Lest We Forget The Cost Of War

Read Mark Harris at Preludium:

As of this 4th of July 4,321 American service personnel and 318 other allied personnel have died in Iraq - 4,639 in all. In Afghanistan 719 US personnel have been killed, and 488 other allied personnel, for a total of 1,207.

These two wars have now cost 5,040 American lives. The number of US wounded in Iraq stands at over 31,368, in Afghanistan 3,023. Total wounded over 34,391.

For those in the Armed Forces of our Country

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer, p. 823)


For Peace

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer, p. 815)

Ads From The 30s

Always a major turn off for me. Do not blow smoke in my face! I hated the smell on my clothes and in my hair. Of course, both my parents smoked, so I never really got away from it for a good many years. At least, we kept the windows open back in the olden days.



I remember the men swearing when the "church key" couldn't be found. Fortunately, one of the guys usually played it safe and carried the object on his key chain and came to the rescue of all the thirsty folks.



Just do it. I'm old enough to remember folks saying that, however, I don't remember the "You could get hit by a bus tomorrow" part.



Who would know better than the docs that Camels are good for you?



I know I was happy when I ate lard. My grandmother's Creole cooking was delicious and full of lard.

Thanks to Doug. Happy Fourth, my faithful stringer!

"Dunlap Print" Discovered In British Archives

From the AP via The Huffington Post:

British researchers have announced the discovery of a rare original copy of America's Declaration of Independence - just in time for the Fourth of July.

Katrina McClintock, a spokeswoman at the National Archives, said Thursday that a researcher accidentally discovered the "Dunlap print," named after a printer, several months ago. The find was announced only after it could be properly catalogued.

Edward Hampshire, the National Archives' specialist in colonial materials, said the find was "incredibly exciting."

"It is likely that only around 200 of these were ever printed, so uncovering a new one nearly 250 years later is extremely rare, especially one in such good condition," he said.
....

The last Dunlap print to be found was sold at an auction for $8.14 million in 2000.

A spokesman for the National Archives helpfully reminds us that the document is important because it "marks the birth of the United States", which would be an item of information, rather than a reminder for perhaps more than a few of the citizens of the US. More's the pity.

Thought For The Day - Richard Rohr

It’s quite clear that in the final analysis it’s the grace of God that liberates us. It’s the experience of divine and unconditional love that really sets us free. No political system can offer us this inner liberty.

Daily Meditations by Richard Rohr. (Adapted from Simplicity, p. 121)

Happy Fourth Of July!

John Trumbull - Oil-on-canvas - commissioned 1817; purchased 1819; placed 1826 in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.


When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to 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.

Full text of the Declaration of Independence.

Demographics of the signers of the Declaration.



A celebration before even my time. Have a wonderful holiday!

Trumball's painting from Wiki.

Note: As many of you probably noted and were too kind to say, in my original post I made un grand faux pas by posting a quote, a link to the text, and the names of the signers of the US Constitution. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Publish in haste; repent in leisure.

Sarah Palin Resigns

From The Huffington Post:

After Sarah Palin's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week she has announced she will be stepping down in a few weeks. In a press conference call this morning, Alaska's Governor Sarah Palin has announced she will not run for re-election and is stepping down as governor.

She had a brief statement. She took no questions.

Her commissioners and Lt. Governor were with her at her home. Palin did not relinquish the reigns of the state to the Lt. Governor while running for vice president.

Lt. Governor Sean Parnell will step in as governor at the end of the month. He was defeated by Congressman Don Young in the Republican primary last year.

Rumors of an "iceberg scandal" have been circulating.

What on earth is an iceberg scandal?

Thanks to Göran for the tip.

Wow! More Obama Secrecy On Cheney

From TPM Muckraker:

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised at this point. But the latest example of the Obama administration mimicking the Bushies in opting for secrecy over openness feels like one of the most infuriating yet.

The Justice Department is declining to release Dick Cheney's interview with federal investigators looking into the Valerie Plame leak, arguing -- as it did under President Bush -- that doing so would discourage future high-level officials from cooperating with criminal investigations.

Extremely weak defense. And what about Obama's promise to be open and transparent?

Outing Valerie Plame as a covert CIA officer was a despicable act, all for the sake of discrediting her husband, Joe Wilson, who stated that, despite the Bush maladministration's claims to the contrary, Saddam did not purchase yellowcake from Niger in the 1990s, a statement that was later proved to be true. We need to know the full story of Cheney's machinations in this ugly affair.

"Lebanese Lesbians Take New York"

From Air America:

In the wake of a major gay rights victory in India, members of a Lebanese gay rights group called Meem have arrived in New York to speak out for similar progress in their homeland. They are also promoting their book, Bareed Mista3jil, translated as "Mail in a Hurry." It contains 41 true stories of LGBT life in Lebanon, many of them surprisingly hopeful and humorous. It's also a first-of-its-kind book in the Arab world, and a bestseller at the Virgin Megastore in Beirut.

Today Air America's Jack Rice spoke with Nadine Moawad, a member of Meem and the editor of Bareed Mista3jil.




Dear me! It seems teh gay is contagious after all - or, at least, teh gays wanting to be who they are and out of the closet. It's spreading to the most unlikely places. Think of the children!

Rice's interview with Nadine Moawad is worth a listen. It's nearly 17 minutes long, so save it for when you have time.

Thanks to Georgianne for the link.

"That's Not Bad...."

A golfer playing in Ireland hooked his drive into the woods. Looking for his ball, he found a little Leprechaun flat on his back, a big bump on his head and the golfer's ball beside him. Horrified, the golfer got his water bottle from the cart and poured it over the little guy, reviving him.

'Arrgh! What happened?' the Leprechaun asked.

'I'm afraid I hit you with my golf ball,' the golfer says.

'Oh, I see. Well, ye got me fair and square.. Ye get three wishes, so whaddya want?'

'Thank God, you're all right!' the golfer answers in relief. 'I don't want anything, I'm just glad you're OK, and I apologize.'

And the golfer walks off.

'What a nice guy,' the Leprechaun says to himself. I have to do something for him. I'll give him the three things I would want... a great golf game, all the money he ever needs, and a fantastic sex life.'

A year goes by and the golfer is back. On the same hole, he again hits a bad drive into the woods and the Leprechaun is there waiting for him.

'Twas me that made ye hit the ball here,' the little guy says. 'I just want to ask ye, how's yer golf game?'

'My game is fantastic!' the golfer answers. 'I'm an internationally famous golfer now.' He adds, 'By the way, it's good to see you're all right.'

'Oh, I'm fine now, thank ye. I did that fer yer golf game, you know. And tell me, how's yer money situation?'

'Why, it's just wonderful!' the golfer states. 'When I need cash, I just reach in my pocket and pull out $100 bills I didn't even know were there!'

'I did that fer ye also. And tell me, how's yer sex life?'

The golfer blushes, turns his head away in embarrassment, and says shyly, 'It's OK.'

'C'mon, c'mon now,' urged the Leprechaun. 'I'm wanting to know if I did a good job. How many times a week?'

Blushing even more, the golfer looks around then whispers, 'Once, sometimes twice a week.'

'What?' responds the Leprechaun in shock. 'That's all? Only once or twice a week?'

'Well,' says the golfer, 'I figure that's not bad for a Catholic priest, who doesn't own a car and is in a small parish.'

Posted with fond memories of the good parish priests I have known during my long years in the Roman Catholic Church. A good many of them would share a laugh with me over this one.

Sent by Doug.

Herman Put Down The Gun

From Georgianne Nienaber at The Huffington Post:

A while back I posted a commentary and review on Indie music as a soundtrack and metaphor for troubling financial times. In today's atmosphere of music industry giants swallowing the little Indie guys and the news about Ticketmaster's Echomusic shutting down the websites of 200 mid-level artists with barely a "slam, bam thank you guys and gals," a little band from Atlanta proves that all it takes is heart to produce art and great PR.
....

I came across the "Lonely Street" video on Facebook, and since I am a huge fan, I wrote to front woman Sonia Tetlow and asked how much time and money it cost to put the thing together. Plus, I wanted to write something positive about the music business for a change.Turns out it cost zip. A week ago, instead of having band practice, the band met at Tetlow's house and went for beers in their Atlanta neighborhood while taking turns with an eight year old camera that had not seen much service.

Now the video is going viral on Facebook and elsewhere on the net. I love what the musicians did with no resources but their talent and creativity. Thanks to Georgianne (the woman who made me famous!) for spotlighting them at The Huffington Post.

From SOVO (Southern Voice):

Herman Put Down The Gun with lead singer Sonia Tetlow is making viral waves on the internet thanks to a DIY video for their song “Lonely Street.” Tetlow, a lesbian, was featured in Southern Voice as one of its “next generation of gay Atlanta.”

With no money and using an old video camera in making the just over 3-minute video, the Atlanta-based rock band was written up by the Huffington Post about its use of Facebook and Myspace to spread the video that has now been linked to numerous other sites as well.

That's how to do it, guys.

The woman lying on the ground in the video is Sonia Tetlow, the band's front woman. They were playing in 99° heat in Atlanta, and she suffered a minor heat stroke, but she revived quickly after a dose of Gatorade. By the way, Sonia has the right roots. She is a native of New Orleans.