Saturday, December 22, 2007

A real, TRUE, and absolutely wonderful Christmas story.....it's really great.

Well Sir...here be one of greatest Christmas stories I've never heard before...chances are you haven't heard it either....but...after "Snoping" this...I learned it's true. This was sent to me by Charlie B...better known as "Charlie the Cop" frum Chicago...


Charlie...thank you sooo very much for this story...it truly is heartwarming and inspiring....and is what the Christmas spirit is really about......





Here's a 'today' Yule story that occurred 3 weeks ago ~ AND NOW, in time for the holidays, I bring you the best Christmas story you never heard.

It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. "We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3.

The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it. Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains. Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I commish - is one of them.

He has three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard. One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F. Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and '62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby's body to D. C. for burial. "That's a lot of history for one car," says Bennett.

He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played. The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D. C. and Bethesda, in Maryland. "We wanted to give them a first-class experience," says Bennett. "Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment."

Through the Army War College Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed's commanding general, who loved the idea. But Bennett had some ground rules first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone:

No press on the trip, lest the soldiers' day of pampering devolve into a media circus.

No politicians either, because, says Bennett, "I didn't want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op."

And no Pentagon suits on board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax.

The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his hands. "I had to actually make this thing happen," he laughs.

Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country - these people tend to know each other - into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary train? The Liberty Limited.

Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D. C. - where they'd be coupled together for the round-trip ride to Philly - then back to their owners later.

Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train to Lincoln Financial Field, for the game.

A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game - on the 50-yard line - and lunch in a hospitality suite.

And corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees:

From Woolrich, stadium blankets. From Wal-Mart, digital cameras. From Nikon, field glasses. From GEAR, down jackets.

There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member.

The Marines, though, declined the offer. "They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines," says Levin, choking up at the memory.

Bennett's an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he'd react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D. C.'s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day. "They made it easy to be with them," he says. "They were all smiles on the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They're so full of life and determination."

At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army's lopsided loss to Navy could deflate the group's rollicking mood.

Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal - heroes get hungry, says Levin - before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda. "The day was spectacular," says Levin. "It was all about these kids. It was awesome to be part of it."

The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodbye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station.

"One of the guys was blind, but he said, 'I can't see you, but man, you must be f---ing beautiful!' " says Bennett. "I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn't even answer him."

It's been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day's love. "My Christmas came early," says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. "I can't describe the feeling in the air." Maybe it was hope.

As one guest wrote in a thank-you note to Bennett and Vivian, "The fond memories generated last Saturday will sustain us all - whatever the future may bring."

God bless the Levins.
And bless the troops, every one.

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Now Sir...since the old Cookie has got a ton of Christmas preparations and cookin to do....it is my wish that ALL of you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...and from the lesson above...we learn that one of the true joy's of Christmas is in the GIVING......

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Friday, December 21, 2007

Soup, Goal Keepers, Church humor, Underwear, Viagra, and THANK YOU ...

Well Sir...now here be a soup commercial ya probably won't see on TV....










...The best Underwear Ad ever....WARNING...BRIEF NUDITY

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....the best Viagra Commercial you've never seen....



...and finally...The Best TV Commercial Ever.....


Just brief quote....



My good friend Clint Griffin, who is the Official Ship/Museum Photographer on the USS Midway out in San Diego just sent me an absolutely great Power Point presentation, which I would like to share with y'all, but don't know how to embed it into my blog....

So...I e-mailed it to as many of ya as I could...But....I'm just going to share one quote with y'all that I absolutely loved. It's a quote frum Gen. Tommy Franks who told his men...

"When you get home and encounter a war protester, walk up to him and shake his hand. Then look at his girl friend and wink at her because she knows she's dating a pussy."

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Well Sir...I recently took delivery on my Bose Music System...and I've got just one wurd to describe it's sound quality... OUTSTANDING!!! Thanks to everyone who shared their opinions regarding this system and convinced me to make the commitment to spend all that money......









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...and now...because there is a very real scary possibility that "the Hildebeast" could be our next President of these United States...the military is taking the appropriate steps right now to deal with the budget cuts and down-sizing she plans....








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Thursday, December 20, 2007

All Hands Man yur Battlestations....

Well Sir...there comes a time every now and agin when a body has to "put yur money where yur mouth is". I know...with Christmas and the holidays here...this can be kinda a sore subject at this time of the year....but Fred needs yur assistance....NOW!

We're comin down to the wire in Iowa, and Fred is making a sweeping tour of the State and could use yur help in completin this here task....

He's got some momentum goin now, and is gettin good News coverage and write-ups about what he is sayin and doin.....here's a few...

Sensing Fred's momentum, CBS News reported Fred supporters heard "a leaner, more applause-line heavy stump speech", loaded with "national security and shots at the Democrats."
"Our fundamental principles are under assault from a left-wing, big government, high taxing, weak on national security Democratic Party," [Fred] said to sustained applause.

The Des Moines Register reports Fred was "buoyed by the positive reviews of his performance at last week's GOP presidential debate in Des Moines and the endorsement Monday of Iowa's U.S. Rep. Steve King, who is well known in the state as a social conservative strongly opposed to illegal immigration."

"How are you going to stand up to the leaders of Iran and North Korea if you can't stand up to an overbearing moderator?"

Political columnist David Yespen writes, "Thompson has sensed an opening in Iowa, and he's moving decisively to exploit it. The opening arises from a combination of Romney's changes of position on social issues and Huckabee's stumbles on foreign-policy questions and immigration."

Support was so strong, even The New York Times applauded Fred! They described his presence this way : "His voice booming and words wry and fiery."

Check back each day for new video blogs like this from the trail to get a behind the scenes look what's going on in Iowa.

And don't miss this fantastic video from Iowa Congressman Steve King, a hero of conservative Iowans. Congressman King has been a champion for securing America's borders and restoring the central pillar of America, the rule of law.

Now Sir....I'm 63 years old and have only financially supported a Presidential candidate once before...and that was Ronald Reagan...but being a young cop with a family to support at the time, the amount I gave isn't even worth mentioning.

Now my friends...if'n yur like me and have watched in disgust as our National borders are being violated everyday...and "sanctuary cities" are popping up all around the country...and traditional values are being attacked and eroded by certain elements who've either lost sight of, or are intentionally attempting to eradicate the founding principles this great nation was founded upon...then it's time to step up and be counted. "Either a man take's a stand for something, or he stands for nothing."

I'm just an old fashioned American with traditional values and beliefs who did what my country asked of me...and for me, Fred Thompson represents ALL that I want the President of these great United States to do for my country.

As many of you have probably observed, frum time t'time I'll put up an adult oriented post (with adequate visual warnings given so as not to offend anyone), so...I'm certainly not religious by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe in God, and the various attack(s) that secular-progressives and other groups like the ACLU have perpetrated, especially on Christmas, sicken and anger me...

...As do attacks on my 2nd Amendment rights...as do defenseless babies being killed in the womb...as do lazy ass freeloaders sucking on the Welfare teat of an out of control entitlement system...as do "Nanny States" springing up frum coast to coast...as does (You fill in the blanks)...

I know that for the Cookie man...it's time for me to get behind my candidate in whatever way I can....before it's too late...

How about you...???


Hmmmm....

Well Sir...Missy Susan frum Eagle Lake, Texas finally answered that age old question thats puzzled me fer many a year..."Why Don't Men Design Christmas Wrapping Paper??? Well Sir...Here be the answer t'that....



























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Now Sir...I thinks y'all know I'm definately NOT a Julie-Annie supporter, I'm a Fred Thompson man....but what I finds interestin bout this headline is that "The Chief" frum Smolderin Embers was in St. Looey at the same time that Julie Annie was....and I know that the Chief is an avid, dyed in the wool, staunch Democrat....see where I'm goin with this...looks like a conspiracy to me...

Giuliani Checks Into a St. Louis Hospital

AP

Posted: 2007-12-20 09:48:20

Filed Under: Elections News, Politics News

WASHINGTON (Dec. 20) -- Republican Rudy Giuliani planned to head home to New York City on Thursday after spending the night in a St. Louis hospital getting checked out for flu-like symptoms, his campaign said.

"After precautionary tests the doctors found nothing of concern at this time and Rudy will be going back to New York later today," communications director Katie Levinson said in a statement issued before dawn Thursday. "He is in high spirits and is grateful to the doctors and nurses who checked him out."
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Well Now....this here video is about 5 minutes long...but it's worth it...you'll see. At first I thought the Crow was fattenin the Cat up fer the kill... HAT-TIP: Thanks Susan...

The Cat and Crow.....


Wednesday, December 19, 2007

A Good book report... and a "Politically Correct" Christmas story






Tale of 2 books


Students were required to read and compare two books - Titanic, and My
Life by Bill Clinton.

One student turned in the following book report, with the proposition
that they were nearly identical stories!

His cool professor gave him an A+ for this report.

Titanic:.... cost - $29.99
Clinton :..... cost - $29.99

Titanic:..... Over 3 hours to read
Clinton :..... Over 3 hours to read

Titanic:... .. The story of Jack and Rose, their forbidden love, and
subsequent catastrophe.
Clinton :..... The story of Bill and Monica, their forbidden love, and
subsequent catastrophe.

Titanic:..... Jack is a starving artist.
Clinton :..... Bill is a bullshit artist.

Titanic:.... In one scene, Jack enjoys a good cigar.
Clinton :..... Ditto for Bill.

Titanic:..... During the ordeal, Rose's dress gets ruined.
Clinton :..... Ditto for Monica.

Titanic:..... Jack teaches Rose to spit.
Clinton :..... Let's not go there.

Titanic:..... Rose gets to keep her jewelry.
Clinton :.... Monica' s forced to return her gifts.

Titanic:..... Rose remembers Jack for the rest of her life.
Clinton :..... Clinton doesn't remember Jack.

Titanic:..... Rose goes down on a vessel full of seamen.
Clinton :..... Monica...ooh, let's not go there, either.

Titanic:..... Jack surrenders to an icy death.
Clinton :..... Bill goes home to Hilary - basically the same thing.

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OK...lets "Git her Done!"...



...Hat Tip to: Susan Gertson fer that one....
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Joe took his, knock-down gorgeous, blind date to the carnival.

"What would you like to do first, Kim?" asked Joe.

I want to get weighed," she said. They ambled over to the weight guesser. He guessed 120 pounds. She got on the scale; it read 117 and she won a prize.

Next, the couple went on the Ferris Wheel. When the ride was over, Joe again asked Kim what she would like to do.

"I want to get weighed," she said. Back to the weight guesser they went. Since they had been there before, he guessed her correct weight, and Joe lost his dollar.

The couple walked around the carnival and again he asked where to next. "I want to get weighed," she responded.

By this time, Joe figured she was really weird and took her home early, dropping her off with a handshake.

Her roommate, Laura, asked her about the blind date, "How'd it go?"

Kim responded, "Oh, Waura, it was wousy!"

Hump Day PotPouri....

Well Sir...the Cookie just loves t'pull of a good practical joke...wish I'd thought a this one....



...and frum what I understands...the Chief over at Smolderin Embers really could use one a these here gadgets...guess he musta been eatin at the Cookshack....



...and believe it or not...I once talked one of my dumbass cousins inta doin this when we was growin up...he still don't have any kids....



...and obviously he's a city feller....



....and lastly.....I hope yur eye's aren't as bad as this gals's...that way ya can read the ADULT WARNING !!!!

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Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Fred... In my book.. one of the best Christmas presents ya can give yurself...


Well Sir...I know it's that special time of the year and all, and we're all busy shoppin & doing all that thar Christmas stuff...but right now Fred is on a roll gettin all kinds of great write-ups and endorsements frum folks that exhibit a good quantity of good old fashioned patriotism and common sense....

If'n ya like t'call yurself an informed voter who has the ability to look at, LISTEN and THINK about what the various candidates have t'say...take a couple of minutes and clicky de linky below and get better informed regardin this honest, forthright man who literally exudes integrity...

http://www.fred08.com/

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Sensing Fred's momentum, CBS News reported Fred supporters heard "a leaner, more applause-line heavy stump speech", loaded with "national security and shots at the Democrats."
"Our fundamental principles are under assault from a left-wing, big government, high taxing, weak on national security Democratic Party," [Fred] said to sustained applause.

The Des Moines Register reports Fred was "buoyed by the positive reviews of his performance at last week's GOP presidential debate in Des Moines and the endorsement Monday of Iowa's U.S. Rep. Steve King, who is well known in the state as a social conservative strongly opposed to illegal immigration."

"How are you going to stand up to the leaders of Iran and North Korea if you can't stand up to an overbearing moderator?"

Political columnist David Yespen writes, "Thompson has sensed an opening in Iowa, and he's moving decisively to exploit it. The opening arises from a combination of Romney's changes of position on social issues and Huckabee's stumbles on foreign-policy questions and immigration."

Support was so strong, even The New York Times applauded Fred! They described his presence this way : "His voice booming and words wry and fiery."

Check back each day for new video blogs like this from the trail to get a behind the scenes look what's going on in Iowa.

And don't miss this fantastic video from Iowa Congressman Steve King, a hero of conservative Iowans. Congressman King has been a champion for securing America's borders and restoring the central pillar of America, the rule of law.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Did y'all write t'Santa this year.....

Now Sir....if'n y'all wrote t'Santa this year...and ya don't get what ya wanted...this could be why....



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T. "Bubba" Boudreaux, a part-time City Councilman from
Abbeville, LA, was asked on a local live radio talk show the other day
just what he thought of the allegations of torture of the Iraqi prisoners.

His reply prompted his ejection from the studio, but to thunderous
applause from the audience.
*
His reply was:
*
"If hooking up an Iraqi prisoner's balls to a car's battery
cables will save
one MARINE'S life, then I have just two things to say":

"Red is positive"
"Black is negative"



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My sentiments exactly...... (Borrowed frum The Dread Pundit Bluto...)




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Hmmm....and yet anuther "Mitticism" fer y'all....

"We should also keep Weapons of unusual Lethality off the street." ...whatever the hell that means....

If'n ya wanna read more about his asinine comment...get on over to Liz's place at White Trash Republican.... and read the whole story....

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Aside frum A Christmas Story...this here trailer is about my other favorite Christmas movie...



....and whom amunst us can possibly ferget this here cute, cuddly...and absolutely terrifyin Squirrel frum National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.....???



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Well Folks...today be the Cookie's 41st Anniversary...so...I got a few things to do today to show Mrs. Cookie how much I love and appreciate her.....

And.. in the "I'll say anything to get elected" Department we have....





IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Washington Post: "Romney Claims NRA Endorsement He Didn't Receive"

"Romney Claims NRA Endorsement He Didn't Receive"
Michael D. Shear
Washington Post, The Trail
December 16, 2007

Maybe it was the pressure of the moment. Being under the Tim Russert spotlight can get to anyone. Under Russert's grilling about guns on this morning's "Meet the Press," former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney claimed an endorsement he'd never won.

In answer to questions about whether he would sign an assault weapons ban, Romney said: "Just as the president said, he would have, he would have signed that bill if it came to his desk, and so would have I. And, and, and yet I also was pleased to have the support of the NRA when I ran for governor. I sought it, I seek it now. I'd love to have their support."

Later in the interview, he added the following:

"I just talked about, about guns. I told you what my position was, and what I, what I did as governor; the fact that I received the endorsement of the NRA."

The problem?

He was never endorsed by the NRA, and didn't have their official support during his 2002 gubernatorial campaign. The NRA declined to endorse in that race, as was acknowledged by Romney's spokesman this morning.

"The NRA did not endorse in the 2002 campaign," said spokesman Kevin Madden, when asked about Romney's comments. "Mitt Romney as a candidate received a respectable B grade rating from the NRA, and when he was governor he had the support of the NRA and the Gun Owners Action League in relaxing some of the state's burdensome licensing regulations."

What Madden didn't say was that Romney's Democratic opponent in the governor's race, Shannon O'Brien, was given a more than respectable "A" grade by the NRA, according to its website.

The issue of guns has repeatedly dogged Romney, who as a U.S. Senate candidate in 1996 was in favor of several gun control measures. Earlier this year, Romney was mocked for saying that he was a "small varmint" hunter.

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....Of course...the same thing applies to the Hildebeast as well.....AND....she's been huntin a "small varmint" in Willy's pants fer years...but it keeps "hole'n up" elswhere....


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...as I see it....there's only one candidate who's in favor of 2nd Ammendment rights....and here he is....

Yupper...snowed agin...




WARNIN...some adult humor ahead....

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket



...an upstate New Yorker express's his feelin's about the snow...or he's advertisin....
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....and...my good neighbor Clem, "The Snow Fairy" showed up agin about 7 AM and started shovelin my walkway. Clem has a snow fetish....

...and here's some a Clem's Christmas lights that he hung....



...and lastly, speakin of hangin....The Chief frum over at Smolderin Embers sent me this here photygraff that he put t'gether....ain't this considered a "Hate Crime" ..???






Sunday, December 16, 2007

Monday Mix....

Well Sir...Hmmmm, I surely don't remember havin this here talk with dear old Dad...





Daddy, how was I born?

A little boy goes to his father and asks "Daddy, how was I born?"

The father answers, "Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway! Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via e-mail with your Mom and we met at a cyber-cafe.

We sneaked into a secluded room, where your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive. As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said:


Scroll down...You'll love this ....



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Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket



"You got Male!"

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...and I gotta have a little sumthin fer my old "Jarhead" buddy the Chief over at Smolderin Embers....

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....and great big Cookshack MERRY CHRISTMAS to all you Seabee's, Sailors, "Bubbleheads", GI's and...yes...even Marines out there whether yur oversea's or State-side....and most importantly....THANK YOU


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...and...my favorite...I'll be Home for Christmas....