get another 15-minutes of "fame." And it makes him appear as a fool because he's not a scientist, he's a politician who tries to be an politician playing an actor playing a scientist in a poorly directed propaganda film.


Sunspot photo from Material in Terry Kucera's Presentation on the Solar Maximum by NASA/NSSTC/Hathaway.

For you doubters, click here to read the discussion of the book by S Fred Singer and Dennis Avery.

For more information about the sun, click here for The Solar Physics Group at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

Some people thought they could blame it all on Bush, but this time, they have to blame it on the sun!

Deeper Thoughts

I'm still laughing about yesterday's totally un-generous (aka un-liberal) attack by a self-described 'tree hugging leftist' who has stood in front of the bulldozers as a card carrying member of the Sierra Club. Why am I laughing? Because I have been thinking about the "trail community" and what it is and is not and how it relates to backpacking the AT for some time now. How long? At least since Bill Bryson wrote his unkind tome he called "A Walk in the Woods" as the book was not about Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail but rather used the AT as a venue to sell his occasionally funny, mostly sarcastic and Southern-phobic story.

If you have also had some questions about the relationship of the "hiking community" to "the real world" read on. I monitor posts to this blog, but I am willing to read what you say and will post even the negative comments as long as there is A-no profanity and B-no personal attack on me. Even if you're cyber-stalking me, I'll post your comment if A and B requirements are met.

~~~~~An Appalachian Trail Hiker Overview by THFKA Coosa~~~~~~~~

According to the United States Forest Service, the Appalachian Trail is host to approximately 4 million visitors a year. This means that at least 4 million people put one foot on the (currently) 2,175 mile AT in a given 12 month period. Some are day hikers, some are Thru Hikers, some are just there for a photo opportunity, some are Trail Maintainers, and some visit more than once a year. For point of reference 4,000,000 will be used in my article.

According to The Appalachian Trail Conservancy a total of 9000 hikers have reported completing the AT since its completion in 1937. They also state that in any given year approximately 2000 to 3000 hikers set out to Thru Hike the AT (hike the entire Trail in one continuous hike in one 12 month period). Of these 70% to 90% do not complete their hikes. Reasons given for terminating their hike are found in Roland Messer's 1989 book, "Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail." They include injury and boredom. Additional information is on Mark Flagler's 2003 DVD "Appalachian Impressions: Hiking the A.T." It can readily be assumed that a certain number of the 2000 to 3000 Thru Hikers each year were also hiking in a previous year and either did not finish the AT when they initially started their hike, are officially Section Hiking (rather than Thru Hiking) the AT, or are repeat Thru Hikers.

Let's look at some numbers: Early on, in the 1930's through the 1950's the yearly number of hikers attempting a Thru Hike was much less than the 2000 to 3000 reported today. Even in the 1960's through the 1980's, these large numbers are suspect as interest in backpacking and completing a hike on the entire Appalachian Trail was in its infant stages during those years. For this dissertation, I will use 1000 hikers per year between 1960 through 1989 and starting with the year 1990 count 2500 Thru Hikers for each year through 2006. There was a surge in 1999 and 2000, but I believe that using 2500 attempts a year from 1990 to 2006 will be a fairly accurate yet conservative representation of the number of people (including repeaters) who set out to Thru Hike the Appalachian Trail in each of those years. 1000 x 29 years (counting 1960 as the first year and 1989 as the last) = 29000 hikers attempting a Thru Hike or officially hiking a Section Hike on the AT in the years from 1960 to 1989. 2500 x 17 years (counting 1990 as the first year and 2006 as the last) = 42500 Hikers on the AT in the years 1990 to 2006 attempting a Thru Hike or officially hiking a Section Hike. For my computation I will use the sum of these two numbers (71,500) as representative from 1937 to the present. Using the 9000 total completed Thru Hikes (aka 2000 Milers) reported to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, this means that 9000/71500 or approximately 13 percent complete a Thru Hike each year. This takes into account the 100% in 1937, assuming Earl Shaffer was the only person who attempted a Thru Hike that year, to the much lower numbers between 1938 and the surge in the 1990's. Since 2000, the ATC reports that approximately 20 percent of the hikers report completing the AT in a given year. (And they report that the majority of the 20% are women hikers.)

Now, let's look at the larger picture and put this all into perspective. The ATC reports that the AT has 4,000,000 visitors a year. Of those, approximately 2500 or 00.0625 percent are Thru Hikers or officially hiking a Section Hike. This is not to say that a Thru Hike or officially hiking a Section Hike is not an accomplishment, because I think that everyone will agree that hiking 2175 miles in one hike or over several (Section) hikes is an accomplishment to be proud of.

However, these statics are important when looking at the 'big picture' on the Appalachian Trail.

I've done some research and even with duplication and my innate generosity, the number of people who participate in online e-groups or e-lists related solely to the Appalachian Trail are approximately 4000 or 00.1 percent of all the people who put at least one foot on the Appalachian Trail each year. Where on the Internet are the rest of the 3,996,000 people?

Damascus, VA holds a Thru Hiker gathering called Trail Days each year on the Thursday to Sunday weekend after Mother's Day each May. According to one Trail Days website approximately 20,000 people attend the festivities. I've been there at least ten times and I think that it's generous to state that 10,000 attend Trail Days. Given the ATC's 4 million visitors to the AT and using the more than generous and highly speculative 20,000 Trail Days visitors, this indicates that 00.5 percent of those who set one foot on the AT attend Trail Days. Not everyone in attendance is a Thru Hiker or a Section Hiker. Many locals attend Trail Days as there are activities relating to alumni of the local schools and school activities as well as a community wide yard sale on the Saturday before Mother's Day. The "Hiker Parade" usually has approximately (and generously) 500 hikers (not counting the parade vehicles and floats). Of the 9000 reported Thru Hikers (2000 Milers) and the 2500 hikers on the AT each year working on completing their hike, 4.34 percent attend Trail Days.

I hope you can see where I'm going with this. If not, read on.

Let's assume for the sake of mathematics that the number of visitors to the AT during 1937 to 1959 totalled 10 million and the numbers from 1960 to 1989 at 2 million a year totalled 58 million and the total between 1990 and 2006 of 3 million a year in the 1990's and 4 million a year beginning 2000 totals 30 million plus 28 million or 58 million. Taken as a whole, this equals 126,000,000 over the same time frame that 9000 hikers reported completing the AT. Of 126 million who have visited the AT since its inception only 00.00007 have reported completing a Thru Hike to the ATC. And of the Thru Hikers on the AT during this same time period (71,500) they represent 00.00057 of the total number (126,000,000) who have visited the AT.

In the grand scheme of things, Appalachian Trail Thru Hikers and Official Section Hikers are in a minute minority. But again, let me emphasize that hiking the AT and completing the entire Trail is an accomplishment to be proud of.

My question is: Where are the rest of the AT Thru Hikers who have not reported their completed AT hikes to the ATC? Some, like a certain male ballet star, 'said' they Thru Hiked but failed to follow all the white blazes and yellow blazed about half of the Trail. A person can "say" anything, but eventually the truth will out. (Right, Mr. Gore?) But I have met former AT Thru Hikers who just "didn't" report to the ATC that they completed their hikes. Why? Good Question.

So this is where this is going: Not everyone who hikes on the Appalachian Trail is a member of any AT related e-group, e-List, attends Trail Days, or is a member of any AT related group such as the AT Conservancy, the local AT Maintaining Club, ALDHA, Trailplace or WhiteBlaze. Why? Good Question.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cycle of AT Hiker Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I see it. Recall, this is my blog and you have the right to comment.

1- Interest in the Appalachian Trail is sparked.
A- By Bill Bryson's "book"
B- By a high school or college backpacking class
C- By a family member or friend who completed a Thru Hike
D- By an article in a magazine or newspaper
2- Inquiries made regarding gear.
A- Through books about backpacking
B- With local outfitter
C- Borrowing from friends or family (this hand me down gear usually does not fit)
D- Checking on the Internet
3- Gear not borrowed is purchased
A- From local outfitter
B- From discount online outfitter
C- From backpacking equipment store
4- Money is saved for trip
5- Some "pre-hike" hikes are made
6- The Big Day Arrives and the AT Thru Hiker arrives at the Terminus of his/her hike
A- The Thru Hiker is fortunate and everything falls into place and he/she completes his/her Thru Hike
1- Hiker notifies ATC and may be active in local AT Maintaining Club and other AT related resources (including online e-groups and e-lists)
2- Hiker completes hike, tells few and resumes pre-hike life (often with a changed perception and life-style, but not always)
3- Hiker's entire life-style and outlook are changed and he/she becomes an active Trail advocate and politically active in an AT related area
B- Things go wrong or an injury occurs and the Thru Hiker has to get off the Trail
1- Injury or 'misery' is so great that Hiker sells gear and returns to "the real world"
2- Hiker vows to overcome injury/misery and returns to the AT as an Official Section Hiker or to attempt another Thru Hike
3- Injured Hiker doesn't wish to lose the camaraderie of the hiking community and joins one of the many e-groups or e-lists.
4- Injured hiker becomes actively involved as a Trail Advocate
C- Post Thru Hike, hiker decides to hike on other long (and short) Trails and becomes active in the Trail Community related to those Trails
D- Post Hike, hiker returns to College and obtains a degree in a field in which he can promote the AT and environmental causes
E- Post Hike, hiker realizes what's truly important and gets politically involved, working for local, State or Federal government

The above is not all inclusive, but the general observation is that a Thru Hiker is a changed person. Some change for the better, some go off the deep end and join forces with those organizations which would overthrow the US Government and destroy our current way of life, and some are changed spiritually with or without any external indication of the change.

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A person who wants to Thru Hike the Appalachian Trail can do so without any contact with any one who has Thru Hiked previously, without joining any e-group/e-list, without reading or writing a book (including Bill Bryson's) or a journal. A person can Thru Hike the AT and enjoy the hike, the moment and the community and then return to the "real world" and never look back or hang on to "what was then" because "this is now!"

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Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind: 24 And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak; ye the truth every man with his neighbour; for we are members one of another.

2 Corinthians 5:17 If then any be in Christ a new creature, the old things are passed away, behold all things are made new. 18 But all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Christ; and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 For God indeed was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their sins; and he hath placed in us the word of reconciliation. 20 For Christ therefore we are ambassadors, God as it were exhorting by us. For Christ, we beseech you, be reconciled to God.

Mark 4:1 And again he began to teach by the sea side; and a great multitude was gathered together unto him, so that he went up into a ship, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude was upon the land by the sea side. 2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his doctrine: 3 Hear ye: Behold, the sower went out to sow. 4 And whilst he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate it up. 5 And other some fell upon stony ground, where it had not much earth; and it shot up immediately, because it had no depth of earth.

6 And when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And some fell upon good ground; and brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased and yielded, one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred. 9 And he said: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And when he was alone, the twelve that were with him asked him the parable.

11 And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand: lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he saith to them: Are you ignorant of this parable? and how shall you know all parables? 14 He that soweth, soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, and as soon as they have heard, immediately Satan cometh and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And these likewise are they that are sown on the stony ground: who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but are only for a time: and then when tribulation and persecution ariseth for the word they are presently scandalized. 18 And others there are who are sown among thorns: these are they that hear the word, 19 And the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts after other things entering in choke the word, and it is made fruitless. 20 And these are they who are sown upon the good ground, who hear the word, and receive it, and yield fruit, the one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.

These verses do relate, but I'll leave it up to you to discover how if it's not obvious to you.
Pace e Bene! ~~~~~~THFKA Auntie Coosa~~~~~~

Journaling

Yesterday, one of my friends commented to me over the phone that I'm not doing enough Journaling on this blog.

I guess that's correct. I hope I've journaled some today (see previous post).

And if not, then comment and I'll work harder at it.

A journal is a place to write one's thoughts. Well, sometimes I do and sometimes I find items of interest that I share.

My thoughts earlier tonight are below, along with some Bible verses from the Douay-Rheims version of the Bible. This version is the English translation of the Latin Vulgate and is a Complete Bible with all the Cannonical books, not just the ones the Protestants left in their shortened version they call the King James version.

A special prayer goes out to my sister-in-law and her family upon the passing away of her mother. May all the Saints and Angels of heaven comfort the family and may the God bless them during this time of loss.

Hail Mary, full of grace;
the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us
sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et
benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis
peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.

For Everything There is a Season

I love life. Really, I do. I never know what's going to be around the next moment or the next hour.

I'm in Tennessee right now, visiting my son and his family. I got online just to check out what was going on in my little "e-group" world and wouldn't you know, someone from another e-List decided to get involved in a conversation which was really none of his business, other than that it was on that "e-group" and so was he.

About a year ago, an acquaintance decided to spread half-truths about the environment on an e-List. I countered with facts. And some tongue in cheek fun. If you haven't noticed, liberals and leftists and socialists and communists have a big problem with humor. They don't laugh much. Since there were no scientific FACTS to back up her statements, she started attacking me personally. Since I prefer the high road, I voluntarily removed myself from the group and later found out from the list-owner that my comments would be moderated. No prob, as the other person's were, too. For how long, I don't know. I wasn't getting the emails.

I found another hiking e-group and joined in 2006. THEN, someone recently read my blog but didn't want to respond to ME personally through the blog -- comments ARE monitored and only those with curse words have been refused -- this is a public forum after all -- but instead responded on the e-group.

What's the big problem? THIS IS MY BLOG AND MY THOUGHTS. And I'll back them up with proof. If you have a problem, contact the person who documents the proof, do NOT attack me as it gains you nothing. On this Blog, I have provided factual proof that Al Gore's "Global Warming" is an emotional HOAX. See the post below and check out the link. (Just scroll your pointer over the post and it'll show you where to click or double click.) These FACTS seem to be the bone of contention with the emotional leftist-liberal-socialist-communists.

So a few moments ago I wrote a BLISTERING (I hope) post on the e-group and removed myself, voluntarily, from said group.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??? They want to believe a lie because it fits into their leftist, liberal, socialist, communist, EMOTIONAL agenda!!!

I don't hate anybody for their beliefs (other than Muhammadans, I will make that distinction. I know from study, that they can lie out of both sides of their mouths and still be considered 'good Muhammadans' as long as the lying promotes Islam/Submission of others to Muhammadanism). I don't think I have ever personally attacked anyone for the error of their beliefs. I don't have to defend what is correct. But I will speak up when someone uses emotional propaganda to promote a lie. And YES, if a Muhammadan promotes the lies of Islam in my presence, I will speak up.

So, what's it worth to you, angry person? Was it worth your energy to slam me? I guess you'll follow me over to my other groups and attack me personally there, too. Why are you cyber-stalking me? What have I ever done to you? Who made you the "backpacking police?" Not ALL backpackers are emotional leftist, liberal, socialist, communists. Or were you unaware of that FACT?

It seems that FACTS cannot find a foothold in some people's agenda. Logic and Reason fly out the door because emotional propaganda stirs up the masses and promotes your animist agenda.

Oh, for those of you who didn't know, those 'tree huggers' promote animism. This belief, that everything has an innate 'spirit' and that everything has the same value leads to euthanasia and abortion. WHAT? Oh, yes, dear reader, if everything has the same value as everything else, then a tree has as much value as a human. And if the killing of an unborn baby will save a tree, then the 'tree huggers' will demand abortion over cutting down a tree. And if an elderly person is breathing too much air and using too many resources, because the resources are worth the same as the elderly person, the 'tree hugger' will promote killing or euthanizing the elderly person to save the resources.

Sorry people, those are the FACTS. Logical and Reasonable. This is not emotional propaganda. Just follow the money, or the yellow brick road, or the yellow submarine. Leftist propaganda ultimately leads to animism.

And if you'll check out the 'new age' beliefs that some religions have added to their agendas, you will find that animism is alive and well in many main-stream religions.

Now, if you want to find a logical and reasonable religion . . . try here. Let me warn you that the cost is high. Perhaps higher than most 'tree hugging' followers of Al Gore are willing to make.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

1 All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build. 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

6 A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away. 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. 8 A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace. 9 What hath man more of his labour? 10 I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end. 12 And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life. 13 For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of God. 14 I have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever: we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared. 15 That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.

Genesis 1:26-31

26 And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. 27 And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth. 29 And God said: Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed upon the earth, and all trees that have in themselves seed of their own kind, to be your meat: 30 And to all beasts of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to all that move upon the earth, and wherein there is life, that they may have to feed upon. And it was so done.
31 And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. And the evening and morning were the sixth day.

"Dominion" and "increase and multiply" and "subdue" and "rule" and "it was so done" and "God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good."

John 3:16-21

16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. 18 He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil. 20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved. 21 But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God.

Josue 24:15

15 But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve, whether the gods which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

Politics and Other Subjects

Politics is one of those topics that most people tell you not to discuss in polite society. Unfortunately, no one tells anyone else how "polite society" is defined. I am not an easy person to categorize (some will say "I'm not an easy person") because my interests are all over the globe. In fact, beyond the globe. I love to study photos of the Sun. It's the most interesting object to me. I want to go into a Sun spot to see what's in there. (And I assure the reader that it's not "hell" as the Sun is just the object that brings light to the Earth.) So who is or what is "polite society?" My definition is: Polite Society is people who do not bring up politics in any discussion unless they're willing to obtain a political response from all the hearers (or readers). My blog is set up for comments. If you have a comment, please do so. I will monitor it (to be sure it meets the "G" rating of the blog) and post it, misspellings and grammatical errors will not be altered.

Cyber-Stalkers are people who think that the Internet and an email address gives them liberty to harass others "anonymously" hidden behind a "user name." ISP addresses embedded in emails are not that hard to pull up. Anonymity only exists in the mind of the user. (That last sentence is mind boggling if you think about it.)

Death is often a subject most people try to ignore because they don't see it as part of the process of life. The cycle of life includes an end of life we call death. My great grandaunt died at age 103. My grandmother at age 96. My mother's first cousin has just died at age 101.5. Both my parents are alive (as has been mentioned before) and live in a Retirement Community. And I am ever grateful that my Dad had the foresight to plan for their retirement.

Thru Hiking. I had thought about posting my trail stories over on a website set up for same. But I've thought about it a lot and instead, I will be posting my journal as a blog whenever I can find a computer and time to do so. The Journal Blog will be referenced on this blog as soon as I start posting. So stay tuned.

What else is going on?

The Hanging: The camera-phone detail of Saddam Hussein's hanging, no matter which side of the death penalty you stand on, should not have been made public so soon after it occurred. I don't know exactly what the hanging accomplished other than the death of a man who still had lawsuits pending against him. It seems the "easy" way out. Some have suggested that the Iraqi leadership was afraid that Democrat leadership in the USofA would set Saddam free. Goes to show you how little they understand 'democracy' -- I think. Maybe John Kerry mentioned releasing Saddam when he went over there before Christmas.

Iraq: 3000 USofA Soldiers killed in Iraq as of the end of 2006. And how many people, Kurds, Shiites, Sunnis, did Saddam kill? The Media quickly forgets that the price of Freedom is high. Fortunatly, the USofA has men and women who are willing to volunteer for military service and who are willing to pay the price of freedom. They don't want to, but they will, for freedom's sake.

Freedom: We haven't had another "9-11" on President Bush's watch. I wonder if anyone is paying attention to this. It will be interesting to see if the Democrat controlled Congress can protect us as well as the Republican controlled Congress. If the USofA is attacked again, blame Pelosi.

Sleeper Cells: There is one here in North Georgia in Franklin and Stephens Counties. There's a locked (as of 09/09/01) gated community with a mosque. They are minutes from two Interstate highways. Scary.

Resolutions: I'm keeping them. How about you?