Google is gone. At least from this blog. I found out that Google censors ads from websites critical of the Bush Administration, in particular, my brother's site Any Which Way. Their sole reason for not accepting paid advertising is that the site contains material that Google finds objectionable. So much for "Free Speech". Fuck Google. And if I find out that "Blogger" has the same policy, I'll move the whole damn show somewhere else. I have really had it with the Right Wankers. Speaking of which, "Who other than the wealthy still support George Bush? The stupid!"Ba Da Boom!
Well, Smarty may have lost, but Philly still has one hero, Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins. Congratulations on your victory, Executioner! I'm now up $1004 on the night! Let's see what de LaHoya does!
deuddersun
Saturday, June 05, 2004
Things Go Better With...
Just one of the "funny" things I promised you. I'm in a foul mood tonight, but I find I can still laugh. Hope you can too.
No wonder he's such an excitable boy!
deuddersun
No wonder he's such an excitable boy!
deuddersun
No Smarty Party and Other Random Thoughts...
Well, Smarty Jones lost. No Triple Crown for the undersized pony with the huge heart from Philly. So, what else is new? We who live in Philadelphia are used to such things. Look at our sports teams, the Flyers, the Eagles, the Sixers, the Phillies. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Oh well, shit happens. Lucky for me I hit on some cover bets so I came our four dollars ahead. Four dollars. About describes my life about now. Four dollars ahead. How the fights turn out remain to be seen. I'll either be a big winner or a big loser. Oh fuckin' well.
Some of you have already taken exception to my comments on Ronald Ray-Gun's passing. Like I said before, he was a piece of shit. The only good thing to come out of his life is the fact that "Mommy" is taking Smirky the Chimp to task over stem cell research and the only reason she is doing this is because Ronnie had Alzheimers. One thing I've learned in my life is that when you're in a fight to the death you welcome any allies that help you at that time, and Lord knows we need all the allies we can get to defeat Monkeyboy and restore America to it's former greatness. You get 'em, "Mommy"! ( Does that make you as sick as it does me, that he actually referred to her as Mommy?)
deuddersun
Some of you have already taken exception to my comments on Ronald Ray-Gun's passing. Like I said before, he was a piece of shit. The only good thing to come out of his life is the fact that "Mommy" is taking Smirky the Chimp to task over stem cell research and the only reason she is doing this is because Ronnie had Alzheimers. One thing I've learned in my life is that when you're in a fight to the death you welcome any allies that help you at that time, and Lord knows we need all the allies we can get to defeat Monkeyboy and restore America to it's former greatness. You get 'em, "Mommy"! ( Does that make you as sick as it does me, that he actually referred to her as Mommy?)
deuddersun
Run Smarty, Run!!!!
Sorry...I know I should have been catching up like I promised. I just didn't realize what weekend it was. The Belmont Stakes and Championship Boxing! Time to go to work on my "second" job.
I've got Smarty to win, straight. I've got Rock Hard Ten to win straight. I've boxed the Trifecta with Smarty, Rock Hard Ten and Purge. Tonight I've got deLaHoya and Hopkins to win. Tune in tomorrow to see how I did. If any of you are gamblers, let me know how You made out, and what I did right or what I did wrong.
On another note. Just heard that Ronald Raygun died. As far as I'm concerned, twenty or so years too late. This prick, who was President of the Screen Actor's Guild, did more to set back Organized Labor than any other single individual in the history of our great Republic. Add to that the fact that he was indirectly responsible or the birth of the Neo-cons and it is easy to see why I despised him. Ronnie, Rot In Peace.
Well, ladies and Gentlemen, place your wagers, the horses are at the Gate!
deuddersun
I've got Smarty to win, straight. I've got Rock Hard Ten to win straight. I've boxed the Trifecta with Smarty, Rock Hard Ten and Purge. Tonight I've got deLaHoya and Hopkins to win. Tune in tomorrow to see how I did. If any of you are gamblers, let me know how You made out, and what I did right or what I did wrong.
On another note. Just heard that Ronald Raygun died. As far as I'm concerned, twenty or so years too late. This prick, who was President of the Screen Actor's Guild, did more to set back Organized Labor than any other single individual in the history of our great Republic. Add to that the fact that he was indirectly responsible or the birth of the Neo-cons and it is easy to see why I despised him. Ronnie, Rot In Peace.
Well, ladies and Gentlemen, place your wagers, the horses are at the Gate!
deuddersun
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Sorry...sigh..working...
I know. I should have gotten caught up by now. The fact is, I'm working on this Nicholas Cage flick in New York City entitled, "National Treasure". With my schedule and the commute, I barely have time to sleep, much less post. Anyway, I promise to catch up in the next week. On the burner are:
1. Rance
2. Nick Berg
3. George Bush
4. Wal-Mart
5. Dick Cheney
6. John Kerry
But wait, there's more!
And indeed there is. There always is. Some Action Alerts and some funny stuff. Below is a little sample of the fun to come, received from my ex.
A Few Zen Thoughts For Those Who Take Life Too Seriously.....
1. Save the whales. Collect the whole set.
2. A day without sunshine is like, night.
3. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
4. I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
5. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
6. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
7. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
8. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
9. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
10. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
11. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
12. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
13. I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.
14. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
15. Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your week.
16. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
17. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
18. Get a new car for your spouse. It'll be a great trade!
19. Plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.
20. Always try to be modest, and be proud of it!
21. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
22. How many of you believe in telekinesis? Raise my hand...
23. OK, so what's the speed of dark?
24. How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
25. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
26. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
27. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
28. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.
29. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
30. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
31. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
32. I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.
33. I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
34. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
35. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened.
Feel free to add to the list in the comments section. Oh. And try to behave yourselves until I get back!
Love,
deuddersun
1. Rance
2. Nick Berg
3. George Bush
4. Wal-Mart
5. Dick Cheney
6. John Kerry
But wait, there's more!
And indeed there is. There always is. Some Action Alerts and some funny stuff. Below is a little sample of the fun to come, received from my ex.
A Few Zen Thoughts For Those Who Take Life Too Seriously.....
1. Save the whales. Collect the whole set.
2. A day without sunshine is like, night.
3. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
4. I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
5. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
6. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
7. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
8. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
9. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
10. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
11. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
12. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
13. I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.
14. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
15. Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your week.
16. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
17. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
18. Get a new car for your spouse. It'll be a great trade!
19. Plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.
20. Always try to be modest, and be proud of it!
21. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
22. How many of you believe in telekinesis? Raise my hand...
23. OK, so what's the speed of dark?
24. How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
25. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
26. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
27. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
28. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.
29. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
30. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
31. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
32. I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.
33. I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
34. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
35. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened.
Feel free to add to the list in the comments section. Oh. And try to behave yourselves until I get back!
Love,
deuddersun
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Movin' On...
Thanks to all who posted condolences. I know the only thing we can offer each other at times like this are words, but your words were deeply felt by Magster and me and I'm sure, scroff and Ruthalla as well.
I won't lie. It's been a bitch. Now it's time to move on. Back to work Tuesday in Long Island City. That's good news. Work is hard to come by these days. The Writers are re-negotiating their contract, as is the Teamster Local in Hollywood. Any breakdown in these talks could virtually halt production here in the U.S., (and Canada as well). The downside for me is no work. The downside for most of you is re-runs in September, LOL! Let's hope amicable agreements can be reached in both situations.
Well, as I've been saying, there's a lot going on. I've tuned in to all the hype over the "Mystery Blogger, Rance", who claims to be an Entertainment Superstar. If you don't know who he is, stay tuned. If you came here looking for the question I have for Rance, stay tuned as well, it's coming.
I'm also going to get back to my political posting. I've got some questions for my "Right" leaning friends. Should generate some fruitfull discussion.
I've set up a new Blog honoring the memories of our family that we have lost. It's on the right, For Those We Loved... . I'll be adding to it every now and then. I guess it's mostly for our family, unless some of you are curious about who we are and where we came from. If so, feel free to visit.
Well, that's about all I have time for right now, after all, someone's got to fire up the grill and churn out the frozen Margaritas! Hell, maybe I'll even mix up a batch of Mike The Marine's Subic Bay Mojo. After all, tomorrow is Memorial Day.
Pax Tibi,
deuddersun
I won't lie. It's been a bitch. Now it's time to move on. Back to work Tuesday in Long Island City. That's good news. Work is hard to come by these days. The Writers are re-negotiating their contract, as is the Teamster Local in Hollywood. Any breakdown in these talks could virtually halt production here in the U.S., (and Canada as well). The downside for me is no work. The downside for most of you is re-runs in September, LOL! Let's hope amicable agreements can be reached in both situations.
Well, as I've been saying, there's a lot going on. I've tuned in to all the hype over the "Mystery Blogger, Rance", who claims to be an Entertainment Superstar. If you don't know who he is, stay tuned. If you came here looking for the question I have for Rance, stay tuned as well, it's coming.
I'm also going to get back to my political posting. I've got some questions for my "Right" leaning friends. Should generate some fruitfull discussion.
I've set up a new Blog honoring the memories of our family that we have lost. It's on the right, For Those We Loved... . I'll be adding to it every now and then. I guess it's mostly for our family, unless some of you are curious about who we are and where we came from. If so, feel free to visit.
Well, that's about all I have time for right now, after all, someone's got to fire up the grill and churn out the frozen Margaritas! Hell, maybe I'll even mix up a batch of Mike The Marine's Subic Bay Mojo. After all, tomorrow is Memorial Day.
Pax Tibi,
deuddersun
Goodbye Emil...
Mag's Dad, Emil, left us on Wednesday, May 20, 2004. Emil was a quiet man, quick to laugh, yet never seeking attention for himself. His family was everything to him.
Part of his family was his youngest daughter, my beloved Magster.
We all knew Emil had served in the United States Army during World War II. We just never knew to what extent. So it was quite a surprise to find out that he had earned 5 Bronze Stars! Five. And never a word. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about the man, I don't know what does...
I guess I don't have to tell you that this second tragedy in three weeks has hit Mags and me pretty hard. Emil was a "Real Guy."
His son, Dan, says it best:
"Our Dad was a very simple man who did not have a lot of advantages growing up. He lost his Mother at a very young age. As a matter of fact, he was in foster care for some years because his Dad had to go out & work and there was no one-else to take care of the children.
He never got past the 10th grade of high school because he had to make sure his brother and sister went to school. He would wait at the back door of the school for the inevitable; his brother & sister (uncle Karl & Aunt Rose) to try to play hooky.
In spite of his lack of education, he was very good at a lot of things, especially math. I know this for a fact, because I probably would have failed it if not for his coaching.
He served his country bravely in World War II in Europe, including the Battle of the Bulge. He never told us much of his experiences. It wasn’t until recently we became aware that he received 5 bronze stars for bravery. He was quite a hero.
After the war he met and married our mom, who was truly the love of his life. Together they raised 3 children, me and my 2 younger sisters, Rosemary and Margie
As his son, I had my heroes as a kid; Ritchie Ashburn, John Wayne, Willie Mays, and so on, like any other kid.
It wasn’t until I became a man that I realized that a real hero was living in my house all this time, my Dad. Here’s why:
He worked very hard at a job that he did not like for 35 years, never complaining, putting a roof over our heads and food on the table.
The most important things in his life were the welfare of his wife and children and he was always, always there for them.
He never asked for anything for himself.
He was a very protective father to his daughters, keeping a close eye on anyone they dated.
He never knew it, but much of what I am today was because of his influence. He taught me most of my basic values; have a strong work ethic, work and study hard. He is, and always will be my hero.
He had a great love for and prayed daily for his children, grand children, and great-grandchildren.
Now his work is done. He fought a long battle with a debilitating illness and suffered the loss of his wife.
Now he can rest his weary head with our Lord and our Mom.
Goodbye Dad.
We will love you and miss you always".
(Out of respect for Emil, there will not be anything new posted here until Father's Day.)
deuddersun
For Emil, Marge & Sis...
The following was posted by my brother, scroff, on his website Any Which Way, as a dedication to our Mother after she passed away on April 28, 2004. I have reprinted it here for three people Magster and I dearly loved and will dearly miss, her parents, Emil & Marge, and my Mom, Sis.
deuddersun
Parable of Immortality
I am standing by the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says :
- 'There she goes!
Gone where?
Gone from my sight - that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the places of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says:
- 'There she goes! ',
there are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout :
- 'Here she comes!'
Henry Van Dyke 1852 - 1933
deuddersun
Parable of Immortality
I am standing by the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says :
- 'There she goes!
Gone where?
Gone from my sight - that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the places of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says:
- 'There she goes! ',
there are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout :
- 'Here she comes!'
Henry Van Dyke 1852 - 1933
I'm Back...
A heartfelt, sincere thank you to those of you who posted sympathies on my Mom's death. She was a beautiful, loving woman, passionate about life and her family.
A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks that has challenged my feelings and beliefs, or perhaps, reminded me of what I learned so long ago: humans may be the most intelligent animals on the planet, but we are all STILL animals. The grusome murder of Nick Berg overshadows the horror of the prison abuse in Iraq, but not by much. In my humble opinion, Berg was either a naive young man or a foolish one, in any case, I am certain of three things:
One: Going to Iraq on your own without a contract in hand, either from the United States Government or a legitimate sub-contractor, is not only foolish, but god-damned dangerous and should not be undertaken lightly.
Two: Add to that the fact that you have no military training, (kinda helps in a war zone if you're on your own), and the chances of survival go down substantially.
Three: Add to that, the fact that you're Jewish in a hostile, lawless, Arab land, without any "formal" support, and the "Doh!" index goes waaaay up! Now his parents want to sue the U.S. Government! (Whuuut?) Where were they when he wanted to go over there in the first place?
None-the-less, foolishness should NOT warrant a horrible death of the kind Nick Berg sufferred; recorded, for all the world to see. His last moments, ignominously displayed to anyone with a little internet savvy, have achieved the exact opposite his murderers hoped for. Instead of striking fear or remorse into the hearts of Americans, Nick Berg's horrible death has overshadowed the "atrocities" at Abu Gharid prison and enflamed the hearts of Americans against the Arab World...
...Sorry, there I go. All I wanted to say is, I'm back. I'll finish this post tomorrow. All the old posts will be back along with the new one's.
A lot has happened and deuddersun says...
A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks that has challenged my feelings and beliefs, or perhaps, reminded me of what I learned so long ago: humans may be the most intelligent animals on the planet, but we are all STILL animals. The grusome murder of Nick Berg overshadows the horror of the prison abuse in Iraq, but not by much. In my humble opinion, Berg was either a naive young man or a foolish one, in any case, I am certain of three things:
One: Going to Iraq on your own without a contract in hand, either from the United States Government or a legitimate sub-contractor, is not only foolish, but god-damned dangerous and should not be undertaken lightly.
Two: Add to that the fact that you have no military training, (kinda helps in a war zone if you're on your own), and the chances of survival go down substantially.
Three: Add to that, the fact that you're Jewish in a hostile, lawless, Arab land, without any "formal" support, and the "Doh!" index goes waaaay up! Now his parents want to sue the U.S. Government! (Whuuut?) Where were they when he wanted to go over there in the first place?
None-the-less, foolishness should NOT warrant a horrible death of the kind Nick Berg sufferred; recorded, for all the world to see. His last moments, ignominously displayed to anyone with a little internet savvy, have achieved the exact opposite his murderers hoped for. Instead of striking fear or remorse into the hearts of Americans, Nick Berg's horrible death has overshadowed the "atrocities" at Abu Gharid prison and enflamed the hearts of Americans against the Arab World...
...Sorry, there I go. All I wanted to say is, I'm back. I'll finish this post tomorrow. All the old posts will be back along with the new one's.
A lot has happened and deuddersun says...
Bye Mom...
Our little family sufferred a terrible loss on Wednesday, April 28, 2004, when our Mother passed away after losing a long, hard fought battle with lung cancer. The photo above was taken at a barbecue last summer when scroff and I got her to ham it up a bit with Cardboard Elvis. She did so with a laugh. Mom loved life. It was the last time the entire family was together until the night she died. When the end came, we were all there, my Father, my brother Scroff and my two daughters, holding her little hands, as she slipped away from us, ever so gently.
She died as she lived. A gentle, loving soul, slow to anger, quick to forgive. She and my Dad were "old school". They got married in 1950 and they stayed married for the rest of her life. If I know my Dad, he'll still be married to her for the rest of his life too.
Not that there weren't any lumps in the porridge. There always are. But instead of one leaving the other, they worked things out. That's what true love is. And my Dad loved my Mom with a passion you just don't see anymore. He still does, he always will. My Dad is what I have always tried to be, "The Right Kind of Guy".
I remember watching an old TV game show with my Mom when I was little; "Queen For A Day". I asked my Mom if she would like to be on the show, if she would like to be the Queen. She told me she already was a Queen, my Father's Queen. My Father once told me, "She may be your Mother, but she's my Babydoll." She was Dad's Queen, his Babydoll. Right to the end.
She loved us both as only a Mother can. She backed us both as only a Mother could. Scroff cleaned himself up and now helps others do the same. Me? Well, the less said the better. After all, Mom always said, "If you can't say something nice about somebody, don't say anything at all."
She was the last of the "Old Breed", a real New York City "Goil". Brooklyn born and Brooklyn bred.
We are really going to miss her.
Her Son...deuddersun.
Bye Mom...I love you. We love you.
(Out of respect for my Mother and the folks who are stopping by and offerring their respect, I will not be posting anything-else until Mother's Day. Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts and prayers. - d.)
Last Homecoming
The following is posted as a follow-up to the story I posted regarding the dismissal of Tami Silicio from her job as a baggage handler for Maytag Air Group, Inc. for releasing a photo of Flag-draped coffins of American dead being prepared to be sent home. This article appeared on the front page of the New York Daily News, April 23, 2004.
So, I guess my question is, who are they going to fire for this?
_____________________________________________________
Last homecoming
First look at tragic photos that show somber realities of war
By HELEN KENNEDY
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
G.I.s inspect and adjust flags adorning coffins.
Coffins taken off plane in Dover, Del.
WASHINGTON - America's war dead lie in plain 7-foot-long aluminum cases filled with ice, each draped with an American flag.
Sometimes at noon, sometimes at midnight, on weekdays and on holidays, a steady stream of military planes brings the remains of the fallen home to prayers, salutes and a solemn silence.
Landing at Dover, Del., Air Force Base, the slain are met by an eight-member honor guard, base officials and a chaplain. There is usually no family present.
And until this week, all images of those somber homecomings were banned from publication by the Pentagon.
"It doesn't matter that no one's watching. What matters is respecting those who have sacrificed the ultimate for their country," said Lt. Allison Tedesco, a base spokeswoman.
But military officials mistakenly released 361 of the moving photographs to an anti-secrecy activist yesterday, who posted them on his Web site.
The ceremony depicted in the pictures has been repeated 706 times so far in the past 13 months for soldiers who died in Iraq - more than 100 in the past month alone.
After the plane's engines shut down, the first person on board is the chaplain, who says a prayer over the ranks of aluminum cases.
The fatigues-clad honor guard inspects each flag, straightening those that might have shifted in flight and replacing any that might be smudged.
And then, one by one, each case is slowly borne from the hold. As officials stand by, saluting, the only sound is the crack of commands: "Right face!" "Detail halt!"
The remains are loaded into vans that will ferry the dead 2 miles to the Charles C. Carson military mortuary, first stop on the final journey home for all of America's war dead.
Photos are routinely taken by base photographers, but the Pentagon renewed a 1991 ban on their publication just before the Iraq invasion, saying they are protecting the families of the fallen.
Bush administration officials have said privately they worry such grim images would undermine public support for an increasingly controversial war in an election year. (My emphasis)
Critics say that hiding the return of the dead dishonors those who have given their lives for their country.
Anti-secrecy crusader Russ Kick of Arizona filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Air Force last year for access to the photos. Kick was rejected but "I appealed on several grounds, and - to my amazement - the ruling was reversed," he wrote on his Web site, TheMemoryHole.org.
The Pentagon said the release was an accident.
"Attorneys are looking into the case to see if that was an appropriate action," said Deputy Under Secretary of Defense John Molino.
In a related incident, a cargo worker was fired this week by a military contractor after her photograph of flag-draped coffins was published by The Seattle Times.
So, I guess my question is, who are they going to fire for this?
_____________________________________________________
Last homecoming
First look at tragic photos that show somber realities of war
By HELEN KENNEDY
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON - America's war dead lie in plain 7-foot-long aluminum cases filled with ice, each draped with an American flag.
Sometimes at noon, sometimes at midnight, on weekdays and on holidays, a steady stream of military planes brings the remains of the fallen home to prayers, salutes and a solemn silence.
Landing at Dover, Del., Air Force Base, the slain are met by an eight-member honor guard, base officials and a chaplain. There is usually no family present.
And until this week, all images of those somber homecomings were banned from publication by the Pentagon.
"It doesn't matter that no one's watching. What matters is respecting those who have sacrificed the ultimate for their country," said Lt. Allison Tedesco, a base spokeswoman.
But military officials mistakenly released 361 of the moving photographs to an anti-secrecy activist yesterday, who posted them on his Web site.
The ceremony depicted in the pictures has been repeated 706 times so far in the past 13 months for soldiers who died in Iraq - more than 100 in the past month alone.
After the plane's engines shut down, the first person on board is the chaplain, who says a prayer over the ranks of aluminum cases.
The fatigues-clad honor guard inspects each flag, straightening those that might have shifted in flight and replacing any that might be smudged.
And then, one by one, each case is slowly borne from the hold. As officials stand by, saluting, the only sound is the crack of commands: "Right face!" "Detail halt!"
The remains are loaded into vans that will ferry the dead 2 miles to the Charles C. Carson military mortuary, first stop on the final journey home for all of America's war dead.
Photos are routinely taken by base photographers, but the Pentagon renewed a 1991 ban on their publication just before the Iraq invasion, saying they are protecting the families of the fallen.
Bush administration officials have said privately they worry such grim images would undermine public support for an increasingly controversial war in an election year. (My emphasis)
Critics say that hiding the return of the dead dishonors those who have given their lives for their country.
Anti-secrecy crusader Russ Kick of Arizona filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Air Force last year for access to the photos. Kick was rejected but "I appealed on several grounds, and - to my amazement - the ruling was reversed," he wrote on his Web site, TheMemoryHole.org.
The Pentagon said the release was an accident.
"Attorneys are looking into the case to see if that was an appropriate action," said Deputy Under Secretary of Defense John Molino.
In a related incident, a cargo worker was fired this week by a military contractor after her photograph of flag-draped coffins was published by The Seattle Times.
Woman fired over photo of coffins in Wash. newspaper
This is amazing. Tami Silicio and her husband were just fired for taking a picture of Flag draped coffins of American Dead about to be sent home from Iraq. It is important to note here, that Tami and her husband were employed by a Private Contractor (Maytag) and NOT the government.
The Administration's postition on this is that photgraphs of American dead are not allowed out of sensitivity to the deceaseds' families.
I just have to wonder, where was this same sensitivity when George Bush's re-election campaign used pictures of Flag draped coffins being removed from Ground Zero in a campaign ad. You tell me.
(The entire article is reprinted below since I have been unable to link to it or e-mail it and I'm concerned that it may be "buried". Well, it won't be buried here.)
Woman fired over photo of coffins in Wash. newspaper
03:35 PM PDT on Thursday, April 22, 2004
Associated Press
SEATTLE — A cargo worker whose photograph of coffins bearing the remains of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq was published by The Seattle Times has been fired by the military contractor that employed her.
Tami Silicio and David Landry, a co-worker she recently married, were fired Wednesday by Maytag Aircraft Corp. of Colorado Springs, Colo., for violating federal government and company rules, said William L. Silva, president of Maytag and executive vice president of its corporate parent, Mercury Air Group Inc. of Los Angeles. He would not elaborate.
The photo of the coffins of soldiers killed in Iraq appeared in the Seattle Times.
“I feel like I was hit in the chest with a steel bar and got my wind knocked out,” Silicio said. “I have to admit I liked my job and I liked what I did.”
The Bush Administration has banned news coverage of dead soldiers' homecomings at all military bases. The administration argues that this is done out of respect for those killed. Critics say it's an attempt to downplay the deaths of those killed. What do you think?
Landry wrote in an e-mail to The Times that he was proud of his wife, adding that they would soon return home.
In a policy that has drawn intense debate since it was adopted in 1991, the Pentagon bars news organizations from photographing caskets being returned to the United States, citing the sensitivities of bereaved families.
“We’ve made sure that all of the installations who are involved with the transfer of remains were aware that we do not allow any media coverage of any of the stops until (the casket) reaches its final destination,” Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Colin said.
In spite of its adoption in 1991, the policy was largely ignored until the present administration, as caskets returning from the Afghanistan war appeared on television broadcasts and in newspapers until early this year.
Silva said Silicio, 50, of Edmonds, and her husband were fired after military officials raised “very specific concerns,” which he would not identify.
“They were good workers, and we were sorry to lose them,” Silva said. “They did a good job out in Kuwait and it was an important job that they did.”
In the year ending June 30, Maytag accounted for $24.4 million of Mercury’s $429 million in revenue, roughly 5.7 percent.
Silicio, a mother of three who previously worked as a Seattle-area event decorator and as a truck driver for a different contractor in Kosovo, took the photograph of 20 flag-draped coffins in a cargo plane about to depart from Kuwait International Airport on an unspecified day in April.
She sent the image to Amy Katz, a stateside friend who worked with her in Kosovo. Katz provided it to The Times, which then obtained permission from Silicio to publish it without compensation.
It appeared in the center of the front page Sunday, along with an article on the war in Iraq and a locally produced feature on Silicio’s job in Kuwait.
She said she hoped the photo would help show relatives of fallen soldiers the care and devotion that civilian and military crews devote to returning the remains of their loved ones.
“It wasn’t my intent to lose my job or become famous or anything,” Silicio said.
After appearing in The Times, the photograph was posted on Web sites and has been widely discussed over the Internet.
The Times reported Thursday that its decision to print the photograph was supported in most of the e-mails and telephone calls the newspaper has received from across the country.
Executive Editor Michael R. Fancher wrote about the decision to print the photograph in his weekly column Sunday and appeared Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America” with Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., who supports the Pentagon ban.
“Some will see the picture as an anti-war statement because the image is reminiscent of photos from the Vietnam era, when the press wasn’t denied such access,” Fancher wrote,” but that isn’t Silicio’s or The Times’ motivation.”
Maytag just lost any business I may have done with them. Let's all make sure the Maytag Man really is bored due to lack of business.
deuddersun
The Administration's postition on this is that photgraphs of American dead are not allowed out of sensitivity to the deceaseds' families.
I just have to wonder, where was this same sensitivity when George Bush's re-election campaign used pictures of Flag draped coffins being removed from Ground Zero in a campaign ad. You tell me.
(The entire article is reprinted below since I have been unable to link to it or e-mail it and I'm concerned that it may be "buried". Well, it won't be buried here.)
Woman fired over photo of coffins in Wash. newspaper
03:35 PM PDT on Thursday, April 22, 2004
Associated Press
SEATTLE — A cargo worker whose photograph of coffins bearing the remains of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq was published by The Seattle Times has been fired by the military contractor that employed her.
Tami Silicio and David Landry, a co-worker she recently married, were fired Wednesday by Maytag Aircraft Corp. of Colorado Springs, Colo., for violating federal government and company rules, said William L. Silva, president of Maytag and executive vice president of its corporate parent, Mercury Air Group Inc. of Los Angeles. He would not elaborate.
The photo of the coffins of soldiers killed in Iraq appeared in the Seattle Times.
“I feel like I was hit in the chest with a steel bar and got my wind knocked out,” Silicio said. “I have to admit I liked my job and I liked what I did.”
The Bush Administration has banned news coverage of dead soldiers' homecomings at all military bases. The administration argues that this is done out of respect for those killed. Critics say it's an attempt to downplay the deaths of those killed. What do you think?
Landry wrote in an e-mail to The Times that he was proud of his wife, adding that they would soon return home.
In a policy that has drawn intense debate since it was adopted in 1991, the Pentagon bars news organizations from photographing caskets being returned to the United States, citing the sensitivities of bereaved families.
“We’ve made sure that all of the installations who are involved with the transfer of remains were aware that we do not allow any media coverage of any of the stops until (the casket) reaches its final destination,” Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Colin said.
In spite of its adoption in 1991, the policy was largely ignored until the present administration, as caskets returning from the Afghanistan war appeared on television broadcasts and in newspapers until early this year.
Silva said Silicio, 50, of Edmonds, and her husband were fired after military officials raised “very specific concerns,” which he would not identify.
“They were good workers, and we were sorry to lose them,” Silva said. “They did a good job out in Kuwait and it was an important job that they did.”
In the year ending June 30, Maytag accounted for $24.4 million of Mercury’s $429 million in revenue, roughly 5.7 percent.
Silicio, a mother of three who previously worked as a Seattle-area event decorator and as a truck driver for a different contractor in Kosovo, took the photograph of 20 flag-draped coffins in a cargo plane about to depart from Kuwait International Airport on an unspecified day in April.
She sent the image to Amy Katz, a stateside friend who worked with her in Kosovo. Katz provided it to The Times, which then obtained permission from Silicio to publish it without compensation.
It appeared in the center of the front page Sunday, along with an article on the war in Iraq and a locally produced feature on Silicio’s job in Kuwait.
She said she hoped the photo would help show relatives of fallen soldiers the care and devotion that civilian and military crews devote to returning the remains of their loved ones.
“It wasn’t my intent to lose my job or become famous or anything,” Silicio said.
After appearing in The Times, the photograph was posted on Web sites and has been widely discussed over the Internet.
The Times reported Thursday that its decision to print the photograph was supported in most of the e-mails and telephone calls the newspaper has received from across the country.
Executive Editor Michael R. Fancher wrote about the decision to print the photograph in his weekly column Sunday and appeared Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America” with Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., who supports the Pentagon ban.
“Some will see the picture as an anti-war statement because the image is reminiscent of photos from the Vietnam era, when the press wasn’t denied such access,” Fancher wrote,” but that isn’t Silicio’s or The Times’ motivation.”
Maytag just lost any business I may have done with them. Let's all make sure the Maytag Man really is bored due to lack of business.
deuddersun
"It's not George Bush's fault if Johnson didn't commit more National Guard troops to Viet Nam!"
Yeah, that's right. You read it. I wore my George Bush Chickenhawk tee-shirt to work yesterday and after reading it, this is the statement one brilliant Bush supporter offered me in defense of his President.
Gee, thanks for clearing that up for me. So it was Lyndon Johnson's fault all along. Damn those Democrats sure are shifty!
Another Bushite, young and able bodied, ranted against me for not supporting the war in Iraq. In fact, he said that I was a disgrace to the Marine Corps. Since we are working in an active armory with a recruiting office, I offered to introduce him to the Army recruiter down the hall. After all, if he felt that strongly about it, shouldn't he want to do all he could in support of the "War On Terrorism"?
Nope. All he wants to do is stay here, nice and safe, earning a good living, running his yap, while other young, able bodied folks do his fighting and dying for him.
You know, I'm really starting to get fed up to here with Bush and his moronic supporters. Shut up or put up folks. And stop reaching, okay? Bush is fucked up. Plain and simple. Get over it and move on.
deuddersun
Gee, thanks for clearing that up for me. So it was Lyndon Johnson's fault all along. Damn those Democrats sure are shifty!
Another Bushite, young and able bodied, ranted against me for not supporting the war in Iraq. In fact, he said that I was a disgrace to the Marine Corps. Since we are working in an active armory with a recruiting office, I offered to introduce him to the Army recruiter down the hall. After all, if he felt that strongly about it, shouldn't he want to do all he could in support of the "War On Terrorism"?
Nope. All he wants to do is stay here, nice and safe, earning a good living, running his yap, while other young, able bodied folks do his fighting and dying for him.
You know, I'm really starting to get fed up to here with Bush and his moronic supporters. Shut up or put up folks. And stop reaching, okay? Bush is fucked up. Plain and simple. Get over it and move on.
deuddersun
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