NORAD tracks Santa 2012

Santa is already busy in Australia. Go check it out here.

O Holy Night

Wednesday Hero

  Anthony Seirafi and Ricsi     Marine Corps Police Department Officer Anthony Seirafi, a dog handler with MCPD’s K-9 unit aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow calls out for intruders with his dog, Ricsi, during a training exercise Nov. 9. Handlers train on a daily basis with their dogs to maximize the efficiency of their work aboard the base.   Photo courtesy of U.S. Marines taken by Cpl. T. Allen Bricke These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
 

Fairytale of New York

Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman, Morrill Worcester, in 1992.

National Wreaths Across America Remembrance Ceremony- December 15, 2012; 12 Noon EST

Wreaths Across America mission:

Our mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies on the second Saturday of December at Arlington, as well as veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. We also organize a week of events including international veteran’s tributes, ceremonies at State Houses and a week-long “Veteran’s Parade” between Maine and Virginia where we stop along the way to spread our message about the importance of remembering our fallen heroes, honoring those who serve, and teaching our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms.
This week of events is made possible by thousands of volunteers who organize local ceremonies, raise funds to sponsor wreaths, and participate in the events. We receive no government funding. The cost of our programs is paid by individual wreaths sponsors, corporate donors and volunteer truckers.
We also coordinate veteran services and recognition through a variety of programs, and provide schools with teaching aides for projects throughout the year.
Click here to get involved.

Go here to find a location near YOU.





Always remember. Always honour.

Wednesday Hero

Seaman 1st Class James R. Ward 20 years old from Springfield, Ohio USS Oklahoma September 10, 1921 - December 7, 1941 This past Friday marked the 71 anniversary of the attack at Pearl Harbor. One of the ships that was destroyed in the attack was the battleship USS Oklahoma. On board the Oklahoma was a young man by he name of James Richard Ward who had only enlisted in the Navy a little more than a year before. When the attack happened, the Oklahoma was hit by three torpedoes and began to list dangerously. It quickly became apparent that she would capsize. The order was given to abandon ship. However, Ward stayed in his turret holding a flashlight so his fellow sailors could escape. He didn't make it out. For his actions that day, Sea1c Ward was posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and complete disregard of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ward remained in a turret holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life. He was also honored with the destroyer escort USS J. Richard Ward (DE-243) being named after him. These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Jeni LeGon: Dancing through the heavens

From Victoria Times-Colonist:

African-American tap dancing legend Jeni LeGon dies in Vancouver at age 96

 The Canadian Press December 10, 2012

  Jeni Legon at 90, photographed here at home with some of the mementos of her long career. The ontemporary of Bill Robinson and Fats Waller was be honoured Oct. 29, 2006 by the National Congress of Black Women.

Photograph by: Ian Lindsay, Vancouver Sun

VANCOUVER - An African-American tap dancing legend and long-time Vancouver resident has died.

Jeni LeGon died Friday at age 96, according to Vancouver journalist James Oakes, who is a neighbour of the woman's partner Frank Clavin.

The American Tap Dance Foundation says LeGon was one of the first African-American women to develop a career as a tap soloist — and she wore pants when all the other female dancers were sporting skirts.

LeGon was born in Chicago and landed her first job in musical theatre at age 13, the start of a career that brought her to Los Angeles, London and New York.

She played several leading roles in films, toured with the U.S. Army and performed in clubs and theatres internationally, performing with stars like dancer Bill Robinson and jazz pianist Fats Waller....

Much more on Jeni here.

My condolences to Frank and all who love Jeni.  Keep on dancing, Jeni.....

Video: Bring Him Home, Santa

WELCOME HOME 3 YORKS

Because I love a parade!  From the MoD:

Family, friends and public welcome soldiers home from Afghanistan

3 Dec 12

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and the 1st Royal Tank Regiment have all taken part in homecoming parades in recent days, cheered on by family, friends and the public.

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment parade through Warminster town centre [Picture: Corporal Paul Morrison, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

On Friday, soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (3 YORKS) took part in a post-deployment parade through Warminster in Wiltshire.

This was an opportunity for the town to officially welcome home the battalion after its demanding but successful role as part of 12th Mechanized Brigade in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province on Operation HERRICK 16 between April and October 2012.

The Commanding Officer of 3 YORKS, Lieutenant Colonel Zac Stenning, said:

"We have seen considerable progress over the last six months.

"We undertook 3,300 patrols, 13 major operations, had 240 contacts with the enemy, and saw a 50 per cent reduction in violence in the area we were responsible for.

"Importantly there was a much greater increase in Afghans doing their own security which is what transition is all about.

Lieutenant Colonel Zac Stenning leads the soldiers of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment through Warminster town centre [Picture: Corporal Paul Morrison, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

"The efforts this summer of the battalion and the collective efforts of the wider brigade certainly made a significant difference."

The parade was followed by a service at the Minster Church of St Denys with a role call and an act of remembrance for their nine fallen comrades.

As part of the service the town council granted the Freedom of Warminster to the battalion....

Read more here.  

WELCOME HOME all..

Wednesday Hero

Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth Vargas Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth Vargas, disaster preparedness officer for Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast, dressed in authentic Choctaw clothing, plays a Choctaw flute during a luncheon.    The Native American Heritage celebration was hosted by Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202 Detachment Jacksonville.   Photo courtesy U.S. Navy taken by Matt Simons These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Syria: Obama issues "stern warning"

Yeah, like that'll work!  As Assad has continued to murder innocent civilians for the last eighteen months, we have heard and seen Hillary and the MIC tell him to "stop it! Stop it right now, or we'll be angry."  In the wake of internet blackout in recent days - and nary a whisper from MIC -  now comes this:

From the Beeb:

Syria crisis: Nato in chemical weapons warning

4 December 2012

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has underlined US President Barack Obama's warning to the Syrian government not to use chemical weapons against its own people.

At a Nato foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, Mr Rasmussen said their use would be "completely unacceptable".

The foreign ministers are expected to approve the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries to Turkey.
The move is designed to defend Turkey's border with Syria.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Rasmussen told reporters: "The possible use of chemical weapons would be completely unacceptable for the whole international community.

"If anybody resorts to these terrible weapons, then I would expect an immediate reaction from the international community."...

"Immediate reaction"?????????  You mean like more wagging of the finger.. Read the rest of this one here.. 

Syrian citizens continue to be murdered and from 1600?  SSDD.

Pay attention....

Canada Recalls Ambassadors and Condell talks "middle east peace"

Canada voted "No" at the UN vote last week to recognise Palestine as a non-member observer state (or something. ) One of only nine countries to have the balls to do so.  Canada is now recalling Ambassadors from the Middle East.

 From the National Post:

Ottawa to recall diplomats after Baird’s strong rebuke of Palestinian vote

 Kathryn Blaze Carlson | Nov 30, 2012

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will meet as soon as early next week with the Canadian diplomats the federal government is recalling from Israel, the West Bank and the UN.

In an interview with the National Post, Mr. Baird said he will meet with those representatives in Ottawa for a frank discussion on Canada’s next move after Thursday’s UN vote that implicitly recognized a Palestinian state.

Despite widespread speculation, Mr. Baird said Canada is not considering breaking off relations with the Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority and deferred questions about Canadian aid to International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino.

“We want to get the advice and counsel of the representatives closest to the file,” Mr. Baird said in a telephone interview from New York, where he joined the United States and Israel in vehemently opposing the Palestinian bid Thursday. “We’re not looking at breaking off relations with the Palestinian Authority, but we do want to look at what we do going forward.”...

Much more here, and links to op/eds on this topic. 

As is well known, I don't agree on much that Harper and the Canadian government do, but I always agree with their support of Israel.  To me, supporting Israel IS the only moral choice, so any time Harper clearly shows Canadian support, they get my vote.

If anyone thinks that going along with the PA (ie Hamas) attempts for legitmacy on the world stage, as they continue to publicly - and loudly - state that their goal is to wipe Israel off the map, will promote peace in the region, they are deluding themselves.

Pat Condell (one of my favourite Brits.lol) has these thoughts:
Go check out all the informative links Condell has, here.

Muslim bombs Arizona govt office - msm silence

From Jihad Watch:

Muslim bombs Arizona Social Security office with IED, media blackout ensues

All too typical. "UPDATED: Iraqi refugee arrested for bombing Arizona Social Security office with IED, media silence ensues," by Patrick Poole at PJ Media, December 2:


UPDATED (8:25p EDT): I just spoke again with my contact in the FBI Phoenix field office (who is not authorized to speak on behalf of the FBI office) that it is highly unlikely that Aldosary will be charged with any terrorism offense. While they are internally treating it like a domestic terrorism investigation, including looking at if he had any help constructing the explosive device, the FBI is saying very little and and will prosecute this as a simple explosives and arson case because of “the political sensitivities involved”.

 
Original Post: The typically quiet town of Casa Grande, Arizona was rocked by an explosion at the local Social Security Administration office early Friday morning by what appears to an improvised explosive device (IED). No one was hurt in the explosion, which occurred shortly before the office was scheduled to open. The explosion was reportedly heard and felt all over the area.


While the little town of Casa Grande and the nearby Phoenix area is talking about the incident, virtually no one else is. In fact, the only reason I was following the story is because I’m presently in the area and saw the initial reports on the explosion and continued to look into it .

Within 90 minutes of the explosion police had a suspect in custody. But you wouldn’t know it from reading the establishment media reports this past weekend. One reason might be the suspect is 47 year-old Abdullatif Aldosary of Coolidge, AZ, an Iraqi refugee....

Yes, there is more here.