Long Weekend: OREGON DUCKS WIN!

It's been a LONG week since that Thursday night game from Boise on ESPN. Well last night in Eugene the Oregon Ducks in their first home game beat the Purdue Boilermakers 38 to 36 in a roller coaster of a game that was not decided until the final minutes with Purdue failing to tie the game when they went for two points after a touchdown. The Purdue player caught the ball but was inches out of bounds. It was quite a night that saw rain on a hot summer night and lightning off in the distance.The Oregon defense kept Oregon in the game untill the Oregon offence could start clicking. It was an ugly win but it was a win. Oregon did improve but not enough. Hopefully they are work in progress. Utah is up next Saturday in Eugene for an afternoon game.

I went to the game on a bus sponsored by The Oregon Club of Southern Oregon. The Bus left Medford at 1 pm and stopped in Grants Pass to pick us some more fans. It was a good group on the buss and it was a fun trip to Eugene. We got to Autzen Stadium about 4:15 PM and the bus parked right across from the West Gate. I went over to the Casanova Center to the University of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and took a look at the new exhibits for "Matt Court" the new basketball Arena that is being constructed. It was very impressive. From there I went to the "Mo Center" and the did some shopping in the Duck Store and bought a new hat. From there I watched some other of the games going on across the United States on the TV while I had a Diet Pepsi. I then walked around the rim of Autzen soaking up the atmosphere before I worked my way to my seat in section 13.It was a hot muggy day in Eugene and it stayed muggy even after the sun went down. It started to rain during the game but it was for the most part a fine mist that helped to cool us off. The heat, the crowd and the tension of the game made me hot and the rain felt good. The announced crowed was over 57,000. After the game I worked my way back to the bus and we arrived back in Medford at about 2:30 am Sunday morning. It was a quit trip home on the buss with most people sleeping. When I got home I was greeted by my wife and cat. All in all a full day. I will be there next Saturday for Utah! Go Ducks!

Friday Night Lights:South Medford beats Lake Oswego

South Medford tonight beat Lake Oswego in high school football 21 to 7 here in Medford.At game time at 7 pm it was 95 degrees. By the time the game was over it was 78 degrees. A nice night for football. Lake Oswego and South Medford are both ranked in the top 10 in the state. South is now 2 and 0. Go South.

Just the Facts Obama, Just the Facts !

L.A. Times: Obama's Speech to Congress on Health Care "Disingenous"

Editorial from the Liberal Los Angles Times:

Still, the president's comments about the savings available in Medicare were disingenuous, as was his assertion that a new tax on insurers would lead them to "provide greater value for the money" instead of simply passing the cost on to policyholders. Obama will have to come up with a more complete approach to paying for reform as the legislation moves forward. He claimed the plan as his own with this speech, but he left some of the hardest questions unanswered.

Definition of "disingenuous" from dictionary.com: "

lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere.."

Sarah Palin, Karl Rove, and Bill Kristol Support Obama

If you have read this blog for any period of time you know I am not in agreement with President Barack Obama on many issues; but, the war in Afghanistan is an exception. I hope the President follows through on his announced policy. Here is a letter sent this weekend to the President by some prominent conservatives.


The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC

Dear Mr. President:

The situation in Afghanistan is grave and deteriorating. This is in part the legacy of an under resourced war effort that has cost us and the Afghans dearly. The Taliban has retaken important parts of the country, while a flawed U.S. strategy has led American forces into secondary efforts far away from critical areas. However, we remain convinced that the fight against the Taliban is winnable, and it is in the vital national security interest of the United States to win it.

You’ve called Afghanistan an "international security challenge of the highest order, " and stated that "the safety of people around the world is at stake." Last month you told a convention of veterans, “Those who attacked America on 9/11 are plotting to do so again. If left unchecked, the Taliban insurgency will mean an even larger safe haven from which al Qaeda would plot to kill more Americans. So this is not only a war worth fighting. This is fundamental to the defense of our people.”

We fully agree with those sentiments. We congratulate you on the leadership you demonstrated earlier this year when you decided to deploy approximately 21,000 additional troops and several thousand civilian experts as a part of a serious counterinsurgency campaign. Your appointments of General Stanley McChrystal as top commander and David Rodriguez as second in command in Afghanistan exemplified the seriousness of purpose you spoke about during the campaign. We are heartened to see that the much needed overhaul of our military operations has begun.
Since the announcement of your administration’s new strategy, we have been troubled by calls for a drawdown of American forces in Afghanistan and a growing sense of defeatism about the war. With General McChrystal expected to request additional troops later this month, we urge you to continue on the path you have taken thus far and give our commanders on the ground the forces they need to implement a successful counterinsurgency strategy. There is no middle course. Incrementally committing fewer troops than required would be a grave mistake and may well lead to American defeat. We will not support half-measures that repeat the errors of the past.

This is, as you have said, a war that we cannot afford to lose. Failure to defeat the Taliban would likely lead to a return of al Qaeda to Afghanistan and could result in terrorist attacks on the United States or our allies. An abandonment of Afghanistan would further destabilize the region, and put neighboring Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal at risk. All our efforts to support Islamabad’s fight against the Taliban in Pakistan’s tribal regions will founder if we do not match those achievements on the other side of that country’s porous northwestern border.
As you observed during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, “You don't muddle through the central front on terror and you don't muddle through going after bin Laden. You don't muddle through stamping out the Taliban.” We completely agree. Having “muddled through” in Afghanistan for years, this is no longer a politically, strategically, or morally sustainable approach.

Mr. President, you have put in place the military leadership and sent the initial resources required to begin bringing this war to a successful conclusion. The military leadership has devised a strategy that will reverse the errors of previous years, free Afghans from the chains of tyranny, and keep America safe. We call on you to fully resource this effort, do everything possible to minimize the risk of failure, and to devote the necessary time to explain, soberly and comprehensively, to the American people the stakes in Afghanistan, the route to success, and the cost of defeat.

With the continued bravery of our troops, and your continued full support for them and their command team, America and our allies can and will prevail in Afghanistan.

Sincerely,

Steve Biegun
Max Boot
Debra Burlingame
Eliot A. Cohen
Ryan C. Crocker
Thomas Donnelly
Eric Edelman
William S. Edgerly
Jamie M. Fly
David Frum
Abe Greenwald
John Hannah
Pete Hegseth
Margaret Hoover
Thomas Joscelyn
Frederick W. Kagan
Robert Kagan
William Kristol
Tod Lindberg
Herbert London
Clifford May
Robert C. McFarlane
Joshua Muravchik
Sarah Palin
Keith Pavlischek
Beverly Perlson
Danielle Pletka
John Podhoretz
Stephen Rademaker
Karl RoveJennifer Rubin
Randy Scheunemann
Gary Schmitt
Dan Senor
Marc Thiessen
Peter Wehner
Kenneth Weinstein
Christian Whiton

Ducks: "Nothing Is over until we decide it is!"

At time like this we need a little humor and one of my favorite movies provides it. Of course "Animal House" was filmed at at he University of Oregon.

Oh NO, Oregon lost to Boise State and lost it's starting running back for the season ! It's over! Well to paraphrase Bluto (John Belushi)

Bluto: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.
Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...
[thinks hard]
Bluto: the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!
[runs out, alone; then returns]
Bluto: What the f*** happened to the DUCKS I used to know? Where's the Duck spirit? Where's the guts, huh? This could be the greatest season of our lives, but you're gonna let it be the worst. "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Bluto, we might lose again... we have no offense Well, just kiss my a** from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Purdue, it's a dead team ! Utah, dead! Cal,...
Otter: Dead! Bluto's right. , absolutely right. We gotta take these bast*rds. Now we could do with a more experinced offensive line that could take years we don't have No, I think we have to go all out with who we have. I think that this situation absolutely requires a gut check on somebody's part.
Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.
D-Day: Let's do it.
Bluto: *Let’s do it*!

I sort of feel sorry for Purdue! Let's Go Ducks!

Sad Day to be a Duck! UPDATE

Congratulations to Boise State on their win last night.

I thought I could not be more embarrassed by the poor play of my Oregon Ducks on offense; however, I was wrong. The conduct of Oregon ruining back LeGarrette Blount after the game was even more embarrassing. If I was the coach he would never wear an Oregon Uniform again. His conduct was unacceptable. If Oregon does not act fast the Pac-10 will. Blount is a cancer on the Oregon team and he needs to be cut out. It's bad enough to slug an opponent without a helmet but to hit at other team members should NEVER be tolerated. He brushed by an Oregon coach who was trying to shield him from fans and charged at a fan in the stands on the way to the dressing room. He then had to be literally dragged to the dressing room. It is a privilege to be an Oregon Duck and he has brought dishonor on all Ducks.

I have always been critical of Oregon State fans, Washington Husky fans as well as Boise State fans who rationalise such thuggish conduct by some of their players. I will not do the same for my Ducks. I hold them to a higher standard of conduct.

On a more positive note the Oregon Defense played hard last night but were left on the field way too long. The new Freshman punter did well. Also I am proud of the Oregon players that did act responsibly and did try and restrain Blount.

Time to regroup. Kelly needs to get rid of Blount, reassert control over this team and get ready for Purdue. This is no time to panic. It's a long season and the Duck can overcome! I have faith that Chip Kelly can get it done. Let's Go Ducks!



UPDATE:

Oregon head football coach Chip Kelly announced this afternoon that LeGarrette Blount has been suspended for this season and for any possible bowl game the Ducks may attend. As a senior who has played a game this season this effectively ends his career at the University of Oregon. He will still be on scholarship and may attend team events if he abides by team rules. He will be able to get an education if he apples himself but will never play again in a game for the Ducks.


Statement by Larry Scott, Pac 10 Commissioner:

We commend the University of Oregon and its leadership for taking swift and decisive
action in response to this incident. The Pac-10 strongly emphasizes
sportsmanship and fair play in all its athletic competitions and expects high standards of sportsmanship from all participants, including student-athletes. In this case, those standards were not met and the university has taken appropriate disciplinary

University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere

At the conclusion of last night’s University of Oregon season opening football game against Boise State University, a UO player displayed inappropriate and unsportsmanlike behavior. There is no place on the field of play for that kind of action, and his conduct was reprehensible.

“We do not and will not tolerate the actions that were taken by our player. Oregon’s loyal fans expect and deserve better. The University of Oregon Athletics Department is reviewing the situation and will take appropriate action, reflecting the seriousness of the player’s behavior.

“We then hope to put this incident behind us and look forward to the rest of the season.

“UO players, coaches and fans are known for their passion and enthusiasm for athletic competition. At the University of Oregon, we are committed to demonstrating that passion in positive ways.”

I think the University of Oregon has acted appropriately and agree with the action taken. Go Ducks!

GAME DAY!!! (Game Update)

Oregon Ducks vs Boise State Broncos tonight on ESPN nationwide.
LET'S GO DUCKS!!!!!


SPORTS NEWS UPDATE:

Word on the street is that the inflatable Oregon Duck will make a special appearance at the the Wickre home tonight around game time. The Oregon Duck only shows up for "special" games and tonight may be one of those nights. The Oregon Ducks have never lost when the Oregon Duck makes his appearance!


GAME UPDATE

Congratulations to Boise State on their win. I thought I could not be more embarrassed by the poor play of my Oregon Ducks on offense. However, I was wrong. The conduct of Oregon ruining back LeGarrette Blount after the game was even more embarrassing. If I was the coach he would never wear an Oregon Uniform again. His conduct was unacceptable. It is a privilege to be an Oregon Duck and he has brought dishonor on all Ducks.On a more positive note the Oregon Defense played hard but were put on the field way too long.

The Dear Leader Kicks Off the School Year

From the Weekly Standards Blog about President Obama speaking to school students across America.

Don't say you weren't warned. When Obama appears simultaneously in every class room around the country to tell students about...what? The smears and lies his opponents are spreading about health care reform? The right-wing mob that's trying to destroy his presidency? The illegal Israeli settlements that prevent peace between the Jews and Iranian-backed terror groups? Who knows, but the children will be asked "to write letters to themselves about what they can do to help President Obama," and those letters will be "collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals." Presumably, any students who don't play along will have their names flagged and sent to the White House for further investigation. "It essentially tries to force kids to say the president and the presidency is inspiring," Neal McCluskey, associate director of Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom, tells Fox. Of course, Obama is inspiring -- he's gonna spread happiness and freedom, what could be more inspiring then that?

Is this creepy or is this creepy!

(Click on the title for a link to a "Menu of Classroom Activities:President Obama's Address to Students Across America"

Oregon Ducks vs Boise State Broncos

******It's September 1st and time for College football. The University of Oregon Ducks will play the Boise State Broncos in Boise, Idaho Thursday night in a nationally televised game on ESPN at 7:15 PDT. These two teams do not like each other and Oregon fans have been waiting for this game all summer.. Last year Boise State defeated the Ducks at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Oregon's starting QB was taken out with a cheep shot by a Boise State player and Oregon is prepared for this game. QB Jeremiah Masoli’s first career start at Oregon came against the Broncos, Sept. 20, 2008. He completed 3-of-4 passes for 27 yards and had one carry for nine yards, leading the Ducks on a first-quarter touchdown drive and a 6-0 lead before departing due to a concussion suffered on his first pass attempt of the game It's only Tuesday, and I am ready for some football! Click on the title above for the details of this match up. Let's Go Ducks!

End to Two Grim Fairy Tales

Andrew Breitbart the founder of the news Web site breitbart.com and co-author of "Hollywood Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon - the Case Against Celebrity." has written a column that compares media coverage of Edward Kennedy and Michael Jackson. It is well written and so true! A few quotes:

With the deaths of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and Michael Jackson, the summer of '09 marked the merciful ends to Camelot and Neverland, iconic American fairy tales whose story lines should have come to merciful ends long ago when their charismatic protagonists took dark and irredeemable turns.

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My condolences go to the Kennedy and Jackson families, who should not be stained by the sins of their kin.

************

The supporters of Mr. Kennedy, and to a lesser degree Mr. Jackson, elevate and promote "social justice" and "economic justice" as the highest human goals. Upon the deaths of Mr. Jackson and Mr. Kennedy, the media continue to erase their ugly backgrounds hoping their eternal celebrity can serve these collective ideals.

But the rubes - those of us skeptical of moral relativism, media manipulation and the cult of celebrity - prefer "justice justice."

Only when the "elite" among us begin to see things like us - and not in the unrealistic fairy tales crafted by our liberal betters - will Americans begin to live happily ever after.

To read the rest click on the title for a link.

Transcript of Dick Cheney on 'FOX News Sunday'

**************

CHENEY: Chris, my sort of overwhelming view is that the enhanced interrogation techniques were absolutely essential in saving thousands of American lives and preventing further attacks against the United States, and giving us the intelligence we needed to go find Al Qaeda, to find their camps, to find out how they were being financed. Those interrogations were involved in the arrest of nearly all the Al Qaeda members that we were able to bring to justice. I think they were directly responsible for the fact that for eight years, we had no further mass casualty attacks against the United States.

It was good policy. It was properly carried out. It worked very, very well.

****************

WALLACE:Republicans have made the charge before, do you think Democrats are soft on National Security?

CHENEY: I do, I've always had the view that in recent years anyway that they didn't have as strong of advocates on National Defense or National Security as they used to have, and I worry about that, I think that things have gotten so partisan that the sort of the pro defense hawkish wing of the Democratic party has faded and isn't as strong as it once was.

WALLACE: Now that he has been in office for seven months, what do you think of Barack Obama?

CHENEY: Well, I was not a fan of his when he got elected, and my views have not changed any. I have serious doubts about his policies, serious doubts especially about the extent to which he understands and is prepared to do what needs to be done to defend the nation.

(To read more click on the title for a link)

"Moderate Voters Misread Obama" by Steve Chapman

Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune:

Among independents, Obama beat John McCain by an 8-point margin. The reason John Kerry lost and Obama won, as Democratic pollster Douglas Schoen has noted, was not liberal voters: They voted for both in the same proportion. The difference was that while Kerry had a 9-point edge over his Republican opponent among moderates, Obama carried them by 21 points. Obama also did significantly better among conservatives than Kerry.

************

His promise of change was eloquent enough to motivate the left wing of his party but vague enough to make him acceptable to people in the middle.

**********

But the 44th president apparently thought he had a mandate for the expansion of federal power and responsibility, which he has used on everything from bailing out automakers to showering the economy with stimulus dollars to trying to overhaul health insurance. He and his allies have therefore been surprised to face a surge of angry opposition, including some based on wild flights of paranoia.

What they forgot is that the surest way to mobilize American political opposition, irrational as well as rational, is to enlarge the government's role in our lives...

***********

One symbol used by the colonies in their revolt against the king of England was a coiled rattlesnake above the slogan: "Don't tread on me." Obama may be learning that, even for elected leaders, it's still good advice

(to read the rest click on the title for a link)

AD Mike Bellotti in Medford Last Night

Click on the title for a link to the Medford Mail Tribune story about Mike Bellotti speaking last night to the Oregon Club of Southern Oregon about his new job as Athletic Director for the University of Oregon. It was a nice evening in Medford Oregon and it was nice to meet and talk to Mike. It's always fun to get together with other Ducks! The college football season is almost here Go Ducks!

Ted Kennedy R.I.P. by Jonah Goldberg

Posted on "The Corner" on National Review Online by Jonah Goldberg:

I'm staying mostly silent about Ted Kennedy for reasons that should be obvious. There was obviously a good side to him. He cared greatly about his causes. He was personally charming. He worked tirelessly and nurtured many careers. I could go on, but others more passionate about the man can say it better.

But here's one tip for liberals outraged that anyone would speak ill of the dead in regard to Kennedy. Such protests are fair for the moment. But they lose all legitimacy the moment liberals try to use his memory to steam roll a health-care bill through Congress. If they want to invoke his memory or legacy as a reason to pass their partisan version of health-care reform, that is their right. But they should not then say that nobody should dare criticize Kennedy. That's not making an argument for health-care reform, that is simple bullying and I see no reason why opponents of the Democratic push should cave in to it.

It didn't take long:

Ailing Senator Robert Byrd, today isssued the following statment:

In his honor and as a tribute to his commitment to his ideals, let us stop the shouting and name calling and have a civilized debate on health care reform which I hope, when legislation has been signed into law, will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American.

Fouad Ajami:"Obama's Summer of Discontent"

If you want the 2008 Presidential election and what has followed summed up in one article click on the title for a link to a Wall Street Journal column by Fouad Ajami. Professor Ajami teaches at the School of Advanced International Studies, at Johns Hopkins University. He is also an adjunct fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. For copyright reasons I can't post the entire article but if you only read one thing about politics for the next year this is the article to read. A few quotes:

*****************

The man was elected amid economic distress. Faith in the country's institutions, perhaps in the free-enterprise system itself, had given way. Mr. Obama had ridden that distress. His politics of charisma was reminiscent of the Third World. A leader steps forth, better yet someone with no discernible trail, someone hard to pin down to a specific political program, and the crowd could read into him what it wished, what it needed.

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In contrast,(with Ronald Reagan) there is joylessness in Mr. Obama. He is a scold, the "Yes we can!" mantra is shallow, and at any rate, it is about the coming to power of a man, and a political class, invested in its own sense of smarts and wisdom, and its right to alter the social contract of the land. In this view, the country had lost its way and the new leader and the political class arrayed around him will bring it back to the right path.

Thus the moment of crisis would become an opportunity to push through a political economy of redistribution and a foreign policy of American penance. The independent voters were the first to break ranks. They hadn't underwritten this fundamental change in the American polity when they cast their votes for Mr. Obama.

******************

Those protesters in those town-hall meetings have served notice that Mr. Obama's charismatic moment has passed. Once again, the belief in that American exception that set this nation apart from other lands is re-emerging. Health care is the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it is an unease with the way the verdict of the 2008 election was read by those who prevailed. It shall be seen whether the man swept into office in the moment of national panic will adjust to the nation's recovery of its self-confidence.

Again, read the entire column by clicking on the title for a link. Best thing I have read, in a long time, that explains whats going on in this country.

Cheney On Obama White House: can we trust them to protect us?

Former Vice President Dick Cheney gave The Weekly Standard a statement Monday night about the CIA documents and the coming Justice Department investigation.

"The documents released Monday clearly demonstrate that the individuals subjected to Enhanced Interrogation Techniques provided the bulk of intelligence we gained about al Qaeda. This intelligence saved lives and prevented terrorist attacks. These detainees also, according to the documents, played a role in nearly every capture of al Qaeda members and associates since 2002. The activities of the CIA in carrying out the policies of the Bush Administration were directly responsible for defeating all efforts by al Qaeda to launch further mass casualty attacks against the United States. The people involved deserve our gratitude. They do not deserve to be the targets of political investigations or prosecutions. President Obama’s decision to allow the Justice Department to investigate and possibly prosecute CIA personnel, and his decision to remove authority for interrogation from the CIA to the White House, serves as a reminder, if any were needed, of why so many Americans have doubts about this Administration’s ability to be responsible for our nation’s security"


UPDATE:




A statement from Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman on AG Holder's decision to name a prosecutor to investigate and potentially criminally charge CIA interrogators:


“I respectfully regret this decision by Attorney General Holder and fear our country will come to regret it too because an open ended criminal investigation of past CIA activity, which has already been condemned and prohibited, will have a chilling effect on the men and women agents of our intelligence community whose uninhibited bravery and skill we depend on every day to protect our homeland from the next terrorist attack. Career prosecutors in the Department of Justice have previously reviewed allegations of abuse and concluded that prosecution was not warranted, with the exception of one CIA contractor who has already been convicted. President Obama has established clear guidelines to ensure that past abuses are not repeated and has stated his desire to look forward rather than backward.

“We cannot take for granted the fact that our homeland has not been attacked since September 11, 2001. That has occurred only because of the constant vigilance and unflinching efforts by those brave individuals in our military, civilian homeland security and counterterrorism agencies, and the intelligence community. These public servants must of course live within the law but they must also be free to do their dangerous and critical jobs without worrying that years from now a future Attorney General will authorize a criminal investigation of them for behavior that a previous Attorney General concluded was authorized and legal.”

Eating our own!

U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement after the Department of Justice released portions of a CIA IG report on terrorist interrogation and Attorney General Eric Holder announced he was naming a prosecutor to investigate CIA officers engaged in counterterrorism:

"At the same time the situation in Afghanistan is getting decidedly worse and the Taliban is advancing, the Obama Justice Department is launching an investigation that risks disrupting CIA counterterrorism initiatives. This is the last thing that should happen when the president is sending more troops into harm’s way, and the nation’s top military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, said over the weekend that al-Qaeda still remains a threat to America and our interests abroad.

"Attorney General Holder should know that as he increases the focus on America’s past counterterrorism efforts, he is distracting from the CIA’s current counterterrorism efforts. Having recently been forced to drop cases due to prosecutorial misconduct at DOJ, the attorney general argued that these were rare instances and not part of a broader problem. The same can be said of the CIA, where the agency initiated the investigation, reported cases of misconduct and disciplined the officers involved.

"It is important to note that incidences of inappropriate, unauthorized conduct cited in the 2004 IG report were dealt with. The unauthorized conduct has been exhaustively reviewed in the past, including by the committee. That the Obama administration apparently is planning to reopen these cases after thorough review by nonpartisan prosecutors raises serious questions.

"President Obama has said repeatedly that he wants to move forward, but his Justice Department seems intractably stuck in reverse. The message from the administration is completely confused, and the men and women at the CIA who we ask to protect our nation have been left in the lurch.

"The attorney general needs to stop his zealous attempt to make this out to be a systemic problem, when unlike cases such as the 2001 Peru shoot down, the CIA IG did not find evidence that there was a systemic problem. Disgruntled lawyers at DOJ, having lost the debate that America’s counterterrorism efforts should be focused on prevention not prosecution, need to put an end to this bureaucratic turf battle.

"The American people have made it clear, they want the CIA to focus on exactly what its mission should be—disrupting and defeating our nation’s enemies and preventing the next attack."

"Doom marches on"

Don't worry, be happy !

Your Uncle Sam has put each and every one of you citizens of the United States $191,831 in debt for unfunded government liabilities. Click on the title for a link to the U.S. National Debt Clock and watch the debt climb. Of course this doesn't even take into consideration the cost of Obamacare. Don't Worry be happy our grand kids will have to pay it :)

34th Anniversary at Callahans

My wife and I celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary on Saturday night by going to dinner at Callahans Lodge high up on the Siskiyou Pass. We have been going to Callahans for at last 35 years and love the live music. Most nights they have a lone singer with a guitar and an electric key broad. He can sing most kinds of music but I Like him best when he sings folk songs. Three or so years ago the lodge burned down and they have now rebuilt it better than ever and it is a beautiful setting for dinner. In fact, we had dinner there the night before it burned down. They also have lodging and hold wedding out on their back deck and lawn. While we were there Saturday night we ran into Perry one of our best friend's son who was in a wedding party for a wedding that was going on at Callahans while we eat. We also got to meet his new wife and son. Robin, his mother, was also there for the wedding and came by our table. We have plans to take Robin back to Callihans for her birthday in October.

What with the wedding going on there were a lot of people there Saturday night. We were given a table in the bar near the singer. He asked if there was anything we would like him to sing and I requested "Follow Me" a John Denver song that was performed by a folk singer at our wedding. He also sang a Neil Diamond song for my wife and an Anniversary song. The singer is very down home and not at all a "Lounge lizard." He is very nice and a good singer and knows thousands of songs. The food was good and it was serendipitous to be having a 34th wedding anniversary and watching a young couple getting married at the same time. I hope they are still married and happy 34 years in the future.

After dinner we drove down I-5 to Ashland and stopped by Lithia park and went to the Perozzi Fountain where we were married 34 years ago. The weather was perfect and all in all a great summer night.

To find out more information about Callahans Lodge click on the title for a link to their web site.

Summer & Ice Tea

Go together. Doesn't that look good.

Terrorists Go Scot Free

Andrew C. McCarthy has a column today on National Review online about the release yesterday by Scotland of a terrorist who was convicted in a court of law of killing 270 people, including 189 Americans. A few quotes:

There was precious outrage in some mainstream media quarters Friday over the Obama administration’s pusillanimous reaction to Scotland’s release of PanAm 103 bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi. But what were they expecting?

Megrahi has been transferred home to Libya. The release of the Lockerbie terrorist was said to be on humanitarian grounds, because Megrahi is said to be terminally ill. The action, though, was totally discretionary on Scotland’s part and could have been stopped by Britain.

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Obviously, the fecklessness of the Obama administration in response to Scotland’s release and Libya’s celebration of a terrorist who murdered 270 people, including 189 Americans, is outrageous. But the Obama administration is staffed with appeasers who all but ensure outcomes of this sort. What did we think the attitude of other countries was going to be when we put these folks in charge?

It should be noted that the killer of 270 innocent people got a hero's welcome when he returned to Libya. To read more of the column click on the title for a link.

" Doom marches on!"

"Virtuous motives, trammelled by inertia and timidity, are no match for armed and resolute wickedness. A sincere love of peace is no excuse for muddling hundreds of millions of humble folks into total war. The cheers of weak, well-meaning assemblies soon cease to echo, and their votes soon cease to count. Doom marches on.”

Winston Churchill

Happy Anniversary

This weekend my wife and I are celebrating our Wedding Anniversary. 34 years ago we were married outside in Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon at the Preozii Fountain. Congratulations to my wife for putting up with me for so long.

You are never too old for Popsicles

Particularly on a hot day. It wouldn't be Summer with out them. It's 100 degrees in Medford, Oregon

Dog Days of Summer

It's 104 degrees in Medford, Oregon at 4 pm.