never enough of it
time marches on
trickles away
each day
dies
and
each day
a new dawn
time marches on
never enough of it

John Chipura knew how precious life was. He learned that lesson at age 21, on October 23, 1983 as a Marine in Beirut.

John was a 21 year old radio operator on his second tour as a member of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment 24th Marine Amphibious Unit. He was stationed in Beirut when terrorists with a truck bomb took out the battalion headquarters barracks and killed 241 of his fellow leathernecks and service men.

John dodged death and came home from that tragedy. He didn't speak much about it, he didn't dwell on the fact that he survived because he was leaving the barracks early to assume his post as a radio operator when the bomb exploded. He didn't dwell on the fact that the man walking just behind him was killed.

John's brother, Gerard Chipura, a fireman with Ladder Company 148, said his brother never forgot his experiences as a Marine. "We didn’t know it, but John kept in touch with all the families from the bombing," his brother Gerard said, "I don't think John ever thought he would live to see anything worse than what he saw that day in Beirut."

He was marked by the experience. "When he came back, he was more of a hugging person. He knew how precious life was because it could all be over in a second." - Nancy Chipura, John's sister

His brother Gerard said John was missing for three whole days in Beirut before he was able to get through to the family and let them know he was fine. He said the 9/11 deja-vu experience was painfully "surreal." "My sister said, 'I'm going to give him three days.' But he hasn't shown up yet. Not this time," said his brother.

John lived his life to the end as a hero.

Gerard and his family find solace in the words that John wrote in November 2000, on the occasion of the Corps 225 birthday: "We Marines are truly blessed. We get to enjoy the sweet taste of this Freedom because we know its price."

“He was a true Marine" . - FDNY Lt. John Atwell

After his honorable discharge from the Marines in 1987, John desired to continue serving the community and joined the city Police Department in 1987. He was assigned to the 72nd Precinct in his old neighborhood, Sunset Park, for seven years. John devoted three years service in Brooklyn South Narcotics and then returned to the 72nd Precinct as a detective.

“As a police officer he was always looking to clean up the neighborhood and help other families. He was very caring, and nothing got in his way or bothered him.” - Gina DeFalco, John's Fiancee.

After 12 years of service to the NYPD, John yearned for the camaraderie of the firehouse; his brother, Gerard, was a fireman, as their father, Anthony, had been. In August, 1998, John achieved his dream.

Following the footsteps of his father, Anthony Chipura, John joined the city Fire Department. "He knew you work as a team, as a unit in the Fire Department -- he liked that,' said his brother. "He always thought people call the Police Department when there's a problem, to get somebody bad, but you call the Fire Department when people needed help."

Graduating from firefighter training in 1998, John Chipura was assigned to Engine Co. 219, Brooklyn, for one year. He then rotated through Ladder Co. 81, South Beach, and Engine Co. 80 in Manhattan. John had recently returned to Engine Co. 219 to once again serve Downtown Brooklyn.

On Sept. 11, he arrived at Engine 219 to work the day tour and was detailed to Ladder Co. 105, which is housed in the same location. After reports of the first attack, he called his sister, Nancy Chipura, who worked on the 69th Floor of Tower 1. He was unable to make contact. Just before responding to the World Trade Center, John called his fiancee, Gina DeFalco, who also worked Downtown, for more information about Nancy. He received no word about his sister when he arrived at the scene at 8:45 a.m. with Ladder 105. “There wasn’t any news,” said Ms. DeFalco, “but later, when I heard that Nancy was safe, I called John to tell him. But his ladder company had already left.” John and the five other firefighters in the truck have not been heard from since.

Witnesses told the family he was last seen assisting in the evacuation of many people from Tower 2. "He was inside when it collapsed," said his brother. "I know he was looking for my sister."

Mr. Chipura and Ms. DeFalco, who met through a friend in the Fire Department, had planned to marry just six weeks after Sept. 11. "Getting married was the sole focus of his being for the last few months," said his brother. "He was 39-years-old and finally found the right girl. He held her so close to his heart."

Gerard Chipura said his brother was always trying to help people and make them "feel good." "He wanted to make everybody happy. He didn't want anybody to be upset," said his brother. "When John was not serving the community, he was serving his family and friends. He was a great conversationalist, problem solver, hard worker and friend," said his brother. "John embraced hobbies such as country dancing and motorcycling because he liked the sense of community he found."

John Chipura was a mentor for many at Boy Scout Troop 21. He was a member of the troop since 1974 and went on to serve as assist scout master until he was lost in the attack. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Iwo Jima Association and the Beirut Veterans Memorial Association. John was also a member of St. Joseph and St. Thomas Parish, Pleasant Plains.

His mother, Jane Chipura, died in 1994 and his father, Anthony, died in 1996. In addition to his brother, Gerard, and his sister, Nancy Chipura, surviving are his twin sister, Susan Cohen; another sister, Eileen Cella; and several nieces and nephews. John also left behind the love of his life, Gina DeFalco.

Dear John,

In the blink of an eye
Our lives went awry
Not a day has gone by
That we all do not cry

For what we had
For what was planned
For what took place
For what was yet to be

For births, promotions, holidays, birthdays,
graduations, bar mitzvahs
Celebrated without you, but always thinking of you
Another blink of an eye

And a year has gone by
How can it be?
It went so fast and yet so much has passed
So many tears, can it only be a year?

Lives went on, go on, different, not the same
We try, we share, we wonder why
We try to make sense of that blink of an eye
We try to make each blink count

We try to do what you would want us to
We try to make that blink of an eye
Mean something.

Help us, show us, tell us
Be there as you always were
In our hearts, in our thoughts
In every blink of our eyes.

With all our love always,

Your family, friends, fiancé and Mom-to-be

Except for the short poem at the beginning of this post, none of these words are mine. They are culled from various articles on the internet. I have never met John Chipura, but I wish I had the opportunity to do so. In life, John touched so many lives, not only his family and friends, but also, every person he came into contact with. Serving as a Marine, John protected our freedom, and as police officer and a fireman, John helped make so many people safe.

I feel a special kind of love for John Chipura, and I thank G-d for men like him.

This Tribute was originally posted on September 11, 2006, again on September 11, 2008, and is reposted today as part of this year's Project 2996. The original post can be found here.

This is Legacy.com's Tribute to John Chipura, and the Guestbook, if you care to leave a message there.

Never Forget.

That about sums it up.

What is Project Valour IT? Well, first you get the background... the story behind Valour-IT:

Project Valour-IT began when Captain Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss was wounded by an IED while serving as commander of a tank company in Iraq in June 2005.

During his deployment he kept a blog. Captivating writing, insightful stories of his experiences, and his self-deprecating humor won him many loyal readers. After he was wounded, his wife continued his blog, keeping his readers informed of his condition.

As he began to recover, CPT Ziegenfuss wanted to return to writing his blog, but serious hand injuries hampered his typing. When a loyal and generous reader gave him a copy of the Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred software, other readers began to realize how important such software could be to CPT Ziegenfuss' fellow wounded soldiers and started cast about for a way to get it to them.

A fellow who writes under the pseudonym FbL contacted Captain Ziegenfuss and the two realized they shared a vision of creating libraries of laptops with voice-controlled software that could be brought to the bedsides of wounded soldiers whose injuries prevented them from operating a standard computer. FbL contacted Soldiers' Angels, who offered to help develop the project, and Project Valour-IT was born.

When I made this post in July of 2005, my goal was to cheer up Chuck as he recovered from wounds he received while defending our freedom in Iraq. Yes, it's the same Chuck, and many of you sent cards and letters to him during his stay at Walter Reed. I thank you for that. But, our work is not done yet. Now I'm asking you to help Valour-IT.

Project Valour-IT accepts donations of any amount to supply the "libraries" of laptops at major medical centers and gifts to individuals, but has also added the option of an individual or organization directly sponsoring a wounded soldier by completely funding the cost of a laptop and continuing to provide him or her with personal support and encouragement throughout recovery. Thanks to the efforts of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Valour-IT is also able to reach patients in VA hospitals who would benefit from a Valour-IT laptop.

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of voice-activated laptops for wounded servicemembers.

Project Valour-IT is a simple idea with profound impact. It's grateful Americans, providing laptops with voice-activated software for severely wounded troops. Project Valour-IT offers a way for us to tell them we have not forgotten their sacrifices, and that is truly priceless. In many, many ways what we are trying to do is reconnect them to the world; remind them that they are not alone. That they still have something to contribute, that they are still a vital part of this nation, and that even though they may have lost parts of themselves that they can never recover, though they may temporarily be feeling hopeless, helpless, even alone, they aren't.

Someone remembers. Someone still cares. And when they get out of the hospital, America will find a way for them to rejoin the community and be useful again. For a wounded vet facing traumatic and painful injuries, that knowledge alone is beyond price.

Please dig deep. You cannot know the value of the hope your small contributions can bring to those who have already given so much on our behalf.

If you wish to donate, use this link, where you'll find many options to make it easy.

Soldiers' Angels has been designated a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity by the IRS. Donations are tax-deductible and may be eligible for matching funds from donors' employers (ask your employer). Be sure to consult your tax advisor for further information.

Tell your friends, family and neighbors about Valour-IT, challenge your co-workers or employer to match donations, consider involving clubs, churches, or charitable organizations. If you have any contacts in the media, local or national newspapers, radio, TV, whatever, whoever, however, spread the word!

I know I can count on your support for this, just hit that link so the Marine Corps Team gets credit! and... Thank you!

Because, yes, there's a good bit of good-natured interservice rivalry fun in the interests of raising some money for a good cause, but at the end of the day what really matters is not which team you support, but that you find it in your hearts to support a worthwhile cause. Because our wounded vets have given more in the service of our country than most of us will ever be able to repay.

If you were wondering why I choose the Marine Corps Fundraising Team every year, well, I love tanks, and I love fighter jets, and I love those great big ships and subs, but in the end, I joined the Marines Fundraising Team because of the Marine you see right there, down on one knee...

He served in Korea, as Infantry, in the Military Police and he was a proud member of the Marines' Drum and Bugle Corps.

And he just happens to be my Dad! Handsome, isn't he? Of course he is, that's why they let him be a Marine! and I bet you thought it was a coincidence that Marines are always so darn good looking!

I'm proud of my Dad, and I'm proud of each of every one of our troops serving in the United States Military, whether it's the Army, Navy, Air Force or the Marines. These brave men and women deserve our support, and Project Valour-IT is a great way to say Thank You!

On Thursday, October 12, 2000, 17 of our Nation's finest were killed in a terrorist attack on the USS Cole, docked in the port of Yemen to take on fuel.

We must never forget these brave young men and women, they gave us their all.

	Cherone Louis Gunn Signalman Seaman Recruit  Rex,  Ga.		James Rodrick McDaniels Seaman Norfolk, Va.
	Timothy Lamont Saunders Operations Specialist 2nd class Ringgold, Va.		Lakiba Nicole Palmer Seaman Recruit San Diego, Ca.
	Richard Costelow Chief Electronics Technician Morrisville, Pa.		Andrew Triplett Ensign Macon, Miss.
	Craig Bryan Wibberley Seaman Apprentice Williamsport, Md.		Gary Graham Swenchonis Jr. Fireman Rockport, Texas
	Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd class  Mechanicsville, Va.		Lakeina Monique Francis Seaman Mess Management Spec. Woodleaf, N.C.
	Timothy Lee Gauna Seaman Information Systems Technician  Rice, Texas		Marc Ian Nieto Engineman 2nd Class Fond du Lac, Wis.
	Ronald Scott Owens Electronics Warfare Technician 3rd Class Vero Beach, Fla.		Joshua Langdon Parlett, Engineman Fireman Churchville, Md.
	Patrick Howard Roy Fireman Apprentice Keedysville, Md.		Kevin Shawn Rux Elect. Warfare Tech 1st Class Portland, N.D.
	Ronchester Mananga Santiago Mess Management Specialist  3rd Class Kingsville, Texas

The bombing of the USS Cole was a deliberate act of war by al-Qaeda, and it went ignored and unavenged by the Clinton Administration. I'm sure he pointed his finger as he said "If, as it now appears, this was an act of terrorism, it was a despicable and cowardly act. We will find out who was responsible and hold them accountable." Strong words from a weak man, in the end, Clinton did nothing.

On November 3, 2002, under the Bush Administration, the CIA fired a AGM-114 Hellfire missile from a Predator UAV at a vehicle carrying Abu Ali al-Harithi, a suspected planner of the bombing plot. Also in the vehicle was Ahmed Hijazi, a U.S. citizen. Both were killed. This operation was carried out on Yemeni soil.

On September 29, 2004, a Yemeni judge sentenced Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri and Jamal al-Badawi to death for their roles in the bombing. Al-Nashiri, believed to be the operation's mastermind, is currently being held by the U.S. at an undisclosed location. Al-Badawi, in Yemeni custody, denounced the verdict as "an American one." Four others were sentenced to prison terms of five to 10 years for their involvement, including one Yemeni who had videotaped the attack.

On February 3, 2006, 23 suspected or convicted Al-Qaeda members escaped from jail in Yemen. This number included 13 who were convicted of the USS Cole bombings and the bombing of the French tanker Limburg in 2002. Among those who reportedly escaped was Al-Badawi. He remains one of the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists. For more on this, please read this article on the escape by Jane Novak, of Armies of Liberation.

Meanwhile... Clinton is still pointing his finger and yes, his wife still has her eye on the White House. Don't doubt that for even a moment.

never enough of it
time marches on
trickles away
each day
dies
and
each day
a new dawn
time marches on
never enough of it

John Chipura knew how precious life was. He learned that lesson at age 21, on October 23, 1983 as a Marine in Beirut.

John was a 21 year old radio operator on his second tour as a member of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment 24th Marine Amphibious Unit. He was stationed in Beirut when terrorists with a truck bomb took out the battalion headquarters barracks and killed 241 of his fellow leathernecks and service men.

John dodged death and came home from that tragedy. He didn't speak much about it, he didn't dwell on the fact that he survived because he was leaving the barracks early to assume his post as a radio operator when the bomb exploded. He didn't dwell on the fact that the man walking just behind him was killed.

John's brother, Gerard Chipura, a fireman with Ladder Company 148, said his brother never forgot his experiences as a Marine. "We didn’t know it, but John kept in touch with all the families from the bombing," his brother Gerard said, "I don't think John ever thought he would live to see anything worse than what he saw that day in Beirut."

He was marked by the experience. "When he came back, he was more of a hugging person. He knew how precious life was because it could all be over in a second." - Nancy Chipura, John's sister

His brother Gerard said John was missing for three whole days in Beirut before he was able to get through to the family and let them know he was fine. He said the 9/11 deja-vu experience was painfully "surreal." "My sister said, 'I'm going to give him three days.' But he hasn't shown up yet. Not this time," said his brother.

John lived his life to the end as a hero.

Gerard and his family find solace in the words that John wrote in November 2000, on the occasion of the Corps 225 birthday: "We Marines are truly blessed. We get to enjoy the sweet taste of this Freedom because we know its price."

“He was a true Marine" . - FDNY Lt. John Atwell

After his honorable discharge from the Marines in 1987, John desired to continue serving the community and joined the city Police Department in 1987. He was assigned to the 72nd Precinct in his old neighborhood, Sunset Park, for seven years. John devoted three years service in Brooklyn South Narcotics and then returned to the 72nd Precinct as a detective.

“As a police officer he was always looking to clean up the neighborhood and help other families. He was very caring, and nothing got in his way or bothered him.” - Gina DeFalco, John's Fiancee.

After 12 years of service to the NYPD, John yearned for the camaraderie of the firehouse; his brother, Gerard, was a fireman, as their father, Anthony, had been. In August, 1998, John achieved his dream.

Following the footsteps of his father, Anthony Chipura, John joined the city Fire Department. "He knew you work as a team, as a unit in the Fire Department -- he liked that,' said his brother. "He always thought people call the Police Department when there's a problem, to get somebody bad, but you call the Fire Department when people needed help."

Graduating from firefighter training in 1998, John Chipura was assigned to Engine Co. 219, Brooklyn, for one year. He then rotated through Ladder Co. 81, South Beach, and Engine Co. 80 in Manhattan. John had recently returned to Engine Co. 219 to once again serve Downtown Brooklyn.

On Sept. 11, he arrived at Engine 219 to work the day tour and was detailed to Ladder Co. 105, which is housed in the same location. After reports of the first attack, he called his sister, Nancy Chipura, who worked on the 69th Floor of Tower 1. He was unable to make contact. Just before responding to the World Trade Center, John called his fiancee, Gina DeFalco, who also worked Downtown, for more information about Nancy. He received no word about his sister when he arrived at the scene at 8:45 a.m. with Ladder 105. “There wasn’t any news,” said Ms. DeFalco, “but later, when I heard that Nancy was safe, I called John to tell him. But his ladder company had already left.” John and the five other firefighters in the truck have not been heard from since.

Witnesses told the family he was last seen assisting in the evacuation of many people from Tower 2. "He was inside when it collapsed," said his brother. "I know he was looking for my sister."

Mr. Chipura and Ms. DeFalco, who met through a friend in the Fire Department, had planned to marry just six weeks after Sept. 11. "Getting married was the sole focus of his being for the last few months," said his brother. "He was 39-years-old and finally found the right girl. He held her so close to his heart."

Gerard Chipura said his brother was always trying to help people and make them "feel good." "He wanted to make everybody happy. He didn't want anybody to be upset," said his brother. "When John was not serving the community, he was serving his family and friends. He was a great conversationalist, problem solver, hard worker and friend," said his brother. "John embraced hobbies such as country dancing and motorcycling because he liked the sense of community he found."

John Chipura was a mentor for many at Boy Scout Troop 21. He was a member of the troop since 1974 and went on to serve as assist scout master until he was lost in the attack. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Iwo Jima Association and the Beirut Veterans Memorial Association. John was also a member of St. Joseph and St. Thomas Parish, Pleasant Plains.

His mother, Jane Chipura, died in 1994 and his father, Anthony, died in 1996. In addition to his brother, Gerard, and his sister, Nancy Chipura, surviving are his twin sister, Susan Cohen; another sister, Eileen Cella; and several nieces and nephews. John also left behind the love of his life, Gina DeFalco.

Dear John,

In the blink of an eye
Our lives went awry
Not a day has gone by
That we all do not cry

For what we had
For what was planned
For what took place
For what was yet to be

For births, promotions, holidays, birthdays,
graduations, bar mitzvahs
Celebrated without you, but always thinking of you
Another blink of an eye

And a year has gone by
How can it be?
It went so fast and yet so much has passed
So many tears, can it only be a year?

Lives went on, go on, different, not the same
We try, we share, we wonder why
We try to make sense of that blink of an eye
We try to make each blink count

We try to do what you would want us to
We try to make that blink of an eye
Mean something.

Help us, show us, tell us
Be there as you always were
In our hearts, in our thoughts
In every blink of our eyes.

With all our love always,

Your family, friends, fiancé and Mom-to-be

Except for the short poem at the beginning of this post, none of these words are mine. They are culled from various articles on the internet. I have never met John Chipura, but I wish I had the opportunity to do so. In life, John touched so many lives, not only his family and friends, but also, every person he came into contact with. Serving as a Marine, John protected our freedom, and as police officer and a fireman, John helped make so many people safe.

I feel a special kind of love for John Chipura, and I thank G-d for men like him.

This Tribute was originally posted on September 11, 2006, again on September 11, 2008, and is reposted today as part of this year's Project 2996. The original post can be found here.

This is Legacy.com's Tribute to John Chipura, and the Guestbook, if you care to leave a message there.

Never Forget.

"A man must know his destiny… if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder… if he has the imagination, he will turn around and fate will point out to him what fork in the road he should take, if he has the guts, he will take it." - General George S. Patton, Jr.

Veterans' Day will come and go
Quicker than the blink of an eye
But memories of heroes present and past
Will never, ever die.
The youth of today, do you understand?
The price brave men did pay
To preserve the freedom we enjoy
Each and every day.

They were called to duty, and so they went
Not knowing what was to be
Many came home, some never did
They sacrificed so we could be free.

How lonely some must have felt
How scared some had to be
They paid the bill with their own blood
What a great cost to be free.

The heroes of our country
Are the ones who paved the way
For freedom and the many rights
That we enjoy today.

Next time, young folks, you pass someone
Who may be old and gray
Remember — thanks to him or her
You have your freedom today.

by Holly Rulli

November 11 is also General Patton's Birthday, but we never seem to remember that. Below is the famous "Patton Prayer" sent to the men of the Third Army December 8, 1944:

"Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen."

Amen.

Thank you for protecting this great Country of ours, and for protecting my personal freedom. I am forever grateful.

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

What is Project Valour IT? Well, first you get the background... the story behind Valour-IT:

Project Valour-IT began when Captain Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss was wounded by an IED while serving as commander of a tank company in Iraq in June 2005.

During his deployment he kept a blog. Captivating writing, insightful stories of his experiences, and his self-deprecating humor won him many loyal readers. After he was wounded, his wife continued his blog, keeping his readers informed of his condition.

As he began to recover, CPT Ziegenfuss wanted to return to writing his blog, but serious hand injuries hampered his typing. When a loyal and generous reader gave him a copy of the Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred software, other readers began to realize how important such software could be to CPT Ziegenfuss' fellow wounded soldiers and started cast about for a way to get it to them.

A fellow who writes under the pseudonym FbL contacted Captain Ziegenfuss and the two realized they shared a vision of creating libraries of laptops with voice-controlled software that could be brought to the bedsides of wounded soldiers whose injuries prevented them from operating a standard computer. FbL contacted Soldiers' Angels, who offered to help develop the project, and Project Valour-IT was born.

When I made this post in July of 2005, my goal was to cheer up Chuck as he recovered from wounds he received while defending our freedom in Iraq. Yes, it's the same Chuck, and many of you sent cards and letters to him during his stay at Walter Reed. I thank you for that. But, our work is not done yet. Now I'm asking you to help Valour-IT.

Project Valour-IT accepts donations of any amount to supply the "libraries" of laptops at major medical centers and gifts to individuals, but has also added the option of an individual or organization directly sponsoring a wounded soldier by completely funding the cost of a laptop and continuing to provide him or her with personal support and encouragement throughout recovery. Thanks to the efforts of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Valour-IT is also able to reach patients in VA hospitals who would benefit from a Valour-IT laptop.

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of voice-activated laptops for wounded servicemembers.

Project Valour-IT is a simple idea with profound impact. It's grateful Americans, providing laptops with voice-activated software for severely wounded troops. Project Valour-IT offers a way for us to tell them we have not forgotten their sacrifices, and that is truly priceless. In many, many ways what we are trying to do is reconnect them to the world; remind them that they are not alone. That they still have something to contribute, that they are still a vital part of this nation, and that even though they may have lost parts of themselves that they can never recover, though they may temporarily be feeling hopeless, helpless, even alone, they aren't.

Someone remembers. Someone still cares. And when they get out of the hospital, America will find a way for them to rejoin the community and be useful again. For a wounded vet facing traumatic and painful injuries, that knowledge alone is beyond price.

Please dig deep. You cannot know the value of the hope your small contributions can bring to those who have already given so much on our behalf.

If you wish to donate, you can use the button below or this link, or send a check (with MARINES in all caps on it!) to:

Soldiers' Angels
Project Valour-IT Fund
1792 E. Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104

Soldiers' Angels has been designated a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity by the IRS. Donations are tax-deductible and may be eligible for matching funds from donors' employers (ask your employer). Be sure to consult your tax advisor for further information.

Tell your friends, family and neighbors about Valour-IT, challenge your co-workers or employer to match donations, consider involving clubs, churches, or charitable organizations. If you have any contacts in the media, local or national newspapers, radio, TV, whatever, whoever, however, spread the word!

I know I can count on your support for this, just hit the button so the Marine Corps Team gets credit! and... Thank you!

Yes, there's a good bit of good-natured interservice rivalry fun in the interests of raising some money for a good cause, but at the end of the day what really matters is not which team you support, but that you find it in your hearts to support a worthwhile cause. Because our wounded vets have given more in the service of our country than most of us will ever be able to repay.

If you were wondering why I choose the Marine Corps Fundraising Team every year, well, I love tanks, and I love fighter jets, and I love those great big ships and subs, but in the end, I joined the Marines Fundraising Team because of the Marine you see right there, down on one knee...

He served in Korea, as Infantry, in the Military Police and he was a proud member of the Marines' Drum and Bugle Corps.

And he just happens to be my Dad! Handsome, isn't he? Of course he is, that's why they let him be a Marine! and I bet you thought it was a coincidence that Marines are always so darn good looking!

I'm proud of my Dad, and I'm proud of each of every one of our troops serving in the United States Military, whether it's the Army, Navy, Air Force or the Marines. These brave men and women deserve our support, and Project Valour-IT is a great way to say Thank You!

Finally, if you're a blogger, join a team, any team will do. However, if you join the Marine Team, there are privileges... you get a link here, that's right, a link right here along with these other fine Marine Team Members:

The Few... The Loud.. THE MARINES!

Two SC GOP-ers: DeMint 'Is Watching Our Nation's Pennies' -- Just Like A Wealthy Jew

Two Republican party chairmen from South Carolina, in trying to defend Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-SC) practice of not using earmarks, said DeMint "is watching our nation's pennies," just like "the Jews who are wealthy."

Edwin O. Merwin and James S. Ulmer, chairs of the Bamberg County Republican Party and the Orangeburg County Republican Party, respectively, wrote an op-ed in the Times and Democrat this Sunday.

"There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves," they wrote. "By not using earmarks to fund projects for South Carolina and instead using actual bills, DeMint is watching our nation's pennies and trying to preserve our country's wealth and our economy's viability to give all an opportunity to succeed."

Lovely.

One has to wonder why and how two supposedly intelligent men would and could put their heads together and manage to come up with such a ridiculous and inflammatory way of expressing themselves. It's hard to believe that they are so ignorant of this Country's roots and traditions to be completely unaware that what are they speaking of is an old American proverb based on an even older English proverb "Look after the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves."

No, I suppose it's easier to fall back on a stereotype, after all, everyone knows how them Jews pinch pennies. It's a stereotype everyone can understand and relate to, or at least, one must assume that's what they expected when they wrote those words, and all the apologies in the world are not going to change that.

TMP Livewire wrote the perfect headline. Oooo lookie at those evil republicans, hating on them Jews. Yeah. Right. It's not quite a hymietown moment though, is it? And it is rather mild when you consider the remarks attributed to Hillary Clinton, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, and of course, Cynthia McKinney, who praised Hitler.

Still, the remarks are useful to the democrats and their agenda, and sadly they will keep some Jews voting democrat despite the left's well known prejudice against Jews and all things Jewish, including Israel. So these two republican bozos manage to give the democrats a few more talking points about ignorant Jew hating southern republicans, just when democrats need them the most.

Reality is, no matter what propaganda J Street is putting out, Jews are falling off the democrat bandwagon and the last thing we need right now are these two nitwits out of SC running their mouths without putting their brain into gear. So I called them up and told them so, and I used my maiden name. I can just hear their southern accents trying to duplicate that!

Today, when I received an email from a friend with a link to this stupid article by TMP with the question, "Are you going vote with the republicans again this year Linda?" I fired back two words and a picture. The two words were "Jimmy Carter" and the picture:

Okay, so there are republicans who adhere to stereotypes, when did I ever say republicans were perfect? Oh, and, not to split hairs or anything, but I'm a conservative, and you know what, we're not perfect either, so yes, I've got friends in low places.

As for me, well, I find it difficult to get all worked up about the penny-pinching Jew stereotype, I always have, and always will. I seem to run into it a lot, probably because my last name is so not Jewish, and people tend to drop that stereotype on me more often then they might if I were a Goldstein rather than a Gonzalez.

I'll have fun with you if drop that on me and you happen to be... say... Irish, because then I get to comment something along the lines of how fortunate I am to come from a people that are known for making money and taking over the world while you come from a people who are known for being a bunch of drunks. Not to pick on the Irish, that's just an example to show you that stereotypes can be fun, if you're lucky enough to be born with the right one, and when you think about it, we Jews really have the best one.

Stereotypes are a fact of life. Like cliches, we have them for a reason, and we might as well acknowledge them, accept them, and learn to live with them. In ourselves, and in others.

I'll leave you with a quote, see if you can guess who said it. You'll have to click to find the answer...

"I hate to admit it, but I have reached a stage in my life that if I am walking down a dark street late at night and I see that the person behind me is white, I subconsciously feel relieved."

Really, consider this: Christopher Columbus had no idea where he was going, when he got there, he had no idea where he was, so he went home not knowing where he had been. And he did it all on government money!

Later, he was credited for doing what he did not do for Columbus was not the first to discover America, nor was he the first European to land at America. In fact, Columbus never even saw North America.

However, Columbus was the first to exploit, enslave and slaughter the Arawak Indians of Haiti, and syphilis was introduced into Europe by his crew.

So. Celebrate as you see fit.

Yuppper

ha!! but wait... there's more! Don't miss comment #12 and #20.

Yannow, I really just can't decide if it's a goof or if they're serious. You know how troofers are, fire don't melt steel and all that.

I will say this, I laughed myself silly, so much so that my bird was laughing too, and hearing him, well, I just laughed some more. The plane! The sound effects! The narrator's voice, OMG!! I watched it a few times, and still, I can't decide if it they meant it or not.

The demolition of the second snow tower was very well done, they obviously went to some trouble to do it and all in all, it would appear that a good time was had doing it. I bet the guy who did that demonstration leap was laughing all the way, never mind the back flip guy.

and you know what? My bird is still laughing!

It is a long way to the "Umschlag". The Deportation Point, from which the cars leave, is situated on the very edge of the ghetto, on Stawki Street. The tall walls surrounding it and closely guarded by gendarmes are broken at only one narrow place. Through this entrance the groups of helpless, powerless people are brought in. Everyone holds some papers, working certificates, identification cards. The gendarme at the entrance looks them over briefly. "Rechts"--means life, "links"--means death. Although everyone knows in advance the futility of all arguments, he still tries to show his particular helpfulness to German industry, to his German master, and hopes for the magic little order, "rechts". The gendarme does not even listen. Sometimes he orders the passing people to show him their hands--he chooses all small ones: "rechts"; sometimes he separates blondes: "links"; in the morning he favours short people; in the evening he takes a liking to tall ones. "Links", "links", "links".

The human torrent grows, deepens, floods the square, floods three large three-storey buildings, former schools. More people are assembled here than are necessary to fill the next four days' quota, they are just being brought in as "reserves". People wait four or five days before they are loaded into the railroad cars. People fill every inch of free space, crowd the buildings, bivouac in empty rooms, hallways, on the stairs. Dirty, slimy mud floods the floors. One's foot sinks in human excrement at every step. The odour of sweat and urine sticks in one's throat. There are no panes in the windows, and the nights are cold. Some are dressed only in night-shirts or house-coats.

On the second day hunger begins to twist the stomach in painful spasms, cracked lips long for a drop of water. The times when people were given three loaves of bread are long since gone. Sweating, feverish children lie helplessly in their mothers'arms. People seem to shrink, become smaller, greyer.

All eyes have a wild, crazy, fearful look. People look pale, helpless, desperate. There is a sudden flash of revelation that soon the worst, the incredible, the thing one would not believe to the very last moment is bound to happen. Here, in this crowded square, all the continually nursed illusions collapse, all the brittle hopes that "maybe I may save myself and my dearest ones from total destruction"... collapse. A nightmare settles on one's chest, grips one's throat, shoves one's eyes out of their sockets, opens one's mouth to a soundless cry. An old man imploringly and feverishly hangs on to strangers around him. A helplessly suffering mother presses three children to her heart. One wants to yell, but there is nobody to yell to; to implore, to argue--there is nobody to argue with; one is alone, completely alone in this multitudinous crowd. One can almost feel the ten--nay, hundred, thousand--rifles aimed at one's heart. The figures of the Ukrainians grow to gigantic proportions. And then one does not know of anything any more, does not think about anything, one sits down dully in a corner, right in the mud and dung of the wet floor. The air becomes more and more stuffy, the place becomes more and more crowded, not because of the thousands of bodies and the odour of the rooms, but because of the sudden understanding that all is lost, that nothing can be done, that one must perish.

We parrot "Never again," but for the most part, we have forgotten what that means. This year, the United States of America took a mighty step backwards and now teeters on the abyss of hell. The man we call President counts himself amongst the tyrants and evil dictators of the United Nations who close their eyes to the reign of arab terror perpetuated against Israeli citizens in complete mockery of the UN human rights charter as they declined the complete and total rejection of the Goldstone report. Instead, they choose to support and embrace terrorism and the efforts of those who vow to destroy the State of Israel and murder the six million Jews who live there.

What does "never again" mean? It becomes ever more obvious every day that the meaning of those words has been forgotten and how close the world is to coming full circle once again to closing its eyes to the murder of yet another six million Jews. The plan has been announced, the ways and means are being prepared, and nothing, nothing is being done to prevent it.

In April of 2009, Marek Edelman said “Don’t forget that evil can grow bigger."

I fear that warning has come too late, and no one is listening.

Oh. If I may... one final thought, on the recent exchange of freedom of terrorists for a videotape of a smiling Gilad Shalit praising his treatment and pleading for negotiated freedom from hands of the terrorists of hamas. Bravo Bibi, for cowering and negotiating and kowtowing to terrorists, and giving the terrorists of hamas an opportunity to use Gilad to broadcast their propaganda to the world.

What was it you said Bibi, to the UN?

"Yesterday, the man who calls the Holocaust a lie spoke from this podium," he said. "A mere six decades after the Holocaust, you give legitimacy to a man who denies the murder of six million Jews while promising to wipe out the State of Israel, the State of the Jews. What a disgrace. What a mockery of the charter of the United Nations."

You said these words Bibi, you, who has sat down with, and negotiated with, and shaken the hand of Abu Mazen, who not only denied the Holocaust, but claimed that the milllion or so Jews he grudgingly admitted might have died were really killed by Jewish Zionists. Forgive me for saying so, but, the last time I looked, you still speak of him as your partner in peace while he still promises his people that they will succeed in destroying Israel.

Once you had an opportunity to view that film and confirm that Gilad was in fact alive, you should never have released even a single solitary terrorist from Israeli prison. That was a despicable act of appeasement and accomplished nothing.

Israel has released thousands of terrorists and received nothing but dead bodies in return. And the thousands Israels has released have caused the deaths of hundreds of other innocent Israelis who would likely be alive today but for the foolish and futile actions of the Israeli government.

In 2007, The Almagor Terrorist Victims Association published a report on the results of Israel's release of imprisoned terrorists in prisoner exchanges. At least 30 recent terror attacks were perpetrated by terrorists who were released from Israeli jails. Those 30 attacks perpetrated by those terrorists freed in those prisoner exchanges killed no fewer than 177 innocent citizens, mostly Israeli Jews. These are their faces:

Look at them, each and every one of the people pictured were brutally murdered by palestinian terrorists after those terrorists were released by the Israeli government from Israeli prisons and for what? For stupid, ineffective and meaningless gestures of goodwill or one-sided negotiations with terrorists who want only to kill Jews.

The terrorists will continue to kill Jews no matter what we do and this exchange will surely encourage more kidnappings of more Israeli soldiers. But then, it's true that there would likely be more kidnappings anyway.

I look at those faces, and I want to cry. I watched Gilad on that video, and I want to cry.

But the bottom line, the final fact, the final truth of the matter, this release of the prisoners got Israel only the tape and not the man. Hamas will never, ever release Gilad Shalit and even now they are planning and plotting and dreaming and hoping for the next kidnapping of the next Israeli soldier. That is what each and every prisoner release has gotten for Israel, the promise of more kidnappings, more videos and more threats to Gilad's health and well being.

I've said it before and I will say it again, and again, and again.

There can only be one solution.

First, Israel must immediate institute the death penalty for terrorist acts, and they must make it retroactive to all those who have been convicted of terrorism. Then, they must schedule executions to commence, taking the list of prisoners the palestinians want released the most, and put them at the top of the execution list.

Then, offer as a goodwill gesture for peace to hold executions in abeyance, provided Gilad Shalit is immediately released, alive and well, as he was in the video. If Hamas is not agreeable, or, if something should happen to Gilad along the way, well, then Israel will have no choice but to commence immediate implementation of the death penalty, until Gilad is returned alive and well, or Israel runs out of prisoners.

That way, the end result is a good one, either way.

What is the worst that could happen? Will Israel be condemned by the international community for executing murdering terrorists? Oh. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt...