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Monday, February 20, 2006

Baby Boom at Camp Lejeune!


Patti of Soldiers' Angels sends word that Camp Lejeune
is experiencing one heck of a baby boom --
and your help is needed.

Needed items:

diapers
blankets
bottles
formula
anything for babies!

If you can help, you can send your items to:

Warrior Spouses' Support Group
c/o Becky Klepper
2900 Saipan Dr
Tarawa Terrace, NC 28543



Graphics in this post courtesy of:

by Tech. Sgt. John M. Foster
February 17, 2006
Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team patrol Mosul, Iraq.

Presidents' Day - Hail to the Chiefs



Today is Presidents' Day. Originally set to commemorate George Washington's birthday during the last full year of his Presidency (1796), the holiday was in full swing by the 19th century. When Washington was born, the calendar in use back then put his birthday on the 11th of February, so initially, some people celebrated on the 11th, and others on the 22nd.

Early celebratory events included "Birthnight Balls," speeches, receptions, and local tavern revelry.

Abraham Lincoln's birthday was first observed as a holiday in 1865, one year after his assassination, when Congress held a memorial address. While Washington's birthday was a Federal one, Lincoln's birthday (February 12th) did not become so until much later, although it was a holiday recognized by several states. In 1968, Washington's official birthday celebration was moved to the third Monday in February (rather than always on the 22nd), in order to make celebration of the day easier. This was combined with the shifting of other important dates in order to create a uniform system of Federal holiday Mondays. The law took effect in 1971.

Also in 1971, President Nixon proclaimed the 22nd as "Presidents' Day," a day to honor both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all past Presidents. Officially, though, the day is still known as Washington's Birthday at the Federal level (Nixon's proclamation was not an Executive Order) although the term "Presidents' Day" is the common term. A move to officially change the name stalled in Congressional committee.

Presidents' Day Links / News:
The Presidents of the United States (WhiteHouse.gov)
History of Presidents' Day (patriotism.org)
Presidents' Day - What does it mean? (About.com)
Presidents' Day (Wikipedia)
History of the Presidential Seal (FreedomHQ)
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Washington Monument
George Washington Masonic National Memorial
Life in the White House

Seattle Times:
On Presidents Day, hail the chiefs — and their lives
Questions commonly asked about U.S. leaders
Some one-term wonders more easily forgotten
WAITING FOR A RIDE — Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division await airlift back to base after a successful operation in southern Mamadia, Iraq, Feb. 15, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Timothy Story

In Today's News - Monday, February 20, 2006

Quotes of the Day
"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."
-- George Washington


"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."
-- Abraham Lincoln

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. Official Warns Iraq on Gov't Formation; 24 Killed
Bombs kill 19 in Iraq after lull in violence
Two Kidnapped Macedonians Released in Iraq
Iraqi parties meeting obstacles
U.S. Envoy: Abuse in Iraq Was a Crime

Operation Enduring Freedom
Bin Laden Vows in Tape to Never Be Captured Alive (I'm OK with helping him make good on that, and just arranging the face-to-face with Allah)
Bin Laden compares US "barbaric" acts to Saddam's - Video

Homeland Security / War on Terror
'Unacceptable Risk'?
Video: Port Insecurity
Criticism mounts over Dubai plan to take over U.S. ports
Congressman says US should freeze Dubai port deal
Arab Company's Control of Ports Debated
Films tackle terror with comedy and real accounts
Nigerian Militants Threaten Oil Tankers
Pakistan Apologizes for Engineers' Deaths
Canada rethinks policy of unarmed border guards

Other Military News
U.S. Troops 'Devastated' Over African Chopper Crash
He knows thousands of Ill.'s Civil War soldiers (My great-great-grandfather was one)

Philippine Landslide
Marines Aid Philippine Recovery
Sounds Heard Under Rubble - Philippines workers seek noises' source
Hope of Philippine survivor miracle dashed
Few left to claim dead after mudslide in Philippines
Philippines village holds mass burial for the dead

Cartooning Muhammad
Iran Official: End Cartoon Riots
Afghan cartoon protesters threaten to join al Qaeda - Video
Hundreds Arrested in Pakistan Protests
Pakistan seals city amid protests

Hamas Rising
Hamas opens talks with militants on coalition govt
Arabs Seek to Secure Palestinian Funding

Worldwide Wackos
Russia, Iran Talk Uranium
Iran to pursue atomic research despite Russian plan - Video

Politics
Arabs to resist Rice isolating Hamas, Iran on trip
Clinton says administration's habit of secrecy hurt Cheney (Oh, now THAT's rich)
Does Robertson's rhetoric move the masses or hurt his cause?

XX Winter Olympics
Cops Hunt Olympic Ski Coach
LATEST OLYMPIC RESULTS (from Fox News)

Oddites
Old light bulb likely had burglar seeing green
2,600 messages later, official regrets giving out cell number
8 Japanese scammed by lure of $1 million bills

Other News of Note
At Least 65 Mexican Miners Trapped
Lawmakers call for revamp of disaster agency
Serbs, Albanians Discuss Kosovo's Future
Vietnam, U.S. Resume Human Rights Talks

Fox News
LeBron Dominates NBA All-Star Game in Houston
Historian David Irving Pleads Guilty to Denying Holocaust
Nebraska Sells Winning $365M Powerball Ticket
FULL SPORTS COVERAGE

Reuters: Top News
Another Alabama church damaged by fire
Scientists fear leaping carp to invade US Great Lakes
Europe gets poor marks in halting species loss
Scientists fear leaping carp to invade US Great Lakes
Anti-whaling ship hits diplomatic squall
Advocates threaten lawsuits to curb food marketing
Pledging continuity, Bernanke breaks with Greenspan
Sony PS3 launch could be delayed, aims for spring
S.Africa's Nedbank lifts year earnings by 65 pct
SES 2005 profit up but margin seen narrowing
IDT to buy Net2Phone for $28.1 mln
Sanofi shares fall as FDA delays anti-obesity drug
S.Korean brokerages surge on deregulation hopes
Germany's Conergy 2005 profit soars; shares rise
Stocks could see 3rd week of gains
Sanofi-Avenis shares fall
Digital options lighten load for tourists

AP World News
EU Considers Europe-Wide Bird Flu Plan
Water Supplies to 28,000 Chinese Suspended
Mubarak Challenger Appeals 5-Year Term
Drought Comes Again to East Africa
Small Plane Crashes Onto Ill. Expressway

The Seattle Times
Congress: One of the last smokers' havens in U.S.
Bipartisan effort keeps icebreaker based here
Humans at risk for animal diseases
Candy maker touts new chocolate's health benefits
Powerball winner yet to step into the spotlight
Study of zoo gorillas shows traits spring from culture
Bus rolls on snowy Wyoming road, injuring 39
Cult leader found fit to make appeal

Chicago Sun-Times
Gov jumps in with no-tax-hike vow
Diehards pack famed eatery one last time
Woman run over by husband dies
State takes cut of airport booty
Girl who raised funds for transplants dies
Chicago 3rd-grader dies in Okla. bus crash
Ill. helping take eagles off endangered list
Six hurt in latest racial violence at L.A. jail
'There's not enough of these guys in brown uniforms'
10 years for man who removed fingertips

Boston Globe: World
India tests people for deadly avian flu after strain found in birds

Military.com
Oliver North: Fueling Our Enemies' Engines
Joe Galloway: A True Tally of War's Costs
Bruce Fleming: Camaraderie
Winslow Wheeler: You'll Need a Rosetta Stone
Seabees Wage Gritty War
Anger Boils Over TRICARE
New Coin Heralds Joint Task Force Katrina

CENTCOM: News Releases
CJTF-HOA CH-53 CREWMEMBERS CONFIRMED DEAD

1ST BRIGADE, 1ST ARMOR DIVISION JOINS TASK FORCE BAND OF BROTHERS

IRAQI, MND-B SOLDIERS COMBINE RESOURCES TO NAB ROADSIDE BOMBS, CACHES, SUSPECTS

IRAQI, U.S. ARMY SOLDIERS SEIZE LARGE WEAPONS CACHE, DETAIN TERRORISTS

Department of Defense
U.S. Soldiers Uncover Weapons Caches - Story
U.S. Must Adapt in Public Opinion Battle - Story
10th Combat Aviation Assumes Mission - Story
Forces Destroy Bombs, Find Weapons - Story

ON THE GROUND
U.S. Troops Deliver Wheelchair to Disabled Girl - Story
Airborne’s Sports Map Promotes Camaraderie - Story

IN IRAQ
Iraqi Police Hand Out Donated School Supplies
Cadets First Graduates of Year-Long Training

IN AFGHANISTAN
10th Mountain Troops Join 'Team Paktika'
Task Force Devil Four-Mile Run Boosts Morale

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Rumsfelds Praise Volunteers - Story

TOP NEWS
IRAQ
Troops Foil Bombing, Uncover Plot
Iraqi Ops More Independent - Video
Forces Detain 106, Find Weapons
Casey: Certification Critical
4 Insurgents Killed, 16 Detained
Images Could Harm U.S. Troops
Air Strike Destroys Bunker
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq (pdf)
Multinational Force Iraq
Eye on Iraq Update (pdf)
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (pdf)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Engineers Attend Workshop
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Pace: Progress in Afghanistan, Iraq
Forces Bolster Maritime Security
Hospital's War is Against Death
Program Yields Counterterror Tools
Army Modernizes to Win Long War
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Navy Ships Provide Disaster Relief
Photos: Philippine Relief Efforts
All 'Accounted For' After Helo Crash
Sailors, Marines Help Victims
Web Special: Iwo Jima
Flexibility Needed to Fight Terror
Helicopters Crash Off Horn of Africa
Navy Reacts to Philippine Disaster
Bush Sends Supplemental Request
Exercise Africa Endeavor Planned
National Guard, Reserve Update

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Gitmo

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