Our military families are going through some hard times and Christmas makes it even more difficult. Remember them and do whatever you can to make the season better for them. (More photos below.)
(some space for your morning... - promoted by poligirl)
MAIN ARTICLE: Semper Fly: Marines in Space.
First suggested by the United States Marine Corp in 2002 it has gained very little traction. The Pentagon is once again looking at suborbital capability. Story begins after the fold.
Poll Results: Yesterday's poll had twice the normal turnout and gave a very rare result. Scroll down for the latest in space polling, click subscribe to stay informed.
Star Trek: In the News. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. That goes for the "Star Trek Experience", as it is going to be resurrected there.
Yesterday's Comments: "Except I'm sure that, according to the right, the fact that the asteroid is there would somehow be President Obama's fault.
And their suggestion for stopping it: Tax cuts." - WayneNight
Today's Poll: Should America's Marine Corp have suborbital capability?
The campaign schedule has been pretty intense over the last week and will continue to be so until the BIG day on Tuesday, November 4th. I want to congratulate everyone for putting so much effort into this year's election, not just for an individual campaign, but for the entire Democratic ticket. I've seen people in every community throughout the 5th district working to make sure the message is getting out.
I want to remind everyone it is important that we finish strong. Don't take anything for granted, ignore the polls and work like the polls show our candidates 5 points down. Remember, while all indications show Barack Obama will be our next president, if we believe the polls, Al Gore would be concluding his second term or we would be working to re-elect President John Kerry right now.
(torture is virtually ignored by the traditional media - promoted by Benny)
I was given permission from bewert at dKos to post this diary. I feel it is important for us to know the extent of what our Executive branch is signing off on, knowingly and purposefully. Sometimes is all too easy to shield our eyes from the horror that exists, but we must look at it and take it in, in order to gather the requisite knowledge and yes rage, to effect change.
Happy Monday, everyone. I just wanted to let you know about something cool that happened over the weekend up in the PA-05.
As I hope many of you know, Bill Cahir, one of the three Democrats running for the open seat, is in the Marine Corps Reserve. He's obligated to drill one weekend a month and two weeks every year, and this past weekend was his turn. He put his commitment ahead of his campaign (which I always respect) and reported for duty.
Keep reading below the fold to read what Bill's staff and volunteers did while he was at drill.
It has been a story that has flown under the radar nationally but in Southern California the American gestapo outfit Blackwater has been trying to buy up huge tracts of land around San Diego and set up a para-military compound. But, against all odds a local grass-roots movement has stopped them. A rare victory in the war against tyranny.
KBR Inc. may have supplied U.S. troops fighting in Iraq with tainted water according to a Pentagon inspector general's report that was released today: Audit of Potable and Nonpotable Water in Iraq (PDF). KBR is a private contractor that, at the time they were supplying American bases in Iraq with polluted water, was owned by Halliburton.
Soldiers experienced skin abscesses, cellulitis, skin infections, diarrhea and other illnesses after using discolored, smelly water for personal hygiene and laundry at five U.S. military sites in Iraq.
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." --Thomas Paine, 1776
Between January 31 and February 2, 1971, a courageous group of returning soldiers and civilian contractors told of their experiences regarding war crimes and atrocities committed by the US military and its allies in Vietnam. Organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War, this event challenged "the morality and conduct of the war by showing the direct relationship between military policies and war crimes in Vietnam." (Wikipedia)
