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This is Dundej, he is a sweetie!
UPDATE: He belongs to my friend and neighbor, and he's an Arabian stallion. His name is pronounced "DUN-day"... I was helping her feed the ponies (she's got 9!) the other day. Of course, *I* wasn't much help, since I was moblogging, LOL
The lady who made this quilt did it all by hand, and the majority of the piecing kept her sane while she was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
The information sheet hanging next to the quilt says that there are almost 13,000 (yes, that's thousand!) pieces in this quilt!
Each one of those hexagons is 3/8" across. That's, like, the size of my pinkie nail! The quilter used the English paper-piecing method, which is very accurate, but there's huge amount of preparation.
Again, this was done by HAND!!! Yikes!
It's a lovely, lovely quilt - and what a great way to bring some beauty out of pain and illness.
Wait 'til you see this one! Wow!! This quilter meticulously planned each and every detail, including quilting even on the binding! It's no wonder this got a blue ribbon...
See that careful progression of values from light to dark to light? Those feathered stars require attention to detail and very careful, precise piecing so you don't lose those points...
Look at how the artist used quilting to add dimension and new design elements. A good quilt catches your attention at a distance, and lures you closer and closer. The closer you look, the more detail you discover!
The space between those lines of quilting is no more than 1/8" - and again, the artist uses the quilting to add detail and new elements.
You can see, on the right side of the picture, the double piping next to the binding, and on the left is a single line of piping which very subtly sets off anf frames the center of the quilt.
Speaking of binding, you can see the quilting on it, but here's a close up:
Just completely stupendous!
I just love this quilt. It's so simple, and yet very complex. The design is easy, easy, easy, but the careful choices in color, value and hue, and the way they're organized just make this quilt sing!
I really liked it... (and I think I need to take another picture...)
The pin-tuck detail in the border is lovely!
Here's a shot that will let you see the play of light across the quilt a little better:
Cats and quilts just go together! I think it's the snuggly-cuddly quality of both. Of course, I don't s'pose those fish are "feeling the love," though *grin*
The all seeing-eye...
And now a celebration of those wonderful purrs:
Each framed kitty was about the size of a post card, and the careful attention given to fabric selection really showed in the quilt. You could stand and look at this quilt and discover new nuances all day!
I love purrs and quilts - and when they're put together, they're wonderful!
Here's another fantastic quilt. Really, when I took this picture, it was like I was taking a picture of a picture. If you start to zoom in, though, you get a different story:
Pat Durbin made this quilt, and it must have taken her forever! As you close in, you can see that each "pixel" is actually a 1/4" square of fabric. She didn't sew them together like you normally would; I'm wondering if she actually fused it onto a backing.
The detailed quilting adds shaping and depth to the quilt, enhancing it so that the skin textures seem real. Ms. Durbin also overlaid this top with a very fine tulle. I think it's to help keep this together, but it is also a layer of depth so it looks even more real.
Look at the shine/reflection in one of the sunglass lenses:
I'm not sure if you're able to see it, but that little 9-patch which makes up that reflection - less than an inch across! - has its own little quilting motif and makes that reflection... reflect!
Wow. Just... WOW!
There are so many incredible, gorgeous quilts here - as always - that it's difficult to pick out one that *I* think is the best. However, this one didn't evn get a ribbon, which I think is a crime!
This is an original design by Irena Bluhm, it's 54' square, and she calls it "Hawaiian Punch." You can certainly see why: the bright colors the appliqué, the composition...
But take a close look:
Those vines are actually stitching, which enhances the light, airy feel of the corner motifs.
This is very detailed quilting - tiny stitches, densely placed (and no, it's not handwork - that is done my machine), with intricate free-hand designs.
How about that faux-trapunto?!
The quilting in the background is so thick that it makes the unquilted areas puff. The artist also used special pencils and inks to add shading in the appliquéd pieces, which further enhances the 3D effect.
Here's something to give you an idea of the scale of the quilting. My hand is perhaps 3 inches in front of the quilt. I was very careful NOT to touch the quilts: it's poor etiquette, and will also sully the quilts with oil and dirt from your hands.
At any rate, this unique and stunning quilt really knocked my socks off! Don't you agree?
Beautiful!
...is always the indigos! Oh, by the way - I'm HERE!
I'm leaving this morning to go to Hampton, Virginia, for the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival!
This has been an annual tradition for me and my sisters-in-law since I started quilting (sucked in, I tell you - it totally wasn't my fault!) eight years ago. I've only missed one year - last year - and that's because we'd moved and it was just too problematic. I was, however, remembered: my favorite vendor, Sandy McCay, had bundled up an indigo fabric pack for me! I always spend a fortune at her booth, because I love those South African Indigos so much.
At any rate, I'm going to - hopefully - ignore everything and enjoy wallowing in quilts, quilting fabric, quilting gadgets, quilting books, quilting conversations, and so on, for whis whole weekend! I posted several pictures two years ago (you should be able to see most, if not all, the posts here), and I plan to go crazy with it this year. Some of the posts will be via my cell phone, and I daresay that I'll go back and clean up/edit those posts, so if things look a little jumbled sometimes, have some patience and I'll fix it from my laptop. Eventually. 
So stay tuned to this quilt-blogging channel! Programming ought to commence at around 2 p.m., ET...
(And why do I keep hearing the Pointer Sisters singing "I'm So Excited!" in the back of my head??)
Oh, boy... I am in deep kimchee! Tagged by the dread and dark Lord of the Sith, the evil Emperor, the Sovereign of snark, the... *cough* Eh-hem... excuse me, I was gushing...
Well, anyway, the meme: I'm supposed to reveal six of my weirdnesses. Hm. All right, let's give it a try:
So, there they are, six weird things about Kat, which are probably not terribly weird, but the best I could come up with while I'm trying to pack to go to the Quilt Fest tomorrow! See, I told you the Emperor was EVIL, didn't I?
(UPDATE) Oh, I almost forgot - when the Beloved Husband and I got married, we spent our honeymoon night at the Hershey Hotel in Corpus Christi, TX, and had PB&Js and Dom Perignon for our midnight snack. And my darling man has a skeleton with a fluorescent green wig and a tie in his office. The skeleton's name is Harvey. Is that weird enough?
This morning I was doing my typical "thinkin' me thinks" in the car as I was listening to Liberty University's radio station. Dr. Eric Cantor was on this morning. He was speaking to women about the Perfect Man, and taking text out of the Song Of Solomon.
Now, the Song is a beautiful book of the Bible, but it's very rarely (in my experience) studied or taught. That's not terribly surprising, especially in Evangelical circles, because it is a passionate and detailed love song. Today we wouldn't really think of it as "graphic," but it is, really. It's full of loving, lustful passages that extoll the beauty and attractiveness of the lovers. Eagerly they describe each other in ardent detail, praising and affirming each other with single minded devotion... It's no wonder modern Christianity seems to be a little embarrassed by it!
But what we forget, in our zeal for purity and monogamy, is that God invented sex! Certainly, He fenced it 'round about with restrictions designed to protect our hearts, minds and bodies, but He never meant it to become a "guilty pleasure." Within the bounds of marriage, when a man and a woman have been united in holy matrimony, God's plan was for an intimate, joyous abandon: two people passionately and lovingly obsessed with each other, taking and giving pleasure with unreserved generosity. Sex was supposed to be fun. Sex was supposed to be sweaty and intimate.
Sex was supposed to be awesome!
Yet these days, we are so caught up in "image" and "SEX" and "perfection," that we've forgotten about what's real.
You know what? What's real is that I'm 43 years old and my husband of 20+ years still wants to jump my bones every chance he gets. What's real is that, in spite of the fact that *I* think I'm on the low side of average, he's still lustfully fascinated with me. What's real is that I think he's my "Perfect Man." What's real is that, even though his body has aged, too, he's still the sexiest guy I've ever known.
What's real is the fact that he loves me, and cherishes me, and knows me better than anyone (and no, that doesn't conflict at all with what I said in this post). What's real is that God has blessed me with a man of good character. The Beloved Husband is sexy, funny, loving, snuggly, firm (take that how you want), smart, and just right for me.
In the first chapter of the Song of Solomon, Dr. Cantor noted a verse where the Shulamite women says to her beloved:
Do not look upon me, because I am dark,
Because the sun has tanned me.
My mother's sons were angry with me;
They made me the keeper of the vineyards,
But my own vineyard I have not kept.
"She's saying, "I'm passable, at best.'" Dr. Cantor commented. But her Beloved replies,
Behold, you are fair, my love!
Behold, you are fair!
You have dove's eyes.
He loves her. He loves who she is. He loves the outer trappings, yes, but he loves them because of who she is.
Dr. Cantor went on to talk about older couples who still have stars in their eyes for each other after many years of marriage. Yes, their bodies have changed - added weight, sagging muscles, gray hair, and so on - but the souls that found each other and cleaved together so many years ago... haven't. Those souls have lived together and learned each other, growing closer and closer as the years go by, until they are completely intertwined in a precious web of love and intimacy.
My husband and I have been married for over 20 years. Each year, each day, we grow closer and love better. Every moment, we know more about each other, we see each other for who we are - and we love more deeply.
And he still wants to jump my old bones every chance he gets!
My beloved is mine, and I am his...
Perhaps I ought to start believing his image of me instead of mine, yes?
So, if you'll excuse me, this ravishing writer here needs to go offer some serious gratitude and love to the Best Husband in the Universe™!
Technorati Tags: sex, Song of Solomon, commitment, love, marriage
I first heard this beautiful song, "Our Great God," on the City on a Hill album Sing Alleluia. It is a rhythmic, driving, and dramatic duet between Mac Powell of Third Day, and Fernando Ortega. I believe Mr. Ortega actually wrote it, as it also appears as a solo on his album Storm.
Because of my odd ear (the first version of a song that I hear and like is always and ever, to me, the "original"), I prefer the duet. However, I highly recommend Mr. Ortega's albums, because they are superb! His voice, the simplicity of his recordings, and the purity of the lyrics - he loves to record old hymns - are simply out of this world, and excellent to listen to and meditate upon.
Of course, when I want to worship from my gut, Third Day cannot be beat. They have a southern-rock style which grabs you, shakes you up, and gets you dancing before the Lord before you know what you're doing! Mac Powell also has a wonderful duet with Randy Travis, "Love Lifted Me," on Randy's Worship and Faith CD. Mac's powerful, growly voice compliments Ortega's light, classical tenor as well as Randy's country bass, and you should go and listen to the samples on all the linked albums - I think you'll find a lot to enjoy.
But the words of this song never fail to make me lift my eyes to Heaven in praise and gratitude to the Living God, who reached down and rescued me from Satan's clutches. I now serve, however imperfectly, the One True God and live in His kingdom of light and love and righteousness.
Eternal God, unchanging,
Mysterious and unknown -
Father, You are so big! You are infinite, and we will never know You entirely. But You have given us Your Word, and so we know that You are holy and just, merciful and loving, righteous and powerful. We know that You created the world and all that is in it, and we know that You have created each and every one of us in Your image.
Your boundless love, unfailing,
In grace and mercy shown.
You shower Your love upon us each and every day: You offer Your salvation with a patient, consistent hand; You send the rain and guide the Sun; You hold the Universe together by the power of Your Word. You sustain our lives and each breath that we take, and You provide us all that we need. We know of Your great love by Your Word and the awesome sacrifice You made for our salvation on the Cross. The bounty of Your goodness and grace pours over us in an everlasting display of Your loving-kindness!
Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight
Around Your glorious throne,
They raise their voices day and night
In praise to You alone.
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory!" Thus sing the the seraphim endlessly, giving due honor and praise to their Creator. The Lord is high and lifted up, He is exalted above all the Universe, for it is His Word that brought everything into existence, and there is nothing made that He has not made. Father, help us to live in praise to You and follow the example of the seraphim; let us always keep Your perfect holiness in our minds, and live openly and humbly before You.
Lord, we are weak and frail,
Helpless in the storm.
Father, without You, we are lost and dead in our sin. We deserve judgment and Hell, yet You have reached down to us and provided Your salvation. You in Your mercy and grace have given us what we cannot earn and do not deserve: Heaven and eternal life. Father, remind us that in our weakness we may rest in You and Your power. Help us remember and trust that You are our mighty fortress, our strong tower of refuge. You hold us in Your hand, and nothing can wrest us from Your embrace.
Surround us with Your angels,
Hold us in Your arms.
Your love is displayed daily in Your protection and provision. Your holy angels watch over us at Your order, and while we are thankful, we still know that it is You and You alone who truly protects us. You will never leave us nor forsake us, and You will never desert us to our foes. We can do all things in the power of Your strength. You and You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. You and You alone deserve all honor and glory!
Our cold and ruthless enemy,
His pleasure is our harm!
Rise up, o Lord, and he will flee
Before our Sovereign God!
Satan is a defeated foe. He is but a creature, and will one day be undone with a simple word from Your mouth. True, he is powerful - but greater is Your Spirit who dwells in us. You have promised that if we resist the devil he will flee, but we can only do that in Your power and strength.
Let every creature in the sea,
And every flying bird;
Let every mountain, every field,
And valley of the Earth;
Let all the moons and all the stars
In all the Universe
Let all of creation acknowledge its Creator. Let all creation bow down before its Lord!
Sing praises to the Living God
Who rules them by His Word!
Our God - the Living God - is Sovereign and in control. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and there is no place we can hide from Him. He sustains the Universe by His power alone, and He does not sleep or grow weary. Our King is on His throne, guiding and protecting, providing and calling, judging and forgiving. His will is unstoppable, and there is none who can resist it. He is perfect in holiness and glory, and there is nothing which can compare with Him!
Amen!
I have finally succumbed to the addiction. I have been captured by the lure. I have joined the ranks of some of the most obsessive, the most creative, and the most devoted of quilters. I have become a “Janiac.”
I just started a new block of the month through a quilt shop in Texas, Stitchin’ Heaven. It will last for two years (!!!!), and if I’m diligent and persistent, I will have my own “Baby Jane.”
“So what?” you say. “What the heck is a ‘Baby Jane,’ anyway?!”
Baby Janes are quilts based on the famous (in quilting circles, anyway) masterpiece by Jane Stickle, which is dated 1863. There are 169 blocks set 13 x 13, as well as an intricate scalloped border with 52 pieced sections. Each of the interior blocks measure 4 ½” x 4 ½” and are exquisitely detailed. I’ve done two and am working on a third - and I’m already very impressed with Jane’s sewing skills.
I’ll be using the definitive Jane Stickle book, Dear Jane, by Brenda Papadakis, as well as the block construction notes provided by Stitchin’ Heaven. Brenda has a wonderful website dedicated to “Janiacs” and all things Jane - I highly recommend that you stop by and familiarize yourself with the project.
One of these days, I want to go up to the Bennington Museum, which houses the original quilt, so I can enjoy it firsthand. It is only put on display during September and October, so I suppose I’ll need to figure out a way to go up and visit my brother... Yeah, that’s the real purpose of going to Vermont. Really. Uh-huh! [rolling eyes at self]
So... Would you like to see what I’ve done so far? Of course you would! I will, however put it beneath the fold so this post doesn’t run on forever...
Had a little fender-bender this morning: I got rear-ended while slowing down to allow the car in front of me to take a right turn, and the guy who hit me also got hit himself!
I'm fine, he's fine (thank God for American Heavy Metal!), but the lady who hit him was getting a neck brace installed the last I saw her. I'm glad that I'm not at all at fault, but being in an accident isn't fun for anyone.
May I ask that you pray for that lady, so her injuries aren't too bad? While you're at it, join me in thanking God for His protection, AND for the blessing of driving this:
My baby didn't even have a dent! That's why I loooooove American Heavy Metal - even if I do have to take the hit in gas mileage!
One of the main themes of my blog is exposing the internal Islamification of the United States. CAIR is a big part of this movement to Islamicize our nation. Some smaller groups do the same. Even in the heart of Virginia, where many folks are pretty stodgy and conservative, Islamification is proceeding apace.
In a few days, the 910 Group will lead a demonstration to protest the naming of a road after a terrorist in Charlotte County, Virginia--near Charlottesville, the home campus of the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson, who confronted the Muslim Barbary Pirates, must be rolling in his grave over what's been happening in his old stomping grounds.
What? Demonstration
Where? Charlotte County Courthouse
When? February 20, 2007 @ 6:00 P.M.
Lots of information about Sheikh Gilani can be found HERE.
Excerpt about Sheikh Gilani, from this source:
Gilani, the founder of the terrorist organization Jamaat ul Fuqra, has rubbed shoulders with various members of the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, their mullah backers, and even Osama bin Laden himself. He has trained fighters for the battlefields of Kashmir, Chechnya, and Bosnia. Gilani was in Pakistani custody for the abduction of US journalist Daniel Pearl, but has since been released. Official sources in Pakistan have indicated that Daniel Pearl was attempting to meet Gilani in the days before he disappeared in Karachi. Pakistani police arrested Gilani in Rawalpindi on January 30, 2002 and shifted him to Karachi for questioning. Although he denied any link to the abduction, police also detained several of his colleagues. Consequent to his arrest, he reportedly told his interrogators that he had links with the Pakistani intelligence agencies.
CLICK HERE to read the 910 Group's February, 2007 newsletter, which contains additional information about Sheikh Gilani and about what's been going on in Charlotte County, Virginia.
Here are the details about the 910 Group's demonstration:
“NO ROAD SIGNS FOR TERRORISTS”
Demonstration is at 6:00 PM, before the Board of Supervisors meeting, at Charlotte County Courthouse.
TALKING POINTS:
1. We want Charlotte County to take down the “Sheikh Gilani Lane” sign.
2. Sheikh Gilani is a a known Islamofascist terrorist.
BRING: Camera, food if you don’t want to eat at the restaurant, signs that stay within the talking points.
PRE-DEMONSTRATION GATHERING:
4:30 to 5:00 PM. Mimmos Restaurant
102 David Bruce Ave
Charlotte Court House, VA 23923-3741
Phone (434)-542-4999.
It’s about half a mile west of the Court House on VA40.
A banquet room in back has been booked from about 5:00 PM.
OTHER INFORMATION:
The Board of Supervisors meeting is at 7:00PM. Anyone is entitled to speak up at the Board of Supervisors meeting, even if you are a non-resident. Just please stick to the talking points (take down the sign; Gilani is a terrorist).
The above has been posted at the request of the 910 Group. Read more about the 910 Group.
So far, only a few anti-dhimmitudinal demonstrators have committed to showing up on Tuesday--a sad commentary on the awareness of the community of Charlotte County, Virginia.
Go on over to the Right Wing Liberal, where DJ has the latest Virginia Blog Carnival up and running in style!
Make sure you go over and read all the good posts - hey, and they're NON-FATTENING!
Next week's host is Ward Smythe at the Ward View for the Mardi Gras Edition of the VBC. To join the party, make sure you send your RSVP to vablogcarnival -at- gmail -dot- com, or go the the Carnival's submission page and fill out the form.
Today, I went to church for the first time in quite awhile. I'm ashamed to confess that I have been so lax in my church attendance, especially after starting up my Sunday Thoughts with Kat ministry on Wide Awakes Radio. As a Christian - and especially as a teacher - I need to be under sound authority and accountability to make sure I'm not leading anyone astray and am walking the Gospel I proclaim.
Fortunately earlier this week I met the father of one of the Munchkin's schoolmates, and our conversation finally gave me the oomph to get off my rear end and get to church this morning. I went to Chatham Baptist Church for their early service, and stayed through Bible study, and was totally blessed! First off, I had people I knew who went there, and the Munchkin's school friend was there as well. Secondly, the Pastor returned a little early from a study trip, so I had the opportunity to meet him and his wife.
Believe it or not, they are both bloggers! She blogs at Goodthoughts and is a very talented artist, and he blogs at Confessions of a Small Church Pastor and at Amicus Dei. These - as well as the Church's "blog" - have been added to my sidebar, down on the right, and I'll be reading them in more depth as I get the time. Of course, I'm going to have to tease Pastor Chuck as to why Confessions is on Wordpress, while all the others are hosted by (my heroes!) TypePad, LOL
At any rate, it felt so good to be back in God's House on Sunday, and to worship with His children again! Why the heck did I allow my own laziness and "life" to get in the way of returning sooner?!
You know, this is another example of the kindness and grace of God: instead of whacking me upside the head (which I richly deserved) to get me back into church, He very quietly and sneakily crept around my back and gave me a firm but gentle push via my friends. I love the way God "sneaks." I certainly don't mean to be irreverant when I use that word - but it's really the simplest way I can describe the way God uses His providence and His family to grab me and shake some sense into me... and I don't think God will mind too much, since it accomplishes His purpose.
So, thanks to Ed and Angela for the push - and thanks to God for getting them to GIVE me the push!
Ok, no, I lied - no Super Bowl trivia, because I'm not going to embarrass myself by displaying my ignorance of the game. (Televised sports are not my subject - unless you're talking horses. Then I'm interested!) But, for you Colts fans, CONGRATULATIONS!! I am so glad that the winning coaches have no problem proclaiming their faith in and dependence on their Lord and Savior - good for them. For the Bears fans, maybe next year; keep trying, and don't give up!
First up, Ward Smythe presents Former Senator John Warner: An Idea Whose Time Has Come , and adds, "I've submitted several, so pick and choose as you see fit." Here are Ward's other excellent entries:
Isophorone submits Biden Seeks to Shift Blame, a parody on Joe Biden's disparagement of Barack Obama. Ack! A "new commandment"! I have too much trouble trying to keep the first Ten, and now you want me to add a twelvth?!
Andrew Clem, of Blog With No Name (now there's an honest guy!) sent in Novak on Luntz & GOP 'denial', (See, Andrew? I caught the proper title! Thanks for the e-mail reminder) which discusses Robert Novak's column on Frank Luntz, and includes a two-year blog compendium of conservative discontent about the Grand Old Party.
Rick Sincere News and Thoughts presents Is 'Income Inequality' a Legitimate Worry? Rick asks an excellent question, and you should read and evaluate the reasoning behind his answer: "Put more simply, by constricting the capacity of the affluent to create jobs and buy things, one ends up creating more unemployment and ultimately punishing the poor and middle classes."
Jack Yoest presents Charmaine on C-SPAN Flogs Mother in the Middle at Reasoned Audacity.
Adam sent in Righteousness of the Devout posted at Sophistpundit.. Oddly enough, it's probably not what you think: Adam is rather disgusted with presumptuous intellectuals, and his essay is quite absorbing. I'm going to need to re-read it!
DJ McGuire at the Right Wing Liberal is also on a roll this week. First, you need to read why we need to stay in Iraq until 2010. Then, if you're considering voting for Warner's re-election next year (NOT! - OK, that's one of my posts...), you should enjoy how DJ slices and dices Virginia's senior senator. Of course, it wouldn't be fair to leave Webb out, so DJ takes him to task as well. And then DJ eats the WaPo's idiot "military expert," William Arkin, as a midnight snack. *crunch, crunch* Not too tasty, though; it's more than a little rotten.
And, of course, I need to insert my own little snarks about William Arkin - but only because the man's a cretin and a traitor. Hostess' privilege, yanno...
Ew. What a disgusting person! Fortunately, I have a patriot whose post will wash that bad taste out of your mouth: BadRose (who's really quite wonderful, LOL) talks about Making the Ultimate Sacrifice. She talks about the simple dignity and grace of a Gold Star Mother and concludes
I share the vision of Vicki Strong, the vision of a free and prosperous Iraq. If she watched the State of the Union address this week, I hope she didn't notice the Democrats who refused to stand and applaud even the notion of victory in Iraq.How about rooting for America for a change?
Now, we've got the wild team up: Kilo and Wise Girl from Spark It Up!!! Wise Girl starts us out with Warriors in Pink - and I must admit I was confused at first (Hello? Pink??) until I realized that she was discussing breast cancer. Heck, yeah! Cancer survivors are definitely warriors!
Kilo gets into the act with Pro Art Cancels Remaining Shows - and it's probably a darn good thing, too, with that mess of an attempt at a "budget." Geeze, even I can see that being six-figures in the hole is a bad thing, and I'm no numerical genius!
Scott White - one of the new ODBA members - sent in a link to the Hasbro Terrorist Eradication Team, but it doesn't appear to be working. I am totally behind, but I'll e-mail Scott and see if I can correct this with the proper link - because *I* want to read it!
That's all for this edition - I think it was a very good round up, and I want to say THANK YOU for all these great posts!
Next week, DJ McGuire of Right Wing Liberal will be hosting, so submit your blog article to the next edition of Virginia Blog Carnival using the carnival submission form, or by e-mailing vablogcarnival -at- gmail-dot-com. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the VBC index page.
Technorati tags: virginia blog carnival, blog carnival.
I've spent the whole weekend wrestling with the installation of RocketPost 2.0, from Anconia. I've been using 1.5x for a while, and while it had its quirks, it was the best thing I've seen (and yes, I've tried quite a few off line blog editors). So, I thought, what the heck, and upgraded to 2.0... Oh, boy, I hope this works... FINALLY!
Well, I suppose I shouldn't lie: I also spent a lot of time quilting (got 309 stripsets sub-cut and ready for making baby quilts; loaded and got a good start on a big scrap quilt; did a fair amount of re-organizing my quilt-stuff...); dragging stuff out of the basement storage (well, the Best Husband did that...) and chucking it into the "hangar;" and adding shelves so I can store books, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes properly (again, thanks to the Beloved Husband!).
So, I didn't spend ALL weekend wrestling with R'Post... but it felt like it.
Will it work now? Oh, let me add a picture, just to make sure THAT works, too!
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A Gretna sunset before Christmas, 2006 |
UPDATE: Oh, good - it seems to be working fine. Now, if I could only get the rest of my posts into the RP database....
UPDATE 3.0 - Ah, I was wondering when Misha would shred Arkin to pieces. He begins
When the troops were finally (and kudos to NBC for having the balls to air a viewpoint contrary to the teachings of the Traitor Left) allowed to express their frustration with the tireless efforts of the objectively pro-terrorist Left Column to stab them in the back just like they did during Viet Nam, we fully expected the nutjobs in the media to throw a hissy and, right one cue, we have this in The Washington Compost:
... and of course the rest is a classically perfect snark-fisk. Make sure you go read!
And Ace hops aboard, too, saying
The big problem with kicking this little sissy's ass is that it would be too goddamned easy.
Again, read the whole thing! [/UPDATE 3.0. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program]
After all, they're the ones over there doing the job; why don't we listen to what our troops are saying about "redeploying" or "a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq. [emph mine]" (link)
McQ, over at QandO, publishes a YouTube video of an NBCNews (!!) interview with some of our soldiers:
"One thing I don't like is when people back home say they support the troops, but they don't support the war. If they're going to support us, support us all the way."
"If they don't think we're doing a good job, everything that we've done here is all in vain."
Yep. The troops are "feeling the love" from Code Pink, Michael Moore, Jon Kary (*smirk*), the RINOS, MoveOn, the SheHag...
It seems to me to be the perfect time to quote from Patrick Henry's pamphlet series, the Crisis. The first paragraph of the first pamphlet, dated 23 December, 1776, says:
THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated...
This wise man went on to say:
Tis surprising to see how rapidly a panic will sometimes run through a country. [...] Yet panics, in some cases, have their uses; they produce as much good as hurt. Their duration is always short; the mind soon grows through them, and acquires a firmer habit than before. But their peculiar advantage is, that they are the touchstones of sincerity and hypocrisy, and bring things and men to light, which might otherwise have lain forever undiscovered. In fact, they have the same effect on secret traitors, which an imaginary apparition would have upon a private murderer. They sift out the hidden thoughts of man, and hold them up in public to the world.
Indeed.
And now we seem to see these hidden thoughts exposed in many. The craven cowardice and the lack of discipline and resolution in the face of a threat to our country do in fact disclose "secret traitors."
Listen to the men and women who are there on the front line: they want to finish the job well. They want to persevere.
They want us to WIN!
(Crossposted to WAR)
UPDATE: DJ McGuire catches a WaPo columnist wallowing in liberal condescension and arrogance: William Arkin says "the Troops Also Need to Support the American People."
I'm sure the soldiers were expressing a majority opinion common amongst the ranks - that's why it is news - and I'm also sure no one in the military leadership or the administration put the soldiers up to expressing their views, nor steered NBC reporter Richard Engel to the story.
Oh, right, like we don't already get bombarded with anti-war claptrap in the LameStream Media already. Sure, they're always talking about how nobly and courageously our men and women do their job, right? The MSM is constantly talking about the lives saved, the medicines distributed, the schools built, the smiles and respect earned, the friendships made by our troops. Right?
*crickets chirping*
I'm all for everyone expressing their opinion, even those who wear the uniform of the United States Army. But I also hope that military commanders took the soldiers aside after the story and explained to them why it wasn't for them to disapprove of the American people.
Really? You want to explain to citizen volunteers why they can't voice their profound dissatisfaction with the constant refrain of "We can't win this war" and "Redeploy!" from spineless wimps who couldn't collectively gather a gram of honor or courage from amongst their ranks? Wow. I want to be a fly on that wall: it should be entertaining.
Mr. Arkin then quotes some soldiers from the video, as I have done, and then says:
These soldiers should be grateful that the American public, which by all polls overwhelmingly disapproves of the Iraq war and the President's handling of it, do still offer their support to them, and their respect.
Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order.
M'kay. Like, we've got hundreds of rape and murders we've been prosecuting, right? Oh, no, that would be the "insurgents." We've had our bad apples, yes - but they get prosecuted and jailed. You guys would far rather lionize the terrorists and give them a pass for their barbaric murders (torture - REAL torture, babycakes, beheadings, suicide bombers, killing civilians deliberately and regularly...). You assume "innocent until proven guilty" for our men and women in uniform, yet you want to extend rights equivalent to those of citizens to these Islamic monsters.
"These soldiers should be grateful that the American public..." Exactly backwards, Willy-boy. These men and women put their lives on the line in service of freedom and democracy while YOU sit on your fat rear end back home and toss spit balls on their honor.
So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?
Hey. NO WHERE did I see a call from the soldiers for you to give up your "rights and responsibilities to speak up." How about you learn some responsibility for the consequences of your juvenile little whine? Our enemies have access to the 'Net and our media - don't you think they're going to gloat gleefully over opinions like yours? You and your ilk, sir, give ample opening for the enemy to strengthen themselves and gorge themselves on America's lack of resolve and commitment.
By the way, our men and women aren't paid HALF of what they're worth, especially since they have to deal with your arrogant, supercilious and disdainful rhetoric while at the same time trying to exterminate inhuman cockroaches... AND they do it with loonies like YOU insisting they keep both hands tied behind their backs.
You, sir, are unworthy to polish the soles of their boots with your spit.
Now. Run along and find a veteran at Walter Reed or something, so you can get your ass properly whupped.
Idiot.
UPDATE 2.0 - Greta makes the excellent point in the comments) that the troops shouldn't decide, precisely, since our Armed Forces are under civilian command. I admit it was a somewhat poor choice of words on my part, but certainly the civilian command ought to at least listen to what our troops are saying and take heed?
As my blog-brother, Ward Smythe, says:
(Click the sticker to go to CafePress and buy it)
Also, you MUST go over to BlackFive for a glorious takedown of Mr. Arkin's drivel, and then visit Cassandra at Villainous Company to see Mr. Arkin receive another well-deserved beating.
