Today In History: "Tokyo Express no longer has terminus on Guadalcanal".

Those words that appear in the title were wired by General Alexander Patch to his superiors upon the securing of Guadalcanal on February 9, 1943. The fighting there had begun on August 7, 1942. It was the first major offensive against Japanese forces by those of the USA and other allies. This battle saw major repated action on land, sea and in the air, and it was a major defeat for the Japanese, and the first land victory by the US against them. (The very first land defeat for the Japanese in the Pacific was dealt to them by the Australians at the Battle of Milne Bay.)

This battle or campaign as it was called back then took 6 months to the day, with the Island being proclaimed secure 2 days after fighting ceased, and Japanese troops were evacuated. The casualties in this one campaign alone are estimated to have been:

28,850 Japanese - The source for this only listed Japanese land forces and US Marine land forces regarding casualties, see: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Guadalcanal/USMC-M-Guadalcanal-A.html The Japanese have been estimated to have lost over 2/3 of their forces at Guadalcanal.

7,100 USA - This source showed this number as the total US forces lost in all aspects of battle for guadalcanal; see: http://www.pbs.org/thewar/detail_5210.htm

Look at those numbers again. In 6 months of fighting there were more casualties for the USA than there have been throughout the whole of the current Iraq war by about double. My guess is that if we compared insurgent and terrorist losses from the current war to thos elost by Japan at Guadalcanal, we would find that the losses to our enemy today far outnumber those from back then. Yet we have Code Pink, the mayor of Berkely, CA, and people like Cindy Sheehan, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, and others who have been, or are still, telling us how we are doing poorly in this war and need to recall the troops. Yes the loss of even one life is tragic; but there are some damned good reasons to go to war - and some good reasons that our soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen are over there fighting. The defeat of terrorism in the world today, and the protection of the United States of America, are just as good reasons as was the defeat of the Axis powers back in WWII.

For mor einfo on Guadalcanal see:

http://www.vectorsite.net/tw2guad_1.html

http://www.guadalcanaljournal.com/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Guadalcanal

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Guadalcanal/USMC-M-Guadalcanal-A.html

The Clouds Hung Low...

...and followed me, and I got my second moving violation ticket of my life today - for something, and I am none to sure I did wrong. The first ticket I had gotten, was about 26 years ago. I always try to drive safely, courtesy, and within the law. That earlier ticket was dismissed. Hopefully this one will also be dismissed, but time will tell. I still for the life of me cannot figure out how the officer thinks I crossed 5 lanes without signaling when there were only 3 lanes. I was coming around a u-turn lane, had my directional on to enter the roadway to the right, but the darned thing clicked off as I went around the long curve. By the time I came around into the entrance ramp the officer was slamming on his brakes in front of me, and I had to make a move around him. I was not indanger of hittingnhim because I remained at a good distance, but that was one bad move by him. He had no reason to have done that except for wanting me to pass him since there was no traffic in the lanes we were both entering (he was in front of me on the u-turn then the ramp). He puts on his lights just ebfore I pass him, and I thought he was getting a call and immediately gave him wide berth and I moved away from next to him across toward the right lane to play it safe. He immediately lets me pass and then gets right on my rear end and pulls me over. Once stopped he says I crossed 5 traffic lanes without a signal; but it was a three lane road. I thought I was doing the right thing getting out of his way quickly and I guess I was a bit startled by his slam braking move, and his lights coming on, so I forgot to signal that I was changing lanes to move out of his way. I thought I was doing the right thing - getting out of his way immediately - because at first I had no clue he wanted me. Oh well, he found fault even with that. Nice guy. Then when I took pictures of the roadway showing only 3 lanes, another officer who showed up decided to get nasty and started to tell me in wise arse tones "Sir don't you know you can only stop here for an emergency" (in an ultra sarcastic tone) this even though officer one had said it was okay to take the picture, and officer 2 had heard him.

What a day at the beach metal detecting a moment almost at the beach, where I was going to go metal detecting. I say moment almost at the beach because that is all it was. Did I forget to mention, I just went home right after that, my day was ruined.

I have no problem getting a ticket, but boy it sure would be nice to see some professional courtesy from the officers. I mentioned that to the officer. The officer then said I should have requested courtesies! I was getting a bit miffed once he said that, how dare he think I was expecting favors. I did not mean (as the officer thought) that I wanted any special consideration. He thought I had meant that and said where is my badge, and I told him he saw it when I took out my license, and that he could not have missed it the way my credential case holds the license and badge. I quickly added what I had really meant though was that I had expected both officers to have been respectful and courteous, and officer 2 was anything but, and officer number 1 was on the border line of being less than respectful. Just not nice at all, not courteous or respectful of the public, and in such a situation an officer should not be anything but respectful and courteous - that was not officer 2. Both were rather gruff and unpolished too. It made for a bad experience for me, their attitudes that is.

Of course getting a ticket was bad enough, so I did not need the rest. Crap, second ticket in 26 years, and heck I have only been pulled over about 2 or 3 other times in all that time in my personal cars (I try to drive with courtesy, and respect for the law, and likewise for other drivers and pedestrians). Upsetting of an otherwise good day indeed. I'll get over it though; and I'll have my day in court soon enough.

All the best,
Glenn B

Full Auto Gun Video - What a Show

Dennis, a friend of mine, just sent a video link to me; the video shows the annual Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot, which is held at the Knob Creek Gun Range in Westpoint, KY. If you enjoy shooting, or are interested in it at all, take a look at this video. Oh all those evil gun owners, and criminal gun enthusiasts, with all those nasty and evil really neat assault weapons automatic firearms make me wonder why we are not all dead since gun people are so evil, and since guns are so dangerous in the hands of anyone except for the government not there already, and when Brendan and I will be going down to Knob Creek to protest gun ownership and support gun control shoot up a storm. Well if not a storm, at least a little dust devil since $80 for 100 rounds is pretty friggin expensive. I guess though if we start saving, maybe we can make one of these within the next 10-15 years..

Why do I say one of these within the next 10-15 years. Well they said it in the video, they have a 10 to 15 year waiting list to shoot on the front line, and I cannot imagine going to all the way to Knob Creek for their semi-annual machine gun shoot without a chance to have a blast. Can you imagine that, so many bloodthirsty rights starved Americans travel to Knob Creek, KY each year, just to this event, that there is up to a 15 year waiting list to shoot on their main firing line? What is it with these gun toting thugs freedom loving Americans? Hmm - maybe that is just it - they love freedom - and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is the most precious of those rights to many of us (and should be the most preciousto all of us) since it assures the longevity of all the others.

Now in all seriousness folks, if the law moral and good firearms owners of America, with all their weapons, were as evil as the gun-control lobbying freaks ultra leftists would have us believe, don't you think that by now those people shown in the video would have wiped out half of America. The thing is,those gun owners, and firearms enthusiasts, love the USA. They are willing to prtoect their country, themselves and their neighbors from the dirtbags (such as murderers, rapists, robbers, terrorists, tyrants and so forth) who would try to deny us our freedoms. They are for the great majority of them - Good Americans enjoying one of their most basic rights.

As to Brendan and I going down to the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot, oh well - for now I guess it is just look and dream. Hot damn though, I did like that ending, it sure is tempting.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Look At The Candidates - On The Issues

If you want to take a look at those running for office, or should I say take a look at how they think about and vote on the actual issues, well go no further than: On The Issues

For example: I wanted tot ake a look at the candidate for whom I will most likely wind up casting my vote in the Presidential elections (yes I know the primaries are not over yet, but I am a realist), so I went to said site and took a look at what they have on John McCain.

The site is rather impressive, and I can only hope what they report is accurate. I do not like McCain on Gun Control, but what they show is far better I think than what Gun Owners of America has to say about McCain and his voting record on the RKBA issue. I see that in great part, I am in agreement with McCain on the abortion issue. I could think of a couple of other exceptions that would allow abortions, but I am pretty much with him on how he views the issue. I'll have to do some more in depth reading of how he sees the issues, and how he votes on them, and I will comment more on this as I do so.

All the best,
Glenn B

As If An Apology Will make It better

Berkeley, Calif., Mayor Apologizes to Military Members Following Flap Over Council Vote Now they want to apologize! Now they want to say:? "We Support The Troops". The next thing you know, they will revoke the special parking privileges they issued to the extremist left wing group Code Pink. The fact is though, thave already slung the mud, the damage has been done, and their true colors have been shown (not red, white, and blue but the colors of traitors in my opinion). I think that any funding that the U.S. Government gives to Berkley, CA should be suspended indefinitely. I also think that voters should never forget who voted to condemn the U.S. Marine recruiters, and they should vote to oust those council members next time around.

All th e best,
Glenn B