Brutally Honest

"I don't know what he was doing out there"

Chris Matthews is lamenting Obama's piss poor performance last night:

He's lost his tingle... and I love the closing line... "What was Romney doing? He was winning!"

Let's remember, let's reflect (UPDATED)

In honor of the day and in memory of those lost, this will be the only post today, a brief one linking to others much brighter than I and who have things to say worth reading.  I'll add to the list should I come across something I think fitting.

They include:

Deacon Greg Kandra, For 9/11: "We pray, very simply, in remembrance...".

Mark Shea, The Only Hope on 9/11.

Fr. Z, “How are they down, how have they fallen down – Those great strong towers of ice and steel…”.

Fr. Zelonis, Were I come o'er again it should be this.

UPDATES:

Tim Drake, To Pray, to Act, to Fight: A Hero’s Life.

John Breunig, Father's note changes family's 9/11 account.

Deacon Greg once more, Homily at Fr. Mychal Judge’s funeral: “He is going to be on the other side of death”

Frank Weathers, Blessed Are They Who Mourn….

The Anchoress, 9/11: A Bag of Tomatoes and an Empty Sky.

Fr. Powell, On not forgetting that we have an Enemy.

Kris at Noodling On It, Eleven.

"A titanic civilizational achievement that remains undimmed for me to this day"

That title, coming our way via Mark Shea, is more than an apt description of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon.

Mark called the man "as significant a figure in the history of human exploration as Columbus, Magellan, or Cook" and I can't think of any sensible person disagreeing with that assessment.

A little more than a year ago, commemorating the 42nd anniversary of that walk on the moon, I wrote about my remembrances:

I was a 9 year old boy, living in Spain with my Spanish grandparents (Dad was stationed in nearby Torrejon Air Base, my birthplace) and I distinctly remember being awakened to join the entire family in watching Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon while Michael Collins orbited above them, awaiting their safe return to the Command module and eventually, hopefully Earth.  It was exhilarating, scary, exciting and something I'll never forget.  Little did I know that a couple of months later, I'd have the opportunity to briefly see allthree of them in person in Madrid as part of their worldwide tour, a junket purposed in highlighting that great achievement.  I actually stood within 20 or 30 feet of men who had been to another world, catching a glimpse of them each through the crowd that had gathered, my Dad making sure that I had the opportunity to lay my eyes on them all.  I was enthralled.  I wanted right then and there to be an Astronaut.  I wanted to be Neil Armstrong.  Hell, I still do.

I mourn the passing of a giant in history.  The world mourns that loss.  And his family has released the following statement:

“We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

“Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.

“Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. He also found success back home in his native Ohio in business and academia, and became a community leader in Cincinnati.

“He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits.

“As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world and from all walks of life.

“While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.

“For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”

The video below I posted as part of that 42nd commemorative post and I post it again today.  It's nearly 30 minutes in length but well worth watching again if only to relive that "titanic civilizational achievement" one more time.

God rest the soul of Neil Armstrong and comfort loved ones left behind.

Chuck Colson, dead at 80

But undoubtedly in my view, alive in Christ:

Charles W. Colson, who as a political saboteur for President Richard M. Nixon masterminded some of the dirty tricks that led to the president’s downfall, then emerged from prison to become an important evangelical leader, saying he had been “born again,” died on Saturday. He was 80.

The cause was complications of a brain hemorrhage, according to Prison Fellowship Ministries, which Mr. Colson founded in Lansdowne, Va. He died at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., and lived in Naples, Fla., and Leesburg, Va.

Mr. Colson had brain surgery to remove a clot after becoming ill on March 30 while speaking at a conference, according to Jim Liske, the group’s chief executive.

Mr. Colson was sent to prison after pleading guilty to obstructing justice in the Watergate affair. After having what he called his religious awakening behind bars, he spent much of the rest of his life ministering to prisoners, preaching the Gospels and forging a coalition of Republican politicians, evangelical church leaders and Roman Catholic conservatives that has had a pronounced influence on American politics.

It was a remarkable reversal.

I'm confident that God is giving the man eternal rest.

Just over two months ago, he had these wise words to say to all of us:

"There's a hope vacuum, and look what's moving in"

Ann Althouse on the country's state in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting and the fact that George Zimmerman's life is being publicly threatened by a hate group while Obama's justice department is silent:

Good lord, what an ugly place we are in right now. Who would have thought that in the last year of Obama's presidential term, the public mind would obsess over race at this level? I'm recalling the media coverage of election night, 2008, and the inauguration, when there was a rhapsody of closure and a feeling — some called it "hope" — that we had entered a new era of harmony. How did we get sucked into some nightmare parody of the past? If it's not Obama's fault, can he at least do something to yank us up out of this awful place? In 2009 or even 2011, he would have given a speech. He would have believed he could rescue us with a speech, perhaps because we kind of thought he could. Maybe no one believes anymore. There's a hope vacuum, and look what's moving in.

The problem Ms. Althouse is one I hesitate in mentioning though it seems so obvious.  Obama believes he benefits from the racial divide and so will do nothing to deny himself that benefit.

It's hope and change only idiots are left to believe in.

Crossposted at Wizbang.

Dexter

Random Thoughts has written a beautiful piece I'm strongly recommending, especially if you're a lover of dogs:

He was a medium sized yellow Labrador Retriever mix, sitting patiently behind the chain link gate of the very last run in the kennel. Almost all the other dogs were barking, but not Dexter. He just sat there, gazing out, with a look on his face that said “What did I do wrong to end up in here?”

He’d done nothing. Nothing whatsoever. According to the papers clipboarded to his kennel, his name was Dexter and he’d been brought in with his sister Daisy two days earlier. The reason was simply stated: “DIVORCE.” He’d been brought in by a man, who had given the shelter a file of vet records, and those indicated that Dexter’s owner was a woman. The kennel sheet also bore the notations “Good with other dogs,” “Good with cats,” “Good with children,” “Loves to ride in cars,” and “Housebroken.”

He was, in short, the perfect dog. And he’d been dumped at the pound right after Christmas by an angry soon-to-be-ex-husband. His sister Daisy had already been adopted, but Dexter remained behind, bewildered but waiting patiently for someone to retrieve him.

“Stay right here,” I instructed Youngest Daughter, “I’m going to the office to get someone to let us look at him up close.”

And so I did. Unbeknownst to me, a few minutes earlier a woman with two young boys had also gone to get one of the attendants to let her and her sons interact with Dexter in the shelter’s grassy introduction pen. When the attendant came to get Dexter for the boys, she found me waiting with him. I sized up the situation, grabbed youngest daughter’s hand and said, “We’re waiting to see this dog.” So the attendant handed him over to us.

The mom with the sons tried to intervene, but her boys were a handful and far more interested in wrestling with each other than in the dog they’d ostensibly been about to meet.

Dexter for his part completely ignored the two boys, walked over to Youngest Daughter and nudged her hand as if to say, “You. I’m going home with you. I’m yours now.”

“We’ll take him,” I told the attendant.

“Dad’s gonna kill us,” Youngest Daughter told me.

“I’ll deal with it,” I told her. “This dog does not belong here. He’s going home with us.” And I filled out the shelter paperwork transferring ownership of Dexter to our family.

The only thing remaining to do was introduce Dexter to the Dalmatians, who had been waiting patiently in our minivan. I opened the van door, they looked at him, he looked at them, tails wagged all around, he jumped in the van as if he’d been doing it all his life, and they acted as if they’d known him all their lives.

Dexter became part of the family immediately. Even Mr. Random Thoughts (after a startled “Who’s dog is that?” upon seeing Dexter sitting in our kitchen) recognized the exceptional nature of this dog.

He was indeed housebroken, great with kids (including Youngest Son, a rambunctious 5 year old at the time) other dogs, both our cats, and perfect in the car. And he absolutely adored Youngest Daughter. She was His Girl. He was frisky when she was happy, knew when she was sad and in that unerring way the best dogs have, would rest his head on her knee as though trying to comfort her. They took long walks together, and when Youngest Daughter joined her high school track team Dexter would jog on the local trails with her.

Of course there's more at RT's place.  Do go and finish with her... but first heed this word of advice.  Stop now and get something with which to dab the eyes.  You're going to need it.  Trust me.

The Dexter piece takes me back to my chronicling of Sadie, our own good girl, and how much she meant to us.  Hard to believe 11 years have passed since she entered our lives and nearly 6 since she left.

We've since picked up Harley and love him as much but God, do we sure miss Sadie.

Here's hoping she and Dexter are romping together today, waiting on the big reunion.

Crossposted at Wizbang.

Man does not know his time

Nor does Woman.  Stunned this morning to read this at Outside the Beltway via my colleague JayTea at Wizbang:

My wife, Kimberly Webb Joyner, died this morning in her sleep from unknown causes. She was 41.

She leaves behind two little girls she loved more than anything, Katie, who turns 3 on New Year’s Eve, and Ellie, who was born June 21.

We met in August 2004 and were married on October 8, 2005. She had just turned 35 and I was a few weeks shy of 40 but neither of us had been married before. We shared religious and political worldviews but very different personalities. She was extroverted, sunny, and patient to my introverted, grumpy, and antsy. I almost certainly got the better of that bargain.

Kim was my partner, helpmate, and confidante. Her passing leaves a gaping hole in my life.

I can't fathom losing my partner, helpmate and confidante.  I just can't.  

Heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Joyner family and especially to James.  May God's peace and presence be theirs as they grieve, may God welcome Kim and grant her eternal rest.

Jackie Connolly

By tim, The Godless Heathen

Back in the day, in the late 1960’s to the early 70’s, when I was just a young lass, my parents would pack us kids into the station wagon and make the six hour road trip from western NY to Staten Island to visit my dad’s side of the family.

Though our cousins, first removed (I believe that’s the proper term) were slightly older, they’d put up with us kids. One of them, Kevin, took us and our mom to the Statue of Liberty, all the way to the top. I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was hot, the incredibly steep stairs went on forever, and the view from ole Lady Liberty’s crown was…well, unforgettable

We have other great memories of those trips…Uncle Jack taking us kids to Coney Island and the old Yankee Stadium…crazy (in the best of ways) Aunt Margie always making us laugh hard…

Forward ahead many years later…

Via my sis, who found it stumbling around the interwebs:

From ESPN-

"We looked up and it seemed like [the plane] was only 20, 30 feet above us," Connolly said. "We followed it, and as it was going over the water, I remember one of my friends saying, 'What the hell is going on?'"

"I can remember before it hit the second tower, it made a little turn," he said, slowly titling his hand 45 degrees. "With that, we saw it crash into the World Trade Center."

As those around him gasped in horror, Connolly's mind could think of only one thing.

"I turned to my good friend Danny Newman and said, 'Danny, my brother Jackie is dead.'"

There’s much more and also a video interview with Kevin.

RIP Jackie.

Anguish (UPDATED) (AGAIN)

I put myself in the shoes of one of these parents and I think I'd simply fall apart:

Mike Hare has scoured the ravaged neighborhood where his 16-year-old son Lantz was seen last. He's called hospitals from Dallas to Kansas City and taken dozens of calls offering advice, prayers and hopeful tips.

None of the calls came from Lantz. None offered any hope he might still be alive.

Hare has been looking for his son since Sunday, when much of the southwest Missouri city of Joplin was leveled by a tornado that now ranks as the nation's single deadliest tornado since the National Weather Service started keeping records.

"We know he's hurt somewhere," Hare said Wednesday, his voice breaking. "We just can't sit and keep calling. You've got to be moving."

Hare is among an increasingly desperate group of people in Joplin pleading for help in tracking down one of the dwindling number of people still missing in the wake of Sunday's storm. They're scrawling signs in wreckage, calling in by the hundreds to local radio stations and posting on the Internet. They are inspiring city officials to continue search and rescue efforts, yet there is no talk yet of recovery.

...

The evening of the tornado, Lantz Hare was driving with a friend who said the two tried to take cover in the parking lot of a grocery store. The tornado shattered the windows and crumpled the car, and Mike Hare found Lantz's backpack in the wreckage.

He said he would keep searching until he found his son, dead or alive.

"If you look at the ground, life will pass you by," he said. "I won't let life pass me by."

Lord, help this father find his son.  Help all whose loved ones have yet to be found.

Crossposted at Wizbang.

UPDATE: I've found a related CNN report:

SECOND UPDATE: Sadly, Lantz Hare did not make it:

The family resumed their search in the area around the car on Tuesday, when Michelle Hare ran into a man who said he had been assisting the National Guard late Sunday night. The man said he had stood watch over the body of a young man he described as wearing the same khaki shorts Lantz had been wearing, until a law enforcement officer took the body away.

Mr. Green said Lantz's friend J.T. later told Michelle Hare that the force of the wind blew out the car's windows and that he climbed into the back seat. That's all he remembered before waking up in a van that someone used to transport him to the hospital, Mr. Green said.

Mr. Green, who said Lantz's mother was too overwhelmed to be interviewed, said she heard there was an unidentified body of a young man at the morgue, but she had not been able to view it.

On Thursday afternoon, Ms. Hare learned that the morgue had identified her son's body.

Frank needs our support

By Locutisprime

Frank Buckles, the last surviving veteran of WWI died on February 28th, he was one hundred and ten years old. Frank spent the last few years of his life, speaking out in behalf of WWI veterans and working to establish a memorial for WWI veterans in Washington. A cause that is still unfulfilled.

On Franks death last Monday, bipartisan representatives of his home state of West Virginia, sponsored resolutions in the House and the Senate, to honor Frank and the 4.7 million other unspoken for WWI veterans. The resolutions call for Frank's body to 'lie in honor' in the US capitol rotunda.

Speaker of the House John Boehner immediately moved to block the honor, opting instead to have Frank's honors be limited to an amphitheater ceremony prior to burial at Arlington. If it weren't for a special presidential dispensation ordered by President George W. Bush in 2008, Frank would not have even been able to be buried at Arlington.

As it stands, John Boehner in conjunction with senate majority leader Harry Reid, Frank's resolution has been stopped in both houses. Boehner and Reid preferring to request Secretary of Defense Gates to allow use of the amphitheater at Arlington for a memorial service, as the only tribute to honor Frank and all that he represents prior to burial.

The bottom line, you only get one chance in life to do the right thing and John Boehner and Harry Reid are going against the will of tens of thousands and millions of Americans who want to see Frank Buckles honored as he should be. When the last French WWI veteran Lazare Ponticelli passed in March of 2008, the French government gave him a 'state funeral' with full military honors. President Sarchozy led the procession and attended.

When Britain's last WWI veteran Harry Patch passed in July of 2009, he was given the honors of final services at Westminister Abby, where the Queen and the Prime Minister were in attendance.

And yet America cannot do the same for Pershing's last patriot? Our last Dough Boy is to be buried with less than the full honors that this country can bestow? The last living symbol of an age of American greatness is to be denied this honor and relegated to a cloistered ceremony outside of the eyes and the ear shot of the nation that he served and loved?

I believe we as Americans can do better than that. I believe that we as Americans can honor our last Dough Boy, at least to the same level of honor as his comrades in arms who were honored by the French and the British governments on their passing. I have created a memorial page titled "Honor Frank Buckles Last WWI Veteran" on FaceBook. I am seeking FaceBook members to join the page and to become a rising army of activist.

Americans who will become part of the ground swell of citizens seeking to have John Boehner's and Harry Reid's unconscionable decision to deny Frank Buckles and the American people their honor reversed. I am requesting that everyone send emails to their representatives and congressmen, (beginning today) and to speaker Boehner and majority leader Reid.

In addition, I am asking that everyone who is as concerned about this travesty as I am, to send emails to the White House, requesting the president of the United States to intercede. (I already have).

We as Americans need to stand up for Frank Buckles and the memory of the 4.7 million that he represents. I am hoping that this message can get the widest possible coverage and dissemination across the internet, in social networking sites and blogs.

We only have ten days. Frank's services are scheduled at Arlington for the 15th of March. Frank Buckles deserves to lie in the Capitol Rotunda in honor of his service and his status and as a tribute to all he represents. Frank Buckles deserves a state funeral, with the president and all appropriate dignitaries present and in attendance.

We only have this one chance to get it right America. Don't let the politicians and their partisan politics steal from us what should be our final time to honor one of our greatest treasures.

Send your emails, make your calls. Do it now, do it today, help to create such an overwhelming public response that when they come to work Monday morning, their in boxes are inundated with the demands of millions seeking to honor Frank Buckles. Force them to hear us.

If we stand as one, they will hear us and they will respond. All that is needed is that we come together as a united force and demand that our elected officials respond with the honors that Frank Buckles deserves. Go to "Honor Frank Buckles Last WWI Veteran" on FaceBook today and join the effort. Send your emails and make your calls today and everyday until they hear our voices and respond.

Thank you.