Are the wheels coming off?

It seems like every day there is another story about trouble for our troops in either Afghanistan or Iraq.

First there was the story that has been slowly working its way to the surface about Haditha and the alleged massacre there...While that was brewing there was the story about the US Military Convoy in Afghanistan where one of the vehicles had its brakes burn out and ran into a number of civilian cars causing at least one death and almost a score of injuries.....It resulted in a riot where American soldiers ended up firing on the crowd and causing more deaths...The crowds chanted "Death to America".

God only knows how I would react under the stress that our soldiers are placed under every single day so I won't pass judgment on what did or didn't happen over there but I do have that sense that there is something very wrong here.

Several times in my life everything lined up perfectly and pointed me on a path that I was supposed to follow. A chance vacation led to a job that I really wanted and housing suddenly became available when we were told just hours before that there was no housing to be had.

Conversely, there were times when I wanted to do something but there was just one obstacle after another thrown in my way. Sometimes I overcame the obstacles and the trip or event turned out to be a disaster. Other times I succumbed to the obstacles and found that had I taken the trip disaster would have happened. (I planned to charter a plane to Madison but couldn't get ahold of the pilot so I ended up driving to Madison. The NEXT trip that plane took resulted in a fatal accident due to a mechanical failure.)

The point is that sometimes fate tries to tell us something. We have to be sensitive enough to the signs and the "big picture" to understand the signs.

The signs for Bush's endless war are ominous. He should listen to them.

Walk Against Ban on Civil Unions Amendment

On Saturday, June 3, a group will be walking together in the Dairyfest Parade in Marshfield to encourage and educate the public to vote "NO" on the ban on domestic partnerships, civil unions, and marriage bill. We are really hoping for a large number of people to turn out and try to defeat this proposal. We line up at 9:00 a.m. and the parade begins at 11:00. I think the distance we walk is about 15 blocks. For more information, call 715.384.2659.

In rememberence....

Today, I hope all my blog buddies take the time to remember those who lost their lives in service to our country.

...take time to remember those who served, and survived but are no longer with us....

...take time to remember or relatives and friends who also served...

To all who served.

THANK YOU!

Baghdad ER

I managed to catch Baghdad ER on HBO.

It was everything LoLo described.

I think I was struck by the dedication of the medical personnel. As much as I dislike the mere idea that we are at war in Iraq...or whatever it is if it isn't war....I'm glad that there are excellent, dedicated medical personnel there to do what they can for those who are injured or wounded. I shudder to think how many "fewer" servicemen and women would be coming home if it were not for these professionals..

Gorey?

Yes, yes it was. But you know what? I think I've seen as much blood and gore on HBO presented for the purpose of "entertainment". In other words, I think I'm becoming less and less sensitive to the sights that were presented.

In short, I think the documentary reinforced what I have felt from the very beginning of this war.

LOVE THE WARRIOR

HATE THE WAR.

E

Mental Health Day

The "food Nazi" took a rare, rare, rare day off from work today and we decided to spend the day reclaiming our sanity.....we needed it.

We finally ended up walking the trails of the Mead Wildlife Center for the afternoon. It was my first time out there and I'm glad I went. We saw lots of signs of wildlife but didn't actually spot any but we decided that we'll go out there for a photo mission in the near future...maybe even this weekend. I'm not going to wax poetic about "communing with nature or anything of the sort but it was nice to get away from things for a while.

Hope everybody enjoys the Memorial Day Weekend.

e

Dammit!

LoLo posted the other day about the HBO Special Baghdad ER and said how hard it was to watch but important for everybody to do so.....

And now, I get this emailed to me from the City:

EXECUTIVE ORDER # 153
Relating to a Proclamation that the Flag of the United States and the Flag of the State of Wisconsin be Flown at Half-Staff as a Mark of Respect for Specialist Grant Dampier of the United States Army Who Lost His Life During Operation Iraqi Freedom

WHEREAS, on May 15, 2006, Specialist Grant Dampier, a member of 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, United States Army, was killed in action in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, Specialist Grant Dampier provided faithful and honorable service to the people of the State of Wisconsin and the people of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the people of Wisconsin mourn the death of Specialist Grant Dampier; and

WHEREAS, a funeral service will be held for Specialist Grant Dampier on Friday, May 26, 2006;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIM DOYLE, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, by the authority vested in me by Federal and State law, do hereby order that the flag of the United States and the flag of the State of Wisconsin shall be flown at half-staff at all buildings, grounds and military installations of the State of Wisconsin equipped with such flags beginning at sunrise on May 26, 2006, and ending at sunset on that date.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin to be affixed. Done at the Capitol in the City of Madison this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year two thousand six.

JIM DOYLE Governor

His obituary says he was born in Wisconsin Rapids.....he lived in Merrill....he had two children...

We've lost another Son of Wisconsin and I don't know why but this one hit me really really hard.

here's the Obit..

http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/DampierGrantAllen/print

We, the proud. We, the few....

Digby has a nice perspective on blogs and blogging....

Glenn thinks that here in our blogospheric bubble it appears that things are changing when they aren't. I have to disagree a bit with that. It's true that the blogospheric bubble often gives the false impression that there is more momentum on our side than there actually is. I suspect that true inside any movement or campaign where you spend most of your time with fellow travellers. But that doesn't mean things aren't changing.

We are now a factor. They may hate us, fear us and dismiss us, but we're here and we aren't going anywhere. (Say it loud, I'm blog and I'm proud!)Rick Perlstein noted in the discussion of "Before The Storm" and the conservative movement last week-end at Firedoglake that history is complicated, it moves like a battleship. Things aren't going to turn around overnight. But we are beginning to affect the way the media sees itself and we are putting political pressure on the party. This is how change is made. We'll ride all their asses like Zorro until they get the message. We're in for the long haul.

All this is at the end of THIS POST