Battle Buddies

I can't enough of this picture..... Two Battle Buddies - No stronger bond on the battlefield than a man and his K-9 companion.  This is what 2 brave warrior look like

The Leadership of USMC General James Mattis, known to most as " The Warrior Monk"

Many who are not from a military background don't understand why Warriors hold different beliefs than they do.  Those who have paid for the freedom our country enjoys know things that the protected will never understand.

 

USMC General James Mattis, known to most as " The Warrior Monk" is the kinid of leader our country needs if we will survive in the dangerous world that exists outside the USA.

 

“I don’t give a damn about the officers. If they don’t like what they’re doing, they can get on a plane and leave the Corps — go back where they came from. But I do care deeply about those 18- and 19-year-old Lance Corporals out on the frontlines.”

Amen Sir. 

 

Read a bit about him and understand better why he is beloved by all in iniform who fight for our country.

 

Breaking the Warrior Code

By John R. Guardiano

 

What the media, both left and right, don't understand about General Mattis and the Marine Corps.

To his liberal blogger critics, he is a dangerous, cold-blooded“psychopath” who derives pleasure from sterile acts of killing. As such, he should be fired or demoted and stripped of his command. To the conservative talk radio crowd, he is the reincarnation of the late, great Gen. George S. Patton Jr., a ruthless “fighting machine” determined to wreak havoc and destruction on that thorn in our side called Iraq. As such, the United States should put him in charge and finally end this war once and for all.

But both the left and the right are wrong about Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis. He is neither the Jack Nicholson caricature of a Marine depicted in the 1992 movie A Few Good Men nor the callous and mad eccentric depicted by George C. Scott in the 1970 movie Patton.

Instead, Gen. Mattis is a remarkably learned and thoughtful man who adheres to the old-fashioned Christian, chivalric warrior code. As such, he confounds modern-day screamers on both the left and the right for whom the warrior code is unintelligible. I know because I had the privilege of serving under Gen. Mattis as a Marine in Iraq.

Moreover, while we were both in-country the General graciously took the time to engage me in an exclusive half-hour conversation. At the time, I was trying to secure a commission as an officer. The General learned that my relatively advanced age (then 35) was posing a problem and offered to help. That a three-star general with a war on his hands would take the time to assist a lowly Lance Corporal speaks volumes about the heart and character of Gen. Mattis.

I SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN surprised. I had spent the spring and summer of 2003 with the First Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment, at an abandoned pistol factory in Al Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad. Gen. Mattis regularly showed up to speak with us. He would tell us colorful stories, offer tough-minded advice and counsel, and eagerly solicit our thoughts and questions. We loved him because we knew he loved us.

And Gen. Mattis didn’t just talk the talk; he walked the walk. He led from the front. Indeed, on at least one occasion that I know of, the General was bloodied from a firefight or improvised explosive device while out on patrol with junior, enlisted Marines one-third his age. That’s what makes Gen. Mattis such a great warrior: He truly respects and cares for his Marines.

“Guardiano,” he told me, “I don’t give a damn about the officers. If they don’t like what they’re doing, they can get on a plane and leave the Corps — go back where they came from. But I do care deeply about those 18- and 19-year-old Lance Corporals out on the frontlines.” The General was telling me that, as an officer, I better be concerned with helping younger, junior Marines, not advancing my own career.

That’s why all the liberal talk about Mattis being some sort of“psychopathic killer” is so ludicrous. Nor is he, as the conservative talk-show set would have it, an inhumane “fighting machine.” Psychopathic killers don’t care for their men; and machines don’t exhibit compassion for a liberated but frightened people.

Yet, I am absolutely convinced that whenever a Marine died or bled, a part of Gen. Mattis died and bled, too. And whenever an innocent Iraqi was intimidated, beaten or shot, Gen. Mattis was incensed and outraged. But because of our modern-day cultural depravity, we lack the basic vocabulary necessary to identify and understand, let alone appreciate and celebrate, warriors like Gen. Mattis.

HOW, THEN, TO EXPLAIN the General’s comment that it is “fun to shoot some people”? Is not such a sentiment “indicative of an apparent indifference to the value of human life,” as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) argues?

Unfortunately for the council and other professional grievance lobbies, context is everything, especially when it come to war and killing. Gen. Mattis clearly did not say he likes killing for killing’s sake. Instead, like most Marines, he enjoys fighting for a righteous cause. He enjoys a good “brawl,” especially when it involve shooting vermin who subjugate, beat, and abuse women.
Moreover, if the critics bothered actually to listen to Gen. Mattis’s remarks — which you can do online at NBC’s San Diego affiliate website — they would realize that he was calling for an investment in so-called soft-power resources that would help to avert combat. He was saying, in effect: “Look, I love a good fight and would enjoy shooting and killing these bastards; but we need to do the things that will make that unnecessary.”

The General was speaking at a professional conference on military transformation; and he was urging the Pentagon to invest in efforts that would “diminish the conditions that drive people to sign up for these kinds of insurgencies.”

None of the widely touted new technologies and weapons systems, he noted, “would have helped me in the last three years [in Iraq and Afghanistan]. But I could have used cultural training [and] language training. I could have used more products from American universities [who] understood the world does not revolve around America and [who] embrace coalitions and allies for all of the strengths that they bring us.”

That sure doesn’t sound like the fanatical Col. Kurtz of Apocalypse Now.

GEN. MATTIS ALSO IMPLICITLY took exception to conservative defense analysts like Weekly Standard contributor Thomas Donnelly, who seem to think that increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps will solve most of our military challenges. But a larger —and thus more bureaucratic — force structure may be exactly what is not needed to win the war against Islamic fascism.

As the General explained, “We’re seeing a re-criminalization of war. And that means we need to get small units, not big armies…Small units so capable that, as we close with the enemy, they’re transformed into something that is as capable as our air units and sea units have been in shutting down the threats to this country over the last 30 years.”

Some critics have alleged that Gen. Mattis’s’ comments reflect a dangerous military mindset that gave rise to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. However, for any of the Marines who served under him, it is impossible to imagine a scandal like Abu Ghraib happening on the General’s watch.

That’s because Gen. Mattis always made it his business to know what was happening in his command; and he did not tolerate stupidity and abuse by his Marines. We all understood this because he communicated well and often his expectations. Those expectations included his demand to “keep your honor clean” and to treat the Iraqis “as you would your own family, with dignity and respect.”
Let’s hope this reality is included in the movie, destined to come, about Gen. Mattis, the Marine Corps, and Iraq. This would be a refreshing change from Hollywood’s recent depictions of the U.S. military. And it would rightly honor a man and a warrior who is truly an American hero.

John R. Guardiano blogs at www.ResCon1.com, and you can follow him on Twitter: @ResCon1.

 

  

 

Lost & Blind - Abby finds her way home in -40 degree weather in Alaska

To those who do not share their lives with a dog, you have my sympathy and pity.  I cannot imagine how empty my life would be w/o the company of our 4 legged friends.

They are incredible and show it by how they live their lives bravely, genuinely and without regret.  They are an inspiration to all who spend time with them and the dedication they show is unrivaled.

I envy their ability to find their way home, even while blind and in -40 degree weather.  This pup was not going to ever give up until she found her way back to her family.

Awesome stuff.

Lost, blind dog finds way back to Alaska owners

Associated Press – 10 hrs ago

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Blind and alone in Alaska winter temperatures that dipped 40 degrees below zero, a lost 8-year-old Fairbanks dog wasn't given much of a chance to make it home.

 

But after walking 10 miles to the edge of a local musher's dog yard, Abby the brown-and-white mixed breed was found and returned to her owners, a family that includes two boys and one girl under the age of 10.

The dog that the family raised from an animal-shelter puppy went missing during a snowstorm on Dec. 13, and the family never expected to see her again, The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported (http://bit.ly/VhceSZ ).

"It's a miracle, there's no other words to describe it," said McKenzie Grapengeter, emotion choking her voice and tears coming to her eyes. "We never expected to have her to be returned safe and alive."

Musher and veterinarian Mark May said he came across the dog while running his team on Dec. 19, but didn't stop to pick her up.

"It ran with us for about a mile on the way home before she fell off the pace, but I had a big dog team so I couldn't grab it," he said. "I said, 'boy I hope it finds somebody's house.'"

The next day, the dog turned up at May's house.

"Everybody just assumed it was some kind of scaredy-cat, but there it was in front of the door in our dog lot and it was blind," May said. "It was sitting there, all the way from 14 mile on the winter trail down into this neighborhood, I guess by just sniffing, so I picked it up and brought it in."

To May's surprise, the dog had no signs of frostbite.

"No frozen ears, no frozen toes, she'll probably go back home and it'll (be) business as usual. She's no worse for wear but quite an adventure," he said.

The Grapengeter family hadn't tagged or put a microchip in the dog, but the community used social media to track down Abby's owners.

"We're so, so grateful for all (the community's) hard work," McKenzie Grapengeter said. "They've given us the most amazing Christmas gift we could ever ask for

SEMPER FIDOS - Military Dogs Are Our Military's Best Friends

SEMPER FIDOS - Man's Best Freinds are a true " Force Multiplier" out here in Afghanistan

After the fight, they can heal the wounds of war just by being there for our wounded warriors.

 

Driving your dreams....one man is doing it with style

I always thought about what I would do when I won the lottery....Help some good charities, take care of the bills, etc.

The main effort from there would be to create a company that would rebuild classic cars and restore them to their glory days....Spend time finding them and making them shiney & new all over again....

Here is one guy who is able to do something along those lines and I am willing to bet that we ( him & I ) have a lot of common interest in what can be done when you have the $$$$ and time to make it possible....Lucky guy.

How One Millionaire Made Himself a Pint-Sized Ferrari

• By Nathan Laliberte

 

 

Srour (pronounced “se-rure”) spots me standing in front of his parking garage and strides across the street. He offers a firm, bone-crushing handshake and immediately gestures to my red baseball hat – the one I almost never take off.

“I’m going to need that,” he says, giddily slapping my shoulder. “It’s freaking cold out.”

Other Rides To Kill For

I reluctantly hand over the cap, sheepishly adjusting my bedhead, and stand aside as Srour, 54, delicately lowers himself into his two-thirds-scale 1952 Ferrari F2 500 race car. At just over 3 feet tall and 6 feet long, the F2 holds the dubious distinction of being the only street-legal model car in Manhattan – if not the Eastern United States. It’s also the first example in Srour’s ambitious plan to transform a duo of model Ferraris into super-powered road-rockets. The second car, another two-thirds-scale 275 GTB/4 – a model made partially famous by Steve McQueen – should be road-ready early next year.

The original F2, driven by Alberto Ascari, was one of the most prolific racing Ferraris ever built. In 1952, it dominated the Formula One World Championship, winning every round except for the Indianapolis 500. It is, in fact, the second most successful car in Formula One history, only behind the incomparable McLaren MP4/4, which won more races in 1988. In a strange twist of fate, Srour’s only encounter with the real F2 was at the Cavallino Classic in 2007. “I had no idea it was going to be there,” says Srour, who was there to show off the two-thirds model for display. “Putting the two cars side by side was like seeing a father and son reunited.”

Today we’re headed to a popular car gathering in New Jersey. I’ll drive Srour’s Ferrari 458 Spider (tough life, I know) and have been instructed to stay close behind the F2 for the duration of our 45-mile journey. And for good reason. While the F2 can hit 90 mph, its small size means even inattentive Mini drivers could take it out.

As I strap into the 458, Srour pulls beside me, gooses the throttle and grins from ear to ear. A lady walking a Chihuahua stops to issue a displeased, authoritative stare. Srour is unfazed.

“Let’s roll,” he says, tearing down the street in one of the oddest sights I’ve ever seen in Manhattan.

To understand Srour’s passion for mini-cars is to enter the mind of the ultimate car fanatic. After finding success in children’s fashion (The Parigi Group, the company he started in 1980, holds exclusive licensing contracts with Puma, DKNY, Lucky Brand, Nicole Miller, and Paul Frank, among others), Srour, a native of Lebanon, began amassing an impressive array of Italian sports cars. His collection, which he calls “The Red Cave,” includes a Ferrari F50, Dino 246, Alfa Giulietta Spider and a Maserati Mexico, all dressed in gleaming Rosso Corso.

Srour purchased the F2 for $75,000 while on business in Las Vegas as a present for his 12-year-old son, who was beginning to show his own passion for exotic cars. Originally crafted by Carrozzerria Allegretti, a shop in Italy that specializes in custom cars, the F2 was tiny, underpowered, and designed for children – not adults.

“My intention was to give it to my son,” Srour said, “however, when I took it out for a spin, I totally fell in love with it. That’s when we came up with the idea to make it street-legal.”

Photo: Nathan Laliberte

Srour’s clever mechanic, Raffi Najjarian, was given the unenviable job of transforming the F2 into a road-rocket capable of withstanding the rigors of Manhattan streets while seamlessly offering a modicum of comfort and safety for the driver.

“I was surprised to get the project.” Najjarian said. “In fact, it’s still a bit of a joke to me. When he first bought the car, Marco asked if I could make it into a road car and I jokingly responded, ‘Sure, why not.’ And then he said ‘Okay, so do it.’”

The build began in 2005 and was done in three separate stages, each taking about a year to complete: drivetrain then suspension (the F2 came without rear shocks), along with extensive overhauls to the chassis and engine.

Upon completion of the first phase, Najjarian installed headlights, turn signals, 14-inch wire rims and a miniature license plate bracket. To keep the noise down, he tacked on a modified Harley-Davidson muffler to the chrome exhaust tips which instantly transformed the F2 from a blaring hot-rod to a highly tuned gentleman’s racer.

Srour, who is 5 foot 6, required six additional inches of legroom to properly operate the three floor pedals, so the chassis and bodywork were extended accordingly. “We also upgraded the brakes to a dual-circuit system, operating in the front and the back, independently,” says Najjarian. “The car is light enough [roughly 600 lbs] that I was able to use drum brakes as opposed to disk brakes.”

To give the engine – an original 1952 Topolino – a little more pep, Najjarian designed a custom transmission and installed several high-end racing components, including a handmade camshaft.

“The original setup had a 500cc engine that was pretty anemic,” Najjarian told me. “It only made 27 horsepower with a top speed of 40 mph and it was mated to a 4-speed transmission with 4 synchros.” To provide proper motivation, Najjarian pulled the transmission, built a custom housing and fitted a dogleg transmission from a Nissan. “First gear is in line with reverse,” Najjarian says proudly, “just like a modern-day Ferrari 5-speed.”

Surprisingly, Srour and Najjarian agreed to keep the engine, but modified it with Abarth racing parts to increase the displacement to 600cc, boosting output to around 45 hp and delivering a top speed of 90 mph at 7,000 rpm.

“Much to my surprise, it turned out to be a really down-to-earth car,” says Najjarian. “I thought it would it always be a toy, but now I think of it as a real car. It’s completely, 100 percent drivable.”

Photo: Gila Srour

Next up for Najjarian is Srour’s two-thirds-scale 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder, whose body shell was made by Carrozzeria Allegretti. “This car will have two doors, a passenger seat, and seatbelts – much more advanced than the F2,” Najjarian says. The top speed will be in the neighborhood of 110 to 120 mph, but the main challenge will be mating the new engine to the reworked transaxle. “I plan on making them a stressed member of the frame,” Najjarian explains, “which will make everything more rigid.”

Back in New Jersey, Srour pulls next to me on the highway. One guy in a Chevy Malibu was so befuddled by the presence of the F2 he almost plowed head-first into a construction median. After his near-miss, he caught up, gave an enthusiastic (if not foolhardy) thumbs up, and continued snapping photos on his smartphone.

The guys at the car show were equally mystified. A large crowd gathered as Srour elegantly removed the engine cover, exposing the F2′s complex innards. One slightly husky 12-year-old boy jumped into the driver’s seat. While most collectors cringe at the thought of kids poking around in their cars, Srour isn’t that guy.

“Hey, this thing’s a toy,” said the boy, fumbling with the rear-view mirror.
“Not quite, kid,” said Srour. “Not quite.”

The late great Richard Jeni explains it perfectly

The late great Richard Jeni explains it perfectly - I am in 100% agreement with him on this subject.

Richard, you are missed.  Rest in peace.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS shoot down the NY JETS 49-19 on Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day feasting didn't end with a fabulous meal - It extended onto the playing field as the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS roasted the NY JETS 49-19.

Rex Ryan has been the "turkey" of the AFC East for quite some time. 

His mouth has been writing checks his arse can't cash.

Seeing the NY Jets get thrashed like this was the perfect end to a Thanksgiving Day to be remembered.


Patriots erupt in second quarter to blow out Jets 49-19
By Shalise Manza Young
Boston Globe Staff /  November 22, 2012

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Just when it seemed the blend of Thanksgiving dinner Tryptophan and a boring opening 15 minutes of football in the Patriots-Jets rematch would lull even the most diehard fan into an early slumber, one team woke up at MetLife Stadium.
 
Unfortunately for most of the assembled fans, it wasn’t the Jets. Though by halftime the team and its fans probably wished what they’d experienced during the second quarter was a nightmare and not reality.
 
After holding the Patriots scoreless in the first quarter — the first time that’s happened this season to New England — the Jets then saw the game, and their season, implode.
 
Embarrassed at home, 49-14, New York fell to 4-7 while New England is now 8-3, 4-0 in the AFC East.
 
It was Bill Belichick’s 200th career win, and though he would never say it, it was likely a bit sweeter that it came against the Jets given all of the personal and professional history he has with the organization.
 
The Patriots went into halftime with a 35-3 lead on a series of plays that ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous.
 
It was so embarrassing for Jets fans that some began heading home before intermission. Those who remained began chanting for quarterback Tim Tebow to get into the game.
 
The Patriots had a chance to score in the first quarter but Stephen Gostkowski missed a 39-yard field goal wide left.
 
On the Jets’ possession following the miss, Steve Gregory intercepted Mark Sanchez when the Jets quarterback threw into double coverage.
 
New England started well inside its territory, but Tom Brady methodically led the offense on a six-minute scoring drive. Three Jets penalties aided the cause, including a 15-yard facemask at the end of a 13-yard Shane Vereen run that gave the Patriots first and goal.
 
New England’s TD came on the first play of the second quarter, when Brady found a wide-open Wes Welker in the front right corner of the end zone.
 
Brady had all sorts of time, a credit to an offensive line that was without Logan Mankins and Sebastian Vollmer. Donald Thomas was at left guard again, as he has been since Mankins has been out with several injuries, and Marcus Cannon started for Vollmer at right tackle.
 
The defense stuffed running back Shonn Greene on fourth and 1; Brandon Spikes stripped the ball at the end of the play, and Gregory recovered it.
 
One play led to New England going up, 14-0. Brady hit Vereen, all alone to his left, and the second-year running back was off to the races, an 83-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
 
That was a crack in the dam.
 
In less than 60 seconds of game time, it burst open.
 
On the second play of the Jets’ ensuing possession, there was a botched play — it looked as if Sanchez wanted to hand off to Lex Hilliard but Hilliard ran right past him.

Rather than try to look for a receiver, Sanchez tucked the ball and promptly ran smack into the ample behind of right guard Brandon Moore, fumbling the ball.
 
Again it was Gregory who was in the right place. He scooped up the loose ball and ran it back 32 yards to give New England a 21-0 lead.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, Joe McKnight got out to the 25, but Devin McCourty popped the ball out.
 
Julian Edelman plucked the ball out of the air and ran it back into the end zone. Patriots, 28-0.
 
And they weren’t done.

After the defense forced a punt, Brady and Edelman turned a third-and-5 play into a 56-yard TD catch.
 
The 35 tied the team record for points in a quarter.

The boos from Jets fans only intensified when they kicked a 32-yard field goal just before halftime instead of trying for the end zone.
 
Shalise Manza Young can be reached at syoung@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @shalisemyoung.

Aurora Borealis on display at the summit of Mt. Washington

The last few posts have discussed some serious issues. Ones I wanted to make sure got posted.

Today, I wanted to post a picture showing God's creation can demonstrate to all that His handiwork is greater than all of man's creation here on God's good Earth.

Nature's Light Show at the summit of Mt. Washington in NH's White Mountains.

Awesome.

VW Bus Style Trailer is very very cool

This is a very cool way to trailer and camp....I will have to look into this type of trailer as hauling one of these behind my 1970 VW Bus would be awesome for road trips

 

Now this is how to hitch a ride in a VW.

The Dub Box is a faux Volkswagen Microbus that has been reimagined as a travel trailer.

The 12-foot-long fiberglass creation can be outfitted in a variety of configurations, including a double bed sleeper or food truck.

It weighs about 1,300 pounds and comes with integrated trailer brakes, gas stove, sink, retro refrigerator and an audio system for a starting price of $17,990, but optional extras include heating, a pop top roof and even hinged safari windows. A do-it-yourself rolling shell is available for $8,990.

First developed in the U.K., the Dub Box is manufactured in Oregon and, as the company points out, no real VWs are hurt in the process.

Hooking up one of these to an original Type 2 may be the formula for the freakiest road trip of all time

Got some disposable $$$ ?? Some seriously older Ferraris are up for sale

Wow.....that is all I have......wow.

The guy who owned these was from BOSTON.....awesome.

Got $20 million? 4 'very important' Ferrari cars to go on block

By Jerry Hirsch - LA TIMES
July 19, 2012,

A rare collection of four Ferrari cars is expected to sell for a combined $20 million or more at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance next month.

Santa Monica auction house Gooding & Co. landed the Ferrari collection, which was the property of Sherman Wolf, a Boston paging service and amphitheater entrepreneur who died earlier this year.

“It is a very important collection of cars,” said David Kinney, publisher of the Hagerty Price Guide for collector cars.  “This is causing heartburn for some of the other auction companies that Gooding has grabbed this very important collection.”

The rarest vehicle in the collection is a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Alloy California Spider Competizione. Gooding & Co. said it is one of only nine alloy-bodied LWB – long wheel base - California Spiders ever built and is expected to sell for $7 million to $9 million.

The other cars include a 1953 Ferrari 340 MM Competition Spider, a 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC and a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO.

“The Gooding sales have always been high-end and they seem to bring the right buyers to the room. The estate of Mr. Wolf will do very well,” Kinney said.

Although the GTO is fairly new by collector car standards, Kinney said its stature has grown, in part because not many were made.  It could sell for close to $1 million. The other vehicles are expected to go for $3.75 million to $6.5 million each.

Ferraris are among the hottest part of what has become a strong collector-car market over the last year.

An index of rare Ferrari values calculated by the Hagerty Insurance Agency has risen 16% to $3.5 million as of April from the same month a year earlier.

Wolf was well-known in classic car collector circles, both for his collection and for his mechanical ability.

Jon Shirley, the former president of Microsoft and a collector, remembers meeting Wolf at Ferrari rally in Colorado in 1995.

Shirley was having trouble getting his 1951 Ferrari to run properly at the high altitude.
“He went over to his Ferrari 340MM Spyder and pulled out more tools and small parts in carefully marked plastic cases than I thought possible to store in a Ferrari,” Shirley said.

Wolf tinkered with Shirley’s Ferrari, tuning it “by ear until the car sounded quite good” he recalled.

Marine Sergeant Enrique Trevino will do 1 Million Push-ups to help the Wounded Warriors Project

SEMPER FI Sgt. Trevino.  An awesome effort for a good cause.

Marine Doing 1 Million Push-Ups to Help Veterans
South Florida Marine is halfway toward his goal
By Justin Finch -Thursday, Jul 5, 2012 - www.nbcmiami.com 

South Florida Marine Sergeant Enrique Trevino is more than halfway to his goal of completing one million push-ups to raise money and awareness for American veterans.

"In the very beginning, there were a lot of people who said your body can't handle it," Trevino told NBC 6. "That's their first mistake was telling a Marine you can't do something."

Trevino began his one million push-up pursuit as a New Year's fitness resolution, but soon realized he could turn it into an opportunity to help the Wounded Warriors Project. The organization helps veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where Trevino himself has served, get reacquainted into post-military life.

He said not all vets return with wounds that one can easily see.

"People who are suffering from PTSD. Those are scars that are not seen, but people don't notice everyday," Trevino pointed out. "I'm just trying to bring awareness to those veterans who're transitioning into civilian life, and just make sure they're never forgotten."

Thanks to his push-ups and presence on Facebook and Youtube, Trevino has earned more than $9,000 for his cause. Still, his sights are set much higher.

"My goal is to reach $20,000, but if we can do more than that, which I know we can, I'm all for it," he said.

Last week, Trevino cracked the 500,000 mark, but he said that has not made his push up routine any easier.

"I'd be lying if I said it got easier, but my endurance has gotten better."

Life Advice to Tufts Grads from a US Navy SEAL

In transit and I found this on CNN...not sure how/why this got by their editors as CNN usually would not print something this positive from a member of the US military. I apologize for the formatting....Good stuff and well worth the read.....more as I reach my new duty station. Getting there is half the fun......right.


Navy SEAL's Wise Advice to Graduates
William Bennett - CNN

(CNN) -- Each spring, I monitor the list of commencement speakers at our nation's leading colleges and universities. Who is chosen, and who is not, tells us a lot about academia's perception of the most important voices in America.

Two of this year's most popular speakers were CNN's Fareed Zakaria, who spoke at both Harvard University and Duke University, and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, who spoke at both Tulane University and the University of Washington. Perhaps one of the most original choices, and the one who certainly stood out from the rest, was U.S. Navy SEAL Eric Greitens, who addressed the 2012 graduating class of Tufts University Sunday.

 It's not often that elite universities honor military service members with commencement addresses. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower once spoke to a graduating class at an Ivy League university and remarked, "Your business is to put me out of business." So I applaud Tufts University for inviting Greitens.

He is not a household name, but he should be. The 38-year-old Rhodes scholar and humanitarian worker turned U.S. Navy SEAL served multiple tours overseas fighting terrorist cells and received several military awards. Today, he is the CEO of the Mission Continues, a nonprofit foundation he created to help wounded and disabled veterans find ways to serve their communities at home.

To the graduates of Tufts, Greitens issued a unique challenge, one rarely heard at commencements today: to sacrifice, to serve one's country and to live magnanimously. He called students to think above and beyond their own dreams, their own desires, and to be strong. Aristotle called this megalopsychia, greatness of soul, and considered it one of the greatest moral virtues.

'What kind of service can I provide? What kind of positive difference can I make in the lives of others?' If you work every day to live an answer to that question, then you will be stronger," Greitens declared. After dodging bullets, withstanding IED explosions and going days without sleep, Greitens realized the strength he needed to excel as a SEAL was found outside his own physical abilities. In his weakest moments, Greitens was able to find his greatest strength in service.

"The more I thought about myself, the weaker I became. The more I recognized that I was serving a purpose larger than myself, the stronger I became," he told the students at Tufts. He served his country and defended the weak against the rapacity of the wicked.
Fifty years ago, Greitens' remarks would have been the norm. But through the years, the focus of education, particularly higher education, has shifted from selflessness to self-obsession. Many commencement speakers today tell students to "Dream big" and "Do what you love." It may be feel-good career advice, but it's incomplete life advice. Philosopher Martin Buber wrote, "All education 'worthy' of the name is education of character." Greitens gave the Tufts student an eloquent firsthand example.

Greitens said it this way: "The best definition I have ever heard of a vocation is that it's the place where your great joy meets the world's great need. ... We need all of you to find your vocation. To develop your joys, your passions, and to match them to the world's great needs."

Not all men are meant to be Navy SEALs, or even serve in the military, but all men can serve. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow recognized, "The life of man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams but in active charity and in willing service."

We ask our students, what do you want to do when you grow up? Instead, we should ask them, whom or Whom, and what ideals do you want to serve when you grow up? That is a worthy thing to consider at graduation. Good for Greitens; good for Tufts.

USAF Airman makes it home in time to see birth of his Son

This is from The Chive, a cool website that posts goofy pictures and also supports our military 100%. Here is the story and all you need to know.....awesome. Way to go Dad !!

This is my best friend, Adam. His child had been in an improper position for birth for weeks and the doctor told them that their child had less than a 5% chance of turning (breeching). Two weeks before her due date, Adam and Rebecca were informed that the baby had finally turned. To avoid further complications they had to induce labor. One problem, Adam was not scheduled to be home on leave for 2 more weeks. Unknown to Rebecca, Adam went to his superiors and asked for 24 hours. He got it. Adam made it home less than two hours before the birth of baby Owen.

Chive, I'd love it if you could share this moment with the Chivers. God Bless the USA and the men and women who fight for its freedom. Oh, and Chive On!

JEEP CONCEPT VEHICLES

These were leaked on Jalopnik and all I can say is " Ohhhhh Yeah " as they are updated versions of the FC and the J-10

All I can say is JEEP needs to get these to production as they would sell well with all who liked the orignials.

Awesome.....just make sure they are as strong and reliable as the orignals.

A DECADE OF DOMINATION / NAVY BEATS ARMY AGAIN

NAVY 27 - ARMY 21 / A decade of NAVY Football beating ARMY...AWESOME

THE BOSTON BRUINS - STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS

WINNNNNAH !!!! THE BOSTON BRUINS - WORLD CHAMPIONS

They are a “high testosterone group,” - Local Community wants to honor US NAVY SEALS who got OBL....

THE US NAVY SEALS......By Sea, Air & Land.....They are the Nation's best.

The enclosed picture shows the scene of the battle.....nice....almost wish they had hit the place with a few GBUs but then we might not have gotten enough proof that we killed the stupid b@stard....

The CIA and all the other forces we marshalled set the stage, the "double-tap" to the head for OBL was done by a member of the SEALS.....awesome....

Looks like the locals in Virginia where these guys call home want to honor the boys for a job well done....that is proving to be more difficult than you would think...

Secretive Virginia SEALs thrill community by taking down bin Laden
By Annys Shin and Annie Gowen, Monday, May 2 - Washington Post

When Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms learned that a Navy SEAL unit based just outside his city had taken out Osama bin Laden, his first thought was to honor them.

The only problem, however, was he had no idea who they were, or how to find them.

The unit that carried out the raid on bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan Sunday afternoon is renowned for its secrecy.

But while such discretion is a prerequisite for covert operations, it raises practical hurdles for a mayor who is used to the cheering crowds that welcome home aircraft carriers to the naval base in Norfolk.

“This community is extremely proud. I’d like to come up with a way to have a city celebration of some kind. If we can!” said Sessoms, whose initial thought was to include the SEALs in the city’s “Patriotic Festival” in June. “But it’s challenging.”

Other Virginia politicians were able to overlook such details, satisfied with the knowledge that that men who killed bin Laden had a connection to the Old Dominion state. Former Republican Senator and current candidate George Allen tweeted: “As Virginians were hit at the Pentagon on 9-11 & USS Cole, it is appropriate that a VA-based SEAL team brought justice directly to #Osama.”

The Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) -- long known as Seal Team Six -- was formed in 1980 in the wake of the failed attempt to rescue U.S. hostages from Iran.

The elite counter-terrorism unit deploys from a tiny military facility in Dam Neck, Va., just outside of Virginia Beach. There are six other groups within special warfare and a total of 2,300 active duty SEAL officers.

What makes SEALs special are the grueling training process they endure. After basic training, about 200 candidates make it to Basic Underwater Demolition school. By the end of the entire process, only about 30 to 35 remain. Many drop out after “Hell Week,” when they must train around the clock for six days straight.

The extreme training has another purpose: to create an intense bond between the men that is critical to success in combat situations. Former Navy SEAL commander Mark Divine said the experience is so unique that it can make it harder to relate to someone who doesn’t spend their days jumping out of planes, or swimming two miles in frigid waters in total darkness. SEALs also work in small close-knit groups and because they can’t openly discuss much of their work, they tend to stick together even when they are off duty. Virginia Beach locals refer to them as “team guys.”

“You don’t hardly know they are there unless they are your neighbor,” explained Sessoms. “What’s unique is the burden it puts on these families. ” Members’ wives and children “don’t know when they are leaving and where they are when they are gone and when they are coming home. It’s all quiet and hidden.”

SEALS are not invisible to everyone, however, especially when they roam among couch-surfing civilians.

“You can kind of tell. They’re extremely fit. They all kind of dress in a similar way, wear the same type of sunglasses and Tevas,” Divine said. “You can start to notice these guys by the way they carry themselves.”

They are a “high testosterone group,” said Alden Mills, who was an active duty SEAL from 1991 to 1998. Their ethos is captured by slogans such as “failure is not an option” and “pain is weakness leaving the body.”

Mills summed up the reaction to bin Laden’s death among his former SEAL buddies as “Hooyah!”

“That’s SEAL speak for ‘fired up,’ ” he said.

“The next feeling as someone who used to be there was, ‘Wish I could have been there too.’”

Staff writer Christian Davenport contributed to this report.

© 2011 The Washington Post Company

Three Doors Down - Love me when I'm gone

A great song....They let the troops know that we appreciate everything they do and the sacrifice of being away from home.

Dedicated to the troops, far from home protecting freedom around the world....

Bullitt and Pink Floyd.....Combined

Two Icons of the 1960s together....The car chase scene from the movie " Bullitt " (starring the coolest of cool guys Steve McQueen) and music from Pink Floyd specifically the song, " One of these days"......awesome. This works well.....

Ultra-rare 1939 Auto Union D-Type comes up for auction. Got spare £5.5 million ???

WOW....Talk about some serious kit....This is the "Maltese Falcon" of race cars. From the Lads at TOP GEAR...

Bid on Hitler’s favourite
Ultra-rare 1939 Auto Union D-Type comes up for auction. Got spare £5.5 million knocking around?

Liked the look of that Ferrari 250 Testarossa sold at auction last month, but couldn't quite stretch to the £8 million asking price?

Then how about this bargainous Auto Union D-Type racer, up for auction in August and expected to sell for a mere £5.5 million?

Raced by Hans Stuck and Rudolf Hasse in the 1939 Grand Prix season, it's one of only three D-Types known to exist, and was lost behind the Iron Curtain for half a century before being recovered by an American enthusiast just a few years ago.

The D-Type was one of the German ‘Silver Arrows' - named for the national colour of the Mercedes and Auto Union racers - that dominated Grand Prix racing in the 1930s.

This car, chassis 191, is powered by a 3.0-litre, supercharged V12 which puts out around 485bhp - a simply staggering amount for an inter-war racer. Aluminium bodied, it weighs in at just under one tonne, and will top over 200mph.

Bonhams - for it is they who are auctioning the car - confidently assert that the engine puts out so much torque that you can easily light up the rear wheels at 100mph: a buttock-clenching experience, we'd wager, in a car with no harness. Or belts. Or, er, anything.

If all that wasn't enough to have you readying the chequebook, here's the deal-breaker: the D-Type has been described as Hitler's favourite car. The Fuhrer was obsessed with motor racing, and Hans Stuck was his driver of choice.

Could make a lovely pair alongside that tasteful Fiat 2800, if you're into that sort of thing. I really, really hope you're not