After the UK increased the number of living Victoria Cross winners a few years ago the American Military Machine are finally waking up to the fact that they have no sight to the end of a war that has already gone on for 11 years.
There is finally going to be a living recipient of the Medal of Honor.
SSG Sal Giunta, a paratrooper w/ the 173rd Airborne, will be awarded the first Medal of Honor given to a living recipient since the Vietnam War. He earned this by charging a group of Taliban who were trying to make off with a wounded comrade in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. His actions broke the Taliban’s attack and allowed him to regain control of SGT Josh Brennan. He also saved the lives of the many other members of his unit who had been caught in a fixed ambush by the Taliban. Giunta didn’t hesitate one second before advancing on his own to ensure the enemy would never take one of ours, but sadly Josh Brennan was too badly wounded to survive. His cousin PVT Joe Brennan recently graduated airborne school and has joined the same unit proudly carrying on Josh’s memory.
Congratulations SSG Sal Giunta, a grateful nation salutes you.
And you'll never need to buy another drink in a bar. Ever.
There I was innocently going to the 'This American Life' website to tell them just how amazing their podcasts are (and they are like WOW) when I found this very interesting YouTube video that combines some of my life's loves - The Muppets and 'OK GO'
One thing that many don’t know about Under Armour is how much they support our troops. In addition to sponsoring military and veteran hospital visits by sport celebrities, they are also big supporters of the Wounded Warrior Project. And you can be too with UA’s new line of signature WWP products. The selections include a Polo as well as Long and Short Sleeve Tees emblazoned with the WWP logo.
Additionally, you can directly support a Wounded Warrior by ordering an ultra cool Backpack gift that comes stuffed with the following products:
UA Zone Backpack
UA Flex Jacket
UA Flex Short
UA Tech™ T
4-Pack of UA Socks
UA Boxer Jock (Men’s)
UA Hipster Underwear (Women’s)
UA won’t forget your generosity. They’ll send you a numbered, limited-edition token of their appreciation.
American on Purpose, The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson
Yes, that Craig Ferguson.
I’m not a huge fan of his. I liked him in The Drew Carey Show and he was an interesting actor in a few films and sitcoms. But I do like him on The Late Late Show. One episode really got to me, the one where he talks from the heart about why he became an American citizen. It is on YouTube in 4 or 5 parts – go Google it!!
I bought this book because I respected the guy and I wanted to see what his story was.
Its an interesting story about a Scottish lad who actually didn’t have it so tough, turned to comedy and mad a go of it. The real story is in how he made it despite of himself. Drugs, women and kilts.
Oh, and did I mention that he is an alcoholic? And was serious about committing suicide at least one time?
An interesting guy, an interesting book and definitely worth a read.
The world is looking at South Africa now, and more specifically at the World Cup 2010, of which Nelson Mandela is rightfully proud.
South Africa is showing that it can be a host to a world event, especially after all the worries about the astonishingly high level of violence and crime in certain areas of the country.
There are still issues with the South Africans though, and something that is ruining the occasion of today's football greats playing each other and that is the vuvuzlea.
No, not the Plavalaguna character from the Bruce Willis film, The Fifth Element, but rather a long trumpet or bugle that gives out an insidious noise. And the buggers keep blowing them throughout the match!
As if the players didn't have enough excuses as to why they lost the game / missed the shot / couldn't concentrate on kicking the ball.
Vuvuzelas in action at the World Cup 2010
Personally I fear that Diego Maradona is taking his integration into South African society a bit too seriously -
Flyguy tells us about his experiences with 'unique' pilots in his life of being a commercial airline pilot in 'Captain Utah' (I particularly like the story about the bananas)
I get annoyed when people lie to my face, or think I'm stupid enough to believe the nonsense they spout.
To learn more than Fox, CNN, Al-Jezeera and Sky are telling you about today's escapades on the high seas, I suggest you read what The Muqata has to say in his live blogging.
The Stokely family sat in a football stadium on a warm Friday night just before Memorial Day 2001 to watch Mike Stokely graduate high school. He already had boot camp / basic training and a year in the National Guard under his belt and would be heading off for Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Gordon in a few weeks. His little sister, Abbey, almost nine, couldn't let go of him, even to have a photo taken with Mike and their brother, Wes. She swung on his arm adoringly - her look of love says it all.
On the morning of August 16, 2005, as my wife Retta and I sat with Wes and Abbey just after breaking the news to them of Mikes death earler that morning, then 13 year old Abbey buried her head into my shoulder, sobbing these words: "he was supposed to chase away my first boyfriend, he was supposed to cheer at my graduation from high school, he was supposed to be an uncle to my children..." These words seared my heart, broken as it was. I shall never forget them. She lost her oldest brother that day, her "Bubs" which she called him short for his nickname, Bubba.
Tonight, May 27, 2010 at the football stadium for Northgate High School in Sharpsburg GA, Abbey Stokely graduated last with her class. She has had a rough five years that started with Mike's death in Iraq. Five months later, she and I were broad sided by a driver who ran a stop sign at 45 plus and rolled and flipped us several times, shearing her right rear passenger door away. She spent 18 months recovering from her serious neck, back, and head injury. Those two events might seem enough to cause a student to graduate last.
But more came her way for just a month or so after she was fully recovered from the wreck. She was bitten by a tick and came down with Lyme Disease. In GA and the south there is medical bias against diagnosing or even recognizing that Lyme Disease exists here and doctor after doctor refused to treat her for Lyme, saying she just needed psychological help due to her brother's death and the car wreck. She missed over half her class instruction time during her sophomore and junior years, essentially home schooling herself between extensive rest periods, migraines, sickness, dizziness, and other symptoms that doctors said was just "in her head" and not Lyme. She and her mother traveled out of state to see doctors who might treat her for Lyme and finally we found a doctor about two hours from our home in GA that started aggressive treatment for Lyme and she finally started getting better. That might be enough by itself, but especially with the continuing grief over her brother's loss and her own near death experience to cause her to be last, but more was to come.
As she ended her junior year her best friend for several years had become her first boyfriend - the one Mike was supposed to chase away. But I think he might have let this fine young man who had been so good to his sister in all of her grief, injuries and sickness stay around. A gentleman in every respect was Thomas Broadwater. A fine son and brother-in-law he might have one day made. They went to the prom together and a great night it was, but then the next day my mother / Abbey's grandmother fell seriously ill at age 81 and died a week later. Looking back, it is about the most normal thing that has happened to Abbey in these five years. Her "Nana" adored her as she adored Nana. Enough you might think. But not yet, for three weeks after burying her Nana, Abbey Stokely buried her best friend, her first boyfriend, Thomas Broadwater, who died from complications of surgery on one of his lungs.
So, you might think that was enough and it was almost too much for her to bear. Thomas was also her classmate and supposed to graduate with Abbey and 395 others tonight. This last year has not been easy to say the least. Surely, this explains why she was the last. She wanted her brother Mike to be there to cheer for her and she felt it so unfair that Thomas wasn't there to get his diploma. And that weighed heavily on her. We were tense to see if she would get through this graduation tonight, an emotional time for her to say the least.
But none of these things are why Abbey Stokely was last to graduate with her class tonight. Abbey Stokely graduated last tonight because she was the Valedictorian and by tradition the last to receive her diploma and graduate. Before rising to give her speech to send her classmates into the future, she watched with bittersweet pride as a member of Thomas Broadwater's family came forward to receive his diploma posthumously. Then, she nailed her speech in front of thousands of friends, family and strangers. Just as she finished, a downpour hit and drenched the graduates and the crowd. A mile away not a drop.
I first wondered why it rained there. But then, as I saw the rising full moon emerge from behind the clouds, The same Moon over Yusufiyah I watched night after night as Mike served in Iraq, even as I prayed for his safety and wished to feel close to him, knowing he had seen the same moon 8 hours before. It was then I wondered if it was Mike's tears of joy and pride for his sister that had just drenched us all.
The Moon over Yusufiyah was shining bright over Sharpsburg tonight.
And I was reminded again that the highest cost of Freedom is A Lifetime of Love.
Robert Stokely
proud dad of Abbey Stokely, Wes Stokely
and Mike Stokely KIA 16 AUG 05 near Yusufiyah Iraq
Abbey produced this memorial slideshow for Mike in 2007, on the second anniversary of his death. I first saw it not far from Yusufiyah, where we were finishing the work he and so many others had begun. Those were grim days, but from the Stokely family I gained strength to carry on.
The baby has been waking up in the middle of the night and even once he is down again I can't sleep. So I've been watching a fair bit of TV recently, catching up with series that i've been too busy to watch.
The Good; stuff I'd watch at the drop of a hat
Deadliest Catch - reality show about crab fishing. A must see for everyone bored in their lives or jobs. Modern Family - comedy Big Bang Theory - comedy
NCIS - drama
The Bad - shows that others love and I don't;
Lost
24
Glee
The Ugly - shows I have gotten very bored with, although they were once great;
Chuck - comedy/drama
NCIS LA
Two and a Half Men
So to conclude, I strongly suggest, whilst all the normal shows are on summer break (why, I don't know!?), watch The Deadliest Catch, from Season 1. Modern Family, with all the family. Download The Big Bang Theory and keep it on your computer to watch when you need a laugh. Its not everyone's cup of tea.
As I ranted in the last Everest blog, as is my want as 'Jumblerant', I did actually have a point to make! And it seemed to me that it was a simple one.
So what was I really moaning about last time? The stupidity of people in wanting to climb Everest at any cost. And that cost may not only be their lives, but also their rescuers' lives too.
Ed starts explaining his love for climbing, how he started out as a local climber, then local guide and then international expedition member, guide and then leader.
He has opinions on all matters Everest and is not afraid to share them. The main quote that sticks in my mind is a basic one;
"Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory"
This to me sums up all that is wrong with paid hikers, as opposed to experienced climbers, going up Everest. Repeatedly on the Everest based TV shows climbers gravitate to the peak of the world forgetting that they have to get back to shelter if they are going to live to tell the tale.
Turning away from the peak 250 meters is an option because it means you live to try another day but many amateurs forget this, and as expedition companies sell more spaces depending on how many people reached the summit the year before, they are always ready to give in and risk numerous lives.
Sending a 13 year old up into the Death Zone may not be the cleverest thing a parent may do but adults also get all discombobulated by the peak of Everest looming over them;
Fellow climbers tell how the youngest British woman to scale summit was rescued frostbitten, semi-conscious and close to death
She was very lucky indeed. Many, if not most of those afflicted with anything life threatening over 28,000 are left to die a slow and painful death because at that height you cannot have a pal sit next to you and cheer you on as they themselves need to get back to where they can breath air not from a bottle.
They need to get down to a warm drink and a place to relax because most people coming down from the peak have been awake for close to 24 hours.
Don't take my word for it, listen to Dr. Kenneth Kamler who was a part of the 1996 disaster on Everest:
