Inauguration Fun

President George Bush is splurging $40 million on balls, concerts and candlelit dinners for his inauguration celebrations. He and his supporters plan to celebrate with fireworks and several days of parties, including a Black Tie and Boots Ball and nine other balls.

Don't worry though, companies and individual donors, not taxpayers, are footing the bill for the festivities.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Bush-defends-inauguration-celebrations/2005/01/18/1105810913457.html?oneclick=true#

By the way, if you look at the Official Bush Inauguration Celebrations Website you will see some interesting things. http://www.inaugural05.com/

* Check out the Official Countdown to The Inauguration Clock.
* Drop by the Official Inaugural Gift Shop (AKA: GOP Shoppe) : http://www.inauguralgiftshop.com/cgi-bin/ishop
What income bracket do you think they are expecting to buy this stuff?

• Accessories: Money Clips, Cufflinks, Lapel Pin, Tie Bar
• Crystal: Paperweight. Flute Set, Jewelry Box, Crystal Bell
• Medallians: Silver Medallion, Bronze Medallion

* Check out the Major Donor Information page (Remember these are ONLY the Major ones.): http://www.inaugural05.com/donors/

Into Bush? Do not view.

A friend sent this short educational filmstrip to me.

She said it was funny.

I don't.

Let me know what you think.

http://filmstripinternational.com/

When I wrote this there were 1 days, 23 hours,23 minutes, 54 seconds until

The 55th Presidential Inauguration

http://www.inaugural05.com

Four More Years.

wip dee

doo

Losing a couple of soldiers

"The story of what we've done in the postwar period is remarkable. ... It is a better and more important story than losing a couple of soldiers every day."
George Nethercutt (R-WA)

Thinking....

I wonder what he means by this?

1. Trying to figure out what he means by remarkable.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines remarkable as worthy of being or likely to be noticed especially as being uncommon or extraordinary.

Well that does not necessarily mean good. After all in the Harry Potter books the author often states that Lord Voldemort is remarkable and extraordinary. "Terrible but extraordinary"

2. What ever he meant by remarkable, he said the story about it is a better and more important story than the story of losing a couple of solders. Okay, maybe my understanding of the word story is flawed.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary definition of Story
1 archaic : HISTORY 1, 32 a : an account of incidents or events b : a statement regarding the facts pertinent to a situation in question c : ANECDOTE; especially: an amusing one3 a : a fictional narrative shorter than a novel; specifically : SHORT STORY b : the intrigue or plot of a narrative or dramatic work4 : a widely circulated rumor5 : LIE, FALSEHOOD6 : LEGEND, ROMANCE7 : a news article or broadcast8 : MATTER, SITUATION
Which one does he mean?

3. Maybe I should look up the work postwar, too.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary does not have it online. Googled definition. Princton.edu defines it.
postwar (vs. prewar) -- (belonging to the period after a war; "postwar resettlement"; "postwar inflation")

So, the war is over?

Then why are there still so many solders and civilians dying?

Sunday January 16, 2005
From Today In Iraq- http://dailywarnews.blogspot.com/
One US Marine killed fighting in Babil province.

Five Iraqi soldiers killed in two attacks near Samarra.

Three Iraqi civilians wounded in ambush of US troops near Kut.

Thirteen Iraqis killed by insurgents near Latifiyah.

US patrol ambushed in Mosul.

One Iraqi policeman killed, four wounded in attack on checkpoint in Kirkuk.

US helicopter makes “emergency landing” near Mosul.

Well it looks as though there were more than a couple solders killed in just 1 day.

Who is George Nethercutt and why is he talking about things he does not seem to understand?

Googled him this is what I found: Representative George NETHERCUTT (R)5th Congressional District, WashingtonRepublican, Years of Service: 9 The American Conservative Union rates him quite high. http://acuratings.com/acu.cgi?ACT=1&USER_ID=3723&YEAR=2003

Nethercutt is a member of the House Appropriations Committee that approved President Bush's $87 billion request for military and reconstruction expenses in Iraq and Afghanistan. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/143771_nethercutt14.html

His credentials make it sounds as though he should know better.

Oh, he said this back on October 13, 2004. Well I guess things have changed a lot since then. What if I look at death toll on that one day?

http://icasualties.org/oif/ Death toll

US Specialist Jaime Moreno Baghdad (eastern part) Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack

US Specialist Jeremy F. Regnier Baghdad (western part) Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack

US Lieutenant Colonel Mark P. Phelan Mosul (NE part) Hostile - hostile fire - suicide car bomb

US Major Charles R. Soltes Jr. Mosul (NE part) Hostile - hostile fire - suicide car bomb

US 2nd Lieutenant Paul M. Felsberg Al Anbar Province Hostile - hostile fire

US Lance Corporal Victor A. Gonzalez Al Anbar Province Hostile - hostile fire

US Specialist Ronald W. Baker

Landstuhl Reg. Med. Ctr. Hostile - hostile fire - car bomb

Wounded 13-Oct-04 thru 19-Oct-04

90=Wounded in Action Return to Duty within 72 hours

64 = Wounded in Action Not Return to Duty within 72 hours

This is only US solders. How many civilians were killed and wounded?

Okay, now I am even more lost than I was when I started.

What was he thinking?

HAPPY NEW YEAR?

After realizing I had not yet sent my New Year's greeting I wondered if it was too late to send it.

Then I thought, the year is 365 days long, I am only 3 days late.

(3/365) x 100 = 0.82%

Only 0.82% late?

Heck, for me this is early!!!

H A P P Y- N E W -Y E A R !!!!

Children

v B b C f E h H p I N T Yv B b C f E h H p I N T Y

• I wonder how boys live long enough to propagate
• I wonder how mothers survive raising sons.
• I wonder how fathers, knowing what they were like as young men, survive raising daughters.