Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest ~2007~

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The Dive team over at the Point Pleasant (NJ) Rescue Dive Team held their 10th annual Underwater Pumpkin Carving contest on the Manasquan River near the railroad bridge...

The members of of the Rescue Dive Team use this opportunity to promote community relations and recruit Scuba divers into the team which serves the Point Pleasant Beach area of the Jersey shore...

Today we hosted our 10th annual Underwater Pumpkin Carving contest. This is to promote NJ Diving ,and to meet new divers. The wind was blowing and the water temp has dropped to 57 degrees but everyone had fun.
Happy Halloween
Flo

http://ptrescuedive.blogspot.com/

Health Crisis, Not Healthcare Crisis…

. Senator from Mass. example of "Health" crisis or "Healthcare" crisis?...

Republican Governor Mike Huckabee had a great statement in tonight’s Republican Presidential Candidate debate…

“We have a health crisis, not a healthcare crisis”…

Which is very much true. We spend way too much money on healthcare to treat chronic diseases that can be prevented if we took responsibility for our actions.

A prominent Democratic Presidential Candidate has made herself known for advocating “Healthcare for All” and along with her party would love to have us dependent on their healthcare system. Instead of promoting personal responsibility for our own health they would rather have us begging and depending on the government for “provided” drugs…

Imagine the healthcare we could provide if we eliminated “Health” crisis like the example shown above…

Hillary's Chinese Take-out...

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Just a few weeks ago we watched as Norman Hsu skipped town while out on bail for bundling donations, $850,000 worth, to Hillary Clinton's election fund. They chased him down and found him hiding out on a train and took him back to the big house where he belongs...

It has been said many times that Hillary's strong point is that she has seen the operations of the inner Whitehouse and maybe she picked up some tactics from Slick-Willies administration. Remember the Buddist Monks who were sworn to poverty making some impressive donations to Bill's re-election fund?

A couple of staff writers over at the L.A. Times have an interesting story about the recent donations that Hillary has been getting from the Chinese community...

"Dishwashers, waiters and others whose jobs and dilapidated home addresses seem to make them unpromising targets for political fundraisers are pouring $1,000 and $2,000 contributions into Clinton's campaign treasury. In April, a single fundraiser in an area long known for its gritty urban poverty yielded a whopping $380,000. When Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) ran for president in 2004, he received $24,000 from Chinatown."
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-donors19oct19,0,4231217.story?coll=la-home-center

As with any story it is important to do some follow up investigation to check facts about a story. It appears the Staff writers went to check on some of those who made the impressive donations to Hillary's election fund...

Missing persons

The tenement at 44 Henry St. was listed in Clinton's campaign reports as the home of Shu Fang Li, who reportedly gave $1,000.

In a recent visit, a man, apparently drunk, was asleep near the entrance to the neighboring beauty parlor, the Nice Hair Salon.

A tenant living in the apartment listed as Li's address said through a translator that she had not heard of him, although she had lived there for the last 10 years.

A man named Liang Zheng was listed as having contributed $1,000. The address given was a large apartment building on East 194th Street in the Bronx, but no one by that name could be located there.

Census figures for 2000 show the median family income for the area was less than $21,000. About 45% of the population was living below the poverty line, more than double the city average.

In the busy heart of East Broadway, beneath the Manhattan Bridge, is a building that is listed as the home of Sang Cheung Lee, also reported to have given $1,000. Trash was piled in the dimly lighted entrance hall. Neighbors said they knew of no one with Lee's name there; they knocked on one another's doors in a futile effort to find him.

Salespeople at a store on Canal Street were similarly baffled when asked about Shih Kan Chang, listed as working there and having given $1,000. The store sells purses, jewelry and novelty Buddha statues. Employees said they had not heard of Chang.

Another listed donor, Yi Min Liu, said he did not make the $1,000 contribution in April that was reported in his name. He said he attended a banquet for Clinton but did not give her money.

Senator Jim Webb "A Part of History"...

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Virginia Democratic Senator Jim Webb’s signature on the document condemning Rush Limbaugh for referring to Jesse Adam Macbeth as a “Phony Soldier”…

Now this Macbeth guy is the “Soldier” that claimed that he was a Army Ranger who had been in Iraq and Afghanistan where he saw and participated in many atrocious acts towards the Iraqi citizens. He claimed receiving the Bronze Star and Purple heart. Macbeth even made a 20-minute Internet video on peace films.org claiming the following:

Superiors told him "our job over there is to strike fear in the hearts of the Iraqis ... to be brutal and to not feel" and that "the Geneva Convention doesn't mean crap."

He would "do night raids, pull people out, on their knees and zip-tied," and if a man didn't answer the way he wanted him to, he "would shoot his youngest kid and keep going."

"By my hand alone ... almost 200 people were taken out by me. That's just a rough estimate. A lot of them at close range ... they would actually feel the hot muzzle of my rifle on their forehead ... we'd do stuff that would scare them first ... beat 'em up or kick 'em or hit the wife ... slaughtering 30-40 people a night sometimes, women and children ... I was trained, you know, in all the Ranger school, 18 months of that crap ... I got disappointed in my country ... but I didn't say anything because I would have been locked up."

"Other things they told us to do, man, we were ordered to go into a mosque. This really hurts me a lot. My nightmares come mostly from this. ... We infiltrated the mosque ... a couple hundred of people of all ages were praying ... we started slaughtering them, we started shooting them, started taking them out. ... We would burn their bodies, hang the bodies from the rafters ... after a while, it's just sickening to think that I took part in that. ..."

"Kids threw rocks at us before and the guard command officer told us to take them out. ... Our job was just kill, kill, kill."

"I'm so disappointed in my country. I'm ashamed to have actually served in Iraq."

Fact is this Kid got booted out of the military after 44 days and did not complete basic training. Never went to Iraq or Afghanistan. Never received the Bronze Star. Never received the Purple Heart.

He did apply for Veterans benefits and received a 5 month sentence in prison. He did make the Internet video and become a hero to the Anti-war Left.

Democratic Virginia Senator Jim Webb was a U.S. Marine who served in Vietnam. He earned the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts.

But yet Senator Webb signed the letter authored by Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid condemning Rush Limbaugh for referring to Macbeth as a “Phony Soldier”. With little research and reading of the actual transcript it is apparent that Limbaugh was referring to Macbeth and “Soldiers” like Macbeth. Forty other Democratic Senators signed this condemning letter authored by Democratic Senator Reid and discussed on the floor of the united States Congress…

Question is does Democratic Senator Jim Webb still support this letter that he signed condemning Rush Limbaugh for calling “Soldiers” like Macbeth “Phony Soldiers”? Would he sign this same letter now if he had the opportunity? Will he comment on signing the letter now?

The better question may be what would Democratic Senator Jim Webb do with a “Soldier” like Macbeth if he had him in his unit while in Vietnam?…

Fortunately Rush Limbaugh took the opportunity to take this historic document with the signatures of 41 Democratic United States Senators and offer it for sale to benefit a charity on behalf of military families. The Marine Corp - Law Enforcement charity has already donated more then $29,000,000 to children of fallen military and Law enforcement personnel in scholarships and assistance in higher education. http://www.mc-lef.org/

The auction of this historic document with the signature of the Democratic Senator from Virginia, Jim Webb, raised a top bid of $2,100,100 which was quickly matched by Rush Limbaugh for a total of $4,200,200 donated to the Marine Corp - Law Enforcement fund…

Rush Limbaugh also challenged all 41 Democratic Senators who signed this historic document to match the amount, or part of, with a donation to the same charity. Still waiting for one of the Senators to step up to the plate…

Sandy Berger Yard Sale?...

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Just left Rush Limbaugh’s website where the standing bid for the “Harry Reid” document that is offered on E*bay is at over $2,000,000 with still 3 hours to go…


Just think of all the potential money Sandy Berger can make on E*bay with all those documents that he swiped from the Archives!!! No wonder he was stuffing Clinton administration documents down his shorts to get them out of the Archives building. If Hillary and Bill do not come across with the appropriate cash to keep Bill’s documents about his lack of action against terrorism off the market, a “E*baying Sandy will Go”!!!… Interesting how Sandy is now on Hillary’s team as an advisor…


This is the document where Harry and the gang got together on Congress’ time to condemn Rush for what they think was a smear on all military personnel. In fact the DEMOCRATIC party took a miss-quote, what are the chances there(?), and ran without it. For anybody who pays attention longer then Harry and his school yard gang, they know that Rush was talking about a soldier(?) who claimed to have been in Irag and made many false accusations since proved lies…

Good looking Document and you can download it on http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/ and YES, DEMOCRATIC Virginia State Senator Jim Webb’s signature is there for all to see… I wonder if Webb would still want his signature there now that they know how actual “Phoney” the soldier Rush was talking about actually is? Or maybe Webb is securing himself a place in the Clinton gang like Sandy did???…

Congress approval rating at 11%...

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Once again it was reported in the media today that the approval rating for the Congress, which is now controlled by the majority Democratic party. is at an ALL TIME LOW of 11%…

One productive thing, and there have only been a few, that has come out of Congress is the H.R. resolution #697 which commends Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for setting the record of most career touchdown passes.

Now some people may feel that Congress needs to be doing more “Important work for the People” as they love to say. But with the wing-nut majority leaders that we have in both houses of Congress “Football Resolutions” might be the safest for all…

Let them concentrate on congressional resolutions for “Cheese-Heads” instead of screwing something really important like the S-CHIP program. The Democrats tried pushing a wasteful and very expensive S-chip program that the President stood up to and signed a veto to it…

The Democratic Party has worked hard to spin it that the President does not care about children and even produced a 12 year old boy that has been injured and delivered their “Democratic Message” asking why the President wanted to keep kids from getting help from S-CHIP…

As usual the truth and facts of the program has come out and Princess Pelosi continues to lose support for her override attempt. In fact the Investor Business Daily provides some interesting facts on the boys family and their choices when in fact they have a strong financial status and could afford insurance…

“FreeRepublic.com have checked out the Frost family's bona fides. Turns out they live in a home worth an estimated $300,000. Graeme's father, Halsey, owns commercial real estate and has his own small business.”
Graeme and sibling Gemma both attend expensive private schools. The Frosts have two other school-age children. Their parents chose not to buy private insurance even though they have significant assets, a decent income and, as insurance bloggers found out, there are plans for a family of six for as little as $452 a month.”

Now if the “Majority Team” got their wishes who could end up paying for the Improved S-CHIP program?

“Under the Democrats' proposed expansion, says the National Center for Public Policy Research, "it is not inconceivable that a parent with one child with an income of $13,690 will be funding benefits for two children in a family of four with an income of $82,600."

IBDeditorials.com

Coming down the Home-Stretch...

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Got a phone call today from one of the prominent members of the local farm community requesting additional signs supporting the strong conservative Republican party here in Augusta County...

The property owner stated that there was just not enough "Representation" on the lawn with the election just weeks away and wanted to know what we could do...

Stopped by and added a sign each for Delegates Chris Saxman and Ben Cline to add a little color to the display. Even with the Delegates not being challenged in this election many people have still requested signs to show their support for the Delegates and Republican party...

Many signs have gone out already for Augusta County Supervisor Candidates Michael Shull (Riverheads) and Jeremy Shifflett (Beverley Manor) with demand still being high. It has been said that "Signs don't Vote" but you can be sure that pretty much anybody who has gone out of their way to get a sign in their yard will be standing in line on election day!!!

"What the Flop"!!!

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Just got home from work and turned on the T.V. to find the Democratic Candidate for State Senate sitting in his kitchen with a cup of Java looking to tell me of his “vision” for Virginia…

At first I just heard the audio and did not see the candidate, and in fact I thought it might be the Republican incumbent Emmett Hanger or even the Libertarian Candidate Arin Sime. I heard things like a call for conservative, responsible government, and making the government we now have operate more efficient without raising taxes.

Imagine my surprise when I looked at the screen to find the Democratic Candidate who just a few weeks back in a Daily News Record article stated that he wanted to raise my fuel tax by 2 cents a gallon.

In fact it was during a Candidate debate where the discussion was dealing with the transportation issue and the use of the “Abusive Driver Fees” to help pay the Transportation bills. The Libertarian candidate stated that he felt there are enough opportunities to improve efficiency within the state budget to find the $50 million expected from the abuser fees. Republican State Senator stated: “Finding the money within the budget should be considered, Hanger said. But he did not rule out possibly supporting an increase in the gas tax, if there was no other way to raise the money.” he then added: “One penny on the gas tax, Hanger said, would raise the $50 million the state expected from the abusive driver fees.”

During this same candidate debate, the same guy that was sitting in his kitchen with a cup of java on T.V. when I got home today, was quick to chime in when talk turned to a possible tax hike on fuel. Once another candidate brought up the possibility to raise fuel tax by 1 cent a gallon the Democratic candidate was quick to double that to 2 cents a gallon.

“(The Democratic Candidate) was more certain. He supports an additional 2 cents on the gas tax, for now, which would raise $100 million."

This was coming from a guy that now wants to improve efficiency in Virginia and not raise my taxes? I looked hard at the screen to make sure it was the Democratic candidate and there is no doubt once I saw his face and heard his campaign slogan.

The short visit with the Democratic candidate in his kitchen, with a cup of Joe, had him sitting on a stool with his feet out of view but I think we all know what type of foot ware he was wearing … (See above photo)…

Staunton NewsLeader ~HELP Wanted~

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In today’s Staunton NewsLeader Opinion section there was a call for a Conservative voice to be added to their on-line edition of the newspaper. The Opinion Editor points out that there are several “Conservative Voices” in the print edition but they are not able to include these in the on-line edition due to contracts with the writers.

http://newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071014/OPINION02/710140319/1014/OPINION

The Opinion Editor states that the print edition has a “balanced range of conservative, liberal, and neutral voices” but the on-line edition has “spun hard left“. He then states that this is a function of “economy” which I find interesting.

“Function of economy“? Does this mean that the on-line edition does not produce revenue to include a on-line conservative? The Bush economy is so poor that there is no money to be wasted on a conservative? The economy will not support a conservative without another tax being placed on the evil oil companies? What economy?

Maybe if the NewsLeader could dig up some revenue they could contract a on-line conservative like economics professor Thomas Sowell who has many books, articles, and on-line columns describing and explaining the economic process. Sowell is very good at explaining the economy and how important and successful the free enterprise system has worked. Sowell has described and explained how cutting and keeping the tax rates low has spurred incredible economic growth as proven by the Kennedy, Reagan, and Bush tax cuts. But maybe that is not the “Conservative” that the NewsLeader is looking for…

He also finds it hard to believe that there is not a long line of conservatives pounding on his door looking to become part of what the NewsLeader has become over the past few years.

“I just can't believe that this area is only capable of producing columnists of a politically liberal or neutral bent”.

Fact is I believe there are many conservative minded writers out there. But the NewsLeader has become a format and venue that has soured the majority of conservative and neutral minded people in the area when reading their “Local” paper for issues and opinions.

I also believe that there are many conservative writers out there who do not see or expect a fair “On-Line” environment at the NewsLeader to work with. I have written “Letters to the editor” section of the NewsLeader in the past but have lost faith in their practices over the past few years. I also believe many NewsLeader readers have lost faith in the paper and have heard this in many conversations and forums. Many long term readers have stated that they have cancelled their subscriptions and have looked elsewhere for their local news.

Some of my observations regarding the NewsLeader and why people are searching elsewhere for their news:

A conservative “Letter to the Editor” writer must be a brave soul to submit a letter to the NewsLeader these days. No matter how well written, informative, and constructive the letter may be it will only be viciously attacked by the “NewsLeader on-line community”. The letter writer must identify himself by actual name to be eligible for print, but yet the people commenting, and attacking in the on-line format are allowed to remain anonymous. This has resulted in many well known, respectable, and leaders of our community being viciously attacked by the “on-line gang” permitted by the NewsLeader.

The Editorial Cartoons of the NewsLeader have been basis for many conversations over the years and I hear these are the editorial “Opinion” of the cartoonist. But yet they appear and are endorsed by the NewsLeader as a whole. It might just be my “Opinion”, but I have heard many agree that the majority of the editorial toons are used to attack conservatives and members of the Republican party more often then not. Who can forget the toon of a scarred elephant holding a Allen campaign sign? Or how about the toon of a VA GOP House Freddie Krugar looking to go after Tim Kaine? Don’t forget the one that has a executioner who looks to be a Kilgore campaign worker? And of course the toon and drawing of Jerry Kilgore’s brain with many negative things inside.

NewsLeader Reporter Brad Zinn reported on a anti-war demonstration that was held in downtown Staunton at which time there was a counter demonstration by those supporting the Troops and war effort. During this demonstration there was the usual clash between groups and several heated discussions occurred. I was in attendance and was asked by a 16 year old girl who wanted to witness this event as to why the two groups were arguing. I explained both sides of the debate as best I could and that I was not part of the anti-war group. She stated that she wanted to see the demonstration to understand the issues and that she did not totally agree with what she was being told in school. I introduced this young person who was attending a civil demonstration to understand it better to the NewsLeader reporter. A perfect opportunity to include a new and unbiased viewpoint to a story about this event. I watched as the NewsLeader reporter listened to the young lady but he was not writing anything down. He was not interviewing or asking questions of her or her understanding, he was not interested. The next day there was no mention of this meeting. In fact I believe his story was written before the reporter ever arrived to the actual event. And then there are times were NewsLeader reporters have been questioned on their stories only to say what they submit to the editors don’t always come out the same “Way”…

Senator George Allen’s “Maccaca” statement was a two day event at best in the media. But the attack media kept it alive for months and returned to it at anytime the campaign returned to issues that Jim Webb was weak on. Webb was weak during the debates and avoided Virginia related issues whenever possible. In fact when the attacks continued on Allen for possibly using the “N”-word in his past the attack media continued on. Eventually Webb stated something about anybody who grew up in the south has pretty much used the word when it was asked if he has used the “N”-word. That was it! No follow up questions or continual media questioning of the Democratic Senator to be. About a week before the election Senator Allen spoke at Mrs. Rowe’s in Staunton in front of hundreds of supporters and Virginia residents. The NewsLeader reporter was there as well as the reporters of the News Record and NewsVirginian. The Newsleader failed to report anything of the event while both of the other papers had full front page coverage. Conservatives, neutrals, and citizens of Augusta County, Staunton, Waynesboro, and the valley knew of Allen’s visit and also noted the disregard of the NewsLeader reporting.

Not just the Allen event. The Newsleader has failed to report numerous Republican events in and around Staunton in the past. This includes events with Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, State Senator Hanger, and Delegates Landes, Saxman, Cline. All Republicans and conservatives…

The Opinion editor has also hosted the more popular blog section of the on-line NewsLeader and during that time has provided a slanted menu of topics. He has and will deny this but this has lost the faith of many conservative bloggers and on-line readers of the NewsLeader blogs. Topics have included efforts to drive a wedge between the Republican party during the recent State Senate primary and the results. Just another reason why the NewsLeader has lost the faith of many conservatives…

Fortunately there are other developing sources for conservatives in the Valley to go. The NewsVirginian of Waynesboro has changed editors and seems to give conservative letter writers and conservatives in all a better regard over there.
The Harrisonburg News Record has become a valuable resource outlet.
The Augusta Free Press has provided a more balanced viewpoint of many events in the past. I have been interviewed by the editor of the Augusta Free Press in the past and have found him fair in his dealings. We have not always agreed on issues but he has given me and my conservative viewpoint a fair shake.

The “Conservative Blog-World” has also taken off in the past few years. As with any blog a grain of salt is used but it is a great format and place to find information and links to stories not reported by some newspapers. This blog is named “RightsideVA” for a reason for I am a Conservative Republican in Virginia and that is what I believe and support. I provide links and comments on events and issues that I find interesting. This works for some and not for others. That is the great thing about having a vast selection of sources at our keyboards.

Rightside has done well and I have been proud to hear comments and see log on’s from places in Richmond and D.C. where people have told me they visit Rightside to see what is happening in the Valley. They have told me of times where the newspaper story just seems lacking of the conservative viewpoint…

Mr. Gore: "Please Retain Original Package"...

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Al Gore won the Noble Peace Prize last week for his efforts to educate the world about the dangers of Global Warming and his film “Inconvenient Truth” which has numerous questionable facts\statements.

It might be a good idea Mr. Gore to hang onto the original packaging for the Peace Prize you received for if history repeats itself, which it often does, you will probably need the packaging when it comes time to return the Prize. Just kidding. We all know that the same people who decided to give you this prize for Global Warming also gave Prizes to the terrorist Yasser Arafat and even gave one to President Jimmy Carter. Don’t worry, they will never ask you to return your prize 20 years down the road after the weather pattern cycles come full circle once again…

I remember when I was back in 5th grade in the 1970’s and they told me that we were facing a “Global Cooling” crisis. It was all over the media and I remember the front cover of Time magazine claiming the crisis coming. It is now 30+ years later and we have come full cycle in weather patterns and heat\cool periods…

Investor Business Daily has some interesting points and facts over at: http://www.ibdeditorials.com/

The first error Gore made, according to Burton, was in his apocalyptic vision of the devastation from a rise in sea levels caused by melting polar ice caps. Gore's claim of a 20-foot rise "in the near future" was dismissed as "distinctly alarmist." Burton wrote that such a rise could occur "only after, and over, millennia" and to suggest otherwise "is not in line with the scientific consensus."

As we have noted, the scientific consensus is that sea levels might rise anywhere from 7 inches to 23 inches, but it would take a century for that to occur. Even the latest IPCC report suggested that it would take a thousand years of higher-than-historic temperatures to melt the Greenland ice sheet, the basis of Gore's claim.

On Gore's claim that the loss of Mount Kilimanjaro's snows was due to climate change, the judge said the scientific community had been unable to find evidence of a direct link. In fact, it found the opposite.

In 2002, glaciologist Lonnie Thompson reported that from 1953 to 1976, a period of global cooling that had some predicting a new ice age, a full 21% of Kilimanjaro's main glacier disappeared. It was caused not by man-induced warming, but by deforestation.

By the way Mr. Vice President. During the same period of Global Warming that you describe in your film the Solar Activity of our Sun has also increased considerably. This has resulted in raised temperatures being recorded on other planets such as Mars, where as far as we know has a small number of SUV’s on it , so it’s doubtful that the SUV’s are the cause as you claim here on Earth… Might wanna take a look at that big bright thingy over your shoulder there...