Speedy Gambling

A War within a WAR

As everyone knows by now, we are engaged in a war on terror. Whether you, as a reader agree or disagree with how this war is being waged is a right given to and protected by those brave soldiers, both men and women, fighting this war and all the wars of our nation’s history right down to the war that gave this country its freedom from the British Empire over 228 years ago.

The current war on terror has fostered another kind of war in our country, an ideological war; a war of opposing philosophies. This war has been in existence longer than the Afghan- Iraq war on terror and has just as big an effect on our national security. I choose not to touch upon the war on terror (See the Patriot Act blog for excellent observations and for my comments) rather focus my commentary on the domestic war and its impact on the war on terror. One may ask how can battles over philosophy and principals affect our soldiers overseas. My answer is thus. We live in the age of instant communication and televised media. Any derogatory comment or statement that can be used to demoralize our troops can and will be lifted and broadcast over terrorist airwaves. This has already happened several times. Quotes from Senator Dick Durban have been played over the Arabic radio network Algazeera (forgive my spelling) comparing our soldiers performing their duties to the Nazi regime. Fat Teddy Kennedy has claimed that our President is a liar on the floor of the United Stated Senate and has actually spoken against out troops in his liberal ranting and political rhetoric. This kind of philosophical debate aired over the world’s televisions does not make us appear unified as a nation. It makes us appear weak and gives aid and comfort to the enemies of our nation and strengthens their resolve to resist and slaughter our soldiers overseas.

I often ask myself as I listened to Senator Durban compare our military forces to a Soviet Gulag or compare our treatment of enemy prisoners to those of prisoners of Nazi Germany. Why, what’s the point in this? Any intelligent, rational human being must know that these words are false and purely rhetoric, why would a prominent politician say such treasonous things about the country he represents in the halls of government? The answer is simple. Senator Durban along with Senator Kennedy and Senator Kerry (although Kerry to a lesser degree) are already focusing on the next Presidential election. They care about the war on terror, at this point, only as a political tool to bash the incumbent President of The United States and weaken the opposing party/philosophy. They don’t care about the brave men and woman putting their lives at risk in a foreign country. They don’t care that every venom filled monologue they spew to the cheering liberal media will be scrutinized and replayed elsewhere as a weapon in the war against terror. But their words will be used as weapons for the other side, not in support of our troops. In an attempt to weaken the other side, The “Conservative Republican”, the “Liberal Democrat” has decided that words do make great weapons; unfortunately the Liberals are correct.

I have the privilege of working with brave men and woman of the armed services and Durban’s comments have been discussed in the halls and over coffee; none of the officers that I work with were too happy about what was said about fellow soldiers or about their commander and chief. In a time of war, politics and the war of opposing philosophies need and must take a back seat to the safety and well being of those who are fighting the conflict. Yes, it is every American’s right to protest the war and how the war is being executed. But must the media spotlight every protester; must every disagreement be on the front page of every liberal newspaper in the country? Must every News Anchor with a liberal tilt attack the war and label it a failure or claim that the “War is over and we’ve lost!!” Why in God’s name would we be sending that message out to the families of these soldiers and more importantly to the soldiers themselves! What in the Hell happened to the country that fought World War II and came together to liberate the entire globe? Where is the county of my Mother and Father?? Where is the greatness that was America? Have we become such a spineless, soft bellied country that we’re afraid to defend our beliefs and our way of life? Has our Political system become so corrupted by the self serving beaurocrats that are in Washington that we as a nation simply are so divided by politics that we cannot move forward in unity even when it’s to defend our countries ideals and founding principals?? What the FUCK! Is this what the political war has done to this country?

Why are we debating about how to fight a war in the first place? The rules of engagement are simple; Kill as many of them as you can. If they are hiding, whether it be in temples or in religious mosques, blow them up. This way they won’t be able to shoot you in the back later. Don’t worry about what some other weak milque toast nation thinks; fight the war like it should be fought, strongly and with an iron fist. Unfortunately citizen casualties are a fact of any battle ground. We cannot fight a politically correct war to appease the feelings of the liberals or the pacifists of the world. Peace must be gained through strength and through a little bit of fear and intimidation. That’s how we won WWII and ushered in the Golden Age of America. Have we, as a nation and a government, lost the political and cultural will to execute a war properly? Will we, as a nation, accept a higher body count for our soldiers for the sake of political correctness and being nice?? After trying to execute a “Nice” War will we then protest our own armed forces for their inability to successfully end the conflict? Yes, we will and we are. This, dear reader, is insanity and irony at the highest intellectual level. We set ourselves up for failure in one war because of the domestic battle fought in the halls of Washington and in the dueling ideologies of the American Citizen. Unfortunately, as the domestic war rages on more brave men and woman in the material, physical war fall prey to terrorist explosives or bullets. We need to come together as a nation, politically and nationally. We need to stand united in our common beliefs in faith and freedom in this time of crisis and stand united against our enemies. Only in this way can the American strength be heard and felt throughout the globe; one powerful voice from the greatest country in the world. We need to support our soldiers and praise them for the heroes and role models that they are. And for those brave men and women who’ve given the ultimate sacrifice for their country; their life, we need to be unified and strong so they know that their families know their loved ones deaths were not in vain, but given in service to the greatest nation on Earth in the history of Earth.

The political war has no physical casualties but it has a bigger cost. The price of this ideological war can’t be listed on a stone monument it can only be told in the future by historians. America is at a crossroads, a turning point. We, as a nation, can no longer afford the luxury of in-house bickering. The time for rhetoric and talk is over and the time to act as a nation is now. The price for failing to do anything and continuing with the status quo will be this great country; America. What will the epitaph be for this country and who, I wonder, will write it? A “War of the Words” is a luxury we can no longer afford.

-Nuff said

Esper

PS God protect and bless this great country.

About the Author

Writer of columns and Science Fiction. Please contact me at Sparhawk76@msn.com I would love to hear from readers.

Today’s cars can typically be expected to pass the 200,000 mile mark with consistent automobile maintenance. With the price of automobiles, you will want to protect that investment by performing regular maintenance. If you can do much of the work yourself, you will save a lot of money in labor. Invest in a good set of tools and choose quality parts when performing your own automobile maintenance.

If you have some skill, but want to learn more look for courses in general repairs and maintenance. These can often be found at your local community center, Community College or an automotive technical school in your area. Consider investing in a good repair manual for your car, such as a Chilton’s manual. The internet is a good place to look for articles and information. There are many sites devoted to auto repair and maintenance.

You will want to keep track of all maintenance performed on your car. You can do this in a log, a notebook or on your home computer. There is software available to help you keep track of maintenance. These programs track repairs, maintenance, replacement parts used on the vehicle and fuel consumption. You can use the same software for multiple vehicles.

Most software allows you to create a service schedule and will remind you when it’s time to perform maintenance tasks on each vehicle in your household. The software contains a wide variety of tips for car care. In addition, many have reference and diagnostic tools to help you diagnose various problems with your cars. Many companies offer a free trial that can be downloaded on the internet. This allows you to try out the program before investing your money.

Your owner’s manual will give you some basic information about when certain maintenance tasks should be done. Most tasks will be listed according to the mileage on the car.

3000 Mile Maintenance

Change the oil in your engine every 3000 miles. The filter should be changed at the same time. Newer synthetic oils are said to last longer without breaking down. When you change the oil, check the fluids, the air filter, tires, hoses and belts. At this time check the battery cables and terminals for corrosion. This can be removed with a wire brush or sandpaper.

5000-10,000 Miles:

Have your tires rotated and balanced every five to ten thousand miles. This helps the tires wear evenly and extends the life. The best tires should be put in the front of the car. Check the tire pressure regularly and check the tread for signs of uneven wear or damage.

15,000 Miles:

Change the air filter every 15,000 miles. A clean air filter improves the fuel economy of your car. A dirty air filter can cause the engine to run rough and stall. At this time you should also check the pads and shoes on your brake system. Check the brake fluid and top it of, as needed. The fluid should be clear. If you notice noise when the brakes are applied or the steering wheel shakes or vibrates, this can be an indication that the brakes need replacing. In this case, don’t wait check the brakes and replace as needed.

30,000 Miles:

Check the fluid level on your transmission. The owner’s manual will have information about the kind of fluid that should be used in your car. The manual should have directions on how to drain and replace the fluid. The pan gasket should be changed when the fluid is drained. Also at this time, give the car a tune up. Replace all spark plugs and wires.

50,000 Miles:

Change the coolant at 50,000 miles. See the owner’s manual for directions on how to perform this task.

Remember to take care of your car’s finish. You want the paint to remain in good condition for as long as possible. Wash the car regularly, even in the winter when salt from the roads can ruin the finish. Apply wax to protect the paint from the sun, salt and weather conditions. Don’t neglect the headlights, which can become cloudy and won’t operate as well. New Lite Headlight Cleaner and Restorer will return cloudy headlights to like new condition. Learn more about this product at http://www.mdwholesale.com

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He holds numerous patents including his recently awarded patent for headlight cleaner and restorer. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: www.mdwholesale.com

Caravan parks are those sites which contain big motor vehicles, better known as ‘recreational vehicles’ or RVs, for holiday making or recreational purposes. The vehicle may be the vacationer’s own, or rented out on a nightly or weekly basis. Caravan parks are shaping up to be an increasingly popular source of leisure, and more importantly for tourism and commerce as these parks are a big hit not only in North America, but Europe, Australia and Africa too.

Caravan parks also offer tents and cabins for camping and are equipped with conveniences including Wi-Fi internet, telephone and television connections, and proper arrangements of sewerage, drinking water, cooking and air conditioning. Some of the luxurious ones include provisions of convenience stores, BBQ, exercise equipment, hot tubs, showers and restrooms, gift shops and even laundry.

These parks can be set up at locations that have a wide range of activities to offer to the holiday makers such as boating, surfing, golfing, water sports, sightseeing, etc. depending on the surroundings of the areas where these parks are located.

In USA, there are over 13,000 privately owned caravan parks and 1,600 are owned by the government. The rates are variable with privately owned parks charging more than government owned and providing more facilities as well.

The first but definitely not the easiest thought that comes to most people when they are neck-deep in debt is to file bankruptcy. Filing bankruptcy seems to be the last straw left in the deluge of unpaid bills and abusive creditor calls. The situation is somewhat like this. You buy whatever catches your fancy and you thank yourself you had the blessed credit cards. It’s good as long as you are spending.

When it’s paytime, you realize your misdoing. Abusive creditor calls may be robbing you of your sleep. Things may go so wrong that being repentant also does not help. What do you do? File bankruptcy. Stop. There are better and realistic ways of fighting debts. Avoid bankruptcy by all means. There have been millions who have filed bankruptcy in the US of A last year! What causes this decision? And how can you avoid such a disastrous situation?

Credit cards should be given the lion’s share of the blame behind such reckless spending. Credit card agencies will tell you it’s you who should know how to use your cards. Anyway, let’s take a situation where you have incurred a lot of debts and you don’t know where to run. You have curtailed all your expenses, you take a bus to office, your wife does the same and your children take the school bus. Your car is a toy in the garage. You have stopped entertaining friends and have stopped going over to them. When you see, even after a month, you are exactly where you started off, you know it’s time to take some extreme measures.

Debt consolidation with debt management and debt relief programs are the best refuge for you. Contact a reliable debt consolidation firm and tell them your plight. You will literally feel the weight being taken off your shoulders. These financial experts take over completely. First, they call your creditors and stop them from calling you. If you have multiple debts, they squeeze all your debts into one and make your payments much simpler.

You are only to make one lowly payment every month and you actually see your debts disappear in months! This is possible due to these debt consolidation experts who convince your creditors to lower their interest rates and make payments easier for you. In fact, you do not interact with your creditors anymore. These experts act as the middle men and you will only receive letters from your creditors showing you the way your debts are decreasing in days.

The other most important thing to remember about managing finances is to avoid the debt-trap as much as possible. It is always advisable to make a budget at the beginning of the month. And that’s not all. You have to live by it. Don’t spend on luxuries all the time. That will invariably lead to compromise on necessary items. There is no better rule than saving. That is the only thing that will help you plug emergency expenses. Bankruptcy is the last of all the conceivable methods to start afresh. It is never too late to mend. It’s just that you need to give up certain things to achieve happiness and peace in your life.

Author : Medha Roy

Date Posted : 09 -July – 2005

Website : http://www.debt-consolidation-loans-credit-card-debt-reduction-services.com

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