“The real problem is not that we are different, nor that we disagree and have conflict. It's that most of us automatically view conflict as something negative rather than as a tool God can use to help us better understand ourselves and one another.

--Robert Ricciardelli”

Thursday, December 07, 2006

12/07 Morning Report

December 7. The Day of Infamy. I know there will be a host of postings and remembrances today from all us military folks. I’ll probably write my own later—I’m still trying to gather my thoughts a bit more. But, the first site I checked this morning was Beast Media. I got my first laugh for the day. Thanks Mac.

And, then, I think this was the oddest news item I’ve seen in a while. Norwegian courts have decided that strip tease is an art form, and can’t be taxed.

"Striptease, in the way it is practised in this case, is a form of dance combined with acting," the judges ruled, according to AFP news agency. The court's ruling upholds an earlier verdict of May 2005.
Want to know the part that got me laughing the most?
The court ordered the state to cover the court costs of the owners of the Diamond Go Go Bar.
(…even as a Christian I can’t help but say…wait for it…don’t you just love art?...)

OH! You and your friends can plenty of fun all year long! Amuse yourselves for hours playing ”The War On Terror” Boardgame!
(…H/T to Something and a half of something…figures it would be one of the Beast Media staffers…)

Did you think Arizona’s idea of a lottery prize for voting was interesting? The Bosnians have gone even farther. They are offering a lottery type deal for those who turn in their guns. Now the article claims the existence of some 500,000 illegal guns. Now I’ll accept some of that to be true.
Since the war, peacekeepers have collected 50,000 weapons, ranging from machine guns and grenades to a couple of tanks.
The article also states that 50,000 Bosnians OWN guns. Well, don’t you have to have registration and possession laws before guns can be labeled as “illegal”? I guess I should be asking if they do have these things there?
(…still looks like another media word game to me…anyone else?...think the left will try it here?...)

While we are discussing places the UN has troops…I mean…peacekeepers deployed, the UN has announced it’s going back to Somali! Just two years after forming a government that can’t, or won’t, stand up to the Islamists, the UN is going back in to try again. This time, it’s a US initiated move (…I loved this part…)
Somalia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Idd Bedel Mohamed, thanked the U.S. and Bolton for taking the initiative to deploy a force.
(…I also have to ask, did anyone else “hear" the same pronunciation for IGAD as “eee gad”?...I hope it’s not prophetic…)

So, what’s the scoop on Blair’s replacement in the UK? Increased education spending, taxes up, more government borrowing…Looks like the usual Left Wing at work to me.

It seems a Canadian was deported to Syria (dual citizenship) for suspected terror ties. He claims he was tortured there, and is now suing the Canadian government. I will admit there were mistakes made. In fact, it even caused the resignation of the chief Mountie. I can even understand why he wants redress from the Canadians. But, I’ve got to ask, how come he’s not suing the Syrians? After all, they are the ones who performed the torture.

Finally, Echo9er reports the passing of 7 service men, linking in the DoD reports for each one.
Well, we at our house remember your cry—the cry of all fallen warriors:
"Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrow, we gave our today."
--The Kohima Epitaph--
We remember what you have given:
Hospitalman (Corpsman) Christopher Anderson
Lance Cpl. Thomas P. Echols
Capt. Shawn L. English
Maj. Joseph T. McCloud
Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen
Pfc. Nicholas D. Turcotte
Sgt. Keith E. Fiscus
And we say thank you for the tomorrows you have given others. May God give back to your families more than they have sacrificed and lost.
And, now, we dance In Memoriam.