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updated 1010 hrs PST U.S. DEBT CLOCK World & National News Euro continues to fall U.S. stocks trimmed gains and the euro retreated o n Wednesday on speculation that the European Central Bank has stopped funding operations for some Greek banks, rekindling fears of messy financial woes for Greece. Euro zone central bank sources said the ECB had stopped refinancing operations with some Greek banks. The ECB, which refinances only solvent banks, declined to comment. Court official to be appointed Greek interim PM Greece appointed a senior judge Wednesday to head a caretaker government for a month as it lurches through a political crisis that threatens its membership in the euro. The political uncertainty is worrying Greece's international creditors as well as Greeks themselves, who have withdrawn hundreds of millions of euros from banks since the May 6 election. Greeks withdraw $894 million a day The country's economy is in a meltdown, raising fears that Greece will exit the Euro Zone completely and default on its huge pile of debt. Political leaders in Athens were due to discuss an emergency government Wednesday to deal with a possible run on banks as it emerged Greeks withdrew almost $900 million in a single day, fearing their country could crash out of the euro currency by the end of the week. Romney presses Obama on debt with aid of prop clock Mitt Romney continued to drive a debt-oriented message here on Wednesday morning, extending his "prairie fire" of debt metaphor with the assistance of a prop. In a nod to the independent voters who pushed the Sunshine State into the Democratic column in 2008, Romney noted that both parties were responsible for pushing the debt to the "incomprehensible" levels – which were represented on a giant prop debt clock behind him. Election 2012: North Carolina President North Carolina: Romney 51%, Obama 43% Mitt Romney has moved out to an eight-point lead over President Obama in North Carolina after the two men were virtually tied a month ago. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Tar Heel State shows the putative Republican nominee earning 51% of the vote to Obama’s 43%. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided. You Paid for It! Stimulus Dollars Fund Studies into Sexual History and Erectile Dysfunction The NBC Investigative Unit has raised questions about two grants totaling nearly $1.5 million dollars distributed to the University of California San Francisco. The money was part of the federal stimulus program and went to studies into the erectile dysfunction of overweight middle aged men and the accurate reporting of someone's sexual history. This is part of our ongoing series of investigations by the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit into who got federal stimulus dollars, and why some projects did not break ground more than two years after receiving the grant. U.S. has 55 daily encounters with "suspected terrorists" Law enforcement and homeland security personnel face an average of 55 daily encounters with "known or suspected terrorists" named on government watchlists, officials told Reuters. The figure - which equals more than 20,000 contacts per year - underscores the growing sweep of the watchlists, which have expanded significantly since a failed Christmas Day 2009 bombing attempt of a U.S. airliner. But officials note that very few of those daily contacts lead to arrests. A Censored Race War The media ignore racially motivated black-on-white crime. When two white newspaper reporters for the Virginian-Pilot were driving through Norfolk, and were set upon and beaten by a mob of young blacks — beaten so badly that they had to take a week off from work — that might sound like news that should have been reported, at least by their own newspaper. But it wasn’t. The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel was the first major television program to report this incident. Yet this story is not just a Norfolk story, either in what happened or in how the media and the authorities have tried to sweep it under the rug. Similar episodes of unprovoked violence by young black gangs against white people chosen at random on beaches, in shopping malls, or in other public places have occurred in Philadelphia, New York, Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, Washington, Los Angeles, and other places across the country. Both the authorities and the media tend to try to sweep these episodes under the rug. European leaders scramble to contain Greek debt crisis Leaders across Europe rushed to try to reassure nervous investors Wednesday that they were working to prevent Greece from an unprecedented exit from the eurozone and the damage that might cause for other troubled European economies. Greeks rushed to withdraw €800 million from Greek banks late Tuesday, fearful that they would soon be left with only less valuable currency if Greece were to return to the drachma. Obama to go over to-do list with congressional leaders President Barack Obama will urge congressional leaders Wednesday to agree to his economic agenda, one day after House Speaker John Boehner drew a line in the sand over what could be another bitter showdown between the White House and Congress later this year. The president will focus on his "to-do list" for Capitol Hill, a five-step plan of fiscal policies the White House says is aimed at building economic growth. Along with Boehner, Obama will sit down with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. GOP Is the Party of Women Democrats’ attempt to paint themselves as defenders of women and Republicans as insensitive to female concerns has no basis in reality, 14 GOP congresswomen write on Politico. “Democrats have been accusing Republicans of waging a ‘war on women,’ as if some honest disagreements between the parties — over matters like how an Obamacare mandate should affect religious institutions or the proper scope of federal law on tribal land — constitute a deliberate GOP campaign to take away women’s rights,” the women say. The Big Danger With big Banks Taxpayer safety nets such as the FDIC should be available only to banks that are in the loan business, not those in the investment business. In the early 1950s, when I was a young college graduate and a new employee of the Frost Bank, my great-Uncle Joe Frost, then CEO, told me that the very first goal we had was to return the deposits we received from customers. Our obligation was to take care of the community's liquid assets and manage them safely so others could use them (via loans) to grow. Frost Bank was not big enough to be saved by the government, Uncle Joe told me at the time, so we would always need to maintain strong liquidity, safe assets and adequate capital. I was impressed that making money was not high on his list of priorities, but he implied that profits would come if we observed sound banking principles. Lessons Learned Vetting VP Nominees I stand by my advice regarding Sarah Palin: 'high risk, high reward.' A short list of five to 15 leading Americans soon will be notified that the presumptive Republican nominee for president believes they are serious contenders to be his running mate. They will be asked for their agreement to join him on the GOP ticket if chosen, and in the meantime, to submit to a most intrusive and far-reaching vetting by lawyers and advisers working for the campaign. No other candidate, not even the presidential nominee himself, is subjected to the same scrutiny. I have been a lawyer on both sides of the Republican vice-presidential vetting process. I helped potential nominees navigate the vetting gauntlet in four elections, starting in 1976, and I had the honor of doing the vetting on behalf of John McCain's 2008 campaign. For those of you who've managed to steer clear of the revisionist HBO movie about that campaign, I led the team that vetted Sarah Palin, apparently the five most newsworthy days of my life. Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest award
for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed
upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United
States.
Generally presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress. The first award of the Medal of Honor was
made March 25, 1863 to Private JACOB PARROTT.
The last award of the Medal of Honor was made September 15, 2011 to Sergeant DAKOTA MEYER. Since then there have
been:
• 3458 recipients of the Medal of Honor. • Today there are 85 Living Recipients of the Medal of Honor. Versace,
Humberto ('Rocky')
Captain
Humbert R. Versace distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism
during the period of 29 October 1963 to 26 September 1965, while
serving as S-2 Advisor, Military Assistance Advisory Group,
Detachment
52, Ca Mau, Republic of Vietnam. While accompanying a Civilian
Irregular Defense Group patrol engaged in combat operations in
Thoi
Binh District, An Xuyen Province, Captain Versace and the patrol
came
under sudden and intense mortar, automatic weapons, and small arms
fire
from elements of a heavily armed enemy battalion. As the battle
raged,
Captain Versace, although severely wounded in the knee and back by
hostile fire, fought valiantly and continued to engage enemy
targets.
Weakened by his wounds and fatigued by the fierce firefight,
Captain
Versace stubbornly resisted capture by the over-powering Viet Cong
force with the last full measure of his strength and ammunition.
Taken
prisoner by the Viet Cong, he exemplified the tenets of the Code
of
Conduct from the time he entered into Prisoner of War status.
Captain
Versace assumed command of his fellow American soldiers, scorned
the
enemy's exhaustive interrogation and indoctrination efforts, and
made
three unsuccessful attempts to escape, despite his weakened
condition
which was brought about by his wounds and the extreme privation
and
hardships he was forced to endure. During his captivity, Captain
Versace was segregated in an isolated prisoner of war cage,
manacled in
irons for prolonged periods of time, and placed on extremely
reduced
ration. The enemy was unable to break his indomitable will, his
faith
in God, and his trust in the United States of America. Captain
Versace,
an American fighting man who epitomized the principles of his
country
and the Code of Conduct, was executed by the Viet Cong on 26
September
1965. Captain Versace's gallant actions in close contact with an
enemy
force and unyielding courage and bravery while a prisoner of war
are in
the highest traditions of the military service and reflect the
utmost
credit upon himself and the United States Army.From the Geoff Metcalf Archives OCTOBER 11, 1999 Pocket rocket: My flight with the Blue Angels © 1999 WorldNetDaily.com I recently had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly in the backseat of one of the Navy's F/A-18 Hornet Blue Angels. Prior to the day it happened, a friend (a former Marine combat aviator) sent me a humorous piece Rick Reilly had written for Sports Illustrated. Reilly wrote, "If you get this opportunity, let me urge you, with the greatest sincerity. ... Move to Guam. Change your name. Fake your own death. Whatever you do, do not go." I don't know Rick Reilly, and I rarely challenge opinion pieces of other writers. However, as counterpoint, permit me to share MY experience. My single regret is that once one has flown with the Blue Angels you never get to repeat the experience. For those of us lucky enough to strap 32,000 pounds of thrust to our butts, it is an O.T.O. (One time only) event. As a former Special Forces officer I had spent a lot of time in military aircraft: G.S.A. (Go slow aircraft) like helicopters, C-130s, Beavers, Otters, and even a few big jets (C-141s, et al.). However, no airborne experience I ever had (including a nighttime parachute malfunction in mountains) comes close to the adrenaline rush, heart stopping, G-force pressure of my ride with Lt. Keith Hoskins' G.F.A (Go fast aircraft). "Judge" (his call sign) graduated from college in 1988, the same year I turned 40. He has over 1,500 flight hours and over 240 carrier arrested landings. In our 45-minute ride he gave me a unique insight, appreciation, and -- admiration is too limp a word, awe is better -- yeah, awe for what these naval aviators do. I achieved my physical peak in the summer of 1971 after Airborne school imbued me with arrogance, and before Ranger school taught me humility. There are times that seems like yesterday. The day I met Keith Hoskins, 1971 was Jurassic, and notwithstanding any testosterone-induced fantasy ... I experienced a cruel reality check. Blue Angel pilots fly without oxygen masks AND without pressure suits. Pressure suits inflate and deflate to help an aviator keep blood in his upper extremities instead of their big toe. However these guys are flying over 600 miles an hour with only 18-quivering inches separating them wing tip to wing tip. They fly with their steering hand on their right thigh. A pressure suit would move that rock solid precise hand and rob them of the necessary (and lifesaving) control, which permits them to perform aeronautical miracles. So these guys learn to manage G-force with only muscle control. When G-forces impact the body, blood is forced to your lower extremities. Blue Angel pilots are rocks -- nerves of titanium interconnected with muscles of steel and icewater running through their veins. Reilly said his pilot was "the kind of man who wrestles dyspeptic alligators in his leisure time. If you see this man, run the other way. Fast." Not me. Wherever I was I'd want his pilot, and "Judge," or any other go-fast aviator right beside me or behind me. Prior to the flight we were briefed by AE2 Victor Melendez. He provided the safety briefing and flight orientation, and told us how to "Hook" during "G" inducing maneuvers. "Hooking" is an exercise in which you tighten your leg, thigh, and stomach muscles and force air by exaggerating the word "Hook." It looks and sounds silly, but it really works. I didn't catch on until I watched the video of my flight that "Hooking" also serves an additional purpose. The pilot hears you "Hooking" as he moves from 2-Gs to 3-Gs, to 4-Gs, to 5-Gs, to 6-Gs. When you stop "Hooking" (it happened to me at 6.1-Gs) you have blacked out, and the pilot knows to start easing up on you. If anyone had asked me if I blacked out, I would have guaranteed them I did not. However, the video of me in the back seat clearly shows me going "out" at 6.1-Gs. It was only for a few seconds, but I didn't even notice. Victor had also asked me a series of innocuous questions prior to strapping me into the rocket. He asked about my military service, so I told him. He asked if I had a call sign or nickname, and I told him. Ten seconds after climbing in the front seat, "Judge" knew my military experience, call sign, et al. I actually worried for a moment about this stud aerdale "messing" with the gray haired green beanie in the back seat. That was before he told me his dad had been in the 82nd and 101st Airborne. Lt. Hoskins is a gentleman, and a classy guy. I suffered no inter-service teasing, or "Neener-neener ... take that, ground pounder." He gave me the ride of my life. We taxied down the runway and gently climbed to 1,000 feet. We looked around the San Francisco Bay at the boats and the skyline, and "Judge" asked, "Are you ready?" Hey what could I say? "Roger that. ..." Then, he tilted the nose up (way up) and hit the gas. We were at 10,000 feet quicker than a minnow can swim a dipper. We had just pulled 5-Gs, and I didn't even know that my heart was lodged somewhere in my lower colon. It was way cool. We headed west over the ocean and I was given a 101 orientation in the capabilities of the remarkable F/A-18 and the young men who fly them. We performed every maneuver you get to see the Blue Angels perform, plus a couple not on the program. We did barrel rolls, loops, and hesitation rolls. We dived and banked, rose and dove again. We slowed down to 105mph and then accelerated to 640mph. We flew straight up, straight down, and upside down. I was fortunate. I did not get sick. Some do. Reilly observed in his piece that he "egressed the bananas. I egressed the pizza from the night before. And the lunch before that. I egressed a box of Milk Duds from the sixth grade. I made Linda Blair look polite.Because of the G's, I was egressing stuff that did not even want to be egressed. I went through not one airsick bag, but two. Biff said I passed out. Twice." OK, so I did black out for a couple of seconds. ... I survived the whole flight and every maneuver the Blue Angels perform. And I'd do it again in a New York second. When I write a list of my significant and personal accomplishments pride will compel me to list my Eagle Scout awards, my varsity letters, Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces stuff, books written and plaques in some drawers. However, forever at the top of my brag list will be 45 minutes I spent with one of America's best, brightest, and hardest: Lt. Keith Hoskins and his F/A 18 Blue Angel. |
  
     
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