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Military Culture

A country can never know exactly when it may need to call upon its warriors to take on the enemy; to fight to the death if necessary in order to protect its citizens' lives and property. For this reason, it has always been necessary for countries to have a strong and well-defined military culture that is built upon ancient traditions and respect for national history. Governments and civilians who allow their military institutions to dissipate into an unhealthy state, will bring devastating effects upon their nation's security if not corrected. No country, even one as wealthy as the United States, has ever been able to financially reward soldiers fairly for the risks they take and the deeds they do. Therefore a people must rely upon the ancient military culture to give the soldier the rewards necessary to have him go into battle and to fight valiantly for his homeland.

If one were to ask military people what they like about their careers, most would answer that they enjoy the opportunities to lead, to work and train with other soldiers, the military camaraderie and the opportunities to be patriotic. Military people enjoy the "esprit de corps" that comes from working on a team, the sense of accomplishment for jobs well done and the pride and prestige that comes from just being soldiers, representing their beloved homeland. These opportunities can only be found in the military lifestyle. No other job offers them. Seldom does a soldier mention pay or benefits, and every military person understands that his pay is in no way comparable to what his job would gain in the civilian sector.

What exactly is a healthy military culture? The military is a world of the young and always will be. There is no generation gap, but instead a hierarchy among the various ranks from low to high, which the military finds comforting. Each soldier knows exactly where he fits in the grand scheme and he call tell another soldier's place by the uniform, rank and medals worn. There is a "warrior spirit" interwoven into the framework of military culture, which is built upon basic moral and institutional values held in common between the warriors. Additionally, the military is rich with old fashioned traditions that have been bequeathed from soldier to soldier, as civilians hand down unseen treasures from father to son. Rather than having an occupation, a soldier feels part of an institution that is far greater than himself.

The military is expected by its commander in chief and the taxpayers who fund it to maintain a high code of ethics. In order to fight and win in battle, each soldier understands that discipline is demanded at every level of his job. Because military culture is almost always more conservative than that of the civilian sector, it can hurt morale to change codes of behavior which were in effect when the soldiers joined up. Although a civilian employee can walk off the job when he dislikes new rules imposed by his employer, a military person is subject to imprisonment for doing the same. Although a soldier fights to uphold freedom, he in fact has been required to give up some of his own freedoms in order to serve as a soldier. Ofttimes, this causes a lack of understanding from civilians as to why a soldier does or does not do certain things.

In the United States of today, with its entirely volunteer fighting force, it seems that, more than ever, the military culture should be upheld and respected. In fact, even a bit of emulation could be of great benefit. Those who belittle it, or try to merge it into the more modern civilian culture, or attempt to destroy it in various way, are actually harming all of us, not just the military.

Put ICE in Your Cell Phone

The 7/7 London bombings highlighted the "National "ICE" Awareness Campaign campaign that had been launched in the U.K. in April of 2005. The idea had originated with the East Anglian Ambulance service in 2004, when it suggested that people store the word "I C E " in the memory (address book) of their mobile phones, and against it enter the name, telephone number and other details of the person to be contacted "In Case of Emergency".

If the unforeseen should befall, ambulance and hospital staff will be able to quickly contact one's next of kin.It is so simple that everyone should do it. SO DO! Please do. It could save your life, and even more lives if you convince your friends and family to do the same. For more than one contact name, enter ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 and so on. The Washington Post reported on this:

The idea was conceived by Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the ambulance service, after years of trying to reach relatives of people he was treating. He began the ICE initiative in April, but it gained momentum only after the bombings in London, when information about the plan spread by e-mail.

Paramedics, police and firefighters often waste valuable time trying to figure out which name in a cell phone to call when disaster strikes, according to current and retired members of the emergency services, who said they must look through wallets for clues, or scroll through cell address books and guess. Many people identify their spouse by name in their cell, making them indistinguishable from other entries.

Lt. Robert Stimpson, acting police chief of Madison, Conn. ... "I think it's a great idea. . . . It's so simple I can't believe that other people haven't thought of it before. Not only does it help emergency workers identify a responsible party when they come upon an unconscious person, it also helps identify the owners of lost cell phones,". (Washington Post)

This message about the 'ICE' Campaign has been sent around the world in e-mails, which for a change are mostly based on the truth. However, according to BBC News of 13 July 2005, there are "false" e-mail virus hoax warnings targeting the ICE Campaign. Some malicious person with time to waste is writing that "ICE" entered into a mobile phone makes it vulnerable to a virus attack or hidden charges. Virus Experts say these warnings are false and should be ignored.

Linked at basil's blog Lunch: 7/28/2005.

No Celts in Ancient Britain

The Isle of Albion was invaded throughout its history by Saxons, Romans, Vikings, and finally, the Normans, who conquered and ruled the land. In modern history the British welcomed Jewish and Protestant refugees from Europe. Yet, amazingly, the genetic makeup of today's white Britons is much the same as their prehistoric ancestors, a few thousand Ice Age hunters.

Author, archaeologist David Miles, believes that about 80 percent of the genetic characteristics of most white Britons have passed down from their progenitors of 12,000 years ago. The ancient hunter-gatherers arrived at what is now Britain immediately after the Ice Age. They were tribal nomads who followed herds of reindeer and wild horses northward to Britain. As the climate warmed and sea levels rose, the Isle of Albion became cut off and isolated from mainland Europe.

This same race of Ice Age hunter-gatherers settled also in the part of northwest Europe which is now the Netherlands, Germany, and France. Because of random genetic mutations, those populations are now different from the British population. Red hair, a mutation that probably occurred 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, is the most visible British genetic marker. It was noted when the Romans arrived 2,000 years ago. Today, studies show that there is more red hair in Scotland and Wales than anywhere else in the world.

One area of Miles' book is certainly destined to foment debate. Writing that there are no historical references to Celts in ancient Britain, he explains; "In the 18th and 19th centuries, as Ireland, Wales, and Scotland started to assert national identity, they began to talk about themselves as Celts", a group of tribes living in ancient Gaul, which is now France. Their language shared the same roots as those of the British tribes and that heritage was more palatable to those eschewing British customs and rule.

No Celts in ancient Britain? Now that is a new twist. David Miles did acknowledged that the techniques used to explore genetic ancestry are still in their infancy and that much more study will be need to more fully understand British origins. However, I found more at the BBC history site. "The Peoples of Britain" by Dr. Simon James explains:

"However, there is one thing that the Romans, modern archaeologists and the Iron Age islanders themselves would all agree on: they were not Celts. This was an invention of the 18th century; the name was not used earlier. The idea came from the discovery around 1700 that the non-English island tongues relate to that of the ancient continental Gauls, who really were called Celts. This ancient continental ethnic label was applied to the wider family of languages. But 'Celtic' was soon extended to describe insular monuments, art, culture and peoples, ancient and modern: island 'Celtic' identity was born, like Britishness, in the 18th century."

Coffee Anyone?

This post has been moved to "Neddy's Palaver".


Have you ever wondered about those fancy push button Italian coffee makers? Especially when the coffee is a bit too flavorful? Make your own free coffee in this self-service coffee maker.

Bon appétit.

1. CLICK ON THE LATTE to access the Expresso Machine
2. PUT THE COIN IN THE SLOT
3. CHOOSE YOUR DRINK
4. CLICK ON THE CUP WHEN IT IS READY
5. CLICK ON "APRI" (OPEN - very important, don't forget!) to open the machine and see the coffee being made.

It's Italian humor.

Blogger Blogs

Users of Blogger -- If you have trouble sending Trackbacks or perhaps even leaving comments at blogs outside of the Blogger network, then read this and you may understand. I wrote to Blogger a long time ago about the "fake" blogs that are being created on Blogger for just that purpose, to spam and to gum up the works of the search engines. Blogger wrote back to me and said that these fake blog creators have as much right to use the free Blogger system as do those writing "real" blogs. This is from Captain's Quarters, where Blogger bloggers can no longer leave Trackbacks.

Spammers Use Blogger

I have to temporarily block blogspot.com URLs because Blogger sites have begun spamming my trackbacks. Using a number of different sites, Blogger spam has flooded my site this morning. At first, I tried blocking the specific site URLs, but apparently Blogger has allowed a number of commercial sites to spam other bloggers. Until they fix their problem and block access to spammers, I have to keep the block on CQ. If your blog is part of the Blogger community, you may want to write Google (Blogger's owner) and tell them to clean up their act.

Here are some examples: http://pzwjynf.blogspot.com/
http://superstartanning.blogspot.com/

Some Give All, Some Give Some

What is the Purple Heart? The Purple Heart is an American military medal and is the world's oldest military decoration still in use. It was the first American medal to be awarded to the common soldier. Initially it was named the Badge of Military Merit and was created by one of the world’s most famed and best-loved heroes— General George Washington.

The PURPLE HEART is a combat decoration awarded to members of the armed forces of the United States who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy. When the wounds are mortal, the PURPLE HEART is posthumously given to the fallen soldier's next of kin in his name.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart

John S. McCain III (Veterans History Project), was a recipient of The Purple Heart. The Purple Heart medal on the chest of a young soldier reminds us that ...

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze
A young soldier saluted it, and then
He stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many Pilots' planes shot down?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No Freedom is not free
I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still.
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That taps had meant "Amen"
When a flag had draped a coffin
of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No Freedom isn't free!
Author--Cadet Major Kelly Strong

Linked at Mudville Gazette's 'Open Post' and 'Beltway Traffic Jam' at Outside the Beltway.

First Battle of Manassas

The first major battle of the Civil War was fought, 21 July 1861, near the Manassas, Virginia railway junction, and became known as the First Battle of Manassas by the Confederates and the First Battle of Bull Run, by the Union. The armies in this first battle were not very large by later Civil War standards. The Federal forces of about 30,000 troops were commanded by Brigadier General Irvin McDowell. The Confederates had two armies, the Confederate Army of the Potomac under command of Brigadier General Pierre G. T. Beauregard, and the Army of the Shenandoah, commanded by Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston.

When General Beauregare ordered his fresh troops to attack the right flank of the advancing Union army, the Yankees heard for probably the first time a sound that would bring instant chills throughout the remainder of the war. The 6,500 attacking Confederates let loose with a shrill, yelping fox hunter's call, which became known as the "Rebel Yell." It terrified the Yankee soldiers into a disorganized rout.

The heroes of the day were a brigade of Virginia soldiers commanded by Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson who refused to lose any ground. Because of their heroic obstinancy, Confederate Brig. Gen. Barnard Bee famously shouted the order: "Look! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!" The Confederates did and the battle resulted in a humiliating rout of Union forces and a disorderly retreat, bringing the battle to a halt. General Jackson became known as "Stonewall Jackson" and the brigade as the "Stonewall Brigade".

General Beauregard won the day by attacking the Federals and causing their disorganized retreat. The elite of Washington, D.C. had treated the war as a spectator sport and rode out to the battlefield to picnic. When the Union Army was driven back, the roads back to Washington were blocked by terrified civilians and their carriages. If the Confederates had chased the Yankees back to Washington, they could probably have won the war. However, they were too tired and inexperienced to conduct an effective pursuit, so the battle ended.

The Federals lost about 3,000 casualties (killed, wounded, and captured or missing), and the Confederates suffered about 2,000. These horrific casualty numbers for one day's battle stunned the nation. The Stone House, which served as an aid station, still stands today as it has since the 1840s, overlooking the Warrenton Turnpike.

Linked at Llama Butchers where there is more discussion.

Doubting Atheists

It is the worst of times for atheists. They have always been a small minority, but today God has become so popular, that they dare not express themselves. Some are even doubting their own beliefs. Read about it here: A Time of Doubt for Atheists. To me it just proves that humankind needs something to latch onto; something to believe. Believing that God does not exist is a form of religion, as the credo of atheism must be accepted on faith, as it cannot be proven that there is no Creator. Agnosticism seems to be a different philosophy, as it makes no claims one way or the other.

The Neanderthal Theory

Who would have ever known that Neanderthals were freckle-faced redheads? Does that mean the Vikings were descended from them? You know, Eric the Red, Leif, Bjarne and the gang of conquering Norse explorers?

The image is a modified reconstruction of Gibraltar Neanderthal child, from the web site: "The Neanderthal Theory of Autism, Asperger and ADHD".

Scientific Thoughts writes that Neanderthal was a species of the genus Homo (Homo Neanderthalensis) that inhabited Europe and parts of western Asia about 230,000 to 29,000 years ago. Their bodies were designed for cold, short and robust with large noses. Scientists are now isolating genetic fragments from fossils to map their DNA.

"How cool will it be, if we could reconstruct an extinct animal from the fragments of its fossilized genome? Such a project is currently being unveiled at the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, where U.S. and German scientists have launched a project to recreate the Neanderthal genome."

Blogging Help

USC Annenbern Online Journalism Review

A Consuming Experience

ProBlogger

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How to Blog

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WordPress Reference CentreBlogging Pro

Defeat Terrorism -

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: For the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." ~~Joshua 1:9

"Be not afraid. I go before you always. Come follow me, and I will give you rest." ~~prayer hymn

"But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid." ~~John 6:20

"lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid;" ~~Isaiah 40:9

Cat Lovers Gone Wild

In staid and colonial Mount Vernon, Virginia, just a mile from the home of George and Martha Washington, animal control officers removed 273 feline creatures -- 86 of them dead -- after neighbors complained vehemently of odors last Friday. As of the following Monday, cats were still being found in the house, hidden in the walls and in the brick fireplace chimney. "I don't know how they got in there," said a Fairfax County police officer. Curbside, the home appears as charming and well cared for as others in the neighborhood, but it smells much different. Think feline feces, feline urine and the decomposing corpses of dead cats. Authorities posted an orange condemnation order on the home and ordered the the cat lovers, 82-old Mrs. Kneuven, her husband and daughter to leave. However, after the police left, the elderly woman returned to her home and ripped down the condemnation order. Animal-control officers were alerted and found her trying to smuggle out an additional 30 cats, bringing the total by Monday night to 303 confiscated animals. Traps were set for any remaining beasts, therefore the number is expected to rise.

Strong Odors Expose Northern Virginia House's Secret: The neighborhood of Mrs. Knueven is an enclave of stately homes that back up to George Washington's Mount Vernon plantation. Neighbors say that the woman was obsessed with cats. She spent years taking in strays, which then multiplied inside her home and caused years of headaches for them. They say she tried to mask the odor by burning incense in her back yard. The attempts were unsucessful, but fortunately she did not cause any house fires.

Few have any emotion except disgust for the cat lovers gone wild. However there is more to the story. In 2001, Fairfax County authorities secretly removed more than 100 cats from the Knueven household, and allowed Mrs. Kneuven to keep five cats as pets. Fairfax County Animal Countrol obviously neglected to require neutering of the animals, as now, four years later they have multiplied to over 300. And there is no other way, short of the unmentionable, to separate a cat from his home, as the old folk song reminds us:

The Cats Came Back

Old Mrs. Kneuven had troubles of her own.
Had lots of cats that wouldn't leave her alone.
She tried and tried to give them all away,
She gave them to a man going far, far away.

But the cats came back, the very next day.
But the cats came back, She thought they were goners,
But the cats came back, they just couldn't stay away, away, away.

Linked at basil's blog Breakfast: 7/13/2005, Eschaton and Wizbang's and Carnival of the Trackbacks XX..

Sailing on Noah's Ark

Those who are collectors of the inanimate will delight in this poem and understand a bit more than "just because," the reason they clutter their lives, indulging themselves with such a puzzling human instinct. Here is a beautiful poem by Texas poet Janet McCann, "The Woman Who Collects Noah's Arks", from a work entitled Emily's Dress. It is a PDF file.

"The Woman Who Collects Noah’s Arks
Has them in every room of her house,
wall hangings, statues, paintings, quilts and blankets,
ark lampshades, mobiles, Christmas tree ornaments,
t-shirts, sweaters, necklaces, books,
comics, a creamer, a sugar bowl, candles, napkins,
tea-towels and tea-tray, nightgown, pillow, lamp.
Animals two-by-two in plaster, wood,
fabric, oil paint, copper, glass, plastic, paper,
tinfoil, leather, mother-of-pearl, styrofoam,
clay, steel, rubber, wax, soap.
Why I cannot ask, though I would like
to know, the answer has to be simply
because. Because at night when she lies
with her husband in bed, the house rocks out
into the bay, the one that cuts in here to the flatlands
at the center of Texas. Because the whole wood structure
drifts off, out under the stars, beyond the last
lights, the two of them pitching and rolling
as it all heads seaward. Because they hear
trumpets and bellows from the farther rooms.
Because the sky blackens, but morning finds them always
safe on the raindrenched land,
bird on the windowsill."

Hat Tip to Ginny at ChicagoBoyz.

Wounded Warriors

Staff Sergeant Heath T. Calhoun
On the evening of July 8, 2005, at Constitution Hall in Washington, Staff Sergeant Heath Calhoun was the recipient of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Medal of Honor. He also received the DAR's Outstanding Veteran Patient Award. This was the first time in DAR history that the same person had received both awards.

Staff Sergeant Heath T. Calhoun, dreamed of being a soldier all of his life while growing up in southwest Virginia. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a Vietnam veteran, and his grandfather who served as a soldier in World War II. At the age of 23, he was deployed to Iraq as a member of the 101st Airborne Division as an Army Ranger. Soon after arriving in theater, a rocket-propelled grenade hit his Humvee as he was transporting troops to Mosul in 2003. His life was saved by his fellow soldiers, but both legs had to be amputated above the knee. Sergeant Calhoun was evacuated to the Walter Reed Army Hospital where he found a backpack strapped to his carrier that contained clothes, toiletries, and other items he might need his first few days in the hospital. It was a gift from the Wounded Warrier Project.

With courage and determination, Sergeant Calhoun (image) managed to quickly adapt to prosthetics. At the same time, he began reaching out to veteran-patients and returning soldiers offering encouragement and companionship. He has supported and worked with many programs that raise awareness of the plight of the returning wounded and that provide counseling for soldiers. This courageous veteran, a husband and father of two, has now become one of the national spokesmen for the Wounded Warrior Project.



This summer he is participating in Soldier Ride, a bike ride across the United States to raise awareness and funds for the Project. He is one soldier who has turned real adversity into something that supports and gives strength to others. He claims not to be a hero, but is instead someone who never quits. “I want people to just know that I never quit” he said to the assembled members of the DAR. However, the people in Sergeant Calhoun’s community consider him a hero.
Meet the riders of the Soldier Ride 2005 National Tour Team

Linked at 'Carnival of the Trackbacks IXX' from Wizbang and at 'Open Post' from Mudville Gazette.

Rally 'Round the Flag

The Colonial Flag is the The Flag of Great Britain, which flew over the 13 American Colonies that were to become the first 13 United States, from 1707 to 1775.


On January 1, 1776, General George Washington's troops raised their new flag on the liberty pole at Prospect Hill in Cambridge, Massachusetts. General Washington called it the "The Grand Union Flag". This was the official flag of the 13 American Colonies on July 4, 1776 when the colonies declared their independence from England. For almost the entire first year of the American Revolution, the Grand Union Flag was the ensign of the struggling new "United States".


Old Glory, the stripes remain forever thirteen, yet the field of stars can change, representing the states in the Union.

Rally Round the Flag, Inspirational music as you roam the Angloshere (midi file).
Rally Round the Flag, The Words of the song.
This Land is Your Land

The Red, White and Blue

Red, White and Blue, these colors never run. Those who march under these colors, know not the meaning of the word "terror". If you have not already, you may want to fly the beloved British Union Jack on your blog today. Better yet, fly it forever, as Britain stands in the line of fire to save freedom. Standing with England is her cousin, America ..

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
"Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven."

From "The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke.

Be Grateful for London

Be grateful that somewhere in this immense world there is a place called London. Be grateful for a race of people who cannot be terrorized. Thank God there is still an England to be a beacon to the free world, to lead the way out of the frightful caverns of death and destruction which is the handiwork of the acolytes of the Evil One. God Save the Queen. God Save Us All, we children of Albion.

Thanks to 'Carnival of the Trackbacks IXX' from Wizbang and to basil's blog Brunch: 7/9/2005 for trackback opportunities. Linked at 'People's Song' from Chicago Boyz.

Vladimir Waiting

"Let us not waste our time in idle discourse! Let us do something, while we have the chance! It is not every day that we are needed. Not indeed that we personally are needed. Others would meet the case equally well, if not better. To all mankind they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears! But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it, before it is too late! Let us represent worthily for once the foul brood to which a cruel fate consigned us! What do you say? It is true that when with folded arms we weigh the pros and cons we are no less a credit to our species. The tiger bounds to the help of his congeners without the least reflection, or else he slinks away into the depths of the thickets. But that is not the question. What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in this immense confusion one thing alone is clear. We are waiting for Godot to come—"
~~Vladimir, in Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot"

[samuel beckett] [Waiting for Godot] [Godot] [vladimir]

Bush Twin in Capetown

Who knew? I guess that's why they call it "anonymity". I agree with Wizbang (Sometimes Breeding Shows) about the Bush family. They are America's role model.

Bush daughter is said to volunteer in S. Africa - The Boston Globe:
"CAPE TOWN -- At the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, children sit on their mothers' laps in waiting rooms, waddle down hallways, and wail inside the burn unit, where nurses carefully wrap gauze around their arms, legs, and heads. It is here, say some doctors and nurses, that Barbara Bush, one of President Bush's twin daughters, has been working in near anonymity as a volunteer."

[barbara bush] [africa] [capetown] [south africa]

Last Victorian Nation

Is that us? The United States of America? Who knew? I am excited to read about it. My father was raised by Victorian parents. Gates of Vienna has the story that America is "The World's Last Great Victorian Nation”, from The Scotsman on the 4th of July.

"The Scotsman ran a 4th of July editorial that deserves wide distribution in this country. Its author, Alex Massie, is to be commended on understanding and conveying so well what America means at this moment.

"We are not unique. As he says, we follow in the Victorians’ footsteps, accepting the politically incorrect, the very politically incorrect mantle that Kipling called the 'White Man’s burden.' He would have been more accurate to term it “the burden of democracy” for that is what it is and what it was when Kipling first named it.

"We follow in Britain’s footsteps, though we do not wear her Imperial shoes. Wherever Her Majesty’s people went they left a legacy of property rights and the rule of law. Was it a bloody road to liberty? Indeed. The Victorians were sure they were right and they sought to impose their vision."

[victorian]

Footprints of Early Americans

History is once again being rocked upon its "firm" foundations. Apparently the first Americans did not arrive here on foot from Siberia only 11,000 years ago. New footprints of the ancients have been discovered in volcanic ash.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Footprints of 'first Americans': "Human settlers made it to the Americas 30,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to new evidence.A team of scientists came to this controversial conclusion by dating human footprints preserved by volcanic ash in an abandoned quarry in Mexico. They say the first Americans may have arrived by sea, rather than by foot."

Where did these ancient people come from? DNA studies of present-day native populations support a more recent arrival from north-east Asia, which agrees with the land bridge from Asia to Alaska theory. Just another mystery of the universe. The more we learn, the more we do not know.

July 4th, 1863

For about the past week, Rick Moran of Right Wing Nuthouse has been in a time warp. With his laptop, he has been blogging the historic countdown to July 4th of 1863. He has entitled it "Countdown to Gettysburg".

This (July 3, 1863) is the seventh and final effort in my series of week-long blog posts called “Countdown to Gettysburg”. They are written from the perspective of someone who lived at that time and as if the internet existed in 1863. Below are links to previous posts:

June 27, 1863, June 28, 1863, June 29,1863, June 30, 1863, July 1, 1863, and July 2, 1863,

Overture 1776

BACKGROUND MUSIC ~ Here is a great piece of modern music (18mb MP3), written for the United States Military Academy, by composer Thomas C. Duffy of Yale University. Listen to Overture 1776 (minimize your media player). Overture 1776 was composed in honor of West Point's bicentennial and was premiered there on 25 August 2002. The composer created a work of American music to replace Tchaikovsky's Overture of 1812, as he believed it time that a great nation had its own music to celebrate American Independence, rather than music depicting the Russians versus the French. Using the Overture of 1812 as his model, he created a piece depicting the struggle between the British and the American colonials, including fireworks and cannons. The old tune God Save the King, now known to Americans as My Country ‘Tis of Thee, is countered by Chester, the anthem of the American Revolution, and the country's unofficial national anthem until 1931. He includes other contemporary tunes such as Yankee Doodle, The White Cockcaid (played by the Acton, Massachusetts Militia as they marched to the Concord Bridge on April 19, 1775), and the World Turned Upside Down (played by the British as they surrendered to George Washington). This is true American music, celebrating and honoring the music of the Revolutionary period and of those patriots who secured our liberties and who built our country so long ago.

The Unanimous Declaration

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION
of the
THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WHEN, in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God's entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation.

Happy Birthday America

73 Year Old Grandma Sent to Iraq

From The Washington Post.

"About the time you're celebrating the Fourth of July, Lena Haddix will be en route to Iraq. She's a 73-year-old great-grandmother who recently finished a six-month deployment to Kuwait and then signed up for a six-month deployment to Baghdad.

"Haddix is the mother of five children, ranging in age from 41 to 52. She has eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She took a 10-day vacation before starting her hitch in Iraq so that she could be home for a grandson's 21st birthday.

"... she will be flying to Kuwait on the Fourth and arriving in Baghdad on July 5 for her assignment at Camp Liberty, which was damaged during a recent mortar attack."

Haddix is a 30-Year PX Veteran Braving Baghdad 'for Our Troops'. She is a manager for the Army Air Force Exchange Service and she volunteered to work in a war zone because "I'm doing it for our troops." God Bless America!

What can we do as our part to support our troops? America Supports You
Hat Tip to Mudville Gazette.

229 Years Free Because ...

This bronze statue was commissioned in Iraq by the soldiers of the 4th Infantry division. It was made from the statues of Saddam that were blown up. It was placed inside of one of his palaces, but today it resides at a museum in Fort Hood,Texas, the home of the 4th Infantry.

And here is the rest of the story ....

Memorial to Fallen Task Force Ironhorse Troops

http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/kalat.asp

~*~ Music ~*~

Trackedback at Wizbang's Carnival of the Trackbacks.

There's No Way ...

Like the American Way

This retro poster is from a billboard campaign that was run by the National Assoiciation of Manufacturers in the 1930s and 1940s. I do not know if America still has the world's highest standard of living. If we do not, that is cause for celebration not shame, as it shows that since the 1930s we have brought much of the world with us to great prosperity. However the phrase "There's no way like the American way" is still true. This fourth of July, we remain as proud and grateful to be American, as were the 1930s and 1940s generations.

Little Miss Atilla

There is a heart rending story of truth written at Little Miss Atilla. The author knows of what she speaks and she gives great advice to those young people just entering pre-adulthood. Listen to her and read about her elusive quest for the blessings of motherhood.

"I don't care if you're liberal or conservative, athiest or a member of some faith. There are alternatives to the wholesale taking of human life we engage in. We need to make more use of them. Please think it over."

I am very passionate about this subject and have written about it myself: I Believe in the Sanctity of Life and Feminism Never Killed Anyone?
There is further reading at ProLifeBlogs, where I found this tidbit of information:

"June 19, 2005
Father’s Day 2005 - 48 Million Killed

"47.9 million unborn human beings have been aborted since the fateful "Roe v. Wade" U.S. Supreme Court decision of 1973."

Yes, the Supreme Court made a terrible decision in 1973, and it has continued on the path of rewriting the governing charter we were bequeathed by the blood and toil of our forebears.
Hat tip to Reasoned Audacity.

No Preachin', Praying' or Meditatin'

"The Constitution ... is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary which they may twist and shape into any form they please." ~~Thomas Jefferson

Although in yesterday's Supreme Court ruling, the Ten Commandment tablets of stone were thrown so far out of two Kentucky courthouses, that they have shattered their granite remnants upon all the "shining cities" from "sea to shining sea", the munificent majority supremes did condescend to permit a Decalogue monument to stay in place on the grounds of the Texas Capitol in Austin. Justice Stephen Breyer noted in the opinion that because the Texas monument is located in a large park with thirty-seven other historic monuments, “The setting does not readily lend itself to meditation or any other religious activity.”

Got that ya'all? No preachin', praying' or meditatin' in that park, else'n those ole Ten Commandments will have to go the way of what happened back in Kentuck, warns Grand Supreme Souter. You can do just about anythng else ya want to there on the Texas Capitol grounds, but whatever ya do, don't go payin' any mind to those old timey religions and their outdated laws and stuff. If you do, those black-robed supremes will be after you next.

This post has been "Trackedback" at ScrappleFace, where Scott Ott suggests a legalized disclaimer for Decalogues posted in courtrooms, reading:

"Display of this historically-significant collection of laws shall not be construed as an endorsement of the God who may, or may not, have spoken them, nor of the existence of such a God, nor of the legality of the laws. Citizens may observe and obey these commandments at their own risk. Please consult your family attorney before embarking on any law-abiding regimen."

Trackedback at basil's blog, Breakfast 7/1/2005 and Mudville Gazette.
Tags:[Supreme Court]

What Bravery!

I wonder what makes some people so brave, such as Tim Dicus, Chris White and another man who swam with sharks while attempting to rescue a stranger. God bless you all, brave men.

My Way News: "PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - Chris White was vacationing on a Florida Panhandle beach when he heard cries for help and leaped into the water to assist a 14-year-old girl, not knowing she had been fatally injured by a shark and he would soon be swimming with the killer animal."

Big Moon Rising

Did you know that the big moon we have been seeing of late in the evenings, is the world's largest optical illusion? The moon has been, from time out of mind, one of nature's most enduring mysteries, and it continues to be so, even amongst the moonwalkers of today's world.

The rest of the story is at BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Why does the moon look so big now?

Freedom Comes Hard

On this day, June 26th, in 1963, President John F. Kennedy made a morale-boosting speech in the divided nation of West Germany in which he said "Ich bin ein Berliner".

President Kennedy had just returned on foot from a visit to the Berlin Wall's most dangerous crossing point, Checkpoint Charlie. While there, he was viewed curiously from the other side of the infamous wall border by groups of East Berliners unable to respond to the American president because of the East German People's Police.

"All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words, 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'" ~~President John F Kennedy, 1963

Those words were meant to inspire defiance to the Soviet Union, which they did. However, the quest for freedom is rarely easy, as Kennedy surely understood. The people of East Berlin continued to live under communist rule for another twenty-six years. In 1989, the Berlin Wall finally fell, thanks to the farsighted American President of 1963, great leaders of freedom in the 1990s such as Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II, and another generation of cold warriors, amongst whom I count myself. Yes, freedom was won, but it was hard fought.

President George W. Bush has recommitted our nation to freedom's spread. His words will hopefully be echoed by other generations of freedom seekers in other enslaved lands:

"The story of America is the story of expanding liberty: an ever-widening circle, constantly growing to reach further and include more. Our nation's founding commitment is still our deepest commitment: In our world, and here at home, we will extend the frontiers of freedom." ~~George W. Bush

Trackedback at Wizbang and Homespun Bloggers.

Blogging Tips from Harvey

Here are some great blogging tips from Harvey of Bad Example:

How to start blogging
Finding your blog voice
Getting more traffic
Getting more comments
Free image hosting
Google search code
5 more handy searches
How to use trackbacks
Never lose another post
12 steps to better blogging

Easy Uploading of Images

This is the first time I have noticed that we now have an image icon in the Blogger edit mode and I am going to attempt to insert an image directly from my hard drive. Here goes:


As you see, it worked and much easier than dealing with "Hello". Horay for Blogger! Here is the link which gives the details: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=324

Giving Their Tomorrows

A Patriotic Rock in Iowa honors those who are "Giving Their Tomorrows For Our Todays".

"We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; we will not fail. Peace and Freedom will Prevail." ~~President George W. Bush

On a Patriotic Rock in Iowa is written the famous message of the Kohima Epitaph. The rock describes and illustrates the sacrifices necessary for a nation to survive. The verse actually has an ancient origin, from Sparta, about 500 years before Christ, when after the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, a Greek poet wrote "Go tell the Spartans, thou that passest by, That faithful to their precepts here we lie."

In many ways, the course of humanity seems never to change. Wars will always be with us, no doubt. Although striving for the peace on earth that should prevail, we must accept the reality of ages past and be prepared to fight for that which is worth the fight, or to surrender to those who are willing to fight harder for that which they value.
The Kohima Epitaph

Trackedback at Mudville Gazette and My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

The Kohima Epitaph

All of our tomorrows come from the sacrifices of selfless patriots. Every day it seems, young soldier lives are lost, mostly in Iraq but other places as well, as our modern patriots fight the enemy who vows to destroy our tomorrows.

"When You Go Home,

Tell Them Of Us And Say,

For Their Tomorrow,

We Gave Our Today"

The famous words above are attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875-1958), an English classical scholar. In the early 1900s he published a collection of twelve suggested epitaphs for War Memorials. This one of the collection became inscribed on a World War II memorial to British soldiers, lost in 1944 while gallantly fighting the Japanese invasion at Kohima, Nagaland, India.

The verse was probably inspired by the Greek lyric poet, Simonides of Ceos (556-468 BC), who wrote after the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC: "Go tell the Spartans, thou that passest by, That faithful to their precepts here we lie." Since 1944, Edmond's epitaph has become famous and has been written on many Veteran Memorials and Monuments throughout the English speaking world.

http://www.burmastar.org.uk/epitaph.htm

Trackedback at WizBang.

The Value of Things Unseen

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
~~2 Corinthians 4:18

Lions Rescue Ethiopian Girl

"ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- A 12-year-old girl who was abducted and beaten by men trying to force her into a marriage was found being guarded by three lions who apparently had chased off her captors, a policeman said Tuesday."

Can it truly be that a pride of Lions Rescued an Ethiopian Girl? It could, and if it is, it should indeed convert disbelievers into the reality of miracles happening in this day and age. The kidnappers had taken the girl to a secluded area where no one would hear her screams and whimperings. However, the miracle was that the desperate girl was being heard by a pride of lions. The three lions obviously heard a call from the anguished girl that was like the mewing of their own young cubs. Their primordial instincts sensed that this creature needed them. Amazingly, the three lions rushed to the young girl and chased away her tormentors. The feline trio then protected the girl by standing guard about her for hours until she was discovered by local police, who reported the unbelievable incident. When rescuers arrived, the beasts simply walked back into the forest. The young girl was safe - for the time being. However, she and other young Ethiopian maidens are in constant danger of abduction and forced marriages. Perhaps the miracle will be that the story of the lion protectors will highlight to the world, the dreadful plight of these young women, and then, perhaps, the perpetual anguish of their girlhood days may someday end. A miracle, that would be, indeed. Let us pray. According to the Associated Press and MSNBC:

"Kidnapping young girls has long been part of the marriage custom in Ethiopia. The United Nations estimates that more than 70 percent of marriages in Ethiopia are by abduction, practiced in rural areas where most of the country’s 71 million people live."

The BBC News is reporting "'They stood guard until we found her and then they just left her like a gift and went back into the forest,' the policeman said." Other news from Africa report that the Lions Would Have Eaten the Girl. We may later find there to be other circumstances of this newly released story, so one can be a bit of a skeptic, as am I. However, there have been stories in ancient history of lions being tamed to do the will of God. This story is much like one told of the young Saint Thecla, a martyr of the first century of Christianity.

From Lives of the Saints - "SAINTE THECLA
It was at Iconium that Saint Thecla heard the preaching of Saint Paul, who kindled the love of virginity in her heart. She had been promised in marriage to a young man who was rich and generous, but after hearing the discourses of the Apostle's word she died to all thought of earthly espousals. She forgot her beauty; she was deaf to her parent's threats, and at the first opportunity fled from a luxurious home and followed the Apostle.

"The rage of her parents and of her suitor followed hard after her, and the Roman power did its worst against the virgin whom Christ had chosen for Himself. She was stripped and placed in the public theater, but her innocence shrouded her like a garment. Then the lions were let loose against her; they fell crouching at her feet and licked them like a house pet."

From Catholic Encylopedia - Thecla of Iconium: "The reputed pupil of the Apostle Paul, who is the heroine of the apocryphal "Acta Pauli et Theclae" (cf. APOCRYPHA). Our knowledge of her is derived exclusively from these Acts, which appeared about 180. According to this narrative Thecla was a virgin of Iconium who was converted to Christianity and led to dedicate herself to perpetual virginity by the preaching of the Apostle Paul. Miraculously saved from death at the stake to which she had been condemned, she went with St. Paul to Antioch in Pisidia where she was thrown to the wild beasts and was again saved from death by a miracle. After this she went to Myra where the Apostle was, and finally to Seleucia where she died. With the consent of St. Paul she had acted as a 'female Apostle' in proclaiming the Gospel."

The Acts of Thecla: A Pauline Tradition Linked to Women

Hattip to Anchoress; Trackedback at Mudville Gazette, J.D. Ashcraft's Blog, The Cafeteria is Closed, basil's blog and WizBang.

The Willing

Who would be willing and brave enough to volunteer for the dangerous work necessary to protect you, me and the rest of the world, as we sleep snuggly and peacefully in our beds at night?

These are our own U.S. Army soldiers from the 1st Scout Platoon, Delta Company, 155th Brigade Combat Team. They are forming up along a wall as they prepare to clear a building known to house terrorists in Iraq, on March 5, 2005.

In addition, there are soldiers from 26 other lands currently on the ground in Iraq. They are known as the "Coalition of the Willing" and Arthur Chrenkoff, yesterday made an outstanding tribute to them. Do not miss images of the soldiers as they are -

"helping to bring peace and security, working on reconstruction projects, and engaging in humanitarian missions throughout the country. This is a tribute to those thousands of military men and women from around the world, some of them well-known, others less so, but all doing good work for the future of Iraq."

One of the most amazing images is that of Mongolian soldiers, about whom, Chrenkoff writes:

"Command hand-over in Mongolian Contingent, 25 February 2005 in Al Hilla. MORE

The last time Mongolian soldiers were in Iraq was in 1258. They destroyed Baghdad then. Now, the Mongolian military has 173 soldiers of the 150th Elite Peacekeeping Battalion in Hillah, Iraq."

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." --John 15:13

American Flag Bidness

Kerfuffles and Blatherings are honored!

American Flag Bidness

from the Pirate's Cove

Three new great members to add to the AFL. Give a big hand to

• Kerfuffles
• Blatherings
• Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Welcome aboard, Maties!!!

That Silver Haired Daddy

My father loved this song and he sang and played it quite often when I was growing up. It was originally recorded by Gene Autry in the 1930s. This is a wav file of the song, recorded by country music legend, Jim Reeves.
That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine

Happy Father's Day

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children
to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord."
~Ephesians 6:4~

When I am:

• Four years old: My daddy can do anything.
• Five years old: My daddy knows a whole lot.
• Six years old: My dad is smarter than your dad.
• Eight years old: My dad doesn't know exactly everything.
• Ten years old: In the olden days, when my dad grew up, things were sure different.
• Twelve years old: Oh, well, naturally, Dad doesn't know anything about that. He is too old to remember his childhood.
• Fourteen years old: Don't pay any attention to my dad. He is so old-fashioned.
• Twenty-one years old: Him? My Lord, he's hopelessly out of date.
• Twenty-five years old: Dad knows about it, but then he should, because he has been around so long.
• Thirty years old: Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. After all, he's had a lot of experience.
• Thirty-five years old: I'm not doing a single thing until I talk to Dad.
• Forty years old: I wonder how Dad would have handled it. He was so wise.
• Fifty years old: I'd give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn't appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.

Father's Day Web Sites

What's a Dad
Annie's Fathers' Day Page
Happy Father's Day by CharleneDazzle Lady's Father's Day
Jess Cannon's Home PageCyber Grandma's Happy Father's Day
The Holiday Spot
Alphabet Soup's Father's Day
Billy Bear's Happy Father's Day

How to Clean Your Computer Screen

When your computer screen gets all dusty and smeared, here is a solution. This automatic screen-cleaner will do the job. It's so good, you wonder why you had not thought of it yourself. No, you don't have to purchase anything. If you don't already have one of these at home, you can usually find them for free somewhere. Check it out here.

Trackedback at basil's blog.

The Quest for Light

Why do we seek the light? We seek light, because light is good. How do we know that light is good? Because God told us that it was so.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." ~~The Book of Genesis, from The Holy Bible, King James Version

Continue to seek the light and avoid the darkness.

The June Bug has Bitten

When the summer sun shines brightly and the humidity drenches like a gentle rain from heaven, when the air smells like unseen snakes, and the petals of flowers glisten like colorful jewels, it is at that time that I hear the call of my garden, and I am powerless to resist.

"June bring tulips, lilies, roses.
Fills the children's hands with posies." .... Sarah Coleridge

The Quest for Magic

A MagiQuest Adventure - by Neddy 

Performing wondrous feats of magic at MagiQuest, requires a magic wand. Without a wand, magic cannot be summoned forth. Each wizard uses his or her personal wand, although other wizards' wands can be used when borrowed or captured. When selecting a personal wand, one must experiment with many wands until one is found that will create magic when waved by that particular wizard. The exterior of the wands seems to be hand carved of an exotic wood, but it is the core of the wand which has the power. The core is believed to be manufactured of an organic, magical object or substance. Most believe that the cores or insides of the wands contain some rare tail feathers from the mythical phoenix and a few hairs of the mane from the now extinct unicorn. Those substances are then padded with snips of silk from gowns of veelas, which are then wrapped tightly with dragon heartstrings. The more powerful wands available at MagiQuest give very strange effects (Priori Incantatem) when used by true believers, because each of those wands contains a tail feather from Fawkesguy, the famous phoenix that belongs to Quest Master Dumbledorph, the headmaster of MagiQuest's School of Wizardry. Quest Master Dumbledorph is a former pupil of the infamous headmaster in the wildly popular adventure book by J.K. Rowling about the "The Boy Who Lived".

A MagiQuest Adventure  

The Kingdom of MagiQuest is at Broadway at the Beach, in the coastal resort of Myrtle Beach, deep in the principality of South Carolina. All round and about the Kingdom, lay damp and hot swamps, inhabited by slithering noots and scamanders, chomping alligarooes and wildeboars, and other fantastic beasties, but within the castle walls of MagiQuest, one discovers ever more mysterious things, for which there exists NO explanation, other than the power of the magic that is bestowed upon faithful believers and their wands.  

Gargoylian the Good, Guardian of the MagicQuest Crypt, will guide you through the Kingdom. The pure of heart have no need to be afraid.  

Contessa Joliblonda is the NoosCaster and official MagiCryer of MagiQuest. However, should trouble arise, she is well prepared for her other valued role at MagiQuest, the sword-armed Defender of the Faithful.

   

Master Wizard Jonargylius, the inventor of the MagiQuest wand, delights in meeting new Wizards-in-Training, as they learn to twirl and swirl and their beautiful magic wands.  

Squibby Isbelinha sits in the Giant's chair, unafraid, and also unaware, of the consequences. She has come to the Kingdom on a quest to find the famous unicorn that was lost long, long ago by her mother, Princessa Isbelao.

 

Princess Candice, the granddaughter of Quest Master Dumbledorph, rescued Squibby Isbelinha from the dangers of the Giant's chair, and then instructed the tiny Wizard-to-Be about the mysteries of magic-wanding. Together they roamed the Kingdom, in quest of the long lost unicorn. 

 

While on safari at the savannah west of the MagiKingdom, Wizard Djavidian, captured a furious pride of native carolions. After training them as cavaliers and providing them with uniforms, he formed the Band of MagiQuestrians. The Lilliputian leader then commanded the MagiCavalry to mount their unicorn steeds and to charge into battle. The trained warriors obeyed their heroic leader with gusto, waving their mystical wands on high, employing them as powerful weapons to vanquish all evil from the Kingdom. Meanwhile, Wizardess Rheanna was questing her way through the land, and paused for a moment of reflection while she sought guidance from a  higher source.

  

The Good Fairy Godmother soon apparated in answer to the pleadings of the young wizardess and blessed Rheanna with a Spell of Hope.  

Wizardess Rheanna continued her quest with great success, discovering the Treasure Chest. With a Wave of her Wand, the chest opened itself, and awarded Rheanna with gold, jewels and priceless heirlooms which had been plundered from the Marauding Infidels. She also won the praise and admiration of Jonargylius, Master Wizard Inventor. 

Wizard Djavidian shows off the now kingdom-famous-wand that boggled the brains of the Wizards of MagiQuest. THEN IT HAPPENED!

Wizard Djavidian's wand became so powerful that it affected the entire Kingdom of MagiQuest. Djavidian's magic overwhelmed the magic of lesser wizards and caused very strange happenings throughout the Kingdom. Lights flickered, thunder roared. The Kingdom rocked upon its firm foundations. Even the all-knowing, all-seeing Quest Master of the MagiQuest Wizards' School was shocked and dumbfounded. Collapsing into a gelatinous blob, he vowed not to restore himself until all was righted in the Kingdom. There became such consternation inside the once peaceable kingdom, that Whopper Wizards were called upon to analyze the discombobulation and wizardize a solution to return MagiQuest to its former glory.

 

Djavidian's wacky wizardry caused an apparition of a False Fairy Godmother at the Giant's chair, where sat the Giant, Avo-Heathcliff. She spun a trouble spell upon him, and thenceforth, the magic power of his wand waned. Nothing the wizards schemed could restore the mystical powers to it and most believe it was because Avo-Heathcliff lost faith, due to Djavidian's wacky wand and the fright of seeing the False Fairy Godmother. Without his powerful wand, Avo-Heathcliff became dispirited and sprinkled himself and all the little Wizards-in-Training with floo powder. Yonder and away they flooed on giant matchsticks. He forced them to drink a trujuice potion so that they would reveal all the secrets of MagiQuest that they had learned. The next day, Avo-Heathcliff flooed all of them back to the fantastic Kingdom, where he ordered the little Wizards-in-Training to capture Wizard Djavidian's super powered wand. However, once the little wizards succeeded in pinching the wand from the warrior, they guarded it from the Giant, and righteously returned it to the MagiQuest Proprietors, where the Whopper Wizards replaced it with a wand of normal magic, which was then given to Djavidian. Avo-Heathcliff was awarded a new magic wand after he surrendered all the floo powder that was hidden in his trouser cuffs. Squibby Isbelinha finally caught a fleeting glimpse of her mother's long lost unicorn. Isbelinha tightly closed her eyes and made an earnest and sincere wish upon her wand. As soon as she opened her eyes, she and Princess Candice gazed upwards and upon the castle ramparts they saw, slowly prancing, the famous mythical beast. Almost instantly he magically disappeared and was gone, as unicorns are wont to do. However, Squibby Isbelinha's heart was full of joy and gratitude that her lifelong quest had been granted. All the little Wizards-in-Training were graduated with "highcum magus" honorifics from the MagiQuest Wizardry School. Avo-Heathcliff's treasure quests became quite successful, as he learned to avoid the False Fairy Godmother whenever he spotted her. When she attempted to cast trouble spells upon others he warned them of her mystical mischief. Thenceforth and forever more, all was well within the MagiKingdom and all of Wizardom knew naught but joy and happiness. All, that is, except the False Fairy Godmother. The Whopper Wizards cast all the remaining floo powder at her, and furiously flapping her powdered fairy wings, she flooed right through MagiQuest's Window of No Return. The End!--- of Ava-Neddy's MagiQuest Adventure. wizardry