Death Toll

Wading Through The Blackwater

Excuse me before hand.To get the most out of this post you are going to have to work for it.

It has long been my position that The war in Iraq is a rich man's war with little or no thought of the mostly poor Americans soldiers and troops sent there to fight it.

In my heart,I truly believe that supporting the war is NOT supporting our troops,but just the opposite:supporting this war is not caring for the cost of American lives at all.The war is filling corporate American 's claws.And Corporate America doesn't care about anything except filling their carpet bags with obscene amounts of cash.

The lost of American lives is not just limited to our very brave troops,but there is also the little heard about American civilian death toll.These private deaths are,in some cases,just as horrifying.The supposed neglect by the private sector for their employees' safety is unforgivable.

One of these shameful companies is the very large private mercenary outsourcer called,'Blackwater'[Read about Blackwater:here].

I am not going to get into how Blackwater has sent it's troops onto American soil as a private army in New Orleans.That will have to be a story someone us will have to write about.I just want to tell you how Blackwater made promises to it's soldiers in Iraq,and then let them down and caused their deaths.In order to avoid responsiblity of their employees' deaths,companies like Blackwater are even suing the dead employees' estates!I ask you to please listen to this news story from NPR radio [Here] to hear more about it.
Or read this story from 'Time'magazine.

My simple minded way of thinking is more and more causing me to believe that this war in Iraq is less and less about delivering the Iraqi people freedom and democracy,but about making rich men richer.If these rich men think at all about the cost in human lives it is in how can these lives make them the most amount of money possible.

Here is a list of American civilian deaths in the middle east [http://icasualties.org/oif/Civ.aspx]You may have to click on,'Nationality' to get the exclusive American list.

I maybe totally off base on my way of thinking of the war.But this is mounting evidence that I am not.We must stop government sponsored corporate welfare NOW!In my opinion,it is the only way to end this senseless war.

The Walter Reed Hospital scandal & Halliburton moving it's corporate headquarters to Dubai has reminded me of how 'Support Our Troops' has become just another political catchphrase for this administration..and for most of us as well.This cartoon illustrates my point....

..I guess to some extent we are all to blame for the treatment of some of our returning vets.I DO RECOGNIZE THAT A FAIR AMOUNT OF OUR RETURNING VETERANS ARE BEING TREATED QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AND WITH PURE AMERICAN KINDNESS...but even letting just one such hero hang in the wind is despicable to me.

If just a small portion of what we tax payers are over-spending on no-bid contracts to the likes of Halliburton and such were put to better use by being used for vet care,more veterans would be getting more and better care.

We,as voters,must truly support our troops the best way we know how,and that is by voting out the bastards who have put our brave men in women needlessly in harms way and then don't even have the honor to support their recovery.

[For further thoughts by me,read this previous post if you want]

Halliburton To Relocate Outside Of The U.S.A.

As a move that is a surprise to no one Halliburton is moving it's corporate headquarters outside of the United States:and into the middle east.After all,Dick Cheney can't be Vice President forever.

A Little Bit Of This..A Little Bit Of That

Hello fight fans.After a busy week I am a little brain dead so I am going to just give you some random thoughts on things in the news...First off,Disney is getting back into the 'hand drawn animated' cartoon movie business.The first movie sounds like a swell feature length film for their new 'Princess' doll line.The movie is going to be called,'The Frog Princess',and is going to be set in New Orleans.The animated commercial is going to feature Disney's first 'BLACK PRINCESS'To read about it [click here] .

By the way...shouldn't it be'Afro-American Princess'?


To continue in the cartoon vein,good ol' Captain America is dead....[click here]...Killed by a sniper.Cap was always one of my favorite superheros.(Yes,I am a comic book nerd-I have a very old collection molding in the basement).Once,during the Watergate era,Steve Rogers gave up being Cap because he became disillusioned with all the Washington corruption.He became 'Nomad',instead.He returned to Captain America when he finally realized that America isn't it's failed politicians,but America is it's can never fail high ideals.He would fight as Captain America to up hold those beautiful ideals.God be with you cap.Perhaps,in good comic book tradition,you will be back.


Keeping with men in tights...have you seen Ohio State basketball's new digs?Pretty wild if I do say so myself.Of course this, too,is another marketing ploy.Aren't you feeling the urge to just go out and buy yourself a new jersey?I don't think they would look quite the same on me-instead of a six pack,I have love handles(oooww..just the image of it is creeping me out!)




Oh,well,we all can't be half naked he-men.




Speaking of half naked he men,I took Tyler and Nik to see '300' last night.The movie is based on a Frank Miller('Sin City'-'The dark Knight Returns')graphic novel.It was all it was supposed to be:nudity,gratuitous violence,good story,great images,tons of splattering blood.Urrrrgh!We all three loved it.The movie was crazy good.


And finally,speaking of crazy,Britney is sort of still in rehab.Depending on what rag you read,the reason she is acting crazy is because she is either secretly gay and doesn't want to admit it,or is suffering from postpartum depression.


Personally,I think it is a case of her finally getting to think for herself without any handlers.



I believe it is possible she isn't making what we consider good choices because until recently she never had to make any choices in her life.



Of course she may just be wacko.I know I would be if this modern day press/media machine was following me around all the time.

It's been real fight fans.Keep the peace:out./\

$$$ In God We Trust $$$*

*OK,here is my final word on this subject.It seems some of these dollar coins actually DON"T have ,'In God We Trust' on them[click here to find out how].They are a mint goof-ups and are already fetching up to $50.00 a piece!'Nuff Said'. I am going to leave this post intact in order to show everyone just how very stupid I am.Though I tried a couple times to get one of these dollars before writing this post-and not succeeding- I should have researched better before publishing.A tip of the hat to Estaban for pointing out that the 'In God We Trust ' motto is printed on the outside edge of the coin.

First off,I am a dollar coin user.Every time I mail the bills I go to the automatic machine to get dollar coins in change.I love using them as tips and they are much easier to use in the vending machines at work.

Secondly,I believe Christ was approving the separation of church and state when he said to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to give to God what is God's.

But,that the new President's dollar coin doesn't have 'In God We Trust ' on it is really upsetting to me.For I don't believe that the 'God' that our national founders were using in the 'In God We Trust',motto is necessarily the God that I worship personally.

I feel that the motto can just as likely be interpreted as 'a higher force';a 'divine providence or intervention'; or simply put,a 'higher ideal'.

This,I feel,is the God we swear by in court and that we as a nation count on to lead and/or guide us.

Now,it feels to me that this national 'diviness' is not being put forth as part of us.I not only feel robbed of part of my national identity,but that my own country know longer believes in this higher ideal.And I feel cheapened by it.

I have long been a supporter of the gold dollar coin.But,I will not be of this coin until the words,'In God We Trust' are added back on to it.

God Bless America!!!

Contact

I had a chance to see one of my favorite movies tonight,'Contact',starring Jodie Foster.It is based on a book by Carl Sagan.It is an exceptional story that mixes science fiction with religious faith:being extremely fair to both.If you ever have a chance to see it,I strongly suggest that you do.

Guess What I Am Trying To Say

I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain
Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day
Honor your father and your mother
You shall not kill
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not bear false witness
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife
You shall not covet your neighbor's goods
We know that the law is good, provided that one uses it as law,



with the understanding that law is meant not for a righteous person but for the lawless and unruly, the godless and sinful, the unholy and profane, those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers,
10
the unchaste, practicing homosexuals, 5 kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to sound teaching,
11
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
12 Children, obey your parents (in the Lord), for this is right.
2
"Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise,
3
"that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth."
4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves,be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling,in sincerity of heart,as to Christ

not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
7
willingly serving the Lord and not human beings,
8
knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
9
Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality.


Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones,
4
no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving.
5
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6
Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. 2

And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
23
For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body.
24
As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
25
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her
26
to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
27
that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
28
So (also) husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29
For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church,
30
because we are members of his body.

No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.

I now write to you not to associate with anyone named a brother, if he is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a robber, not even to eat with such a person.


4 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame upon his head.
5
But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved.
6
For if a woman does not have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil.
7
5 A man, on the other hand, should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.
8
For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;
9
nor was man created for woman, but woman for man;
10
for this reason a woman should have a sign of authority 6 on her head, because of the angels.
11
7 Woman is not independent of man or man of woman in the Lord.
12
For just as woman came from man, so man is born of woman; but all things are from God.
13
8 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled?
14
Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears his hair long it is a disgrace to him,
15
whereas if a woman has long hair it is her glory, because long hair has been given (her) for a covering?
16
But if anyone is inclined to be argumentative, we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God.

As in all the churches of the holy ones, 10
34
women should keep silent in the churches, for they are not allowed to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says.
35
But if they want to learn anything, they should ask their husbands at home. For it is improper for a woman to speak in the church.

Do not be yoked with those who are different, with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord.
19
Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them.
20
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
21
Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.
22
Slaves, 9 obey your human masters in everything, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord.
23
Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others,
24
knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ.

Those who sleep go to sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.
8
But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation.
9
For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10
who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. 2
11
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.
12
We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you,
13
and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14
We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all.
15
See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all.
16
Rejoice always.
17
Pray without ceasing.
18
In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
19
3 Do not quench the Spirit.
20
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
21
Test everything; retain what is good.
22
Refrain from every kind of evil.
23
4 May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24
The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.
25
Brothers, pray for us (too).
26
Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 5

do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. 4 She must be quiet.
13
For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain,
9
holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10
Moreover, they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11
Women, 5 similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in everything.
12
Deacons may be married only once and must manage their children and their households well.
13
Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God.
10
And whoever enters into God's rest, rests from his own works as God did from his.
11
Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

For he who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not kill." Even if you do not commit adultery but kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.

Adulterers! 3 Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5
Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks without meaning when it says, "The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy"? 4
6
But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 5

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your "Yes" mean "Yes" and your "No" mean "No," that you may not incur condemnation. 5
13
Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise.
14
Is anyone among you sick? 6 He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the name of the Lord,
15
and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. 7

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander;

Likewise, you wives should be subordinate to your husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by their wives' conduct
2
when they observe your reverent and chaste behavior.
3
Your adornment should not be an external one: braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine clothes,
4
but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God.
5
For this is also how the holy women who hoped in God once used to adorn themselves and were subordinate to their husbands;
6
thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him "lord." You are her children when you do what is good and fear no intimidation.
7
Likewise, you husbands should live with your wives in understanding, showing honor to the weaker female sex, since we are joint heirs of the gift of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. 2

Do not love the world or the things of the world. 7 If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe (in me) to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
43
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, 10 into the unquenchable fire.
45
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
47
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
48
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'
49

so as not to spend what remains of one's life in the flesh on human desires, but on the will of God.
3
For the time that has passed is sufficient for doing what the Gentiles like to do: living in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and wanton idolatry.
4
They are surprised that you do not plunge into the same swamp of profligacy, and they vilify you;
5
but they will give an account to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.
6
For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead 2 that, though condemned in the flesh in human estimation, they might live in the spirit in the estimation of God.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
32
and all the nations 15 will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34
Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
36
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
37
Then the righteous 16 will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
40
And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

And early in the morning He came again into the Temple [see "My Father's House"], and all the people came unto Him; and He sat down, and taught them.
"And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the Law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou?"
"This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him."
"But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground."
"And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."
"When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?"
"She said, No man, Lord."
"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

When he saw the crowds, 2 he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
2
He began to teach them, saying:
3
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, 4 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4
5 Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5
6 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 7 for they will be satisfied.
7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8
8 Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, 9 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.
12
10 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13
11 12 "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14
You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
15
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.
16
Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
17
13 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
18
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.
19
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 14
20
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21
15 16 "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.'
22
17 But I say to you, whoever is angry 18 with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
23
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,
24
leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.
26
Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
27
19 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
28
But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29
20 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
30
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
31
21 "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.'
32
But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33
22 "Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.'
34
But I say to you, do not swear at all; 23 not by heaven, for it is God's throne;
35
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36
Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
37
24 Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one.
38
25 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
39
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.
40
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well.
41
Should anyone press you into service for one mile, 26 go with him for two miles.
42
Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
43
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
45
that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
46
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors 28 do the same?
47
And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 29
48
So be perfect, 30 just as your heavenly Father is perfect.



There was a scholar of the law 11 who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"
27
He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
28
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
29
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30
Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
31
12 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
32
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
33
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.
34
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.
35
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.'
36
Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"
37
He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
38