MAKE A TIGER SURVIVOR HAPPY

This gentleman was in the Tiger Camp as a POW during the Korean War. He was in the same POW Camp as my uncle - Corporal Melvin H. Morgan who died in that same camp on 6 December 1950.

Brenda & Rick Tavares
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MAKE A TIGER SURVIVOR HAPPY:

I think all that receive this would enjoy sending Carl V. Cossin a Christmas Card or write him a few lines. He is in his 90s and lives alone, he has to use a walker to get around. He spent Thanksgiving alone. Please let him know we haven't forgotten him. Please don't forget all the things he has done for America. God Bless You All.

Carl V. Cossin
130 Hinnman Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43207-3003

Gun rights Alert

Dear fellow patriot,

With willing one-world accomplices in Washington, D.C., gun-grabbers around the globe believe they have it made.

In fact, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just announced the Obama Administration would be working hand in glove with the UN to pass a new "Small Arms Treaty."

Disguised as legislation to help in the fight against "terrorism," "insurgency" and "international crime syndicates," the UN Small Arms Treaty is nothing more than a massive, GLOBAL gun control scheme.

Ultimately, the UN's Small Arms Treaty is designed to register, ban and CONFISCATE firearms owned by private citizens like YOU.

That's why it's vital you sign the special petition I've made up for your signature that DEMANDS your U.S. Senators vote AGAINST ratification of the UN's "Small Arms Treaty!"

So far, the gun-grabbers have successfully kept the exact wording of their new scheme under wraps.

But looking at previous versions of the UN "Small Arms Treaty," you and I can get a good idea of what's likely in the works.

If passed by the UN and ratified by the U.S. Senate, the UN "Small Arms Treaty" would almost certainly FORCE national governments to:

*** Enact tougher licensing requirements, making law-abiding citizens cut through even more bureaucratic red tape just to own a firearm legally;

*** CONFISCATE and DESTROY ALL "unauthorized" civilian firearms (all firearms owned by the government are excluded, of course);

*** BAN the trade, sale and private ownership of ALL semi-automatic weapons;

*** Create an INTERNATIONAL gun registry, setting the stage for full-scale gun CONFISCATION.

So please click here to sign the petition to your U.S. Senators before it's too late!

You see, this is NOT a fight we can afford to lose.

Ever since it's founding almost 65 years ago, the United Nations has been hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees.

To the petty dictators and one-worlders who control the UN, the U.S. isn't a "shining city on a hill" -- it's an affront to their grand totalitarian designs for the globe.

These anti-gun globalists know that so long as Americans remain free to make our own decisions without being bossed around by big government bureaucrats, they'll NEVER be able to seize the worldwide oppressive power they crave.

And the UN's apologists also know the most effective way to finally strip you and me of ALL our freedoms would be to DESTROY our gun rights.

That's why it's vital you act TODAY!

The truth is, there's no time to waste.

You and I have to be prepared for this fight to move FAST.

The fact is, the last thing the gun-grabbers in the U.N. and in Washington, D.C. want is for you and me to have time to react and mobilize gun owners to defeat this radical legislation.

They've made that mistake before, and we've made them pay, defeating EVERY attempt to ram the "Treaty on Small Arms" into law since the mid-1990s.

But this time, time won't be on our side.

In fact, we're likely to only have a few days or weeks to defeat the treaty.

Worse, there's no longer any pro-gun Republican Senate to kill ratification of the treaty.

There's no longer any Republican in the White House who has stated opposition to the treaty.

And you and I know good and well how Germany, Great Britain, France, Communist China or the rest of the anti-gun members of the United Nations are going to vote.

So our ONE AND ONLY CHANCE of stopping the UN's "Small Arms Treaty" is during the ratification process in the U.S. Senate.

As you know, it takes 67 Senate votes to ratify a treaty.

With 40 Republicans, that should be easy, right?

Unfortunately, that couldn't be further from the truth.

First, you know just as well as I do that not all the remaining Republicans in the Senate are "pro-gun" in any sense of the term.

Second, even with the partisan rancor in Washington, D.C., many GOP Senators get "queasy" about killing treaties for fear of "embarrassing" the President -- especially with "international prestige" at stake.

They look at ratifying treaties much like approving Presidents' Supreme Court nominees.

And remember, there were NINE Republicans who voted to confirm anti-gun Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

A dozen more GOP Senators only voted against Sotomayor after receiving massive grassroots pressure from the folks back home.

So if we're going to defeat the UN's "Small Arms Treaty" we have to turn the heat up on the U.S. Senate now before it's too late!

That's exactly where this petition comes in.

So won't you click here to sign IMMEDIATELY?

And also, if you can, I hope you'll agree to make a generous contribution of $200, $150, $100 or even just $35.

With your generous contribution, I'll immediately begin contacting Second Amendment supporters through mail, phones and e-mail to turn up the heat on targeted U.S. Senators.

Tops on the list are the "usual suspects" like Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, Lindsay Graham and the rest of the weak-kneed Republicans in the Senate whose votes we can never count on.

I also want to begin contacting gun owners in states represented by key Democrats -- like Senators John Tester and Max Baucus of Montana, Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb of Virginia, Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.

And finally, I've designed a "special" hard-hitting program especially for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to let Nevada gun owners know exactly what he and his anti-gun pals have planned for you and me.

Facing a tough reelection in 2010, Senator Reid knows he's already skating on thin ice with Nevada voters.

So you and I could end up putting the final nail in his political coffin -- if I can pull out all the stops.

Direct mail.  Phones.  E-mail.  Blogs.  Billboards.  Guest editorials.  Press conferences.  Hard-hitting newspaper, radio and TV ads.  The whole nine yards.

Of course, if I can raise enough resources, my goal is to expand this full program to ALL our target states.

But that's not going to be cheap, and we may not have much time.

In fact, if we're going to defeat the UN's so-called "Small Arms Treaty," we have to start NOW!

So please click here to sign the petition to your U.S. Senators.

And if you possibly can, please agree to make a contribution of $200, $150, $100, or even just $35.

Every petition and every dollar count in this fight.

So please sign the petition and include your most generous contribution of $200, $150, $100 or $35 TODAY.

In Liberty,

Dudley Brown
Executive Director
National Association for Gun Rights

P.S.  The Obama Administration just announced they would be working hand in glove with the UN to pass a new GLOBAL, "Small Arms Treaty."

That's why its vital you and I fight back IMMEDIATELY.

Please click here to sign the special petition I've made up for your signature that DEMANDS your U.S. Senators vote AGAINST ratification of the UN's "Small Arms Treaty."

And if you can, please make a generous contribution of $250, $150, $100 or $35 right away!

65th Anniversary of The Battle of the Bulge: A Proclamation by the President

In December 1944, in a dense forest in Belgium, a brave

band of American soldiers, who were surrounded, poorly supplied

and surviving in brutally cold conditions, took the brunt of

a furious German assault. Their valor defined not just the

beginning of the end of a World War, but also one of the

greatest generations of Americans. Like patriots before them,

they stood resolute, confident in their training, and determined

to preserve those enduring American ideals of freedom and

justice. On the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, a

grateful Nation remembers the fallen who gave their lives in

that critical battle, and we pay tribute to the heroes whose

indomitable strength led to victory in World War II.

When asked about the Battle of the Bulge, British Prime

Minister Sir Winston Churchill remarked, "This is undoubtedly

the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be

regarded as an ever-famous American victory." Confronting not

just the advancing German Army, but the elements, American

service members withstood the assault and eventually repelled

the Nazi forces, but at tremendous cost in lives and wounded

soldiers.

On this anniversary, we reflect on the enduring commitment

of our Armed Forces in defending our liberty, as inspiring today

as it was in 1944. The discipline and courage displayed in the

Battle of the Bulge continues in Iraq, Afghanistan, and wherever

our men and women in uniform are serving. They represent the

best of our Nation and we are eternally grateful for their

service and sacrifice.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the

United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested

in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States,

do hereby proclaim Wednesday, December 16, 2009, as the

65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.

I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance with

appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord

two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States

of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

America’s New Homeless Veterans

December 15, 2009 - 3:12 PM | by: Claudia Cowan

For America's men and women returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, transitioning back to civilian life is often a struggle.

The stress of multiple deployments, a down economy and a brutal job market create a perfect storm for re-adjustment...as 4-year Navy vet, Steve Moody, knows all too well.

Moody told us the worst moment was waking up and realizing he’s 28, and homeless. After leaving the service, Steve struggled with anxiety and depression. He turned to alcohol, wound up in jail, and then, on the street. He's found temporary housing at a Veterans Administration facility near San Jose, one of many shelters helping those returning from the front lines.

With the Pentagon preparing 30-thousand more troops for Afghanistan, support organizations are concerned about the future.

Michael Blecker runs Swords to Plowshares, a non-profit in San Francisco that helps veterans find work and a place to live. The Salvation Army also offers units that come with double-paned windows that block out sirens and other loud street noises that could trigger traumatic memories. But for every veteran from Iraq and Afghanistan who seeks help, the V-A says there are four more at risk. Now, the agency is implementing a $3.2 billion plan to help those thousands of returning service members get the help they need.

Experts say more veterans are suffering from post traumatic stress and serious brain injuries than in previous conflicts. That has veterans aid agencies working overtime to see to it the men and women who have served their country so ably, can return to civilian life with the same dignity and respect they earned in uniform.

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National Guard Birthday Message 2009

On the Thirteenth of December each year, we celebrate the creation of one of America's most enduring institutions – our National Guard. The Guard has a proud history of serving and protecting the American people at home and defending our allies abroad. Now, more than any time in our history, our National Guard keeps our military, our Nation strong. We would not have been able to maintain over eight years of sustained combat operations without this incredible service and the sacrifices of Guard families and employers who also contribute.

During World War II, National Guard units were among the first in the fight. America's Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen performed valiantly during the Cold War in far away places from Korea to Europe. Over 20,000 Guardsmen served on active duty in the Vietnam War, and over 75,000 answered the Nation's call in support of Operation Desert Storm.

Today over 70,000 of you are currently supporting expeditionary operations in locations around the world while still maintaining vigilance and crisis response stateside. Your efforts are making a remarkable difference at a critical time in our country's history. We could not do it without you.

On behalf of your fellow service members of the Armed Forces, the Joint Chiefs and I thank you and your families and employers for 373 years of courageous sacrifice and service to our Nation. Because of you, the National Guard is Always Ready, and Always There.

Sincerely,

M.G. MULLEN
Admiral, U.S. Navy

www.jcs.mil


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cold war era bomb shelters being revived

New world threats reviving cold war era bomb shelters

While the possibility of a nuclear attack in Los Angeles seems almost unthinkable, local officials are inventorying hundreds of old bomb and fallout shelters as part of their preparations for a "radiological or nuclear event."

Los Angeles and other metropolitan areas are drafting emergency plans while federal agencies study how to prepare the public for what county public health Director Jonathan Fielding describes as a "low-likelihood, huge-consequences event."

His department hosted a workshop last week for the emergency operations staff of the county's 88 cities in preparation for "Golden Phoenix," an exercise scheduled for June 2010 that simulates the scenario of a 10-kiloton nuclear device detonated in Los Angeles.

A seminar is planned for the medical community on Jan. 21 to provide information on what to expect and what actions they should take after a nuclear incident.

"These aren't comfortable things to talk about, but it all begins with preparations," said Angelo Bellomo, the county director of environmental health who oversees the Radiation Management unit.

"We think this is a great opportunity for us to open a dialogue with the 88 cities so they can begin to amend their emergency plans to include planning for a nuclear device."

Fears of nuclear destruction have their roots in the Cold War, when governments and residents built bomb and fallout shelters to protect occupants from radioactive debris. Interest insuch civil defense activities was renewed in recent years amid fears that a terrorist group or rogue nation like Iran or North Korea might gain access to nuclear weapons

The federal Homeland Security Council is urging state and local governments to prepare in the event of a nuclear detonation in a major city.

And Matthew Chandler, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is studying how to incorporate a nuclear detonation scenario into a citizen preparedness campaign.

President Barack Obama brought the issue to the public's attention during a speech at West Point on Dec. 1, when he called for a troop surge in Afghanistan.

"The stakes are even higher within a nuclear-armed Pakistan, because we know that al Qaeda and other extremists seek nuclear weapons, and we have every reason to believe that they would use them," Obama said.

Experts are also concerned about nuclear threats posed by Iran and North Korea and to a lesser extent, China and Russia. The president of Iran has threatened to annihilate Israel and the U.S. and experts believe North Korea has missiles that can hit the West Coast.

Experts are especially concerned about the possibility that Iran one day could launch ship-based nuclear missiles at the nation - a scenario Iran has already tested, said Brian Kennedy, president of The Claremont Institute's Ballistic Missile Defense Project.

"The West Coast of the U.S. has limited missile defense against a North Korean missile," Kennedy said. "And, unfortunately, we're almost completely vulnerable to a ship-launched ballistic missile attack."

Kennedy is also concerned a ship-launched nuclear missile detonated at a high altitude would create an electromagnetic pulse, possibly destroying electronic equipment and knocking out the nation's power grid - leaving the country with little or no communications and no ability to provide food and water to potentially hundreds of millions of people.

Congressional reports suggest such an attack could result in more than 100 million deaths in a year, said Sharon Packer, executive director of the American Civil Defense Association.

"I don't mean to minimize the efforts of Los Angeles County in creating fallout shelters," Packer said. "It is very important and a wonderful first step. The larger concern, in my estimation, is in the protection of our electrical grid and the storage of additional transformers to assure the continuance of our infrastructure."

The county's efforts to inventory its bomb and fallout shelters follows the recent discovery of a 1975 book by the county's Emergency

Preparedness Commission, "Los Angeles County & Cities Public Shelter Directory," which lists 6,200 fallout shelters with a capacity of 14.5 million people.

The shelters, including hundreds in the San Fernando Valley, include the basements and similarly protected areas in places such as hospitals, government buildings, courthouses, post offices, churches, movie studios, parking garages and tunnels. Many businesses are also listed, including McDonald's, J.C. Penney Co. and even a cellar at the Budweiser plant.

Ken Kondo, spokesman for the county's Office of Emergency Management, said the recent 50th anniversary of the county's Civil Defense program piqued a lot of interest in the shelters, along with the post-apocalyptic films, "The Road" starring Viggo Mortensen and "The Book of Eli" starring Denzel Washington, slated for release in January.

"Hollywood is raising awareness about the aftermath of a mega disaster and what needs to be done to survive," Kondo said. "So to Hollywood, we say, `Thank you.' Now it's up to us to start to locate and find these fallout and bomb shelters and make preparations and plans to utilize them in the event that people need to take shelter because of a terrorist attack or man-made event."