text:
To friends and loved ones who can't be with us; and to those who are no longer with us.
You are always in our hearts.
Auld Lang Syne (to days gone by)... farewell 2013.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy 2014.
[This is an annual post.]
It was late evening when I walked by and looked into the room.
Both legs gone, way up. The rest covered with bandages and surgical draping, even his face. What was left of his arms, post-op, was on boards out to both sides.
My body felt like lead. So heavy I was afraid the floor might give way beneath me. And I thought, this must be like the pain - and the love - Mary felt watching her son die for us.
Then, a voice in my head, saying over and over, "For God so loved the world, for God so loved the world... "
I asked his nurse if I could gown up and go in.
It was Christmas Eve.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
U.S. soldiers, dressed for the holiday as Santa Claus and an elf, watch the Afghanistan countryside from the tail of an aircraft after delivering bundles containing care packages, Christmas stockings and mail to soldiers stationed at a remote base in eastern Afghanistan, Dec. 24, 2013. The soldiers are assigned to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Thomas Cieslak.
Soldiers enjoy a Thanksgiving meal on Combat Outpost McClain, Afghanistan, Nov. 22, 2012. The soldiers are assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Roland Hale.
We're thankful for so many things - for the blessings that come with being citizens of our great nation, for those who defend our freedoms, for those who care for our wounded, and for generous and patriotic Americans who support them. THANK YOU to all of our donors for caring about our warriors here at Landstuhl hospital!
We hope you and your family have a warm and happy Thanksgiving and reflect on the many blessings that we share as Americans. We ask that you remember the families of our Fallen who will have an empty place at their Thanksgiving tables.
429 Blankets of Hope and Counting!
Since 2010, the Ladies of Our Lady of Perpetual Help #2206 of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas have been meeting monthly at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Newport News, VA to make blankets for the patients at Landstuhl.
"Of course the Army has blankets", said Christine Hyatt. "But these are special. They are made by someone from home, with love."
Thank you Christine and the rest of the Ladies for your dedication to our wounded warriors who have given so much for all of us!
See more in this article about the group (including a note from a recipient of one of their blankets) on page 10 of CDA Share magazine.
Students Mobilize Community to Build Home for Wounded Warrior
When Jerral Hancock came home from Iraq missing an arm and in a wheelchair, he found he couldn't get around his tiny mobile home. This is an incredible story about local high school students who decided to build him a better home. They have raised over $260,000 so far and are still going strong...
More on Jerral and the students here, with lots of photos.
Jerral, you are so loved!
Thank you, Veterans!
To everyone who has ever dedicated themselves to serving our great nation, we salute you. Thank you for your service!
Never have so many owed so much to so few.
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference...
... the Marines don't have that problem."
- President Ronald Reagan, 1985
In Loving Memory of Captain Matthew Ferrara
Captain Matthew Charles Ferrara
14 October 1983 - 9 November 2007
Today we remember Matt Ferrara and six other Heroes killed 9 November 2007 while conducting combat operations near OP Bella in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. Eight more Sky Soldiers and 11 ANA were wounded.
Then-1LT Matthew C. Ferrara, SGT Jeffery S. Mersman, SPC Sean K.A. Langevin, SPC Lester G. Roque and PFC Joseph M. Lancour of Chosen Company, 2-503rd PIR, 173rd ABCT and Marine Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks of the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center were killed in the attack which occurred while returning to their outpost from a meeting with elders in a nearby village.
In 2008, Linda Ferrara wrote an article about her son Matt for New Zealand's The Listener titled "Our Matty is Gone". Linda is a native New Zealander, and as a dual US-New Zealand national, and Matt was the first New Zealander to die while serving in the war in Afghanistan.
In the article she shares moments like the dreaded knock at the door early that November morning ("One of my babies was gone. I knew it – they didn't have to say anything."), the calls she and her husband had to make to Matt's siblings ("I discover there is no kind or gentle way to say, "Your brother is dead.""), and the subsequent gathering of the family ("Friends arrive, food appears.").
But mostly she shares memories about Matt's life, as only a proud and loving mother can.
He sent us all into a panic when he was barely two, leaving the house on his own and walking over to the tennis courts at the local high school.
He could disappear in a store in a flash, leaving me at first angry, then frantic when I could not find him, and no amount of reasoning or threats could dissuade him from this practice. He felt safe and completely at ease and could not understand my anxiety.
I never cured him of this habit; the only thing that changed was that it was not as bad to lose a 10-year-old as a two-year-old.
He was smart, very smart, and I often felt he knew more than the rest of us, and along with his strong will, he was also brave.
Evidence of his bravery and his intelligence continued later when he followed in his older brother's footsteps and was accepted at West Point.
Just a few months after he entered West Point, the future of the United States was violently changed by the events of September 11, 2001. Matt was not intimidated by the thought of what this meant.
He graduated from West Point in May 2005, near the top of his class, with a major in Chinese and economics. He joined the infantry, and after graduation became a Ranger, and was assigned to the 173rd Airborne in Vicenza, Italy, a choice post.
Matt lived life to the fullest, and in the year before going to Afghanistan he travelled all over Europe "running with the bulls, jumping off cliffs in Croatia, scuba diving wrecks in the Mediterranean, skiing the Alps, spending weekends in Paris, and touring Ireland with a friend."
What a wonderful mother's tribute to the life of her son, the willful boy who became a Man - and a leader of Men.
The Ferrara family at West Point Cemetery. The inscription at the bottom of the headstone reads, "Well Done, We Love You". Photo courtesy of the Ferrara family.
Our love and prayers are with Matt's family and the families of his brothers-in-arms who gave their lives for each other, their loved ones, and their country on 9 November 2007. We will remember them always.
CJTF-82 Heroes of the Week
Why we fight: Because "all of humanity is our tribe", by Linda Ferrara
America's Veterans, the Heroes Among Us
[Originally posted 11 November 2007.]
This is how I remember Veterans when I was a kid. Some of them were younger than this, like my Dad and his friends. But of course they seemed a lot older to me at the time.
They were just regular guys, like my Dad. They were his buddies at the Volunteer Fire Department, or they were cops, or they were the local shopkeepers. Some of them, like my Dad, got on a bus every day and commuted to the city to work office jobs. They were my parents' friends who showed up at the neighborhood 4th of July picnics and played horseshoes, or who got tipsy at the New Year's Eve parties.
A couple of times a year, though, they were different. Memorial Day. Veteran's Day. That's when they put on their uniforms and, although there was joking, they got a little more serious. They stood up straighter. They were proud. Not of themselves, you understand. They were proud to have served, proud of their fellow veterans, and they were proud of our country. You could tell they were thinking about old times, and old buddies. And there was a bond; they were a band of brothers.
Here's a story about one of these regular guys from a town near where I grew up.
An Army medic, Staff Sergeant Max Warshaw, was awarded 11 medals and a Combat Medic Badge in World War II.
He received his first Bronze Star medal in 1942, in the North African Campaign. His regiment was fighting the Germans in Algeria. He risked his life by exposing himself to the enemy to help his regiment's wounded lying in open areas.
Two days later, Warshaw was wounded by shrapnel. "An artillery shell blew up right near me," he recalled, "it didn't knock me out and I didn't require hospitalization. However, for many years I would still need to have artillery shrapnel removed."
In 1943, Warshaw received his first Silver Star medal for gallantry in action in Tunisia.
On D-Day, he landed with his outfit in Normandy, where he was one of the first to hit Omaha Beach. It was for his heroism on June 14 and 15, 1944, that he received his second Bronze Star medal.
His division kept pushing the German Army back to its own country. It was in Aachen, Germany, on October 13, 1944, that Warshaw received his third Bronze Star medal. He constantly exposed himself to the enemy to administer first aid to the wounded.
Three days later, he was again awarded the Silver Star medal for heroism and gallantry beyond the call of duty.
On November 25, 1944, Staff Sergeant Max Warshaw was captured by the Germans. They gave him a medical kit to care for the other prisoners of war. He was liberated five months later and sent to England for medical care.
Can you tell which one is him?
I can't, either.
It doesn't matter. It's all of them.
Dream comes true for wounded warrior and family: A 'forever home'
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From Click2Houston.com via our dear friend Bill Toppin, Andy's Dad:
It was a dream come true for a veteran and his family, who were handed the keys to their mortgage free home today.
"From the moment that we hit the street, and then the driveway and then you walk in the front door, it was just gorgeous," said Ashley Toppin, the veteran's wife.
For Andrew and Ashley Toppin, a permanent place to call home for their family, is more than they could have ever dreamed, especially after their whole world nearly was torn apart just a few years ago.
"I drove over a road side bomb and it came through, hit the center of the vehicle and the vehicle caught fire, I got out," said Andrew.
In December 2009, Andrew was wounded in Iraq. He suffered the loss of his right leg and injuries to his face, arms and left leg.
"I remember getting loaded onto the helicopter and getting transferred and I kind of passed out, and I woke up in January 2010," Andrew said.
Nearly four years later, the Toppins are grateful to have each other, their daughter and another son born in August. Their dream of owning a home became a reality through a special partnership with Building Homes for Heroes and JP Morgan Chase & Co.
They plan to move in as soon as they get everything packed up.
We're just thrilled for Ashley, Andy and their beautiful family and wish them many, many years of happiness in their new home!
Marine Lance Corporal Ricky Slocum - Forever in our Hearts
Marine LCpl Richard "Ricky" Slocum
Feb 2, 1985 - October 24, 2004
"It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray haired.
But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives – the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to everything for our country, for us.
And all we can do is remember."
- Ronald Reagan
Thinking of you Kay, Bob, and all of Ricky's family and friends today. I promise to remember him always.
Ricky will be forever in my heart.
Ranger delivers 'salute seen around the world'
From the Facebook page of Taylor Hargis, wife of Army Ranger Cpl. Josh Hargis:
I received this picture today along with a letter from the commander of the team Josh was a part of on the night of his injuries. A letter to explain to me what kind of man I have the privilege of being married to. He explained to me what happened and what was going on in the picture.
"Josh was seriously wounded as you know and survived for almost two hours after his injury before arriving to the hospital. Josh was immediately pushed through a series of surgeries and emerged hours later into an intensive care unit here at our base in Afghanistan. Despite being in intense pain and mental duress, Josh remained alert and compassionate to the limited Rangers that were allowed to visit him bedside.
Prior to Josh being moved to Germany for his eventual flight to America, we conducted a ceremony to award him with the Purple Heart for wounds received in action. A simple ceremony, you can picture a room full of Rangers, leaders, doctors, and nurses surrounding his bedside while the Ranger Regimental Commander pinned the Purple Heart to his blanket. During the presentation the Commander publishes the official orders verbally and leaned over Josh to thank him for his sacrifice.
Josh, whom everybody in the room (over 50 people) assumed to be unconscious, began to move his right arm under the blanket in a diligent effort to salute the Commander as is customary during these ceremonies. Despite his wounds, wrappings, tubes, and pain, Josh fought the doctor who was trying to restrain his right arm and rendered the most beautiful salute any person in that room had ever seen.
I cannot impart on you the level of emotion that poured through the intensive care unit that day. Grown men began to weep and we were speechless at a gesture that speak volumes about Josh's courage and character. The picture, which we believe belongs on every news channel and every news paper is attached. I have it hanging above my desk now and will remember it as the single greatest event I have witnessed in my ten years in the Army."
Hargis, whose special operations unit is based at Fort Benning, Ga., was wounded October 6, 2013 when an Afghan woman detonated a suicide bomb vest in Panjwai in Kandahar Province and triggered 13 other explosive devices. The blast killed four members of Hargis' 3rd Army Ranger Battalion and wounded 12 other American soldiers.
To those of us at Landstuhl and other military hospitals, the valiant behavior of our wounded warriors is something that remains with us forever. We're so grateful to Josh's commander and his wife Taylor for sharing an intimate moment for the rest of the world to see. Our thoughts and prayers are with Josh, his family, and all the Heroes wounded and killed in this attack.
They Came in Peace
This is an annual post.
Beirut, 23 October 1983
"Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I've watched all your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers-in-arms"
From Brothers-in-arms: 'They came in peace' by Lance Cpl. Jeffrey A. Cosola.
Originally posted 23 October, 2005.
Update 23 October 2012, from Jeremy in comments.
Update 23 October 2013, from Stars & Stripes: Beirut bombing survivor: 'The worst part for me is that nobody remembers'
Wounded warrior makes final jump
Staff Sgt. Johnnie Yellock Jr. prepares for his final jump before being medically retired Oct. 16, 2013, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Yellock endured 28 surgeries and two years of intense physical therapy to be able to walk again after his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device during a 2011 deployment to Afghanistan. Yellock is a 23rd Special Tactics Squadron combat controller. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. John Bainter) (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. John Bainter)
From AirForce.mil, by Capt. Victoria Porto, Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs.
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) -- One by one, Airmen from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron lined up at the back of a C-130 Hercules, paused, then stepped off the aircraft Oct. 16, completing their free fall training jump into the picturesque water of Florida's Emerald Coast.
For Staff Sgt. Johnnie Yellock Jr., this jump was two years and 28 surgeries in the making.
In 2011, Yellock, a 23rd STS combat controller, was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While on a mission checking Afghan local police outposts, his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.
"When I opened my eyes, I was on top of the truck with my legs hanging down onto the bed," Yellock said. "I had open fractures on both of my feet through my boots."
Despite his injuries, he continued to pass information to his team, including the details for a helicopter landing zone for his own medical evacuation.
"I'd been in the career field for years and I was trained for this type of situation, trained on medical trauma care," he said. "I took pride in the knowledge I had, and I was confident I'd be able to help a teammate if needed. I didn't expect it to be myself."
For two and a half months his parents and sister stayed by his side while he was recovering in the hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Once released, he began his outpatient rehabilitation and the long road to recovery. The first year, he stayed mostly in a wheelchair before he was finally able to walk, first with crutches, then unassisted.
The idea for the jump originated in the 23rd STS as his leadership was coordinating his return to Hurlburt Field to outprocess and medically retire Oct. 18.
"We have a lot of wounded warriors in various stages of recovery, and maintaining care and contact with our wounded brothers is important to us," said Lt. Col. Mason Dula, the 23rd STS commander. "Of course, the jump is important for (Yellock) and a nice exclamation point for his career, but it's also equally important for the guys in our squadron to see him come back and see the commitment we have with all of our wounded warriors. They are still our teammates."
Yellock said his leadership made sure his doctors approved and that he could accomplish multiple tasks to prove he was ready, like swimming 100 meters with his gear on and going to wind tunnel training to show he could handle a free fall.
"People have said this is a symbol of resilience -- my attitude -- since the injury hasn't gotten me down," Yellock said. "But I tell them anybody in my situation, any of these other special tactics operators would handle it in the same way. I just hope they wouldn't have to."
During the jump, Yellock was surrounded by his fellow operators and teammates from the deployment, and supported by the same leaders who were there when he was hurt. He said that was even more meaningful than the jump itself.
"It just represents (Air Force Special Operations Command's) never-ending support for our wounded guys and our fallen comrades," he said. "I may be retired from the military, but I'll always be a combat controller."
Remembering Staff Sergeant Brian Cowdrey
This is a repost from 2011 in memory of a friend and Hero, Brian Cowdrey. Always loved, always remembered.
Prior stories about Brian:
All-American DUSTOFF (II)
All American DUSTOFF
The Gypsies
'No one dies in my aircraft'
DUSTOFF!
We are deeply saddened to learn that Staff Sergeant Robert 'Brian' Cowdrey was killed on October 13 while serving with the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. According to his wife Jill, he was on a mission treating patients when he came under enemy fire.
In the above photo taken in February of 2010, Brian was captured by AP photographer Brennan Linsley while comforting a patient aboard his MEDEVAC helicopter during Operation Mushtarak in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. As Brian himself said about the photo, "this picture sums it all up".
Brian can also be seen in action during his 2009/2010 Afghanistan deployment here, and another article about his unit can be found here.
Brian was serving his fourth deployment in a combat zone. Prior deployments were Operation Iraqi Freedom 2004/2005, Operation Enduring Freedom 2007/2008, and Operation Enduring Freedom 2009/2010.
He loved his job, and he loved his family. To say he impacted the lives of countless people is an understatement. To some, he swooped down from the sky to rescue them on the worst day of their lives. To others, he provided inspiration through his career of compassionate and courageous dedication. One of his three sons has followed in his father's footsteps and is currently serving in Germany. To all three of them, he has been a Dad - and a Hero. To his friends, his faith, enthusiasm and caring nature were a joy. And to his wife, he was a loving partner and best friend.
Brian's shadow and that of his DUSTOFF helicopter as he goes down the hoist to treat the patients seen at the lower left in September 2011. Like many other MEDEVAC missions, it was carried out under enemy fire. Photo courtesy Brian Cowdrey.
This is how we will always remember Brian - his Dedicated Unhesitating Service To Our Fighting Forces. Our love, prayers, and deepest condolences are with his family.
Update: Others honoring Brian include Assoluta Tranquillita and Blackfive. Brian had just finished conducting this first of what was to be a series of interviews with War on Terror News when he was killed.
Members of the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade held a memorial service in Afghanistan for Brian yesterday. The moving photographs can be seen here. And here is the Dignified Transfer at Dover Air Force Base.
Gold Star Mother's Day
"The service rendered the United States by the American mother is the greatest source of the Country's strength and inspiration.
We honor ourselves and the mothers of America when we revere and give emphasis to the home as the fountainhead of the State.
The American mother is doing so much for the home and for the moral and spiritual uplift of the people of the United States and hence so much for good government and humanity."
Whereas the American Gold Star Mothers suffered the supreme sacrifice of motherhood in the loss of their sons and daughters in World Wars, Public Resolution 12 provides: the last Sunday in September shall hereafter be designated and known as "Gold Star Mother's Day".
- The preamble to Public Resolution 123, approved June 23, 1936, the first legislation to provide recognition for Gold Star Mother's Day.
Words cannot express how much we love and honor our Gold Star Mothers.
Sorrow and Resolve
Like all Americans, my memories of that day are vivid: The unbelievable sight of the burning towers, the horror and despair of the jumpers, the shock of realization when the Pentagon was hit: America is under attack.
And as the towers fell – first one, then the other – time seemed to stop as I slumped forward in my chair and felt the cries of a thousand souls from a black void.
Then something else swelled up: Fury. They finally got what they wanted; what they've wanted since 1993.
Over time, it became clear to me that until then I'd been living in what now seems like my own little world, concerned with my own petty little problems. I'd taken so much for granted. In particular, I realized I'd never fully understood what it meant to be an American. I had no personal experience with the concept that our country was something worth living – and dying – for. It was a kind of Pinocchio moment: "Now I know I'm a real boy, because I can feel my heart breaking."
What I didn't know then is that a heart can break a thousand times.
Although 9/11 is often called 'the day the world changed', the fact is that for most Americans, our lives since then have changed in what are essentially inconsequential ways. But for almost 3,000 families – killed in an act of terror simply because they went to work that day, or because they responded to help their fellow citizens – every minute of every day for the past 12 years has been lived with the painful loss of a loved one.
And as the global war on terror that began as a result of 9/11 started, brave men and women stepped up to risk their lives to protect America and prevent future acts of terrorism. Their families stepped up with them, enduring long, multiple deployments filled with challenges, loneliness, and worry.
Over 45,000 warriors have sustained life-altering physical injuries, and many more suffer from invisible wounds. Another 6,728 made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and 6,728 more families joined the original 3,000 in suffering every day from their indescribable loss.
For all of them, the world truly did change after 9/11.
It is said there is no greater love than that of someone who is willing to lay down his life for another. As a volunteer at Landstuhl, I have had the privilege to be in the company of Heroes, for whom the words Duty, Honor, Country are a way of life.
Twelve years later, each and every time I see a Wounded Warrior, my heart still breaks with sorrow - and swells with pride and resolve.
"Today is a day to be proud to be American!" cried a warrior from the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
September 11, 2013 is a an even prouder day to be American.
"Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look."
Back in May we asked for your help, and over the summer you delivered! The boxes kept rolling in - both large and small - and we've been grateful for each and every one. Your generosity has enabled us to support the influx of patients during the busy summer months. We'd like to thank all of you who stood up and answered the call. We feel so blessed!
We hope we can continue to count on your support as we prepare for the cold months ahead. We still have about 60,000 military personnel deployed to Afghanistan and those who are medically evacuated to Landstuhl will be especially grateful to receive warm clothing.
Most-needed items:
- Sweatpants and Zippered Hoodie Sweatshirts (M, L, XL - black or gray)
- Plain white undershirts and plain t-shirts (M, L, XL - short sleeved, crew neck, any color)
- Lounge/sleep pants/pj bottoms (M, L, XL - any color or pattern)
Details and the complete list can be found here.
(Many of our needed clothing items can be purchased online at Hanes or Walmart and sent directly to us. Here's an example from Walmart and another example from Hanes. If you choose this method, please email us with your order number and/or call your order a "Gift from... " with your name while placing your order so we can track and confirm your shipment.)
Thank you again for your support of those who are sacrificing so much for all of us.
Staff Sgt. Ty Carter receives Medal of Honor. (credit: Pool)
"I am an American soldier, just like thousands who have served, will serve and are continuing to serve this great nation."
- Staff Sergeant Ty Carter
Yesterday, SSG Carter received the Medal of Honor for his actions at COP Keating in 2009. Leo Shane of Stars and Stripes reports:
Carter is the second Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of Kamdesh, one of the few fights in Afghanistan to catch the attention of the American public. Clint Romesha received his award earlier this year, for fighting done on the other side of the remote Army firebase.
On Oct. 3, 2009, more than 300 Taliban fighters descended on Combat Outpost Keating, a soon-to-be-abandoned site near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, in a well-coordinated ambush. Eight U.S. soldiers would be killed in the daylong battle, and 22 wounded.
When the fighting began — a hail of bullets from above, almost immediately overwhelming the 54-man force inside the COP — then-Spc. Carter was asleep. He rushed into battle wearing a tan T-shirt and PT shorts but did manage to grab his body armor.
He spent most of the day out of uniform, just trying to survive.
Carter and three others were pinned down around a sandbagged Humvee serving as a guard tower, dodging between cover as the enemy advanced.
He watched two friends die in the early assault and two more die trying to support his position. Another, Spc. Stephan Mace, was gravely wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade and left stranded in the middle of the kill zone.
Carter ran onto exposed ground to pull the almost lifeless Mace to safety. He had to make two trips — out to stabilize the fallen soldier, back to coordinate cover fire with Larson, out again to drag Mace across the kill zone back to relative safety.
On his next scavenging mission, Carter found a fallen comrade's radio and managed to connect with the men across the COP. They set up an evacuation plan, got themselves out of the Humvee prison and took Mace to the medics.
"I had told myself long before that if I ended up in that kind of situation, I wouldn't let fear make my choices for me," Carter said. "All I thought about was supporting [our] men."
Carter still describes his actions largely as a failure, especially when reflecting on Mace's death. Mace's mother, Vanessa Adelson, disagrees.
"My son didn't die in the dirt alone, because of what Ty did," she told reporters last week. "After seeing another soldier get killed trying to rescue my son, Ty still went out there to save him.
"Because of what he did, Stephan had a few more hours with his brothers. He was able to speak with them (before he was evacuated). He was joking about getting a beer with the surgeons afterwards.
"Because of Ty's actions, my son died thinking that he was coming home. He was at peace."
Staff Sgt. Ty Carter, part of the White Platoon fire team, 8-1 Cavalry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, provides overwatch on a road near Dahla Dam, Afghanistan, July 2012. COURTESY OF THE U.S. ARMY.
Carter didn't attend Romesha's Medal of Honor ceremony, saying the 4-year-old battle still felt too raw for him. He talks about the nine losses his troop suffered in that battle — fellow soldier Ed Faulker Jr. battled PTSD and took his own life a year after the attack.
He has been open about his own struggles with PTSD, and said he hopes to use the new honor as a forum to talk about the stress of war and the stigma of seeking mental help. He deployed again to Afghanistan last year and has been in counseling to help him handle the battlefield horrors he can never unsee.
"America's citizen soldiers are doing amazing things to make them proud," he said. "But people need to be more aware of the wounds of combat, both the visual wounds and the unseen ones."
That's the man he wants people to see receiving the nation's highest military honor: a U.S. soldier who did his job and is struggling with the aftermath.
There's lots more to the article here.
And here are SSG Carter's remarks after yesterday's ceremony. MUST SEE.
Oh beautiful, for heroes proved,
In liberating strife,
Who more than self, our country loved,
And mercy more than life,
America, America, may God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain devined.
(From Ray Charles' rendition of America the Beautiful)
America falls in love with Jesse and Kelly Cottle
Jesse and Kelly Cottle. Photo: Sarah Ledford.
BOISE, Idaho -- A photo of former Marine Jesse Cottle and his wife is going viral on Facebook.
Jesse joined the Marine Corps in August 2003. He had a very dangerous job: To find and dismantle improvised explosive devices.
It was on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009 when Jesse's life changed forever.
"About five hours into that patrol, into that mission, I was struck by an anti-personnel IED," Jesse said. "It was a pressure plate, I stepped on it and lost both legs right away."
One of his fellow Marines was wearing a helmet camera, and the explosion that injured Jesse was caught on tape.
"I remember most everything," he said "I was awake the whole time."
Jesse says it was rough going at first, but support from friends and family helped him through it.
"It was tough and it is tough in general, but I just kind of always had the attitude that it's really tough now but things will just be okay, and I had my family around me I had good friends and basically just my faith really helped me to carry me through and I was lucky to be able to go through the tough recovery, and then still live my life, and meet my beautiful wife."
He met his future bride, Kelly, during his recovery. She was a swimmer for Boise State and the pair met during a swim meet in San Diego.
"I just remember being very intrigued by him," Kelly said. "He was just very different and not just because of his legs, just who he was."
They were married last year and now make their home in San Diego.
Recently, while in Idaho visiting Kelly's family, they took family portraits.
"It was a normal photo shoot, we finally got together and Jessie had his legs on and everything," said Kelly.
Photographer Sarah Ledford suggested a picture in the water.
"So we said 'well, you can just pop off your legs and get on one of our backs and we'll take you in' and so, 'cause that's just how we get around sometimes, like at the beach," said Kelly. "It's just pretty normal, so he hopped back on my back and then Sarah's like 'oh, we'll take some couples shots.'"
Ledford posted one of those shots on her Facebook page. She had no idea the image of Kelly carrying Jesse on her back would get the reaction it did.
"Overwhelming, I can't even keep up with my page," said Ledford. "The picture just blew up, America just fell in love with Jesse and Kelly."
More at the link, and you can watch the entire interview below.
There's also a documentary about Jesse, his injury, and his recovery called "Coming Home". You can watch it here.
"God kept me a live for a reason"
First Lt. Ryan Timoney and wife, Kelby, is greeted by his mother, Diane Timoney, after the hero's welcome he received along the route to his parents' house in St. Johns County. He's gone through six months of surgery and rehab for wounds received in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan. Photo: Bob.Self@jacksonville.com.
A wonderful homecoming for a Soldier who almost didn't make it. Ryan's recovery is one of those miracles we always pray for.
Veteran's welcome home: 'People you don't even know appreciate what you have done'
Posted: August 16, 2013 - 3:35pm
By Beth Reese Cravey
He had been home for quiet visits before, in between surgeries and rehabilitation, since he was severely wounded while serving in Afghanistan in 2012.
But Army 1st Lt. Ryan Timoney, who grew up in Mandarin and St. Johns County, had never received a hero's welcome home. The kind with a police escort and screaming fans and signs made especially for you and getting to ride in a cool convertible.
Until Friday.
"I never ever imagined myself having something like this," Timoney said. "Coming home and seeing people you don't even know appreciate what you have done. It feels really good."
His first clue that this 10-day visit would not be typical was the Florida Highway Patrol escort from the Jacksonville International Airport. His second clue was when his father, Greg, who was driving Timoney, his wife Kelby and mom Diane to their Julington Creek home, made a pit stop at the Fields Cadillac dealership on the Westside.
Dozens of military veterans on motorcycles were there, as well as many more state troopers and officers with the Jacksonville and St. Johns County sheriff's offices. Also there was Kathy Signorile, who founded the St. Michael's Soldiers volunteer nonprofit that organized the event, and her husband, Jim, general manager of the dealership, who had arranged a special ride for Timoney and his wife.
They were driven the rest of the way home in a 2012 BMW convertible, escorted by a large contingent of the veterans and law enforcement officers on motorcycles and in vehicles. A rolling roadblock cleared the way on Interstate 295 south.
As the motorcade passed St. Joseph's Catholic School in Mandarin, which Timoney attended, the entire student body was standing in line at the edge of the campus to wave to him.
"Going by my school ... It was wonderful. They were screaming," he said.
Kathy Signorile said everyone who she and her 150 volunteers asked to help with the event jumped on board.
"That's all you have to do in this town. People step up. They love our military," she said.
The veterans said they participate because they and other war heroes have not always been greeted enthusiastically upon their returns.
"One generation of veterans will not abandon the new generation," said Darryl Ingle, one of the other veterans on hand. In the past, returning veterans were not appreciated, much less welcomed.
"That should never happen," he said.
Timoney, 28, left for Afghanistan in April 2012. Less than a month later, he and five other soldiers were attacked by a suicide bomber. Two of them were killed, three injured. Timoney had a fractured left leg, shrapnel wounds to his abdomen, arms, legs and back and a devastating head wound from a ball bearing that crossed through his brain and lodged behind his right ear.
In Kandahar, surgery saved his life by relieving pressure on his brain. He was later moved to a hospital in Germany and then to Walter Reed in Bethesda, Md. Since then, Timoney has had multiple surgeries and hundreds of hours of physical therapy. One surgery replaced the portion of his missing skull with titanium, another amputated his left leg a few inches below the knee. At least one more surgery is expected within the next year or so, to remove that ball bearing.
Still, he has a positive outlook.
"God kept me a live for a reason," he said.
Airman killed in Okinawa helicopter crash was Pararescue Hero
Coalition Special Operations Forces pararescue jumpers lower a stretcher during a medical evacuation in Nuristan province, Afghanistan, April 13, 2012. Then U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mark A. Smith, 33rd Rescue Squadron flight engineer, is pictured here hoisting the PJs down. Smith died when the HH 60G Pave Hawk helicopter in which he was flying went down during a training mission Aug. 5, 2013. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Clay Weis/Released)
Team Kadena mourns loss of downed helicopter crew member
by 18th Wing Public Affairs
8/10/2013 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Officials confirmed today the death of a technical sergeant assigned to the 33rd Rescue Squadron here following Monday's crash of a helicopter in the Central Training Area, Okinawa.
Tech. Sgt. Mark A. Smith, 33rd RQS flight engineer, died when the HH 60G Pave Hawk helicopter in which he was flying went down during a training mission. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
"Smitty was a total professional and true warrior," said Lt. Col. Pedro Ortiz, 33rd RQS commander. "He led by example and was wise beyond his young age of 30. In combat or out, I am proud to call him my brother."
Smith, originally from Bakersfield, Calif., joined the Air Force on July 5, 2000, after graduating high school.
"He was a quiet guy outside the aircraft, but in the aircraft, a totally different person," Ortiz said. "In the aircraft, he was blunt and told you how it was. I loved that. His ever-present drive was to make you better and to take care of everyone in combat."
During Smith's 13 years of service, he advanced as a structural maintenance specialist before entering flight engineer upgrade training in 2008. Since arriving here in the fall of 2011, Smith deployed twice to Afghanistan with the 33rd RQS, where he participated in numerous missions to save the lives of service members on the ground.
"One that stands out is the rescue of a commando in the Kamdesh," Ortiz said. "They were under fire by rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns. Smitty was rock solid with his hoist despite the imminent and close threats."
During this rescue, a photo was taken by a combat photographer who was nearby in an overwatch position, Ortiz said. The photo has since gone viral in the rescue community. Upon returning from this deployment, Smith was presented the Air Force Commendation Medal by then-18th Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Matt Molloy in a ceremony here.
Off the battlefield, Smith is remembered as a caring father, mentor and friend.
"Smitty was a mentor to all the young Airmen and pilots; he was a father figure to those that didn't have one," Ortiz said. "He and his wife took care of those in need. They always had lots of single Airmen over to his house."
He is survived by his wife, Jessica, also from Bakersfield. The couple has two daughters.
"Team Kadena has lost a hero," said Brig. Gen. James Hecker, 18th Wing commander. "Our hearts are with Smitty's family, friends and loved ones. We all suffer through the loss of one of our precious own."
Hecker urged anyone needing assistance at this difficult time - or who knows someone who may need assistance - to ask for help by contacting their supervisor or any Team Kadena chaplain.
The other three crew members involved in the mishap were rescued by emergency responders and received medical care at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa.
Here in Japan, the 33rd Rescue Squadron is most recently known for its role in providing disaster relief and search and rescue functions during Operation Tomodachi following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated mainland Japan.
The Pave Hawk's primary mission is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations. It also supports civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response and humanitarian assistance.
Navy EOD building dedicated to Fallen Marine
From the Battle Rattle blog:
The Navy organization responsible for leading the Defense Department's explosive ordnance disposal research and development recently dedicated its administration building to a Marine killed in combat in Afghanistan.
The Explosive Development Facility Administration Building and Change House in Indian Head, Md., was dedicated Aug. 7 to Lance Cpl Terry Edward "T.J." Honeycutt, Jr. who was killed in Oct. 27, 2010 from wounds sustained during combat in Helmand province. Honeycutt, a Charles County, Md., resident deployed with 2nd Battlaion, 9th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Lance Cpl. Terry E. Honeycutt Jr. of Waldorf, Md.
Honeycutt's former unit commander, Lt. Col. Jim Fullwood, spoke at the ceremony.
"When T.J. deployed to Afghanistan in June 2010, our battalion was sent to Northern Marja, which at the time was the most hostile area of Afghanistan," Fullwood said, according to a Navy news release. "It had been a base of operations for the Taliban for many years prior. T.J.'s company was placed in the roughest part. Until the day T.J. was killed in action, he carried out hundreds of patrols and fought daily battles. That's what Marines do."
Fullwood said the work of Honeycutt and other Marines transformed that area.
Purple Heart Day
Today is Purple Heart Day. On August 7, 1782, General George Washington - then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army - established the Purple Heart award, originally designated as the Badge of Military Merit.
The Purple Heart exists in its current form since 1932, and is awarded to service members "wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces".
During World War II, almost 500,000 Purple Heart medals were produced in anticipation of the huge number of casualties estimated to result from the planned Allied invasion of Japan. The invasion never happened due to the dropping of the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In fact, the total combined casualties of the sixty-five years following the end of World War II — including the Korean and Vietnam Wars — have not exceeded that number, so the Purple Heart medals awarded today are part of that stock.
As of 2010, a total of over 1,900,000 Purple Hearts have been awarded in our nation's history - over 35,000 to service members for wounds sustained in the Iraq War and over 7000 for the war in Afghanistan.
Bringing home critically wounded troops: "They're very young, very stoic"
The interior of a C-17 aeromedical evacuation flight back to the U.S. from Germany. Photo: USN&WR
Great story from US News & World Report about one Soldier's medical evacuation from Afghanistan via Germany, and the chain of care that saves nearly 99% of critically wounded troops.
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Barry and Lorria Welch sit solemnly in the jump seats of the massive C-17 cargo plane. Their son, who joined the Army three years ago to pay off thousands of dollars in student debt from getting his associates degree, is strapped to a stretcher a few feet in front of them. He is in a medically induced coma with a ventilator tube regulating his breathing.
This most grievously wounded soldier involved in a fatal attack outside Kabul in late July returned to the U.S. this week, following two failed attempts to transport the blast victim for fear the flight would kill him.
The military flew his parents from their home in Salem, Ore., to this medical facility after he was wounded by an insurgent fighter who detonated an explosive-laden donkey next to a U.S. Army patrol. The Welches then accompanied their son for his return journey to Walter Reed Army hospital in Washington, his body riddled with shrapnel from the attack.
The blast killed three of his fellow troops based at Combat Outpost Soltan Kheyl in Wardak Province, and blinded and likely paralyzed this soldier. The unit's translator and four other Afghans were also killed in the attack.
This journey for the Welches would not have been an option 30 or 40 years ago, at a time before the military put a top priority on sending wounded troops home quickly, and allowing families to reunite with their grievously injured loved ones.
This system of aerial medical evacuation from the war zone saves nearly 99 percent of the critically wounded troops. It employs 21st century medical techniques that allow a soldier injured deep in enemy territory abroad to get the critical care he needs within hours. Medical technicians who spoke with U.S. News say the remainder are usually those who will likely succumb to their wounds but can be stabilized long enough for a reunion with family members in Germany or the U.S.
"It means the world to us," says Lorria Welch, from the deck of the C-17 carrying her son. This traumatic but important journey for her marks the second ever time she's been on an airplane, after first flying to Kentucky to witness their son's graduation from his basic training. "As a parent we say we'd beg, steal, or rob a bank to get here."
A medic from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron tends to a wounded Marine being flown back to the U.S. from the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Most of the military's medical treatment was exported to the war zone in Vietnam, says Air Force Col. William Rogers, a doctor at Georgetown University and Vietnam veteran. This included advanced therapies, such as fitting for prosthetics as well as rehabilitation. Wounded soldiers could spend months at these facilities before returning home.
By contrast, troops in Operation Enduring Freedom are subject to a long train of medical experts, from the corpsmen who treats their wounds in the mountains or deserts of Afghanistan, to the medevac operators who rescue them by helicopter, to the field hospitals dotted throughout the country. All are able to incrementally treat and stabilize the complicated kinds of wounds from the ever-present improvised explosive devices that have defined the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At each stage, these experts work solely to stabilize a patient long enough to move them onward to more advanced care.
More than 90,000 patients have been transported back to Ramstein since 2003 from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, says Air Force Capt. Denise Covert, who oversees the medical facility at Ramstein where troops receive treatment. Of those, more than 51,000 have been sent back to the United States, while the rest of the wounded received the necessary treatment to rejoin their unit back in the war zone.
In total, the medevac service under the Air Force's Air Mobility Command moves roughly 17,000 patients per year, according to an AMC spokesman.
"What helps the warfighter most is they know they'll be able to get out of the [war zone]" if they're hurt, says Air Force Maj. Mike Lucore, a 17-year veteran of air medical evacuations.
An HH-60 Pavehawk helicopter hovers over the air strip at Bagram Air Field in eastern Afghanistan.
You can read the rest of the article here.
Today, Independence Day, we remember that our freedom and liberty are owed to a remarkable group of men and women who had the courage to stand up against the tyranny and injustice of the British Crown over 200 years ago.
56 men signed a document that denounced the "repeated injuries and usurpations" of their God-given rights and liberties. This bold and courageous act was not self-serving, but a pursuit to establish a new way of life where all men, created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
They pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to fulfill the principles of freedom our Warriors still fight for today.
God bless America, and happy Independence Day!
Happy Father's Day to all of our Military Dads, especially those who can't be with their children (or their own Dads) today.
It's not always Red, White, and Blue.
The United States Army infrared multicam combat uniform reverse flag patch.
Happy Birthday to the United States Army
Love you guys. Thank you.
Army troops wade ashore on "Omaha" beach, 6 June 1944. Photo: National Archives.
"You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you... I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle."
- General Dwight D. Eisenhower
On June 5, 2012, a cold and overcast day, John Perrozi walked between rows of white marble gravestone at the Normandy American Cemetery, on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach. He stopped at one cross and then another, paying his respects to several buddies who died fighting in Normandy. It was his first trip back since the war. As an 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper, Perozzi fought on D-Day with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. During a June 3 ceremony at the La Fière drop zone, a battlefield near where Perozzi fought, he received France's highest military medal, the Légion d'Honneur. Photo: Warrant Officer Patrick Brion, Belgian Armed Forces.
On Memorial Day, we pause as a grateful nation to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in our defense.
We often think of them as stoic Heroes of wars fought long ago represented by white gravestones standing in silent memory across our land.
But they were also sons, daughters, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends.
And in their sacrifice lies not just our liberty, but also the pain of those left behind.
As we honor our fallen Heroes, we also remember their loved ones and pray for those living with the pain of loss.
Nothing can ever replace their loss, but we pray they can find strength knowing that their loved ones died while fighting in defense of our country's founding principles.
If not for their commitment to a cause greater than themselves, we would not be here to enjoy the freedoms we have today.
As we pause to remember the high cost of freedom and honor those who paid the ultimate price to protect it, let us resolve to live lives worthy of their sacrifice.
God bless our Fallen Heroes and their families. We honor your sacrifice, and will love and remember you always.
For some, every day is Memorial Day.
Flags In at Arlington
Soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), march into Arlington National Cemetery, Va. in preparation for "Flags In", May 23. Soldiers from the regiment placed flags in front of more than 260,000 gravestones and approximately 7,300 niches at the cemetery's columbarium. The Old Guard has honored America's fallen heroes through this tradition for the past 65 years. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jose A. Torres Jr.)
Hundreds of members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, or The Old Guard, placed flags at each of the more than 220,000 graves in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 23, 2013. The flags will remain through the memorial weekend. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jose A. Torres Jr.
We're Still Here!
We know you don't hear much about the war on the news anymore, but over 60,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines are still deployed to Afghanistan.
Patients are still being medevaced to Germany every day, and we're currently experiencing a severe shortage of clothing items such as sweatpants, sweatshirts, and t-shirts.
Airmen and soldiers assigned to the 76th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron offload a patient by litter from an ambulance to a HC-130 for medical evacuation. The 76th ERQS serves as an ambulance of the air for Operation Enduring Freedom. Photo: Senior Airman Tyler Placie
Please help if you can. Thank you for your prayers and your support!
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The Mike Zimmer Foundation Recognizes 2021 Minnesota Scholarship Recipients
Lindsey Young
Assistant Editor & Staff Writer
It's not every day that students receive a call from Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer.
But that's exactly what happened recently for recent high school graduates Fametta Zubah and Dhruv Muppidi.
Fametta and Dhruv were selected as the 2021 Mike Zimmer Foundation MVP Scholarship recipients. They will each receive a $10,000 (one-time, non-renewable) scholarship toward postsecondary education, and each heard the good news from Zimmer himself.
"It means so much to hear from you. This is surreal right now," Dhruv told Zimmer over the phone. "I didn't realize you would be the one calling me. I'm just kind of in shock."
Dhruv, who had just finished up helping with a youth basketball camp for fourth-through-ninth graders, told Zimmer that he originally had planned to attend Columbia University but pivoted to Williams College when he learned he'd receive more financial support from the Massachusetts school.
"Well, you're going to be getting $10,000 more," Zimmer told Dhruv with a smile.
"Congratulations. You're really, really, really impressive, and we're excited to give you this scholarship," Zimmer added.
Dhruv and Fametta were chosen in recognition of their dedication to academics, athletics and community.
The Mike Zimmer Foundation was established in 2016 to honor the memory and philanthropic spirit of Vikki Zimmer, who passed away unexpectedly in 2009. Over the past five years, the foundation has awarded a total of $120,000 to help students pursue postsecondary education.
"We had a lot of applications this year, but yours stood out, and we're proud to have you representing the foundation," Zimmer told Fametta, who will be attending the University of Minnesota. "We're really proud of you and all the things you've been able to accomplish."
She responded emotionally: "Oh my gosh. Thank you so much!"
Fametta and Dhruv will have an opportunity to be recognized in-person at Zimmer's preseason kickoff event, and the head coach also invited them to attend a future game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
"You better be a Vikings fan," Zimmer ribbed Dhruv.
"Oh, always! Always," Dhruv responded happily.
"Get that SKOL Chant going, OK?" Zimmer said.
Learn more about the 2021 MVP scholarship winners below:
Fametta Zubah | Richfield Senior High School
College: University of Minnesota
Field of study: Kinesiology with a minor in Spanish
Fametta was a three-sport varsity athlete at Richfield, participating in basketball, track and tennis. She maintained straight As throughout her high school career while participating in National Honor Society, Black Student Union, Safe and Supportive Schools Committee and being nominated homecoming queen.
In her free time, Fametta volunteers as a teacher's assistant and works at the Richfield pool.
She plans on continuing her education at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where she will study kinesiology. Her future goals consist of being the first in her family to graduate college, getting on the dean's list and maintaining a 4.0 GPA in college, and becoming a pediatric physical therapist.
Dhruv Muppidi | Mounds Park Academy
College: Williams College
Field of study: Economics and Latin American Studies
Dhruv was a three-sport varsity athlete and captain of Mounds Park Academy's soccer, basketball and volleyball teams. In addition, he served as student body class president, was a member on the varsity debate and speech team and also an MPA peer leader and link leader.
He did all of the above activities while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and as a math and science tutor and teaching fellow at Teacher's Guild, where he taught and designed curriculum for under-resourced seventh-through-ninth graders.
Dhruv raised $1,750 in registration funds and recruited 14 players to start on the first men's volleyball team in Mounds Park school history.
He was recognized as a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program finalist and plans on continuing his education at Williams College, studying economics and Latin American studies.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Louisville Restaurants Forum • View topic - Washing machine/appliance repair?
Our four-year-old Admiral washing machine is acting up. Who's got an amazing home appliance repair person to recommend?
Great timing - I had the same question this morning but regarding a dishwasher. Based on recommendations on NextDoor, I called The Appliance Man. He called me back in less than an hour, asked if I was home now (unfortunately I am at work) because if I was home, he wanted to try and talk me through checking a valve myself first. I am going to try what he said when I get home today, but if it doesn't work, he said to call him back and he we can facetime to try and do it together. He's trying to save me a service call on something that is likely not really a repair (unless it's a bad valve).
All of that is to say, while he technically hasn't repaired anything (yet), I am already highly impressed with his responsive, honestly and willingness to try and help!
Interesting, Heather, thanks! We got very good reccos for The Appliance Man on Facebook, but when Mary called this morning, she apparently didn't get the right guy ... he was okay but left her under-impressed. Gotta go with your gut, so she next called Apple and was more impressed. They're coming tomorrow, so fingers crossed!
Hope your repair goes well Robin! Just wanted to report back on my experience with the Appliance Man - what he suggested worked perfectly! Dishwasher is working again. He cost himself a service call this time, but based on this great experience, he has definitely earned my future business. Honest and responsive go a long way!
Thanks, Heather! Apple is coming today, and I'll report back. I was disappointed, but Mary told me her conversation with the specific expert she consulted at the Appliance Man just wasn't reassuring to her, so I've got to go with that. Or else get into an argument.


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RESERVOIR ROSTER EARNS NOMINATIONS FOR SIX BET AWARDS
BET announced the nominees for it's upcoming 2018 Awards, and Reservoir cuts racked up an impressive 6 nominations. Migos are nominated for Best Group, in addition to Video of the Year for "Walk It Talk It" featuring Drake, Album of the Year for Culture II, and Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice award for their collaboration with Nicki Minaj and Cardi B on single "Motor Sport". Also up for the Album of the Year award is Black Panther: The Album, featuring a collaboration with 2 Chainz on track "X", as well as DJ Khaled's Grateful, which features contributions from Reservoir's Danja, 2 Chainz and Migos on seven tracks.
Additionally, Reservoir writer James Fauntleroy's co-written hit "Finesse (Remix)" by Bruno Mars with Cardi B is also nominated in multiple categories.
The 2018 BET Awards will take place on June 24th in Los Angeles. Click here for more information.


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Meghan McCain: The Push To Defund Police Is 'Giving Trump A Great Campaign Slogan'
Screenshot/ABC
Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
June 09, 2020 2:00 PM ET
Meghan McCain warned Democrats that a hard push to defund police departments could be handing President Donald Trump "a great campaign slogan."
McCain addressed the issue Tuesday on ABC's "The View," making the argument that Democrats needed to get a better handle on the messaging before Trump could use it against them. (RELATED: Kamala Harris Gives Meghan McCain The Runaround On Defunding Police)
McCain began by pointing out that "defunding the police" as a concept seemed to mean different things to different people — and that had a lot of Democrats back on their heels as they were forced to explain what they meant when they either agreed or disagreed with the idea.
"If you were to hire me to advise you to run for office, there are a few tenets of politics that have not changed. One is, 'if you're explaining, you're losing.' There's a lot of explaining going on on this," McCain said. "If you mean reform, say reform. If you mean defund, say defund. People are confused. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar called for the complete dismantling of the police department, quote, 'It is rotten to its core.' So when Americans hear that, I don't know what interpretation there is to this, because it says a complete dismantling of the police department." (RELATED: 'Beyond Reform': Ilhan Omar Calls To Disband Minneapolis Police Department)
"This is giving Trump a great campaign slogan," McCain continued, noting that even the Reverend Al Sharpton had said that it could be confusing or misleading to call for the police to be defunded without offering an explanation or interpretation of what that would look like.
"All I know is I saw a video of a Minneapolis City Council woman who said it's a privilege for me to be able to call the police department if someone broke into my house and was trying to rob me or hurt me," McCain concluded. "Listen, you guys can spin and say anything you want. Politics at the end of the day is real simple. It's about slogans. 'Defund the Police' is a great one for the Trump campaign."
Tags : al sharpton donald trump ilhan omar meghan mccain minneapolis minneapolis police department the view
Virginia Kruta
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A little headache of a book, this, and one of the few really wrongheaded sequences of late-'90s Dredd.
I'm not sure what the Predator franchise has to do with the Judge Dredd franchise, or where the idea of having them meet came from: this wasn't a natural match like the Batman crossovers. I also don't know enough about Predator stuff to have any sense of how well this works as a Predator story. It's a weak, dull Dredd story, though--one long, sadistic fight-and-slaughter sequence with very little sense of suspense or dramatic development. It ran in the Megazine a couple of months after its U.S. appearance (in issues #3.36-3.38), and the first issue of the American version even featured one of Brian Bolland's very-rarely-produced-by-that-point Dredd covers, pictured below.
It'd have been a lot more entertaining if Bolland had drawn the whole thing, but it's a really ugly-looking story, to the point where it's tough to get through. Enrique Alcatena has generally drawn fantasy stuff, rather than hard-edged SF (this is the only time he's ever drawn Dredd). He may or may not have had adequate reference material for the look of Mega-City One--although I doubt it, given the scene on which Schaefer gets into her car, which looks for all the world like a 1972 American model (there's that "outdated automobiles" problem again)--but he clearly wasn't terribly interested in it. And the presence of four colorists suggests that at least some aspect of this book was a serious rush job. Still, I do prefer Alcatena's underslept auxiliary-in-civilian-clothes Schaefer to the boom-boom Anderson lookalike version of Schaefer that Dermot Power drew on his cover for the American miniseries (in front of another, slightly less anachronistic car).
Parts of Predator Vs. Dredd read little enough like the rest of John Wagner's post-1980 writing that I almost wonder if it was heavily rewritten by somebody. Flipping through it, I see some kind of not-quite-right thing every few pages: "We got a right to a jury trial!"; Dredd narrating his initial fight with the Predator; the reference to "2049th St." (are there numbered streets in any other Dredd story?); Dredd apologetically noting that he's a little short-tempered, then thinking "it's myself I'm angry at" (thought bubbles don't tend to be his way); "C'mon, Tulk! In at the death!"; the "Mark 7 war droids" that resemble neither the Mechanismos nor anything else we've seen, as far as I know... And is it a little weird that one of the decapitated Judges is named Millar?
Anyway. Next week: this blog's first long entry in a while--Marc Singer joins me to discuss The Complete Case Files vol. 19, in which we get our first look at Grant Morrison and Carlos Ezquerra's "Inferno."
You've managed to say so much by saying so little, Wolk. Sorry I won't be clicking on the link to buy the book on Amazon, but since we're talking pointless licensing books- are you planning to look at the 1995 movie adaptation by Andy Helfer and Carlos Ezquerra?
It doesn't quite fit your criteria- since it's out of print- but I don't think it's ever going to be reprinted elsewhere.
It is Carlos, though- and to be honest, I'm looking for an excuse to waste money on something I know is going to be complete rubbish. If you were to review it, the thrill of reading along would provide me with the flimsy pretext I need.
Sauchie if you want it I can send it to you via cbr file.
D v P is awful lookin shite, reminds me of the DC Dredd.
"I'm just trying to cover all the non-redundant squarebound collections, because I have to stop somewhere."
On the day you finish your final blog, I'm going to force your car off the road, hobble you, and make you review Dredd stories forever.
and youtube it of course.


We've all been there, you think you are spending more than you should, getting OK results, and then it hits you. You feverishly start doing the math in your head. You divide your monthly budget by the days in the month, then by the 24 hours you run your campaign. You just realized that your $3,000 monthly budget is spending around $4 per hour. You know since many of your bids for keywords and phrases are higher than your hourly budget, you are missing out on valuable clicks that are going to the next business that is showing.
Confused? Don't worry, you're not alone.
Pay Per Click Management can be one of the toughest jobs in the Online Advertising world when one just tries to "set it and forget it". It takes skilled professionals hours and hours of setup, tweaking, data-mining and then more hours of tweaking and data-mining. Many executives in businesses that are advertising online tend to treat it as a "fringe advertising expense," meaning that it is not on par as being as important as say traditional advertising like TV, Print and Radio. In some business cases, it may be true and not make sense for that style of business. However, in many cases, potential customers seek out the business' website first, then make a call whether or not they are worthy of their attention.
It would seem obvious at this point that if you are not getting traffic due to having a lower "hourly budget" versus the phrases you are going after, then you need to raise it up. Remember, take what you are willing to spend per month, divide it by 30.2 (accounts for 31 days per some months on average), then divide that daily budget by 24 (assuming you are advertising all day). What you are left with is your hourly budget. If it seems too small, then you may want to double, triple or some other multiplication to get it performing for you.


Most consumers using biometrics will likely do so on their phones, many of which already have technology that payment-service providers will use to verify payments—such as Apple Inc.'s Touch ID fingerprint sensors or Face ID facial-recognition software on its iPhones.
Making the payment process frictionless could determine which providers prosper—and which languish.
Another company hoping to profit from the change is Veridium, a Boston-based biometrics firm.
Veridium also provides an authentication technology it calls 4 Fingers TouchlessID that turns smartphones, even older models, into fingerprint scanners.
EU guidelines say that payments of €30 to €500 will be exempt from multifactor authentication if they are judged to be sufficiently safe—a determination that behavioral biometrics can help to make. Those technologies can also be used, in certain circumstances, instead of physical biometrics as one of the three proofs required to authenticate a transaction. Smoother, more secure verification processes minimize false alarms when cards are declined, thus reducing abandoned purchases.
Mr. Frankl-Duval is a Wall Street Journal reporter in London.


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Clifford Beck, Jr.
Clifford Beck, Jr. is regarded as a world renowned American Indian artist who worked in the mediums of oil and pastels. He grew up on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northern Arizona where his father was a tribal councilman and his mother was a weaver. Beck drew heavily upon his heritage in his work and credited impressionist Edgar Degas as his greatest influence. He described his art as "semi-abstract and occasionally surrealistic." His paintings were respectful homages to traditional people whom he considered the foundation of his Navajo culture.
As a boy, Beck attended a boarding school in Holbrook but returned home every summer to help with the livestock. After graduating from Flagstaff High School in 1963, he was determined to attend college. Clifford was one of the first of his tribe to receive a tribal scholarship. He attended the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California, where he was drawn to anatomy and figure drawing. During that time he met painter R.C. Gorman who gave him much encouragement and subsequently became a family friend. He considered those years a period of incredible professional and personal growth. During the summer months, Beck maintained cultural ties to the reservation and returned every year to work. In fact, he illustrated for the Navajo Times in 1965.
Upon graduation in 1968, Beck designed materials for Indian Health Services in southern Arizona while simultaneously pursuing his professional fine art career; he was represented and sold at Tom Woodward's trading post in Gallup, New Mexico. In 1971, he was hired as an art instructor at the newly formed Navajo Community College where he taught design, advanced drawing and painting. As commercial interest in Beck's work accelerated, his work was exhibited and sold from 1975-1978 at R.C. Gorman's Navajo Gallery in Taos, the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, the annual Scottsdale National Indian Arts Exhibition as well as the Heard Museum Indian Market. By the late 1970s, Beck was a full time professional fine artist.
Beck's earliest portraits were of relatives and later he expanded to his subject matter to include other tribes. He portrayed people as they were – capturing a glimpse of a significant moment. He typically painted older people whose worn faces showed difficult lives, but also reflected a heroic quality.
Artist: Clifford Beck, Jr. (1946-1995)
Description: Oil | Image Size: 48"h x 36"w; unframed on stretcher bars
This is an excellent large oil portrait of an American Indian chief wrapped in a blanket and wearing an eagle headdress. The painting is full of vibrant colors and many details of traditional dress and adornment. The face is expressive and very well executed.
As beautiful as this piece is, that's who Clifford was; a very kind, gracious and thoughtful soul.
Critique II
Description: Critique II was the last pastel completed by Clifford Beck (1946-1995) just before he passed on. At the time, Clifford asked his family to take him from the hospital to his studio so he could put the last strokes on this masterwork. He then asked his family to make sure it was delivered to his shik'is (the Navajo word for friend), Eddie Basha (1937-2013).
Once entrusted to his care, Eddie placed the pastel in the gallery nestled among several other of Clifford's works for a few years prior to his relocating and displaying it at his Santa Fe residence. (Its move was protested, but visitation privileges were awarded.) However, when the Santa Fe residence was sold, Eddie ensured the return of Critique II to the gallery. Little did we know that the day of this work's return would mark the last time Eddie toured the collection he'd assembled. He marveled at the greatness of the artists, their artistic passions and personal pursuits, and reminisced about the gifts of friendship each and every one had blessed him with.
As he bid adieu later that afternoon, in a jesting parting shot, Eddie remarked, "And just because Clifford's pastel isn't going home with me today, doesn't mean it won't next week." "Yes," I replied, "but possession is nine-tenths of the law." Borrowing Olympia Dukakis's line in Steele Magnolias, he replied, "Touché, spoken like a true smartass." And then we laughed: He with his "I'm-a-good-man-but-a-bad-boy" swagger and I, grateful for that swagger, leaned down to kiss his big, beautiful, shiny bald head.
Perhaps the penetrating elder gazes of this artist's final pastel were meant to intimate the reflections and experiences of lives well-lived. If so, we thank our departed shik'is, Clifford and Eddie, for the humbling honor of Critique II's entrusted care, and for sharing the lives you both lived so well with us.
Description: Oil | Image Size: 48"h x 40"w; Unframed
Navajo artist Clifford Beck, Jr. developed a very effective style of portraiture painting. His large formats emphasize broad swaths of bold color reminiscent of color field paintings. The faces, however, are meticulously drawn and painted with a humanitarian emphasis.
As an art student in Oakland, California Clifford was particularly focused on anatomy and drawing figures which played an enormous role in his development as an artist as did many of the 19th century French painters and pastel artists he was drawn to. Upon returning to reservation life, reconnecting with family and home, he taught and illustrated for several years which accorded him the opportunity to develop and perfect his artistic style and eventually leading to not only his participation in numerous exhibitions and shows, but receiving top honors at them as well. Clifford's work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian and numerous others.
Native Chief in Blue
Description: Oil (1968) | Image Size: 24"h x 48"w; Framed Size: 33.5"h x 57.5"w
In this very evocative portrait, Clifford Beck, the artist, used a subtle play of light across the cheek and neck of the subject to call attention to the lines and features that reveal the man's experiences and character. The background suggests a broad empty prairie with brown earth topped by gray clouds. Nature is de-emphasized while humanity is examined.
Description: Oil (1994) | Image Size: 48"h x 32"w; Unframed
Crimson Robe
Description: Oil (1991) | 48"h x 36"w; Unframed
Two Women with Kerchiefs
Old Sage
Oil | Image Size: 48"h x 36"w; unframed on stretcher bars
Critique II was the last pastel completed by Clifford Beck (1946-1995) just before he passed on. At the time, Clifford asked his family to take him from the hospital to his studio so he could put the last strokes on this masterwork. He then asked his family to make sure it was delivered to his shik'is (the Navajo word for friend), Eddie Basha (1937-2013).
Oil | Image Size: 48"h x 40"w; Unframed
Oil (1968) | Image Size: 24"h x 48"w; Framed Size: 33.5"h x 57.5"w
Oil (1994) | Image Size: 48"h x 32"w; Unframed
Oil (1991) | 48"h x 36"w; Unframed
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LaF Podcast Interview
Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of sitting down with the hosts of the Literature and Film Podcast for an interview. The L-Train and Mr. Two-Frames talked with Zach Valenti (Eiffel/Hilbert), Emma Sherr-Ziarko (Minkowski), and myself about all things Wolf 359.
These guys were a complete blast to talk to, so if you want to hear more about how our episodes come together, the challenges of voiceover acting (and of playing two characters at once!), or what we hope the future has in store for our show, you should definitely tune in! Plus, they have one of the sharpest and more entertaining media commentary podcasts on the web, so if you're looking for other shows to listen to between installments of Wolf 359, try out one of their other episodes!
You can listen to Wolf 359's interview the LaF Podcast here.
Tagged: Interview, Literature and Film Podcast, Zach Valenti, Emma Sherr-Ziarko, Extras
Wolf 359 - The TV Tropes Page
Check it out, Internet! One of our fans did a ridiculously awesome favor to the show and set up a Wolf 359 page on TV Tropes. Visit the page for a great write-up on the show, as well as lots of information and commentary on the characters and the story so far.
And, of course, if any of our followers are contributors at TV Tropes, please help to expand the page with additional information, and to get it cross-listed in other pages. Thank you so much, you're the best!
And look for the release of Episode 17, Bach to the Future, this Friday!
Tagged: Wolf 359, TV Tropes, Fan Content, Fans, Extras
Things have been pretty quiet for the last few weeks while we prepare for the start of Season 2. But never fear - the wait is almost over! Episode 14, The Kumbaya Approach, is going to be released on February 14th, now less than two weeks away. Even better, we're now ready to unveil the big project that we undertook over our January hiatus - our completely redesigned website!
Just looking around you're probably already noticing a lot of changes from our old stomping grounds. Some of the biggest changes include:
Tagged: New Website, New Content, Extras, Music, Characters, New Everything


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Public consulted on plan to fix 'misleading'...
Public consulted on plan to fix 'misleading' broadband ad rules
Thursday, May 4th 2017 by Phil Wilkinson-Jones
Broadband providers will have to make sure the speeds they advertise are available to at least 50% of consumers, under proposals published today.
Current guidelines allow providers to advertise 'up to' speeds that are achievable for only 10% of their customers.
But the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) said in November that consumers are being misled by the current approach.
And Cable.co.uk's own research revealed that 80% of broadband customers find the rules on speed claims to be misleading.
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) has today launched a public consultation on the issue as it plans to introduce new guidance for advertisers.
CAP is proposing either a median download speed measured at peak time or over 24 hours, or a range of download speeds available to the 20th to 80th percentile of users at peak time or over 24 hours.
Director of CAP, Shahriar Coupal, said: "For the next 10 weeks, we're inviting views on four options for change, and remain open to any other options that better manage consumers' expectations of the broadband speed they're likely to receive.
"CAP recognises that advertising can play an early and important part in the journey to choosing a broadband provider.
"We're determined to ensure the information it provides, including about broadband speed, is trusted and welcomed by consumers."
Till Sommer, policy lead at the Internet Services Providers' Association (ISPA), said the inclusion of a speed range combined with a percentile-based user rate could be confusing to customers.
But he welcomed the suggestion that ads should prompt consumers to ask for a more personalised speed estimate.
'A shake-up of standards'
"Our members already provide this kind of information as part of their sales journey and we would also urge consumers to consider other factors such as brand, service quality, speed and the availability of bundled services when choosing their providers."
Steve Holford, chief customer officer at Hyperoptic, said the new guidelines should force providers to make the distinction between 'full fibre' broadband and slower 'part fibre' services that still depend on copper wires.
He also said that how speeds are measured is key: "Service providers can only dictate the speed to the home, if the speeds are measured by speed tests by the consumer, the technology and local interference will show an artificially lower speed than is actually delivered.
"For too long broadband providers have been allowed to get away with misleading customers and there has been an ongoing gap between the experience advertised and that actually delivered.
"The ASA consultation is therefore a step in the right direction and will force much needed clarity on the industry, which should result in a shake-up of standards and the way broadband is marketed."
The CAP consultation runs until 13 July 2017.
Consultation on speed claims in broadband advertising
Is BT's latest broadband innovation just a 'quick fix'?
Campaign calls on Ofcom to impose mobile spectrum cap
Providers defend Fix Britain's Internet campaign following criticism by BT


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Patrick John Sweeney (født 12. august 1952) er en britisk tidligere roer og dobbelt olympisk medaljevinder.

Sweeney var styrmand i den britiske otter, der vandt sølv ved OL 1976 i Montreal. 12 år senere, ved OL 1988 i Seoul, vandt han bronze i disciplinen toer med styrmand, sammen med roerne Steve Redgrave og Andy Holmes. Han deltog også ved OL 1972 i München.

Sweeney vandt desuden fire VM-medaljer gennem karrieren, heriblandt en guldmedalje i både letvægts-otter og toer med styrmand.

OL-medaljer
 1976:  Sølv i otter
 1988:  Bronze i toer med styrmand

Referencer

Eksterne henvisninger

Roere fra Storbritannien

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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High School Football: Old Rochester gives up big plays to Dighton-Rehoboth
By Tim Weisbergtimweisberg@hotmail.com
Oct 9, 2015 at 10:14 PM Oct 9, 2015 at 11:04 PM
The Old Rochester football team knew it was facing a huge challenge when it arrived in Dighton on Friday looking for its first win against the undefeated Falcons of Dighton-Rehoboth.
But that challenge went from daunting to insurmountable in the blink of an eye — or, more accurately, the kick of a football.
"It didn't help that they returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown," Bulldogs coach Justin Kogler said following a 42-16 loss. "Anytime that happens, it's a bad start."
The Falcons put up 14 points in each of the first two quarters while blanking the Bulldogs for the entire first half.
ORR rebounded in the final two frames, scoring eight in each. They scored in the third on a 1-yard touchdown run from Corey Dias, with Grant Reuter catching the 2-point conversion from Cam Hamilton.
The quarterback and receiver hooked up again in the fourth, with Reuter hauling in a 15-yard score. Darien Dumond ran in the 2-point conversion to account for the final score.
"Corey Dias ran the ball really hard. He and Grant Reuter really gave us a spark," Kogler said. "We played well defensively at times, but we were just letting up too many long runs. That's really the big difference now — we're not making teams earn it with long drives, and instead they're popping off big runs."
Old Rochester (0-5) visits Wareham Friday night at 7 p.m.


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10 Famous Celebrities Who Committed Suicide That You Must Know
Most of us think that famous celebrities have everything in their life to enjoy it to the fullest and there is no reason for them to get sad in any way, but let us tell you that you are not right in this case. In the past few years, many celebrities have come out with their depression problems and the truth is these celebrities also face problems; although it is not related to money. You will be shocked to know the names of the famous celebrities who committed suicide in the past few years.
Most of these celebrities were in depression, addiction and the others were facing money problems which ultimately became the reason for their suicide. Let us remind you there are few named on this list of celebrities who committed suicide. So, let's have a look at the 10 celebrities who committed suicide and the reason behind their death.
Celebrities Who Committed Suicide:
1. Robin Williams
An American stand-up comedian, well-known actor, director; Robin Williams committed suicide at his home in Paradise Cay, California at the age of 63. He hanged himself with a belt and died from asphyxiation. Reports said that the famous comedian was suffering from Depression.
2. Lucy Gordon
Lucy Gordon was a famous British actress and model, she also appeared in movies like Spider-Man 3 and The Four Feathers. In May 2009, Gordon committed suicide in her shared Paris flat by hanging herself. She left two suicide notes, one detailing her last wishes regarding her estate and the other a letter for her parents.
3. Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit was a famous WWE superstar and a Canadian professional wrestler. Benoit is often cited as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time but it may shock you that his suicide was one of the most grisly stories we can recall all celebrities who committed suicide. Benoit committed suicide by hanging himself after strangling his wife to death and suffocating his 7-year-old son, Daniel. Later, it was discovered that it was probably due to trauma and drugs.
Read more: Watch This WWE Unseen Backstage Video To Know The Reality.
4. Kurt Cobain
The famous American musician who was best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain struggled with heroin addiction, chronic health problems and depression. He committed suicide via gunshot at the age of 27.
5. Jonathan Brandis
Jonathan Brandis was an American actor and director, best known for his role in Neverending Story II. He hanged himself his Los Angeles apartment building at the age of 27 because of his waning career. Brandis died the next day from the injuries he sustained from the hanging.
6. Jovan Belcher
Jovan Belcher was an American football linebacker and played Kansas City Chiefs at that time. He is also one of the well-known names among other celebrities who committed suicide. He shot his girlfriend dead in front of his mother and then drove to team headquarters where he shot and killed himself in front of his coach and general manager.
7. Alexander Mcqueen
Alexander Mcqueen was a famous British fashion designer and died because of his drug addiction. He hanged himself to death at his home on Green Street, London W1. McQueen died nine days after his mother Joyce had died from cancer.
8. Mindy Mccready
The country artist killed herself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2013, having twice attempted suicide in the past. She was 37 years old at the time of her death. She also fatally shot the pet dog that had belonged to he boyfriend, David Wilson.
9. Gia Allemand
Gia Allemand, an American actress and reality T.V contestant was well-known for appearing in Maxim. She was admitted to University Hospital in New Orleans after an attempted suicide by hanging; where she was declared brain-dead and removed from life support two days later at age 29.
Don't miss: 5 Famous Celebrities With Disabilities That You Don't Have Any Idea About.
10. Dana Plato
Last one on our list of celebrities who committed suicide is Dana Plato, an American actress who was best known for her role on Diff'rent Strokes. She fell into drug addiction and committed suicide by taking an overdose of prescription pills in 1999.
Also, let us know if you know any other celebrities who committed suicide? and let us know your thoughts on this post. To increase awareness, share this post with your friends and loved ones.


Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced legislation Thursday that would prevent Wall Street from unbanking and denying service to the firearms industry.
CNN's Baldwin to GOP Sen. Kennedy: Americans 'Were Rationing Asthma Medicine' — Was Shutdown Worth It?
President Donald Trump broke the all-time two-year record last week for appointing judges to the federal appeals court, and immediately nominated over a dozen more, while the Senate Judiciary Committee continued this Wednesday to advance still more nominations ahead of the midterm elections, and will hold another hearing next week.
If you want to understand just how effectively the American media have turned Republicans into second-class citizens, watch the superb Chappaquiddick, the true story surrounding Ted Kennedy.
Speaking to Breitbart Deputy Political Editor Amanda House last week, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy confirmed that he is "still looking at running" for governor.
"Because you don't like history, doesn't mean that you can erase it and pretend that it didn't happen," Sanders said.
Former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, testifying in the Senate on Monday, tried to defend her decision to defy President Donald Trump's executive order suspending travel from several terror-prone countries in January.
Republican John Kennedy has been declared the winner of Louisiana's runoff election for the U.S. Senate, defeating Democrat Foster Campbell and thwarting one of the last opportunities in 2016 for Democrats to gain a seat in the upper chamber.