New Terrorist Tactics

Al-Qaeda lunatics are now using children to smuggle and detonate bombs. In the past US Soldiers typically have waved cars through check points if they noticed children. Al-Qaeda noticed this and have now started blowing up kids in there latest attempts to kill American Soldiers and innocent Iraqis. Click here to read more about it.

I don't understand how pulling our troops out of Iraq will be good for anyone.

Rayon City Cleanup

Below is a slide show project showing people at my church fixing up our church. I wanted to try something different so I took still photos of the action and used sound recorded from the same time.
The church building in Rayon City is a satellite campus of Hermitage Hills Baptist Church. What does that mean you ask? Well HHBC took over a church about 10 miles from our current building. Rayon City Baptist church was struggling to keep it's doors open and were ready to close meanwhile, HHBC had been looking for a place to expand with a satellite campus. God had it planned out and put the two together. Members of HHBC help staff and attend Sunday morning services which are held at both locations with Sunday night and Wed. night services taking place on the main campus in Hermitage.

The video shows the Rayon City Campus getting fresh paint and the pews getting a makeover.

Click To Play

A still picture slide show with audio underneath.

Run to the Border

I guess you know I haven't made a post for a long time. Thanks for staying with me and periodically checking in on me. I haven't been doing the VJ thing for some time now (almost as long ago as my last post) but I will have a new story on the news soon. I'm writing this entry from Tuscon, AZ during a trip the Tennessee National Guard and Governor Bredesen. I traveled all day with the Governor and General Harget as they visited Tennessee National Guard soldiers who are down here helping to secure a very porous Mexican border. Just last night our Tennessee soldiers helped stop 320 pounds of marijuana from entering our country. Something like 62,ooo pounds of drugs were intercepted last year by US Customs and Border Patrol Agents. Enough drugs to fill 400 Ford Expeditions.

I've had a long day and it is late already with a very early wake up call (5am) ahead of me so I will tell you more later. Check out some of the photos I made today.

101st Year in Iraq

Follow the link to see a slide show of the 101st Airborne Division's year in Iraq.

http://www.fortcampbellcourier.com/101Iraq/

CNN's Warrior One

CNN'S WARRIOR ONE IS A LEAN MEAN HOT ROD. THE SUPPED UP HUMMER WAS NOT ALWAYS TRICKED OUT.
CNN BOUGHT THE '93 HUMMER H1 IN KUWAIT AND USED IT TO COVER THE IRAQ WAR.
LAST OCTOBER, CHIP FOOSE, FROM TLC'S SHOW OVERHAULIN' ,TRANSFORMED WARRIOR ONE INTO A MOBILE TRIBUTE TO THE MILITARY AND THE JOURNALIST WHO COVER THEM.
"I had tears in my eyes just like he(Foose) did when he got done with it. To see the expression of all the people and the veterans that see this at the end of the show. Outstanding" SAYS
GERALD SCHNEIDER, A RETIRED FT CAMPBELL SOLDIER. HE WATCHES OVERHAULIN' ON TELEVISION BUT GOT A CHANCE TO SEE WARRIOR ONE IN PERSON WHILE IT WAS ONE DISPLAY IN FRONT OF THE FISHER HOUSE AT FT. CAMPBELL.
"I'm really grateful to Chip Foose and his crew and to CNN, this is awesome" said Schneider.
THE TRICKED OUT WARRIOR ONE WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF ON JANUARY 20TH BY BARRETT JACKSON AUCTION HOUSE. SCHNEIDER THINKS THE HUMMER WILL SELL FOR AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS.
"If I had it I would by it for a million" SAYS SCHNEIDER WITH A CHUCKLE.
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE MONEY RAISED BY THE SALE OF WARRIOR ONE WILL BE GIVEN TO THE FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION, A GROUP THAT BUILDS COMFORT HOUSES FOR HOSPITALIZED MILITARY PERSONNEL. IT IS ANOTHER WAY THAT CNN AND OVERHAULIN' CAN HELP SUPPORT THE MILITARY.

Warbird SkyVentures

I did a cool story on Warbird SkyVentures. They offer rides in a vintage AT-6 WWII training airplane. If you get a chance check it out on the News 2 web site.

PFC Cory Clagett

I did a story about how an Army mother, Melanie Dianiska, is fighting to help save her son's life. Her son, Cory Clagett, is a soldier with the 101st Airborne Division in Ft. Campbell, Ky. Cory is not sick, nor was he wounded in battle. Pfc Clagett is one of four 101st soldiers who have been accused of premeditated murder of Al-Qaida terrorist suspects in U.S. custody.

Melanie has been keeping a web site to update new information on Cory's case. Here are some a few more links to information from Melanie.

www.pfcclagett.com our web site

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Raymond Live shows I've done

http://www.petitiononline.com/md012466/petition.html petition we started

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061208/NEWS01/612080347/1002

http://blog.myspace.com/savingcorey

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0803-07.htm

http://www.760kfmb.com/board/viewtopic.php?p=2389&sid=6393bb7f28af2102057ffa47dff5fbdd

http://www.expose-the-war-profiteers.org/archive/media/2006-1/20060926.htm

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51361

http://www.rinf.com/columnists/news/accused-troops-we-were-under-orders-to-kill

http://www.abcnews4.com/news/stories/1206/377646.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-moms19nov19,1,5424914.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&track=crosspromo

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/090306Y.shtml

http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/10/four-us-soldiers-facing-court-martial.php

Responsible Pet Owner?

Until this past weekend I thought I was a responsible pet owner. I have spayed and neutered all of my animals and kept them up to date on all of their shots. My two dogs had id tags on their collars and I taught them how to behave well and follow the basic commands. Since they behave so well I think I took for granted the fact they are still dogs and given the chance will behave like dogs.
Saturday night I was working outside on the car while Riley and Grace were out there with me. Most of the time they stay right in the yard and they did so for a while until the call of the wild beckoned them to wander, and wander they did. The pair of them left the yard around 930pm Saturday night and were gone. I figured they would be back soon and waited up for them until midnight and with no response to my calls, I go to bed thinking I would wake up to find dogs who were sad because they had to spend the night outside. Five am, wake up, go to front door and whistle. No dogs. 6am same drill and still no dogs. Drive through neighborhood calling for them before church and see no sign of them. I hope they are still running together so at least they have each other.
At one time both dogs had ID tags on their collars but now that they are out on their own neither one of them is wearing id. Gracie while playing with Riley pulled his tag off some time ago and Gracie recently lost her id tag some where in the back yard. A responsible pet owner would have replaced the tags as soon as they were discovered missing. If I had spent a few dollars at any pet store I probably would have had a call from several people who responded to flyers I past out in the neighborhood saying they saw them running together.
Monday morning, I was passing out a few of the remaining flyers to local veterinarian hospitals when I found Gracie. She had been hit by a car and a good Samaritan found her laying by the road and brought her in. Gracie does not have any broken bones but has a bad concussion and bloody nose. The doctor gave her medicine to keep the swelling in her brain down and to treat the pain and she spent the night there under observation.
I went to the place where Gracie was found and Riley was still there. The woman who found Gracie said it was Riley who alerted her to the spot where Gracie was laying. She said Riley kept looking toward Gracie and she saw Riley go over and lick her as to say Hang in there, help is on the way.
The morale of the story? You never expect your pets to run off but if they do, make sure you have an id tag on them. If I had id on my dogs, I would have been able to save hours of agony and a trip to the veterinarian hospital.

"So Brave"

I did a story today about an Army mother, Angela Lashley, who wrote a song about her son Jonathan called "So Brave." The song is about influences in Jonathan's life that have made him brave enough to stand on the front lines for Our Country today. Here is a link to the songs webstite where you can hear some of the song. Angela is also a spokesperson for The Blue Star Mothers of America who have offically endorsed the song.

Good Guys Win Battle

It seems like we only hear news about our guys getting killed in Iraq. Well, this morning the good guys scored a victory. The following is an article from the Department of Defense.

20 Terrorists Killed, Weapons Caches DestroyedAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2006 – Coalition forces killed 20 terrorists this morning while targeting al Qaeda terrorists in the Thar Thar area, military officials reported.
Coalition forces targeted the location based on intelligence reports that indicated associates with links to multiple al Qaeda in Iraq networks were operating in the area. Ground forces were searching buildings at the targeted location when they began receiving heavy machine-gun fire from one of the buildings. The ground forces returned fire, killing two armed terrorists. Despite efforts to subdue the remaining armed terrorists, officials said, coalition forces continued to be threatened by enemy fire, causing forces to call in close-air support. A coalition aircraft performed the air strike, resulting in 18 more armed terrorists killed. During a search of the objective, coalition forces found multiple weapons caches consisting of AK-47s, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-personnel mines, explosives, blasting caps and suicide vests. All these items were destroyed on site. Coalition forces also found that two of the terrorists killed were women. Al Qaeda in Iraq has both men and women supporting and facilitating their operations, officials said.

Cold War History Played Out at Guantanamo Bay Gate

By Sgt. Jim Greenhill, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, Nov. 30, 2006 - Even as deployed National Guard members make history serving with Joint Task Force Guantanamo, they find history at the base's Northeast Gate.
Minutemen and women helping fulfill JTF-GTMO's mission of providing safe care and custody for enemy combatants detained during the global war on terrorism can join Marine guides for an off-duty visit to a place where the world once seemed to hold its breath as superpowers stood eyeball-to-eyeball during the Cuban Missile Crisis. About 13 percent of JTF-GTMO is currently made up of National Guard troops, mostly from the Maryland National Guard.
The nation's oldest overseas naval base is also the only one in a country with which the United States does not have diplomatic relations. But the tensions that once surrounded the Northeast Gate, the only crossing point between the naval station and the rest of Cuba, have long since evaporated.
"We have a very good rapport with the Cuban army," a Marine staff sergeant said at the gate in mid-November. He is not being identified for security reasons. "We talk to them quite often," he said. "There's no tension like there used to be."
A few feet away, a half-dozen uniformed Cuban soldiers trimmed grass and picked up trash on the Cuban side, preparing for the monthly meeting between naval station commander Navy Capt. Mark Leary and his Cuban military counterpart. The fence-line meetings alternate between the American and Cuban sides. One month, the two commanders meet in a former Marine reaction force room on the base; the next, they meet in a building on the Cuban side of the line. They discuss issues such as security, the fence and communications, the Marine staff sergeant said.
"We don't deal with politics," Leary said. "Even during the time of President (Fidel) Castro's recent illness, there was no discussion. It really is much more of a local and pragmatic relationship dealing with the base and the local area of eastern Cuba."
Once a year, troops from both sides perform a mass casualty drill, demonstrating both sides' willingness to set aside differences and help each other during a crisis.
Decades ago, the atmosphere was similar to that embodied by Jack Nicholson in a line from the movie "A Few Good Men." "I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4,000 Cubans who are trained to kill me," his character, a Marine colonel, said.
Tensions were so high that shots were fired, though there were no gun battles. Over several years, troops on both sides of the fence competed for national pride.
Cubans lobbed rocks onto the tin roof of the reaction room were Marines were trying to sleep, so the Marines built a 40-foot-high fence along a stretch of the base's perimeter.
Then Cubans hung coat hangers and other metal objects on the new fence to clatter in the night wind and disturb the Marines' sleep, so the Marines added barbed wire.
When Cubans raised their flag higher than the Stars and Stripes, Marines installed ever-higher flagpoles on the U.S. side. The Cubans ultimately won that face-off by moving their flag to the top of a distant ridge line on the Cuban side, an elevation the Marines could not achieve.
As tensions persisted, the Cubans beamed a powerful spotlight into the reaction room's windows. "Marines can't sleep, they're not happy Marines," the staff sergeant said. "So we've got to do something about it."
Vice Adm. John Bulkeley, the base commander in the 1960s, devised a way to deal with that problem.
For 30 days, laborers worked in a tent erected on a hillside below the Marine building. "On the 30th night, the Cuban light came on, the tent came down and if y'all walk this way you'll see what the Cubans saw that night," the Marine staff sergeant told a group of visitors to the gate area.
A giant Marine Corps symbol painted on a massive concrete slab remains on the hillside. When the Cubans turned on their light on that 30th night, it spotlighted a super-sized eagle, globe and anchor. "The Cubans said, 'We're not going to spotlight that,'" the staff sergeant said. "They shut their spotlight off."
But the Marines favored highlighting the symbol. Anticipating the Cuban reaction, they had installed a light of their own that shines on the crest but not into their windows. At night, the single light can be seen from high ground throughout the 45-square-mile naval station.
Tensions grew more serious in 1964, when the U.S. arrested 17 Cuban fishermen for violating territorial waters off the Florida coast and Castro cut the fresh water supply the U.S. had for years pumped from a river several miles north of the naval station. "We stayed here," the staff sergeant said. "We didn't leave. He expected us to leave."
So Castro accused the U.S. of stealing water. To counter this, Bulkeley invited media to watch as the cast iron water pipe into the base was cut near the North East Gate. He sent a piece to Castro, with a photograph of the ceremony. Visitors still can see the exposed pipe.
The U.S. had shipped water into the base until a desalination plant that uses the same technology used on submarines was completed. The naval station uses wind turbines and diesel generators to supply power. Supplies are shipped or flown in. "We're totally self-sufficient," Leary said.
Marines and Cuban soldiers still face off from watch towers on hillsides on both sides of the 17-mile fence. No one goes to the Northeast Gate without permission from the Marines. The drive there crosses salt flats once dotted with 50,000 mines, which President Bill Clinton ordered removed in 1996. They were replaced with motion and sound sensors.
The Marines' respect for their Cuban counterparts is reflected in the order to visitors to not photograph them, point at them or make any gestures.
Only two people cross the fence line each day. An 85-year-old and a 79-year-old Cuban, the last two who still work on the naval station, arrive on the Cuban side at 6 a.m., walk across, work on the naval station and leave again at 6 p.m.
Once, about 4,000 Cubans came through the gate to work on the base. But Castro cut off the labor supply, later relenting to allow people who were working there before the ban to continue. Twice a month, Marines escort cash to the fence line so retired Cubans can collect their U.S. pensions.
Today, most naval station labor is supplied by nationals from Jamaica and the Philippines who live at GTMO.
Once or twice a month, Cubans who have attempted to cross into the naval station are returned to Cuba.
"Throughout history, the base has kind of cycled in importance," Leary said. "In the end, it's always been a good investment for the United States. It will continue to be a good investment. I don't know what the future missions would be. There are certainly other ones, (and) an extended-stay detainee mission is certainly possible."

A Different Christmas Poem

A friend of mine emailed this poem to me. Feel free to share it with as many people as you want.




A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the Sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!
"For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fires light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,
"Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.
"My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... An American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son.
"Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Tennessee History Festival

If you are looking for something to do on Saturday, check out the 3rd annual Tennessee History Festival going on at the Bicenntenial Capital Mall State Park. The festival features actors in period costumes sharing there knowlegde of history with anyone willing to listen.

I did a story Friday about the festival but I focused on the WWII re enactors. Check it out here but if you can go see it in person. It's worth the trip downtown.


If you don't already read Andy Cordan's blog, That's Messed Up, check it out. I laugh out loud every time I read it. My personal favoriate is the story about his neighbors dog. Scroll down on his blog until you see the sqatting dog. He posted the story Oct. 2

News 2 Making News Again

News 2 was featured on National Public Radio on Thursday during the show, All Things Considered. Reporter Audie Cornish was in the station a couple of weeks ago and did a story about video journalist. Here is a link to n p r where you can hear the story which aired on the radio.

I got to take a ride on the Aluminum Overcast, a restored B-17 Bomber and boy was it cool. I interviewed Leonard Mika, a ball turret gunner, who flew on a B-17 during WWII. His last flight on a B-17 was April, 1945 when he flew a bomb run from England to Berlin.

Today was the first time in over 60 years that he was back on a B-17 and he had a great time. I will have the story about the Leonard and the Aluminum Overcast on the news on Friday. When it hits the internet I will post a link so you can check it out.

Oh yeah, if you live in Middle Tennessee you can see the Aluminum Overcast on display and even pay for a ride at the Lebanon Municipal Airport.

Amanda Across America

Amanda Congdon is a video blogger who is currently writing a blog about her journey and adventures as she drives across America. The blog is called AmandaAcrossAmerica. Amanda became pretty famous while doing a video blog called RocketBoom and even had a cameo appearance on CSI.

If you are wondering why I am telling you this, it's because Amanda and her crew recently stopped by News 2 to see how we incorporate blogs and the internet with the news. The majority of the interview was done with News 2 General Manager Mike Sechrist but Amanda also talked with yours truly. Check out the interview at AmandaAcrossAmerica

Cool ABC Site

If you miss your favorite ABC show on News 2, don't worry because you can watch the whole episode almost commercial free at abc.go.com. Once you get to the web page all you have to do is click on a show and you can watch it right here on your computer. Each show is divided into four segments with a thirty second commercial in between from the episodes sponsor. Another good thing is with only four commercials the show only last 43 minutes and you get to watch it any time you want. I think it is pretty cool site. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

http://www.wkrn.com/Nashville/news/students-visit-traveling-Vietnam-memorial
http://www.wkrn.com/Nashville/news/traveling-Vietnam-memorial-comes-to-music-city

Here are links to two stories I did about a traveling display of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The wall is located at 660 Thompson Lane in Nashville at Woodlawn Cemetery and will be on display through Sunday.

Rock, Paper Sissors

Check out this ROCKETBOOM report about the game rock, paper, sissors. It's pretty good and made me laugh which is always a good way to start a day.

Homecoming

The soldiers at Ft. Campbell are still returning home. I haven't been up there for a while so I thought I would link you to the Ft. Campbell Courier welcome home photo gallery. The picture here was taken by CW2 Frank Capri, 101st CAB. Frank is an Apache Helicopter pilot who I did a story about a few weeks back. He is also a good photographer. I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures of soldiers reuniting with their families.

Up Coming Stories

I currently working on a couple of stories that should be on the news soon. MSGT Johnny Wolfe is a 118th Air Lift Wing Air National Airmen. One of Johnny's job is to make sure the parachutes that support the crew of C-130's stay in top shape. I talked with Johnny as he was inspecting a chute and will have a story about it.

A traveling display of the Vietnam Memorial Wall arrived in Nashville on Tuesday afternoon. Several hundred motorcycles riders rode to the state line and escorted the wall into Nashville. I rode along on the back of a Harley Davidson bike for part of the ride. It was impressive seeing all the veterans and current soldiers showing there respect for the those who lost their lives during the Vietnam war.

The wall will be set up on Thursday at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery on Thompson Lane. If you have never had a chance to see the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington DC, then go by and see the wall while it is here in Nashville. Even if you have seen the one in Washington then still go by and see it while it is town.