In case you've been wondering . . .

where the hell I've been for over a month, I've been in rehearsals for this, among other things:

Wednesday Night YouTube

Obama/Biden(?) 08

CNN is reporting that Joe Biden will be announced tomorrow as Barack Obama's running mate. As a former Biden supporter and current Obama supporter, I suppose I'm pleased. It does feel terribly anti-climactic, however. After all this build-up, I was really beginning to hope Obama would pick Clinton. Well, if he was going for experience, Biden's one of the best. That man's been in the senate my entire life. No, really.

Wednesday Night YouTube

All this talk about Tropical Storm Fay got me thinking about another Fay. You know the one. She's referenced in Rocky Horror. The original Scream Queen died in 2004. It's almost too bad there was never a Hurricane Fay screaming through town. I'm fine with a non-event this week, though. Too much to do to be derailed by weather.

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Eleven: Pvt. Benjamin Freeman

Washington Post obit:

Pvt. Benjamin L. Freeman
Age: 19
Hometown: Valdosta, GA
Date of Death: 10/13/2003
Incident Location: Near Asad, Iraq

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Pvt.
Unit: K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Unit's Base: Fort Carson, Colo.

Three days before he left for Iraq, Pvt. Benjamin L. Freeman was married in Colorado. "He looked forward to being a wonderful husband to his wife, April, and having children of his own," said his mother, Vicki Freeman. Freeman, 19, of Valdosta, Ga., drowned on Oct. 13 in the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad. He had joined the Army earlier this year and was based at Fort Carson. "He was only 19, but he was no longer just a teenager. He had become a determined young man, clear thinking and motivated," said his uncle, Lee Freeman. "He knew that we all recognized this, and he knew how proud we all were of him." Freeman was an accomplished guitarist who wrote his own music. A recording of one of his songs was played at the funeral.

I realize most would not consider Pvt. Freeman to have been killed in action, but he might very well still be alive if he hadn't been sent to fight an unjustified war. He was inspired to join the military because of the attacks on September 11, but he wasn't sent to bring those responsible to justice. He was sent . . . for what, again? Oil? Family Grudge match? WMDs? Well, the Iraqis have a huge surplus of cash from their oil profits, while we're facing an historically high deficit and spending billions to rebuild their country. There were no WMDs, and I just can't stand that Valdosta lost one of their bright hopes for the future because of the ridiculous excuse for foreign policy practiced by the Bush Administration. The occupation of Iraq must end. We must bring them home.
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten

Wednesday Night YouTube

Contrary to the lyrics, I might wanna be a Canadian Idiot. I love my country, and I'm doing all I can to make sure Barack Obama is the next POTUS. Nevertheless, if McSame manages to worm his way into the White House, I'll be lookin' to hook a Canuck!

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Ten: Staff Sgt. Bobby C. Franklin

Washington Post:

Staff Sgt. Bobby C. Franklin

Age: 38
Hometown: Mineral Bluff, GA
Date of Death: 8/20/2003
Incident Location: Baghdad

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Staff Sgt.
Unit: 210th Military Police Company
Unit's Base: Murphy, N.C.

After Bobby Franklin was called up by the North Carolina National Guard, his colleagues at the Carlton Colwell Probation and Detention Center made sure he periodically received care packages filled with comforts from home. Franklin supervised inmates working on construction projects in the community. The 38-year-old Franklin of Murphy, N.C., was killed Aug. 20 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Iraq. Family members had tried to talk the longtime reservist into calling it quits last year. "He was within a year of retirement," said Tim Nicholson, his brother-in-law. "That's why he went back this time." Franklin is survived by his wife, Brenda, and two children.
Source: Associated Press

We need to end this back-door draft NOW, before we lose any more like Staff Sgt. Franklin. Bring them home.
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine

Beijing 2008: Please Ignore the Communism

I'm feeling a little bitter, as I have so far been unable to watch the opening ceremony. No cable, and stupid NBC site doesn't want to work for me.

Classic Movies are a Girl's Best Friend!

Tonight at the Ritz. Only $5! Doors open at 6. Short Subjects begin at 6:30. Feature at 7. Door Prizes! Bring your own Popcorn!
crossposted at BlogBrunswick

Wednesday Night YouTube

"La guerre est absurde," indeed!

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Nine: Sgt. Nathaniel Hart

Washington Post:

Age: 29
Hometown: Valdosta, GA
Date of Death: 7/28/2003
Incident Location: Tallil, Iraq

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Sgt.
Unit: 416th Transportation Company, 260th Quartermaster Battalion
Unit's Base: Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.

The Army was a family tradition for Sgt. Nathaniel Hart Jr., whose father and grandfather both served, but his loved ones remember him as much more than a soldier. To them, Hart was a family man who loved to take his two sons fishing and camping. He was a devout Christian who served as a youth pastor, sang in the choir and played drums in the church band. "I believe he was as big a hero in life as he is in death," said Hart's sister, Valarie Lowry. "He was a good example for everybody. His love and kindness were what he was known for. He was sweet in spirit." Hart, 29, died July 28 in a vehicle accident in Iraq. He was from Valdosta, Ga., and stationed at Hunter Army Airfield. Lowry said her brother's wife, Erica, was in shock over his death and the realization that she would be raising their sons, 7-year-old Nathaniel III and 5-year-old Gabriel, without him. "He had a big role in his family's life and his sons' lives," Lowry said.

And now his sons are 12 and 10. How much of their father do they remember? Will we send them off to die in an unjustified war, too?
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Eight: Sgt. Michael T. Crockett

In Remembrance

Age: 27
Hometown: Soperton, GA
Date of Death: 7/14/2003
Incident Location: Baghdad

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Sgt.
Unit: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment
Unit's Base: Fort Stewart, Ga.

Sgt. Michael T. Crockett's mother sent him off to war in December with a hug and a kiss. "He told me he was too old for that, but he kissed me," Maxine Crockett said. "I told him we weren't going to say goodbye, we're going to say, 'See you later.' So he said, 'See you later.'" Crockett, 27, of Soperton, Ga., died July 14 in Iraq when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades. His wife, Tracey, learned of her husband's death just hours after she had received a dozen red roses he had sent from overseas. "He loved to spoil me, and after his son was born, he spoiled him, too," she said. The 3-year-old son is named after his dad: Michael Tyrone Crockett Jr.

A 2003 New York Times article profiling Sgt. Crockett's division after its return from Iraq:

There is a lot of pain to digest. The division has planted a row of eastern redbud trees along one side of the parade field at Fort Stewart -- one for each of those who did not return home. The trees will bloom each spring, when most of the soldiers died.

The division lost 38 soldiers; 4 more from other units that fought with the division also died. The First Brigade lost 19, the last of them, Sgt. Michael T. Crockett, on July 14, when guerrillas fired a rocket-propelled grenade into his Humvee on the road from the airport outside Baghdad.

The next time John McCain talks about the need for victory without defining what that would mean, remember the faces of those who have been lost to this open-ended war. I'm only half way through 2003. These are just military deaths from Georgia. There are civilians, Americans and Iraqis, who have died, not to mention the thousands of other American military lives lost. Hundreds of thousands suffering from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual ramifications of their tours. This war is costing so much. The Iraqi government wants us to leave. It's time to bring the troops home!


Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Seven: Spec. John K. Klinesmith Jr.

Spec. John K. Klinesmith Jr. | Faces of the Fallen | washingtonpost.com:

Hometown: Stockbridge, Georgia, U.S.

Age: 25 years old

Died: June 12, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Incident: Klinesmith was last seen wading in the lake on the palace compound in Fallujah and a search was launched. His body was discovered at the lake.

Survivors include his mother, Domenica Columbus, of Carriere, Miss. He joined the Army in 1999. He was just out trying to cool off in the June heat. My hearts goes out to his mother and the fellow soldiers who found him. One more among the many horrors of this war. It's time to bring them home!
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six

Jack McBrayer is nominated for an Emmy!

Ok, so Kathy Griffin would call it a Schmemmy, and it's not the category I was hoping for, but Jack is listed as a nominee:

Outstanding Special Class - Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs

Battlestar Galactica - Razor Featurette #4 • Sci Fi Channel.com • Universal Media Studios in association with R & D TV
Ronald D. Moore, Executive Producer
David Eick, Executive Producer
Harvey Frand, Supervising Producer

Friday Night Lights: Spotlight On Austin • NBC.com • NBC and Pyro Creative
Carole Panick, Producer
Howard Borim, Producer
Talbot Kanae, Producer

Lost: Missing Pieces • ABC.com • ABC.com / ABC Studios
Damon Lindelof, Executive Producer
Carlton Cuse, Executive Producer
Barry Jossen, Executive Producer

Sarah Silverman Program Nugget • Comedycentral.com • The Valley Pals in association with Comedy Central
Dan Sterling, Executive Producer
Sarah Silverman, Executive Producer
Heidi Herzon, Executive Producer
Rob Schrab, Executive Producer
Vatche Panos, Producer

30 Rock: Kenneth The Web Page • NBC.com • NBC Production
Carole Panick, Producer
Andrew Singer, Producer
Jack McBrayer, Producer
Eric Gurian, Producer
Josh Silberman, Producer

WWJD?

By Cappy Hall Rearick

"War is only a cowardly escape from the problems of peace." --Thomas Mann

I plan to skip the annual 4th of July festivities this year because I don’t have the stomach for hyperbolic speeches delivered by corrupt politicians. They seem intent on spoon-feeding us the righteousness of war, but I won't swallow it anymore.

I am told to support the troops because not supporting them is unpatriotic. But suppose they gave a war and nobody came? How do I defend our men and women fighting in Iraq without giving credibility to an unjust war? How do I connect those dots?

I believe the deployed men and women would rather be with their own people on the Fourth, happily stuffing themselves with hot dogs, apple pie and cold beer. They might rather be singing the national anthem accompanied by a high school band or waving miniature flags to the beat of 'Stars and Stripes Forever.' I respect all soldiers for the sacrifices they have made and continue to make each day. I honor their courage but I pray they can come home soon, alive and in one piece.

The National Guardsmen fighting in Iraq were called up for an undetermined period of time because our leaders ordered them to go. They went, convinced that Bush's War on Terror would protect this country from misguided Muslim terrorists intent on killing us all. I greatly honor these soldiers for their willingness to give up so much in order to defend our country, but I wish they could be at home firing up the barbecue grill instead of firing guns in the name of Old Glory.

There are some soldiers who fight, not because they were coerced into joining this man's army by fast-talking politicians or the military, but because they are convinced that the Commander-in-Chief knows what he's doing. They were fed the political fodder that 'to fight them over there' means we won't have to 'fight them over here,' and they swallowed it whole.

Not so long ago, those soldiers were children, many brought up in religious homes where grace was said before meals and the Golden Rule memorized at an early age. Turning a deaf ear to logic and old-fashioned common sense, these grown children now follow orders without question, even if it means torturing other human beings. Do the soldiers raised in a Christian home ever ask themselves the question, WWJD?

My core beliefs tell me that peace is precious. Declaring war should never come easy. I don't know how to support an army whose philosophy sanctions the very things I have never believed in. And therein lies the rub, the conundrum, the moral quandary with which I, and many other Americans are forced to grapple today. Some say war is a necessary evil, but how can that be when it flies in the face of all things holy? Killing people, whether in war or otherwise, snatches away our humanness.

We have learned to harness, if not control, hurricanes by searching for and finding innovative tools with which to handle the forces of nature. Why aren't we looking for groundbreaking solutions to end warfare’s primordial way of thinking? Must we be the victims of faulty reasoning, that of kill or be killed, dictated by the people in power?

To the victors go the spoils.

The American men and women fighting in the Middle East today too often give up life and limb but receive no spoils of war, no rewards. We label them heroes and feel overwhelmingly sad when they return in wheelchairs, comas or body bags. The brightest and best of an entire generation are talked into sacrificing their future while we do nothing to find lasting solutions to world problems.

Are we such lazy thinkers that the option to kill and destroy is all we can come up with?

We have glorified the act of war for too long. Today, we must leave no stone unturned in our quest to find alternatives that work for everyone. We must take issue with fear tactics liberally spouted by greedy politicians getting rich on the sacrifices made by our children. If we cannot see that war is another form of mass slaughter, then how will we ever take that giant leap for mankind?

War is not John Wayne with a green beret and a swagger; it is the theft of human lives.
War is not conflict resolution; it creates resentments that lead to even more conflicts.
War is not God's will; it is unholy and it steals our children and the souls of mankind.

Published by permission of the author.

Diets don't work long term

Which Are Worse: Calories from Carbs or Fat? - TIME:

Scientists know that on a molecular level, different types of starch and different types of fat have varying effects when they hit the body. But in terms of weight loss, low-fat diets and low-carb diets overall are equally effective (and, most of the time, neither will help you keep the weight off long-term), says Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.

Emphasis mine.
There is, obviously, more to the article, and I encourage you to click through and read it. However, the part in bold really struck me. Did a mainstream magazine actually just admit that diets don't work in the long run? Somebody pinch me!

Don't forget to vote July 15!

Please remember to vote in the primary. IMO, the most important race is the 5-candidate race to see who will take on Saxby Chambliss in November. I think Rand Knight is the best candidate. Please consider voting for him. I know a lot of folks around here choose to take a Republican ballot in the primary so that they have a say in local races, but please consider voting in the Democratic primary. It will also help Bill Gillespie, who is running against Jack Kingston, with his fundraising if his numbers are good in the primary.

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Six: Spc. David T. Nutt

Profiles of Americans killed in Iraq | ajc.com: Army Spec. David T. Nutt

For Heidi Nutt, there was no doubt about David Nutt. "I knew it from the moment I met him," she said. The two were married seven months after meeting at Fort Campbell, where he was in the Army and she worked in child services.
"He was just a proud, wonderful man," she said. "A strong soldier who never complained." Nutt, 32, of Blackshear, Ga., was driving a truck in Iraq May 14 when he swerved to avoid an automobile driven by an Iraqi civilian. The truck overturned and Nutt was killed. . . Heidi Nutt last spoke with her husband the day after Mother's Day. She says she remembers every word. "He wanted to wish me a happy anniversary and he couldn't wait to come home to see us," she said.

The above quote and photo are from an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from May 20, 2003, which is linked at the top of the post. Although some sites list Specialist Nutt's death as accidental, I am including him in Georgians KIA because of the following from Georgia State House Resolution 1245:

Honoring and remembering the life of United States Army Sergeant David Terrell Nutt, killed in action during the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and for other purposes. . . WHEREAS, Sergeant Nutt courageously gave his life when the supply truck he was driving was ambushed and came under enemy fire . . .

The resolution also mentions that Specialist Nutt was "posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant and awarded the Bronze Star." He is survived by his parents, Mrs. Alice Taylor Nutt and Mr. Winfred Nutt, his wife Heidi, and their three daughters, Emily, Sarah, and Hannah. The resolution states that Sergeant Nutt was a member of the 101st Airborne Division, but other sites have him assigned to the 494th Transportation Division, but he was definitely at Fort Campbell.

There is a great deal of confusion between sites as to David's age. It seems obvious to me from his photo and story that he was 32 when he died, but several sites have his age at 22. I think this stems from a typo that got repeated. Either way, he was too young to be taken from his family.

I lost my father when I was fifteen, but he died of cancer, so we had some warning. I can't imagine what it must be like for his daughters, who were apparently all under 6 when he died. My heart goes out to his family as they continue to live each day without him. We must end this war. Too many families have lost loved ones to an unjustified war.

Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five

It's Funny Because It's Truthy

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency
HT: Jeff at Shakesville

Glynn Democrats Fish Fry

FISH FRY
TWO WAY FISH CAMP AT MUDCAT CHARLIE’S
U.S.HIGHWAY 17 JUST SOUTH OF DARIEN

FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2008
6:30 social, 7:00 dinner
$25 PER MEAL
BUY A GROUP OF TICKETS AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS

PHONE: 634-1298, LEAVE A MESSAGE
E-MAIL US AT glynndemocrats@hotmail.com
SEND YOUR $$ TO P.O. BOX 776, BRUNSWICK, GA 31521

crossposted at BlogBrunswick