Sept 23, 1779 - this Day in History

The very best man I know told me “Hard Times Don’t Last, But Hard Men Do”.

One of the very first of many examples of the uniquely American concept of “Never Say Die”, or “Never Quit” attitude occurred 23 September 1779, exactly 231 years ago today, when John Paul Jones’ Squadron of the fledging American Navy met a merchant convoy off the coast of England protected by the 50 gun British warship HMS Serapis.

Early into the three hour battle, Jones’ ship, the Bonhomme Richard, was getting the short end of the stick being outgunned by the Brits. Jones’ locked the Richard together with the Serapis and things still appeared dire for the Americans. British cannons firing at close range setting the wooden timbered hull of the Richard on fire. The Brits asked Jones to surrender and his reply, from the deck of the Richard into the history books, was “I have not yet begun to fight”.

Jones’ crew repelled a Brit attempt to board, and was able to throw a grenade into the lower deck of the Serapis causing a giant explosion and turning the tide of the battle allowing Jones’ crew to board the Serapis and cause the British Commander (Captain Pearson) to surrender. Good thing he did as the Richard soon sank afterwards.

The example of John Paul Jones and many other Americans since, known and unknown, bring us to today where the need to re-kindle the American spirit of not giving up and not giving in and solve the seemingly over whelming problems we have today with Government run amok; giant national debt which our grandchildren will inherit; an economy rapidly doing down hill and a population comprised of generations who have no idea what it is pay their dues and little knowledge of what our forefathers, from General Washington to General Eisenhower, did to ensure this Country’s greatness.

Today, say to yourself, “I have not yet begun to fight”,…..talk to your family and friends,…hell talk to strangers too!,…..talk about the direction this country is going and the obvious results unless we, the People, take charge and vote these buffoons out of office.

White House Economic Team - Rats Leaving the Sinking Ship

White House Rats leaving the sinking ship,….first Peter Orszag – Chief Council for Economic Issues, then Christina Romer - Council of Economic Advisers Chair, and now Lawrence Summers – Director for the National Economic Council,…sounds like the rats leaving the sinking ship.

Yahoo! News reports:

The White House said Tuesday that Lawrence Summers, director of the National Economic Council, would leave at the end of the year to return to Harvard University . Though administration officials said Obama had known for some time that Summers would depart this year, news of his pending exit comes amid deep concern over the sluggish pace of the recovery, as well as criticism of the team that conceived the administration's economic policies.

Obama has already lost two other high-level economic advisers: budget director Peter Orszag and the chief of the Council of Economic Advisers, Christina Romer, both of whom resigned this summer. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner would be the only one of Obama's top-tier economic advisers to remain with the administration, should he stay through the end of the year.

Fox News reported that the White house was looking to fill Summers’ position with a women with a background in business. Really?? It's about time.

By the Numbers:

57% of President Eisenhower’s staff worked in the private business sector before being appointed to cabinet posts.

56% of President Reagan’s staff worked in the private business sector before being appointed to cabinet posts.

39% of President Clinton’s staff worked in the private business sector before being appointed to cabinet posts.

55% of President G.W. Bush’s staff worked in the private business sector before being appointed to cabinet posts.

8% of President Obama’s staff have worked in the private business sector before being appointed to cabinet posts.

Or

92% of President Obama’s cabinets appointees who have NEVER worked in the private sector businesses, only in government, academia or non-profit jobs,….can anybody say “Community Organizing?”

"Bud" Day, Medal of Honor Recipient - Speaks on What Torture Really Is

George Everett "Bud" Day(born February 24, 1925) is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and Command Pilot who served during the Vietnam War. He is often cited as being the most decorated U.S. service member since General Douglas MacArthur, having received some seventy decorations, a majority for actions in combat. Day is a recipient of the Medal of Honor.



I got shot down over North Vietnam in 1967, a Squadron. Commander. After I returned in 1973..I published 2 books that dealt a lot with "real torture" in Hanoi . Our make- believe president is branding our country as a bunch of torturers when he has no idea what torture is.

As for me, I put thru a mock execution because I would not respond... pistol whipped on the head....same event.. Couple of days later... hung by my feet all day. I escaped and a couple of weeks later, I got shot and recaptured. Shot was OK...what happened afterwards was not.

They marched me to Vinh...put me in the rope trick,....almost pulled my arms out of the sockets. Beat me on the head with a little wooden rod until my eyes were swelled shut, and my unshot, unbroken hand a pulp.

Next day hung me by the arms...rebroke my right wrist...wiped out the nerves in my arms that control the hands....rolled my fingers up into a ball. Only left the slightest movement of my L forefinger. So I started answering with some incredible lies.

Sent me to Hanoi strapped to a barrel of gas in the back of a truck.

Hanoi….on my knees....rope trick again. Beaten by a big fool.

Into leg irons on a bed in Heartbreak Hotel.

Much kneeling--hands up at Zoo.

Really bad beating for refusing to condemn Lyndon Johnson.

Several more kneeling events. I could see my knee bone thru kneeling holes.

There was an escape from the annex to the Zoo. I was the Senior Officer of a large building because of escape...they started a mass torture of all commanders.

I think it was July 7, 1969...they started beating me with a car fan belt. In first 2 days I took over 300 strokes...then stopped counting because I never thought I would live thru it.

They continued day-night torture to get me to confess to a non-existent part in the escape. This went on for at least 3 days. On my knees... fan belting...cut open my scrotum with fan belt stroke,....opened up both knee holes again. My fanny looked like hamburger...I could not lie on my back.

They tortured me into admitting that I was in on the escape...and that my 2 cell mates knew about it.

The next day I denied the lie.

They commenced torturing me again with 3- 6- or 9 strokes of the fan belt every day from about July 11 or 12 to 14 October 1969. I continued to refuse to lie about my cell mates again.

Now, the point of this is that our make-believe president has declared to the world that we (U.S..) are a bunch of torturers...Thus it will be OK to torture us next time when they catch us...because that is what the U.S. does.

Our make-believe president is a know nothing fool who thinks that pouring a little water on some one's face, or hanging a pair of women's pants over an Arabs head is TORTURE. He is a meathead.

I just talked to MOH holder Leo Thorsness, who was also in my squadron, in jail.. .....as was John McCain...and we agree that McCain does not speak for the POW group when he claims that Al Gharib was torture...or that "water boarding" is torture.

Our president and those fools around him who keep bad mouthing our great country are a disgrace to the United States . Please pass this info on to Sean Hannity. He is free to use it to point out the stupidity of the claims that water boarding...which has no after effect...is torture. If it got the Arab to cough up the story about how he planned the attack on the twin towers in NYC ....hurrah for the guy who poured the water.