25 Christmas Questions

I got this from Skyepuppy who got it from Bekah. The questions are fun and I wanted to play along.


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper with curling ribbon and little presents attached. I love making the gifts look beautiful.

2. Real tree or artificial?
I love real trees and I usually have one of each. The real one in the living room and the fake tree in the family room.

3. When do you put up the tree?
The weekend after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?
January 2nd

5. Do you like eggnog?
I love it, but it has to Land O Lakes Brand. That's the best!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
A cassette tape recorder. I was 12 and I also got a Barry Manilow and a K-Tel Greatest Hits tape. Yes, I was cool!

7. Do you have a Nativity scene?
Yes, I have a few of them. The old traditional one handed down from my Polish grandmother goes under the real tree in the living room. When we were little my brother and I got to set it up, placing the Holy family in the manger with all the animals scattered about. Every day we would move the 3 wise men closer to the manger until they arrived on Christmas Eve. Nice memories.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
My sister-in-law

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My husband, he loves every thing I give him.

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received?
A work gift exchange w/ a $25 limit. I received a handmade Santa Claus ornament. Cheapo!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I still mail Christmas cards. I would never email someone Christmas greetings.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
A Christmas Story and the Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the old one)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
January 2nd! I buy stuff all year. I offically start the day after Thanksgiving. Yes, I'm one of those nuts.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Maybe

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My mothers kolachkies (I think I spelled that right), the pineapple and raspberry ones are mine!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
The real tree has red and green lights with red, green and gold glass ornaments. The fake tree has colored lights with all types of ornaments.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
I love all Christmas music and don't really have a favorite. If I have to pick it would have to be Elvis Presley's "Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me" and Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay at home.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel and a star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
We open presents at my in-laws Christmas Eve. When Christopher was little he wore me down and we let him open one at home Christmas Eve. Most everything else Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Hearing "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer". I seriously don't like that song.

23. What is the 'corniest' family tradition you do, or miss doing?
It's not corny but I miss it. Going to Christmas Eve mass when Christopher was an alter boy.

24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented?
Those lighted wire reindeer people put in their yard.

25. Which looks best theme trees or homey trees?
Homey.

Israel cares for Gaza terrorists!

I was reading a news piece from Israeli National News. It seems the Annapolis peace summit did nothing to stop the kassams from flying out of northern Gaza. But that’s not what I found surprising. The IDF is planning an anti-terror offensive inside Gaza. In the past the State of Israel would shut off electricity and water in an effort to break the terrorist.

Now it seems, just like America, the politicians have stepped in to dictate the rules of engagement. After a month of debate, the Supreme Court has ruled fuel supplies to Gaza may be cut back. However, “the Court wishes to ensure that cutting back electricity and fuel will not lead to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

Well it seems the second most powerful military in the world has been rendered ineffective by its own leaders.

I want to know what the Israeli Supreme Court thinks about the “humanitarian crisis” in Sderot as residents prepare for Chanukah.

Like the liberal bleeding-hearts in America, it appears Israel is more concern about the welfare of terrorist than their own people.

CAIR target; The Savage Nation!

Many of you know I’m a big fan of talk radio. The Salem Radio Network has a great lineup from morning to late night. The Columbus area lacks a SRN station and I have to change channels or listen online to hear my favorites throughout the day. Lately I’ve been listening to the Savage Nation. I’m not a fan of Michael Savage but I believe he’s smart enough to know when he’s crossed the line between liable and offensiveness. And I’m sure the advertisers knew the essence of the program when they signed the contract.

"Action Alert 522"

Last week CAIR launched a campaign asking the “offended” faithful to contact Savage Nation sponsors. The usual form letter and contact information was provided in the whine-o-gram in addition to a list of program sponsors. Basically CAIR instructed whine-o-gram recipients to contact his advertisers and complain about his “hate” speech. I find this rather amusing since these offended muslims don’t listen to the Savage Nation radio program. Companies that have buckled to the pressure are AutoZone, TrustedID, OfficeMax, Citrix Systems Inc., and JCPenny.

It’s also amusing that this vigorous talk show monitoring comes on heels of releasing a new initiative for those in the media, “American Muslims: A Journalist's Guide to Understanding Islam and Muslims".

I’ve alerted you to the many implied offenses where CAIR cries foul, holds a press conference and the offender ends up begging for mercy just to get CAIR and the muslims they represent off their back. The offender is then indoctrinated by muslim sensitivity training. Intimidation is an effective way to promote the islamic agenda. CAIR is engaged in an all out campaign to limit free speech by using intimidation.

Unlike the legions of past CAIR victims, Michael Savage is going to respond to this degradation crusade. Last night, Savage announced he’s fighting back. Savage will be doing exactly what CAIR would do, he going to sue them in court.

It's going to be interesting to see how long the court battle lasts. When Andrew Whitehead (anti-CAIR) turned the tables on CAIR, refused to bow to their threats and went to court. The fear of having to disclose documents during discovery caused CAIR to settle out of court. Even though the settlement terms were sealed, Whitehead contends he didn't pay a dime to CAIR and his site remains unchanged.

The bully on the American playground needs to be punched in the nose. I think Michael Savage is just the one to do it!

"Peace In Our Time" is a waste!

For the first time ever, I find myself agreeing with hamas. The Annapolis Peace Summit will be a waste of time.

The "democratically elected government" now ruling Gaza has boycotted the summit. They claim abu Mazen doesn't represent them and has no authority to negotiate with the Zionist on behalf of the palestinian people. They will continue to bomb Israel.

News reports from Gaza show terrorists demonstrators in the streets vowing allegiance to hamas' henchmen. Yes, these folks really want peace. Not.

Israel will be no closer to peace (and safety) after this meeting. Evacuating the West Bank and possibly the Golan Heights for a peace promise. The leaders in Annapolis will haggle (like arabs do) over land and rights, leaving Olmert with nothing but assurances. Israelis will be no safer tomorrow.

The participants are an extension of their people, and the people of Gaza don't care what happens in Annapolis.

If we see all the middle east envoys shake hands with Olmert in front of the Citadel, do you think the mindset of the people they represent will change? It didn't change when Arafat and Rabin shook hands. It's going to take a lot more than a round of hand shakes, even if Israel gives them the moon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we gather with family and friends to give thanks for the blessings we each enjoy, please remember those serving in a far away land. When you sit down to give thanks remember those families who have an empty chair around the table. They also deserve our thanks.

God Bless America and our Military, Happy Thanksgiving!

Peace is in Israeli hands?

It never ceases to amaze me how the islamic agenda twist reality to an uneducated populous, mostly those ignorant of history and current events.

Announced in a Tuesday “whine-o-gram” the un-indicted terror co-conspirator felt the need to opine on the upcoming Annapolis summit.

CAIR spokesman, Ibrahim Hooper, stated "Unless the Israelis are serious about promoting justice for the Palestinian people and about freedom from occupation, I don't see much coming out of the conference,” Hooper continued to say, Israel's government uses demonstrations by a handful of anti-Palestinian radicals as an excuse to continue its abuse of Palestinians. What? Does anyone else find this distorted? Then again it is a view from the muslim spin-master.

The article titled “CAIR: Peace Burden on Israel at Annapolis Conference” on their website comes from Hometown Annapolis. It's clear Hooper doesn’t see much coming from the conference, then again, if the palestinians wanted a state and peace with Israel they could have accomplished it long ago.

How many times have Israel been down this road? How long will they have to travel to achieve peace?

Gaza really proved to the world how serious the palestinians were about living in harmony with Israel. The world watched as those palestinian terrorists beat their swords, guns, and kasam rocket launchers into plowshares, springing to action to forge a palestinian state thus joining the civilized world. To busy governing themselves, setting up public services, utilizing the greenhouses left behind to plan attacks on its neighbor, Israel. Of course I'm being sacastic here.

All the lack of progress in Gaza certainly has galvanized the global community that Israel is not doing enough to bring about peace. Israeli leaders approach every "middle east peace talk" with hand extended only to discover the palestinians have cut it off. Demands without concessions.

If the rockets stop falling on Israel and a real self-governing state comes into existence, what excuse will OBL, CAIR the Iranian "nutter in chief" and many others who take up arms in solidarity with their oppressed brothers in palestine. Will they too beat their swords into plowshares and join the civilized world? I think not. This about a much larger goal. The people living in the "occupied territories" are nothing but a pawn, used to justify the anti-Zionist violence perpetrated by islamic thugs throughout the world.

Like other attempts to bring about peace, Israel will give them the moon with nothing in return. Promises to stop murdering Jews won't last because Israel has not been pushed into the sea. When are we going to understand, these maniacs don't want peace, the want Israel obliterated, that'll give them peace.

Remember, when they're finished destroying the Jews, they'll be coming after the Christians. Sorry Hooper, peace is in the palestinian hands. Always has been.

November Book Review

Protect and Defend

As a service to my loyal readers I'm taking this time to opine on the two books I just finished.

First was the much anticipated, Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn.

Protect And Defend was devoured in 4 days. It’s an amazing storyline likened to the “24” series. Picking up where Acts of Treason left us, wondering if Stu Garret will ever be brought to justice.

In the first chapter, Garret is living the high life on his boat off the coast of Puerto Golfito. Rapps team has kept Garret under tight surveillance for the last year, noting his patterns, waiting for the perfect moment to present itself to the patient executioner.
Yes, justice was served, Mitch Rapp style.

This book focuses on the kidnapping of Irene Kennedy after a meeting in Iraq with an Iranian counsel member. When an Israeli agent prematurely destroyed one of their nuclear facilities, Iran seizes an opportunity to execute a series of self-destructive acts. This forces Rapp to race against the clock in order to rescue Irene for the torturous captors.

A gripping episode and a quick read for any fan. I can’t wait for the next October release, there’re loose ends that need to be tied up. Flynn is sure to deliver a tenth book in the Mitch Rapp novel series.

Lone Survivor; The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10

Marcus Luttrell is that Lone Surivior.

Like many of you, I remember the news “blip”, in the summer of 2005, reporting 16 Marine Special Forces and Seals were killed when the Chinook carrying them was shot down by Taliban terrorists. We all saw the footage from arab television, reveling their victory in the mountains of Afghanistan. The largest loss of life in Seal history. What we didn’t hear was the story of the men aboard that chopper and the men they were going to assist. Marcus Luttrell tells us that story.

Luttrell takes the reader from his childhood in Texas, his Seal training in Coronado California and ultimately to the Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan.

We wouldn’t have heard about the Chinook downing and Luttrell wouldn’t have written this book save the fear of being prosecuted by a civilian court.

Their mission was to capture or kill a top al Qaeda leader known to be embedded with the Taliban. While covertly pursuing the terrorist 3 goat herders crossed their path. During the interrogation, hate emanated from the herders. Although they were unarmed their support for the Taliban was clear. Under “normal” conditions the correct military decision would be to kill them, without further discussion. One could not know their intentions and ultimately they let them go. A move that proved deadly.

As suspected, Taliban forces arrived within the hour. Gallantly the Seals fought against a 35 to 1 ratio, killing a third of the Taliban militia.
Luttrell chronicles the firefight and how Danny Dietz, Matthew Axelson (aka Axe) and Michael “Mikey” Murphy fought to the death. With critical wounds, these men continued to believe they could beat this ragtag band of murderers. As the battle raged on and one man dead, Mikey Murphy needed to call for assistance and sacrificed himself by entering the openness of a ravine to request air support. This too proved fatal.

With a shot to the chest, Murphy connected to HQ and made his request, “My men are taking heavy fire…. We’re getting picked apart here. My guys are dying out here… we need help.” Right then Mikey took a bullet in the back, slumping forward and dropped the phone and his rifle. Bracing himself, Murphy picked them both up, sat straight and once again spoke to HQ saying “Roger that, sir. Thank you.”.

The support troops, the 16 Seals and Special Forces who perished, immediately sprung into action. They knew going out in daylight was a risk, again, proving fatal.

Alone on the side of a mountain, Luttrell found himself badly wounded, (3 shattered vertebrae and a torn rotator cuff) and vulnerable. He needed to put some distance between him and the taliban, who were now scampering towards the burning Chinook. This gave Luttrell time to move.

Luttrell recounts his protection from al Qeada and taliban forces after being rescued by afghan tribesmen. Historic tribal law called “lokhay warkawal”, (meaning giving a pot) saved Marcus Luttrell from being the star in a taliban snuff film. This afghan clan vowed to fight to the death and defend Luttrell from those searching for him.

Four days later American Special Forces rescued Marcus Luttrell.

Throughout the book Luttrell tells us, from a military standpoint, how the media and liberals back home who tie their hands by dictating the rules of engagement. Forgetting the enemy isn’t fighting by the same rules.

This was the best book I’ve read in a long time. I cannot emphasize enough the need for this story to be told. If this was made into a movie, it’d be a blockbuster. Get it, you won’t be sorry.

CAIR guides the media in islamic reporting.....

A late day whine-o-gram, “Action Alert #527”, informed me of a newly launched initiative, from the terror front group, CAIR.

At a press conference held yesterday, CAIR introduced the centerpiece of its "Beyond Stereotypes" campaign and announced their plan to distribute the newly-published "American Muslims: A Journalist's Guide to Understanding Islam and Muslims" to some 40,000 media professionals nationwide.


I don't know about you but it’s been my experience, when perusing the national news sources, that the MSM is over-the-top PC. One would never know they’re American journalist.


CAIR has taken the liberty to help reporters by creating an entire guide to facilitate the regurgitation of media to the masses, under the guise of education and understanding. CAIR says the new guide will offer journalists the tools needed to gain a better understanding of islam and to write accurate and balanced stories about muslims. The guide also offers background information on issues related to islam and muslims, best practices for reporting on the American muslim community and definitions of terminology often used in news stories or editorials. In challenging common misconceptions about islam and muslims, the guide provides an islamic perspective on hot-button issues such as islam and democracy, freedom of religion, women's rights, and interfaith relations.

The media already acts in a treasonous manner, revealing national secrets that put American soldiers in danger. Just when you think it can't get any worse they receive the Pulitzer Prize for bravery in journalism instead of serving time in Leavenworth. Thank you Dana Priest.

As a pseudo-journalist, I'm tempted to request a copy because the sample pages are vague. The table of contents page seems to indicate they cover everything from basic islamic beliefs and misused terms to interaction with muslims and the perpetual lie that Jews and Christians worship the same God.

Is this really necessary? Is it just another tool used to soften up the American psyche leading to a type of Stockholm Syndrome?

Thank goodness for conservative talk radio and the Fox News Network!

CAIR comes out against protecting muslims

CAIR, in addition to the ACLU, has come out against the LA police department after announcing a program designed to gather information on muslims living in the city. It's been called mapping. Deputy Chief Michael P. Downing said this on Thursday,
“The LAPD's counterterrorism bureau plans to identify Muslim enclaves in order to determine which might be likely to become isolated and susceptible to "violent, ideologically based extremism…we want to know where the Pakistanis, Iranians and Chechens are so we can reach out to those communities.”

Our law enforcement officials are the first line of defense and need every tool available to do their job. The department plans to collect information with the goal of determining which muslim communities may be susceptible to the call of terrorism. Now tell me, what community wants to have terrorists living next door? Your race or religion shouldn't matter when it comes to national security.

We could get the same information from a national census if we could wait ten years for old information, but we can't. Every bit of intel is time sensitive.

In the end, I have a feeling the LAPD will come out and cancel the program so go ahead and chalk one up for the radicals.

CAIR has a problem with waterboarding terrorist!

The un-indicted terror co-conspirator, CAIR, has weighed in with their objection to Judge Michael Mukasey President Bush’s attorney general nomination. They are urging senators to oppose confirmation of this man because of his unwillingness to answer questions to which he has no knowledge.

The issue is waterboarding…..

In a whine-o-gram to RoP faithful, CAIR’s “National Legislative Director” Corey P. Saylor advises us to the ineffectiveness of the procedure. Citing a report in The Independent of London "…waterboarding has been considered torture for over a century and the US military is banned from using it…"

I have a few problems here. First, what does a CAIR legislative director do exactly? Comb over old case files looking for loopholes to further erode our culture? How to cause a scene in an airport without really crossing the legal line?

The second thing I take issue with is this statement made by Saylor, "Waterboarding is torture, and the use of such brutal techniques erodes America's moral leadership in the world," and "Torture is not a legacy we want to pass on to our children." This statement made me laugh. Surely this guy is aware of the brutality of the enemy we’re facing. However, believing the ACLU should be on the case of every battlefield terrorist we pick up prior to making a statement to interrogators, as not to infringe on rights afford to Americans, is not the way to prevent more bloodshed.

As much as the islamic community (to which CAIR represent) wants you to think they’re patriotic Americans, their open defense of terrorists abroad make that a hard pill to swallow. Making sure Ahmed and Mohamad have a koran, prayer rug and halal meals served to them is not a dilemma that keeps me up at night. These “freedom fighters” have spit on, thrown urine and feces at our military personal who, if the rolls were reversed, would have their heads sawed off to the melodramatic cries of allah akbar while being filmed.

No, the privilege of life, let alone a lawyer, wasn't given to many of our murdered countrymen at the hands of these 7th century savages. A cold room with Britney Spears blaring all night is not torture. Sitting, standing or chained to the floor is not torture. When the lives of Americans are on the line, do what has to be done, even waterboarding.

Are you ready for some Mitch Rapp!

The wait is just about over. Today, according to USPS, I will be receiving my brand new copy of Vince Flynn’s latest Mitch Rapp novel, Protect and Defend. I also ordered Lone Survivor; The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, by Marcus Luttrell.

I plan to read Flynns book first. The wait between Act of Treason and Protect and Defend has been the normal 1 year wait for the Mitch Rapp series. But since I can usually read a book that size in a week or two, this is the first time since the series started I didn’t reread the previous book prior to the new edition arrives.

A quick look at the titles available by Vince Flynn will show a scant few. So if you have them in your personal library, keep them. The older titles in hardcover are nonexistent. Or, you can list them on Amazon and fetch a nice chunk of change. They’re literally nowhere to be found. Just a tip if you’re lookin’ to become “debt free”. It's easy to set yourself up to sell one book or hundreds, and it's less of a hassle than eBay. Books are shipped via USPS (the US mail service) using "media mail" which is way cheaper.

I'm sure I'll be reviewing these two books for my newly installed monthly book review for November. I hope all you Mitch Rapp Fans enjoy the book and if you haven't made your purchase yet, may I suggest using Amazon instead of B&N or Borders. You'll pay much less and if you spend $25 (from Amazon, not one of their marketplace sellers) or more, which is usually 2 NEW books, you get free shipping and NO SALES TAX! How great is that? I paid $30.35 for both these books!

At least check it out.

Our nemesis belonged to Israel first!

Does anyone believe Israel will see peace after the summit in Annapolis?

I don't.....

Today Israeli National News is reporting an interesting little nugget of news from those "who only want to live in peace". The death cult known as hamas declares him ( Mahmoud Abbas, aka abu Mazen) a "traitor" to his people and all but placed a fatwa of death on his head.

Why you ask? It's the peace agreement he's about to sign, and will never enforce while being on vacation at tax payers expense, in Maryland.

The INN had a link to the al qassam brigades website where the quote from official spokesman Abu Obieda as saying, "Abbas is an enemy of the Palestinian nation." These "democratically elected murderers are turning on their own. Not surprising and not the real point to my post.

I looked around the hamas site. The pure evil made me wince.

Proudly touting their accomplishments and noting the monthly number of mortars, RPG's and bombs hurled into Israel. The number of ambushes are also recorded.

We're told the plight of these poor palestinians is so grave because of the evil Israeli occupiers. This organization does not represent the view of all palestinians.

I beg to differ. This is not the first site used by the jihadist I've perused. One I came across a few years ago after the Beslan school massacre. It's the kavkaz center, (The Caucasus Center) operating in eastern Europe, Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. I received an email with their link shortly before the attack on the Russian school. I dismissed it and hit the delete button. After the attack I received another email detailing the martyrs in the school, again, pure evil.

This new technology has become a tool for the enemy to spread their message. I hope the people who protect us are also monitoring their communications via the net. And I'm sure the arabic and english translations don't quite line up.

No, the impending charade in Annapolis won't yield any fruit. The masses in Gaza and the West Bank will emerge from their mosques after Friday prayers with their weekly dose of hate ready to murder and be killed. They don't want a two state solution. They don't want a nation, if they did the streets wouldn't be full of trash, children go uneducated and hungry, while they purchase arms to murder Israelis. But the people voted them into power and "Jimmah Carter" (the tower of incompetency) validated the elections. If ya can't trust the anti-Semite to over-see islamic democracy who can ya trust!

The issues plagueing the State of Israel are at our shores. Do we have to wait until we're hit by RPG's from Islamberg before we wake up?

Our leaders need to understand, just because we play by the rules the enemy will play by those same rules. We need to adapt to the new environment of this war on islamofascism. Our nemesis belonged to Israel first!