Head on over to Son of Cheese (just click that handy link, how easy is that?) and get all gooshy over Derek and Mrs. Derek's new baby boy.

Posted by: Ted at 06:01 AM | category: Links
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This is inspiring.

Jesus Sanchez Cabral flew his flag until he could no longer see it.

A decorated veteran, he never liked to display his World War II medals. That was showing off.

But the flag was another matter. He hung it on his Hutchinson, Kan., porch every Memorial Day, every Flag Day, every Fourth of July, every holiday.

It was a tradition he kept up until glaucoma blinded him. After that, his flag flew no more. When he died 10 years ago at the age of 82, his wife said it was too bad that he couldnÂ’t see the flag in his final years.

Over 5,000 of these flags have been distributed to blind veterans, including many who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Next month, a bronze version will be delivered to Arlington National Cemetery for permanent display.

Posted by: Ted at 11:48 AM | category: Links
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Elisson posted a picture, a picture of the kind I've been searching for for... well, quite some time (almost said "forever"). Tacky, kistchy, it'll make you go "Christ Almighty!" in rapturous awe and wonder.

Not very practical though, and that's where I come in. Add a splash of evil genius mixed with a mad dazzle of my photoshop skills, and... ego? No thanks, I already have one.

Click here to see the Rocket Jones version and it'll open in a new window.

Didja smile? Pray for me.

I have got to get that Cafe Press store up and running.

Posted by: Ted at 05:57 AM | category: Links
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Check out this simple toy that lets you play with real physics.

Thanks to Dick's Rocket Dungeon for the pointer.

Posted by: Ted at 05:45 PM | category: Links
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A powerful series of photographs, showing that our Canadian friends know how to pay their respects to a fallen son.

Thanks to Ghost of a Flea for the pointer.

Posted by: Ted at 11:37 AM | category: Links
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Could it be that someone in Europe is growing some balls?

Denmark's leading newspapers reprinted a drawing of the Prophet Muhammad on Wednesday, a day after three men were arrested on suspicion of plotting to kill the cartoonist whose work had spurred deadly protests in the Muslim world.

The papers said they wanted to show their firm commitment to freedom of speech after Tuesday's arrests in western Denmark.

The Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which first published 12 depictions of Muhammad on Sept. 30, 2005, reprinted Kurt Westergaard's cartoon in its Wednesday edition. Several other major dailies also reprinted the drawing, which shows Muhammad wearing a turban shaped like a bomb with a lit fuse.

I hope so, but the newspapers backed down mighty fast the first time the controversy erupted.

Posted by: Ted at 05:38 AM | category: Links
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Yesterday I drove home from work along the usual route, past the Iwo Jima memorial, past the Pentagon and then Arlington Cemetery. Close to the road and up a slight hill, a military funeral was in progress. The horse drawn caisson, the honor guard and the friends and family all gathered for a sad but proud ceremony, in silhouette against the cloudless afternoon sky.

I'm reminded of Bill Whittle's essay titled Honor:

...nowhere in the world do ordinary servicemen or women receive anything like this level of honor and respect and reverence, and she is right. All nations honor their generals and heroes. This nation honors privates and sergeants in indistinguishable fashion.

Walking behind the flag-draped caisson of an Army 2nd Lieutenant that day, I felt that my father was receiving the funeral of the President of the United States. And, number of people on the parade route aside, as a matter of fact, he was.

I often complain about living in this area. I'm sometimes reminded that I'm fortunate beyond words to be living here.

Posted by: Ted at 05:21 PM | category: Links
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In the last two weeks, I've won *two* free books from sites on the internet. First up, thanks to Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge, I won a copy of the personal finance primer Debt is Slavery. I've already read it and passed it on to my son, and hopefully he'll be able to apply it's concepts to his life. He needs it.

Author James Newman is a regular over at the Wildside Cinema forums, and last week he held a contest for a copy of one of his out-of-print books, Midnight Rain. Yours truly won that one as well, with a childhood story of the uneasy sort. I'm really looking forward to reading this one.

I'd buy lottery tickets, but why break my hot streak?

Posted by: Ted at 05:49 AM | category: Links
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Yesterday my last Christmas present arrived in the mail. Liz had forgotten that she'd ordered Silent America for me.

Worth the wait.

Posted by: Ted at 06:03 AM | category: Links
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That stands for "Snorting and Choking My Ass Off" since I can't laugh out loud at the moment.

Following Buckethead's advice, first you go read this. Trust me. Er, if you find my kind of twisted humor funny, then trust me. Otherwise, don't... but still, go read.

Then, click this link to the Ministry of Minor Perfidy to see the "missing" picture. If you did this in the right order, i.e. read first, then missing picture, then you will howl with laughter. Or snort and choke. Or decide once and for all that I'm going to burn in hell for eternity. Or D, all of the above.

Posted by: Ted at 07:54 AM | category: Links
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