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Ask A Vet
Author: TriSec    Date: 12/30/2008 11:26:55

Good Morning.

Today is our 2,113rd day in Iraq.

We'll start this morning as we always do, with the latest casualty figures from the Warron Terra, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4219
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4080
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 3758
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3360
Since Election (1/31/05): 2781

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 316
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 629
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 413
Contractor Deaths - Iraq: 445



We find this morning's cost of war passing through:

$ 583, 935, 750, 000.00


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117 comments (Latest Comment: 12/31/2008 03:04:52 by TriSec)

NYS for sale? How about Mass? Minnesota? Yeah-- that too!
Author: Raine    Date: 12/29/2008 13:36:20

Private lottery, private water, private roads, private bridges. States are seriously considering the idea of selling off our infrastructure to the highest bidder. Where would that leave the massive economic stimulus package that PE Obama is suggesting? He has suggested that in order to get Americans back to work we should be investing in our infrastructure... not privatizing it.
GOP lawmakers are pushing to privatize the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the state lottery. Both steps require a higher authority — federal legislation in the case of the airport, a voter-approved constitutional amendment for the lottery. But one lawmaker estimated an airport deal could bring in at least $2.5 billion, and the lottery $500 million.

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering putting the Massachusetts Turnpike in private hands. That could bring in upfront money to help with a $1.4 billion deficit, while also saving on highway operating costs.
In New York, Democratic Gov. David Paterson appointed a commission to look into leasing state assets, including the Tappan Zee Bridge north of New York City, the lottery, golf courses, toll roads, parks and beaches. Recommendations are expected next month.

Such projects could be attractive to private investors and public pension funds looking for safe places to put their money in this scary economy, said Leonard Gilroy, a privatization expert with the market-oriented Reason Foundation in Los Angeles.

"Infrastructure is more attractive today than ever," Gilroy said. "It's tangible. It's a road. It's water. It's an airport. It's something that is — you know, you hear the term recession-proof."

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96 comments (Latest Comment: 12/30/2008 04:59:19 by Raine)

The Year in Review
Author: velveeta jones    Date: 12/28/2008 15:18:36

In an effort to propel FourFreedomsBlog.com into the upper echelon of blogs, with an eye to beating out our competion, I present you with one of those ubiquitous and annoying yearly retrospectives!

Everyone does it: Sports shows, Hollywood gossip; Political media; and even Nancy Grace is sure to have a missing child/white woman year-end review. I’m sure we’ll all be glued to that, yes?

It’s just one of those things that has to be done; sort of like having a tooth pulled. You know eventually you’ll have to submit to a dentist, just like you’re bound to run into one of these various mediums that will scream out: 2008: The Year In Review! And you’ll be sucked in, even though you already lived through the year, probably sober most of the time, as well you still have the majority of your faculties; so you pretty much know what happened in 2008. Still, you’ll be hooked.

Besides, it gives the writers some much needed down time, right? How hard is it to basically re-write stories that have already been written?

Lazy bastards.

This is where we at FourFreedoms have the edge and are sure to beat HuffPo in the ratings war with our Year in Review. Why? When you google certain buzzwords you’ll happen upon our blog……. because our Year in Review is totally made up, um, we have access to avenues that even Woodward and Bernstein never had. Despite the fact that the owners of this blog don’t pay me nearly enough and haven’t even provided me with a company cell phone, still Velveeta has a dedication that will not waver. (At least until I get that offer from HuffPo).

So, I present to you: Top 5 Stories of 2008 *
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11 comments (Latest Comment: 12/29/2008 01:58:20 by livingonli)

A time for Reflection
Author: TriSec    Date: 12/27/2008 11:54:30

2008 is drawing to a close.

It's surely been a pivotal year for these United States, but we're not the only place of note on this blue marble. Let's take a look at a couple of places that have reason to look in the rear-view mirror with sorrow. Unlike us, however....these places tend not to have much hope for the future, where we here in the USA are a bit spoiled in that regard.


December 27 marks the one-year anniversary of the assasination of Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan). Our erstwhile ally in the 'warron terra' is going to find things different after January 20th, methinks.


Tens of thousands of Pakistanis have gathered at the mausoleum of former PM Benazir Bhutto to mark the first anniversary of her assassination.

Ceremonies in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, southern Pakistan, are expected to include prayers, poetry and speeches.

Mrs Bhutto was killed in a suicide bomb and gun attack in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, after an election rally.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon says he expects an independent inquiry into her death to be set up soon.

The memorial service coincides with a sharp increase in tensions between India and Pakistan, over the alleged role of Pakistani militants in the Mumbai attacks.

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18 comments (Latest Comment: 12/28/2008 06:09:20 by Mondobubba)

Thinking Outside the Box
Author: BobR    Date: 12/26/2008 13:25:55

Happy Boxing Day! Today is the day in the UK, Canada, and other former British colonies when people box up the stuff they no longer need and donate it to the poor. No one is clear on where the name came from, but the intent is clear - it's a time of giving back, for showing appreciation for all that you have.

In the United States, of course, the day after Christmas is like Black Friday - another orgy of buying, this time all of the after-Christmas sales. Some retailers are probably hoping to salvage something from this holiday season since - due to the poor economy - retail sales are way down this year.

It's an interesting juxtaposition, the British tradition of giving away and the American tradition of buying more on this day. Americans buy for others before Christmas and for themselves after Christmas. Perhaps it's all those gift cards people now give as gifts...
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44 comments (Latest Comment: 12/27/2008 03:55:47 by livingonli)

Christmas in the Trenches
Author: Raine    Date: 12/25/2008 14:17:36

There are many stories, and versions.
The "Christmas truce" is a term used to describe several brief unofficial cessations of hostilities that occurred on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day between German and British or French troops in World War I, particularly that between British and German troops stationed along the Western Front during Christmas 1914. In 1915 there was a similar Christmas truce between German and French troops, and during Easter 1916 a truce also existed on the Eastern Front.

The Christmas Truces during World War I are the stuff that go to our highest spirits as human beings. John McCutcheon wrote a lovely song about it.
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26 comments (Latest Comment: 12/26/2008 05:57:44 by Raine)

So This is Christmas
Author: BobR    Date: 12/24/2008 13:15:15

What a strange and wonderful thing Christmas is. It's a veritable pastiche of traditions and myths all thrown together into a big pot and stirred together. Christians are fond of saying "Jesus is the reason for the season", but it usually seems like He's the excuse for the season - and the season is full of some very non-Christian things...

What began as Roman winter festivals and pagan Yule celebrations turned into Christmas when the ancient Catholic church decided to insinuate itself into the party. Attempts have been made to "Christianize" all of the traditions swirling around these holidays, although they are absurdly transparent. Balls on the tree represent God's light?... Giving gifts represents the gifts of the Magi?... please!
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89 comments (Latest Comment: 12/25/2008 06:55:59 by livingonli)

Ask a Vet - Christmas 2008
Author: TriSec    Date: 12/23/2008 11:27:11

Good Morning.

Today is our 2,106th day in Iraq.

We'll start this morning as we always do; with the latest casualty figures from the warron terra, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

Since war began (3/19/03): 4212
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4073
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 3752
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3353
Since Election (1/31/05): 2774

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 316
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 629
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 408
Contractor Deaths - Iraq: 445


We find this morning's Cost of War passing through:

$ 581, 975, 000, 000.00




So this is Christmas. As you'll note from the ticker at the top of the page, "President" Bush will leave office in just 28 days, perhaps the best Christmas present the nation ever got.

But what of the veterans?
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123 comments (Latest Comment: 12/24/2008 05:23:32 by Raine)

If the President does it, it's legal.
Author: Raine    Date: 12/22/2008 13:32:48

Say what?
All of President Bush's actions during his years as a wartime leader were done with full legal authority, Vice President Dick Cheney said on Fox News Sunday.

Asked by Chris Wallace if it's legal when the president makes a decision to help the country when it's fighting a war, Cheney said, "As a general proposition, I'd say yes."

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256 comments (Latest Comment: 12/23/2008 03:30:27 by Random)

Fabulous Gay Holiday Blog!
Author: velveeta jones    Date: 12/21/2008 14:32:05

We would assume that in this country where it’s not illegal to be gay (whoops, how many days left do with have with President Dumbkov? Well, lets just assume that he forgets to do a last minute fix of that “problem”) – in a country where its currently not illegal to be gay, that we would sign a non binding declaration presented by the United Nations calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality without hesitation.

It was just a little ole declaration seeking universal decriminalization of homosexuality.

And many of our friends in Japan, Mexico, Australia and the entire EU all signed it this past Thursday.

But no, we stood with our friends in backwards and/or repressive countries including members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference! Countries like: Iran. Remind me, aren’t we supposed to be better than Iran? Aren’t we the ones that are supposed to the protector of human rights while Iran is a member of the “Axis of Evil” as George W. has labeled them many times? The Organization of the Islamic Conference suggested that protecting sexual orientation could lead to "the social normalization and possibly the legalization of deplorable acts" such as pedophilia and incest.
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36 comments (Latest Comment: 12/22/2008 04:35:07 by livingonli)

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