Blue Star Chronicles

My favorite Scotsman turned American comedian has gotten married. Oh the heartbreak! See pictures of HER an a video below.

Craig Ferguson and Megan Wallace-Cunningham

Craig Ferguson announced on his show tonight that he married his long time girlfriend Megan Wallace-Cunningham. That, of course, begs the question of what she’ll be called. Is she now Megan Wallace-Cunningham-Ferguson? In the show tonight, Ferguson suggested they be called ‘Cragan’ as in ‘Brangelina’.

She’s an art dealer from Vermont and the two have apparently been dating since 2005. They got married at her parents farm in Vermont.

Seriously, Best Wishes.

I love him in his kilt!

Video

Sylvia Panetta is Leon Panetta’s wife. She has been his wife and business partner for many years. Now the two are headed back to Washington to work for the Obama administration. Read her biography and see photos and a video below.

Sylvia Panetta

Just when some might have thought that Obama couldn’t cram another Clinton administration appointee into his administration, he does. He has just appointed Leon Panetta to be the U.S. top spy. He was former President Bill Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff. Now he will be Obama’s Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Sylvia Panetta has been by her husband’s side throughout his career. In fact, she ran his home district offices during his terms in Congress.

Public Sylvia Panetta biographical information is somewhat limited to her public service over the years. However, her maiden name is Sylvia Marie Varni. She was born in San Francisco, California. She started her education in pre-nursing and humanities at Dominican College in 1958. She graduated in 1962 from St. Joseph’s College in San Francisco with a degree in nursing. She studied humanities at Monterey Peninsula College from 1973 to 1974 and at Sonoma State University from 1974 to 1975.

She and her husband have three grown sons. Christopher, Carmelo and James. They also have five grandchildren. They live on a walnut farm in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

She is vice chair of the Board of Trustees and managing director of the Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy. She serves on numerous boards and has been awarded numerous awards for her lifetime of public service. She has focused much of her community volunteer efforts on children issues, education and health issues.

Photos and Video

There’s an intriguing tale of a tribe of American Natives who were called ‘moon-eyed people’ by the ancient Cherokee because of the light color of their eyes. There were other ways this tribe differed from other Native tribes. Some say they were descended from pre-Columbian Welsh explorers. Others say they never existed and its all just legend. Read about them below and see photos and a video and you decide. Did they exist or not?

Fort Mountain, Georgia

The tales of this strange Indian tribe goes back to over 300 years before 1462 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue. It seems there was a Welsh Prince Madoc. His full name being Madoc ab Owain Gwynedd. It is said that Prine Madoc was one of the illegitimate sons of Owain Gwynedd, Prince of Gwynedd (also known as the King of Wales), who was widely considered one of the greatest Welsh rulers of the Middle Ages. Prince Gwynedd died in 1169. His death precipitated bloody fighting between his numerous sons and heirs. It was during this time that Madoc and his brother Rhirid decided to see what was over the ocean. Legend has it that the two were peace loving and left to avoid the bloodshed of their kinsmen. Its all speculation though as there are no records to verify if or why they left.

The royal Welsh brothers, along with 100 men sailed west from Wales. Following currents, they landed in the natural port at what is now Mobile, Alabama. This is the same route taken later by explorers like Juan Ponce de Leon, Amerigo Vespucci and other Europeans who found the new lands early in history. The men disembarked and were very pleased with the uninhabited, lush, generous land they had happened upon. One hundred men set off, following the Alabama river north, to build an encampment and begin to set down roots. Prince Madoc returned to Wales to recruit settlers.

The earliest printed account of this early voyage is found in The Historie of Cambria, by Dr. David Powels, published in 1584:

Madoc. . .left the land in contention betwixt his brethern and prepared certain shipps with men and munitions and sought adventures by seas, sailing west. . .he came to a land unknown where he saw manie strange things. . . . Of the viage and returne of this Madoc there be manie fables faimed, as the common people do use in distance of place and length of time, rather to augment than diminish; but sure it is that there he was. . . .And after he had returned home, and declared the pleasant and fruitfulle countries that he had seen without inhabitants, and upon the contrarie part, for what barren and wilde ground his brethern and nepheues did murther one another, he prepared a number of shipps, and got with him such men and women as were desirous to live in quietnesse, and taking leave of his freends tooke his journie thitherward againe. . . This Madoc arriving in the countrie, into which he came in the yeare 1170, left most of his people there, and returning back for more of his own nation, acquaintance, and friends, to inhabit that fayre and large countrie, went thither againe.

Read the rest of this entry and see more photos (including a rare photo of the Mandan tribe)

In a new video released by Hamas, the government of Palestine brags that death has become and industry. They also brag about using women, children and the elderly as human shields. Here’s the video.

Here is the translation from Jihad Watch:

For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry In which excel the women and all the people of this land:

The older people excel, the jihadists excel

And the children excel

Consequently, [the Palestinians] created a human shield of women, children

Older people and jihadists

Against the Zionist bombing machine

That is telling the Zionist enemy

We want death just as much as you desire life.

This is the Religion of Peace that the left likes to defend and hold up as the victim of all the mean ol’ Jews and Christians who dare to try to defend themselves against their chants of death and destruction.

They boast of loving death as much as we desire life. Therefore, for the life of me, I see why the left is loath to make them happy. Oh, I know, that’s not very nice of me to say. Or is it? It IS what they say, not me. It IS what they declare they love, not me. Yet I will be chastised in the comments here for making a statement wishing them well in their pursuit of death. I just think we should make sure they go alone and don’t take our children with them.

Obama will have some work to do to earn the trust of our military. That comes as no surprise, but a recent poll by the Military Times has made it crystal clear. Read about it below and here is a video of Obama talking about how he will earn their trust.

Six out of 10 members of our military say they are ‘uncertain’ or ‘pessimistic’ about having Barack Obama as Commander in Chief. I’m betting more are pessimistic than uncertain - but that could just be me. Being in the military they would not be quick to criticize their Commander in Chief. So one only knows what the real numbers would be if they could be assured absolute anonymity.

These numbers come from a poll conducted by the Military Times. The general concerns had to do with Obama’s lack of military experience and of leading men and women in uniform. I would add a lack of experience in leading men and women period.

I would venture to say that it is hard, if not impossible, for us civilians to imagine the maturity, learning and heavy weight that comes from leading men and women in battle. I have been told there is nothing that compares to it. Its not a question of whether or not you will get a contract you are craving. Its a matter of life and death. Even though much of the outcomes of who survives and who doesn’t survive is nothing more than sheer luck or lack of luck, your decisions determine who lives and who dies to some extent. Its a level of responsibility that stays with you the rest of your life.

Obama would be unusual indeed, if he was able to comprehend that on any level. Considering his apparent lack of interest in the military, my strong suspicion is that he doesn’t have a clue about just what it means to command men and women in uniform.

Some of the statements made by respondents to the poll are as follows:

“Being that the Marine Corps can be sent anywhere in the world with the snap of his fingers, nobody has confidence in this guy as commander in chief,” said one lance corporal who asked not to be identified.

What they say in private would be quite different than what they say to a pollster.

Obama’s campaign promise for a time table for withdrawal from Iraq and his promise to repeal the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy were top concerns expressed by the Troops.

All the progress made in Iraq could be gone in a flash with the precipitous retreat of American Troops. Will that leave this war to our children and grandchildren to fight once again? Will it leave ethnic cleansing, death and chaos in our wake, a lesson we should have learned from our withdrawal from Vietnam.

“How are you going to safely pull combat troops out of Iraq?” said Air Force 1st Lt. Rachel Kleinpeter, an intelligence officer with the 100th Operations Support Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, England. “And if you’re pulling out combat troops, who are you leaving to help support what’s left? What happens if Iraq falls back into chaos? Are we going to be there in five years doing the same thing over again?”

Most of the Troops questioned felt that George W. Bush had their best interest at heart rather than Barack Obama.

But then, none of this could possibly come as a surprise.

Barack Obama loves the cameras, when he has a prepared speech. This whole question and answer thing is another story. The video below is proof of his accessibility to the media over the past year.

Barack Obama has held almost daily press conferences since his {cringe} election. He walks out to stand behind his podium that proudly proclaims ‘The Office of the President-Elect’. That’s probably the first new office to be created by the proponents of huge bureaucracy. The man behind ‘The Office of the President Elect’ stands before the press corp and tells them whatever is on his mind that day. Usually he lets them know which former Clinton appointee is now in the Obama inner circle.

He seems to have started his Presidential acting a year or more ago. The problem now is that its not an act, but a reality. He hasn’t hesitated to give his vague and obscure opinion on whatever he wants, unless it is controversial and might cost him some political points. Hey, his own people said he didn’t have political courage.

Whenever there is an issue on which he doesn’t want to make a public statement, he disappears or says ‘there’s only one President at a time’. I’ve lost track of how often that has happened.

One look at the democratic party at the moment shows there is a decided lack of leadership within the party. Its in complete disarray.

My Cotillion sister, Mary Katherine Ham, compiled a summary of Obama’s ‘openness and transparency’ with the press corp over the last year. You know. Like one of those ‘the year in review’ kind of videos. I found it at another Cotillion sisters website, blatherings.

Enjoy ….

The Hamas Israeli War is raging without any signs of an end. Hamas called for a ‘Day of Wrath’ and renewed suicide bombings of Israelis. Read about it below and view videos.

Burning Israeli Flag

There is no cease-fire in sight in the Middle East. Israel is poised to put an end to the violence once and for all though the only means available to them. Meanwhile, Hamas defiantly declares they will not stop bombing Israel. They boast they are ready for an Israeli invasion, they will renew suicide attacks against Jews anywhere and anytime and will ‘fight to the end of days’.

Both the United States and Israel are demanding that Hamas stop bombing in order to end the fighting. Their acts of terror against Israel must end. Hamas, of course, is saying they won’t do it. President Bush makes it clear that is not acceptable.

“Another one-way ceasefire that leads to rocket attacks on Israel is not acceptable,” Bush said in his first public comments on the fighting.

The United States has demanded Hamas, which it considers a terrorist organization, take the first step by halting rocket attacks on Israel.

“And promises from Hamas will not suffice — there must be monitoring mechanisms in place to help ensure that smuggling of weapons to terrorist groups in Gaza comes to an end,” Bush said in remarks prepared for his regular Saturday radio address, which was taped and released on Friday.

Previous ‘cease-fires’ that Israel has entered into with Palestine and/or Hezbollah have been one sided cease fires. It seems that Israel will need to end this by making it too painful for Hamas or other terrorists to continue bombing them or continue to live with the constant suicide attacks and bombings as well as the knowledge that Iran will get nukes and destroy them as soon as they can.

Hamas representatives have stated they will fight till ‘the end of days’. Its up to Israel how soon their days will be be ended.

Here are some videos

Here is The Fray music video of You Found Me. The song is set to new footage from the television show Lost. Video and lyrics are below.

Its no secret that I’m a huge fan of Lost. Fortunately, the new season, season five, starts in just a couple of weeks, January 21st. I’ve posted one of the Lost season five promos before. This video has footage from the upcoming season. Just like with everything about that show, the more I see the more questions I have. The clues just lead to more questions to the big puzzle.

Still, its a great song and video … so enjoy. The lyrics are under the jump.

You Found Me Lyrics

Uncle Jay hit a home run in this video explaining some of the events of 2008. Check it out.

Uncle Jay sings a year-end review of the news in this video. Love it!

Thanks to CatHouse Chat

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Kathi

2nd Lt. Christopher E. Loudon
22 years old from Brockport, Pennsylvania
1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
October 17, 2006

2nd Lt. Christopher Loudon graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Baccalaureate Degree in Environmental Health in 2005. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Army on September 9, 2005. He received his commission as an Infantry officer and was assigned to 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas. He deployed to Iraq in July 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

2nd Lt. Loudon’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Ranger Tab.

He was KIA in Baghdad, Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. Also killed with him were; Corporal David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kansas; Corporal Russell G. Culbertson III, 22, of Amity, Pennsylvania and Specialist Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana.

He leaves behind his parents, Randy and Susan Loudon ; his wife, Jacey Loudon; a daughter, Isabel Loudon ; two brothers, First Lieutenant Nicholas Loudon ,and Jonathan Loudon; his paternal grandmother, Florence Loudon and his maternal grandfather, Everett William Campbell.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Obama is enjoying the sands of Hawaii preparing to take office in a couple of weeks. He has yet to comment on the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine.

Obama in Hawaii??

For a man who has held a press conference a day from the ‘Office of the President Elect’, Obama has been decidedly quiet over the last few days. A lot of people have sought him out for a statement on the Israel Gaza bombings. His people have responded stating, ‘there is only one President at a time’. They’ve pulled that out every time there’s been a sticky situation that needed dealing with since he’s been President-elect.

On the other hand, he has created an ‘Office of the President-Elect’ and stood behind a podium with a presidential-like seal in front of it and made all sorts of proclamations, statements, appointments and whatever other photo-opish presidential looking things he’s chosen to say and do. Apparently the whole ‘one President at a time’ thing applies in some situations and not in others. I suppose we’ll have to depend on The One to keep us informed as to which situation is which.

The thing is though … where will he hide on January 21st, 2009 and thereafter? His compound in Hawaii is very secluded and a long way from Washington. Maybe he’ll be able to rule ‘lead’ remotely from there.

The upside is that Hillary Clinton has enough testosterone for both of them. She’ll probably have to step up to the plate and deal with the Palestinians and back Israel in defending themselves. Its a sad day when Hillary is the upside of things.

BTW - check out the Denis Kucinich view of the world.

Cynthia McKinney got her boat rammed by Israel’s military while she was trying to deliver aid to Palestine. McKinney against Israel is nothing new. Read about it below including a video.

Cynthia McKinney

Cynthia McKinney is a former Congresswoman from Georgia (how embarrassing!), media attention hog and long time anti-Semite. Say what you will, she puts her money where her sizable mouth is. She doesn’t sit in the comfort of her very comfortable home and criticize, she gets in a very comfortable yacht and travels right into the firing line between Gaza and Israel.

She and other activists left Cyprus on a yacht called ‘Dignity’ owned by the Free Gaza Movement. Their stated purpose was to deliver 3.5 tons of medical supplies for Gaza. In so doing, they sailed right into the middle of the Global War on Terrorism.

Israel fired warning shots and when the yacht didn’t stop, it was rammed by Israel military vessels. Israel said ‘whoops’ and McKinney is saying THEY RAMMED US! THEY RAMMED US!!! WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

It would appear that McKinney presumed that the war would stop long enough for her to slip in and provide aid and comfort and heaven only knows what else to the enemy and slip back out. I can’t imagine what else she thought would happen. She’s either very brave or very stupid or both. She’s certainly a very silly woman.

Video