God Bless The USA--For Starters...

A Special, Sad, & Fond Farewell

2007-02-25T14:28:00.000-05:00

Please click here to view...

Is This True!?!

2007-02-18T08:39:00.000-05:00

If THIS is true (and condoned), we should be ashamed of ourselves!!!

The Marine

2007-02-09T09:06:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Sparkle Tags

> This is a poem being sent from a Marine to his Dad.
> For those who take the time to read it,
> you'll see a letter from him to his Dad at the bottom.
> It makes you truly thankful for not only the Marines, but ALL of
our troops.
> THE MARINE
>
> We all came together,
> Both young and old
> To fight for our freedom,
> To stand and be bold.
>
> In the midst of all evil,
> We stand our ground,
> And we protect our country
> From all terror around.
>
> Peace and not war,
> Is what some people say.
> But I'll give my life,
> So you can live the American way.
>
> I give you the right
> To talk of your peace.
> To stand in your groups,
> and protest in our streets.
>
> But still I fight on,
> I don't bitch, I don't whine.
> I'm just one of the people
> Who is doing your time.
>
> I'm harder than nails,
> Stronger than any machine.
> I'm the immortal soldier,
> I'm a U.S. MARINE!
>
> So stand in my shoes,
> And leave from your home.
> Fight for the people who hate you,
> With the protests they've shown.
>
> Fight for the stranger,
> Fight for the young.
> So they all may have,
> The greatest freedom you've won.
>
> Fight for the sick,
> Fight for the poor
> Fight for the cripple,
> Who lives next door.
>
> But when your time comes,
> Do what I've done.
> For if you stand up for freedom,
> You'll stand when the fight's done .
>
>
> By: Corporal Aaron M. Gilbert, US Marine Corps
> USS SAIPAN, PERSIAN GULF
>
>
> March 23, 2003
> Hey Dad,
> Do me a favor and label this "The Marine"
> and send it to everybody on your email list.
> Even leave this letter in it.
> I want this rolling all over the US ;
> I want every home reading it.
> Every eye seeing it.
> And every heart to feel it.
> So can you please send this for me?
> I would but my email time isn't that long
> and I don't have much time anyway.
> You know what Dad?
> I wondered what it would be like to truly understand
> what JFK said in His inaugural speech.
> "When the time comes to lay down my life for my country,
> I do not cower from this responsibility. I welcome it."
> Well, now I know.
> And I do. Dad, I welcome the opportunity to do what I do.
> Even though I have left behind a beautiful wife,
> and I will miss the birth of our first born child,
> I would do it 70 times over to fight for
> the place that God has made for my home.
> I love you all and I miss you very much.
> I wish I could be there when Sandi has our baby,
> but tell her that I love her, and Lord willing,
> I will be coming home soon.
> Give Mom a great big hug from me and give one to yourself too.
> Aaron
> Please let this marine (and all our military)
> know we care by passing his poem onto your friends
> even if you don't usually take time to forward mail...do it this
time!
> Thanks,
> If this touched you as much as it touched me, please forward it on.
> Let's help Aaron's dad spread the word ...
> FREEDOM isn't FREE someone pays for you and me.
>
>
> God bless America!

Supporting Our Troops Doesn't Necessarily Mean Supporting The War

2007-01-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Sparkle Tags

When it comes to how I feel about the war in Iraq, my jury is still out...

I know that I believe that this war has gone on for way too long, and that it looks like Vietnam history repeating itself.

Hindsight's 20/20, but we might have been finished there by now had we been better prepared before going to war--had put together a better strategy instead of just diving right in without a sufficient amount of planning.

Some people believe that we should have never even gone to war in the first place...

If there had been a more peaceful option available, I would feel the same way. I don't know if there were one or not. My jury is still out...

But I do know this...

Thousands upon thousands of young men and women have been sent over there, and they have been risking life and limb. Although, thankfully, there was no draft--and I hope there never will be--there has been a mix of feelings among these volunteers re: whether or not we should have ever started this particular war. Some are all for it. Others were not. Still others once were but no longer are.

Our courageous youth are growing war-weary, and it's time to focus on bringing them home as soon as possible.

Let's hope that those in power won't seek out another war to fight for such an abstract cause as a war on terrorism.

You don't fight terrorism by randomly scorching the earth of country after country because there "might" be terrorism being planned by "some" of the people there. By doing so, you become part of the terrorism.

Instead, you fight terrorism by setting a standard to live above it--which doesn't mean being a doormat and not defending oneself, but it does mean not spilling blood unnecesarily.

Teach people to live in peace by example!

It might not be the most "macho" way to solve things, but it's the most humane--and the one with the best results.

I Personally Checked It With Snopes.com & It's True!!!

2007-01-01T03:18:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Sparkle Tags
Got this from my friend, Vicki, who got it from her friend, Bob...

Some good retailer news for a change! Makes you want to run right down to Sears and buy something.......

Subject: Sears

I assume all of us have not seen the reports about how Sears is treating its reservist employees who are called up?

By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up...Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution.

Suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.

Pass it on.

So I decided to check it out before I sent it forward. I sent the following email to the Sears Customer Service Department: I received this email and I would like to know if it is true. If it is, the Internet may have just become one very good source of advertisement for your store. I know I would go out of my way to buy products from Sears instead of another store for a like item even if it was cheaper at the other store.

Here is their answer to my email......................

Dear Customer:

Thank you for contacting Sears

The information is factual. We appreciate your positive feedback. Sears regards service to our country as one of greatest sacrifices our young men and women can make. We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time.

Bill Thorn
Sears Customer Care
webcenter@sears.com
1-800-349-4358

Please pass this on to all your friends, Sears needs to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them as Americans, we do appreciate what they are doing for our military!!!!!!!!!!!
It's Verified By Snopes.com

Dubya And The War--Is It All In Black And White?

2006-09-25T01:39:00.000-04:00

I've just finished reading a wonderful article about President Bush and how he's responding to this war. This seems to be a well-balanced piece and very much worth reading. Click Me!

America The Beautiful--A Flowery Message!

2006-09-23T02:59:00.000-04:00

Click Me!

Special Hummer Story! Please E-Mail To Friends!

2006-09-03T02:20:00.000-04:00

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.
(March 2, 2006)
Karla Comfort received a lot of looks and even some salutes from people when she drove from Benton, Ark., to Camp Pendleton, Calif., in her newly-painted, custom Hummer H3 March 2. The vehicle is adorned with the likeness of her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division who where all killed by the same improvised explosive device blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December.

For Karla Comfort, having the vehicle air brushed with the image of the 10 Marines was a way to pay homage to her hero and his fellow comrades who fell on Iraq's urban battlefield.

"I wanted to let people know (Marines) are doing their jobs honorably, and some of them die," said the 39-year-old from Portland, OR "I don't want people to forget the sacrifices that my son and the other Marines made."

Leading up to her son's death, Karla Comfort had received several letters from him prior to his return. He had been deployed for five months, and Comfort "worried everyday he was gone until she got the letters and found out the date he was coming home," she said.

Marines knocked on the front door of her home in Farmington, Mich., at 3 am with the dreadful news.

"I let my guard down when I found out he was coming home," she said. "There are times that I still cannot believe it happened. It's very hard to deal with."

Karla Comfort came up with the idea for the rolling memorial when she and her two other sons attended John's funeral in Portland, Ore.

"I saw a Vietnam (War) memorial on a car, and I said to my son Josh, 'we should do something like that for John,' she recalled. "He loved Hummers."

She purchased the vehicle in January and immediately took it to AirbrushGuy & Co. in Benton, Ark., where artist Robert Powell went to work on changing the plain, black vehicle into a decorative, mobile, art piece.

"I only had the vehicle for two days before we took it in," she joked.

Two hundred and fifty man-hours later, Powell had completed the vehicle. The custom job would have cost $25,000. Out of respect for Karla Comfort's loss and the sacrifices the Marines made, AirbrushGuy & Co. did it for free. Comfort only had to purchase the paint, which cost $3,000.

"I love it," she said. "I'm really impressed with it, and I think John would be happy with the vehicle. He would have a big smile on his face because he loved Hummers."

Karla Comfort gave Powell basic instructions on what to include in the paint job But in addition to the image of her son in Dress Blues and the faces of the nine other Marines, there were several surprises. "He put a lot more on than I expected," she said. "I think my favorite part is the heaven scene."

On the left side of the vehicle, a detail of Marines are depicted carrying their fallen comrades through the clouds to their final resting place. The American flag drapes across the hood, the words, "Semper Fi" crown the front windshield and the spare tire cover carries the same Eagle Globe and Anchor design that her son had tattooed on his back.

"All the support I have been getting is wonderful," she said.

Karla Comfort decided to move back to her hometown of Portland, and making the cross-country trip from Arkansas was a way for her to share her son's story. It's also her way of co ping with the loss.

"Along the way I got nothing but positive feedback from people," she said. "What got to me was when people would salute the guys (Marines). It's hard to look at his picture. I still cry and try to get used to the idea, but it's hard to grasp the idea that he's really gone."

S

Let's get this Hummer going around the world!
PLEASE ... Pass it on.

The Man Who Would Be King

2006-08-25T11:32:00.000-04:00

Attention: I've just finished signing this petition and hope you will, too, if you agree with its message.

FYI, this is the comment I left with it.

You can leave your own comment (Doesn't have to be as long as mine--but it could be longer.) and you can even do it anonymously (that is, showing up on the petition--you need to fill out information that shows that you're an authentic individual rather than the same person writing over and over again).

Hope to see you there...

One more thing: The comment section doesn't break into paragraphs, so the paragraph breaks here are the ones I've put in here (where I'd like for them to be if it did break into paragraphs)...

Rip Van Winkle--after sleeping for 20 years--woke up to find that the colonies had gone from having King George ruling them to being independent and having a President named George.

Since then, we've had Presidents with all kinds of names such as Abraham, Theodore/Teddy, Calvin, Herbert, Franklin, Harry, Ike, Jimmy, etc. We've even had a father and son who bear the name, George, just as the first (official)one did.

At this time, the son named George is in office. I helped him get there twice and have no regrets. However, I now have some concerns that I'm going to address to him:

George W. Bush--I've been very happy with our set-up in the good, old US of A and say that, if it ain't broke, don't "fix" it. Yes! Some things might need fixing, but one thing that doesn't is the post of President and the role that he/she plays.

We've not had a king ruling this country since King George--and we went through a messy war to change that situation, so it's obvious that we don't want a king today anymore than we wanted a king back then.

The only King I want ruling my life is Jesus, and the only flesh-and-blood king I want our country to be associated with is Elvis! No king in the White House, please! Be happy being our President, and don't try being King George! One King George is enough!

Abolish the Death Penalty: Minister of mercy

2006-05-11T07:12:00.000-04:00

Abolish the Death Penalty: Minister of mercy

Here is something I wrote that showed how senseless this particular execution was--as if ANY execution makes any sense...

An Avant-Garde But (I Believe) Doable Idea! But...

2006-05-07T12:49:00.000-04:00

...are we up to it?

I would hope so!

It would solve a lot of crime problems, I believe, because it would discourage repeat offenders, encourage good citizenship, and give troubled individuals some real help when it comes to turning their lives around and not sinking deeper and deeper into a cesspool of crime!

Click here for details!!!

Let's make our country better and show real leadership when it comes to making the world a more positive place to live! If it takes coloring outside the lines and going outside our boxes to do this, so be it! Just do it!!!

We're Not Perfect, But There's Nowhere Else I'd Rather Live!

2006-04-25T23:29:00.000-04:00

You Are 68% American

Most times you are proud to be an American.

Though sometimes the good ole US of A makes you cringe

Still, you know there's no place better suited to be your home.

You love your freedom and no one's going to take it away from you!

How American Are You?

Check Out Fun Link To Wander Indiana!

2006-03-23T02:17:00.000-05:00

I wonder if it's anything like being part of a pie-eating contest...

Specifically, is having a finger in every pie, a toe in every pie, and pies stacked up and waiting anything like being part of a pie-eating contest?

Whether or not it's any more healthy for me than being part of a pie-eating contest, who knows!?!

No matter what, I've been doing a lot of burning of the midnight oil to tie all of the loose ends of the secondary parts of my website together properly.

What are the secondary parts?

Those would be the personal blogs (such as this one) with either a direct link from the website or else those that are linked to a direct link from the website.

Anyway, I'm piecing it all together as my life moves forward with other things needing tended to as well.

So, what's my point?

My point is that, at this time, I'm not going to be getting around to making up an entry that has links to the websites of all fifty states as I would like to do one of these days.

However, I can share a link that will take you to The Hoosier State: my own homestate of Indiana!

From this link, you can go all over the place--everything from state government to local government and even to some things that don't have anything directly to do with government.

All you have to do is to CLIMB ABOARD RIGHT HERE and, then, decide where to go from there...Have Fun!

2006-03-05T21:50:00.000-05:00

If you're reading this anywhere right now, it can only mean one thing:

AJ's Absolutely Delicious Website

now open-to-the-public

!!!

What this means is that you will, hopefully, be very anxious to check it out.

If you see this, it means that everything on the website, itself, has been (for the near future, anyway) completed to the satisfaction of yours truly, and all that's needed now is to just add visitors that will, hopefully, sign my guestbook (even though it isn't required).

My message to people visiting is this:

Just make yourselves at home and check out whatever you might find interesting. With very few exceptions, all links make their destinations open into new windows, meaning that you don't have to even leave the website completely behind in order to take side-trips.

About those destinations...some will already be leading to places that are already going and active. Others will lead to places that are either relatively-new or else absolutely brand-new and not yet developed.

If you were to come back to every last one of those places in anything from a day or so to a week, you would see a lot of exciting changes there.

In short, what I'm offering as of today (March 5, 2006) is a completely built website, some exciting and completed destinations, and the chance to watch construction work going on.

That's all for now, so enjoy the journey...

!

2006-03-03T04:18:00.000-05:00

If you happened to be hanging around, you might be noticing a lot of changes going on in my neck of the woods.

New blogs are starting to be developed in different ways.

Old blogs are being promoted more (as in being added to Weblogs.com right along with the newer ones).

Are you becoming curious?

If you are, I'm going to enlighten you some...

At this time, I'm building a website that's state-of-the-art (that is, as state-of-the-art as it can be coming from someone who began using The Internet back in 1998 when almost 46 years old--anyway, I'm quite proud of it!), and I'm hooking up various blogs to it.

I'm being very thorough when it comes to building it, so I can't tell you just when it will be done, but I'm hoping that it will be done before the first of next week, and the sooner the better.

When my website opens, I'll be making another announcement here, so be watching for it.

In the meantime--when you have the time and want to--enjoy watching the construction going on...

Under Construction

2006-02-26T21:58:00.000-05:00

Under Construction...