Photoshop election coverage back in effect

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [October 18, 2010]

So I was without the vital tool Photoshop for a while. What a shame. Now I will make up for that with some wickedry through election day. Engage!

Blackfive On TV

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [October 18, 2010]

No, no mint fly green on major networks this week (though the week is young), but:

Blackfive is on thepulsenetwork.com with Rick Calvert at Blog World and can be seen here at about minute 11. You may also learn a bit (more) about Soldiers' Angels in the process. 

Laughing Wolf is interviewed by C.C. Chapman about Cooking with the Troops and can be seen here about about minute 39.  Big thanks also go to C.C. for donating a brand new Kodak Zi8 HD video camera to Cooking with the Troops so we can start getting some video up on our site.

You can also find video of the BWE10 military track panels here, courtesy of You Served. Big thanks to them, and to Bouhammer, for making that happen!  Please do check out the panels, and if you have constructive suggestions towards next year, drop a line to bwemil at cwtt makedotacharacter org.

LW

SPeaking of the V.F.W. Endorsements

Posted By Blackfive • [October 18, 2010]

Over at This Ain't Hell, TSO discusses Vote Vets hypocrisy...and I left this comment about "Vote Vets":

What?! You mean to say that an org with the name strongly implying that you should vote for vets, really means you should vote for any anti-military crapweasels?

 

Saudi Arabia to France - "Yo France, Our Citizens May Want to Kill You"

Posted By Blackfive • [October 18, 2010]

While I view this new effort at cooperation with a bit of skepticism, at least Saudi intel felt compelled to let France know about a potential terror plot (after it had been exposed for weeks)...

France's latest terror threat came when European officials were informed that "al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was doubtless active or envisioned being active" on the "European continent, notably France," the interior minister said Sunday. The U.S. State Department continues its continent-wide alert, issued on Oct. 3.

It would be nice to see this wrapped as I might be heading to the U.K. and the Netherlands soon...

Brit Lieutenant Ian Fortune - S.Y.S.K. Follow Up

Posted By Blackfive • [October 18, 2010]

"This is your pilot.  I've been shot in the head" - Flight Lieutenant Ian Fortune, Chinook pilot during rescue mission in Afghanistan.

Tantor sends this video and photo essay on Flight Lieutenant Ian Fortune that we covered here six months ago...it's an amazing story, go check it out.

Your Help Needed

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [October 18, 2010]

This year's Blog World is over, and while final numbers are still being tallied, it was quite a success. Not only did the conference itself grow, we had some of the best attendance ever at the milblog track.

Part of this were the panel topics, and a good bit lies with the panelists. We were fortunate to have Cassandra, Mrs. P., JD Johannes, Toby Nunn, and others take part from within our community. We were also extremely fortunate to have people from outside our community take part as well: actor and director Jake Rademacher; Michael Brito, VP for Edelman Digital; and, author Tom Kratman. Having a special surprise appearance by Survivor producer (and former British para/Falklands War vet) Mark Burnett didn't hurt anything either.

There being no rest for the wicked, work has already started on next year. This is our chance to have people of note from outside our community talk to us and take part on panels. It is our chance to get people from outside our community attend our panels and increase our potential audience and reach. While we have already gotten some good feedback and suggestions, we need to hear from you:

• What panels of interest to both military and other communities would you care to see?

• What speakers would you like to see on them?

• What speakers from industry, firms, and other communities would you like to see on our panels?

Drop a line to bwemil AT cwtt makedotacharacter org and let us know. With your help, we can make next year even better.

LW

URGENT: VFW DISSOLVES PAC BOARD!

Posted By Mr Wolf • [October 18, 2010]

This, from last week, is just now making it to my in-box. THIS IS WHAT WAS NEEDED ALL ALONG- Download Memo to council - new ballot Oct 10

I have reviewed the Political Action Committee (PAC) Board of Directors’ response
to our request to rescind this year’ s Congressional endorsements. I disagree with their
assessment.

It is now evident to most of the VFW leadership, both National and especially the
departments, that the VFW has been subjected to extreme negative publicity throughout
the nation, and the recent endorsement decisions have, in fact, harmed the VFW’ s
reputation and future ability to fulfill our mission.

I cannot let this erosion of public support for our great organization continue. The
apparent lack of the committee to address these concerns will lead to a proposal by me,
as Commander-in-Chief, to amend the by-laws at the 112th National Convention for
the purpose of dissolving the PAC. Meanwhile, under the authority granted to me as
Commander-in-Chief in section 619 of the VFW National By-Laws and under section
620 of the Manual of Procedure, I am withdrawing all PAC appointments effective
October 15, 2010.

Accordingly, I’ m asking the council for a vote of “ no confidence” in the VFW PAC as
indicated on the enclosed ballot.

To:  National Council of Administration
From:  Richard L. Eubank, Commander-in-Chief
Date:  October 14, 2010

This, after the Ladies Auxilery withdrew all funding support for the PAC (which, I'm told, is a good chunk of it) as well as cries from CO, FL, NY, TX and likely others to do something about the endorsements.

WHY, you may ask?

Take a gander- would you want to say your group endorsed this candidate?

Accenting again the campaign focus she has placed on veterans' affairs, Sen. Barbara Boxer on Sunday formally opened a veterans' center at Pasadena City College and was later brought to tears by a forceful defense of her record by Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii,  a highly decorated member of Congress.

Inouye joined Boxer for her formal endorsement by the political action committee of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, whose California chairman also praised Boxer's work on behalf of veterans.

...[A]sked after her speech about McCain's objection, Boxer merely smiled and replied: "I'm so excited to have the VFW endorsement. I couldn't be more thrilled."

 Me neither.  Not liking it at all.  Neither, apparently, did anyone in the VFW.

Updates to follow, I'm sure...  but this is great news!  Still awaiting some interview with the PAC chairman.  That would be interesting, for certain.

Wolf

 

Now that is some loose ROE

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [October 17, 2010]

After all the back and forth about the Rules of Engagement ROE for our troops in A-Stan, this ought to be an eye opener. h/t Mr. Sparkles and this is Russian Special Ops killing terrorists in Dagestan.

Atomic Tom

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [October 16, 2010]

Sometimes technology is so cool it makes me cry. This is one of those times. Yes it is real, yes it is Appple (boo), But Dag!

Skydiving into the Big House

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [October 16, 2010]

Awesome video of 101st Airborne demo jumper bringing the game ball into Michigan Stadium. Watch how many things he has to take care of under canopy. Also how when he wants to just spiral in, he doesn't even use his steering toggle, just grabs a suspension line. He hits the mark, but doesn't stick the landing. I know, I know, I'm quibbling.

Role Models

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [October 15, 2010]

via Chuck Z

A grand fiesta it was

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [October 15, 2010]

Tanker Babe has the whole sordid tale of our (me , kev & Jihad Gene) infiltration, degradation and exhiliration in Memphis.

Military: media vs myth & surprise

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [October 14, 2010]

The panel is underway after a surprise: Mark Burnett gave the military track a special preview of his new series. Those here got the first look outside of the production team at the first part of Sarah Palin's Alaska. Mark, a British Para, wanted the miltrack to get the exclusive peek. The naturalized American thanked all for their service and did a short Q & A as well. The regular panel of JD Johannes, Tom Kratman, and Jake Rademacher now talking.

A Good Use for the United Nations - First Contact

Posted By Blackfive • [October 14, 2010]

The U.N. Office for Outer Space Affairs thinks we can't handle meeting aliens:

We Earthlings are poorly prepared to respond should there be contact from aliens, according to the director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).  "Statistically, extraterrestrial life is a possibility," Malaysian astrophysicist, Mazlan Othman, told journalists in New York, where she is attending a General Assembly meeting on cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space...

Read more: http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/10/14/u-n-and-aliens/#ixzz12NTTN2j0

We already have plenty of aliens on planet earth.  How else could you explain:

Continue reading "A Good Use for the United Nations - First Contact"

Soldier's funeral procession told to pay tolls in OK

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [October 14, 2010]

The Tanker Babe is in high dudgeon and rightfully so. Somebody in Oklahoma is screwing the pooch and they better square themselves away.

PFC Cody Board died 4 October 2010 from wounds sustained by an IED.  PFC Board grew up in McKinney, TX but was originally from Oklahoma.  His family plans to lay him to rest in his native Oklahoma at Fort Sill National Cemetary.

I am DEEPLY disturbed by this article from USFallen dot org that states the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has denied the funeral procession free access to take PFC Board's body home for his interment.  DEEPLY disturbed. The following is posted in an article on their site: "Considering this young warrior has paid the ultimate price you would think his funeral procession would be allowed access free of charge.  To our shock and horror, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, after repeated requests for an exception, has informed the family they must pay the toll fees."

When I read the article I figured it just could not be true so I called the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority this morning.  Everyone I spoke with was nice.  HOWEVER, the story is true and that, quite honestly, makes me about as angry as I've been in a long time.