In Training

Blog I Watch / Birmingham Uni

As y'all are already familiar with, I like to watch what Britain is doing on a fairly daily basis.  This is mostly because I have friends and (what I consider to be) family over there, and partly because I think it's interesting. 

One site I always check on is Nanny Knows Best.  Ken Frost explains his blog this way: dedicated to exposing, and resisting, the all pervasive nanny state that is corroding the way of life and the freedom of the people of Britain.  Sweet. 

Post for Today : Nanny Bans Christians

"Birmingham University's Student Union Guild has demanded that the Evangelical Christian Union (ECU) amend its constitution to allow people of all faiths to become members and, this is the killer point, sit on its leadership body."

Good read.

Google comparisons

I googled 'support our troops' through google for the countries listed below.  It's not the first time I've used the different googles to compare how countries feel. I've been curious, (and disappointed) before.

It started when I got my wonderful British boyfriend.  He and another Royal Marine came to the U.S. for adventure training last summer.  While here, they both commented on how fantastic Americans were about supporting the troops - how we had respect for those who put their lives on the line for what this great country stands for.  As soon as anyone found out they were Royal Marine Commandos, they immediately said some variation of "thank you for serving, we're proud of you, keep up the great work." 

I am so proud of this country, and for people who truly believe in the American ideals.

Google results for "support our troops"
United States Google
United Kingdom Google
Australia Google
Spanish Google
France Google
Deutschland Google
Not quite sure what Google - typed in Israel Google...

As you can see, everything on the U.S. front page is positive, real support sites.  The others, not quite so much.  #10 on the U.K. page is an anti-war site.  Just sorta goes downhill from there.

My British boyfriend LOVES that I'm a kick ass American.  We agree on pretty much everything.  I am SO proud of him, his life and his service. 

And I'm glad that he feels appreciated when he comes to visit the States.

This is what happens

when you are bored at work.  But not bored enough to actually do something constructive for your blog.  Actually, that's not true, arranging hell is constructive!

Parents who bring squalling brats to R-rated movies
Circle I Limbo

General asshats, Arizona State players, fans, etc., Scientologists
Circle II Whirling in a Dark & Stormy Wind

PETA Members
Circle III Mud, Rain, Cold, Hail & Snow

People who whine but don't do anything
Circle IV Rolling Weights

NAMBLA Members
Circle V Stuck in Mud, Mangled

River Styx

Democrats
Circle VI Buried for Eternity

River Phlegyas

The ACLU
Circle VII Burning Sands

Militant Vegans
Circle IIX Immersed in Excrement

Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden
Circle IX Frozen in Ice

Design your own hell

Stole from Chuck

The Straight Shooter

As we all know, the mainstream media is notoriously, pretty much insanely left-wing.  This is why many blog. 

Turns out, this is also why people start their own newspapers at large universities.  (I know, I know really obvious segue).

Allow me to introduce The Texas Tech Straight Shooter.  Their site says they started in the fall of 2005 because they wanted to show a "conservative voice in news and opinion."  Everyone should be heard.  Rock on.

They also feature cartoons by Cox & Forkum.

They're brand new, and seem to be trying very hard.  Maybe something to keep an eye on.  Oh, and I don't go to Texas Tech, in case anyone was wondering...

*Hat tip to my good friend T.J.

New Additions!

I've added a few new blogs/sites to the right ----------->

Zombie investigates, photographs, and writes about major demonstrations, rallies, and the like...  Many of which are in San Francisco and Berkeley

Desert Odyssey is a fairly new milblog by a Major in the Air Force

Michael Yon has a brand spankin' new site, so switch him over if you still have his blog listed

Past Imperfect is a British blog I've been reading since it's birth.  She tells amazing stories of her life, and how she found her true love again after 30 years!

Y'all please go visit!

"I don't support our troops"

Ace has a good post about a Joel Stein article.  I think Ace is right, at least Stein is honest.  I wouldn't want to be in the same room with this guy, but he's most definitely not following-the-leader and quoting the party line.  Much, anyway.  This is all the good I have to say about him, or the following.

Ace's Post Here
Stein's Article Here

***** UPDATE: Radioblogger audio & transcript of Hugh Hewitt / Joel Stein interview
(via Michelle Malkin)

Excerpt from Stein Article:"Warriors and Wusses"

"But blaming the president is a little too easy. The truth is that people who pull triggers are ultimately responsible, whether they're following orders or not. An army of people making individual moral choices may be inefficient, but an army of people ignoring their morality is horrifying. An army of people ignoring their morality, by the way, is also Jack Abramoff's pet name for the House of Representatives.

I do sympathize with people who joined up to protect our country, especially after 9/11, and were tricked into fighting in Iraq. I get mad when I'm tricked into clicking on a pop-up ad, so I can only imagine how they feel.

But when you volunteer for the U.S. military, you pretty much know you're not going to be fending off invasions from Mexico and Canada. So you're willingly signing up to be a fighting tool of American imperialism, for better or worse. Sometimes you get lucky and get to fight ethnic genocide in Kosovo, but other times it's Vietnam.
And sometimes, for reasons I don't understand, you get to just hang out in Germany.

I know this is all easy to say for a guy who grew up with money, did well in school and hasn't so much as served on jury duty for his country. But it's really not that easy to say because anyone remotely affiliated with the military could easily beat me up, and I'm listed in the phone book.

I'm not advocating that we spit on returning veterans like they did after the Vietnam War, but we shouldn't be celebrating people for doing something we don't think was a good idea. All I'm asking is that we give our returning soldiers what they need: hospitals, pensions, mental health and a safe, immediate return."

And, in case anyone missed it, * I DO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS *  Those fighting for a better world.  

2 Weeks!

It's only about 2 weeks now until I get to see Royal again!

He has been told that he'll be allowed to show up for his new draft after he returns from leave - seeing me! 

We have a trip planned to San Antonio while he's here.  He's never really been anywhere in the U.S. except for Ft. Worth/Dallas and where I live.  If any of y'all have been to San Antonio and would like to share cool places to see, leave 'em in the comments!  I've only been once before, and that was years ago. 

He'll also be coming to a few of my classes, and my work with me - just to see what I go through on a daily basis  ;o)  Actually, it's just because we can't stand to be out of each other's sight when we do get to be together! 

Everyone has been super supportive of this relationship - including y'all - so THANK YOU!

It has been... 151 days since we last saw each other.  I can't wait!!

Code Pink has issues.

Not that that's news to anyone who reads this blog.

Publius Pundit - Blogging the democratic revolution has a post: It seems the psychos at Code Pink have photoshopped a photo of an Iranian women into a pro - Code Pink recruiting ad.  Pathetic.  And incredibly fake looking anyway. 

Original:

Photoshopped:

Photo is clear if you go to Code Pink link above...
Via Michelle Malkin

Soldier's books being published in UK

Check out this BBC article on books written by soldiers serving in Iraq. 

Books mentioned are:

My War: Killing Time in Iraq by Colby Buzzell

One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer by Nathaniel C. Flick

Just Another Soldier: A Year on the Ground in Iraq by Jason Christopher Hartley

Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army by Kayla Williams with MIchael E. Staub

I have not read any of these books, nor have I read any reviews.  Well, except for this one by Blackfive.  But other than that, I just wanted to post about this, especially since Universal Soldier was kind enough to think of me and send the link my way!  Thanks, man.

Our Military : Casual Murderers, Monsters

Smart-Bombing Iraqi Families While They Sleep

A few quotes from the above:

"But the children you killed in Bayji have no worries anymore, and nor do their parents, because you killed them, too. Of course you were immediately defended by the mouthpieces of the US military machine, whose first reaction is to lie, just like their president, when faced with evidence that atrocities have been committed. And you, the strutting, Mission-Accomplished fly-boys, the cream of the aerial cream and the most marvelous of marvelous -- you are casual murderers."

"The pilot enjoys a wonderful video game when he swoops down and lets rip with his hi-tech toy. There's no opposition to his aerial games. He is in no danger whatever. He's been told to go kill anti-American ragheads and it's jet-jock heaven up there, going VrrrrreeeeuuuwhaWHEEEENG at a hundred rounds a second with his revolving Colty cowboy machine."

"How did you sleep last night, you conquerors of the sky? Have you ever seen a woman's head that was crushed by your bombs? And how about you, Lieutenant Colonel Johnson? Do you enjoy happy dreams? I don't see how you can, given the lies you have told and the destruction and death you try so ineptly to conceal. But perhaps the new type of US military officer is schooled to ignore the crushing of women's heads and the extinction of kids. They are only ragheads, so who cares?"

I don't think we'd get along.  The author, Brian Cloughley, says he has background in the British and Australian Armies.  He now lives in France.  Just sayin'.