The Laughing Wolf

Upon reaching the door to the office, it was clear that the noise was not up front, but from the laundry area directly in front of me. And what a racket it was. Clearly not a mouse, but what the heck was going on? Grabbing the first non-overkill item to hand, my great great grandfather’s Civil War saber, I proceed to try and find out what has breeched the defenses.

What ever it is, it is not happy and wants out into the lair. I am not happy and am determined it shall not pass. Nothing is obvious and even with a flashlight I can’t see anything, so whatever it is, it is trapped in the dryer and/or the dryer ductwork. Suits me just fine, so I don’t need the sword or the blowgun I found during this time. Hmmmm. In the ductwork is it? I flip the heat setting to high and cut on the dryer.

Whatever it was, it was even more unhappy then, emitting an “EEEEEEEEEEE” sound like a rat. I think it moved on back into the vent and I hope went up. At any rate, the dryer got run for a while anyway to encourage it to move on out and Stay Out! When I went outside, up on the roof was a heck of a lot of lint and debris, indicating that something may have come out in a hurry. The head of maintenance is supposed to come by to help me check everything to be sure I don’t have a rat/tree rat (squirrel) corpse in the system. It may not quite have been the naked adventure that Tammi had yesterday, but it sure made my morning interesting and non-productive.

-30-

First up was a Victor Hugo 2002 Rose, made from Syrah grapes. No, not the writer, but interesting all the same. The colour was garnet and the nose was both sweet and tart. The mouth was tart, giving way to fruit and grape skins. A very different rose, but with some interesting possibilities.

Next up was a Ruston Sauvignon Blanc 2002 from Napa Valley. The colour was a clear pale straw, with a sharp nose of vine with spice that extended out into fruitiness. The mouth was nice, with a mixture of sweet with fruit and tartness. This led into some interesting tropical fruit flavors and a nice finish. A bit different, but it would go very well with a number of dishes.

The next offering was Victor Hugo 2001 Zinfandel. The ruby red colour leads to a nose of tobacco and spice, while the mouthfeel is surprisingly mellow. Tobacco is followed by fruit, spice, and a nice and slightly sweet finish.

The fourth offering of the day was Victor Hugo 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon. Again, a ruby red colour with a nice nose of tobacco over leather, what I consider a nice barn smell, with some mineral under. The mouthfeel was fair, lighter than anticipated from the nose, tobacco giving way to fruit and an okay finish.

The final wine of the day was Victor Hugo Oppulence, 1999, and it was an interesting treat. The colour is a solid ruby with an equally solid nose of tobacco and spice. The mouthfeel was fair, starting with tobacco with dark chocolate leading to spice notes and a nice finish. The flavors were interesting, and the result of the blending of 40 percent cabernet franc, 33 percent merlot, 20 percent cabernet sauvignon, and 7 percent petite verdot.

-30-

One of the things that has made me feel old lately was meeting up with a young lady at the Games. Now, I have known this young lady since she was about 12 or so and even took her to some games. At a young age, she got interested in her roots and when her family wasn’t, she went ahead and researched it on her own and got involved. Her family was not overly supportive, and it was a struggle for her to get to any game. I helped out a bit, even go so far as to take her to a game or two and making sure she had a room. With a chaperone to protect her from big bad wolves (and to protect us big bad wolves from any chance of accusations). It was a true pleasure to be invited to her high school graduation and to see a well-mannered and thoughtful girl turn into a well-mannered young lady.

This weekend was interesting. It was so very good to see her, to meet her husband, and to catch up a bit. She is still quite lovely, well-mannered, and charming. She is also pregnant. I felt old.

I haven’t felt that old in years in some ways. It was another young lady who did it to me then. Years ago, the English Werewolf and I attended a convention/conference when rooms still had keys. You know, the type you had to play with sometimes to get them to work. There was a girl trying to get into the room next to ours, who probably did not quite clear my belt. We helped her out, showed her how to deal with the key situation, and she caught on quickly – good mechanical aptitude. We hit it off with her parents later, and got to know the family. Flash forward many years, and I am at the same convention/conference. There is a tall, beautiful young lady walking around that I give the once over. She sees me and comes over, puts her hands on my shoulders, looks down at me and says “You’ve shrunk.”

No prizes for guessing who she was.

Adding to some of the blows of late are some neighbors of mine. They seem to be nice people, friendly, and far too well mannered. Every one of them call me sir. Every time. I applaud the manners, but on at least one level it hurts. Particularly from the young ladies.

So, what makes you feel old? Why does it make you feel old? Are you truly looking at it the right way? What makes you feel young? Why? Are you truly looking at it the right way? Should we not consider that what makes us feel young may really only be making us feel immature again, and that which makes us feel old does so because it limits our ability to be immature? Think on it a bit today, and go find something to make yourself feel young again for all the right reasons.

-30-

The medical really is easy to do. First aid kits can be bought almost anywhere today, in all sizes and shapes. They pay for themselves because you don’t have to have a true disaster or emergency to need them. Around some of my family and friends, all it takes is everyday life. Add to that what some of my friends and I like to do for hobbies, and first aid kits and training are a great investment. Here is my big kit as I call it, which is in addition to the bought smaller kits scattered around the home and vehicles.

It offers a wide range of basic to medium-level first aid gear and is easy to use. One thing I also keep in it are spare keys. This is because people do some interesting things, and it gives a central place to keep keys for domestic or real emergencies. One key that is about every kit is a handcuff key, an idea I picked up from a friend who used to be a medic, and it is interesting how often such a key can and does come in handy. I don’t have the high-speed drill they had to use in regards a coke bottle one time… I also make sure that it is stocked with things I know I may need, such as antihistamines and stimulants in case I am stung or have other problems.

The other “big” kit is what I call my crash kit. It holds surgical dressings, gauze, tampons, and other things that come in handy if there is major trauma to deal with.

I hope that I never have to use it for its intended office, but various bits have come in handy just dealing with the scrapes, burns, and other delights of everyday life. And, yes, I did say tampons above. A corpsman pointed out to me one time a highly unofficial but very effective use for them with penetrating wounds, as well as giving one the chance to be a white knight if one is unexpectedly needed for its official office. If you have friends with teenage girls, the latter can happen more often than might be expected.

The comment posted to this post points out the fact that you do need to be able to look after yourself in other ways as well. While the author has told me that he was engaging in at least some hyperbole, the fact is that there are far too many moral and intellectual cripples our there who are serious. These are the people that will take the opportunity of a disaster or emergency to run wild. You need to be prepared for them, and to deal with them as you would any other rabid animal.

My own take is similar to Kim du Toit’s, only I am not going to say what all my preparations are right now. If someone sees me coming, some may be obvious, and some will not. To be honest, I am not going to say in part because I want anyone seeing me to wonder a bit about what I have or don’t have, who might or might not be with me and what they may or may not have, and to wonder if I have reverted to type with some friends and be moving with a screen out. Think, wonder, and run away.

Now, not everyone is going to do this, or at least not at first. If you fall in that category, you have two options: partner with someone who can and will, or look at other options for protection. I highly recommend partnering with people, as numbers and diversity of skills give you advantages. If firearms are not your thing, look at other things.

This is my hatchet or hand axe. I actually have several of them, from Dixie Gun Works, because my favored sport at Highland Games is axe throwing. Having several means that in an emergency I almost always have one to hand, and am not averse to throwing one away for good effect. These are a good investment, and I like them a lot more than the 100-things-in-one yuppie hatchets for sale.

In a true rotary impeller situation, blades come in very handy. You may need to cut, chop, and more, and a good hand axe and a good knife are crucial. For personal protection, people tend to be more afraid of getting cut than shot, so use that. If you won’t carry a gun, carry a knife, sword, or axe. For swords, while I love the katana, for ease of use and dealing with on foot, consider a Roman gladius. Also consider a bow and arrow, since the ammo is reusable or can be made with readily available resources. It has range and accuracy, relatively silent, and can do many things including getting rope or cord where it is needed.

As before, if you are going to go with only one weapon, consider a shotgun. It is versatile, effective, and efficient. One shotgun with some accessories gives you personal protection, the ability to hunt, and the ability to signal.

Whatever decisions you make, do prepare and do remember that in any emergency of any type, the only person who is responsible for you and your safety is you.

-30-

With strong prodding from the media and most especially from the publishers, the government stepped in. The case was made that competing newspapers provided competing stories and competing coverage. This meant that different viewpoints would be heard, more stories had a chance at coverage, and that the public would be better informed and better capable of self-governance. The Government bought into this, and ended up, among other things, agreeing that newspapers could share a common printing plant so as to reduce costs and keep flagging papers going.

Ultimately, it didn’t work because the market was no longer there. While one can argue need, ultimately the public did not want that diversity in newspapers. They could and did put their time and money into other sources of information. That did not stop efforts to save the newspapers, because there was a clear perception in Government that divergent viewpoints were needed. Such efforts did not taper off until the 1980s.

Now, move forward to the last half of the 1990s. The internet has taken off, all news channels are on cable, and new technologies are changing the way in which we get and analyze news and events. Competing sources of news are now available in ways and amounts never dreamed, as are divergent opinions. Stories that would never have seen print or broadcast now draw world-wide attention.

Even more importantly, expert analysis is freely available (see here for more on this). Not only are “experts” available to write for publications, they also appear on television to discuss events for cheap or for free. They provide detailed analysis along with supporting documentation online in blogs and other New Media sites, most of which are available to anyone without charge.

Now, go take a look at Government policy during that same time. Look at legislation that has been introduced or passed. Look at regulations attempted or issued by agencies who control the means of distribution. The picture is not a pretty one, for there were and are efforts underway to eliminate dissenting opinion, to reduce competition or other challenges to the Old Media. Rather than the much needed competition of the 50s-70s, it is now a threat to be controlled or eliminated.

So, I have to ask: Who are the real brownshirts here? Those who attempt to muzzle a truly free and open press? Or those who live up to the ideals of journalism and point out mistakes and lies?

If pointing out inaccuracies, mistakes, and flat-out fabrications, and providing in-depth analysis by and from experts in the given fields is being a brownshirt, then I will wear that designation with pride. If pointing out the stories not covered by, or lost in, the Old Media and increasing the number of stories and viewpoints makes me a brownshirt, then I will wear that designation with pride. If pointing out efforts to limit or eliminate individual freedoms and liberty, if challenging Government and politicians makes me a brownshirt, then I will wear that designation with pride. For in this case, I would far rather be a brownshirt, than to be one of those who appears to have brown where grey matter should be.

-30-

UPDATE: One of the most articulate posts I have read on this, which cuts deep to the underpinings, is not surprisingly this one at Baldilocks. The more I think about this, the more I loathe and despise Gore for prostituting himself into the Bush=Hitler meme for nothing more than partisan politics and personal gain. What he has done is a calculated and vicious insult to every victim of the Holocaust, Jew, Gentile, and Other. It is a slap at those who opposed, those who died, and those who survived. Thank God this miserable excuse for a human did not become POTUS. Mr. gore, read my lips: Kisch mir im Tuches!

Small kits hold small amounts of materials, and will get you by short term. If you are worried about longer term issues, from severe winter weather cutting you off from the world to someone doing something really nasty, you need a bit more tucked away. One of the best means of doing this are paint buckets.

Paint buckets are for all practical purposes air and water tight when sealed, hold a large volume, and have many, many uses. They can store items, they can store liquids, and they make handy-dandy field expedient toilets as needed. Their use is limited largely by your imagination.

I use them for larger kits and bulk storage (and when brewing beer). There are some kits I have done in them that contain somewhere on the order of a hundred different items. Others serve as hygiene kits, holding 12-24 vacuum sealed (to reduce bulk) rolls of toilet tissue, tampons, toothbrushes, and other such items. Still others hold bulk packages of textured vegetable protein, salt, baking soda, and other food. They are easy to carry, easy to transport, easy to store, and have at least a 20 year shelf life if kept in cool, dry places. Line one with about three garbage bags, cut several layers of cardboard for a seat, and you have a field toilet. Once opened and used, they can then be used for other purposes, such as hauling water or other materials.

Do I have all of this here at the lair? Not hardly. You see, one of the things I have done is tuck some of these items away at other locations, ones that I am likely to head to or by if I have to bug out in an emergency. That way, if the disaster hits while I am out or away, I still have options. They also provide the people I care about a core around which to build their own preparations. If I am home and have to bug out, it gives me flexibility in choosing what to take.

Which leads us to the concept of staging. When planning a bug out, plan it for several levels. If there is time, I am going to load as much as possible into my vehicle. In fact, I am going to try to take it all with me. If the vehicle dies or there is another problem, I am prepared to switch to a bike and proceed on with all that I can. When the bike fails, then I am on foot and reduced to what I can carry on my back.

Remember also that the ability to move long distances as quickly as possible is often a key to surviving any disaster. Having as many modes short of walking greatly improves your odds, so try to figure out how to give yourself as many options as possible. For example, there is a rental center almost next door. If time permits, I would look at renting a truck and trailer. Load as much as possible in the smallest truck I can get, get the vehicle(s) up on the trailer, and bug out. If something happened to the truck, then pare down to the vehicle(s). When something happens to the vehicle(s), go to motorcycles or bikes. If something happens to them, try to find a horse. Only as a last resort should you go to shank’s mare.

Plan ahead for this, decide in advance what will get taken, and what will get left at each stage. If you have caches elsewhere, it makes that decision process much, much easier. The more you plan, the better off you are going to be. So, plan for the worst and hope for the best.

-30-

NEXT: Looking After Yourself

The simple answer is as old as most of recorded history: you put it on your back. This limits what you can carry, but you can get a surprising amount out that way. I have my big pack for big things:

And I have smaller packs for smaller things and smaller people:

Now, I have these because I love hiking and camping, and because of work. The big pack was bought for the former, and the smaller pack for the latter. Why on Earth would I need a pack for work? Simple, when doing trade shows you need to carry out each night the truly valuable stuff, lest it disappear. The pack was the easiest way to do this, and it also tended to draw less attention from thieves and muggers than the fancy cases used by others. It also could be used for any hiking or climbing I got to do whilst on such trips…

Now, the large pack is not fully packed as shown here. There are many things, such as sleeping bags, that should not be kept compressed. I have all of my gear in one area, so that in an emergency I can pack it very quickly. The paper you see is a note to myself on some items, including where to find them. Things that can be packed ahead of time are, and many are packed in add-on pockets already in place. I like the add-on packs and pockets as they give a great deal of flexibility, and they give you additional options for caching and flat-out ditching. I have a post here talking about snivel gear and such that goes in the pack.

The short version is that I have shelter, light, food, water, means to get more potable water, comfort gear, some clothes, comfort gear, and means for defense and hunting. The load-out will vary based on the disaster at hand. By swapping out add-ons and such, the conversion can take place very rapidly if need be.

The smaller packs are for smaller emergencies and smaller people. In any disaster, everyone must pull their weight, from the eldest present to the youngest. Given that not everyone can carry a 50-100 pound pack, have some around that are appropriate for the others involved. As I said before, I use these for other things, so make yours multitask as well. Be creative, and give the items as much fun use as possible.

-30-

NEXT: Bigger, Better, Where To Cut

The idea of such coverage is not new. From the earliest days, publishers would invite various experts – or at least big names – to come in and write about their areas of expertise. After all, the publishers were often the writers, and even when not it just made sense to have someone knowledgeable do the writing.

Yet, this state of affairs diminished for two reasons. The first was the cost of writing, and the second was the need to write for a mass audience.

The cost of writing/coverage has always been a factor in the business that is the media. Publishers, and I use this term to include those that own broadcast facilities, have always looked to maximize profit, since despite the tattered trappings in which it tries to cover itself, journalism is in the end nothing more or less than a business. So long as big names and experts were willing to do the work for free or a token, they were used. The big names/experts often were glad to do it as it gave them a forum for shaping politics and governmental actions.

As a veneer of ethics and such came into being, this incestuous relationship came to be questioned. The net result was that the relationship was moved to the editorial pages and out of the news – for the most part.

Economics, however, was also a major factor in this. Experts posed two problems for the publishers. First, they could, would, and did write for themselves and their purposes. This did not always translate into stellar prose, or even scribbling that would entice a reader. Second, publications had evolved to staffs, and staff tends to resent those that do the work for free. It infringes on their job, and contributes to lower standards – and most importantly – to lower pay. Unions and the workers as a whole helped put a stop to this, leading to requirements that everyone be paid the same. So, while “ethics” provided a pretext (and I have no doubt that some of it was sincere), economics was a strong driver in removing experts/big names out of the news pages.

Generalists were and are the better bargain. They are willing to write in the style of the publisher, willing to work hard for that byline and the chance to advance, and they work cheap. Such is not just a salary issue, but in how you can use them. A general writer can and will cover the PTA one day and a mayoral debate the next. They can be given almost any assignment and if good at what they do, provide coverage that sells at the lowest possible cost.

Now, contrast that to a specialist. A specialist or expert has extra training in regards their area of expertise. They most likely have extra time/experience in that area. All of this translates to a higher salary cost, and you lose the ability to use them in a general manner. After all, you are paying them more so you want to get more out of them, so there is a tendency not to want to “waste” them on general stories. There is also the consideration that while they are an expert in one area, they may be hopeless in others. This leads not merely to bad coverage and writing, but to “inappropriate” questions and speculations that can bite the publication badly.

The latter, however, is also true. When you send a generalist to cover a specialty story, bad things happen. The reporter can be out of their depth, miss what is obvious to someone in the field, and otherwise get the story wrong. Sometimes, this can be humorous. For example, an early radio gig I got came from hearing a reporter refer to Zero-G as an exercise being done by the astronauts. I called up, politely informed and explained, and offered my services. Sometimes, however, it can have can have catastrophic effects. A good example of this was the breast implant scare, which resulted in something close to mass panic and the bankruptcy of a major company.

Breast implants and Alar are just two of the bad science stories out there. There are many more, and that is just one area. When you look at all the specialty areas, the scene is dismaying if not devastating. One factor that usually binds these stories together is the fact that they came from general reporting: the Old Media often deliberately bypassed its own staff experts to go with the sensational and wrong.

Why?

Ignorance and Economics are my stock answers to this. The root cause of both lie in the media education system and pecking order. Until fairly recently, those in higher positions in the Old Media might or might not have a college degree. Publishers wanted those that would work cheap, and this tended to exclude those with lots of formal education. This changed over time, but you need to take a hard look at the degree.

Few, if any, journalism schools require any mathematics, science, philosophy, or other outside coursework. Any such courses are those mandated for undergraduates by larger institutions. Specialized institutions rarely offer such, and journalism schools can be specialized. Even when a part of a larger institution, the core curriculum is narrow and insular and not designed to encourage forays beyond the borders. Even if completely unintended, this results in a lock-step mentality that is further fostered by the need to move up the chain. The chain and the coursework tend to weed out those who think differently, so that the result is a large group that tends to think alike. Hence the unintended conspiracy of the many.

You also get a leadership cadre that is woefully ignorant about things outside their area of journalism and any hobbies. As a general rule, they have little or no knowledge of the military, history (other than journalism), mathematics, statistics, business, law, regulations, or science. The insularity fostered by the Old Media system also means that they see themselves as representative of the “average” person, so that their ignorance and biases are the ignorance and biases of all. Since they are rarely interested in, and sometimes intimidated by, science, business, etc., it means that “everyone” else is as well.

While economics contributes strongly towards the problem, it also provides some mitigation. Publishers tend to pay attention to things that can get them money, and specialized coverage can do this on occasion. Thus, larger publications began to develop specialized areas of coverage. This includes everything from the social pages to business coverage. So long as it pays for itself, there will be sports, social, and business sections to the larger papers. Yet, that need to maximize the profit also means that there will be a tendency to try to use general assignment reporters in such and to use true expert reporters sparingly.

Look at the masthead of any major paper. When you go through it, you will find that there are usually only one or two specialized reporters in any given section. This also tends to hold true at magazines as well. Broadcast outlets of any type rarely have even that many, unless it is a major network operation. If you want a really eye-opening experience, check out any local television news operation and see how many – if any – experts there are outside of the sports desk. Check the total number of members of the Society of Professional Journalists, and then compare that number to the total membership of the National Association of Science Writers. To make it even more interesting, contrast the number of freelance members between the two.

Insular is the polite term, but the culture of the Old Media is truly incestuous. The inbreeding is tremendous, and while many deficiencies and problems in the journalism education process have been identified, there is not a strong requirement to change. That said, however, economics provides hope.

Within traditional print and broadcast media, the specialization curve offers some solutions. In the print world, you get specialty publications, ranging from the Wall Street Journal, which covers the world from the business perspective, to special topic magazines such as Military History. In the broadcast world, cable television has allowed this to flourish, with networks ranging from the History Channel to Food TV. Satellite radio will offer the same opportunity in that media.

My own anecdotal observations have shown that specialty reporters tend to leave the traditional Old Media and migrate towards the specialty publication market. Why waste time working at low pay in an often frustrating environment, when you can go work at a publication devoted to your area? Add in better pay or related circumstances, and it makes it even more attractive to the true subject matter expert. As staff positions dwindle, this accelerates and brings more people into the freelance market as well.

And staff positions are dwindling. Why buy a paper to wade through it to find that what coverage there is of the story of interest to you is poorly done? When you don’t buy, that paper cuts back on staff because profits are down, and people aren’t reading a given section. There is some circularity of logic/causality here, but it is a real artifact. Publishers see diminished demand for particular types of coverage because they can’t compete with a publication devoted to that area. That publication has no need to hire a large staff, since freelance writers can and do provide most of the copy. Since they aren’t on staff, you don’t have the huge regulatory burden of staff, and can pay more per word or assignment than a writer would get otherwise. Or, rather, they should but that is a rant for another day.

The New Media is also providing strong competition that will shape this as well. Many experts are starting their own blogs. Sometimes this is to provide commentary, sometimes to write stories that would not otherwise get published because they are too specialized, and sometimes it is just because they are tired of the games that have to be played in the publishing world. In many respects, these reasons really don’t matter. What does matter is that even more specialized coverage is emerging, and it is already having an economic impact. As more and more people come online, this is going to increase.

Ultimately, it will be for the good in that the public can be as informed on any given subject as they care to be and have the wit to compare and contrast the different information provided. Meantime, it will be a rocky ride as things shake out, from the coverage to the attempts to regulate and eliminate this threat to traditional media. So, hang on and enjoy the ride.

-30-

Below is part of the gear I have tucked away in my car. It is only part because I got tired and lazy, and refused to haul up any more to photograph it. This gives you a good idea and basis on which to build. Here you can see a means to inflate a tire or anything else that can be blown up, pull myself out of a ditch, fix minor mechanical problems, and bug out if needed.

Believe it or not, this all fits in a very compact area, and with it I can handle most things that happen. A small pack that has some food, a compass, and other small items gives the ability to leave the vehicle if necessary. But, most things are designed to let me keep mobile in the vehicle.

Notice the collapsible water jug in the mix. Remember the first question? Let me tell you what some people I know did. The hose went out in the middle of nowhere, and they made it to the side of the road safely. A rag helped dry the hose off, and reinforced tape allowed a temporary patch to be made. They then used a collapsible jug to get water from a nearby creek, refilled the radiator, and made it to where they could do a proper repair. What could have been a real problem was turned instead into a minor inconvenience and a good story.

I have managed to get stuck a couple of times over the years, and so have a come-along tucked away. In place of steel cable, I bought the strapping from a cargo parachute used to drop heavy things. This is just as strong as cable, takes up less room, and cost far less. The bonus was getting twice the length for less than half the cost of half the length. The come-along has also come in handy for moving objects out of the way or off of things.

The tool kit should be obvious, and good small kits are not expensive these days. I do recommend putting in some hose clamps and such as they come in handy. Cord or rope do as well, as does some wire. Get heavy duty jumper cables, they are worth the extra money. With these things, minor problems remain that, and not something that keeps you stranded and dependent on strangers and/or the authorities.

I have two first aid kits, as each has different things inside. This gives me options and flexibility in an emergency, and helps ensure that at least one will be available when needed.

The pack not only allows me to bug out, but also to stay put if needed. It has an emergency blanket, an Exstream water purification bottle, a day’s worth of dried food, compass, light, and such. It is mostly empty, however, so that I can add to it things from the car that might be needed. With it and its contents, I can survive a great deal and have options as to staying or going.

There is a folding shovel for dealing with a variety of situations. I can dig myself out, dig a latrine, or even make a quick shelter if needed. There is a canvas tarp to provide extra cover if needed, along with smaller stuff to provide comfort. I have a small fabric cooler as well, both for unplanned shopping and to provide an insulated container if needed in a real emergency. The axe and knife come in handy as well.

There are some canvas bags I picked up at trade shows in there too. They come in handy for hauling things, and I would point out that one that is waterproofed as a beach bag also makes a handy container for transporting liquids.

There are a few other goodies, including road flares, but you get the idea. So, what’s in your car?

-30-

NEXT: Packs

So, long before Tom Ridge thought it was a good idea, I started keeping some things handy. When any emergency happens, time is of the essence, so you don’t want to waste time hunting supplies whilst the outside pours in. To that end, there is latch top storage container in each room with some basics. Those usually consist of tape, tacks, brads, hammer, plastic, small first aid kit, knife or some means to cut the plastic, and some form or forms of alternate lighting. There are often other things, most often including a couple of decks of cards.

The plastic sheeting is the central player in these kits, as everything else pretty much revolves around it. The plastic can cover electronics, furniture and more to protect it from the elements if there is a whole in wall or roof, or a window is blown out. It can then be used to patch the hole if possible. Even if there are tree parts or such in the way, you can use the plastic sheeting to block, and even to re-direct the water back out or where it will do the least damage. It can cover where the window used to be, or in the event of a man-made disaster, cover the window. The various types of tape, tacks, brads, cutting tools, and such are all there to support this effort.

Each room has its own flashlight, and each kit has chemical lights, candle lanterns, and maybe another flashlight. I want as many options as possible, for as many disasters as possible. If gas or inflammability is an issue, I have chemical lights, and my flashlights (Hubble) are designed for such environments. If long-term lighting is needed (winter storm or such), I have the candle lantern and candles along with waterproof matches. The church key gives me a bottle and can opener, and the cards a means of passing time if needed.

You will note that every kit of every type discussed this week will have one thing in common: a pencil. Pens are great and I keep them around, but pens dry up and don't work under a lot of conditions. Pencils will work almost anytime and anywhere, and are easy to sharpen. So, there is one in every kit. I also tend to put the medicines I use or might need the most in each kit.

Now, the room kit is not designed for heavy work. It does not contain anything that will remove tree parts, pry things apart, or do other Herculean tasks. It gives you some basics to protect property, treat small ouches, and get a handle on things. But that is crucial because in any emergency you want to buy yourself as much quality time as possible. That time is what gives you a chance to think, to plan, and to act in a deliberate manner to meet whatever challenge has arisen, while retaining as many assets and options as possible. Especially if you have to wait on emergency crews, insurance adjusters, or others who don’t quite share your sense of urgency about the situation.

Also in each room is an emergency food kit. Also in a latch-top container, these vary but most often have textured vegetable protein in various forms, along with other goodies that vary based on what I had that would last a while and might be good. Vacuum packed coffee is in many of them, along with other “just add water” items. I also stick other things in there that might be useful, from spare keys sewing kits. If there is room, why not make use of it? These kits are not short term or pretty, but are designed for long-term storage and viability. Just in case.

These kits are all modular for a reason. Actually, for several reasons. First, it makes them easy to store, tucked away in the back of a closet or on top of a cabinet out of sight. It provides some weather protection for the contents as well. It also makes it easy for bugging out, in that the containers are easily grabbed and loaded into a vehicle. I will discuss staging more later, but the containers give you maximum flexibility and utility. Having them in multiple locations also guarantees that if the disaster damages or destroys part of your home, at least some of the kits should survive intact.

One final note is that you will notice a lot of things in the kits are vacuum sealed. I have a food saver, and will note that it does not have to be used just for food. I have sealed up papers from my parent’s estate for storage; what I hope will be collectible items for future enjoyment or sale; and, even weapons of various types. I love my food saver system in the kitchen, but don’t let its use stop there. Think about this, and about what other things you may have that can do double duty.

-30-

NEXT: Car Kits.

I went over a few minutes after 0700 to find that not only had Chris beaten me over, but had already emptied the trailer and was well on his way to set-up. Oh, did I forget to mention the trailer? A wonderful benefactor has been doing lots of good things for our Society, which include a nice sized trailer to haul things around; custom-made flags; chafing dishes and such; tents, and a lot more. In a very short time, one tent was added to the one the games provided, the front set-up, the field kitchen set-up, and the Donnachaidh Diner was ready to go.

Light spread for us, only two cakes, fruit and topping for the cakes, some cookies, bratwurst and knockwurst on the stove, marinated mozzarella balls, soft drinks, water, lemonade, and roasted peanuts. The latter two were given away in front of the tent. The nice people from the Middle Tennessee games next to us asked if they could join in, and their homemade Scotch Eggs joined the fray.

Chris had even stopped on the way over and picked some Scottish and American thistle (beware doing this, as the spines/thorns will even go through leather gloves) to add as decoration.

Because it is a small games in a small area, the playing of the bands can be somewhat intimate.

There was a somewhat different parade of Tartans as a part of opening ceremonies. Only one person per Clan allowed, so I volunteered to attempt to march and took part.

I also cheerfully went and indulged myself. My day truly started at Hamish’s Kitchen/The Frying Scotsman. This family run operation was started by the late, great Hamish himself and is now run by his daughter. Coffee was a good start, followed by a Scotch Egg. Take a hard boiled egg, do a bit, coat in a sausage mixture, and deep fry. Serve with HP sauce and it is heaven. Despite the lunch at the Donnachaidh Diner, I went and got fish and chips from the same source, as they do some of the best fish around. Threw out the chips and ate the fish (and some other delights back at the diner, including homemade Scotch Egg). Finished it off with a deep-fried Mars bar also from the Kitchen. Did I mention that I’ve been looking forward to a visit to Hamish’s for a year now?

True decadence was buying a new cookbook on modern Scottish/Celtic cuisine that looks wonderful, and a book on handfasting rituals. There were several more books I wanted, both on Celtic mythology and on cooking, but will wait a bit on them. Think I got the best of the selection as it was.

If you go somewhere and people have weapons on display or such, do me a favor. I won’t come up and fondle your wife or grab your gun. You, in turn, don’t come up and grab and play with weapons on display. It is rude, uncivilized, and dangerous. Have to come up with a tactful sign on basic weapons etiquette for the tent, as taking ill-mannered idiots to the middle of the commons and doing a medieval version of “This is my rifle, this is my gun” is frowned upon (though fun).

To counter some of the boorishness, I ended up giving a couple of weapons lessons/displays showing proper use of swords. This included showing how to fight a two-handed claymore one handed, sword in each hand, etc. The kids ate it up, loved the dirty aspects of the fighting, and learned a bit. Would that some adults would.

Also, before I forget and before Tammi, Da Goddess, and others can jump in: yes, I was good about the arm. Chris would not let me do a lot because of the arm, and when I did do things I tried to use the left arm. The Borzoi can vouch for that.

Our tent was also picked for first place in the judging. My take on it is that Chris did a good job with the set-up and that all of us had a lot of fun helping people find out about their ancestry, Clans, and more.

In all, a very fun and wonderful day. I leave you now with an “awwwww” picture of one of the youngest participants who was around all day.

What is wrong with it, however, is what they have done and why it is being done. The facts are that France is allegedly a friend and ally of the United States. The open and admitted facts are also that:

There is evidence that the government of France supplied intelligence, aid, and comfort to a leader/country with whom we are at war.

There are reports that the government of France has also worked to undermine the War on Terror (Islamofacism) on several fronts, openly and clandestinely, and in so doing put not merely the lives of American military in jeopardy, but also the lives of all Citizens.

There is evidence that the government of France has also openly and clandestinely worked against the United States, its putative ally, in order to bolster French power and prestige. This was not for noble ideals.

One would also think that the Treaty of Versailles and that unpleasantness with that Hitler fellow might have taught them a thing or two about onerous burdens, but that does not appear to be the case. I question the decision in regards the debt incurred by Saddam being held against the new regime, and wonder how much has to do with harming America, hindering peace and creating a pool for fishing, and if certain companies and politicians might not be profiting on several levels.

There is more, go look it up and read. Think.

Then, look up the definition of racism. Think

Look up honor. Think

Look up ally. Think

Then, let me ask you some questions. Does an ally refuse to aid you in a time of need? Does an ally offer aid and comfort to your enemies? Does and ally work to undermine your diplomatic and military efforts in order to bolster their own power and prestige? Does an ally deliberately circumvent normal chains and the desires of the people they are allegedly concerned about in an effort to manipulate the elections within an allied country?

Now, let me ask: What are the actions of an enemy? How is calling out the actions of any government racism? Why should I support a government that is clearly working against my country, and in so doing jeopardizing the safety of the world? Why should I support anyone who is against me in a time of war? What am I supposed to do, give them tea and crumpets and a pat on the head saying how good they are?

Friends honestly disagree with you, and play things above board. They talk with you in private, oppose you in public and to your face if that doesn’t work. They act with honor, courage, and integrity. Think on that a bit, and then think on it a bit more. For pointing out facts is not hatred. Refusing to reward false friends is not hatred. Nor is it racism.

-30-

The first wine of the day was Montesol Rueda Classico 2002. This is a 50/50 blend of Verdejo and Viura grapes. The colour is a nice pale straw, and the nose is rich with citrus and fruit, with just a bare hint of honeysuckle. The mouthfeel was nice, crisp with green fruit and citrus, with a hint of honey towards the side. The finish was pleasant, and it would make a good warm weather wine and one for lighter fare.

The second wine of the day was Pasil Pie Franco Rueda Superior White 2003, and the name is not wrong. The wine is 100 percent Verdejo grapes, something I have not had before. The colour is again a pale straw, but the nose is strong and filled with grapefruit and citrus with a hint of flowers all over fruit in the base. The mouthfeel is solid, with grapefruit and citrus again dominating at the start, but with fruit under with hints of floral notes on the side. The finish is very nice, and this full-bodied full-flavor wine can hold its own with most food and would be excellent even with a spicy paella.

The next wine was a red, Roblemar Jumilla 2001. It is a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Monastrell grapes. The colour is a deep ruby red and the strong rich nose is filled with chocolate, leather, and coffee. The mouthfeel is nice, though not as strong as the nose, and filled with chocolate, leather, spice, and tobacco in a complex delight. The finish is dry, and pleasant.

The next wine was Valdegracia Rebera del Guadiana 1998, and is 100 percent Tempranilo. The colour is a nice ruby red, and the nose is rich and earthy with tobacoo and toast with notes of vanilla on swirling. The mouth starts light to medium, and builds to a full, smooth pleasure filled with tobacco and spices. The flavors combine for a delightful taste with a good finish.

The final wine was Senorio del Aguila Carinena 1994 Reserva, and is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The deep ruby colour is followed by a sharp nose of sherry, spice, and caramel over deeply buried fruit. The mouthfeel is nice with spice and sweet notes with fruit under. The finish is good, with the sherry once again providing notes at the finish.

-30-

Great legacies are not just the province of the rich and powerful, as this week alone shows. If you want more examples, simply look to the past, from a certain simple carpenter to Abraham Lincoln. So many of the truly influential and great people come not from the elite, but from humble beginnings. What matters is not that from which you came, but that which you do with it.

Have you tried to do right by others? Have you examined things truthfully, fully, and completely, and made your decisions by what is right, rather than what is easy? Have you lived as best possible to the highest values you hold?

If you have done this, you leave quite a legacy for you have also left a challenge for those that follow. You will have done good for the world and for all the individuals within it. By having this positive influence, you shape events of which you have no knowledge. Each person you touch can, if they do the same, spread the positive to people far beyond your ken, and so you can truly touch the world.

Nor are great events required for great things. Few are chosen for such things, to stand at the bridge and hold. To wait for great events to come to do great things is to squander the gift you have been given. Indeed, while all of us have at some point dreamed of such, do we not do so because we know that we have royally frelled up in day-to-day life? To seek the great event is a cheat, an effort to buy atonement for mistakes and wrongs done. To have it come upon you, and to do the right thing when it does, is an ultimate form of test as well as an honor. Such tests are thankfully limited, and it is far better to try to do good in your everyday life than to count on such an opportunity to save you from your actions.

The best legacy any of us can give is to face adversity squarely, and never let it win; to do right by others; to bring joy and comfort to all we can; and, to bring about positive growth for all. When you think about it, that is all any of the truly great – as opposed to famous – people have ever done.

They have met the challenge, how about you?

-30-

All week, the people have spoken, and done so most eloquently by standing in line, by lining the streets, and by all the wonderful small things done. Yet, were any of them truly small? I think he would have been amused and smiling today at capitalism in action, as ready hawkers sold umbrellas to those in DC.

Mulroony’s speech reminded me of some family and family gatherings past. Married up is something that has come up a time or two in my family too, and it brought a feeling of home to me.

Lady Thatcher. I am reminded all over again why I love her. Not only did she tell her doctors where to go and came, she gave a truly wonderful speech. She rendered honor in ways not many will appreciate, but suffice it to say that they were powerful in terms of protocol and respect.

I was touched by the first President Bush choking up, and overcoming it. Breaking down at an emotional time like that was a fear he had, and he did his mentor and himself proud. I loved his calling the “Reagan kids” and going on to say that at 80 he could say that.

The President’s speech was wonderful, though interrupted by Knology’s thrice damned monthly EBS test, and blended humor with remarkable tribute.

I enjoyed the sibling moment during the speech, when the tale of the boy who wrote in for Federal assistance because his mom had declared his room a disaster area. Patti got an impish look and punched Ron, who’s sheepish and chagrined grin told it all.

The respect Reagan had for the military was well known, and that respect was returned by all this week. The precision was wonderful, and the care obvious. I have carried a casket, and it is not easy.

The stories and words of the children this night. What a wonderful send off, and I am glad he talked Patti out of sending all her goldfish to paradise.

Two moments at the very end said it all for me. Right at the end, Nancy was clearly thinking and elsewhere, and shook her head as if she could not believe things. A few minutes later, she finally let herself go for a few minutes having held herself so strong throughout the week.

No dear lady, we have not forgotten nor will we forget. Thank you for sharing him, and for being a pillar of strength to the nation during this time. Rest well, for your duty is done, and accept the love and honor that is due you as well.

-30-

UPDATE: Tammi has some good thoughts, and a good link, here.

The first wine was Wente Monterey Arroxo Seco 2003 Reisling. The colour is a clear pale gold with a nice nose of grape, apple, and mineral: sweet. The mouthfeel is nice, sweet going to tart with green fruit and a slight bite of wood and vine. Finishes sweet on the side.

The second wine of the day was Le Rime 2003 Banfi Chardonnay Pinot Grigo. The colour was a very pale straw, with a slightly sparm nose of pear and floral notes with a hint of wood. The mouthfeel starts sharp with wood and fruit buried under. The bitter start fades to a slight sweetness on finish. Interesting.

The third wine was Bogle 2002 Sauvignon Blanc. The colour is almost clear with just a faint straw colour. The nose is sharp and slightly musty with apple under. The mouthfeel is bitter going to tart. There are strong citrus notes, and it does go slightly sweet on finish, but not nearly enough as it is still quite bitter, causing one’s mouth pucker like sucking on a sour lemon. One of the worst things I have drunk in years.

The fourth wine was Planeta La Segretta Blanco 2003 from Sicily. The colour is a nice gold colour with a nose of grape and honey with hints of flowers. The mouth starts bitter/tart start woody with fruit and sweet coming out on the finish.

The fifth wine of the day was Red Truck 2002 California Red Table Wine. It has a nice clear garnet colour and a nice full nose of leather with chocolate, plums, and red fruit coming out over time. The mouthfeel is good with leather and chocolate with fruit and spice emerging on sides on finish. The overall finish is fair.

The final wine of the day was Planeta La Segreta 2003 Rossa. The colour is a clear ruby, with a nose of old leather and tobacco. The mouthfeel is medium with leather and spice with a faint fruit coming out. The finish is pleasant.

-30-

For some basic information and citations, I will refer you to the Summer 2004 issue of N: The Magazine of Naturist Living. Start on page 42 and read. More than that, read and think, putting aside the prurient and pre-conceptions. The articles do make some good points, ones that need full consideration. I would like to bring forth some other food for thought, to add to the debate.

First, there is a difference between being nude, naked, and nekkid. Nudity is simply being without clothes, the state in which we enter the world. It is the state of grace described as being present in the Garden of Eden, and one to which many have aspired to return. It is an innocence for some, and an acceptance our bodies and ourselves to others.

Naked is the state to which Adam and Eve are described as going. It is a feeling of shame and loathing at their bodies, our bodies, as somehow being wrong. It is the precursor of sin and bad thoughts.

Nekkid, as the comic once said, means that you are naked and up to no good. To most, it is sex, it is sin, it is wrong.

What does it say about someone that they see both nudity and nakedness as being wrong? That they can’t imagine that anyone can be nude without the “evil” of being nekkid? Is their self-control so weak that the sight of a bare ankle, much less a bare buttock, will send them into a sexual frenzy from which not even the dog is safe? To listen to some politicians and pundits, that is indeed the case, and for that I pity them.

What does it say about those same politicians and pundits that they are willing to marginalize and demonize a portion of the population for personal gain? That is exactly what they are doing: pandering to one group by attacking another. History is replete with examples of this, ranging from banishments on one end to death camps on the other -- and the distance between them is not that great. But, it is an easy vote that can be wrapped in the tattered banner of saving the children, so that little or no thought will be given to it by the vast majority. It is an appeal to a mass audience intent on the prurient, eager to see naked children and imagine all that goes on. For surely, where there is flesh there is sex.

I hate to burst your bubble, but let’s take a good look at the real situation. While there are some nude resorts that feature wild swinging and sex, they usually don’t admit children and tend to have one thing in common: they are not members of the American Association for Nude Recreation or The Naturist Society. The quickest way to get your bare butt kicked and tossed out into the nearest bramble patch is to go to a place affiliated with one of these organizations and try to make with the swinging. If you want to get hurt, show an improper interest in the kids, and be warned that it may be the kids that hurt you the worst.

Behavior at affiliated locations is subject to strong rules, including the fact that in most if not all, any sexual activity of any type can and will get you bounced. Public displays of affection are limited, and strangers will be monitored. How do I know this? Simple, I have gone to some of them and to some events by these groups. I have had the rules explained to me and I have cheerfully submitted to the vetting and monitoring process.

Why did I do it? There are several reasons. Some are tied to body image problems, problems exacerbated by the paedophile who pawed me. Intellectual curiosity also played a part, as I wondered what it was like. I took the challenge issued by Mary Stewart in The Crystal Cave to heart when I was young, and have availed myself of as many opportunities to learn as I could.

What did I find? An interesting and diverse mix of folks, with most of them being quite nice. There were a few characters, but I was struck by the lack of certain types as well. There were very few “bad” feeling people there, and I found out that they don’t tend to last. Anyone who shows an inappropriate interest in children quickly finds the gate – with their clothes if they are lucky.

One thing that struck me about most of the people, but especially the children, was that they were comfortable with themselves. They were not ashamed of themselves or their bodies. Yes, there was some of the usual “I need to loose weight” stuff, but little or no unhealthy obsession. One nice thing appeared to be that older kids seemed to help those entering awkward phases and needed some reassurance. I must admit, I do wonder what my life would have been like had I had a better self image, and some positive peer reinforcement, both before and after the predator.

The children I met were friendly, ran the typical ranges of interests and behaviors, and seemed to be better than average at spotting problem adults. Indeed, I have heard of studies that suggest they are indeed better at such, and at avoiding many of those that prey on non-nudist/naturist children. In short, I saw no harm done and lots of good reinforcement ranging from behavior to health. Hardly an imminent threat to the wellbeing of American youth. Then again, demagogues rarely let mere fact stand in the way.

For those of you that my experience does not convince, I will ask you to consider the following. What is liberty and justice for all? What price individual liberty? What price family?

We are proud to say at the close of the Pledge “With Liberty and Justice For All.” Yet, our government increasingly seems to honor this only in the breech. All manner of things are now considered unacceptable, particularly where new subjects – excuse me, children – are involved.

This raises the question of individual liberty. What are the limits of such? Do we own our own bodies, or are they the property of the State? Laws now passed protect your body from yourself, from efforts to limit or eliminate tattoos and piercings from new laws being introduced to outlaw your being nude or naked – much less nekkid – in your own home. Think that is an exaggeration? Then check the legislative calendars in the states and in Congress. Take a hard look at all the laws designed to protect you from yourself, whether you want that protection or not. You have the right to make choices in your life, provided that they are ones that those who know better than you do say are the right choices. Make a choice that others say is not optimal, and see what happens.

What price family? The family is the unit cherished in the abstract by politicians, but abhorred in practice. The family is what your betters tell you it is. It is mom and pop, apple pie, public school, and… Yet, the family is the target of perhaps more laws than about any other facet of our life. Take a look at the legal codes Federal and State that apply to families, particularly to the right of the Government to seize children for their own good. Take a look at how little it takes in many cases, and how easy it is to apply those broad-brush laws. Go do a quick search through the blogs and look at the volume of horror stories there are, stories rarely covered by the Old Media. Take a look, and be afraid.

So, let me ask. Which do you prefer: a country where you are free to do as you feel best, or one where your betters tell you what you may do – with permission? How do you feel about politicians and pundits who look at a nude child and see a sex object, versus caring parents and other adults who look at them and see a person? What does it really say about the politicians and pundits who look at a nude child and see a sex object? What does it say about them that they are willing to demonize a group, and set aside some of the fundamental tenets of the Republic and the oaths they swore simply for the gain of personal fame and fortune?

In my book, it says nothing good. Facts seem to suggest that nudist/naturist children are not harmed by the experience, and even appear to come out ahead on several levels. Even if not, what this comes down to is a choice between liberty and justice for all or sliding further down the path of exchanging Citizenship for being a subject. Is not the greater harm here trading away their rights and their freedoms for selfish gain today? The children, our children, deserve better than that.

It would have been very easy to do, but as a child I had a lesson in this from my father. In a spark of 5-year-old spirit, I announced that I hated the Japanese, because they had killed my Uncle Foster in WWII. Dad sat me down, and explained that he did not blame the Japanese people as a whole, and why he did not even though he had helped fight them. That lesson stuck, and at no time since have I ever held the people of a nation as a group with hatred.

Have I hated, disliked, or even cordially loathed individuals? You bet your bippy I did and I do. Have I identified movements or groups within a nation as a target or thing for concern or action? Yes, I have and I will do so. For anyone who does not do this is a fool, and is destined to repeat history in very bad ways.

For example, I know from Jack’s site that the term Wahabism Delenda Est! appears to bother him greatly. He apparently sees it as a broad racial slur, rather than a statement of fact. I disagree with it on one level in that I think it should be Islamofascism Delenda Est! because I think that while Wahabism is a large part of the problem it is by far not all of it. It is the greater whole, the linking of various groups sharing a common ideology that demands a return to a 12th century idealized way of life, the destruction of almost all research and development, the elimination of all non-approved literature, the elimination of most music and art, and in short the elimination of Western Civilization that is a grave threat. They are an enemy, and they like any other fascist group or cause should be the enemy of anyone with half a brain.

Does this mean that I hate them? As a group no, on an individual level, yes. Does the need for avoiding even the appearance of hate mean that we should not identify those that do hate us and want to destroy us? No. We must do so, for we have a moral duty to identify such threats and to deal with them as needed.

Identification is not hate.

Calling for the elimination of a threat is not hate.

Killing those who would kill us is not hate.

These acts can be called many things, from regrettable to necessary, but they are not hate. Like all things, they can be misused, but with respect to Jack I think he is way off base on this. When John at Castle Argghhh! made his post, he was quite clear that what he was stating was a position based on fact. It was an identification of an enemy, it was a clarification of position, and it was a declaration of war on both the concept of moral equivalence and one of the root causes of modern Islamofascism. Pointing out a problem, and calling it for what it is, is NOT hate, racism, or any other PC doublespeak term. It may not pleasant or polite, but it is not hate. I point out to you and everyone else that at no time was a blanket pogrom called for: no nuke all Arabs, no kill all followers of Islam, but rather a call to wage total war against a targeted enemy who has sworn to destroy us and our way of life.

Nor have I ever called for the destruction of, or war against, the French people. I have no love of their government, but I know also that in France there are good, kind, and decent people in all walks of life just as there are in any other country. The fact is, that for those old enough to remember the war and its immediate aftermath there is a strong sense that America should be honored and thanked for what they did. They recognize the sacrifice because it was a part of their life. For those under 50, it is less so and if you look at recent surveys those under 30 feel essentially NO obligation or cause for thanks.

In large measure, this is because the war is not real to them, it was not a part of their life. It was never made a part of their life because if you check one of the most popular history texts in schools there, you might just find that only about two paragraphs are devoted to Normandy. They learn much more about how bad it was to live in the occupation and what came after, but very little about the war itself and most particularly the invasion.

Do I hate these children because they are, deliberately, being raised without knowledge of history? No. I pity them for that and because their government is selling them down the river on several levels. I would educate them and reach out to them, but never hate them.

Do I hate the government of France? That is a hard one to answer, for I hold it and its leaders in nothing short of utter contempt. I dislike the stated goals of said government, most especially its anti-American stance. It was not America who declared France an enemy of peace despite rampant corruption and open connivance with our enemies; no, instead it was the government of France that declared America an enemy of peace and acknowledged a strategy of containment against America. Is calling out the hatred of the leaders of France, of the corruption, of the connivance, of the determination to humble America so that France can once again be a world power hatred? Not hardly.

As for the specific item that I cited, it was one of dozens that could have been chosen. Some were from the street, and some unconscionable insults were from members of the French government. What would have been the reaction if members of the U.S. Government had tried to muzzle a visiting French dignitary in the same way as was directed at Bush? Is it hatred to point these things out, to let the institutions and individuals within those institutions show themselves for what they are? Not hardly.

Do I hate the people of France? Not hardly. Does this mean that I will not work to make changes in our policy and our thought to reflect the reality that the government of France is openly and profoundly anti-American? Not hardly. By tackling this now, we can avoid worse problems to come, for there are many types of appeasement. Appeasement never works, but education does. I would rather see efforts now that might not be pleasant, but educational for all sides, than to see true hatred and true bigotry come into being.

Calling something for what it is, is not hatred. Doing something about a problem need not be hatred. Failing to call something for what it is and failing to do something about it is self-hatred, and self-defeating. I have no wish to fall into that trap, nor do I wish to fall into the trap of hatred. I will tell all readers now that if you feel that honesty and action are hatred, then do not read in the days ahead. For I will be making recommendations, and I will assure you now that they do not come from the heat of anger. Rather, they come from the cold of logic, and the warmth of hope that understandings can be reached before circumstances make things inevitable and irrevocable.

NOTE: The information previously included on The Man Who Never Was has been removed because it may be in error. The link provided indicates that this was done for the Sicily campaign and not D-Day. There are other citations, less authoritative, that indicate it was done for D-Day as a part of Fortitude/Fortitude South. As I am unable at this time to find my original citation for D-Day, I have removed the material and ammended the post in order to remove/avoid error.

Deception plans take time, planning, and a lot of preparation. Indeed, the preparation phase requires years, both to gather information on the enemy, and to lay the foundation for the operation. Indeed, the preparations may even be started long before a specific need is identified. Such was the case with the deception operations surrounding D-Day.

The work for D-Day actually began in the late 1930s, and began hitting its stride around 1940. Penetration of German codes allowed the British, and later the Allies, to read the mail as it were. This not only provided operational intelligence, but also insight into German perceptions on people and events. This applied not only to major military and political figures, but also to sources of intelligence.

As Nazi agents were identified through various means, they were usually either turned or controlled. In addition, false agents were planted on German intelligence, and one of the hallmarks of these operations were the establishment of extensive, and entirely fictitious, espionage networks in England. What this allowed the Allies to do was to feed information through a number of agents, and monitor how that information was received in Berlin and field commands. By submitting accurate, timely, and harmless information; accurate but just late; and, false but believable information, counter-intelligence types were able to groom agents and false agents with the Germans, so that they became golden for the Nazis.

These agents became very trusted, and the Nazi high command, military and political, came to trust them implicitly. It is important to realize that these agents often worked for different organizations: some were army intelligence, some naval, some Gestapo, and others worked for yet different organizations. This was a key element to the deception plan. Because these agents were technically independent, the information they got was compared against each other. In this way, if several agents or networks reported the same thing, and that thing checked out other ways, it was believable. It also allowed the Allies to seed information to Berlin. What is done in this process is that one agent would send some bit of information that by itself was nothing, and others would be fed similar bits. When all these bits came together in Berlin, they formed a picture. This still is the heart of a lot of good intelligence work: connecting the dots. In this case, however, it meant that a false picture could be sent and the reaction to it monitored.

Doing all this does indeed take a lot of time and effort. Yet, good counter-intelligence does it as a matter of course even when a major operation or need is not yet identified. Properly done, this groundwork can be used multiple times for multiple projects. Small actions can be encouraged or diverted; disinformation presented; and, major operations supported.

There were two main secrets to be kept in 1944: where and when. If you know where, you can fortify and reinforce. If you know when, you can put everyone on the ready, move troops around, and generally be prepared to make life hell for the invader. In this case, the Germans were well on the way to completing their Atlantic Wall on the coast of France, which made life difficult for planners. Yet, because hints had already been leaked, they were concentrating on the more “obvious” landing zones where France and England were in close proximity. Most reserve troops were in that region as well. This was a state of affairs the Allies wanted to encourage, so three major efforts were initiated.

The first is what I call Operation Patton. From reading the mail, it was known that the Germans (among others) considered General Patton to be the best and most dangerous battlefield commander the Allies possessed. Therefore, they felt that he would lead any invasion and paid very close attention to him and his movements.

Ruthlessness is a necessary component of warfare, and in this case it manifested on several levels. When General Patton slapped the soldier, it gave high command a tremendous opportunity, and they seized it with both hands. Patton was relieved of his command, and sent essentially on a tour around the Eastern end of the Mediterranean. The panic this caused German high command is touched on in the movie a bit, and it was a panic. Units were pulled out of Italy and France to reinforce Greece and elsewhere, which also resulted in pulling more units out of France to help stem the advance in Italy. It also allowed the counter-intelligence agents to get a final read and tweak some plans.

Patton was then smuggled into England, and German intelligence agents were then allowed to “discover” is presence. This discovery quickly led to others, including that Patton would command an army group once again that was tasked with heading up the invasion of Europe. The Germans quickly dubbed it Army Group Patton, and put a large amount of resources to work finding out everything possible. Units were moved into the Pas de Calais area to monitor the radio traffic that could be picked up. Planes flew dedicated reconnaissance missions to photograph encampments and equipment. Agents skulked around the outskirts of the area, and in the process the Germans developed a myopic gaze, never realizing that their fixation was a thing of rubber, air, wood, and paper.

Contrary to Hollywood, Patton was well aware that he was part of a deception plan. He knew that he would command the Third Army at some point in the future, and put in time and effort in preparing it. Doing this took a lot of skill, and made full use of his personality. Visits to his public army group were made with sirens blaring and all the showmanship that had attended his moves in North Africa and Sicily. They were as loud, splashy, and covered by reporters as possible. Unknown to most everyone, however, was the fact that Patton would sneak quietly away to do his work with Third Army. Indeed, the watchword from him was “I am not here” and he made it stick.

Yet, there were cracks in the mask and that is where the vast network of real and planted agents came into play. Information was carefully fed to and through them to buttress the mask and hide the cracks. Bits and pieces flowed through the different channels to accomplish this bit of illusion. Think of it as makeup on the mask.

Yet and still, something more was needed. The Allies were well aware that they were building a false picture and how it was being done. Given that we were doing it to them, there is a legitimate concern that they might be doing it to us too. This is a strong concern within intelligence/counter-intelligence circles to this day, so everyone goes looking for corroborating evidence that is independent of all known networks.

As much such information as possible was put forward in an operation known as Fortitude (listed as Fortitude South in some sources) which did its best to hide the cracks. The work here has been discussed in books such as Fortitude: The D-Day Deception Campaign and Bodyguard of Lies. Many daring, dangerous, and brilliant actions -- large and small -- were undertaken for the operation. Their work was extremely successful.

D-Day came, and the troops went ashore. For all its size and complexity it was a tenuous thing who’s success was in doubt. Patton stood fast and he and his “army” were quite noisy. The real and fake agents and networks reported that Normandy was just a feint, and that Patton would make the real invasion at the Pas de Calais once troops had been drawn off to Normandy. Troops and tanks stayed where they were, and the small beachhead grew. For several weeks the issue was in doubt, and a determined counter-attack could have been successful. For several weeks, the maskirova was played for all it was worth, even at the risk of burning agents and networks. The tanks and troops stayed put, and the Allies gained the time they needed to turn a beachhead into a bridgehead. By the time the tanks moved, it was too late. The Allies were there to stay.

One of the ironies of the situation was that General Patton died never knowing the full extent of what he had done. He knew he was part of a deception, but did not know a lot more than that. He never knew the esteem in which he was held by the enemy, or even by those above him. To maintain the maskirova, he was never told the big picture, and he died before even the first parts of it were revealed.

The efforts by General Patton, the manipulation of Patton, the false information networks, and a message delivered by a man who was never there made the invasion possible, and kept it from being swept back into the sea. In all probability, thousands of lives were saved in the process. As we remember D-Day, let us also remember that not all fought on the beaches. Remember those who toiled and battled in anonymity to present a mask upon which the enemy fixated. For without their efforts, the longest day might have been even longer, bloodier, and a failure.

-30-

Additional Entries In The Blogburst Armada:
Joe Katzman (Blackfive's favorite Cannuck) at Winds of Change covers one of my parts of D-Day - The Canadians at Juno. The Canadians had some of the toughest fighting ahead of them on Juno Beach, and their objective was to stop the Germans from targeting the Americans on Omaha Beach. They performed brilliantly on June 6th, driving deeper into France than any other landing - and engaging the 21st Panzer before it could crush the American beachhead at Omaha. This is the story of one of the Canadians in Juno's first wave: Jim Wilkins, B Company, The Queen's Own Rifles. Includes a map and photo.

Chap of Chapomatic has written a post about the X-Craft - a small submarine that the Royal Navy used during the invasion and the impact it has on Chap's job today in the US Navy.

Sgt. Hook has a post about the valiant Coast Guard coxwains who were part of the landing. A Coast Guard coxswain on an LCVP later remarked, "My eyes were glued to the boat coming in next to ours, and on the water in between, boiling with bullets from hidden shore emplacements, like a mud puddle in a hailstorm. It seemed impossible that we could make it in without being riddled."

Grim Beorn of Grim's Hall has written about the Scot's role in the Invasion of Normandy. Grim adds in an email, "Since BBC Scotland has decided not to do a D-Day memorial for the Scots who fought there, we who have not forgotten will try."

Winds of Change guest blogger J.K.L. has a piece about the deceptions that were launched to keep the Germans guessing. Imagine preparing to land more than 1,000,000 men on 50 miles of beach. There will be more than 2,700 ships, 2,500 landing craft and 700 warships. Preparations for an assault on this scale couldn't be hidden or kept totally secret, so what could be done protect the identity of the actual target and confuse the enemy?

Dennis Morehouse of Fix Bayonetts has a post - Rescue at Normandy-The Matchstick Fleet - which tells the tale of the Coast Guard's 400 rescues during the D-Day landing.

Serenity has a post about the personal accounts of the heroes of D-Day. She provides pictures and links to more information about them.

Mammamontezz has written a poem - "Red Surf" - that'll be one of the most heartfelt poems you've read in a long, long time.

Charlie of Budaechigae has a post about one of the most interesting characters of the war - a Korean who was conscripted into the Japanese Army, captured by the Russians, conscripted into the Red Army, captured by the Germans, forced to defend portion of Utah Beach, and captured by the US Forces.

Dogtulosba Ink. has an examination of the German Fortress Europe defenses from a US Army Engineer perspective. He'll have more later on what our Engineers did to breech those defenses.

Teresa of Technicalities posts about the news media reaction to D-Day. As Teresa writes, "To those waiting at home it was not a day for rejoicing, it was a day for prayer, hope, fear, and contemplation."

Patti of Iraq War News - and who is related to George Patton - provides memories of the Patton family about one of General Patton's aides. For those who have seen the movie Patton, you'll instantly know which aide is remembered.

Deb from Marine Corps Moms has a great post (titled appropriately enough) - Home Front. As the allied forces fought for victory on the beaches of Normandy, those at home waited, watched, and worried. The home front was a vital part of the war effort and everyone was urged to contribute. Are things different today? Yes and no. The home front is still a vital part of the war effort and everyone can contribute.

Ith of Absinthe and Cookies has a really interesting post about the brave women of Britain's Special Operation Executive who risked torture and death at the hands of the Nazis collecting vital intelligence for the Allies in occupied Europe.

Greyhawk of the Mudville Gazette is forecasting the weather and will be talking of the war soon.

Jennifer of Jennifer's History and Stuff has a series about what life in France was like before the invasion - French History: The Occupation. Jennifer writes, "...the Occupation is the most-studied period of French history."

Donald Sensing of One Hand Clapping has written about The
awful stakes of D-Day: The alternate history of June 6, 1944 is too terrible to contemplate. He describes D-Day as one of the "pivot days of human history."

Eric the Straight White Guy has a post (his words, not mine) about "...a few jarheads that were present during the landing on Normandy."

John Cole of Balloon Juice writes about the men who fought in D-Day from the small town of Bedford, Virginia. His post has pictures, maps, and accounts of the Virginians.

Harvey of Bad Example (a former Sailor) has a post about the humor of the day. Why do a post about the humor of WWII and D-Day? According to Harv, "Because back during the early 40's, Americans didn't fear their enemies. They made fun of them."

Vox of Vox Popoli writes of the memories of war and how those of us of later generations remember their sacrifices.

Emigre with a Digital Cluebat offers up a poem dedicated to those who made the ultimate sacrifice on D-Day.

David of Airborne Combat Engineer has a post about the role of the Airborne Forces (Paratroopers and Gliders) in Operation Overlord.

Paul at Iraq War News has a photo-filled post about Combat Photographers.

Drill
Sergeant Rob of An American Soldier takes a look at the way the soldiers of Operation Overlord trained for war, from Basic Training to the Devon Coast in England prior to the invasion. And a look at how it parallels some of the training we conduct today, including how little the basics have changed over the last sixty years.

Michael at The Common Virtue has an interesting post about the Enigma machine. Captured German communications played a key role in defeating the Axis powers. The German military used the Enigma machine, a typewritter-like device, to code transmissions. With the help of captured Enigma machines, the German codes were broken and the Allied nations were able to monitor German troop movements and supply routes. These same codes lead to information, and disinformation, in conjuction with Operation Overlord on D-Day.

Andrew Olmstead has a post about the training our troops underwent for preparation for landing at Normandy. He includes the high price some training excercises incurred and their impact on D-Day.

Hans Nyberg has some really cool panorama photo shots of the D-Day locations. Check out the Pointe du Hoc to see how it must have looked to the Army Rangers.
There is also the Pegasus Bridge, St. Mere Eglise, and the HMS Belfast.

Theif's Den has a post and a radio blog with music from today and from the D-Day era...

Juliette of Baldilocks has posted President Reagan's speech atop the cliffs of the Pointe du Hoc.

Sarah of Trying to Grok has written about perceptions of D-Day by German students and thanks Joe and Tommy.

Cool Blue Blog has a post about Omaha Beach and the USS Arkansas (his father served aboard the Arkansas).

Paul at Sanity's Edge has a post about the Bangalore torpedoes and a link to the Reed Interview.

OkieMinnie Me has a post about the Minnesota Air Wing's role in D-Day (the same Air Wing that her husband serves in today).

Thanks to Blackfive for the links!

Ronald Wilson Reagan was my President, on many levels. Growing up, I have memories of the aftermath of Kennedy’s murder and very vivid memories of the Johnson years. Watergate was a watershed and things went rapidly downhill from there. Jimmy Carter promised to be my president, and I even did a bit of work for the campaign, but he lied and he failed me, just as I feel he failed the country. To say that I was cynical is an understatement, and unlike many I was well aware that there were sharks and worse in the water around us. One day I may tell some of the tales, but suffice it to say that I was one crying warning in the wilderness.

When Reagan began his run, I did not give him much credence, or chance of success. Then, I began to hear things and more importantly see them. There was change in the air, and this man was serious, even when he joked. He knew what he felt was right and what he felt was wrong, and he acted upon it. He worked, and worked hard, and gave credit where it was due or where he felt it was needed.

His detractors were legion, and he did not care. His enemies were numerous and large, but he saw the size for the hollowness it was. He held his beliefs strongly and completely, and never wavered on the core. He was determined, he was as ruthless as he needed to be, and he was far more subtle than many may realize for decades. He was compassionate and caring of people, of individuals, and a strong believer in individual liberty.

For his beliefs, he and they were considered simplisme, unsophisticated, and lacking in nuance. He was the cowboy, the 800 pound gorilla, the man who would destroy us all with his ignorance. Ifni, what a laugh.

What they and many failed to realize was that he was subtle, knew his weaknesses and took care to buttress against them, and determined to do right by the country and the world. Something they missed was that he was far more interested in being a statesman rather than a politician, for statesmen look to the long-range good of the country, not short-term self-interest.

The wall was torn down, by the people he inspired and freed. The Evil Empire imploded as well, as planned. Would that more had listened to him on what needed to be done afterwards, for that failure has cost us dearly. Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and a host of other countries have the opportunities so long denied them and the start of real freedom before them because of Ronald Reagan. Nor is that the entire list of his achievements, and I say unto you that the effective military we have today we owe to this man. His achievements were numerous and diverse, and defy easy listing.

And for that he is despised by many, for he showed the bankruptcy – literal and figurative – of Socialism and the Soviet Empire. He exposed the corrupt underpinnings, philosophical and operational, for all to see, but did not stop there. No, his worst sin was that he pointed towards better things, the light of liberty and opportunity, and in so doing raised up the heads of people everywhere. No longer was the darkness quite as scary, for there were great goals to be pursued and obstacles were things to be overcome, rather than accepted.

That is his legacy, and why he is my President. From malaise to health, from limits to opportunities, from equivalence to ideals. That set him apart, that made him great, and with that he made it so that we can all be great if we follow his example. And he set one hell of an example. His detractors will continue to nibble away as much and as often as they can in the dark, but his light continues to terrify them to this day. Pick up a brand and light a torch from the light that is his memory. Shine it around you, expose the darkness and those within it for what they and it are. Hold it high as a beacon for others, and in that way honor him by striving for new heights and new goals.

That is his legacy: he held high the beacon and challenged us to go even higher. Accept that challenge, and follow his example by forging ahead despite the naysayers and all who worship the dark. For as you stand tall and raise your own beacon in challenge, you raise his higher still. Together, we can and will do this, for this is the task, the challenge, and the opportunity that he leaves us. Pick up that welcome burden, and dare to do truly great things once again.

Thank you, My President. Thank you for doing what was right, for freeing a large chunk of the world and saving us in the process. Thank you for the great things you have inspired, and simply for being you. Thank you for giving me hope that the system could work and was not beyond repair. You were not perfect, and were the first to admit it, but you did good and did the best circumstances allowed. For that I thank you, and for that I honor you. May others do the same.

-30-

Go see Steve H. who nails it yet again.
Misha has some nice words too
The Commissar has some nice words and great links too
The Dissident Frogman also has good words.
Rand Simburg pays his respects.
Adrian Warnock share words from his side of the pond as well

First, look at the colour and the clarity. While there are some wines that should not be clear, the majority of what you are going to deal with every day should be clear. It used to be that clarity was a good indicator that the vintner was doing things right, while cloudy, murky, or wines with particles floating in it indicated that corners may have been cut and conditions during making and aging were less than ideal. This could indicate a bad wine, or it could indicate something that might make you blind. Today, it most likely means that vintner has done things right, including having a good knowledge of filtering/cold filtering.

The colour should indicate something about the wine. Very pale, almost clear wines for example, can indicate both a light wine and one that is delicate or has a single strong component. The richer the colour, the more robust it is likely to be. Ports, for example, are clear yet so rich in colour as to be very dark. None of this is an absolute indicator, but it serves as a guide. If you get a Chardonnay, for example, that is a very dark colour you may want to proceed with caution.

Once you have examined the colour and clarity, smell the wine. Take a whiff as it is just as it was poured into the glass. What smell or smells first hit your nose? What follows? Are there small smells, or notes, that show up later? Usually, this first sniff is dominated by one particular odor, but other notes can still emerge.

Now, swirl the wine in the glass. Smell it as you swirl, and then once you stop. How has the scent changed? Have new scents emerged? If not, the odds are it is not going to be a great glass of wine. The scent should be complex, a symphony if you will.

Appreciate it as a whole, but take it apart too. Do you smell fruit? If so, what types of fruit? You can smell a variety of apples, grapes, berries (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, etc.), plums, pears, lemons, limes, grapefruit, and more. You can smell earth and minerals, tobacco, chocolate, jams, flowers, and vines. When you smell these odors, try to narrow them down a bit to to identify the specifics, such as Granny Smith apples, dark chocolate, mission figs, etc. When people talk of tobacco they rarely mean as in a cigarette – they mean a tobacco barn or something similar. To get a better understanding of this flavor, find a tobacco barn or get with a good cigar store that can let you smell the major types of tobacco. Look for spices such as white pepper, black pepper, red pepper, cinnamon, cassis, cardamom, cloves, nutmegs, basil, dill, and other common spices and herbs. Look for all the elements.

Now, taste the wine. The human tongue is an amazing thing, and an extremely sensitive and sophisticated sensor. As the wine enters your mouth, look at how it feels and tastes at the tip of the tongue, the body, and along the sides. How does it feel in your mouth: full, so-so, or weak. How it “fills” your mouth speaks volumes to a wine.

Repeat a similar process as with smelling: break it down to the components. Draw out the individual flavors and look at how they are put together. Often, flavors can differ from the scent, so seek out those difference and appreciate them. For example, a white wine may have a buttery taste that does not appear in the nose (smell), or a red wine may have spices that show up at different times and different parts of the tongue.

Run some air through the wine to see what new flavors come out. This can be done with tact, but it is crucial to releasing more flavors and things that might be hidden.

Now, consider it as a whole flavor like a meal. Have all the flavors come together? Has it lived up to the nose and colour? Do the different parts complement each other in a positive way?

Finally, how does it finish? Does it leave a bitter taste in the mouth? Sweet? Cloyingly sweet? Sour? Or does it provide a nice finish that fades slowly out? Do any new flavors or concepts show up on the finish? How does it taste in your mouth a minute or three after you swallow?

In a truly good wine, everything should now come together as a whole. The scent, the taste, the mouthfeel, and even the colour should combine to produce a symphony within the mouth.

As a final thought, consider that much of life can be treated as a glass of wine. If we take the time to appreciate all the individual parts, the whole can be appreciate anew.

-30-

I could send everything back to the factory for replacement and repair, or I could get a new one. I chose to get a new one for several reasons, not the least being that the new ones can have batteries changed by the user, the strap is a lot more comfortable, and with the functions I got I can get a far better read on my workouts than ever before. The really good news using it this morning is that my highs were not as bad as what it had reported; and, the bad news is that the good readings I had been getting were off too. Since I have plugged in all sorts of physiometric data and set my zone, I get better reporting of what is being done. According to the file today, I worked out for 1 hour and a bit over 53 minutes, was in zone for almost 1 hour and 41 minutes, burned 2,288 Kcal with 25 percent of that being fat. I can live with that, but am less than happy that the base I’ve been trying to build is not where I thought it was. Oh well, a few more weeks before I can start into serious fat burn. Things could be worse.

In response to a beauteous friend, no, I am not working out too much. Not enough is probably more like it. To answer some other questions and such: I don’t care about weight and am not even considering it at this point. My goals are to set a base level of cardiac fitness, finish changing my metabolism, and lower my percentage of body fat. What this will mean in practical terms is a low resting pulse rate (40 bpm is the target), a quick recovery time, about a 32 inch waist, and the ability to take a 75 lb or heavier pack and do 20 miles a day at about 10,000 ft ASL. The weight will stabilize where it should and take care of itself if I have good cardiac health, a proper metabolism, and the right ration of lean to fat. We will see.

-30-

This date marks the beginning of the end for one of the worst tyrannies the world has ever seen. The men who fought here, and those that died here, did not do so for pay. They did not do so for glory, though their actions have covered them in it. They did so in defense of individual freedom and liberty. These men fought for their countries, to protect home and hearth, but they also fought for the greater good of all mankind.

They did this because the leaders of the day had failed to do so. There were many opportunities to deal with the terror that was Nazism, and those chances were squandered. The leaders of the day placed politics and self-interest ahead of their duty to their countries and to the world. As a result of their short-sightedness, millions died and millions more paid the price. These men we honor here today fought and died to correct these failures of leadership. They fought and died to give everyone a second chance.

Today, sadly, we face a similar situation. Politics and self-interest once again rule the day, and the threat is now to billions. A new terror has emerged, the terror if Islamofacism, and it is even more virulent than that of Nazism. Yet, there are those who would put efforts to seize power, secure lucrative contracts for themselves and national companies, and otherwise follow the discredited practices of leadership that created the need for the action we honor here today. They seek to appease for little more than personal gain, and in so doing have chosen to stand with the enemies of civilization instead of against them.

I have stated many times that in this new war, you are either for us, or with them. The actions and comments of some leaders has made it clear that they stand with them. This date marks a dark chapter where for the second time in less than 50 years it was necessary to save those who would not save themselves. There will be no third time.

Accordingly, I have issued executive orders to collect all previous war debts going back to the First World War, the Second World War, and for defense debts related to the Cold War. Ambassadors are hereby submitting those bills to the governments of France, Germany, Belgium, and Russia, among others, and those payments will be regarded as due in full immediately. I have further issued an order to extend the concept of extraterritoriality to all cemeteries such as this one. They may be here, but the land has been bought with our dearest blood, and we will honor and treat these areas as our own soil.

Realizing that this is indeed an enormous debt, and that the world economy is a fragile thing, I am also presenting an option by which all such debts will be forgiven with no money or consideration to be delivered to the United States of America. I will forgive those debts if the countries in question forgive all debts incurred by or under the previous government in Iraq in full, declare all sweetheart deals and contracts public and private made with the previous regime to be null and void, and that all sales of high technology, weapons, nuclear power or other related technology to Iran, Syria, and North Korea be stopped immediately.

Just as the League of Nations failed in its duties to the world, and to the men and women we honor here today, so to has the United Nations. This is another mistake that we cannot afford to repeat. Accordingly, I have issued an executive order freezing all payments to the United Nations, and a bipartisan bill is being introduced today to Congress for the United States to formally withdraw from that corrupt and ineffective institution. Know that we are evaluating all our alliances and partnerships, and that we will honor those who are true allies, and repudiate those who fail to keep their commitments.

Those we honor here today did not fight and die in vain. The tyranny of that time was defeated, and the lessons of history laid bare to all. We have learned that lesson and will not yet again the mistakes of the last century. The precious blood of our young men and women will not be shed in the same places and for the same tired reasons yet again. We will not rescue those who fail to save themselves. Our efforts, and our blood, will be expended on those who want change and growth, who fight tyranny, and who desire a better world of peace and individual freedom and liberty. We will fight against the new darkness so that millions of lives need not be lost, and millions more pay the price.

Choose now and choose wisely where you stand, for we will not repeat the mistakes of history yet again. To those with us today who were here that fateful day, I give you my sincere, full, and humble thanks. It is a pleasure to be here with those who still stand so tall. To those that died here, we remember you and treasure your sacrifice. Know all of you that what you did stands as a beacon to the world.

-30-

The first wine was Hinman Vineyards 2002 Oregon Riesling. It has a clear straw colour and a crisp sweet nose of vine and flowers over green apple. The mouthfeel is nice, sweet but not overly sweet with flavors of green apple and grapes, with a following note of honeysuckle nectar and a nice finish.

The second wine was Hinman Vineyards 2001 Oregon Pinot Gris. It has a clear/straw pale colour and a nose that is light yet sharp with fruit when it does come out. The mouthfeel is medium and nicely balanced with grape and green fruit, and a sharp finish with hints of spice and mineral.

The third wine was Cooper Mountain Vineyards 1999 Willamette Valley Estate Bottled Oregon Chardonnay. The colour is a very pale gold and the nose is different: earthy in a way reminiscent of beef stew, followed by wood. The mouthfeel is full with a dry start of earth and mineral over fruit, with a faint vine/wood taste coming out. It has a pleasant finish that is slightly sweet but crisp.

The fourth wine was Rabbit Ridge 2003 Paso Robles Rabbit Rose. The colour was a light raspberry red with a nose of sweet red fruit, reminiscent of a snow cone. The mouthfeel was sharp and sweet, with medium mineral over raspberry and red berries, with some spice and white pepper showing up on the finish.

The final wine was Rabbit Ridge 2001 Paso Robles Brunello Clone Sangiovese. It has a celar deep cherry red colour and a nice nose of leather with a hint of spice. The mouthfeel was medium to medium-light and filled with leather, chocolate, and red fruit under mineral, with spice on the sides at the finish.

A very nice tasting, so you should come on out and take part.

-30-