Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Illegal immigrants head to Charlotte

Politico  "A busload of illegal immigrants has begun a month-long, cross-country tour of protests culminating at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., according to reports.

Approximately 30 men and women departed Phoenix, Ariz., on Sunday on a trip scheduled to hit states that have passed aggressive laws against illegal immigration, reports the Charlotte Observer."


MEXICO’S IMMIGRATION LAW: LET’S TRY IT HERE AT HOME  From 2006. So what?
"That’s too bad, because Mexico, which annually deports more illegal aliens than the United States does, has much to teach us about how it handles theimmigration issue. Under Mexican law, it is a felony to be an illegal alien in Mexico."

Berryville, Arkansas in the Civil War

The Tunnel Wall has frequent visitors from some locations that we like to feature in history posts. One such is Berryville, Arkansas. That area has a special attachment because Mrs. Dweller's roots are from Northwest Arkansas, specifically in nearby Grandview , with most of her family buried at the Grandview cemetery. That includes her uncle Carl Standlee, whose name is listed in the Historical Society building upstairs as one of the Carroll County boys serving in WW2.
      The Downtown Square in Berryville

"The city's Civil War history and heritage is strong. During the Civil War Union soldiers camped on the town square. Most of the town was burned by both sides, although most of the brick buildings on the square were built in the 1890s. Berryville was founded in 1850 by Blackburn H. Berry from Alabama. The first settler in what is now Berryville was David Williams of Tennessee in 1831."

The Battle of Pea Ridge was fought just a few miles away.   
"On March 7-8, 1862, 26,000 soldiers fought here to decide the fate of Missouri and the West.  The 4,300 acre battlefield honors those who fought for their beliefs. Pea Ridge was one of the most pivotal Civil War battles and is the most intact Civil War battlefield in the United States."

Regular Confederate Troops, Carroll County, Arkansas  "Company E, Sixteenth Arkansas Infantry, was the first company of regular Confederate troops formed in Carroll County. It was organized in October, 1861, at the militia muster at Green Forest, and numbered ninety-three men. The officers were Captain, W. S. Poynor; first lieutenant, A. S. McKennon; second lieutenant, W. W. Wilson; junior second lieutenant, James H. Berry."
Wikipedia; 16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment  "After being surrendered with the garrison of Port Hudson the unit was reorganized in Arkansas and consolidated with the remnants of several other Arkansas Regiments to become the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)." 


Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page

The war record of Arkansas.  "With a white population of only 324,000 in 1860, the state sent 60,000 men into the Southern armies. Arkansas regiments fought valiantly in Virginia as well as in Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and other states. Most of the Arkansas troops served in the Army of Tennessee, which campaigned in the middle South."
Right: The flag of the 16th Arkansas Infantry. Carroll County sent Company E, commanded by Captain Garrett. No color photo found as surprisingly few Arkansas battle flags survived.

Confederate headstone
Arkansas Genweb

Types of cemetery headstonesWe are researching the story that graves of union soldiers and confederate soldiers each have distinctive shapes. The verbal account is that Union soldiers are buried with a headstone rounded on top; Confederates have a pointed top. Anyone who can give us some history on this, please enter your information at the comments link below this post. If you want to remain anonymous, feel free to do so.
Here is what I have found that sheds some light on the question: two photos that may be typical. There were many more photos like this.

Union headstone

Soldier Headstones   Union soldiers who served in the Civil War or soldiers who served in the Spanish-American War have a specific style of marble headstone that is upright. The lettering on these headstones is inside a recessed shield. This encompasses the name of the soldier and the military organization.

Confederate Soldiers  Soldiers who served with the Confederacy in the Civil War have their own type of headstone. These headstones are upright or flat and are made in either granite or marble. There is a Southern Cross of Honor inscribed at the top of the headstone. The inscription contains the soldiers name, military organization and the date of birth and death.



Book; The Flags Of Civil War Arkansas   Some text here.

Evolution Complete: Dems To Adopt Same-Sex Marriage Platform, Report Says

Evolution Complete: Dems To Adopt Same-Sex Marriage Platform, Report Says  "This would be a major break from prior Democratic Party platforms, and would put the Party in major conflict with voters in swing states. Virginians disapprove same-sex marriage by a margin of 49-42 percent; North Carolinians approved Amendment One, the Constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage, by a margin of 61-39. Other states, including Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, and Arizona, also generally disapprove same-sex marriage. Just a few swing states, including Colorado, do support same-sex marriage according to polls."

RUSH: The Left's Stalinist War on Chick-Fil-A

TEA Party  "I read about it on conservative blogs, and I can't believe what I'm reading! I'm reading intellectual treatises on, "Well, you know, they have the right to say these things, and the solution here is let Chick-Fil-A open a store in Chicago and let's see if the people will visit it." That's not the reaction to have! The reaction to have is, "Who the hell do you think you are, Rahm Emanuel? Who the hell do you think you are? What country do you think you're in?" "

U.S. Bridges, Roads Being Built by Chinese Firms

ABC News video: I guess this is the price we pay for living in a global economy.
video platform video management video solutions video player
  Hat tip to Jack Hamner, Orcutt, CA
"Your question is valid, but there are many things you are not considering. Sure, it looks bad the way ABC put it, but consider the WHOLE story and it's not so clear cut.

"First, the Chinese are world leaders in bridge building, both in terms of engineering and in fabrication. They also have the facilities for fabrication of components that do not exist in the US. Third, the project began back in the 90's and the contract was let years ago, long before the 2008 recession (it was originally slated for completion in 2007). Finally, the Oakland project is an innovative design which became an international project with input from 5 foreign countries ... not just China.

"Read the history of the project at the link and see if you still feel the same way. It's easy to look back from today and say it was a bad decision, but consider it from the perspective of 2002."
This is so painful to read, especially when you read about American manufacturing in World War 2 and it's role in fighting two wars simultaneously while also supplying the war efforts of Britain and the Soviet Union. TD
Fact Check.org: Is President Obama responsible for Chinese companies building U.S. bridges with stimulus money, as reported by ABC News?
Answer: No. A viral email distorts an ABC News report. California officials hired a Chinese contractor and rejected federal money to avoid federal “Buy American” laws.
But the report pointedly said states were to blame. It didn’t mention federal funds — let alone stimulus funds — except to note that California turned down federal money to avoid federal “Buy American” laws and hire a Chinese firm.

Who to believe in the Valerie Jarrett/ SEAL raid story?


Daily Caller;  Book bombshell: Obama canceled Bin Laden ‘kill’ raid three times at Jarrett’s urging  "Obama administration officials also said after the raid that the president had delayed giving the order to kill the arch-terrorist the day before the operation was carried out, in what turned out to be his fourth moment of indecision."

Politico has this rebuttal: White House: 'Fabrication' that Obama called off bin Laden raid  "And as the liberal group Media Matters notesMiniter's repordoes not square with other reporting on the timeline of the mission. Miniter alleges that Obama called off the operation first in January, but the New Yorker's Nicholas Schmidle reported that the plan to kill bin Laden was not even presented to the president until March."


From Mother Jones via Blackfive; "9 Worst Lies Right-Wingers Tell About the bin Laden Raid" "This actually is a telling expose of just how far in the tank O's apologista corps in the media branch of his campaign are. Not only is dissent from the articulated message of martial glory and battlefield accomplishment verboten, but it is classified as a lie by these self-appointed commissars in the the Ministry of Truth." 


 White House: Obama did not postpone bin Laden raid  "It is an utter fabrication," said White House spokesman Joshua Earnest."

Also from Blackfive: Sorry, despite the fact that I’m not at all a fan of this President, I’m also not much for anonymous single sources.

Nice Deb has more to say in support of the book's account: What changed the president’s position and enabled the attack against Osama Bin Laden to proceed?

Monday, July 30, 2012

The American Civil War; July 30th, 1862. The Seven Days Battle

Lee takes command of the Army of Northern Virginia  on June 1, 1862. Attacks the Federal Army of the Potomac, beginning the Seven Days Battle.



GLENDALE - A. P. HILL'S ASSAULT, JUNE 30, 1862

CIVIL WAR INDEX; Battle of Glendale, VA in the American Civil War

OBAMA PLANS MASSIVE 2ND TERM AMNESTY ORDER

Klein Online  "Progressive organizations behind White House policy have crafted specific, second term plans for President Obama to issue amnesty to millions more illegal aliens living inside the U.S. 

"There are also designs to remove the caps on H-1B visas and green cards, a move that would bring in an untold number of new immigrants.
"Other second term plans include a program for government agencies to immediately register as voters the new Americans who would receive amnesty."  See next:
Demos; FROM CITIZENSHIP TO VOTING: IMPROVING REGISTRATION FOR NEW AMERICANS "Elimination of administrative practices and legal requirements that discriminate against eligible immigrant voters, these include certain types of database matching policies, laws unduly restricting the means of confirming citizenship for purposes of registering to vote, and unnecessarily restrictive voter identification laws."  Read: "photo ID"  
Emphasis added.

Disillusioned Obama Supporter Interviews Her 2008 Self

'I would have to say this lady isn’t so happy with the “hope and change” Obama has delivered!'

Feds preparing for possible riots at conventions, presidential inauguration or elsewhere

Aaron Klein
"It looks as if the Federal Protective Service is gearing up for the potential of significant riots at some combination of the Republican National Convention, the Democratic National Convention, the 2013 presidential inauguration and other major events in the future, with its planned procurement of about 150 sets of riot helmets, thigh and groin protectors, hard shell shin guards and other “riot gear.” "
JAWA; Obama Administration Prepares For Martial Law Domestic Riots During Election Season  "Somehow, I don't think it's really the Tea Party they are concerned about, but I'm sure right wingers will be blamed for most of the unrest." 


Democrats are already laying the groundwork to blame Republicans for any riots during their convention.   "Those may be the leftist Occupiers rioting out there, but the left will say they are TEA Partiers."


From 2007: Anarchists prepare to protest RNC   "But some convention-watchers are not happy with what they see as the group's violent plans."  "Members of a self-described anarchist group, the "RNC Welcoming Committee", worked over Labor Day weekend outlining protest plans."  Just to give you an idea. If you see the symbol at right during riots, now you know what it stands for.

California circling the drain

NRO; Penniless in Paradise  " “The enemy is algebra.” Liccardo, a Democrat, is bracingly honest when it comes to his fellow partisans in Sacramento: “The fact is the unions own the Democratic party,” he says, and San Jose’s pension-and-personnel reforms have not made the city’s Democratic elected officials any friends in Sacramento. “Party orthodoxy is much more strictly enforced at the state level, because the unions decide who wins and who loses,” Liccardo says. San Jose mayor Chuck Reed, also a Democrat, has been out front on the pension issue, and he’s maybe had a little easier time with it than have the authorities in Compton or San Bernardino."
 Victor Davis Hanson; California: The Road Warrior Is Here  "Illegal immigration did its share. No society can successfully absorb some 6-7 million illegal aliens, in less than two decades, the vast majority without English, legality, or education from the poorer provinces of Mexico, the arrivals subsidized by state entitlements while sending billions in remittances back to Mexico — all in a politicized climate where dissent is demonized as racism. This state of affairs is especially true when the host has given up on assimilation, integration, the melting pot, and basic requirements of lawful citizenship."

Bill Clinton to Have Leading Role at Party’s Convention

Jeff Zeleny, NY Times  "For Mr. Clinton, who has become one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, the speech will be among the most high-profile roles yet that he has assumed for Mr. Obama. The address is intended to offer a strong contrast with the Republican ticket and will be closely watched, particularly given a string of blunt statements — and retractions — that Mr. Clinton has made this year when talking about the Obama administration."
Jennifer Rubin; Will Clinton help or hurt Obama at the Convention?   "The most immediate concern for Democrats is his potential to upstage a president who has lost his freshness and has less to say with each passing month.  Really how many times can he say “Romney, bad. Tax rich people. Bush was bad”? Clinton is rarely boring and hardly ever publicly peevish. It is very likely a lot of people after his speech will say, “Boy, I wish THAT guy was on the ballot.” "

Romney in Israel and abroad

Daniel Pipes: Romney's Remarkable Speech in Jerusalem "The contrast with Obama could hardly be more dramatic. Indeed, one could go through the speech and note the many refutations of Obama. For example, the opening comment that "To step foot into Israel is to step foot into a nation that began with an ancient promise made in this land" directly contrasts with Obama's crabbed statement in Cairo about "the aspiration for a Jewish homeland [being] rooted in a tragic history." "


American Thinker; On the eve of Romney's Israel visit Obama tried to upstage him  "Questions should be asked as to why such statements were "leaked" on the eve of Romney's visit to Israel? Does the Administration suggest that Romney supports a "disloyal" ally?"

Remember this back in 2010? Obama snubbed Netanyahu for dinner with Michelle and the girls, Israelis claim   "Benjamin Netanyahu was left to stew in a White House meeting room for over an hour after President Barack Obama abruptly walked out of tense talks to have supper with his family, it emerged on Thursday."  The Times of London carried this:  Netanyahu 'Humiliated' by Obama Snub.  I'm not digressing. I just want you to see the contrast.


Barry Rubin; Mitt Romney Captures Jerusalem  "What Romney did do, however, was to scatter among the assertions of U.S. support for Israel’s security and a strong belief in a U.S.-Israel alliance some subtle references that many viewers and much of the mass media are likely to miss. Here are the key ones, which give some hints about Romney’s future campaign and possibly his presidency:"

Jerusalem Post's Herb Keinon isn't impressed with any of the US politicians.
Mitt Romney delivers speech in Jerusalem


Yid With Lid;  A Tale of Two Presidential Campaigns and One Holy City  "Unlike the classic Dickens work, this week's  presidential campaign was a tale of one city Jerusalem, and the different way it was handled by the two different campaigns, One handled it as if this was the age of foolishness, the other as the age of wisdom.  One refused to give its position on Israel’s capital publicly; the other stood in front of the panorama of the holy city over his shoulder and pronounced the city Israel’s capital."


 Charles Krauthammer; Romney Abroad; He needs to show appreciation for close allies.
"To the Israelis: “We understand your unique plight. If and when you do as you must, we will stand by you.” To the Poles: “You can count on the American umbrella. I will never leave you out in the cold.” And to the British: “We are grateful for your steadfast solidarity in awful places like Iraq and Afghanistan. The relationship truly is special.” "


Joan Walsh’s Selective Quote of Mitt Romney "Does Walsh find any fault with this passage in its entirety? If so, fine. But debate what Romney is saying and, at the very least, buy the damn book and don’t rely on others to supply your quotes.
Update 12:05: Walsh tweets:
Apologies for screwing up the Romney quote about “England” as “just a small island.” It’s corrected now.

Obama canceled Bin Laden ‘kill’ raid three times at Jarrett’s urging

Before It's News "In ”Leading From Behind: The Reluctant President and the Advisors Who Decide for Him,“ Richard Miniter writes that Obama canceled the “kill” mission in January 2011, again in February, and a third time in March. Obama’s close adviser Valerie Jarrett persuaded him to hold off each time, according to the book."
...."Obama administration officials also said after the raid that the president had delayed giving the order to kill the arch-terrorist the day before the operation was carried out, in what turned out to be his fourth moment of indecision. At the time, the White House blamed the delay on unfavorable weather conditions near bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
But when Miniter obtained that day’s weather reports from the U.S. Air Force Combat Meteorological Center, he said, they showed ideal conditions for the SEALs to carry out their orders."

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Announcing the Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day on August 1

Announcing the Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day on August 1  "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day is our way of showing our support for a company whose leaders believe in marriage as that of one man, one woman.
"Join millions of others in showing support for Chick-fil-A by visiting your local Chick-fil-A on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. The plan is simple. At least once on August 1, eat a meal at Chick-fil-A and politely let the staff and management know you appreciate the company’s Christian value system."

The Facebook page for "Support Chick fil-A"

Mike Huckabee Censored by Facebook for Supporting Anti Gay Company   More on this here.

If you want to know what the liberal press thinks of Chick-fil-A and their supporters, this should cover it pretty well.

This gay publication is much more outspoken:" IF YOU'RE EATING CHICK-FIL-A, YOU'RE EATING ANTI-GAY"  "Jeremy Hooper at Good As You points out that teh(sic) restaurant chain Chick-fil-A is sponsoring two marriage conferences in the South-Central Pennsylvania region run by the state's most prominent anti-gay, anti-equality group."
Then they posted this Family Life announcement to give you a visual picture showing the evil acts perpetrated by marriage traditionalists:

More Commentary on Chick-fil-A with Muppets update

Alderman Moreno
Update and clarification about the Muppets posted by the Chick-fil-A Facebook page:  "Hey Fans. Another rumor related to Chick-fil-A that is currently in the media is related to the Jim Henson Kid's Meal prizes. We want to set the facts straight. Chick-fil-A made the choice to voluntarily withdraw the Jim Henson Kid's Meal puppets for potential safety concerns for our customers on Thursday, July 19. On July 20, Chick-fil-A was notified of the Jim Henson Company's decision to no longer partner with us on future endeavors."


Several from National Review Online:
Mark Steyn writes: The Tolerance EnforcersThey’re ever more intolerant of anything less than total ideological homogeneity.   "Chick-fil-A does not represent “Chicago values” — which is true if by “Chicago values” you mean machine politics, AIDS-conspiracy-peddling pastors, and industrial-scale black youth homicide rates. But, before he was mayor, Rahm Emanuel was President Obama’s chief of staff. Until the president’s recent “evolution,” the Obama administration held the same position on gay marriage as Chick-fil-A. Would Alderman Moreno have denied Barack Obama the right to open a chicken restaurant in the First Ward? Did Rahm Emanuel quit the Obama administration on principle? "
The Chicken Inquisition  "Mr. Cathy’s own views are considerably more complex than his critics would have us believe: “We don’t claim to be a Christian business,” he said in the same interview. “Christ never died for a corporation.”
Politicians are treating opposition to gay marriage as if it were Jim Crow.  "That last statement implies that Emanuel believes it is politicians, not markets, who should determine what is and isn’t a good investment. And that is bad news not just for fans of waffle fries; it bodes poorly for any Windy City business that chooses to support unpopular or controversial causes."


Sarah and Todd Palin
Michelle Malkin: Hey, Boston: Leave Chick-fil-A alone  "Anti-Christian organizers have been staging boycotts and smear campaigns against “anti-gay” Chick-fil-A for the past year. An activist lesbian reporter for The New York Times poured fuel on the fire. The proprietors of The Muppets are just the latest to take a public stand.

"It’s their right. It’s also the right of Chick-fil-A supporters to organize social media campaigns, exercise their free speech and exercise the power of their pocketbooks to back the company."
Hat tip to Jon Hodges, Richardson, TX
American Thinker; Grand Mufti Emanuel's Chicago Values  "In 2009 Mr. Farrakhan said that homosexuality is "a learned behavior" and has its origins in predators sensing that children are vulnerable and "then some man will take advantage of that tenderness and engage a child in homosexual behavior."
"In contrast, Cathy's comments were quite tepid.  Yet not only does Emanuel have nothing to say about the Nation's Chicago restaurant, Salaam, he also welcomed Nation of Islam patrols of city streets."  Keep reading; it gets better....

Rick Moran; DC Mayor calls Chick-fil-A 'Hate Chicken'  "Their schools are a disgrace, the crime rate is appalling, there is corruption a-plenty, they can't manage their own budgets -- but they can pander to gays and liberals by refusing to allow the expansion of a business that would give jobs to some of their citizens and pay taxes that would help ease their budget problems."


Have you seen their 2004 ad? Chick Fil-A's Cow Super-Heroes Would Appreciate It If You Did Not Eat Them

Obama and private enterprise


Forbes; No President Obama, It Was Private Business That Made Our Roads And Bridges Possible   
...."As a result of all this, America joined the ranks of the world’s wealthiest nations with some of the highest average living standards.
"It happened before America became a welfare state.
"That’s how American taxpayers could sometimes pay very large amounts of money for roads and bridges.
"Other nations, many with abundant natural resources, tried to do what our private sector did, but they failed because they bet on a government-run economy. The Soviet Union isn’t even on the map anymore."  (Emphasis added)


Clarice Feldman: Wile E. Coyote Joins Obama Campaign Team  "It turns out that the "you didn't build it" theme was stolen from make believe Cherokee Elizabeth Warren. She got it from Berkeley linguistics professor George Lakoff.  He's one of those wise guys who tell people -- mostly leftist people to be sure-- how to use language to hide meaning.  In this case they hoped to hide the plan to steal our money and give it to Obama's supporters by pretending it was just a payback for services received.  Unfortunately for Obama, voters aren't all as dumb as Berkeley undergraduates."
.... "The ads highlighting his missteps have been brutal."

Ms. Feldman's far-ranging article includes this on the Chick-fil-A flap:   "If the right wing maniacs out there aren't engaged in mass murder, consumers and government must nevertheless punish them for exercising their right to free speech because they are hate-filled chicken sandwich pushing homophobes, if you listen to the media and Democrat politicians.
"The instigator of this latest hate campaign was CNN.  Terry Mattingly at Get Religion:" Via Lucianne 


Guy Benson: Liberal Columnist: These Devastating 'You Didn't Build That' Attacks Sure Are Racist  "Like the rising of the sun in the east and its setting in the west, one can always count on some element of the Left to resort to the 'R-word' to shield President Obama from the consequences of his own words and actions.  Today, the inevitable officially occurred.  Take it away, Jonathan Chait:"...  More here for you racism fans.
The column makes a brief digression with this: "Ed Morrissey also notes the Obama campaign's worries over the shrinking 'gender gap,' which is why his campaign has put out an ad lying about Mitt Romney's position on abortion:"

The Demons of the Modern Rampage Killer

Victor Davis Hanson   "As of now we know little about what conditions drove, or proved useful to, the Aurora suspect to murder and maim . But given the worldwide incidences of so-called “rampage killings,” the culprit was not the particular gun laws of Colorado. His dark counterparts exist in contemporary Norway, Uganda, Russia, and Latin America. I am sure there is a typology of the multifarious conditions that might prompt such demonic killers — workplace anger, spousal revenge, school-related grudges, religious fanaticism, race or ethnic hatred, political extremism, and abject insanity that offers no exegesis at all."....
I think Mr. Hanson refers to points of view such as is expressed  by this cartoon:
Political Cartoons by Jerry Holbert


Hanson concludes with this: "In other words, I don’t care a whit whether the Aurora killer was a loner. I don’t care if he was unhappy or if he was on medication. Millions share such pathologies without killing a mouse. I don’t even know whether giving him swift justice will deter the next mass shooter. Yes, give the suspect expert legal counsel; call in all the psychiatrists imaginable; sequester the jury; ensure the judge is a pillar of jurisprudence; but if he is found guilty, I would prefer the gallows and quickly so, to remind us that we live in a civilization that prefers to remember the victims and to remember nothing at all of their killer."
Editorial Cartoon

Golden oldie of country music: "I'VE GOT TEARS IN MY EARS FROM LYING ON MY BACK IN [MY] BED WHILE I CRY OVER YOU"

Homer and Jethro via Youtube:   Hillbilly bopper novelty from 1949. Nice guitar by George Barnes.

Sorry, but this video is no longer available unless I can find it elsewhere. The Tunnel Dweller.


Here are some more song titles that you probably won't find on any chart. But they are real song titles.
I Just Bought A Car From The Guy That Stole My Girl, But The Car Don't Run So I Figure We Got An Even Deal. I Keep Forgettin' I Forgot About You.I Knew I'd Hit Rock Bottom When I Woke Up On Top Of You.I Like Bananas Because They Have No BonesI Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well. I May Be Used, But Baby I Ain't Used Up I Meant Every Word That He Said. I Only Miss You On The Days That End In " Y " I Sat Down On A Beartrap (Just This Morning) I Sent Her Artifical Flowers For Her Artificial Love I Still Miss You, Baby, But My Aim's Gettin' Better. 
Many more songs here if you feel you really must know.


Why didn't I think to ask this? Why are country songs so often complete sentences?
"Stylistically, listen to country radio - you can usually understand every word of every song (as opposed to in rock/pop "what did he say"?) Lyrics are very important in country music. In commercial country music, much more so than in pop, there are many examples of jokey type lyrics, double entendres, and crazy rhymes..."


Here's one where you can understand the words, but won't be able to explain it:  I'm my Own Grandpa