Here is the answer....

Some I know have asked me, " Why are we in Afghanistan ?" " Why would anyone go there ?" " What good could possibly come from being there?"

Here is the answer...a dedicated RI National Guardsman who in a split second, made the right choice and placed his own life in danger to save an Afghan Girl. He knew his duty and did it without a moment's hesitation.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Sgt. Weichel was there when he was needed and did what he was trained to do....He saved the life of a little girl even though he likely knew it would cost him his own life.

Rest easy Sgt. Weichel. You have the respect and admiration of your nation and all who serve or have served in uniform.

Rest easy shipmate, we have the watch.

Please share his story as it would be my hope that more learn of this splendid patriot and his sacrifice.


'Hero' U.S. Soldier Gives Life to Save Afghan Girl
By Luis Martinez - ABC News – 4 hrs ago....

It is a compelling war-zone story of heroism of a U.S. soldier who gave his own life to save an Afghan girl from certain injury.

Sgt. Dennis Weichel, 29, died in Afghanistan last week as he lifted an Afghan girl who was in the path of a large military vehicle barreling down a road.

Weichel, a Rhode Island National Guardsman, was riding along in a convoy in Laghman Province in eastern Afghanistan when some children were spotted on the road ahead.

The children were picking up shell casings lying on the road. The casings are recycled for money in Afghanistan. Weichel and other soldiers in the convoy got out of their vehicles to get them out of the way of the heavy trucks in the convoy.

The children were moved out of the way, but an Afghan girl darted back onto the road to pick up some more casings that lay underneath a passing MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle. The huge armored trucks can weigh as much as 16 tons and are designed to protect the troops they carry from roadside bombs.

Weichel spotted the girl and quickly moved toward her to get her out of the way. He succeeded, but not before he was run over by the heavily armored truck. The girl was safe, but Weichel later died of his injuries. He had arrived in Afghanistan a few weeks ago and had been a member of the Rhode Island National Guard since 2001

Lt. Col. Denis Riel a spokesman for the Rhode Island National Guard, said Weichel embodied values that can't be taught. "I have heard nothing but incredible stuff about this kid, selfless beyond our core values that we live up to," Riel said. "As I hear more from family and others, he was the living embodiment of the Army's core values: courageous, selfless and loyal. All values we expect from our soldiers. We mourn all combat deaths, but this one is a significant loss."

An Army article quotes two former colleagues praising Weichel's character.

Staff Sgt. Ronald Corbett, who deployed with Weichel to Iraq in 2005, said, "He would have done it for anybody," adding, "That was the way he was. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was that type of guy."

First Sgt. Nicky Peppe also served with Weichel in Iraq. "He was a big kid at heart," Peppe said. "He always had a smile on his face and he made everyone laugh. But as much as Weichel was funny, he was also a professional. When it was time to go outside the wire for a combat patrol, he was all business."

Since his death, the father of three has been posthumously promoted to sergeant and received the Bronze Star for his heroism.

His remains will arrive in Rhode Island Saturday, and a wake will be held in Providence Sunday. He'll be buried Monday. He is survived by his children, his fiancée and his parents. Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee has ordered flags in the state to be flown at half-staff until Weichel's burial.

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 picture paints a thousand words....

Obama to the Russians, " After My Election I Have More Flexibility.."- REALLY ?? I don't think so...you will not be getting reelected.

This is one of the BEST reasons why NO ONE should want to reelect the idiot who is keeping the seat warm at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

He tells the Russians, " After My Election I Have More Flexibility.."-

REALLY ?

Really ??? Are you f%^king kidding me ? Why not just hand over all the secret info they want why you're at it ?? The Russians are not someone we want to be loosy-goosy with especially as they don't want us to maintain a tough defense....we would like to work with them but first and foremost is the defense of our nation and our allies in the West. Sending signals like this to Putin is NOT what our President should be doing.

I don't want to give OBAMA the "flexibility" he'll have after getting reelected as he will have NO ACCOUNTABILITY to anyone.

This is a Prima Faci case of why he SHOULD NOT BE REELECTED.

What happened to " Protect, preserve and defend the Constitution of the United States ??" His statement speaks to someone who has no care what he does once he is reelected....this is dangerous for anyone who believes in our country.

I have said it before, and I will say it now -

OMG - Obama MUST GO. Vote this idiot out of office. Really.


President Obama Asks Medvedev for ‘Space’ on Missile Defense — "After My Election I Have More Flexibility" - ABC NEWS

SEOUL, South Korea — At the tail end of his 90 minute meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev Monday, President Obama said that he would have “more flexibility” to deal with controversial issues such as missile defense, but incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to give him “space.”

The exchange was picked up by microphones as reporters were let into the room for remarks by the two leaders.

The exchange:

President Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space.

President Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…

President Obama: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.

President Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.

When asked to explain what President Obama meant, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications Ben Rhodes told ABC News that there is room for the U.S. and Russia to reach an accommodation, but “there is a lot of rhetoric around this issue — there always is — in both countries.

A senior administration official tells ABC News: “this is a political year in which the Russians just had an election, we’re about to have a presidential and congressional elections — this is not the kind of year in which we’re going to resolve incredibly complicated issue like this. So there’s an advantage to pulling back and letting the technical experts work on this as the president has been saying.”

-Jake Tapper

Classic Cars rule the streets of Havana

While Castro and Cuba have been a burr in the saddle of American politics and security for decades, the embargo imposed by JFK also eliminated US autos from getting to Cuba.

The result is that there is the greatest collection of "daily drivers" known to man on the streets of Havana....I would like to go just to see these relics, hand preserved and running around 50 odd years later. Without a ready supply of parts, the owners had to figure out how to rebuild these beauties when they broke down....I admire their ingenuity.

I could enjoy going there to admire them in person and enjoy a fine Cuban Cigar to boot.....such a deal.


The cars of Cuba: photos and stories from Havana
Written By Bob Ames - Hagerty.com

HAVANA, Cuba – The American trade embargo with Cuba in 1960 had the effect of instantly separating thousands of 1940s and 1950s Detroit-built cars from their spare parts supply. Amazingly, many are still on the road more than 50 years later, cherished by owners who have patched them up with Russian and Chinese tractor parts.

While the subject of Cuba still has the same effect on Congress as a full moon on a werewolf, at least American tourists are once again able to visit this 40,000 square-mile Caribbean paradise. It’s absurdly close to the U.S. mainland – only 90 miles from Miami.

In December, my wife Kathleen and I took one of the first People to People tours of Cuba, authorized by the U.S. government. A large factor in our decision to join this National Geographic-led group of 24 tourists was that leader Chris Baker wrote the coffee table tome, “Cuba Classics – a celebration of vintage American automobiles.” Baker also authored “Mi Moto Fidel,” a chronicle of his 7,000-mile tour of Cuba on a BMW R100GS Paris-Dakar motorcycle.

Click here to see more cars of Cuba from Hagerty.com

As a lifelong fan of 1950s American cars, I’ve long wanted to view these much-publicized “Cuban classics.” I can report that most of what you’ve seen in print is true. The streets of Havana reminded me of my high school parking lot …

Click here to see more classic cars from Hagerty.com

Since the American trade embargo began in 1960, there have been no U.S.-made cars exported to what was one of Detroit’s most enthusiastic customers. GM’s presence was huge, and even today Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Chevrolets outnumber Ford and Chrysler products four to one on the island.

Convertibles were always popular, thanks to year-round tropical weather. The place for posing with your ride is hard to miss in Havana. The squares around Capitolio, a flattering copy of Washington’s Capitol building, are lined with 50-year-old American cars during daylight hours. Most are taxis looking for fares, and they don’t leave on their semi-fixed routes until every seat is filled. Others, however, are available for tourist hire by the hour or day. I have a particular 1958 Edsel convertible confirmed for my next visit.

If you want to be a hero and meet Cuban “car guys,” bring spark plugs. The only problem I had dispensing this capitalist largesse was convincing the recipients they were a gift. Other, more transportable ice-breakers are Ferrari and Porsche decals. These seem to be particularly popular with Buick and Lada owners.

There are some new cars, but the rental fleet Geeleys in the parking lot of the hotel we stayed in near Pinar del Rio, a couple of hours west of Havana, were not encouraging. I wish all the best to Warren Buffet and this emerging Chinese manufacturer, but poorly primed paint was peeling off these imports from Cuba’s No. 1 trading partner. Perhaps it’s time to sell my Berkshire Hathaway stock.

Back in Havana, there is a fascinating car museum on the Calle Officios, a historic pedestrian street lined with lovely restored 18th century buildings. One of these houses Museo del Auto Antiquo, which features Cadillacs, Rolls Royce, Packards and other reminders of the country’s splendid, decadent past. The machines on display are generally untouched originals, although Cuba’s oldest car, a 1908 Cadillac, was away for restoration.

Nearby is a street market in Plaza de Armes where I scored an original Cuban yellow or “particular” license plate for my collection. There are plastic fakes in all the souvenir shops, while the genuine variety are riveted onto cars that are rarely scrapped, and until recently could not be legally sold.

Here’s a bit of lore for automobilia collectors: Cuban license plates come in three basic colors; yellow for privately owned vehicles, red for rental cars and blue for the many official or government-owned cars. We saw a handful of Mercedes and BMWs – all with blue license plates.

Given the age of Cuba’s passenger car fleet, and the fact that most have been cut off from factory support for 50 years, mechanical ingenuity is highly developed. I saw pistons made on a belt-driven lathe and was told of a man who can make bumpers for your ’58 Caddy – out of tin.

Great cigars, cheap rum concoctions, cool jazz in the nightspots and collector cars actually being used. There are no trailer queens in Cuba. I can’t wait to go back.

"Then it's your problem.." - Doctors who are retiring see Obamacare as a losing strategy for healthcare

Obamacare will cost double what was forecast and it is highly likely that Obama and his cohorts in the Democratic Congress knew this when they jammed it through on the American people.

Throwing money at an issue is NOT a solution.

Here is a more informed POV. The Supreme Court needs to reverse this travesty. We have the best healthcare system in the world and subjecting to one person's political views is wrong. There is need for improvement but this will be the ruin of the superior care we all recieve.

ObamaCare Still a Disaster -- No Matter How the Supreme Court Decides
By Larry Elder

"I am a refugee," my anesthesiologist told me after I had awakened from my third surgery in 12 years — one to repair a muscle tear in my left shoulder and two for the same disc in my lower back. "I am part of the British 'brain drain' of the late '60s. Doctors could not make any money. So I left." Britain's loss, my gain. The same surgery 12 years ago required a two-day stay in a hospital. Last week, after a two-hour surgery, I left the same day as an outpatient.

But under ObamaCare, we can expect a loss of talent and a decline in quality of care. Thousands of us, the doctor explained, abandoned England to practice medicine in America. "So, how's this?" my doctor said. "I left the U.K. to get away from the government telling me how to practice, what to charge — and now we are getting the same thing. ObamaCare stinks, and the people will regret it. What happened to the docs there will happen here."

Great Britain began practicing socialized medicine through the taxpayer-funded National Health Services in 1948. And indeed, one of the first U.K. studies on the emigration of their native-born physicians, "British Doctors at Home and Abroad," published in 1964, noted that, beginning in the 1950s, their docs were leaving for "high-income" countries at an alarming rate: "Many of them stressed the wider field of work they could undertake in general practice abroad and criticized the limited role of the general practitioner in England." And nearly half a century later, Britain's "brain drain" continues.

Medical advances require research and development. And as much as government spends on health care and medical research, the private sector spends much more. But ObamaCare places a tax on medical equipment manufacturers, to raise $20 billion for the federal coffers when it goes into full effect in 2013. As a result, some medical device manufacturers are already closing up shop or downsizing to reflect lower profits under ObamaCare. Some canceled plans for new U.S. plants, looking to other parts of the world. Many manufacturers have already announced significant layoffs, and most also look to other alternatives, including cutting research and development, and passing along the tax's costs to the patients.

In addition to the excise tax on medical device manufacturers, ObamaCare imposes many more taxes, including the following: an individual mandate excise tax for adults who don't purchase "qualifying" health insurance; an employer mandate tax for those companies who don't offer health coverage; and a surtax on investment income — making the rate as high as 43.4 percent on gross income from interest, annuities, royalties, net rents and passive income for families making more than $250,000. Given this, will we see the same private-sector investments in the health care field, as ObamaCare imposes ever more regulations designed at increasing "accessibility" and "controlling costs"?

What about costs?

Obama promised that ObamaCare would "bend the cost curve" down. The Congressional Budget Office just released new figures on the 10-year cost of ObamaCare. Starting in 2010, government began taxing for ObamaCare to build up revenues. So for the first four years, ObamaCare takes in tax money but does not start spending in any significant amount until 2014. This was a tactic designed to make ObamaCare seem more "affordable."

But even with this gimmick, the CBO just doubled its original projections for the cost of ObamaCare. Now, the CBO pegs the cost to taxpayers at $1.76 trillion over the next decade. And, critics point out, this price tag is only for the cost of insurance subsidies, Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program). It doesn't include implementation or other costs, which will likely send the taxpayers' bill soaring past $2 trillion.

Obama said his plan would save American families $2,500 a year on their insurance premiums. The new CBO report says premiums will rise 10 to 13 percent, and that up to 20 million people could lose their employer-provided health insurance every year from 2019 to 2022, a sharp revisal of its previous estimate of up to 3 million.

Oh, it all seems so lovely on paper, doesn't it?

Sen. Obama said that if he were "starting from scratch," he'd have a single-payer system. This is what they have in Canada. But when a high-ranking member of the Canadian government — and proponent of the Canadian health care system — needed surgery, he did not stay home. After having his 2010 heart surgery performed in Miami, Canadian Premier Danny Williams told reporters: "This was my heart, my choice, and my health. I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics."

Consider what the then-incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association said about their single-payer health care system: "(Our) system is imploding." Consider what the outgoing president said: "Competition should be welcomed, not feared."

My doctor remains cheerful. "I retire in a few years," he said. "Then it's your problem."

Larry Elder is a best-selling author and radio talk-show host.

www.LarryElder.com.

44% of the USMC NCOs view the President as a failure - Marine Corps Times

An interesting cover story in the MARINE CORPS TIMES.....Very Interesting based on how things are going politically....Obama is lining up the military for major cuts and that is NOT sitting well with the troops.

Here is a clip of what the article says:

Sgt. Gary Stein might be saying things about President Obama that a lot of Marines think, but some are saying he took it too far.

Stein has come under fire for stating on Facebook that he wouldn’t follow certain orders given by his commander in chief. And Marines say Stein’s not alone in his disapproval. More anti-Obama talk is being heard in the workplace and new Military Times poll data shows declining approval among military service members for the president’s job as commander in chief.

The Marine Corps depends its chain of command structure, especially in a time of war. Some Marines say Stein and other vocal Marines like him are undermining that system.

Two Commenters responded to the article in unique fashion -

One posted this -

" That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” - Declaration of independence

Many feel that things have gotten worse for personal liberties under Obama, and that drives this sentiment...I understand and see the point this reader makes especially when the troops and the USMC pays for our liberty by sacrificing their lives.


The 2nd one posted this -

UCMJ Article 88: “Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”

Funny but the article focuses on NCOs not commissioned officers....still having public dissent with the chain of command is problematic.

I understand and agree with the 44% of the USMC NCOs as the President is a failure and a disgrace. He & his wife spent their adult lives dumping on the military and now "act" supportive. Obama has spent billions on the stimulus fiasco which will now mean drastic cuts in the defense department.

You ask why Marines are upset ? Colonel Jessup stated it eloquently in " A Few Good Men ":

" You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use them as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.."

Obama asks the military to go through hell for the country and then guts it with the budget pen when it suits him politically. The military vote has been historically supportive of the GOP and based on the President's failures to do the job, Marines are not happy. They strive for excellence and the President is the king of mediocrity.

I'll stand with the USMC as I served side by side with them in Iraq and other difficult places.....As a Seabee, I saw the USMC at their best. The idiot in the Oval Office is a fraud, failure and it shows.

As for the USMC, they are respected by all who know them.....As someone once said, No Better Friend, No worse enemy.

SEMPER FI.

The Boston Sports Scene - Red Sox, Bobby Valentine, Bruins, Patriots, Tebow and all the hype

As many might have guessed, I am a sports fan of all Boston Sports. We are the ones who have captured all 4 major trophies ( Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup and NBA Championship) in the last 7 years. It is something no other City/Region can match.

The Red Sox are trying to reform themselves after a disastrous end to last year's season. The sports version of the " talking heads " a.k.a. commentators are up and down over the new manager, new rules and the reshuffling of the deck. Ultimately, it all comes down to one game at a time over 162 game season....I am not thrilled with what happened last year but I am a RED SOX fan so I have to be optimistic...Last year they started crappy, excelled over the summer and crapped out in the end....This year is a new path and will be interesting to say the least.

Patriots and Tebow...doubtful. Very, Very doubtful. No real need to bring him here and likely not what Belichick wants....not worried about it....way to much hype.

Bruins....not living up to last year but still in the hunt.....we shall see what the next two weeks holds and how they fare once the playoffs begin...everyone underestimated them last year, and that was to the Bruins advantage.

I feel we need to stop over analyzing every little aspect of the season/players/games and let's get back to enjoying watching the guys play...really.

The Features " How It Starts" in honor of Spring

Spring has sprung here in Boston....Temps in the 70s & 80s....awesome. This song is the theme music for the new Mustang commercial and they have a great rock growl.

Enjoy.

LIAR LIAR - Obama lies about his Mother's death for political purposes

Ethics question - When you use the death of your Mother for political purposes and twist the facts in a way that any reasonable person would know what you said is misleading/false, why would you do it ?

ANSWER - Because the unethical idiot would have sold his own Mother if it benefited him politically.

The President's propaganda campaign film has been panned by most as not more than a OBOT fantasy of what they would like others to believe. Two political writers from the Washington Post call it as it is and show once again, there is no low-level that these feckless fools won't stoop to in an attempt to hold on to the White House.

I feel sorry for anyone who can't see how unethical this crap is and those who actually voted for this huckster....I know the GOP candidate won't be perfect, but the Village Idiot from Chicago qualifies as a serial liar.


‘The Road We’ve Traveled:’ A misleading account of Obama’s mother and her insurance dispute
By Glenn Kessler, Washington Post

Narrator Tom Hanks: “He knew from experience the cost of waiting [on health care reform].”

President Obama : “When my mom got cancer, she wasn’t a wealthy woman and it pretty much drained all her resources”

Michelle Obama: “She developed ovarian cancer, never really had good, consistent insurance. That’s a tough thing to deal with, watching your mother die of something that could have been prevented. I don’t think he wants to see anyone go through that.”

Hanks: “And he remembered the millions of families like of his who feel the pressure of rising costs and the fear of being denied or dropped from coverage.”

--series of statements with images of Obama and his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, in the Obama campaign film “The Road We’ve Traveled”

“The Road We’ve Traveled” is a very slick and impressively produced campaign film—sheer catnip for Obama fans. There are a number of facts and figures that could be challenged, but for now we are going to focus on this sequence. The series of words and images is an excellent example of how such films can create a misleading impression, while skirting as close as possible to the edge of falsehood.

The sequence, in fact, evokes a famous story that candidate Obama told during the 2008 campaign—that his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, fought with her insurer over whether her cancer was a pre-existing condition that disqualified her from coverage.

But the story was later called into question by Dunham’s biographer. The fact that Obama’s initial claim is not directly repeated suggests the filmmakers knew there was a problem with the campaign story, but they clearly wanted to keep some version of it in the film.

The Facts

During the 2008 campaign, Obama frequently suggested his mother had to fight with her health-insurance company for treatment of her cancer because it considered her disease to be a pre-existing condition. In one of the presidential debates with GOP rival John McCain, Obama said:

“For my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and have to spend the last months of her life in the hospital room arguing with insurance companies because they’re saying that this may be a pre-existing condition and they don’t have to pay her treatment, there’s something fundamentally wrong about that.”
But then earlier this year, journalist Janny Scott cast serious doubt on this version of events in her excellent biography, “A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama’s mother.” Scott reviewed letters from Dunham to the CIGNA insurance company, and revealed the dispute was over disability coverage, not health insurance coverage (see pages 335-339).

Disability coverage will help replace wages lost to an illness. (Dunham received a base pay of $82,500, plus a housing allowance and a car, to work in Indonesia for Development Alternatives Inc. of Bethesda, according to Scott.) But that is different than health insurance coverage denied because of a pre-existing condition, which was a major part of the president’s health care law.

Scott writes that Dunham, who died in 1995 of uterine and ovarian cancer, had health insurance that “covered most of the costs of her medical treatment…The hospital billed her insurance company directly, leaving Ann to pay only the deductible and any uncovered expenses, which, she said, came to several hundred dollars a month.”

Dunham had filed the disability claim to help pay for those additional expenses. The company denied the claim because her doctor had suspected uterine cancer during an office visit 2 ½ months before Dunham had started the job with Development Alternatives, though Dunham said the doctor had not discussed the possibility with cancer with her. Dunham requested a review from CIGNA, saying she was turning the case over to “my son and attorney Barack Obama.”

When Scott’s book was published, the White House did not dispute her account. “The president has told this story based on his recollection of events that took place more than 15 years ago,” a spokesman said.

Now let’s look at what the movie does with this story. It does not directly repeat the claim that Obama’s mother was denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, fighting for treatment in her hospital room. But look at what it does say:

1. Hanks says the president knew the cost of waiting on reform. (Though disability coverage was not an issue in the health care debate.)

2. The president says cancer “drained all her resources.” (Health insurance paid for most of her bills, so this is not the case of someone being bankrupted by tens of thousands of dollars in bills. Her salary of $82,500 in 1995 was the equivalent of $123,000 today, but Scott says she had little savings.)

3. Michelle Obama says Dunham “never really had good, consistent insurance.” (It is unclear what she means by this, except maybe that Dunham had different jobs, some of which did not provide insurance. But Dunham had good health coverage when the cancer was discovered.)

4. The first lady also suggests the death “could have been prevented.” (Again, it was not an insurance issue. Before going overseas, Dunham was too busy with work and had skipped an important test recommended by her U.S. doctor, dilation and curettage, that might have spotted the cancer earlier. Then an Indonesian doctor diagnosed her problem as appendicitis and removed her appendix. By the time the cancer was finally discovered, it was third-stage.)

5. Hanks says that Obama’s family felt “the pressure of rising costs and the fear of being denied or dropped from coverage.” (Maybe for disability, but not health insurance.)

In the end, the impression left by the film, especially if you watch it (go to the 8:45 mark), is very similar to Obama’s 2008 campaign rhetoric: His mother was denied health-insurance coverage, draining her resources, and with better coverage she might have lived longer. The film suggests this experience helped inspire the president to keep fighting for the health care law, even in the face of advice from aides that he accept a less-than-satisfactory compromise.

Note that none of the quotes in the film actually use the words “health insurance” or “health insurance coverage.” Instead, the first lady says “insurance” and Hanks says “coverage,” which could just as easily mean disability insurance. But that would not be as evocative—or as motivating.

Asked for response, the Obama campaign referred us to the previous White House statement on Scott’s book.

The Pinocchio Test

We use a “reasonable man” standard here, and we think there are few viewers of this film who would watch this sequence and conclude that Dunham was involved in anything but a fight over health-insurance coverage.

The disability-insurance dispute certainly may have motivated the president, but he has never explicitly stated that. In any case, the filmmakers must have known they had a problem with this story or else they would have recounted it as Obama had done in the 2008 campaign, using phrases such as “pre-existing conditions,” “health insurance,” and “treatment.”

Instead, they arranged the quotes and images to leave a misleading impression of what really happened.

Washington post rating on Obama -

Three Pinocchios

Significant factual error and/or obvious contradictions

Meanwhile as the country's problems mount, POTUS focuses on March Madness

The clueless juvenile in the Oval Office spends time on "March Madness" while the real madness is the country's leader is a vacationer-in-chief. We need him to do the job he was elected to, not screw around with college hoops.

15 Million Americans are unemployed or underemployed - The number one and two issues right now are jobs and the economy but the President has time for this crap?

If this isn't a clear sign of how skewed his view of what's important to the American people, I don't know what else is....OMG - Obama Must Go.

Tessa

We lost our heart today.

Our dog Tessa had to be put to sleep as she had Canine Myelopathy. It is a nerve disorder similar to ALS in humans. She was a bright and smart girl but had lost the ability to move her hind legs and all her muscles from the middle of her body had stopped working. This in turn effected her bowels, and that made it time for the most difficult decision.

She is in heaven as all dogs go to heaven. She is there with our other dogs and enjoying the ability to run across endless fields....she loved to run and was one of the best dogs anyone could ever have.

In tribute, the enclosed poem is how I will remember her. A strong and smart companion that was the smartest and most loved dog we could ever imagine.

JUST MY DOG

She is my other eyes that can see above the clouds;
My other ears that hear above the winds.
She is the part of me that reaches out into the sea.

She has told me a thousand times over that I'm
her reason for being.
by the way she rests against my leg;
by the way she thumps her tail at my smallest smile;
by the way she shows her hurt when I leave
without taking her.

I think it makes her worry when she is not along
to care for me.

When I am wrong, she is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, she clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, she is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, she ignores it.
When I succeed, she brags.

Without her, I am only another person.
With her, I am all powerful.
She is loyalty itself.
She has taught me the meaning of devotion.

With her, I know a secret comfort and a private peace.
She has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.
Her head on my knee can heal my human hurts.
Her presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things.

She has promised to wait for me, whenever, wherever in case I need her.
And I expect I will, as I always have.

She is my dog.

Madness

It's madness....especially since the Village Idiot in the Oval Office would rather focus on his College Basketball Brackets than how to help Americans with the price of energy...No doubt about it - Obama Must Go.

LIAR LIAR - Obama’s health care law will cost DOUBLE what he promised

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

Looks like the FOOL in the Oval Office is trying to run fast & loose with the numbers on his signature disaster for our country, Obamacare.

In the history of our great country, there have been times where a government program improved something that the free market operates. This is not one of those times. The law will ensure compliance by enlisting the help of the IRS. REALLY ? How's that " Hopey/Changey" sound now ?

If the idiots in Washington DC can't get the basics right on what makes up good government, what makes you think we want them in charge of our healthcare ?

CBO boosts its Obamacare Medicaid cost estimate
by Philip Klein Senior Editorial Writer - National Examiner

I’ve already noted in a separate post that new Congressional Budget Office projections show President Obama’s health care law will cost $1.76 trillion over 10 years, rather than the $940 billion originally advertised. But there are lots of other moving parts in the CBO’s updated estimates that are worth deeper elaboration.

The big picture takeaway is that due mostly to weaker economic projections, the CBO now projects that more people will be obtaining insurance through Medicaid than it estimated a year ago at a greater cost to the government, but fewer people will be getting insurance through their employers or the health care law’s new subsidized insurance exchanges. Overall spending will be higher than estimated a year ago, but increased revenue from penalties and taxes will more than offset this. Also interesting: CBO now expects two million fewer people to be covered as a result of the health care law than previously projected.

It’s worth keeping in mind that what the CBO did today was update its forecasts for the cost of expanding insurance coverage under the health care law. That represents, by far, the bulk of the spending in the legislation, but it doesn’t constitute a full rescoring of the law or a revised deficit estimate. That would have to include estimates for all the taxes, Medicare cuts and other spending in the law. Also, the $1.76 trillion cited above is for the years 2013 through 2022, but if we want to compare changes to last year’s estimates, we have to use the comparable years of 2012 through 2021. (Estimates for 2022 only became available today.)

The CBO now projects that from 2012 through 2021 the federal government will spend $168 billion more on Medicaid than it expected last year, $97 billion less on subsidies for people to purchase insurance on government-run exchanges and $20 billion less on tax credits to small employers. That works out to a $51 billion increase in the gross cost of expanding coverage from what the CBO estimated a year ago. However, the CBO also expects the federal government to collect more revenue from penalties on individuals and employers, as well as other taxes. These revenue increases will more than offset the spending increases, according to the CBO, so it now expects the cost of Obamacare during those years to be $48 billion lower.

It’s also worth noting that we were told time and again during the health care debate that the law didn’t represent a government takeover of health care. But by 2022, according to the CBO, 3 million fewer people will have health insurance through their employer, while 17 million Americans will be added to Medicaid and 22 million will be getting coverage through government-run exchanges.

Submerged fame

Mark Twain's words reminded me of a departed shipmate, Captain Carroll LeFon, lost to us a week ago. I posted these words on his Milblog a while back as they reminded me of him when I read them.

Now they bring his memory to us again, as he has been taken from us all too soon.

Fair Winds and Following Seas Shipmate.


" Robert Louis Stevenson and I, sitting in Union Square and Washington Square a great many years ago, tried to find a name for, the submerged fame, that fame that permeates the great crowd of people you never see and never mingle with; people with whom you have no speech, but who read your books and become admirers of your work and have an affection for you.

You may never find it out in the world, but there it is, and it is the faithfulness of the friendship, of the homage of those men, never criticizing, that began when they were children. They have nothing but compliments, they never see the criticisms, they never hear any disparagement of you, and you will remain in the home of their hearts' affection forever and ever. And Louis Stevenson and I decided that of all fame, that was the best, the very best."

- Mark Twain, 11 January 1908

Pain at the pump....The President just doesn't get it.

The results of this poll could be filed under the heading of " No kidding "

Pain at the pump is something the Keystone pipeline and other initiatives could address but Obama is too busy fundraising and talking about birth control. As usual, he just doesn't get it. Why should he care? He doesn't pay for his energy, the American Taxpayer does....He'll be on the government tab for the rest of his life.

Instead the American consumer gets it...in the wallet, as usual.

Poll: Most say Obama tanking on gas
By: MJ Lee - Politico
March 12, 2012

Almost two-thirds of Americans, 65 percent, said they disapprove of the way President Barack Obama is dealing with rising prices at the pump, a new Washington Post/ABC News poll finds.

Only 26 percent – the president’s lowest rating in the poll — said they approve of his handling of gas prices, while a majority, 52 percent, said they “strongly” disapprove.

The news comes as a survey over the weekend found that gas prices jumped 12 cents during the past two weeks, with the average price for a gallon of self-serve regular increasing to $3.81, as CNN reported.

And despite a February jobs report that showed the economy added 227,000 jobs, the new poll shows Obama’s negative ratings on the pivotal 2012 issue has risen to 59 percent since a month ago. Half of Americans gave the president very low ratings — a jump of 9 percentage points and the highest figure yet in a Washington Post/ABC News poll.

Obama’s approval rating is 46 percent and his disapproval rating is 50 percent, showing a downward trend from the 50 percent approval he enjoyed in February.

The Washington Post/ABC News poll was conducted March 7-10 among 1,003 adults, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Meanwhile, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Monday blamed speculation in large part for the rise in gas prices.

“Every time there’s a pipeline fire at a refinery, a pipeline outage or any kind of turmoil in the Middle East, it’s always used to jack up oil prices, every single time at the gas pump. I think you’re seeing that again,” Brown said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “It’s always more than that, but speculation clearly has a role in this.”

Brown said that the Obama administration, not Congress, should go after the speculators.

“In terms of gas prices, it’s not really what Congress needs to do. It’s the administration, with the Justice Department, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission going after the speculators… and directing them to go after them if they see it. And I think they will,” he said.

Spring has sprung

If the weather forecasters are to be believed, we will see almost 70 degrees here in Boston today and for most of this week.

It looks like we have dodged Old Man Winter this year and can look forward to the return of warmer weather. After the winter we had last year, it is a relief not to have to go through another one this year.

Gas prices are still inching up and that will curtail many people from traveling far this Spring and well into the Summer. The POLS are trying to paint a rosy picture of recovery but it still is not evident to those who pay attention on the local level. My mechanic has seen business falling off and his parts store echoed that when they did work on my truck this past week. Both said that even though people are holding on to the vehicles longer, people don't have the money to bring the cars in for regular maintenance either.

Right now, we will see "more of the same" from the POLS until the election in November. There isn't much that will be accomplished politically as no one in office wants to give the opposition any leverage.

For now, I say let's focus on the nicer weather, the return of baseball and all the things that will return to growing. The other items will not change much and are not as engaging right now. I am hopeful for a good season of growing and enjoying time on the patio with the pups. They are looking forward to getting back outside too.

SEMPER FIDO - Marine Seeks to Adopt Military Dog

SEMPER FIDO....Let's hope these two Marines get reunited soon.

Marine Seeks to Adopt Military Dog
Saturday, 10 Mar 2012
MYFOXNY.COM -

A former Marine is hitting bureaucratic red tape in her quest to adopt the military service dog she served with in Iraq before it is put down.

Former Corporal Megan Leavey, of Rockland County, wants to take in a German shepherd named Sergeant Rex. They hunted for IEDs on Iraq during two tours of duty.

They were both severely injured in Iraq when an IED exploded near them. The dog is 10 years old now and can no longer serve.

"This is not (the Marines) first priority," Leavey admits, "A lot of times it gets lost in the shuffle."

But time is running out for the faithful dog.

"He's done his duty. It's time for him to relax," Leavey says.

Sen. Charles Schumer has stepped in and has asked the military to expedite Leavey's application to adopt Sergeant Rex before he is put to sleep.

"The Marines don't have a reason against reuniting them, it is mainly a paperwork dely."

THUNDER ROAD - Raise a Glass of Guinness ( For Strength !) to our shipmate Captain Carroll LeFon

In tribute to the loss of our good friend, NEPTUNUS LEX, I post this epic performance by Bruce Springsteen...Thunder Road LIVE.

Lex would have wanted us to raise a glass of Guinness ( For Strength !) and remember the good times shared among shipmates.

I will do so this evening along with a fine cigar in his honor.

" Oh oh, come take my hand
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road
Oh, Thunder Road, oh, Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey, I know it's late, we can make it if we run
Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road
Sit tight, take hold, Thunder Road..."

NEPTUNUS LEX - Captain Carroll LeFon, US Navy Retired- He belongs to the ages - (1960-2012)

The world lost more than one hero yesterday.

Captain Carroll LeFon, US Navy retired died in a plane accident flying a Israeli Kfir for a military contractor when his jet crashed outside Fallon Air Base in Nevada.

He was known to many in the Navy but many others from his well read blog, Neptunus Lex.
http://www.neptunuslex.com/

He is the main reason I started writing here at US Navy Jeep. He inspired me to want to be more like him and to share the leadership lessons we had experienced in our military careers and life.

As I had written in an earlier posting, "It can all change in an instant..."; None of us are guaranteed anything. Capt LeFon was doing exactly what he loved, flying. He had a difficult day with his plane the day before when his drag chute failed to deploy....He wrote about it in his normal enlightened prose and made light of it. The next day, he was gone.

Our world is a little less bright and enlightened by his loss. He made us think, lead by example and shared the virtues of a cold glass of Guinness. We will not see his like on this earth again.

It is somewhat prophetic that I was watching " The Search for Spock " last night, which deals with the bond between Kirk and Spock and how Captain Kirk finds a way to overcome the death of his friend...In real life, we do not have such ability.

I share in the loss of our Shipmate, Captain Carroll LeFon, Neptunus Lex. All our prayers and sympathies to his wife and children.

In tribute to our beloved shipmate, I would share the words of Pericles who delivered a funeral oration that paid tribute to his men.

" I would have you day by day fix your eyes upon the greatness of Athens, until you become filled with the love of her; and when you are impressed by the spectacle of her glory, reflect that this empire has been acquired by men who knew their duty and had the courage to do it, who in the hour of conflict had the fear of dishonor always present to them, and who, if ever they failed in an enterprise, would not allow their virtues to be lost to their country, but freely gave their lives to her as the fairest offering which they could present at her feast.

The sacrifice which they collectively made was individually repaid to them; for they received again each one for himself a praise which grows not old, and the noblest of all tombs, I speak not of that in which their remains are laid, but of that in which their glory survives, and is proclaimed always and on every fitting occasion both in word and deed. For the whole earth is the tomb of famous men; not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions in their own country, but in foreign lands there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men."

Pericles - In tribute to his soldiers after first battles of the Peloponnesian war

Rest Easy CAP, we have the watch. Fair Winds and Following Seas.

We lost a hero today.......

We lost a hero today and our country is a better place due to his service.

He lived a hero's life and he died trying to save his little girls. Rest easy Green Beret. You will not be forgotten and those little girls must have needed you in Heaven.

Prayers for this family are respectfully requested.


Mar 6, 3:04 PM EST
Special Forces soldier dies trying to save NC kids

By MICHAEL BIESECKER and EMERY P. DALESIO
Associated Press

HOPE MILLS, N.C. (AP) -- A decorated Green Beret who returned from his fifth deployment to Afghanistan last summer died Tuesday trying to rescue his two young daughters from their burning home near Fort Bragg. The girls were also killed in the blaze.

Edward Cantrell and his wife escaped from the 1 a.m. blaze by jumping from the home's second floor, the Cumberland County sheriff's office said. Cantrell then wrapped himself in a blanket and re-entered the burning home in Hope Mills, about 10 miles from the Army base that is home to the Green Berets and other Special Forces units, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Tanna said.

Cantrell, 36, was trying to reach 6-year-old Isabella and 4-year-old Natalia, who were trapped in second-floor bedrooms, Tanna said.

"He never made it back out," Tanna said. Firefighters found their bodies inside the home, Tanna said.

The house was built in 1920. Tanna said the old home's timbers were likely very dry, causing a fast-moving blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

A sign at the end of the driveway blocked with yellow police tape says "The Cantrells Est. Feb. 7, 2004." Bouquets of flowers and two teddy bears had been placed nearby.

Firefighters from Cotton Volunteer Fire Department, which is less than two miles away, were on the scene within four minutes of receiving the dispatch call. Assistant Chief Kevin Dove said the house was already engulfed in flames.

"They perished before our arrival," said Dove, a veteran firefighter. "It was horrible."

The three bodies were all recovered on the second floor, he said. It did not appear the father was able to reach the girls.

Louise Cantrell was treated and released from a Fayetteville hospital for smoke inhalation, Dove said. The family dog, a Rottweiler named Sasha, also survived the fire and was being kept by neighbors.

Cantrell was a member of the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg. He held the rank of chief warrant officer 2, which authorized Cantrell to lead half of his 12-member Green Beret team if it was split up, said Lt. Col. April Olsen, a spokeswoman for Army Special Forces Command.

Cantrell joined the Army in 1994 and had one combat deployment to Iraq and five to Afghanistan, returning from the last mission in August, Olsen said. His record included four Bronze Stars and one Purple Heart, awarded for wounds suffered in a war zone, Olsen said. Details of the acts that earned the medals were not immediately available, she said.

"There are no words to express the sorrow felt in our close-knit community when a family suffers such a tragedy," the command said on its Facebook page.

Isabella attended nearby Ed V. Baldwin Elementary School. Principal Todd Yardis said the girl's teacher and a grief counselor broke the news of what happened to her classmates shortly after they arrived in the morning.

Yardis said both Cantrell parents had been very active at the school, with Edward Cantrell sometimes stopping by in his Army uniform. He recounted how excited the young girl was when her father returned home from his most recent tour of duty.

"Bella was a very happy, loving girl," Yardis said. "She was one of those students who would run up and hug you around the leg when you passed her class in the hall."

Yardis said Cantrell was a hero for trying to save his girls. The father had recently spoken about retiring from the service, rather than returning overseas and being separated from his family again.

"He talked about wanting to get out of the military and opening his own business," Yardis said. "He wanted to open a tattoo parlor."

Cindy Jacobs, who works at an assisted living home next door, said Louise Cantrell ran to the facility during the fire to get the staff to call 911. Jacobs said she knew the family, especially the mother, who would often stop to make small talk as she drove by. The two girls were often in the car or outside playing.

"She was with those girls all the time," said Jacobs, the executive director of the ARC of Hope Mills. "It's so sad. I can't imagine what she's going through."

Jacobs said she learned Edward Cantrell was in the military when investigators visited to ask about him as part of the procedure for getting a top secret security clearance.

"We knew he was Special Forces," Jacobs said. "He was just a heck of a guy. Very, very friendly."

The girls were energetic children, said Jacobs, who has an active-duty son in the Navy and whose husband is a civilian employee at Fort Bragg. "They were just adorable little girls," she said.

DARPA's Nightmare shop creates a fast kitty

Sounds like something out of the TERMINATOR...or maybe his pet cat. Either way, I'm not interested in running into one anytime soon.

DARPA's Cheetah becomes fastest legged robot. By Bonnie Cha
CNET Mar 06, 2012

DARPA is quickly becoming the supplier of our nightmares.

As if the monstrous AlphaDog wasn't intimidating enough, it now has a feline friend, the "Cheetah", that will certainly have you running for the hills. Chances are you won't be able to outrun it, though.

Created by Boston Dynamics, Cheetah is allegedly now the fastest legged robot on the planet. DARPA released a video today showing the bot running at various speeds on a laboratory treadmill, ultimately hitting its maximum speed of 18 mph. This breaks the previous land-speed record of 13.1 mph set back in 1989.

Engineers designed the Cheetah bot by patterning its movements after real fast-running animals, such as its namesake. By flexing and unflexing its spine, the four-legged droid is able to lengthen its stride and increase its running speed.

Back in February 2011 when the robot was first commissioned, Boston Dynamics President Marc Raibert said he saw no reason why the robot couldn't go as fast a real cheetah (up to 70 mph), but he admitted that this would take some time to achieve.

The Cheetah is part of DARPA's Maximum Mobility and Manipulation (M3) program, which seeks to advance and improve robotic capabilities. Though the agency didn't provide any specific examples, a robot, such as Cheetah, could help in various military applications.

DARPA plans to test a free-running a prototype later this year

Not his job....

This about sums it up.....The President just doesn't get it.

It's typical that while most Americans need him to focus on geting more oil, he decides we need to talk about healthcare.

Inflation

Anyone with 1/2 a brain has known what is now being stated in the media. INFLATION is back with a vengeance.

For the past 4 years, we have seen the prices of everything families purchase go up and the excuses for why you are paying more for a lot less. This effects everyone especially since no one is getting any appreciable increases in pay.

For the present administration to think people are OK with this is laughable.

We need new leadership in Washington, DC and relief for families who are trying to get by on less $$$ in a tough economy.

It all goes back to what Ronald Reagan said in 1980 when he ran against Jimmy Carter,

" Are you better off now than 4 years ago ?"

The answer tells you what is needed when you go to vote in November. We need to elect a President who understands that people cannot pay more and need for prices to go down.


Inflation: Not as low as you think
By Kathy Kristof - CBS News

Forget the modest 3.1 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index, the government's widely used measure of inflation. Everyday prices are up some 8 percent over the past year, according to the American Institute for Economic Research.

The not-for-profit research group measures inflation without looking at the big, one-time purchases that can skew the numbers. That means they don't look at the price of houses, furniture, appliances, cars, or computers. Instead, AIER focuses on Americans' typical daily purchases, such as food, gasoline, child care, prescription drugs, phone and television service, and other household products.

The institute contends that to get a good read on inflation's "sticker shock" effect, you must look at the cost of goods that the average household buys at least once a month and factor in only the kinds of expenses that are subject to change. That, too, eliminates the cost of housing because when you finance your home with a fixed-rate mortgage, that expense remains constant until you refinance or move.

The group maintains that this index better measures the real-world impact of price changes, particularly for people on a budget. And, largely as the result of the recent run-up in gas prices, this "everyday price index" (EPI) suggests that Americans are being pinched far more tightly than the official inflation measure would have you believe.

Over the past year, the EPI is up just over 8 percent, according to the economics group. The biggest factor: Motor fuel and transportation costs are up 21.06 percent from year-ago levels. The cost of food, prescription drugs, and tobacco also have increased faster than the government's inflation measure, rising 3.56 percent, 4.21 percent, and 3.4 percent, respectively.

On the bright side, prices of household fuel (natural gas and electricity) and supplies have increased only 2.74 percent; recreation and personal care products are up less than 1 percent; and telephone or Internet services are down 0.66 percent.

Admittedly, the purchases that the EPI tracks make up slightly less than 40 percent of the average household budget. But Steven Cunningham, research and education director at AIER, says these items are what contribute to the "sticker shock at the gasoline pump and the supermarket check-out line."