Jenna Bush Wedding

According to President Bush, the wedding of his daughter Jenna Bush to Henry Hager went off without a hitch. He said it was ’spectacular’. Or in his parlance, specktakuler, which is part of the reason we love him!

Congratulations to the couple and the First Family!

Enjoy the photos and video I’ve included. They are hot off the presses

Jenna Bush Wedding - Photos

Tags: jenna bush, wedding, photos

Russian Military

The Russians are coming. The Russians are coming. Not really. At least I don’t think so for the moment. But our favorite nemesis is rattling her sabers with an impressive show of Russian military might for their Victory Day parade in Red Square. Victory Day is one of the best loved holidays in Russia. Its the day set aside to celebrate their defeat of Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War (World War II). That’s all well and good except for a few little things.

For instance, the new Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, with the new Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, by his side, used the opportunity to toss a few darts westward towards … us! He spoke of ‘irresponsible ambitions’ and defending themselves against those that ‘meddle in other states’ affairs, especially by redrawing borders.’ This just as Georgia is reasserting its independence from Russia by attempting to join NATO, asking for our assistance and coming precariously close to war with Russia. The message is dreadfully clear.

Ahhhh … but isn’t it reminiscent of the Cold War days when we knew who our enemies were and we knew what they were capable of doing. We more or less understood the Russians. They were and are more or less like us. We know they don’t have fantasies of getting virgins for dying for a cause and so would probably just asoon live. Their lives are more or less comfortable, so they aren’t hankering for a big fight. They just want to be a big fighter and they want everyone to know it. They didn’t like it a bit when the walls came down and people could see how they had decayed. That’s why Putin has been so popular. He has poured money into the military, restored national pride and given at least the appearance of strength. They want us to think they can and will, if they have to, bring us down. But we know they don’t want to fight us any more than we want to fight them.

Another good thing about having Russia be the bad guy is that we can actually call them the bad guy. I don’t know why we can do that when we dare not identify anyone of Arab descent as a terrorist or an enemy of any sort. That’s not so of the Russians. Look at all the movies in which the Russians are the bad guys! James Bond would have no one to fight if we got to be super good friends with Russia! We can use them as the bad guys in Nintendo and PlayStation games.

The world makes sense when Russia is the bad guy. No more tippy-toeing around identifying the enemy. We can just stand right up and look over there, point at the Russians and say ‘they are the bad guys and we have to keep an eye on them.’ Especially when they are marching, driving tanks through and flying over Red Square with their finely tuned, highly disciplined, spit-polished, goose stepping Russian military. HOOAH!!!

Still, the tribes seem to be gathering. From the Russian display of might in Red Square to Hugo Chavez’ power plays in Venezuela to Lil’ Kim Jong-Il’s nuclear tests in North Korea, to Ahma-dinner-jacket’s fiery, defiant, dangerous rhetoric in Iran. Its the mixing and mingling of all those that give me pause. Kim Jong-Il’s weapons are found in Iran. Iran’s military and weapons are found in Iraq. Know body knows where the suitcase nukes from Russia are and Chavez is everywhere.

Its good to know who your enemies are and what they can do …. and who they view as their friends by virtue of being the enemies of their enemy.

Russian Military - Photos

Tags: russia, soviet union, russian military

Just cause they are both losers doesn’t mean they can’t make a winning team! heh!

Clinton - Edwards 2008!

Tags: hillary clinton, john edwards, election 2008

If you aren’t one of the 30 million people who have viewed the Battle At Kruger video on YouTube then you can see it here. Its been on YouTube for over a year and now the two men who filmed the battle are the subject of a new documentary that will be premiering Sunday, May 11th on the National Geographic Channel.

The video was shot at Transport Dam in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. It was filmed in 2004 by videographer David “Buzz” Budzinski and photographer Jason Schlosberg who watched as a pack of lions gathered on one side of the watering hole and a herd of buffalo were grazing on the other side. The video shows the outcome of the battle over a baby buffalo is captured and fought over by lions and crocodiles. The buffalo eventually fight off the predators and rescue the baby buffalo.

Its a rare opportunity for us to experience nature vicariously through the lens of YouTube!

Enjoy

Tags: Battle At Kruger

John McCain

The way a man conducts himself in times of trial are a measure of the man. The military records of John McCain were released to the public yesterday and reveal a great deal of the character of the man who will be our next President.

The AP is reporting.

McCain, now the Republican Party’s likely presidential nominee, was taken prisoner in October 1967 after he was shot down while on a mission over Hanoi. He wasn’t freed until March 1973, after the United States signed peace agreements with the North Vietnamese. His captors tortured him and held him in solitary confinement. Still, he declined an offer of early release until those who had been at the prison longer than him were let go.

That decision earned McCain a Navy Commendation Medal. Although McCain was ‘crippled from serious and ill-treated injuries,’ he steadfastly refused offers of freedom from those holding him prisoner. ‘His selfless action served as an example to others and his forthright refusal, by giving emphasis to the insidious nature of such releases, may have prevented a possibly chaotic deterioration in prisoner discipline,’ the citation says.

The Vietcong called John McCain ‘The Prince’ because his father was the Commander of the Navy at the time. They felt they had a real bargaining chip when they captured McCain. They offered him an early release in order to use his release to demoralize the other prisoners and to use it for propaganda. McCain new what they planned to do and therefore refused their offers.

Those that think its cool to vote for someone based on race and/or gender or think they want to make a statement by voting for someone based on race and/or gender, might consider voting for someone based on character and what is best for the country. If race and/or gender don’t or shouldn’t matter, then vote for the man who is a leader, who loves the country and who has proven himself in the field of battle.

I want a President who will lead us. I want a President who I know can stand the pressure and will do what he feels is best. I truly believe that nothing scares John McCain. How could it? He has faced the devil and looked him in the eye. He has done his time in hell. What could possibly scare him now? He is a man of character and a man who loves our country. THAT matters more … so much more … than whether he is male or female or what ethnic group he belongs to.

John McCain - Photos

I have found a place online that has some great chore charts that are easy to make out, downloadable and free! The designs and graphics are all there and with just a few clicks of your mouse you can have a chore chart ready to go for the week. ChoreCharts.com is adding many more designs and features to their website so that it is becoming even more functional and fun than it is already.

I have heard people who have been concerned that using a chore chart was just a way of rewarding kids for doing chores they should do because they are a member of the family and not for reward. Its really not like that at all. The reward is the accomplishment. The charts take the parent out of the role of nagging the children to do their chores. The child can look at the chart and know what they are supposed to be doing and see whether or not there is a star next to the chore. They actually learn to be more independent because it becomes their responsibility to check the chart and make sure they have done their chores.

Eventually you won’t need the charts anymore because the goal is for your children to become independent enough to do their chores without reminders. Once they have learned, then you can use the chore charts for all sorts of other things … like maybe your grocery list! The website makes it fun to create the charts!

So why not take it easy on yourself and quit nagging your kids. Set up a chore chart at ChoreCharts.com. Its great and it works!

Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani

Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani is a respected Yemeni Journalist who has been tried and is awaiting sentencing in Yeman. He was charged and found guilty of insulting the president and demoralizing the military. He is facing a probable death sentence.

Armies of Liberation has the details.

Al-Khaiwani was badly beaten during his arrest in June 2007. His daughter, six year old Ebba, was slapped by police so hard that she fell unconscious. After Al-Khaiwani’s arrest and release on bail, he was kidnapped and badly beaten again. The US State Department issued a statement from DC noting his abduction pointed to, disturbing trend of intimidation and harassment of Yemen’s journalist community.

Al-Khaiwani was charged on July 4 with aiding the rebel movement by publishing war news. As you may know, the war in Sa’ada has been called a state sponsored genocide with strong parallels to the Sudan. I published photos of the damage in Sa’ada caused by indiscriminate (or deliberate) government bombing. I interviewed rebel spokesman Yahya al-Houthi, and posted it. (This website is now banned in Yemen.) By the standard of ‘demoralizing the military’, I’d also be subject to the death penalty if I was in Yemen. So would half of the bloggers here in the US.

It is embarrassing that these human rights abuses go on in the world while our little wee activists think they are being brave by stomping on flags or preaching hate to like-minded parishioners from a pulpit. It is embarrassing because the people who protest against the government of the United States would never have the courage to do anything near as brave as Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani who is protesting a government that does not allow it.

Then there is Yemeni. The thugs who bombed the USS Cole during the Clinton administration (pre-9/11) have been released from prison. Yet, they may very well put al-Khaiwani to death for insulting their president.

You can help. Pressure from on-line journalists can help. Armies of Liberation has the links to a petition that you can sign right now to help save al-Khaiwani’s life. I hope you’ll take a moment. It means a life. It is something you can do to actually help save a life and further the cause of democracy in a region that is torn apart with theocracies of the worst sort.

Nicki at The Birthplace of the Process of Illogical Logic is keeping track of the posts on the subject. Let her know if you write about this so you can be included. The more that is written, the more difficult it is for the Yemeni government to put Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani to death.

Sign the petition.

Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani - Photos

John McCain

John McCain campaigns in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on May 6th. He spoke at Wake Forest University’s Wait Chapel. He is seen here greeting Former Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN).

CSM Robert Prosser and LTC Erik Kurilla
1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment (Deuce Four)

LTC. Erik Kurilla and CSM. Robert Prosser’s story is an amazing one. One that Michael Yon has told far better than I ever could. Warning. The site contains very graphic images. Some may want to turn off images before viewing.

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.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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.

I love our Soldiers!!! They can find humor in horrible situations and …. love chocolate. I really love them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disclaimer: trackbacks to this post do not necessarily represent the opinions or standards of the Blue Star Chronicles.

More great posts trackbacked below …

William Ayers

That picture is of Barack Obama’s friend William Ayers. Isn’t it just precious? This is a grown man who thinks that its cute to stomp around on an American Flag to prove he’s a big bad anti-American. He’s so brave.

I’m sure you know by now, that William Ayers is an unrepentant terrorists, traitor and overall child-like 60s hippie who never grew up. He claims to Marxist political beliefs. He served time for bombings against American interests within our country. He is now expecting to make a fortune off writing his memoirs about his hatred of the country that has protected him and made him a rich man. I would have more respect for him if he had the guts to pull those kinds of stunts against a government that puts people like …. away.

He’s stomping on the symbol that Barack Obama said didn’t have anything to do with Patriotism. However, I think most of us think that it does have something to do with patriotism. Symbols do matter, just as words matter. They matter because they represent something we believe in. We swear on the Bible when we go to court because the Bible represents the importance of integrity. We salute our flag because it represents our allegiance to our country. Symbols do matter.

I’ve heard a lot of people say that it doesn’t matter what Barack Obama’s friends and associates say and do. Those people say that all that matters is what Obama says and does. There’s a problem with that line of logic. The problem is that we aren’t just talking about a random person who is Obama knew. Many of these people are close associates who have had a great deal of influence on him. I think that is especially true of his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama’s career has been assisted by many of these people. Donations have been made to his campaign. And, most concerning, favors are owed to these people.

The pattern of relationships we are seeing is alarming. These relationships do not have to do with racial identity as much as they have to do with the common general life philosophy shared by these people. As we see one of these friendships after the other become public we see a real common thread. The common thread is the extreme leftist part of the country which holds our country in complete contempt. That explains the friendships, the statements made by Obama’s wife that were so offensive, and his refusal to salute the flag or wear a flag lapel pin.

Obama is friends with many people who aspire to turn our country into a communist regime. He speaks in the same verbiage of Marx and espouses many of the same beliefs. Obama, like his friend William Ayers, is a far-left wing white liberal. Nothing more, nothing less.

William Ayers - Photo

Eight Belles

Eight Belles ran with the big boys today and she did herself and all around her proud. She was the only filly to run the Kentucky Derby since 1999. Only three fillies have ever won the Derby, the last being Winning Colors in 1988.

Today’s race was reminiscent of the race run by Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure. In that race the filly gave it all she had as Eight Belles did today. Eight Belles came in second to Big Brown, who was favored to win. She ran her heart out … literally.

As Eight Belles crossed the finish line in a phenomenal second place, her heart gave out. She slumped to the ground. Her jockey slid off her. Both of her front ankles were broken. The on-site veterinarian was called in and she had to be euthanised on the track immediately after the race.

She was a grand and beautiful horse who literally went down in a blaze of glory.

See photos, a video and a biography of Eight Belles.

Last photos of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby.

Eight Belles Last Photos

Merlin German

Marine Sgt. Merlin German became a symbol of resilience as he struggled to survive and thrive after an IED roadside bomb destroyed his body, burning him over 95% of his body, on February 22, 2005 in Anbar Provice Iraq.

He died on April 11th, but the word of his death has just been made public. He died following yet another surgery to graft skin onto his lips. He was 22 years old.

Merlin German had been a turret gunner when he was wounded. He was called the ‘Miracle Marine’ because he not only survived, but exhibited an awesome determination to face his wounds head on and live his life within the parameters of his abilities. He went through over 100 surgeries and spent over 17 months in the hospital. He had to learn to walk again. He showed a courage and strength of character that is uncommon in any man, especially one so young.

“Sometimes I do think I can’t do it,” Sgt. German said last year. “Then I think: Why not? I can do whatever I want. … Nobody has ever been 97 percent dead and survived, and lived to walk.”

While he was in treatment, German started a charity called Merlin’s Miracles. The focus of Merlin’s Miracles is to help children burn victims.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that the California State Capitol’s flags would be flown at half-staff in Sgt German’s honor as German had been stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside California. Gov. Schwarzenegger said the sergeant’s “courage and unfailing loyalty serve as an inspiration to Americans everywhere.”

Sergeant Merlin German was born on November 15, 1985 in New York City. He moved to the Washington Heights suburbs as a teen. His mother, Lourdes, worked in a doll factory and his father was a carpenter. They retired in 2001 to move back to the Dominican Republic. Merlin and his sister Ariel insisted on staying in New York. Merlin graduated from Woodlands High School in Westchester County in 2003.

He enlisted in the United States Marine Corp in September 8 2003 at 17 years of age. He was deployed with his unit to Iraq in 2004. When he was injured, the only part of his body that wasn’t burned was the top of his head and the soles of his feet. He was medically retired from the Marine Corp on September 28, 2007.

Sgt. Marlin German was so determined that in December 2006 he asked his mother to dance at the hospital’s annual holiday ball. It was a surprise to everyone and brought everyone to tears.

Recently, Sgt German was considering going to college and thinking about a future career.

Merlin German - Photos

Peter Paul

Peter Paul is a dot com millionaire among a number of other things who has been embroiled in a civil lawsuit against former President Bill Clinton for years. He has had one delay after the other in his law suit in which he accuses the former President of defrauding him into helping Hillary Clinton obtain more than $1.2 million for her 2000 Senate campaign. He was her largest contributer at the time. When it was exposed that he was a convicted felon, Hillary Clinton claimed she didn’t know him.

The case was heard last Friday, April 25th, in the chambers of Judge Aurelio Munoz in Los Angeles Superior Court. The green light has been given to begin discovery and depositions in the case of Paul v Clinton, but Hillary will not be required to testify in sworn deposition until after the November elections.

Peter Paul created a video of his case against the Clintons entitled Hillary Exposed: The Case of Paul v. Clinton. The trailer for the video is included below in two parts.

The Door to Hell

Actually, I did a google map search the only Darvaz I see is in Tajikistan. Still, its close by, more or less, to Uzbekistan. I happened on a Russia-English website full of photos and the story of The Door to Hell. Who would’ve thought it existed? But it does. The locals named it that and when you see the photos you will understand why.

The story of this particularly odd phenomenon in either Tajikistan or Uzbekistan is that this huge burning crater opened up and has been burning for 35 years. Its just outside of the small town of Darvaz. Thirty-five years ago, geologists were drilling there for gas … and apparently they found it. The drilling opened up an enormous underground cavern. It was so big that the entire drilling site and all of the equipment they were using could fit down into the cavern.

The problem was that the cavern was filled with gas so the geologists didn’t dare go down into it. Instead, one or more of them had the brilliant idea to ignite the gas to burn it off so they could continue their project. They didn’t want the gas escaping the big hole, which makes sense. And so they ignited it and its still burning thirty-five years later.

There’s no way of knowing how much gas has been burnt in all these years. There’s also no way of knowing how much gas is still down there because no one can figure out how to put out the fire. Apparently, it will just burn indefinitely.

I wouldn’t want that gas bill. Can you just imagine the carbon footprint THAT is creating!!!

The Door to Hell - Photos

Tags: Darvaz, Uzbekistan

Wednesday Hero was started to put a face to the men and women of the American Armed Forces and what they do for us. Vary rarely has there been a member of a foreign military profiled. In fact, in the two years Wednesday Hero’s been going on it’s only been done once before. Here’s the second.

Lance Corporal Matt Croucher
24 years old from Birmingham, England
40 Commando Royal Marines

L/Cpl Matt Croucher is not only one of the bravest men alive, he’s also one of the luckiest men alive. On the morning of February 9, 2008 L/Cpl. and his unit were searching a compound near Sangin in Afghanistan that was suspected of being used to make bombs to be used in attacks on British and Afghan troops. Walking in the darkness among a group of four men, Croucher stepped into a tripwire that pulled the pin from a boobytrap grenade. His patrol commander, Corporal Adam Lesley, remembered Croucher shouting “Grenade!”

As others dived for cover, Croucher did something nobody expected. He lay down on the grenade to smother the blast. Lesley got on the ground, another man got behind a wall, but the last member of the patrol was still standing in the open when the grenade went off.

“My reaction was, ‘My God this can’t be real’,” said Lesley. “Croucher had simply lain back and used his day sack to blunt the force of the explosion. You would expect nine out of 10 people to die in that situation.” L/Cpl. Croucher was that 1/10. Not only did he survive, amazingly he only suffered shock from the blast and a bloody nose. He was saved by the special plating inside his Osprey body armor. The backpack he was wearing was thrown more than 30ft by the blast.

“I felt one of the lads giving me a top to toe check. My head was ringing. Blood was streaming from my nose. It took 30 seconds before I realized I was definitely not dead,” said L/Cpl. Croucher.

For his actions that day, L/Cpl. Croucher was in line for the Victoria Cross, the highest award for a British Serviceman, but it has yet to be awarded.

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.

Senator Obama spoke out moments ago in very strong words about Reverend Wright…saying that Reverend Wright is not the man he thought he was … so some people will ask: what took you so long to figure it out? 20 years and only yesterday? are you that oblivious or is this statement political and calculating? and others will applaud him…saying what courage to address the issue…that he is standing up for what he believes even if it means denouncing someone you had admired..and that he is showing candor …

Read more at GOPBlogger.

Tags: Greta van Susteren, barack obama, jeremiah wright

Aribert Heim (Photo)

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is putting out their list of the top ten most wanted Nazis tomorrow, but the Associated Press got their hands on the list today. Dr. Aribert Heim is at the top of the list.

Dr. Aribert Heim, whereabouts unknown: Indicted in Germany on charges he murdered hundreds of inmates at Mauthausen concentration camp, where he was camp doctor. Disappeared in 1962, before planned prosecution.

If Dr. Aribert Heim is still alive he will be 93-years-old. According to the Simon Wisenthal Center there is good reason to believe he is still alive and living in a villa in Spain. He disappeared from his home in Baden-Baden, Germany when he was about to be arrested in 1962 for crimes he committed during World War II when he was the head doctor at Austria’s Mauthausen concentration camp.

Prior to the war, Heim was a hockey pro. During the war he was one of the most fear Nazis and was comparied to Josepf Mengele who was the SS doctor at Auschwitz concentratin camp because of the gruesome nature of the medical experiments he would perform. Heim was known for injecting prisoners with lethal drugs and operating on them without anesthetics. he would use a stopwatch to time how long it took for them to die.

Aribert Heim was also known to remove the tattooed flesh of prisoners and use it for home decor. He once removed the tattooed flesh of a prisoner in order to make seat coverings for the home of the commandant of the camp.

When he was got word that he was to be arrested he disappeared and has not been seen since 1962. His family insists that he died many years ago, however, the Simon Wiesenthal Center insist that there is compelling evidence that he is still alive. They have evidence that he went from Baden-Baden to Southern Spain. There is some evidence that he may have left there to go to Chile via Denmark.

There is no way of knowing what he looks like today. Many Nazis are known to have undergone surgeries to alter their appearance following the war. He is known to have a distinctive scar near his mouth following a duel.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center top ten Most Wanted Nazis are:

1. Dr. Aribert Heim, whereabouts unknown: Indicted in Germany on charges he murdered hundreds of inmates at Mauthausen concentration camp, where he was camp doctor. Disappeared in 1962, before planned prosecution.

2. John Demjanjuk, in United States: Ukrainian immigrant alleged by U.S. authorities to have been guard at Nazi camps. He denies that. Extradited to Israel in 1986, where he was sentenced to death for allegedly being Treblinka camp guard “Ivan the Terrible.” Verdict overturned in 1993 and Demjanjuk returned to America. U.S. citizenship restored in 1998, then removed in 2002. Seeking to appeal court’s January rejection of challenge to immigration judge’s order that would send him to Germany, Poland or Ukraine.

3. Sandor Kepiro, in Hungary: Former Hungarian gendarmerie officer accused of involvement in wartime killings of more than 1,000 civilians in Serbia. Convicted twice in Hungarian courts, in 1944 and 1946, but never punished. Kepiro, who moved back to Hungary in 1996 after decades in Argentina, denies accusations. Hungary reinvestigating.

4. Milivoj Asner, in Austria: Police chief in Croatia’s wartime Nazi puppet regime, he is suspected of active role in persecution and deportation to death of hundreds of Serbs, Jews and Gypsies. In 2005, Croatia requested his extradition from Austria, which refused, saying he is unfit to stand trial or be questioned.

5. Soeren Kam, in Germany: Former member of SS wanted by Denmark in assassination of journalist in 1943. Extradition from Germany was blocked in 2007 by Bavarian court that found insufficient evidence for murder charges.

6. Heinrich Boere, in Germany: Admitted hit man for Waffen-SS accused of killing three Dutch civilians. Sentenced to death in absentia in 1949 in Netherlands, later commuted to life in prison. German courts refused to extradite him, then declared conviction invalid. Prosecutors in Dortmund, Germany, brought new murder charges against him this month.

7. Charles Zentai, in Australia: Former Hungarian soldier has been under investigation by Hungary’s Foreign Ministry since December 2004 on suspicion of killing Peter Balazs in Budapest in 1944 for failing to wear a yellow star identifying him as Jew. Zentai denies charge and fighting extradition.

8. Mikhail Gorshkow, in Estonia: U.S. officials and Jewish groups accuse Gorshkow of helping kill Jews while serving as interpreter and interrogator for German Gestapo in Belarus. He returned to native Estonia in 2002 just before federal court stripped him of U.S. citizenship for lying about his war record. Prosecutors in Estonia investigating case.

9. Algimantas Dailide, in Germany: Convicted in 2006 in Lithuania of helping round up Jews for Nazis as officer in Vilnius security police. Sentenced to five years in jail, but judge ruled he was too frail to serve sentence. He had been deported from U.S. to Germany in 2003 for lying on immigration application. Lives in Germany, but went voluntarily to Lithuania for trial.

10. Harry Mannil, in Venezuela: Former officer in Estonia’s political police and German security forces during Nazi occupation of Estonia. U.S. authorities investigating Mannil’s 1990s visa application concluded he took part in murder of hundreds of Jews, barring him entry. Was cleared in 2005 by Estonian investigation into allegations of crimes against humanity.

The Sonablate 500 is not approved for use in the United States. It is currently being studied and evaluated through clinical trials as required to get FDA approval. The FDA FDA has made no decision as to the safety or efficacy of the Sonablate 500 for the treatment of prostate cancer. Currently, the device is approved for the treatment of prostate cancer in Canada and the Dominican Republic, authorized in Argentina, and available in the Bahamas and Mexico.

Oh, for the love of Socialism!!!! The European Union has decided to put a ban on noise. As with most Socialist organizations, they know what’s best for everybody and make it their business to dictate behavior and common sense. I think they’d control people’s thoughts if they could.

I read at Boston Maggie they have put a ban on noise and have sent word that the bagpipes of Scotland are going to have to tone it down.

THEIR high-pitched skirl has put fear into the hearts of Scotland’s enemies and sent sensitive tourists reaching for the cotton wool.

Now, however, the bagpipes are to be quietened by an edict from Brussels.

From this month, pipers must adhere to strict volume limits or risk breaking European Union health and safety laws. Bands have been ordered to tone down or wear earplugs to limit noise exposure to 85 decibels.

Typically, a pipe band played at full volume peaks at 122 decibels outdoors, noisier than the sound of either a nightclub or a chainsaw, which rises to 116 decibels. [source]

When the English conquered Scotland they tried to eradicate any elements of Scottish culture. They outlawed kilts, bagpipes and Gaelic. The English hunted the Scots down throughout the highlands to enforce the laws in a real effort to completely wipe out their national identity so they’d quit giving the English so many dadgume problems!

The Scots managed to hang onto they’re culture even under those dire circumstances. They even overcame the discrimination to the point that they became the most elite military force for England …. wearing kilts!

As the bagpipe players say, you can’t play bagpipes quietly. I hope they win their argument and keep the bagpipes playing. Do we really want to live in such a vanilla world that we can’t tolerate the loudness of color, sound and culture? I don’t.

Play on …..