Thanks for your service, Matt.

Opportunities to help someone out during Christmas time often seem to pop up unexpectedly in ways that don't seem to happen during the rest of the year.

This year a young Navy kid crossed my path, and it was my good fortune to be able to assist him.

This started about three weeks ago when my boss informed me that I must go to our main office in Philly during the week of Christmas. I wasn't thrilled to hear this, considering the likelihood of inclement weather and/or heavy holiday travel which might make for difficulties getting back home in time for Christmas. Sure enough, a blanket of 'Tooley fog' had settled into the basin that makes up most of the interior of California. Locals know this fog can last for weeks. The Saturday before I was to leave, my Sister flew into the Fresno airport around 10 PM. The pilot landed the plane on instruments, in a fog so thick that spontaneous applause broke out among the passengers when they could finally see the runway lights and the wheels touched down. The pilot came onto the intercom as they taxied to the gates and remarked wryly that, "there's not very many planes on the ground here."

In fact, her plane was one of only a few that risked landing that evening, so that as I stood in line at 6 AM the next morning to catch my flight a murmur began near the front and moved to the rear that flights were being cancelled. Sure enough, the board showed the first two flights (mine included) as cancelled, and cell phones began popping out all around. There was a family of travelers in front of me, and at about this point a clean cut young man carrying two cowboy hats in one hand, pulling a large suitcase with the other, and wearing a green duffel bag nearly as big as him on his back, walked up and strained to read the board. "The flights are cancelled?" he asked me. "I'm supposed to be in Missoura today." I figured he was probably reporting for duty, since he looked like he was about 17 - 18 tops - and he confirmed that he was in the Navy. I (misunderstood) him to say that he had orders to be back that evening.

Another young person, a young lady wearing a hikers backpack, also arrived, and it didn't take her long to determine to her poorly disguised disappointment that this handsome cowboy was engaged. By this point the line had come to a standstill, as each traveler now spent up to 20 minutes at each window trying to find alternatives. More cell phones appeared, some polite conversations broke out, and one older woman standing in line alone began loudly complaining to no one in particular, "Its always something!" I broke out "For Whom the Bell Tolls," which I'd found the day before while unpacking my library from our recent move to our new house, and couldn't believe that I'd never read it, since I've always wanted to. I'd figured it might help me to escape the tedium of the flight, but now it helped me escape the gridlock in line. Yet, something about these two young folks drew me, and I kept one ear open and occasionally joined into their conversation about his rodeo experiences, his previous tours on the aircraft carrier he was assigned to, and her seasonal job in Yosemite National Park. Nice kids, both of 'em.

Well, we'd nearly reached the front of the line when my reading was interrupted by people groaning around me.

All flights had been cancelled, people were saying, though the board continued to show just the first two.

No planes would leave for the next two days, floated back among some. There just weren't enough planes currently at the airport, and no incoming planes because of the fog.

Personally, this wasn't particularly bad news for me, and I began working out a phone mail message in my head that I'd leave to my boss explaining why I couldn't make the meeting. Yet I could see the worry in the young woman's face, who was trying to get to Dallas to see her folks, while the Navy kid heaved his duffel bag to the ground and hitched up his sharply creased blue jeans by pulling on the big rodeo buckle on his western belt and wondered aloud what it could mean that no flights would leave for days. So, I finally got my cell out and called the airlines to see about alternatives. The three of us discussed driving times to nearby airports, though neither of them had cars. If I had to go, both or either might as well go with me, I offered. After about a ten minute hold, I was able to find that I could take a flight from Burbank (about a three hour drive) and also that there was a flight there to Dallas. I offered to drive the young woman, but right at that point we'd reached the ticket windows and she found a flight on another airline. I thanked the young Navy kid, and remarked that it was his good luck that the Navy's orders had been cancelled by a higher authority, at which point he explained that he wasn't returning to base, but trying to go home on leave to see his family - - for the first time in two years.

Sighing, and mentally erasing my planned explanatory phone mail to the boss, I booked the new flight out of Burbank after we determined that he could also catch a flight there.

So, we hopped in my dirty Taurus, and over the next three hours I had the pleasure of getting to know Matt. Finding someone who, for being only 19 years old, really had his head on his shoulders. He'd joined the Navy at 17, while all his friends around him said he should take a year after High School to goof off, because "right now they're working at Macdonalds, and I'm on my way to a career, with 36 college units already completed." He'd already weighed the options and calculated that he'd remain in the Navy for the next 20 years, and planned to retire at 37 with nearly two million in savings. This factored in the differing pay amounts for his upcoming tour in the Gulf, and other areas around the world, as well as the increased pay and costs of being married - - which he planned to do without his parent's knowledge this upcoming week, I came to find out. So - Okay, he might not have his head on straight on this one issue, yet I'd seen my 18 year old daughter do exactly the same thing the day before she shipped out for her tour in the Army in Korea. You know, that's a lot of upheaval and uncertainty in a life at that age.

I'm proud of this fine serviceman, and its my joy and profit to have been able to help him get home to his family and fiance. May they have a very merry Christmas.

Osama - another whining leftie (Chrenkoff)

From http://chrenkoff.blogspot.com/



Osama's pre-American election tape already sounded like a promo for "Fahrenheit 9/11", with its carefully scripted list of MoveOn-esque grievances. Now, in his latest production aimed at the House of Saud, bin Laden is moving one step further along the path of the great ideological - or at least rhetorical - convergence between the angry left and the angry Islamofascism:

"The speaker on the tape accused the regime of 'injustices against the people'. The Saudi Royal Family had misspent public money while 'millions of people are suffering from poverty and deprivation', he said."

And thus Osama becomes yet another billionaire complaining about the growing gap between the rich and the poor, a sort of George Soros with a Closed Society Institute, and a Peter Lewis, who instead of insuring cars blows them up.

...And not that bin Laden is actually sincere, either. If you look at the Islamofascist utopia like the Taliban-era Afghanistan, one thing that strikes you is that, well, "millions of people were suffering from poverty and deprivation", and genuinely so, not the Saudi sort of poverty. In fact, in Osama's restored Caliphate, poverty and ignorance are both equally treated as virtues and are thus assiduously cultivated in place of such evil infidel concepts like growth or self-realization.

Still, it's funny (in a horrible sort of way) to watch bin Laden promote economic disadvantage as a grievance against what he considers a corrupt Muslim regime. For Osama, version 2005, poverty is the root cause of terrorism. For the rest of us, we know it's Osama.

N. Korea: "This means War"

N. Korea warns Japan against sanctions - (United Press International)

"North Korea has warned Japan any sanctions against it would be regarded as a declaration of war and an "effective physical response" would result. "

14 Executed Bodies in Mosul

Daily Times - Site Edition

Deadliest day in Falluja

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq After the deadliest day for U-S forces in Iraq since yesterday -- commanders are making it clear that the work in Fallujah (fuh-LOO'-juh) isn't yet coming to an end.

Today, another Marine lost his life in the area around Fallujah, making this the deadliest day since three Marines lost their life yesterday. And Marines continue to confront insurgents in the city as well.

Lieutenant Lyle Gilbert with the First Marine Expeditionary Force says troops have found tunnel networks and spider holes, very much like the one in which Saddam Hussein was found one year ago today.

Light of the World was Dark in 1979

Since 1923, the National Christmas Tree on the White House lawn has been lit every year except one. In 1979, (during Jimmy Carter's presidency) to honor the U.S. hostages being held in Iran, only the top ornament of the tree was lit.

Carter broke with long tradition. These lights were lit even in 1963, though the tree lighting ceremony was delayed until Dec. 22, after the 30-day mourning period for the slain President John F. Kennedy.

Support the Troops - - Really

Here's two ideas of ways you can help support the troops. I'm sure there are many more. Add on to this and create a whole list of ideas, if you wish.

IDEA ONE:
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(Idea from the Hugh Hewitt blog at http://www.hughhewitt.com/ )
Part of an email from a Naval Officer:

"Yellow ribbons tied around trees and red, white and blue stickers on the backs SUVs saying "Support our Troops" are things that make civilians feel good but do nothing for the men and women actually in uniform.

So please consider the following:
The number ONE request at Walter Reed hospital is phone cards. The government doesn't pay long distance phone charges and these wounded soldiers are rationing their calls home.
Many will be there throughout the holidays.
Really support our troops --Send phone cards of any amount to:
Medical Family Assistance Center Walter Reed Medical Center 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20307-5001 They say they need an "endless" supply of these -- any amount even $5 is greatly appreciated.

IDEA TWO:
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Visit Books for Soldiers at http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/

There you'll find requests for everything from baby wipes (apparently come in quite handy dealing with the dirt and dust in Iraq and Afghanistan) and other toilettries, to new or used DVD's, to used books, from individual soldiers and/or squads. In most cases they give their addresses, so you can ship them directly.

This is a great website - - I mentioned my daughter Stephany on there once, and had probably 5 people send her letters of encouragement, and some books and magazines.

Presidential Hanukkah Party

This Thursday President Bush is to host the first ever Hanukka party in the White House.