Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Justice is served...

You have to love it when judges make the punishment fit the crime.
..............................................

Man who posed as Marine hero sentenced to tend military graves

By MIKE BARBER
P-I REPORTER

(seattlepi.com)

For pretending that he was a decorated U.S. military veteran, 59-year-old Reggie L. Buddle of Puyallup must tend to the graves of those who really were.

U.S. Magistrate Kelly Arnold in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on Monday sentenced the counterfeit Vietnam vet to two years' probation and 500 hours laboring at Tahoma National Cemetery for posing as a decorated U.S. Marine captain and military chaplain in 2005 and 2006.

Buddle, who never was in the Marine Corps, pleaded guilty in April to unlawful wearing of U.S. military medals and decorations. That followed an investigation by the inspector general of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

After the hearing, Buddle, who served two years as an Army enlisted man but never in combat and never earning any of the medals he wore, apologized in court Monday and said he was ashamed, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Friedman said such cases, which have been growing nationwide since Congress passed stiffer measures 18 months ago against pretending to be a member of the armed forces, were researched to recommend an appropriate sentence.

"In this case, we thought it was a good idea to teach him what true service is like," Friedman said.

When Buddle begins serving those who rest at the national military cemetery in Kent, he must avoid any interaction with families of veterans.

"The court expressed concern that he not be allowed to participate in any funerals or counseling sessions or any other type of matters at the cemetery. That was part of his underlying crime; it was clear he will be there to supply labor," Friedman said.

Though Buddle was never an ordained chaplain or reverend, nor authorized by state law to act in any such capacity, he officiated at servicemen's funerals, weddings and baptisms.

Friedman said state statutes were researched and found to protect the legitimacy of marriages in such instances.

Buddle even hoodwinked the state Senate.

On Feb. 27, 2006, dressed in a Marine Corps uniform replete with the rank and medals he awarded himself, Buddle stood before the Senate and gave the prayer at the opening ceremony. Not everyone was so certain that Buddle was the real item. Doubters called authorities, who began investigating.

Among the unearned medals and service decorations with which Buddle festooned his uniform were those for valor and service in Vietnam; a Combat Action Ribbon authorized for wear by those who have fought enemy forces; a Presidential Unit Citation ribbon, issued to members of units that displayed extraordinary heroism under fire; and the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, a high-ranking medal authorized for "extraordinary" contribution to national defense.

Real Marines and their families seemed satisfied with the sentence.

Bert Rutan, 84, retired pastor at University Congregational Church in Seattle and a Marine who in 1945 received the Silver Star for his actions on Iwo Jima, called the sentence "a fair thing. It has to be publicly known that (posing as a member of the armed forces) is not something you can do."

In Snohomish, Brian and Shellie Starr, whose son, Marine Cpl. Jeff Starr, was killed in combat in Iraq on Memorial Day 2005, said the sentence is appropriate.

"I'm glad they nailed him," Brian Starr said.

"I think for someone to impersonate somebody who has done this voluntarily, with the potential for risk of life, is terrible."

Monday, July 30, 2007

22 lbs. of lovin'

I have been too busy with the new job to post anything noteworthy lately, and today is no exception.
I do, however, have a photo of Mango that shows the enormity of his bubbling personality... sort of. He lives vicariously through the squirrel outside of our kitchen door.



Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Rush to judgement

Ever wonder why Rush Limbaugh calls Edwards the "Breck Girl"?

...me neither.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Bad mojo.

At sundown tonight, the Jewish people recognize the 9th of Av, or Tisha B'Av.
Historically, this is the "saddest day in Jewish history", because tradition says that this is the anniversary of the day that
  1. The Jews who came out of Egypt were condemned to die in the wilderness because of the Golden Calf incident
  2. The day that both Temples were destroyed (656 years apart)
  3. The Bar Kokhba's revolt against Rome failed,
  4. Israel's unilateral disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria, which many describe as a calamity, began on 15 August 2005, the 10th of Av.
  5. The Second Lebanon War 12 July 2006 — 14 August 2006 - Started on the 17th of Tamuz, went through the Three Weeks Period and through past the 9th of Av.
This year, following much prompting from the Democratic Party, the United States is going to commemorate this solemn day by having bi-lateral talks with Iran. Yep, that's right, Israel's biggest ally sitting down at the table with their biggest enemy. It would be good to keep in mind that the Iranians are not Arabs; they are Persians.

...remember Haman and Mordecai?

It might be a good time to remind us all to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

...couldn't have said it better myself.


Chalk one up for Mitt Romney. You just have to love a guy who calls a commie a commie in today's wishy-washy, politically correct world.

Kudos.

.........................

"Hillary Clinton just gave a speech the other day about her view on the economy. She said we have been an on-your-own society. She said it's time to get rid of that and replace that with shared responsibility and we're-in-it-together society," Romney told the crowd. "That's out with Adam Smith and in with Karl Marx."

He also repeated his criticism of Sen. John Edwards.

"To have someone like Senator Edwards stand up and say there's not a war on terror, that it's a Bush bumper sticker" is unacceptable, he said. "There is a war being waged by the terrorists. If I or any other Republican president is running this country, there will be a war waged on the terrorists."

Excerpts taken from:
My Way News
Jul 22, 5:32 PM (ET)
By PHILIP ELLIOTT

Friday, July 20, 2007

The best 30 seconds spent on the web.

I am not a fan of email newsletters. However, I have to plug Rush Limbaugh's "Rush in a hurry".
Never, in the history of talk radio has there ever been a person so right in the matters of conservatism, and for that, I salute him.
If you want to know what is going on in politics, or why it is going on, get his free news letter. Click here to go to the link. It only takes about 30 seconds.
You'll thank me for it....and if you just want to listen to him, click here between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Pray for the Fish...

the shame...

...in other news,
Al Gore is dead-set on saving the planet, but that won't stop his hankering for an endangered fish species.
.....................

ONLY one week after Live Earth, Al Gore's green credentials slipped while hosting his daughter's wedding in Beverly Hills. By Rebecca Keeble July 18, 2007 12:00am

Gore and his guests at the weekend ceremony dined on Chilean sea bass - arguably one of the world's most threatened fish species.
Also known as Patagonian toothfish, the species is under pressure from illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activities in the Southern Ocean, jeopardising the sustainability of remaining stocks.
The species is currently managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Living Marine Resources, the body which introduced a catch and trade documentation scheme as an attempt to tackle illegal poaching of this species...

......................
Remember folks, if he were in office, the Iraq war would already be won...
He may be serving up polar bears for dinner, but the war would be over.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Grab the antacid, she's back.

Just when I thought it was ok to eat solid food again, Cindy Sheehan is plastered all over the news, and I can't keep anything down. Didn't she just get done bowing out? I thought that she gave up, stating that her son died "for nothing." She went on to say, "I am going to take whatever I have left and go home... I am going to go home and be a mother to my surviving children and try to regain some of what I have lost. (cnn)

There is a tasty bit of irony going on here, because Cindy is wanting to dethrone Nancy Pelosi... and they are the same people. Nancy is a coddler of dictators just like Cindy - both are perfect for the Democratic Left, and disastrous for our country. They are both a joke in the political arena to those who care about our future.

disclaimer: Think long and hard before letting those whom you love view the photos below; they may cause severe discomfort in the stomach, and flair up a hatred in patriotic people who still love America.

The kiss...

Nancy, loving on the enemy of Israel and America:


Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The "Goracle" has been challenged. The Jimmy needs to be.

I have to admit, I enjoy seeing a good petition spread over the internet. So, when I saw this one from junkscience.com, I had to sign it and post the link.
...................

"Al Gore, debate global warming."

To: Al Gore
Mr. Gore,

Numerous scientists claim that the global warming experienced in the 20th century has nothing to do with man-made carbon dioxide, as you claim. Their arguments are compelling, and a debate would allow you to address these issues and prove that your arguments are based on science, rather than politics.
On March 14, 2007 Lord Monckton of Brenchley challenged you to debate your p
osition on global warming, but your refusal only strengthens their position. We urge you to debate Lord Monckton of Brenchley, or otherwise admit that the causal link between man and global warming is spurious.

Sincerely,

Click here to sign.


This of course reminds me of the "Censure Jimmy Carter" petition that I posted a while back. Let me refresh your memory...

...then there was the hall of shame:

Jimmy Carter with Leaders of
the Terrorist Group Hamas, giving a big thumbs-up

"The Jimmy" loving up on Hugo Chavez

Stop by www.censurecarter.com to see more scenes of debauchery.

Don't forget to sign the petition while you're there!

Monday, July 09, 2007

A Great Patriot On Fairness...

“The framers of the First Amendment, confident that public debate would be freer and healthier without the kind of interference represented by the ‘fairness doctrine,’ chose to forbid such regulations in the clearest terms: ‘Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.’... History has shown that the dangers of an overly timid or biased press cannot be averted through bureaucratic regulation, but only through the freedom and competition that the First Amendment sought to guarantee. [The ‘fairness doctrine’] simply cannot be reconciled with the freedom of speech and the press secured by our Constitution. It is, in my judgment, unconstitutional. Well-intentioned as [the ‘fairness doctrine’] may be, it would be inconsistent with the First Amendment and with the American tradition of
independent journalism.” —Ronald Reagan
............................
Taken from the free newsletter
Visit Patriot Post here.
Subscribe to Patriot Post here.
Either way, you will be a better person for having done so.

New Cafe Press items...



I have a couple of new items on Cafe' Press. Maybe some day, I will get the hang of that website; until then, I will keep putting stuff on there, even if it is dorky.



I have added a link to the sidebar also under the "Good Places to Buy Things" heading.


A dash of evil, a pinch of diabolical.

This is taken from JihadWatch.com, who got it from the Middle East Times.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq has given Iran a two-month ultimatum to stop meddling in Iraqi affairs or face all-out war, according to an audiotape posted on the Internet Monday.
"We give ... the leaders of Iran a period of two months to stop all forms of support to the rejectionists of Iraq, and stop direct and indirect interference in the affairs of the Islamic state," said a voice attributed to the group's leader Abu Omar Al Baghdadi.
The term rejectionists is used by Sunni militant groups to refer to Shiites, who dominate the government in Iraq and are in a majority in both Iraq and neighboring Iran.

"Otherwise, expect a fierce war that will annihilate you, which we have been preparing for over the past four years and just waiting to issue the orders to wage the campaign," the voice said.
....................................................
Throw Syria, Lebanon, and the Palestinian civil war into the mix and we may have a full scale Middle Eastern war on our hands.
Nancy Pelosi just fixed everything over there too.
Maybe we should send Jimmy Carter over there to smooth things over a bit this time.

Alien Nation


Have you seen the advertising on CNN lately?
If you spend any time there at all (not recommended for conservatives), you can't help but notice the ridiculous advertisement that keeps showing up there, with the alien ‘rave’ dancing, or what ever it is supposed to be doing. This has to be the one of the most obnoxious pieces of trash in the marketing world; second only to the other ads by this same company (one of which includes the same alien dressed up in a pink bikini).

Has it come to this? Are people actually buying their product? Good grief, man! Can you imagine walking in to refinance your house, and pulling out the paperwork, only to find a photo of this on the letter-head?

As consumers, we should demand better.

Ok, I am finished...

I feel better now.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Scary, yet predictable Headline of the Day

It appears that the beady eyed Hitler look-alike is at it again. It’s a good thing Nancy Pelosi had that talk with him... -Mang.

..........................................

'Mideast war this summer'

Syrian official threatens 'resistance' by September, warns Damascus preparing for large-scale conflict


-from FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU

By Aaron Klein© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com


GOLAN HEIGHTS – If Israel doesn't vacate the strategic Golan Heights before September, Syrian guerillas will immediately launch "resistance operations" against the Golan's Jewish communities, a top official from Syrian President Bashar Assad's Baath party told WND.
The Baath official, who spoke on condition his name be withheld, said Damascus is preparing for anticipated Israeli retaliation following Syrian guerilla attacks and for a larger war with the Jewish state in August or September. He said in the opening salvo of any conflict, Syria has the capabilities of firing "hundreds" of missiles at Tel Aviv.
"Syria passed repeated messages to the U.S. that we demand the return of the Golan either through negotiations or through war. If the Golan is not in our hands by August or September, we will be poised to launch resistance, including raids and attacks against Jewish positions (in the Golan Heights)," the Baath official said.
The Golan Heights is strategic mountainous territory looking down on Israeli population centers captured by Israel after Syria twice used the territory to attack the Jewish state.
The Baath official said a new purported guerilla group called the Committees for the Liberation of the Golan Heights has been training and is ready to attacks against Jewish communities in the Golan in August or September.
He said Syria is preparing for a war.


Read the rest here.


Changes are underway

Please have patiance with me as I change the format of Mangdiddles a bit.
You probably noticed that the "Mangdiddles.com" address no longer works. I did this on purpose, so I could own the domain name, rather than just rent it. Hopefully, I will have the ".com" back up soon. In the meantime, I have put the old logo back up, with the "Mangdiddles.blogspot.com" displayed.
I am trying to streamline the entire site, mainly due to video content and large photos. The annimated GIFs aren't helping matters any...
I finally switched over to the new Blogger format; I wanted to wait until it was out of the beta stage - so far so good. I am not too keen on the drag and drop stuff, but the more I use it, the more I like it.
I have added a cluster map on the right side that will show where in the world any visitors hits are coming from.

Feedback needed

Here is a link to a website that I have been working on. It is for “Maintenance Engineering”, the company I am going to work for after tomorrow.

Let me know if there are any problems with it. I have been working on it for a couple of days, and can’t think straight anymore.
Click the logo below:

Maintenance Engineering is located in Crawfordsville Indiana, with a warehouse in Darlington(view it on a map here).

We specialize in Industrial Electrical repairs and maintenance associated with surplus equipment. We stock and repair items ranging from: Motors, Generators, DC equipment. Clive Harvy, the founder of Maintenance Engineering has over 40 years' experience in electrical engineering.

You can visit our eBay store here.


Thursday, July 05, 2007

Self evident indeed.

Well, I am officially back. A lot has gone on since I last posted here, so in order to catch you up, here's a brief list of the life altering changes that are now taking place in our lives:

1. I am leaving my job that has sustained my family for the last 5 years. I believe that God got me the job, and I also believe that God is moving me out of it. Be praying for us during the transition! Praise God with us for allowing us to celebrate His Sabbath each week with consistency! We have prayed for this for a long time.

2. I am starting college again, at Ivy Tech, pursuing an associates degree in Computer Numerical Control programming. If you haven't heard of that, it is usually called CNC, and typically involves metal lathes, and milling machines, but can include all sorts of different manufacturing machinery. I am only two semesters away from that coveted piece of paper.

3 Our paster has asked me to be be more involved in the worship music at our church, which was not possible with my old job, at least with any consistency. This is an answered prayer, because it allows me to lead worship with the help of my kids, thus proving that God is awesome, and truly cares about the desires of our hearts.

4. We will be starting up the "Teen Bible Study" again, most likely on Sunday nights. This too was impossible to do with any consistency while at my old job, and I am really excited about doing it again. It will be more of a young person's bible study than a teen study though, as I have had a lot of twenty-somethings ask me to get one going again.

Having said all of that, lets talk about July 4th 2007.
This July 4th was the best that I have ever had in my entire life. Tonight, my family went to the Symphony on the Prairie by Indianapolis. The concert was excellent. The feeling of patriotism that was displayed by everyone involved, from the military all the way down to the people who directed traffic was beyond measure; awe inspiring.

If you know me, you know that I do not say things like this lightly. I love this country. I believe that our God, the loving creator of heaven and earth, gave us this land. Because of that, I believe that this land is worth dying for, and worth loving. The people at Conner's Prairie did an outstanding job of celebrating our Independence.

There was a part of the ceremony where each branch of service was asked to stand up while the crown applauded. When Army was called, I stood up, along with about 200 other guys, most of which were WWII veterans by the looks of them, and I must say, that I felt proud. I felt proud to be able to be a part of such an elite group of men and women. I started to get a lump in my throat when I looked at my wife and kids looking back at me, smiling. I want them to know how important this is to me, and I think that tonight they did.
As I was standing there soaking it all in, a man dressed in Revolutionary war garb ran over to me, gave a hearty saluted, and said, "Thank you sir! Thank you."
It was an honor.
Later, my boys and I got to talk to a man who was a soldier form the French and Indian war era. As we spoke, I told him that I was a veteran. The first words from his mouth were, "Thank you. Thank you for what you did."
Again, the honor is mine. I am not used to hearing people talk like this. If you just listen to the news media, you might get the impression that everyone hates America, nobody supports the war, and our heritage is something to be ashamed of. Tonight, Hoosiers proved otherwise.
It is hard to explain how good it makes me feel when I am surrounded by patriotic people, and today, I had the privilege of being surrounded by them.

This morning I got to be a part of the raising of a new flag pole at our little town's fire station. The call went over the radio for volunteers to help raise the flag for the first time in front of the new station. Six people showed up. Each one of us showed up for one reason - we love our country, and feel that these things are of the utmost importance; possibly more so than ever.

I pray that the heart of this country would be turned toward God again; that people would recognize that these rights that we possess - that we take for granted are ours by the grace of God. Try to seperate church and state if you must, but these rights were recognized by the founders of our country to be granted to us by God alone. They said that it was "self evident". The desire is placed within us all to be free.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Self evident indeed.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

-Abraham Lincoln


May God bless America.

It's good to b e back... stay tuned!