Veterans Day Parade New York City 2009

It was a privilege to be able to come out to pay tribute to our fighting men and women today. To be among our American warriors made me feel so many things.

Humbled by their sacrifice. Proud that I was born free in this great country. Overwhelmed by their spirit and sense of duty.

It is also nice to see veterans and their families again that I have photographed over the last 3 years of covering the parade.

The opening ceremony. Today marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of Veterans Day (1919-2009). The New York City Veterans Day parade is hosted by the United War Veterans Council and is the largest of its kind in America. The theme of today's parade is 'The Blessings of Liberty.'

This gentleman does re-enactments of the Battle of Fort Washington at Fort Tryon Park. According to history, losing this battle helped us win the Revolutionary War.

His leather strap is stamped with the word, 'Liberty.' He was quite convincing.

His ship. The 746.

FDNY Bagpipe warm-up before the parade. Always gets me right *here.* Must be the Irish in me.

One of the Tuskegee Airmen from World War 2!

A very elegant and patient Doberman named Thomson.

Helicopter gunners flying low overhead on Fifth Avenue!

The USS New York was made from the steel from the World Trade Center.

The Navajo Code Talkers!

A very heavy flag. And it was windy!

Here's the complete slide show of the parade !

Halloween in DC: The Rastabama

While traveling in Washington, DC, I came across this today. I call it the 'Rastabama.'

Be afraid!

Muslim Day Parade 2009

Before I start, I'd like to thank all of those who keep us safe.
Note: These policemen were not a part of the parade. They were stationed by the Hyatt Hotel next to Grand Central Terminal.

Now for the parade.

This year's Muslim Day Parade in New York City was even smaller than last year. There were noticeably much fewer marchers and no spectators lined along the barricades in place on Madison Avenue from 41st Street down to 23rd.

Thankfully absent from this year's march were the waving black flags of jihad. Maybe Mayor Bloomberg finally took notice. However, these headbands where popular.

This is the fun part. The parade always starts with a long prayer. This time they figured out which direction East toward Mecca really is. Last year they were pointed to East Side of Midtown, so they were were unknowingly praying to the U. N.!

I wonder who realized that all along they had been praying in the wrong direction!

VIDEO: This was also the first time there was music. Courtesy of the NYPD Marching Band. It was a surreal combination.

You can see how empty the streets were. Also absent were the protesters who normally turn out and even the ever-present Islamic Thinkers Society didn't show themselves. It was a much different parade than the previous years. Rather boring and uneventful, really.

Cries of "Allah hu akbar!" and "Takbir!" were heard over and over through the entire march. "Takbir" means expansion in Arabic. Expansion of Islam .

New York's finest!

This woman on the left was pretty much the only person who came out for the parade.

Even these young girls were chanting 'takbir!' again and again.

I think 'the One' in this case means Allah, not Obama.

See also:
Muslim Day Parade 2008
&
Muslim Day Parade 2007

Socialist Furries For Obama

Just another normal Saturday stroll out in my neighborhood,
Village of the Damned, Obama County, Brooklyn.

I had noticed this European street vendor before, but this time I took a closer look. I think she is German or possibly French.

Fortunately this time I had my camera.

Furries. Healthcare. Socialism. Obama. Perfect together.

Glenn Beck Derangement Syndrome

Just a normal Sunday out in the park.
Took these today on a walk. I couldn't resist.

Glenn Beck is the new George W. Bush.

September 11, 2009

8 years ago today. I didn't go to the memorial at Ground Zero this year because I have to work. In the meantime I wanted to post these two emails below that I received a few years ago from a pen pal in Egypt regarding the attacks in 2001.
We had been out of touch for a long time when he sent them out of the blue. I haven't heard from him since. They are still very relevant today.
More thoughts on this to come.

---
Wed, 13 Sep 2006 04:02:24 +0000
hi xxx,how are you?remember me?i felt like i had to write to you now,and say iam realy realy sorry for what happened in 9 11,i feel sorry becouse i realize now that those terrorsts did it becouse in a way or another peoble like me allowed the kind of culture,education and media which supported and support them so i feel like...partial responsible in some way,i just wish to say sorry to all those who suffered in that day,in the past 5 years many things had changed here,peoble here are not neutral about all that any more,most of peoble now are either pro or con,but every body is talking and discussing and exchanging ideas,but the main stream still the radical one,but at least now alot of peoble are talking loud ,for me i think alot of things have changed in the past few years,i thought about every idea i learned before,i evaluated every thing i have been told my entire life,i read 100s of books about my old beleives and values,and this helped me to have my realy own idea about the world ,history,culture and even islam,
i remember the first time i met a christian boy,and i was eager to know him to know how in the heck he donot beleive in islam,the same thing happened when i met an atheist for the first time,all my beleives was taken for granted,they are right and the only truth no matter what happened,now i can say i donot beleive in religions and i can say islam not muslims are the main danger for the world,i dont know why i tell you that but i just want to tell you every thing happened in 9 11 five years ago affected every thing in my world .
take care
---
Wed, 13 Sep 2006 05:04:16 +0000
hi again,i remembered somthing,PLEASE NEVER EVER send me a reply for the previous message i mean donot send me your answer as a reply which means my sent message could be read from your answer message,i DONOT want any one who know my password to be able to read my previous message,so if you will answer me send a NEW message to my hotmail but NOT a reply
thanks

Obama Street Art: Punk'd Edition

This latest offering certainly takes a different tone from the predictable chorus of street art devotionals for President Present.

Particularly here in Willamsburg, Brooklyn, the seat of Obama County. I can't imagine that this will stay up for very long.

Animated Video: Obama the Joker Proposes a Civilian Military

I came across these clever animated videos of President Government's top gaffes, lies, aimless ramblings and absurdities.

Much more at Freedomsfool2009's channel on YouTube!

All of your favorites are there and he's got new ones coming up.

Go check'em out!

UPDATE: Tuesday, Aug.17. The videos are no longer up.

Hmmmmmn ...

UPDATE: Wednesday, Aug. 18. The creator of these videos took down the Obama Joker clips from YouTube because of concerns about copyright infringement after the original artist behind the posters was revealed yesterday. There are new animated videos up now using a different Obama image. Personally, I prefer the Obama Joker. It was just right.

Obama Street Art Overdrive: Presenting the Obamasattva

Sleek-trousered, and casually buff, Our Dear Leader is evoking the most fetishistic eruptions of street art imaginable.

Here is the latest.

Part superhero of industry and light.
Part comic book body builder.

The Obamasattva.

The Unawakened Being of Wisdom!

Random Shots New England: Welcome Home, Soldier!

We drove through Berlin, Massachusetts on the way to Deer Isle / Stonington, Maine for vacation last week. I saw this sign on someone's lawn. I had to stop to take a picture.

This is the good soldier's family farm in Massachusetts. How beautiful! How happy and proud they must be to have their boy home.

One thing is for sure, once you leave New York City you see nothing but American flags everywhere. They flew from nearly every house and every business. Most main streets in towns were proudly lined with them from end to end.

Yet More Obama Street Art

What's up with this sticker? I'm not sure if it was intended to be sarcastic or not. After all, this is Obama County, Brooklyn, the seat of the Statist menace.

Obey Obama? No! Personally, I'd rather not!