"WASHINGTON � A pipeline shuts down in Alaska. Equipment failures disrupt air travel in Los Angeles. Electricity runs short at a spy agency in Maryland.
None of these recent events resulted from a natural disaster or terrorist attack, but they may as well have, some homeland security experts say. They worry that too little attention is paid to how fast the country's basic operating systems are deteriorating.
'When I see events like these, I become concerned that we've lost focus on the core operational functionality of the nation's infrastructure and are becoming a fragile nation, which is just as bad � if not worse � as being an insecure nation,' said Christian Beckner, a Washington analyst who runs the respected Web site Homeland Security Watch (www.christianbeckner.com).
The American Society of Civil Engineers last year graded the nation 'D' for its overall infrastructure conditions, estimating that it would take $1.6 trillion over five years to fix the problem."
Read More Link:
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Serving
Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
He stays up for days on end.
__________________________
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
__________________________
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
__________________________
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
__________________________
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
__________________________
You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
__________________________
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
__________________________
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow. And it's 112 degrees in his tent, IF the air conditioner is working!
__________________________
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He does not get to eat today.
__________________________
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for days, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
__________________________
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
__________________________
You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.
__________________________
You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
__________________________
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
__________________________
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.
__________________________
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and remembers why he is fighting.
__________________________
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.
__________________________
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him, and he sees the locals who are grateful beyond words that he is working to give them freedom.
__________________________
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does what he is told.
__________________________
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat.
__________________________
You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire.
__________________________
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men/women like him/her
Author unknown
He stays up for days on end.
__________________________
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
__________________________
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
__________________________
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
__________________________
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
__________________________
You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
__________________________
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
__________________________
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow. And it's 112 degrees in his tent, IF the air conditioner is working!
__________________________
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He does not get to eat today.
__________________________
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for days, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
__________________________
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
__________________________
You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.
__________________________
You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
__________________________
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
__________________________
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.
__________________________
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and remembers why he is fighting.
__________________________
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.
__________________________
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him, and he sees the locals who are grateful beyond words that he is working to give them freedom.
__________________________
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does what he is told.
__________________________
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat.
__________________________
You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire.
__________________________
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men/women like him/her
Author unknown
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Thoughts on My Birthday
I was always taught to respect my elders,
but it keeps getting harder to find one.
but it keeps getting harder to find one.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
DANNY HAS A NEW HEART!
Just a quick update...
Danny received a successful heart transplant from a 30 yr. old male donor in Michigan whose heart was very strong and healthy. It was a very long, tedious surgery (8 hrs.) because Danny had had so many prior surgeries which caused adhesions, and other complications, including his damaged blood cells. His surgeon said it was one of the most difficult and complicated transplants he's ever done. Yet, the new heart "took" to Danny immediately and Danny's new re-birthday is August 8, 2006 at about 10:00 a.m.. However, because of his many complications, he is in grave danger for the next 48 hours of bleeding. Please, please, continue your prayers that he make a full, successful recovery to a healthy new life.
Also, please pray for the donor and his family. May it give them comfort to know a part of their loved one goes on living and lovingly cared for. It's poignant that the heart is symbolic of love and generosity, and the donor and his family gave the greatest gift of love anyone can give another; and a total stranger at that!
The 48 hours has now passed. Danny is breathing on his own and has a very strong pulse. Praise be to God.
Danny received a successful heart transplant from a 30 yr. old male donor in Michigan whose heart was very strong and healthy. It was a very long, tedious surgery (8 hrs.) because Danny had had so many prior surgeries which caused adhesions, and other complications, including his damaged blood cells. His surgeon said it was one of the most difficult and complicated transplants he's ever done. Yet, the new heart "took" to Danny immediately and Danny's new re-birthday is August 8, 2006 at about 10:00 a.m.. However, because of his many complications, he is in grave danger for the next 48 hours of bleeding. Please, please, continue your prayers that he make a full, successful recovery to a healthy new life.
Also, please pray for the donor and his family. May it give them comfort to know a part of their loved one goes on living and lovingly cared for. It's poignant that the heart is symbolic of love and generosity, and the donor and his family gave the greatest gift of love anyone can give another; and a total stranger at that!
The 48 hours has now passed. Danny is breathing on his own and has a very strong pulse. Praise be to God.
What Is Wrong With This Picture?
Two border guards are convicted of shooting a drug smuggler and face up to 20 years in prison.
Eleven Egyptian "students" here on Visa for education fail to show up for class and nobody knows where they are.
Massachusetts manages to pass legislation to allow vouchers for college education of illegal aliens but FAILS
to pass a bill providing the same to our returning military.
The one Senator I could consider a statesman because he votes his conscience and seeks to work in a
by-partisan way loses the primary. I don't agree with his more liberal views, but he is honest in
expressing them and does not waffle his opinions based on polls.
The country I have lived in for seventy years is disappearing rapidly.
Eleven Egyptian "students" here on Visa for education fail to show up for class and nobody knows where they are.
Massachusetts manages to pass legislation to allow vouchers for college education of illegal aliens but FAILS
to pass a bill providing the same to our returning military.
The one Senator I could consider a statesman because he votes his conscience and seeks to work in a
by-partisan way loses the primary. I don't agree with his more liberal views, but he is honest in
expressing them and does not waffle his opinions based on polls.
The country I have lived in for seventy years is disappearing rapidly.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Good Search
I noted in the comments to one of my blogs a question as to where you can find the code for the Good Search search engine. This search engine donates funds to specified charities and as a Soldier's Angel, I was happy to place the logo in my sidebar. I tried to go to the homepage of the person requesting the info but was unable to leave a comment.
So here again is the contact information to obtain the code.
http://www.goodsearch.com/Logo.aspx
So here again is the contact information to obtain the code.
http://www.goodsearch.com/Logo.aspx
Good Search
I noted in the comments to one of my blogs a question as to where you can find the code for the Good Search search engine. This search engine donates funds to specified charities and as a Soldier's Angel, I was happy to place the logo in my sidebar. I tried to go to the homepage of the person requesting the info but was unable to leave a comment.
So here again is the contact information to obtain the code.
http://www.goodsearch.com/Logo.aspx
So here again is the contact information to obtain the code.
http://www.goodsearch.com/Logo.aspx
If You Haven't, You Should
If you haven't read "Ending the Dishonesty: The Way Forward on Border Control and Patriotic Immigration", a speech by Newt Gingrich, you should
Newt Gingrich spoke at the American Enterprise Institute in April, 2006. Although it is a fairly long read, he talks sense in regard to immigration.
"Now I am giving you this framework because I now want to talk about immigration, because the number one characteristic of immigration debate in America is how dishonest it is. And let me say — this may surprise some of you — I am very sympathetic with the illegal immigrants who were protesting. I mean, they came here because they had a clear social contract. American employers would hire them illegally. The United States government would wink and nod. And so they uprooted themselves from back home to pursue a better future, earning a bigger income. And now we’re trying to change the social contract. And we are trying to change it in a way which pretends, just as we pretend the Colombian drug dealers are at the heart of the drug problem, as opposed to American drug purchasers, we want to pretend that it is illegal workers who are at the heart of the problem rather than the illegal businesses who are hiring them and an incompetent government which is tolerating it."
Read it here
Newt Gingrich spoke at the American Enterprise Institute in April, 2006. Although it is a fairly long read, he talks sense in regard to immigration.
"Now I am giving you this framework because I now want to talk about immigration, because the number one characteristic of immigration debate in America is how dishonest it is. And let me say — this may surprise some of you — I am very sympathetic with the illegal immigrants who were protesting. I mean, they came here because they had a clear social contract. American employers would hire them illegally. The United States government would wink and nod. And so they uprooted themselves from back home to pursue a better future, earning a bigger income. And now we’re trying to change the social contract. And we are trying to change it in a way which pretends, just as we pretend the Colombian drug dealers are at the heart of the drug problem, as opposed to American drug purchasers, we want to pretend that it is illegal workers who are at the heart of the problem rather than the illegal businesses who are hiring them and an incompetent government which is tolerating it."
Read it here
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