Black Friday Madness - Tri Cities

Black Friday Shopper: “It was chaos. And it was just crazy noise” ~ BHC

Sales strong as shoppers swarm Johnson City mall. ~KTN

Good reports.

Technorati Tags: Shopping, Christmas

Black Friday Madness

(CBS/AP) A worker died after being trampled by a throng of unruly shoppers when a suburban Wal-Mart opened for the holiday sales rush Friday, authorities said.
At least three other people were injured. ....Police also said a 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for observation and three other shoppers suffered minor injuries and were also taken to hospitals.....Also, in Missouri, a vehicle hit two Black Friday shoppers...LINK & Video

Merry Christmas.

Technorati Tags: Death, Walmart, Black Friday, Shopping, Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving

From our hearts to your house.

Turn up your volume, hold down the control button and click here.

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving

71% Fail Civic Literacy Test

If there is any presidential speech that has captured a place in popular culture, it is the Gettysburg Address, seemingly recited by school children for decades. The truth is, however, Lincoln’s most memorable words are now remembered by very few.

Of the 2,508 Americans taking ISI’s civic literacy test, 71% fail. Nationwide, the average score on the test is only 49%. The vast majority cannot recognize the language of Lincoln’s famous speech.

The test contains 33 questions designed to measure knowledge of America’s founding principles, political history, international relations, and market economy.LINK

Is anyone surprised?

Technorati Tags: America, History

RPV vs Bloggers - A Simple Question

I am curious as to what it is exactly all these bloggers want from the RPV? It seems that is the main theme of the complaint - The RPV is not reaching out to bloggers. Nothing new there. Chad Dotson was addressing this subject years ago. The next thing is that Chairman Frederick does not read blogs. Wow! Frederick is just like 95% of Virginians because they don't read blogs either. I am afraid a little of that Swelled Head I am Important virus that infects the Raising Kaine crowd has also infected the right side.

One could easily ask some of these complaining bloggers - How many volunteers did you organize for your candidate by blogging? How much money did your blog raise for your candidate? How many doors did your blog organized volunteers knock on? Phone calls made? Register voters? Give rides to the polls? Because that is what is really needed. One grass roots worker is worth 10 bloggers and I bet any candidate would agree.

Are you getting the picture? Raising Kaine was not successful with Tim Kaine and Jim Webb because of wonderful news breaking blog posts. They used the blog to organize grassroot support then worked their asses of on the ground work I mention above. Did the DPV reach out to them? Compare Kos's numbers to Redstate - Do we blame the RNC for that?

So please tell me what exactly it is you want the RPV and Frederick to do. I am all ears.

Technorati Tags: Blogging, Virginia GOP, Virginia Politics

Rocket Man Video

Technorati Tags: Rocket

No Christmas in Staunton?

SWAC Girl - Staunton goes politically correct & renames Christmas parade.

I hate this PC bullshit. It's Christmas for me, always has been and always will be. It represents way more than a "Holiday"

Technorati Tags: Christmas

Another blogger for John Brownlee

Loudoun Insider over at Too Conservative has a post up declaring his support of John Brownlee.

"John Brownlee has an amazing resume and would provide the perfect balance to the statewide ticket. He’s a former Army Ranger and US Attorney with unassailable credentials."

Indeed. Read the comments and add your thoughts. I share many of LI's views. I believe Brownlee is the stronger statewide candidate. His experience is more inline with what I am looking for in a AG. His resume is a campaign managers dream. His history is 100% public service. Military, Prosecutor, court after court battle he represented us, Democrats and Republicans alike. He will have bipartisan support in the coalfields.

I am not against Cooch, but Brownlee is the stronger candidate. Cooch is more inline with the Lt Gov position in my opinion. I challenged readers a few months ago to give me the name of a conservative candidate that can hold Cooch's senate seat. So far I have not received a reply....Brownlee is the more logical choice for many reasons. Give it some thought.

Technorati Tags: Ken Cuccinelli, John Brownlee, Virginia GOP

A Couple New Hen & Rooster Pocket Pals

Great bone handles.

Technorati Tags: Knives, Hen & Rooster

The Santa Train and Tons of Toys

The Santa Train made its trip yesterday. The Kingsport and Bristol papers both have reports and video.

Singer Kathy Mattea went along for the 110 mile ride. The toys are what the train is known for. Tons of toys!

More commonly called the Santa Train, the cooperative effort of the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce, Food City and CSX Transportation distributed more than 15 tons of gifts Saturday at 14 stops from Shelby, Ky., to downtown Kingsport.

A big thank you to the above mentioned and all the other volunteers that keep this coalfield tradition alive.

Technorati Tags: Santa Train, Christmas

The Salt Lick Has a Dream

A comment from a post on Jerry's blog -

Salt Lick said...

I have a dream.
Everything we know predicts Obama will push a semi-socialist, big government agenda, but what Hanson describes contains a glimmer of my dream --
Obama serves two terms of only a mildly left-of-center tenure and leaves office a "success."
Following his example, young black men adopt the example of a bookish, successful family man, and the black illegitimacy rate of 70% falls precipitously. Studying hard is no longer considered "acting white." Blaming race for failure is considered a cop-out. Blackness becomes as important as being Irish.
I have a dream link

Dream or fantasy? We can only hope.

Technorati Tags: Hope, Change, Barack Hussein Obama

Lowell Feld, Brian Patton and his Swelled Head Bloggers Quit

As we say down south, BYE. The democrats flagship Virginia blog crawfishes and quits.

Copy all those anti religion posts to share with SWVA as we want to help Brian and Lowell out.

Bwaaaaa haahaahaahaa!!!!!!!

Technorati Tags: Lowell Feld, Brian Patton,

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Videos

Saturday Night

Sunday Morning

Technorati Tags: Randy Travis, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Music, Video

Saturday Silliness

For those in need of a good laugh we present Totally Looks Like.....

Technorati Tags: humor

Setting the Record Straight on this Jason Kenney, Bloggers vs the RPV - Keep the ODBA out of your quarrel.

Most bloggers have linked to the post on Bearing Drift by Jason Kenney titled "New Media And The RPV" A mere nine lines into the post Jason writes

"Here in Virginia we have two Republican blog circles: The Old Dominion Blog Alliance and The Jeffersoniad."

That is a false statement about the ODBA. In its history the ODBA has never been a "Republican blog circle." We are a group made up of right of center bloggers. Being a Republican is not and has never been a requirement for ODBA membership. Jason Kenney knows this, so why he made that statement is beyond me. He fully knows the ODBA has Libertarians, Constitution party, and independents as members, but we are all right of center. I spoke with Alton about this and he is also troubled by Jason's statement and why he chose to bring the ODBA into this fracas. That is a good question. Why?

Let us be clear - The ODBA is not involved and has no interest in getting involved. The ODBA members are free to get involved, take sides, but that is the individual bloggers choice and it has absolutely nothing to do with the ODBA as a group. The Groups name should have never been brought up in this dispute. It is misleading to say the least. The ODBA has no quarrel with Jeff Frederick or the Advance format.

Technorati Tags: RPV, Old Dominion Blog Alliance

Best picture goes to....

The Red Queen.....Amazing!

Technorati Tags: Photography, Pictures

John Brownlee Visits SWAC Land

Chris Green has the report in his post John Brownlee Addresses Augusta County GOP. Chris cuts to the heart of the matter as he relates a story of someone trying to knock Brownlee. He writes -

This individual said to me, Don't support Brownlee, he prosecuted a fellow Republican. My reply was, well, was the Republican Guilty? He replied, well... yeah, and I responded, Well, what's the problem?

The point being, corruption has to be rooted out, and overlooking a fellow Republican who is corrupt just because of party label, makes us no better than the Democrats.... Seriously, look at all the ugly Chicago politicians in Barrack Hussein Obama's inner circle.

Then consider that freaking egotistical Republican Senator Stevens in Alaska.....

Integrity is what it's all about.

Integrity is something Brownlee has in abundance. He has devoted over 20 years to public service. His mother was a school teacher for 40 years. His father was a "decorated Army officer and Vietnam veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat and earned two Silver Stars for valor. John’s father retired in 2004 as the acting Secretary of the Army."

John is a Army veteran.

Brownlee entered the U.S. Army and volunteered for the Infantry. John was selected for the Commandant’s List from his Infantry Officer Basic Course, and successfully completed the Airborne, Ranger and Air Assault training programs. Brownlee was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) at Ft. Myer, Virginia, where he led an infantry rifle platoon. In 1997, Brownlee transferred to the Judge Advocate General Corps (USAR) where he served for 10 years. Brownlee received an honorable discharge in 2007 at the rank of major. In 1991, Brownlee entered law school at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, graduating in 1994. After graduation, he served as a judicial law clerk for U.S. District Judge Sam Wilson. From 1997 through 2001, John served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Since 2005, John has taught trial advocacy at the University of Virginia School of Law.

As a prosecutor

In January 2005, Brownlee convicted defendant Brent Simmons for the 1996 murders of two James Madison University students. Simmons had traveled from Florida to Harrisonburg and then shot and killed the two students. After a mistrial in state court, Brownlee developed a novel legal theory by using the Violence Against Women Act, which had been enacted only 13 days before Simmons killed the students, to bring the case into federal court. Brownlee convicted the defendant of both murders, and the jury sentenced Simmons to life imprisonment with no chance of release.

Two years later, John convicted a defendant for committing a violent prison murder. The jury imposed the death penalty, and Brownlee became the first federal prosecutor in over 30 years to successfully prosecute a capital murder case in his judicial district.

In May 2007, after a five year investigation, Mr. Brownlee and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell convicted the maker of the pain medication OxyContin of intentionally misbranding their highly addictive and dangerous drug. The company and executives were convicted of misbranding OxyContin and paid over $634 million in fines. The criminal fine was one of the largest financial penalties ever imposed on a drug company. ( an issue that rings loud in the coalfields)

For the office of Attorney General no other candidate from either party comes close to matching his experience. Feel free to argue that in the comments. Brownlee, unlike some of the other candidates, was not working for a law firm. He was working for us, all of us, republican and democrats alike. I guess that is why 75 Virginia sheriffs and Commonwealth Attorneys have proudly endorsed Brownlee over the others.

In closing, there is no better candidate for AG. His record is rock solid and as I said, no other candidate comes close. Join his team here and help John continue what he has dedicated his life to - Serving America!

Technorati Tags: John Brownlee, Virginia, Virginia Politics, Virginia GOP

Wise, Virginia - More Snow and it's 23 degrees - Schools Closed

Shew! Wind chill must be in the single digits. This makes the third snow so far this year. As I said before, Global warming my ass.

Technorati Tags: Snow, Wise Virginia, Wise County Virginia, Global Warming, My Ass

Democrat Addressing Virginia's Dire Needs - Tree Killer!

HB273: Interscholastic activities; exclusive use of wood baseball bats.

Chief Patron Del. Paula Miller (Democrat-87)

One can only imagine the time and money spent to address this metal vs wooden baseball bat issue. Tree Killer!

Technorati Tags: Democrats, Virginia, Baseball

The Gift's are coming in the mail...It's Christmas Time!

You readers know I love cigars. You also know that CAO is one of my favorite brands. You cant beat the taste and construction for the price. I hope they never realize their products could easily go for twice the price. The girlfriend and I like to mail each other gifts. It is a surprise for both of us and we do it because we can. Today I received the CAO Vision cap in the center. I got the other two caps from her earlier this year. Men and caps in SWVA are like beans and cornbread....They just fit together.

Thanks baby! I know these caps are pretty hard to come by and I love them because no one else around here has them. Before my lady readers jump on me..She received a pretty sweet box of stuff, six pounds worth, of Bath and Body goodies. The season has begun!

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Gifts, Caps, CAO Cigars

"Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check" ~ Mitt Romney

Hat Tip Hans Mast

Let Detroit Go Bankrupt By MITT ROMNEY

IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.

Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself. With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses. Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check. Read it all.

Mitt lays it down in his op-ed. Detroit ignored one Dr Edwards Deming...Japan did not.

1900 - 1994

W Edwards Deming was an American statistician, considered the father of the modern quality movement. Edwards Deming strongly influenced Japanese industry post WWII with Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Total Quality Management (TQM), similar to Joseph Juran.

In 1982 Edwards Deming published “Out of the Crisis” identifying 14 points for management which if applied would enable Japanese manufacturing efficiencies to be realized.

Demings 14 Points Summarized

1. Create constancy of purpose and continual improvement – long term planning must replace short term reaction
2. Adopt the new (Japanese) philosophy – by management and workers alike.
3. Do not depend on (quality) inspection – build quality into the product and process
4. Choose quality suppliers over low cost suppliers – to minimize variation in raw materials and supply.
5. Improve constantly – to reduce variation in all aspects e.g. planning, production, and service.
6. Training on the job – for workers and management, to reduce variation in how job is done.
7. Leadership not supervision – to get people to do a better job, not just meet targets.
8. Eliminate fear – encourage two-way communication, encourage employees to work in the organisation’s interest.
9. Break down internal barriers – department’s in an organization are “internal customers” to each other and must work together.
10. Eliminate slogans (exhortations) – processes make mistakes not people. Management harassment of workers will create bad relations if no effort made to improve processes.
11. Eliminate numerical targets – management by objectives (targets) encourages low quality.
12. Remover barriers to worker satisfaction – including annual appraisals
13. Encourage self improvement and education for all
14. Everyone is responsible for continual improvement in quality and productivity – particularly top management

Website: www.deming.org

Japan adopted this as the standard. Detroit adopted the United Auto Workers and all that entails. Detroit needs to look in the mirror and blame that person. People will always pay for quality and the Japanese understood that.

Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney. Election 2008, Detroit, Ford, General Motors, Bailout

Spark It Up Milestone

This is post number 3010. I had planned to shut the blog down at 2500 posts, then at 3000....but not yet...not yet.

Thanks to my readers and friends. A big thank you to The Old Dominion Blog Alliance.

Technorati Tags: Blogging, Blogs

Purse Pistol

I just got this little baby! Bought privately. I love all three of my Colt 1911. I enjoy both my Beretta 9mm, one for each hand. But there is nothing like a revolver! This is a ULTRA-LITE MODEL 731 .32 MAG. by Taurus. Weight: 17 oz

Wise Girls purse is where it will call home. It is perfect for her. Light, low recoil, plenty of power.

With the Obama and Dems in control, Guns are more valuable than gold.

Technorati Tags: Guns

"It is not your money"~Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich

What a twit

Cavuto asked Knollenberg: "When the housing industry CEOs come to you and say, 'You know, [if] we go under and all the ancillary businesses – the dishwasher manufacturers, the washer-and-dryer manufacturers, the Lowe's and the Home Depots that vastly depend on our being alive and vibrant – if we go under, there's hell to pay. And then the textile manufacturer comes to you and says, 'If we go down, there's hell to pay.' And on and on and on we go. Where do you draw the line with our money?"
"It is not your money," said Knollenberg.
Cavuto screamed back, "It is! It is taxpayers money!"LINK

This is how out of touch some of the GOP is. Knollenberg was defeated this month after years of service. Good riddance.

Technorati Tags: Bailout

Redneck Phone and Christmas Baskets

Diamond plate!

Baskets are being prepared.

Technorati Tags: Cell Phone

Obama Voters

Amazing!

Results to 12 simple Multiple Choice Questions

57.4% could NOT correctly say which party controls congress (50/50 shot just by guessing)

81.8% could NOT correctly say Joe Biden quit a previous campaign because of plagiarism (25% chance by guessing)

82.6% could NOT correctly say that Barack Obama won his first election by getting opponents kicked off the ballot (25% chance by guessing)

88.4% could NOT correctly say that Obama said his policies would likely bankrupt the coal industry and make energy rates skyrocket (25% chance by guessing)

56.1% could NOT correctly say Obama started his political career at the home of two former members of the Weather Underground (25% chance by guessing).

Read what Jerry Thinks.

Years from now people will read about this...They will smile, hell they will laugh out loud. They will marvel at the methods his campaign used. They will make fun of voters for their ignorance. In what should be a proud moment in American history with a black man being elected, I predict it will be viewed as just the opposite. Let us hope and pray America will not be fooled again.

Technorati Tags: Barack Hussein Obama

Obama Can Change the Weather?

According to the International Herald Tribune "President-elect Barack Obama has indicated that he intends to move rapidly on one of the most ambitious items on his agenda - tackling climate change."

Obama thinks he can fix the climate changes? Oh Really? Maybe Louis Farrakhan was correct when he said about Obama "the Messiah is absolutely speaking" .

Maybe we can all put together a petition asking for perfect weather every day of the year.... and what would a perfect day look like... hmmm... can't help but wonder if God didn't plan four seasons all along just so all the people could have that perfect day at least once a year and then he created the south for those who wanted more then a few perfect days a year.

Technorati Tags: Obama,Farrakhan,Savior,weather

Snowing in SWAC Land

Lynn gets her wish. There is a couple inches here at HQ.

Technorati Tags: Snow

What a Game!

My Blackhawks lost 6-5 to the number one Sharks last night. That was the first game I had listened to on the radio since I was a kid. Great game! I will be listening often.

TV announcers bore me. They have no passion compared to radio announcers. If you haven't enjoyed a game on radio with the individual flavor each announcer adds, you should. These here internets makes it easy! Go Blackhawks!

Technorati Tags: Hockey, Chicago Blackhawks, Radio

Look What They Were Saying About Sarah Before She Was Announced

Yankee Phil has some good quotes in his post Palin:Fiscal Conservative

"Republican primary voters in Alaska are ready for a change and are rallying to the fiscally responsible leadership embodied by Governor Palin." - Pat Toomey, 9/24/2007

"Palin's veto ax lops $268 million from budget" - Anchorage Daily News Headline, 5/24/2008

Go read it all. You will recognize some names there and compare what they said then and what they are saying now. A little more of the same stupidity that is described here.

Technorati Tags: Governor Sarah Palin

SWAC Girl on Augusta Water Cooler's BlogTalkRadio Show

A good interview with SWAC Girl on blogging and the Virginia blogosphere. Augusta Water Cooler host Jason Bibeau does a good job of asking questions from blogging basics to SWAC Girl's own blogging experiences. Listen in here.

Technorati Tags: SWAC-GOP, Blogging, Virginia

Sunday Morning Coming Down! Snow on the ground

This makes the second snow this season that accumulated. Global warming my ass. Not as much as last time but we will take it.

Good time for peanut butter cookies and coffee.
Technorati Tags: Snow, Wise Virginia, Wise County Virginia

Republican Governors Conference Pull's the Plug on Sarah Palin's Press Con

This has to end.

The Republican Governors Conference Press Guidelines promised that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would “take approximately 20 minutes of questions” at today’s morning press conference. Instead, this press conference, attended by 150 local and national media and taped by 26 video cameras, disintegrated into a fiasco when Texas Governor Rick Perry shut it down after only five minutes and four questions.
Eight other governors assembled on the stage, all men, seemed visibly uncomfortable with the “Palin at center stage” format. When Perry stepped in front of Palin at the podium to announce it was over just as it was getting started, Palin looked irritated, and the media shouted, “You’ve got to be kidding,” “This is ridiculous,” "Come on,” and “We were promised more questions.” Read the Human Events Article.

They should feel uncomfortable, but not because Palin is a woman, but because she is a force to be reckoned with. Bill Kristol had this to say about the good old boys pulling the mic from Sarah.

Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard may have given the reason why Palin was reined in: envy. Said Kristol, “This is not the Republican Governors Association. This is really the Republican Presidential Candidates Association.” Palin, after the truncated press conference, gave a prepared twenty-minute speech in a large hall to approximately 400 members of the RGA (who gave her a long standing ovation at the outset and close) and the media. Palin recounted what it was like to go through the campaign and what lay ahead for the GOP.

I don't doubt that one bit. It is almost as sad as it is stupid. Some good Palin quotes from her speech - her humor

she filled the last two months “with a few speeches, meeting important people who change the world, like Tina Fey, and opportunities to expand my wardrobe.”

She showed her gratitude for the one thing we can thank Bush for

She thanked President Bush for having discharged, over the last eight years, his most important duty of office -- keeping us safe. This was met with long applause.

On the bailout

She took a swipe at what she called the addiction to “opium (Other People’s Money),” found in bail outs that reward bad corporate decisions.

And she said just what needs to pounded home to the GOP

Finally, in the area of policy, she repeatedly noted that the Republican leadership in Washington had over the last decade betrayed the conservative principles and values of the Party, and that it is up to Republican governors, not to the failed GOP leadership in Washington, to lead the GOP back to power.

Indeed. Palin Power!

Technorati Tags: Governor Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin, GOP, Republicans

Michael Yon - "The War is over and we won"

Via Instapundit

"THE WAR IS OVER AND WE WON:" Michael Yon just phoned from Baghdad, and reports that things are much better than he had expected, and he had expected things to be good. "There's nothing going on. I'm with the 10th Mountain Division, and about half of the guys I'm with haven't fired their weapons on this tour and they've been here eight months. And the place we're at, South Baghdad, used to be one of the worst places in Iraq. And now there's nothing going on. I've been walking my feet off and haven't seen anything..........He thinks that Obama will be able to pull troops out, and send some to Afghanistan, without creating problems in Iraq. Michael will be reporting from Afghanistan soon, and sending back video, so stay tuned.

Amazing at what a few extra troops and time can accomplish. It does sound like Obama will be able to make some troop shifts early in his term. I can only hope.

Technorati Tags: Iraq War, Barack Hussein Obama, War

"Automakers Need Bankruptcy, Not Bailout"~ Andrew M. Grossman

The U.S. auto industry is in dire need of a shakeup. All of the Big Three are beset by plummeting sales and market share, high labor costs, aging fleets, and a surfeit of innovative automobiles in the pipeline. With General Motors, and perhaps Ford after it, fac­ing looming liquidity crises, staying the course is no longer an option.

But rather than face facts, the auto industry is seek­ing yet another government lifeline: a $25 billion bailout on top of the billions in subsidized loans already approved by lawmakers. While a bailout promises continued stagnation and decline, reorgani­zation is the only chance that automakers have to rebound and survive in the global marketplace. Read it all at The Heritage Foundation.

This is a great article on the subject. Grossman makes the argument and I agree with his thoughts. he points out that

Bankruptcy is not, as some would have it, the end of the road; it is, rather, a new beginning. Under Chapter 11, it affords companies that have hit hard times a fresh start and a chance to reorga­nize to take better advantage of their assets.

I say let them file! Get their act together and sell a product the people want. Years of horrible leadership with no vision combined with labor costs ($20 to $30 more per hour on labor than their competi­tors) have killed the big three. A bailout will just extend their failure.

Technorati Tags: Bailout

Communist Party Of The United States, Obama Platform the Same?

Read it for yourself. Geeesh...Time for a drink...it's five o'clock somewhere.

Technorati Tags: Barack Hussein Obama, Communist Party Of The United States

General Motors - world's largest private purchaser of Viagra.

Lifestyle drugs -- chiefly Viagra -- are costing General Motors $17 million dollars a year and the cost is passed along to car, truck and SUV consumers. The blue pill is covered under GM's labor agreement with United Auto Workers, as well as benefit plans for salaried employees.

GM executives estimate health care adds $1,500 to the price of each vehicle but they do not break out how much of the premium is caused by erectile dysfunction expenses. GM provides health care for 1.1 million employees, retirees and dependents and is the world's largest private purchaser of Viagra.Read it All.

They are looking to remove the blue pill from the drug list. If I was union I would strike! The United Auto Workers - Fighting for your right to erections since 1935.....

Technorati Tags: General Motors, Viagra

Sink The Bismarck! Hero gunner dies.

An airman who played a significant part in a famous raid to sink the legendary German warship the Bismarck in World War II has died aged 93.

Les Sayer flew in a Swordfish torpedo bomber which crucially damaged the battleship after Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave the order to 'Sink the Bismarck'.

The mighty 50,000 ton warship, the most feared in the world at the time boasting eight 15in guns, was sunk by devastating British naval firepower just two days later. LINK

Good article with great pictures. I always thought the Bismarck was the largest, but she had a sister ship, the Tirpitz was a little larger.

Technorati Tags: Bismarck, World War Two

J Todd Foster Caught in a lie..By his wife no less!

This is just too funny!

Published: November 13, 2008

I need to correct the record with my husband’s latest column, “Will GOP continue to isolate itself with vocal base?” [J. Todd Foster, Nov. 9].

His last paragraph refers to me as a “lifelong Republican.” While it is true that I was a Republican and campaigned for Ronald Reagan in my teenage and college years, I have been a political independent for many years – a fact that somehow escaped my husband.

Melinda Foster
Bristol, Va.

The know it all Foster cant even tell the truth about his wife! Yep, that is the hard hitting reporting he brags about.

Technorati Tags: J Todd Foster, Dumb Ass

Jerry on The Mischief Of Small Minds

In The Mischief Of Small Minds Jerry takes on J Todd Fosters goofy op-ed I wrote about here.

The once popular Bristol Herald Courier has become outhouse liner under J Todd's leadership. You gotta read this!

Technorati Tags: Bristol Herald Courier, J Todd Foster, Dumb Ass

Veterans Day - Raise the Flag, Bow Your Heads

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus [or community] organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

-- Father Dennis Edward O'Brian, USMC

Technorati Tags: Veterans Day

Three Years!

My Constant

Three years or three hundred

it matters not.

I have known your touch

as a tree feels the

continual caress of the wind,

as the warmth of a

sunny day bakes the river bank

again and again,

as the ebb and flow of moon to ocean

your love has been a constant.

It is the song welling within

the chest of every thrush,

the brightness of color

upon every sunflower,

the rush of joy within

the wings of the soaring

red tail hawk,

the gentle kiss of dew

upon each warriors hidden grave,

so you grace my world.

You are the completion of my thoughts,

the soul of each poem yet unspoken,

three years or three hundred

you are the love,

the hearts blood,

the very breath of this lifetime.

.Wise Girl

SOS

Technorati Tags: Barack Hussein Obama

Sarah Palin Interview

Here is a taste

Impressive. I am sure the rest of the interview will be online soon.

A couple things I noticed about this interview is how comfortable they are in each others company. I also appreciated the Governors honesty and candor. She is real. She is a fighter. She is the reason McCain crossed the 30% line in the election. She scares the hell out of Democrats and so called Republicans.

In this one interview she reveals more about herself as a politician, mother, and wife than we will ever hear Hillary or Hussein disclose....and she does it with grace and authority. The press will attack her. Her own party will attack her. Methinks we have only just begun to hear about Sarah. That is a good thing.

Technorati Tags: Sarah Palin

Tomorrow is Veterans Day

"It's been my responsibility, my duty and very much my honor to serve as Commander in Chief of this nation's Armed Forces these past eight years. That is the most sacred, most important task of the Presidency. Since our nation's founding, the primary obligation of the national government has been the common defense of these United States. But as I have sought to perform this sacred task as best I could, I have done so with the knowledge that my role in this day-to-day-to-day effort, from sunrise to sunrise, every moment of every hour of every day of every year, is a glancing one compared to yours. ... But it's not just your fellow Americans who owe you a debt. No, I believe many more do, for I believe that military service in the Armed Forces of the United States is a profound form of service to all humankind. You stand engaged in an effort to keep America safe at home, to protect our allies and interests abroad, to keep the seas and the skies free of threat. Just as America stands as an example to the world of the inestimable benefits of freedom and democracy, so too an America with the capacity to project her power for the purpose of protecting and expanding freedom and democracy abroad benefits the suffering people of the world." --Ronald Reagan

Will our next president share this view of our bravest? Doubtful. How long will our troops hold that salute when "the One" passes by.....Not long I bet.

Technorati Tags: Veterans Day, Ronald Reagan

John Brownlee Honors Virginia Veteran Lester Smith

This story touched me. I owe everything I have to WW2 vets like Lester Smith.

A World War II veteran received a long-overdue award just two days shy of Veterans Day. Lester Smith earned one of the three highest military honors, the Silver Star. But Smith never formally received the award.

He earned it in April of 1945 when he was trying to liberate a German town. When enemies attacked, he had to defend himself – killing two men with machine guns and hurting four riflemen.

On Sunday, family and friends gathered at Victory Baptist Church in Fieldale to celebrate the true American hero.

After he’s given the award, Smith said, “Just fighting to keep the tears back that was all. In fact I told them before I felt like I was going to break down.”

Smith’s sisters brought the newspaper article from the 1940’s proving he earned it, but he never got it. At that time, Smith said it wasn’t worth the effort.

“It isn’t worth fighting that traffic in D.C. to talk to anybody for just a Silver Star. But I didn’t know it would be something like today. Something like today would have made it worthwhile,” he laughed.

Beside him were his family and friends, who just a couple years ago, put in some calls to help make this happen. One day the phone rang, and it was a lady from John Warner’s office.

“John Warner asked her to check me out. I said ‘Lady, I hate to tell you this, but you’re wasting your time,’” Smith explained.

He thought that was the end until he got the medal in the mail, which has been sitting in his home ever since. It wasn’t officially pinned in a ceremony until Sunday.

Former U.S. Attorney, John Brownlee, helped organize the ceremony after he met Smith at a veteran’s event.

“He figured although he had done wonderful things on the battlefield this wasn’t important to push the issue himself,” Brownlee said.

Bringing the story full circle and sealing it with a salute from Smith – a great reward for a member of the Greatest Generation.

Smith now has two medals. He received the Bronze Star with a valor device after the Battle of the Bulge. He’ll turn 90 next month.

The only individual decorations higher than the Silver Star are the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross and Medal. Watch the Video.

Take a minute to go watch this hero receive his Silver Star. My hat is off to John Brownlee for making this day special for one of the greatest generations finest. I bet Brownlee would be the first to say it was a honor to be in the presence of a man like Lester Smith.

Technorati Tags: Lester Smith, John Brownlee

Tonight at Spark It Up HQ

What I'm sipping.

What I'm smoking.

On a cold night at Spark It Up HQ....LIFE IS SO GOOD! Y'all come!

Technorati Tags: Bourbon, Cigars

Just so you know...

Netflix Rocks! I don't plan on going to the video store again. One of the features allows me to watch a bunch of stuff on the puter. I just started watching Jericho: Season 1. I just finished the third episode and I am hooked. That is all.

Technorati Tags: Netflix, Movies

Christian Trejbal, J. Todd Foster - They get paid for this?

Jerry From on High has once again taken Roanoke Times columnist Christian Trejbal to the woodshed with his post ~ "We're Tired Of 'Safety Nets,' Mr. Trejbal" This is Jerry at his best -

Obama was the latest in a long line of many. But I've got news for you: His promising more of the same ain't going to bring about ... shall I say it? ... the kind of CHANGE that Southwest Virginia is screaming for.
We want employers. Opportunity. A future. JOBS. Dare I say it - WEALTH.
News flash: Bobby Kennedy came down this way, briefly, hugged a poor kid here in Appalachia (with cameras snapping), and promised us a way out exactly 40 years ago. The theme that came from that whirlwind visit? You're not going to believe it:
"The value of hope."
40 goddam years ago.
That safety net that you cling to as our best hope for the future resulted.....Read it all.

Of course Trejbal brings race into the picture, but he figures it out...almost -

"It is tempting to chalk it up to racism. Confederate flags still fly in the New River Valley. Segregation and bigotry persist as "heritage" in pockets of the region.

But that cannot be the whole story. The region goes red all the time, not just when a black man runs for president." LINK

That last sentence shows Trejbal does have a small inkling of commonsense. I wish I could say that for the Bristol Herald Courier's mouthpiece J. Todd Foster. Because sure enough this morning old J. Todd has this

Racism in 2008 doesn’t wear a hooded sheet, or come with a shaved head and jack boots. It’s not a “whites only” sign above a public water fountain or a fire hose aimed at civil rights marchers. It’s not a burning cross or the n-word.

Racism today is latent, subtle, insidious. It disguises itself as intolerance wrapped in gullibility and packaged in Internet lies bandied across the ether. Or maybe it’s the parroting of empty bumper-sticker slogans like “Socialist” or “Terrorist....” LINK

We will see this often in the next four years. Any critics of Obama will be answered with cries of racism.

Technorati Tags: Barack Hussein Obama, Racism, Virginia, Christian Trejbal, J. Todd Foster

Saturday Night, Sunday Morning Videos

Saturday Night

Sunday Morning

Technorati Tags: Music, Video

Conservative Thoughts on the election

“This was a campaign between the moderate wing of the Republican Party and the Democrats,”~ L. Brent Bozell III, president of the Media Research Center.

“Conservatism did not lose – big government Republicanism lost,” ~ conservative activist Richard Viguerie. Read it all.

I could not agree more.

Technorati Tags: Conservative, GOP

Jim Gilmore gets more votes in Wise County than Barack Hussein Obama!

Ha.

James S. "Jim" Gilmore III - 5,112

Barack Hussien Obama and Joe Biden - 4,992

Well....it made me smile.

SWAC Girl has Jim Gilmore carried Augusta County

Technorati Tags: Barack Hussein Obama, Jim Gilmore, Virginia, Wise County Virginia

Sweet Home Wise County Election Results - McCain/Palin by 27%

John McCain and Sarah Palin 8,902
63.04%

Barack Obama and Joe Biden 4,992
35.35%

Could it be the Coal?

Technorati Tags: Coal, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Virginia

President Elect Barack Hussein Obama

In my mind.....
The Patriot writes

Tuesday, 4 November 2008, is a date which will live in infamy. While most presidential elections are followed with calls for unity by both candidates, Barack Obama issued no such call in his speech last night, with the possible exception of his observation, "I may not have won your vote tonight, but ... I will be your president, too."

Of course, none was expected -- liberals have elected a Socialist with deep ties to cultural and ethnocentric radicalism, and his executive and legislative agenda poses a greater threat to American liberty than that of any president in the history of our great republic.

Obama has twice taken an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic" and to "bear true faith and allegiance to the same." He has never honored that oath, and, based on his policy proposals and objectives, he has no intention to honor it after again reciting that oath on 20 January 2009. Obama seeks to, in his own words, "break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution."

For that reason, this morning, the symbol of our national heritage of liberty, the American flag atop the 35-foot mast at our editorial offices, was respectfully lowered, inverted, and raised to full mast as a sign of national distress. It will remain inverted until next Tuesday, when we right it in honor of Veterans Day.

Today, at least 55,805,197 Americans are concerned for the future of our nation's great tradition of liberty. Some 63,007,791 Americans have been lulled, under the aegis of "hope and change," into a state of what is best described as "cult worship" and all its attendant deception.

One of our editors, a Marine now working in the private sector, summed up our circumstances with this situation report. It aptly captured the sentiments around our office: "It's been tough, fellow Patriots; tough to stomach the idea that more than half of my fellow citizens who vote, have booted a genuine American hero to the curb for a rudderless charlatan. What a sad indictment on our citizenry that some are so eager to overlook his myriad flaws -- his radical roots, his extreme liberalism, his utter lack of experience or achievement. Barack Obama is the antithesis of King's dream: He's a man judged by the color of his skin rather than the content of his character. If it's God's will that Barack Obama is our next president, then so be it. We Patriots will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and wade back to the war front, intent on liberty or death."

This battle is lost, but the war is not. Let's roll.

Mark Alexander

That pretty much covers it.

9th District Election Results -McCain by 19

Landslide for McCain in the 9th.

John McCain and Sarah Palin 160,296 - 58.72%

Barack Obama and Joe Biden 108,124 - 39.60%

Voter Turnout:
272,979 of 405,458 active voters (67.32%)
272,979 of 412,446 total voters (66.18%)

In the 9th, Obama carried ALLEGHANY COUNTY, COVINGTON CITY, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, and RADFORD CITY. McCain carried the other 23 counties and cities. SWVA Rocks!

Technorati Tags: Election, Virginia, SWVA