Nice to see a fellow athiest aboard!

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I commend for this man for standing up for what he doesn't believe in!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352703,00.html

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. —  Like hundreds of young men joining the Army in recent years, Jeremy Hall professes a desire to serve his country while it fights terrorism.

But the short and soft-spoken specialist is at the center of a legal controversy. He has filed a lawsuit alleging he's been harassed and his constitutional rights have been violated because he doesn't believe in God. The suit names Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

"I'm not in it for cash," Hall said. "I want no one else to go what I went through."

Known as "the atheist guy," Hall has been called immoral, a devil worshipper and — just as severe to some soldiers — gay, none of which, he says, is true. Hall even drove fellow soldiers to church in Iraq and paused while they prayed before meals.

"I see a name and rank and United States flag on their shoulder. That's what I believe everyone else should see," he said.

Hall, 23, was raised in a Protestant family in North Carolina and dropped out of school before earning his GED. It wasn't until after he joined the Army that he began questioning religion, eventually deciding he couldn't follow any faith.

But he feared how that would look to other soldiers.

"I was ashamed to say that I was an atheist," Hall said.

It eventually came out in Iraq in 2007, when he was in a firefight. Hall was a gunner on a Humvee, which took several bullets in its protective shield. Afterward, his commander asked whether he believed in God, Hall said.

"I said, 'No, but I believe in Plexiglas,"' Hall said. "I've never believed I was going to a happy place. You get one life. When I die, I'm worm food."

The issue came to a head when, according to Hall, a superior officer, Maj. Freddy J. Welborn, threatened to bring charges against him for trying to hold a meeting of atheists in Iraq. Welborn has denied Hall's allegations.

Hall said he had had enough but feared he wouldn't get support from Welborn's superiors. He turned to Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.

Weinstein is the foundation's president and a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate. He had previously sued the Air Force for acts he said illegally imposed Christianity on students at the academy, though that case was dismissed. He calls Hall a hero.

"The average American doesn't have enough intestinal fortitude to tell someone to shut up if they are talking in a movie theater," Weinstein said. "You know how hard it is to take on your chain of command? This isn't the shift manager at KFC."

Hall was in Qatar when the lawsuit was filed on Sept. 18 in federal court in Kansas City, Kan. Other soldiers learned of it and he feared for his own safety. Once, Hall said, a group of soldiers followed him, harassing him, but no one did anything to make it stop.

The Army told him it couldn't protect him and sent him back to Fort Riley. He resumed duties with a military police battalion. He believes his promotion to sergeant has been blocked because of his lawsuit, but he is a team leader responsible for two junior enlisted soldiers.

No one with Fort Riley, the Army or Defense Department would comment about Hall or the lawsuit. Each issued statements saying that discrimination will not be tolerated regardless of race, religion or gender.

"The Department respects (and supports by its policy) the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs," said Eileen Lainez, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense.

All three organizations said existing systems help soldiers "address and resolve any perceived unfair treatment."

Lt. Col. David Shurtleff, a Fort Riley chaplain, declined to discuss Hall's case but said chaplains accommodate all faiths as best they can. In most cases, religious issues can be worked out without jeopardizing military operations.

"When you're in Afghanistan and an IED blows up a Humvee, they aren't asking about a wounded soldier's faith," Shurtleff said.

Hall said he enjoys being a team leader but has been told that having faith would make him a better leader.

"I will take care of my soldiers. Nowhere does it say I have to pray with my soldiers, but I do have to make sure my soldiers' religious needs are met," he said.

"Religion brings comfort to a lot of people," he said. "Personally, I don't want it or need it. But I'm not going to get down on anybody else for it."

Hall leaves the Army in April 2009. He would like to find work with the National Park Service or Environmental Protection Agency, anything outdoors.

"I hope this doesn't define me," Hall said of his lawsuit. "It's just about time somebody said something."

I'm working away (it's 10:30 p.m. PST) and just wanted to wish all my fellow MTs a lovely Tuesday evening.  May your shift be filled with more than enough work courtesy of outstanding clinicians doing the dictation.

Have a fabulous evening

I was friends with this girl for years.  She is also an MT.  Thanks to me!  Anyway, she thinks she knows everything and anything and she is not very popular among our other friends either.  I finally had enough of the friendship and let it go.  We dont even talk now because she is just too much work. 

I dont think that you are overreacting at all. 

Hi. Its www.inthecompanyofdogs.com 

when I was living in North Carolina I met a wonderful older lady at the vet who had her dog in a car seat and gave me the catalog. I Love this catalog. It can be on the expensive side, but the carseat was totally worth it. He loves it. When I get in car he goes in the back and jumps right in it. It took a little time in the beginning, so I gave him treats when he jumped in it.  It has good restraints too.  but there is another website called GWlittle.com that has carseats that are little less expansive than mine and pretty similar. 

We added a new bird to our backyard list today - one that we have been waiting to have visit for six years.  I must admit I had given up, as this is known to be a rural bird and we are just inside town.  We have downy woodpeckers out the wazoo all day long, but today, much to my surprise and delight, we had a visit from a hairy woodpecker.  He landed on the suet cage that I have hanging on the offce window so he was only about 4 feet away and I got a really good look at him.  What a thrill!  Now if I can just lure in that elusive pileated...

Don't wait until the last minute to get the big ticket items.  I know they may seem like a great deal, but usually those items are only $20 to $50 less than they normally would be.  The aggravation of trying to get it isn't going to be worth the money you'd save. 

I generally go for the smaller deals -- like the cool PJs on sale and the board games or DVDs on sale.  These are great sales.  One year, I got 3 Fisher Price/Hasbro games for my 5-year-old for $3 each.  DVDs were only $5 each.  There were 3-piece fleece PJs for $9.  These are best deals in my opinion. 

I've stood in line waiting to get the $49 gameboy that was normally $100 only to get to my turn and find out they're sold out.  Then I spent the next month trying to find one anywhere for my kid for Christmas. 

I go out early on Black Friday for the excitement and some bargains, but never the big ticket stuff.  I have that bought before then and stored away safe and sound.  To me, it's like tailgating -- the thing that gets me into the spirit of the season!

***UPDATE*** The Associated Press reveals more details about the shooter:

The suspect had been disarmed after an earlier incident at the center but returned with another weapon, according to a senior military official in Washington, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation into the shootings was ongoing.

***UPDATE*** The American soldier who shot dead five fellow soldiers at a U.S. base in Baghdad is in custody.

"The shooter is a US soldier and he is in custody," US marine corps lieutenant Tom Garnett, a US military spokesman in Iraq, told reporters.

The New York Times adds some perspective to the tragedy:

The killings appeared to be the worst case of soldier-on-soldier violence among the American forces based in Iraq since the invasion more than six years ago.
The shootings, which took place at a stress clinic, highlight the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder among U.S. soldiers, notes the Guardian:

Stress is one of the biggest killers of US soldiers in Iraq. About a fifth of all US troops are thought to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, contributing to high divorce and suicide rates. An estimated one fifth of the 4,292 members of the US force in Iraq have died from non-combat causes, either in accidents or from suicide.
***UPDATE*** According to Fox News, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs Monday relayed President Obama's response to the tragedy. Obama expressed shock and sadness and is promising to fully investigate what exactly transpired at Camp Liberty, so as to prevent such incidents in the future.

***UPDATE*** AP has another update. The shooting was at a 'stress clinic':

Pentagon officials say five Americans are dead after a U.S. soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad. They say the attacker is in custody.

The officials say the shootings happened on Camp Liberty at a stress clinic, where troops can go for help with the stresses of combat or stress from personal issues.

One senior military official in Washington says it's unclear whether those killed are workers at the clinic or were there for counseling. He says officials also are unsure whether all the dead are members of the military.

***UPDATE*** ABC News reports that the U.S. soldier who attacked fellow troops on a U.S, base in Iraq has killed five of them and is now in custody. Initial reports suggested that he had turned the gun on himself after his rampage.

***UPDATE*** AP now reports that the U.S. soldier who went on a rampage against his fellow troops in Iraq may have survived the incident:

Pentagon officials say five U.S. soldiers are dead after an American soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad.

The officials say the shootings happened Monday at Camp Liberty near Baghdad's airport.

One senior military official in Washington said it was not yet clear whether the shooter was among the dead. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the circumstances surrounding the deaths are under investigation.

Initial reports indicated the Army soldier shot several others, then turned the gun on himself. But it was unclear whether he, too, had died.

***UPDATE*** CNN reports that 3 other U.S. soldiers were wounded during the friendly fire incident that has left 5 U.S. troops dead. An American soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself.

According to the Washington Post, it is the single greatest loss of life in a single incident involving U.S. soldiers since a truck bomb last month took the lives of 5 American soldiers.

***UPDATE*** CNN has just sent out a breaking news alert reporting that senior defense officials have told the network that a US soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself. Check back for more information.

McClatchy is reporting that a shooting at a U.S. base in Baghdad has left 5 soldiers dead. The shooting occurred at Camp Liberty, a base near the Baghdad airport.

She is now 3-1/2 and she always hisses at my daughter and her fiance.....it's really not nice, and it's always ongoing, and I *think* she (the cat) may be jealous.  I never had a jealous cat before.  *lol* 

I  had a male cat for 13 years who died in 2004 and he did hiss but not at the daughter (but then she kind of grew up with him....)

hope it gets better with your little furkid...(cute!!)

But I'm in zone 7a!  It might survive here, with southern exposure, but it would be iffy.

My hydrangea is just about to bloom, though - the blooms are somewhat similar. I thought I lost it over the cold, cold winter but it came back and has little florets all over getting ready to burst into bloom. 

You made my day!   Hey, wouldn't it be cool if all us animal lovers could form a rescue group where we MT'd and rescued together so we could make money and then spend it all on the animals! LOL  The group could be called: 

                                                 MTs To The Rescue!!!! 

I have a son, a Marine, 1st.sgt. serving in Iraq. In his BD package I put in a jar of Mrs. Renfro's Jalapeno Green Salsa, HOT. I received a request a week ago from his unit, wanting more, the jar was nearly gone! I ran to the store, bought a case and shipped it. The nearly went out of their minds with thanks! I thought it would be nice to let the company know how much their product was liked, so I sent an E-mail, describing everything. A Becky Renfro E-mailed me back immediately, wanted the address of my son and his company in Iraq...and they too sent a case! I'm so glad there are people out there that appreciate our troops and want to be good to them. I support the troops 200%, but not the current administration. Anyway, I thought it was a lovely, lovely thing for them to do.

Semper Fi!

I'm glad the time changed.  Longer days, more sunshine!  LOL  I'm ready for the new season...   Would love to do some clothes shopping!