How the Dem's Tune Doth Change (Murtha Version)

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. John Murtha today said he saw signs of military progress during a brief trip to Iraq last week, but he warned that Iraqis need to play a larger role in providing their own security and the Bush administration still must develop an exit strategy.

"I think the 'surge' is working," the Democrat said in a videoconference from his Johnstown office, describing the president's decision to commit more than 20,000 additional combat troops this year. But the Iraqis "have got to take care of themselves.
Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07333/837824-100.stm

CNN-You Tube Republican Debate

Some quick thoughts here; this was the first such debate that I watched all the way through....

Moderator Anderson Cooper was superb at the controls. The questions were so-so but about what one would expect from a format limited to You Tube submissions. One or two of the You Tube submitters were in the audience apparently because the producers thought their questions added exceptional interest to the proceedings. One of these, an openly gay, retired U.S. Army General, was featured in a You Tube question and then given the spotlight from his place in the audience. Romney was urbane and polished. The opening fireworks between him and Rudy Giuliani were instructive with Romney clearly cleaning Rudy's clock. McCain was in great form as, well, John McCain. One cannot fault him for his steadfast position against intense interrogation. His treatment at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors has made it impossible for him to sanction such actions regarding any prisoner whether it be be deemed "torture" or not. Fred Thompson was well organized in his responses but did not make any waves; he comes across as a fatherly figure, not as a dynamic action type. Huckabee has the instincts of a snake oil peddler; a true salesman, quick with the apt anecdote, moves in quickly for the kill with his folksy approach. Of the remaining three, Hunter is the more complete candidate. Tancredo, on the other hand is a one issue candidate, and Ron Paul is hopelessly out of touch. Of the latter three Paul did get the most questions and the most face time in answering.

Hillary's Taste in Women Better Than Bill's!

Bill had Monica, and who knows how many others, but Hillary has Huma! Huma Huma,mmmm mmmm Huma!

More: Stay tuned at Drudge
BigHeadDC

PC Spoils the Christmas Party

Christmas Party Memos
Body: Subject: Christmas party announcement

MEMO

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Christmas Party
DATE: December 1

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas
Party will take place on December 23, starting at noon
in the banquet room at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue.

No-host bar, but plenty of eggnog! We'll have a small
band playing traditional carols...feel free to sing
along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up
dressed as Santa Claus!

====================================================

FROM; Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 2
RE: Christmas Party

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our
Jewish employees. We recognize that Chanukah is an
important holiday which often coincides with
Christmas, though unfortunately not this year.

However, from now on we're calling it our "Holiday
Party". The same policy applies to employees who are
celebrating Kwanzaa at this time.

Happy now?


======================================================

FROM; Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 3
RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of
Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking
table...you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to
accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a
table that reads, "AA Only"; you wouldn't be anonymous
anymore.

How am I supposed to handle this?

Somebody?

=====================================================

FROM; Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 7
RE: Holiday Party

What a diverse company we are! I had no idea that
December 20 begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,
which forbids eating, drinking and sex during daylight
hours. There goes the party!

Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon this time
of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees'
beliefs. Perhaps Luigi's can hold off on serving your
meal until the end of the party -- the days are so
short this time of year -- or else package everything
for take-home in little foil swans.

Will that work?

Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Overeaters
Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and
pregnant women will get the table closest to the
restrooms.

Did I miss anything?

=====================================================

FROM; Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 8
RE: Holiday Party

So December 22 marks the Winter Solstice...what do you
expect me to do, a tap-dance on your heads? Fire
regulations at Luigi's prohibit the burning of sage by
our "earth-based Goddess-worshipping" employees, but
we'll try to accommodate your shamanic drumming circle
during the band's breaks.

Okay???


======================================================

FROM; Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
Date: December 9
RE: Holiday Party

People, people, nothing sinister was intended by
having our CEO dress up like Santa Claus! Even if the
anagram of "Santa" does happen to be "Satan," there is
no evil connotation to our own "little man in a red
suit." It's a tradition, folks, like sugar shock at
Halloween or family feuds over the Thanksgiving turkey
or broken hearts on Valentine's Day.

Could we lighten up?


======================================================

FROM; Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 10
RE: Holiday Party

Vegetarians!?!?!?

I've had it with you people!!!

We're going to keep this party at Luigi's Open Pit
Barbecue whether you like it or not, so you can sit
quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of
death", as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your
#$%^&*! salad bar, including hydroponic tomatoes...but
you know, they have feelings, too. Tomatoes scream
when you slice them. I've heard them scream, I'm
hearing them scream right now!


=======================================================

FROM: Teri Bishops, Acting Human Resources Director
DATE: December 14
RE: Pat Lewis and Holiday Party

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Pat Lewis a
speedy recovery from her stress-related illness and
I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the
sanatorium.

In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our
Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the
23rd off with full pay.

Happy Chanu-Kwanzaa-Solsti-Rama-Mas!!

Peacenik Pilgrim Greeting!

You Can Be Too Thin....

On a Hollywood street, Zsa Zsa Gabor sees a wretched man with a sign that says, "Haven't Eaten in Three Days." She says, "Darlink, I admire your villpower."
Zsz Zsa would also have said, "You can't be too rich or too thin". However that theory has been challenged by new research:


This startling research flies in the face of all the food police propaganda that's been spewed the last few years. Our CDC scientists have concluded that being a little or somewhat overweight is good. Of course gross obesity is another matter not be discounted as a factor in morbidity.

A new study by medical researchers in the United States has caused consternation among public health professionals by suggesting that, contrary to conventional wisdom, being overweight might actually be beneficial for health.

The study, published recently in the respected Journal of the American Medical Association, runs counter to almost all other advice to consumers by saying that carrying a little extra flab – though not too much – might help people to live longer.
Source: The Independent (U.K.)

Honoring Vets For Freedom: Nov 11 2007

Veteran's Day is the day , when once a year, we particularly note the contributions made by our military veterans, past and present. Without their sacrifices none of the prosperity and freedom we enjoy would be possible. This posting focuses on the efforts of Vets for Freedom whose mission, founders and organizers are described below.

Vets for Freedom is a nonpartisan organization established by combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our mission is to educate the American public about the importance of achieving success in these conflicts by applying our first-hand knowledge to issues of American strategy and tactics -namely "the surge" in Iraq. We support policymakers from both sides of the aisle who have stood behind our great generation of American warriors on the battlefield, and who have put long-term national security before short-term partisan political gain.

Vets for Freedom is the leading voice representing troops and veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.

---

Vets for Freedom Leadership

Pete Hegseth, Executive Director

First Lieutenant Pete Hegseth served in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division for their deployment to Iraq from 2005-2006. Lt. Hegseth served as an infantry Platoon Leader in Baghdad during the nationwide elections in October and December 2005, and as a Civil-Military Operations officer in Samarra. Lt. Hegseth also served in Guantanamo Bay for a year on a security mission with his National Guard unit and currently serves in the 1-69 Infantry, New York Army National Guard. He holds the Bronze Star for his time in Iraq. Pete is a graduate of Princeton University and plans to pursue a Masters in Public Policy at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton in the fall of 2008. Lt. Hegseth originally hails from Minnesota, but now lives in New York City with his wife. pete@vetsforfreedom.org

Vets for Freedom Founders

	David Bellavia
	David is a former Army Staff Sergeant who served in the First Infantry Division (Task Force 2-2). David has been recommended for the Medal of Honor for actions he took in a fierce urban firefight in the Battle of Fallujah. He and his platoon were the subject of a Time magazine cover story title, Into The Hot Zone. David has also been nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross, and received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for valor, and the Conspicuous Service Cross. Recently he was invited to attend the President's State of the Union address as an honored guest. He has been inducted into the New York Veterans Hall of Fame. David returned to Iraq in June 2006 as an embedded reporter with the Iraqi Army. Bellavia's memoir of his time in Iraq, House to House, will be released by Simon & Schuster in September 2007. He lives Western New York.
	Read more about David here.

	Knox Nunnally
	Knox is a former Marine Infantry Captain who served three consecutive deployments to Iraq with Second Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. He holds a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart. Knox is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and lives in Austin, Texas.

	Mark Seavey
	Mark Seavey is a former Army National Guard Sergeant. He served in Afghanistan for over a year as an infantry squad leader in the Third Battalion, 116 Infantry, based in Woodstock, Virginia. He works for a veterans' organization in Washington and lives in Virginia. He is a graduate of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.

	Joe Dan Worley
	Former Hospitalman Third Class (HN3) Joe Dan “Doc” Worley served in Iraq as a US Navy Corpsman. He was an infantry platoon medic in Second Battalion, First Marines in Fallujah in 2004. In September 2004, Worley was targeted in a coordinated ambush as he was running to the aid of two comrades mortally wounded by an IED. Worley was hit by a secondary IED that blew off his leg, and he was shot five times in the attack. Miraculously, Worley survived and he was able to tie his own tourniquet and begin shouting instructs to aid in the treatment the other wounded Marines. After 18 months of rehabilitation at Bethesda and Walter Reed, he now lives in Georgia with his wife and daughter. He holds a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart.
	Read more about Joe Dan here.

Wade Zirkle

Wade Zirkle is a former Marine Lieutenant who served two deployments to Iraq, first with Second Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (Camp Lejeune, N.C.) and most recently with the Camp Pendleton, California-based infantry unit Second Battalion, First Marines (2/1) in 2004. Zirkle fought in the invasion of Iraq and the First Battle for Fallujah and is a recipient of The Purple Heart. In 2006 Zirkle returned to Iraq for the third time -this time as a civilian reporter- where he was embedded with the Iraq Army in Ramadi. Wade is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and is from Shenandoah County, Virginia. See more about Wade's platoon here.

Tags: veterans day,vets for freedom,Iraq war,surge

Soldiers Cheating on Brain Injury Tests

With highly motivated individuals, be they athletes, be they our service members in harm's way, there is a motivation to stay with the unit and stay on the job or stay in the game,"

So says Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Jaffee of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center on why soldiers cheat on brain injury tests.

The tests, administered by medics in the field, are the military's primary means of uncovering subtle signs of brain injuries from exposure to blasts. Reports of cheating began surfacing in Iraq during the summer, says Col. Brian Eastridge, a trauma surgeon who supervises medical care in Iraq and Afghanistan from his office in Baghdad.

Troops had obtained copies of an older version of the test and memorized key words used to gauge short-term memory, Jaffee says. Those who fail areas of the test undergo more sophisticated exams for diagnosing brain injury.

If symptoms persist, soldiers are sent home. If symptoms get better in days or a few weeks, patients can be sent back into combat, doctors say.

h/t WSJ Best of Web Today

Source:USA Today

Lets say "THANKS" To Our Military Men and Women! Select a free card here.

Tags: iraq war,troops cheat brain tests,combat injury

Blue Dress Democrats and Clinton Inc....

You've heard of Blue Dog Democrats? Now we have Clinton-supporting Blue Dress Democrats who will vote for Hillary and the return of Bubba to power.
"Doesn't matter what she (Mrs. Bill Clinton) says. The Dems will vote for her in droves just to please Bubba. They might as well all wear blue dresses to the polls next year."

On Mrs. Clinton playing victim....

If she could play victim to a Ken Starr figure again there is no telling how many percentage points she might pick up. Don’t underestimate the power of the Blue Dress Democrats and the ability of a Clinton to turn a scandal into an advantage.

Incredible frumpyness from The Gap!


Another Blue Dress Moment....


On Clinton double talk and perfect parsing....


h/t American Thinker

Lets say "THANKS" To Our Military Men and Women! Select a free card here.
Tags: blue dress,blue dress democrats,blue dog democrats,mrs clinton,bill clinton