Friday, September 29, 2006

help Habitat for Humanity count abandoned buildings in NYC

In July, along with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, our Housing Campaign embarked on a major undertaking—a block-by-block survey of vacant properties in Manhattan. We covered half the borough, and got major news coverage in outlets ranging from the New York Times to the Daily News to El Diario/La Prensa to the Amsterdam News, and now it's time to count the rest!

Please join us on Saturday, October 14, 2006 as we canvas Lower Manhattan, Midtown, the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side (Community Board Districts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). Prior to beginning the count, volunteers will be asked to attend a morning training session and breakfast beginning at 9:30 am at 1 Centre Street, 19th Floor South. During the training, volunteers will be assigned areas to survey and a survey team, and will be provided with packets of walking maps, survey instructions, and the survey tool. Volunteers will reconvene at 1 Centre Street at 3 pm to return completed materials.

If you would like to volunteer, please visit http://www.mbpo.org/policy/housing and fully complete the Volunteer Registration Form and return it to the listed address or fax number. If you have any questions about the Abandoned Building and Vacant Lot Survey, please call Ryan Galvin, Housing Policy Analyst for the Borough President's office at 212-669-3060, or Picture the Homeless at 646-314-6423.

We look forward to working with you to identify under-utilized properties so we can better understand the problem, and what needs to change. In other cities, a count of abandoned buildings was an important first step to creating real social change with regards to the root causes of property warehousing and the housing crisis. In Boston, for example, the total number of abandoned buildings has decreased by 67% since the survey began in 1997—from 1,044 to 350 buildings. While some of that decline is due to an overall upswing in the real estate market, city officials have stated that quantifying and publicizing the extent of the problem led to the creation of the public will necessary for the city administration to implement new policies and funding streams for the conversion of these economic sinkholes into functioning residential buildings.

new school MFA student reading 9/28/06

managed to leave work early enough to only miss the first part of the first night of MFA Student Readings at the New School. As per usual, there was nowhere to sit but there were some great poets/writers reading. Standouts include a poet whose name, of course, I can't remember but his poems were wonderful. There was also a first year fiction student, Todd Wright, who read a great story about a man going to a thrift store to buy a grease monkey shirt to hopefully make himself appear sexier to his wife - that's a bad 10am at work w/a nasty cold summation of it... It was well read, well written and funny. Hopefully, there'll be more like that at future readings. Not to say I didn't love some of the other work too but this was a standout for me. Still finding myself not really into all the "collegiate" atmosphere of hanging out with my classmates & the whole pizza & beer before class isn't something I'm generally up for. I guess I'm getting antisocial & boring in my old age. (getting?) Ah well. Had another wonderful Lit Seminar (Francine Prose) afterwards though of course this nasty cough my heinous co-worker gave all of us interuppted the last half of the class for me. ouch. We were discussing Tatyana Tolstaya's "Heavenly Flame." I've never had a great interest or love for Russian Lit & I'm happy to say, this class has changed my opinion. Last week was Isaac Babel and Leonard Michaels - both wonderful stories. Next week we have off :( but the following week we'll be doing Jane Bowles' "Two Serious Ladies" - I can't say I'm liking it so far but from all the critiques I've read about her work, I understand that I should like her work. Okay. Fine. I'll keep going. Also reading "The Straight Cut" by MS Bell on the side/subway to keep me sane & just finished another James Lee Burke.

Missouri Review deadline - October 1st

The October 1st deadline for this year’s Jeffrey E. Smith Prize for fiction, essay, and poetry is almost here. Once again, we’re offering prize amounts of $3,000 per genre plus publication in our spring issue, making this one of the nation’s top literary prizes. Three finalists in each genre will also receive awards and be considered for publication. The entry fee of $20 includes a year-long, 4-issue subscription to The Missouri Review. Submit by mail or electronically.

Check out www.missourireview.com/contest for complete guidelines and on-line submission form. We look forward to reading your work! Sincerely,
The EditorsThe Missouri Review357 McReynolds HallUniversity of MissouriColumbia, MO 65211www.missourireview.com/contest

Zoetrope all-story deadline October 1st

The FINAL DEADLINE is postmark OCTOBER 2. Below you’ll find complete information for the Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Contest.

Mary Gaitskill (Veronica, Bad Behavior) judges, and the winner and finalists receive cash awards and consideration for representation by leading agencies. The winning story will be published in an online supplement to All-Story’s Spring 2007 issue.

We’re grateful for the continued opportunity to discover incredible new talent. Thanks for your interest—and GOOD LUCK!

With best wishes,
The Editors
Zoetrope: All-Story

* * *

DEADLINE: All entries must be postmarked by October 2, 2006.

JUDGE:
Mary Gaitskill, the National Book Award-finalist and frequent Zoetrope: All-Story contributor, will award the top prizes.

PRIZES: The first-place prize is $1,000; second-place prize is $500; and third-place prize is $250.

LITERARY AGENCIES: The winner and seven finalists will be considered for representation by the William Morris Agency, ICM, Regal Literary, the Elaine Markson Literary Agency, Inkwell Management, Sterling Lord Literistic, and the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency.

RESULTS: The winners and finalists will be announced at the website December 1, 2006, and in the Spring 2007 issue of Zoetrope: All-Story.

LAST YEAR’S WINNER: August Tarrier’s “
I Hold You Harmless” was published in a special online supplement to the Spring 2006 issue.

COMPLETE CONTEST GUIDELINES: We accept all genres of literary fiction. Entries must be: unpublished; 5,000 words or less; postmarked by October 2, 2006; clearly marked "Short Fiction Contest" on both the story and the outside of the envelope; accompanied by a $15 entry fee per story (make checks payable to AZX Publications). Please include name and address on first page or cover letter only. We have no specific formatting preferences, provided the story is legible. We welcome multiple entries ($15/story) and entries from outside the U.S.; please send entry fee in U.S. currency or money order. While we cannot return manuscripts, we will forward a list of the winning stories to all entrants who include an SASE. Entrants retain all rights to their stories.

MAIL ENTRIES TO:Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Contest 916 Kearny Street San Francisco, CA 94133
Please e-mail us at
contests@all-story.com should you have questions. The All-Story staff wishes you continued success with your writing.

New School Writing Program Events for next week

for those of you who want some lit in your lives...be advised though, get there early or you'll be sitting on the floor. ouch.

Tuesday, October 3rd
Forum on Writing for Children:
Getting Published Panel: Theresa M. Borzumato, Jean Reynolds, Rebecca Sherman
Rm. 510, 6:30pm, $5 (Free for Students and Alumni)
Moderated by Deborah Brodie

A discussion on publication for writer’s of children’s literature, with Theresa M. Borzumato, marketing, Holiday House; Jean Reynolds, Associate Publisher, Lerner Publications; Rebecca Sherman, literary agent, Writers House.

Wednesday, October 4th
Nonfiction Forum:
Daniel Mendelsohn
Rm. 510, 6:30pm, $5 (Free for Students and Alumni)
Moderated by Robert Polito

Daniel Mendelsohn reads from and discusses his highly acclaimed book Lost: The Search for Six of Six Million. Mendelsohn’s articles, essays, reviews and translations have appeared frequently in numerous national publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, New York , The New York Review of Books, The Nation, Esquire, and The Paris Review. From 2000 until 2002, he was the weekly book critic for New York magazine, for which he won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Excellence in Criticism in 2001. His work has been widely anthologized in collections including "The Best American Travel Writing," "The Mrs. Dalloway Reader," "Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca," and—for “Republicans Can Be Cured!”, his satirical New York Times Op-Ed piece about the discovery of a gene for political conservatism— "Best American Humor." His 1999 memoir of sexual identity and family history, "The Elusive Embrace: Desire and the Riddle of Identity" (Knopf, 1999; Vintage, 2000) was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year. His scholarly study of Greek tragedy, "Gender and the City in Euripides’ Political Plays," was published in October 2002 by Oxford University Press, and appeared in February, 2005 in paperback. His current book projects include a short life of Archimedes and a new translation of the complete works of the modern Greek poet C. P. Cavafy.

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan 9/27-9/29/06

Staff Sgt. Jose A. Lanzarin, 28, of Lubbock, Texas, was killed in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept. 26, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Lanzarin was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

1st Lt. James N. Lyons, 28, of Rochester, N.Y., died on Sept. 27 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his mounted patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. Lyons was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.


Soldier, Marine Killed in Iraq; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2006 – A Multinational Corps Iraq soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, and a Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died Sept. 25 from enemy action while operating in Iraq's Anbar province, U.S. military officials said.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next -of kin.

Also, the Defense Department released the names of four soldiers previously killed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Army Spc. Windell J. Simmons, 20, of Hopkinsville, Ky., died of injuries suffered in Taji, Iraq, on Sept.23, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Simmons was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.


Army Staff Sgt. Carlos Dominguez, 57, of Savannah, Ga., died of injuries suffered in Taji on Sept.23, when a makeshift bomb detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Dominguez was assigned to the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, Utica, N.Y.

Army Sgt. Velton Locklear III, 29, of Lacey, Wash., and Army Pfc. Kenneth E Kincaid IV, 25, of Lilburn, Ga., died in Riyadh, Iraq, on Sept. 23, of injuries suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near their Humvee during combat operations. Both soldiers were from the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

from the chi sun times

Bush Seeks Retroactive Immunity for Violating War Crimes Act
By Elizabeth Holtzman The Chicago Sun-Times Saturday 23 September 2006
Thirty-two years ago, President Gerald Ford created a political firestorm by pardoning former President Richard Nixon of all crimes he may have committed in Watergate - and lost his election as a result. Now, President Bush, to avoid a similar public outcry, is quietly trying to pardon himself of any crimes connected with the torture and mistreatment of U.S. detainees. The "pardon" is buried in Bush's proposed legislation to create a new kind of military tribunal for cases involving top al-Qaida operatives. The "pardon" provision has nothing to do with the tribunals. Instead, it guts the War Crimes Act of 1996, a federal law that makes it a crime, in some cases punishable by death, to mistreat detainees in violation of the Geneva Conventions and makes the new, weaker terms of the War Crimes Act retroactive to 9/11. Press accounts of the provision have described it as providing immunity for CIA interrogators. But its terms cover the president and other top officials because the act applies to any U.S. national. Avoiding prosecution under the War Crimes Act has been an obsession of this administration since shortly after 9/11. In a January 2002 memorandum to the president, then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales pointed out the problem of prosecution for detainee mistreatment under the War Crimes Act. He notes that given the vague language of the statute, no one could predict what future "prosecutors and independent counsels" might do if they decided to bring charges under the act. As an author of the 1978 special prosecutor statute, I know that independent counsels (who used to be called "special prosecutors" prior to the statute's reauthorization in 1994) aren't for low-level government officials such as CIA interrogators, but for the president and his Cabinet. It is clear that Gonzales was concerned about top administration officials. Gonzales also understood that the specter of prosecution could hang over top administration officials involved in detainee mistreatment throughout their lives. Because there is no statute of limitations in cases where death resulted from the mistreatment, prosecutors far into the future, not appointed by Bush or beholden to him, would be making the decisions whether to prosecute. To "reduce the threat of domestic criminal prosecution under the War Crimes Act," Gonzales recommended that Bush not apply the Geneva Conventions to al-Qaida and the Taliban. Since the War Crimes Act carried out the Geneva Conventions, Gonzales reasoned that if the Conventions didn't apply, neither did the War Crimes Act. Bush implemented the recommendation on Feb. 7, 2002. When the Supreme Court recently decided that the Conventions did apply to al-Qaida and Taliban detainees, the possibility of criminal liability for high-level administration officials reared its ugly head again. What to do? The administration has apparently decided to secure immunity from prosecution through legislation. Under cover of the controversy involving the military tribunals and whether they could use hearsay or coerced evidence, the administration is trying to pardon itself, hoping that no one will notice. The urgent timetable has to do more than anything with the possibility that the next Congress may be controlled by Democrats, who will not permit such a provision to be adopted. Creating immunity retroactively for violating the law sets a terrible precedent. The president takes an oath of office to uphold the Constitution; that document requires him to obey the laws, not violate them. A president who knowingly and deliberately violates U.S. criminal laws should not be able to use stealth tactics to immunize himself from liability, and Congress should not go along. --------
Elizabeth Holtzman, a former New York congresswoman, is co-author with Cynthia L. Cooper of The Impeachment of George W. Bush: A Practical Guide for Concerned Citizens.

charles simic reading - the new school 9/27/06

Charles Simic read at the New School last night & here are my somewhat indecipherable notes...keep in mind that I'm still fighting a sinus infection & had to sit on the floor (hey New School - how about getting some BETTER SPACE for the readings?)...
Simic gave one of the more entertaining readings I've seen in a while. He's both personable and funny. He started off by telling us all how he lived in the neighborhood in the sixties (on 13th Street) and used to come to the New School for readings & events. He mentioned one particular event with Eric Fromme who was, apparently, very hard to understand with "a terrible German accent". Then he launched into a reflection on being 68 yrs old and how one focuses on the past, on memory & then read his poem, "Club Midnight". Each of his poems was prefaced with a short (and sometimes longer) account or story about his past or where he was when he wrote the poem. In 1958 he came back to the States. He left home at 18 - partly because his parents were always chasing each other around the kitchen with knives...He lived in unheated apartments, was always sick & wouldn't go to the doctor, the way many of us were really when we first came to NYC...He then read, "Immortal". Simic lives in New Hampshire now and spoke about the rural poverty there that many of us are unaware of and then read, "Pastoral Harpsichord" and a poem I wrote down as "Midsummer Cookout" though I was in the middle of supressing a coughing attack & can't be sure of that particular title. Next he spoke about the nature of time and specifically clocks and watches & how time changed when we no longer had to wind clocks, wind watches. Time used to be noisy, he also referenced noir films with the ticking of clocks used as a suspense device - it was all very funny & I'm paraphrasing badly. He talked about the period of transition when we moved from ticking clocks/controlling time into the digital age and how "all that's gone" and then read his poem, "Clocks of the Dead." Then we come to the subject of the love poem. He gave us an overview of the struggle poets have had throughout the history of poetry to find new ways to describe the beloved (stealing nick flynn's term), and then read a hilarious love poem, "My Beloved." Next up was, "The common insects of North America" in which he makes poetry out of the names of bugs in his book by that title. He introduced his poem, "Doubles" with a brief commentary on the frustration of being told by various women that he looks like so& so & how he's often been told he looks like Franz Schubert, "what am I supposed to do with that?" and then we had "That little something," a poem about opera whose title I didn't catch and "sailed to China" - a poem about family & beards or bearded family if I read my notes correctly. He introduced the next two poems, "Dreams" and "Used Bookstore" with a brief commentary on dreams and how he seldom dreams of his childhood now though when he does, his dreams are like old black & white movies strangely cut. Next, he read "In the Planetarium" which was prefaced by a derisively funny description of small town planetariums. He wrapped up the reading and the Q&A with David Lehman began. My notes here become somewhat indecipherable but here you go: as a warchild & juvenile delinquent - confimed pessimist...discussion of war's effect on kids - left alone to play in the streets - live ammo everywhere - Belgrade - 2 rivers Danube & ? - fishermen fished w/dynamite...he worked removing gunpowder from bullets and swapped the gunpowder for American C-rations (scrambled eggs, bacon, spam)...Poet as delinquent, transgressor, outsider...mentions Sappho & how she'd rather look up someone's skirt than laud heroic conquest...mention again of his favorite film, "Asphalt Jungle" and the influence American movies and American music had on him as a child. He didn't start writing poetry until he was in highschool & his true ambition at 14/15 yrs old was to paint. In the midst of the Q&A, he read "Crazy About her Shrimp" by request - as he put it, a summing up of his philosophy of love. Favorite Jazz song - "Mean to Me" - Billie Holiday and then launched into a description of musical tastes in Budapest in the 20's, 30's, 40's - everyone in the city listened to American music, Argentine tango, Cuban & Mexican music. In answer to the question as to why "The Voice at 3 AM" doesn't include poems from his Pullitzer prizewinner - "it's a complete book" and he couldn't separate the poems from the whole. Discussion of the book as a full length prose-poem. He tends to write poems in stages - mentions that it is possible to wait a decade to finish the final stanza of a poem but that also, a poem can be ruined from too much work. He then read a brief poem, "Murky Memories" which he said he'd written all at once (a bit of a joke - hard to get his humor across in this forum)...In response to J. Demme's question about "The Devils," he spoke a bit about that poem & then the reading wrapped so books could get signed & people could get to class on time. I got a copy of 3AM signed & limped the long way home (will my legs ever recover from that damn charity run?)...

latest from kh/throwing muses

We're announcing Kristin's last solo-acoustic shows of the year -- and probably the last before the April 2007 tour for her recently completed new record, "Learn to Sing Like a Star", due out late January 2007. So if you're craving a KH solo show, take notice of these dates and the few more to come over the next week or so.

These evenings will feature Kristin performing solo-acoustic versions and talking about Throwing Muses' influential 1986 debut release -- marking it's 20th anniversary this month(!)

She'll also preview songs from the new record as well as tracks from the soon to be completed "Murder, Misery & Then Goodnight; Volume 2" -- the follow-up to her highly regarded 1999 collection of Appalachian folk songs.

David Bazan of Pedro the Lion is opening the Seattle show.

So far, we have these shows confirmed;

October 3 - Seattle , WA - The Triple Door (tickets at
Virtuous.com & TheTripleDoor.net)
October 6 - Portland , OR - Mississippi Studios (tickets at
Virtuous.com)
October 13 - Los Angeles , CA - El Cid (tickets at
Virtuous.com)
October 27 - San Francisco , CA - Swedish American Hall -- above Cafe du Nord - (tickets at
Virtuous.com & CafeDuNord.com)

.............................................................

We also wanted to formally announce (it's been on the message board for a couple of weeks now) the availability of the first, totally ThrowingMusic-generated bootleg recording. It's a nice quality recording of Throwing Muses' show in Cambridge, MA recorded on August 11, 2006 is now available in the
online store!

Note that these are audio CD-Rs and play on any device that plays conventional CDs but they are not manufactured CDs. More details in the Online Store.

..............................................................

For those of you finding it tough to stay in touch, particularly when it comes to new live dates, we've introduced an RSS feed for the Tour Dates page. This feed will make it easier to keep up with updates and changes. Just point your feed reader to
http://www.throwingmusic.com/tourdates.rss

latest from Barrelhouse

latest Barrelhouse newsletter - all typos are theirs...

BARRELHOUSE BUZZ: Septebmer 2006: Welcome Back Edition
====================
Yo Barrelhouse People, Wow, it's been a long time. You might think we've been lazing around at our internship at Teen Vogue, sneaking into clubs, working the runway, catfighting with Kristin Cavalieri, and just generally enjoying life in The Hills. But you'd be wrong. We've been hard at work on big, bad Barrelhouse number 3, which is sitting in huddled masses around our printer's warehouse right this very minute, each smart, funny, cool, funky little copy just waiting for a Good Home. Won't you take a Barrelhouse home with you today? Which brings us to...

BIG BAD BARRELHOUSE THREE: It is almost here, soon available for purchase, and chock full of warm, barrelhousey goodness. Here's just a little sample of the stuff included in this issue: -- New fiction and poetry from people like Greg Ames, Barbara Daniels, Maureen Tolman Flannery, Ed Hardy, Catie Rosemurgy, J. Chris Rock, Wendy Wimmer, Melissa Yancy, and loads of talented people. -- Essays on why overuse of the word "rocks" does not, in fact, rock, and why American Idol doesn't remotely and most likely could never, ever rock. -- Interviews, we have interviews! David Barringer talks writing and "spiritual primitivism" with George Saunders, and we talk Swayze, Van Halen, and generally barrelhouse around the old barrelhouse with none other than pop observer Chuck Klosterman. -- Four poems on the topic of Ed Asner. Yeah, that's right. We said four poems about Ed Asner. -- The kinda spooky kinda cool and altogether amazing illustrated story "The Only Child." And all of that is, as we like to say, tied up in the kind of beautifully funky little package we hope you've come to expect from Barrelhouse. Ordering information coming soon. ====================
EVENTS: A few events coming down the pike for our Baltimore and DC peoples.
SEP 29 – OCT 1 Baltimore Book Festival: Come check out the Barrelhouse booth at the Baltimore Book Festival. We'll have steaming fresh copies of our latest issue for your reading and purchasing enjoyment. Note: we're sharing a booth with our friends from the fantastically named Pretend Genius Press (in case you’re looking for us in your program).
OCT 4: Wave Poetry Bus: At the Big Hunt at 1345 Conn. Ave NW in DC, 7 to 9:00 pm
What is a poetry bus, you might ask? "Stopping at 50 cities in 50 days, the Wave Books Poetry Bus Tour is the biggest literary event of 2006. Beginning September 4 and ending October 27, over one hundred poets, along with musicians, filmmakers and journalists, will participate as the bus traverses North America, bringing innovative poetry to big cities and small towns across the U.S. and Canada. Sponsored by Wave Books, the poetry bus will go more places with more poets reading more poems than was ever previously believed possible." Details here: http://www.poetrybus.com/07/10/hello-world/DC issue three launch party coming soon!Okay, that's it for now. Much, much more coming down the pike very soon.
===================
JUST COME ON BACK, NOW, Y'HEAR: Visit the Barrelhouse site. Bring all your smartass friends. http://www.barrelhousemag.com

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan 9/26-9/27/06

Sgt. Velton Locklear, III, 29, of Lacey, Wash. and Pfc. Kenneth E Kincaid, IV, 25, of Lilburn, Ga.
died in Riyadh, Iraq, on Sept. 23, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. Both soldiers were from the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.


Staff Sgt. Carlos Dominguez, 57, of Savannah, Ga., died of injuries suffered in Taji, Iraq, on Sept.23, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Dominguez was assigned to the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, Utica, N.Y.

Spc. Windell J. Simmons, 20, of Hopkinsville, Ky., died of injuries suffered in Taji, Iraq, on Sept.23, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Simmons was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas


Spc. Jared J. Raymond, 20, of Swampscott, Mass., died on Sept. 19, in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his M1A2 Abrams Tank during combat operations in Taji, Iraq. Raymond was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

Pfc. Christopher T. Riviere, 21, of Cooper City, Fla., died Sept. 26 of wounds received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan 9/25/06

Lance Cpl. Howard S. March Jr., 20, of Buffalo, N.Y., died Sept. 24 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Rene Martinez, 20, of Miami, Fla., died Sept. 24 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Pvt. Eric M. Kavanagh, 20, of Glen Burnie, Md., died of injuries suffered in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept. 20, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Kavanagh was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

Sgt. 1st Class Charles J. Jones, 29, of Lawrenceburg, Kan., died from a non-combat related incident on Sept. 20, Jones was assigned to the National Guard's 149th Brigade Combat Team, Louisville, Ky. The incident is under investigation.

Cpl. Bobby T. Callahan, 22, of Jamestown, N.C., died on Sept.19, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his HMMWV rolled over while maneuvering. Callahan was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. The incident is under investigation.

1st Lt. Ashley L. (Henderson) Huff, 23, of Belle Mead, N.J., died of injuries suffered in Mosul, Iraq, on Sept.19, when a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near her mounted patrol during combat operations. Huff was assigned to the 549th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, Fort Stewart, Ga.

Sgt. Allan R. Bevington, 22, of Beaver Falls, Pa., died of injuries suffered in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on Sept.21, when an improvised explosive device detonated near him during combat operations. Bevington was assigned to the 40th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

Cpl. Cesar A. Granados, 21, of Le Grand, Calif., died of injuries sustained in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept.15, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Granados was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Sgt. James R. Worster, 24, of Broadview Heights, Ohio, died from a non-combat related incident on Sept. 18 in Baghdad, Iraq. Worster was assigned to the 10th Combat Support Hospital, 43rd Area Support Group, Fort Carson, Colo. The incident is under investigation.

Pfc. Jeffrey P. Shaffer, 21, of Harrison, Ark., died of injuries sustained in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept.13 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations. Shaffer was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Bamberg, Germany.

Friday, September 22, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported 9/19-9/22/06

Four Soldiers Killed in Separate Incidents; Officials Identify Previous Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2006 – Four soldiers have died in separate incidents in Iraq in recent days, and defense officials have released the identities of several servicemembers killed earlier.
One soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, died yesterday from wounds suffered in enemy action in Anbar province.
A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died around 11:40 p.m. yesterday after the vehicle he was traveling in was struck by an improvised explosive device in eastern Baghdad.
A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed by small-arms fire around 10:40 a.m. Sept. 20 in northeastern Baghdad.
A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 20 after the vehicle he was traveling in was struck by an improvised explosive device in northern Baghdad.
Officials released no further details on these incidents, and the soldiers' identitities are being witheld pending notification of their next of kin.


Officials have released the identities of a Marine and three soldiers who have died recently in Iraq.

Marine Sgt. Christopher M. Zimmerman, 28, of Stephenville, Texas, died Sept. 20 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The following three soldiers died in Baghdad on Sept. 14 of injuries suffered when a car bomb detonated near a western-Baghdad substation:

Army Sgt. Aaron A. Smith, 31, of Killeen, Texas, was assigned to 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

Army Sgt. Jennifer M. Hartman, 21, of New Ringgold, Pa., was assigned to 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Cpl. Marcus A. Cain, 20, of Crowley, La., was assigned to 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)


Cpl. Yull Estrada Rodriguez, 21, of Alegre Lajas, Puerto Rico, died Sept. 20 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported 9/18/06

Soldier Dies of Non-Battle Injuries; Officials Identify Previous Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2006 – A soldier assigned to Task Force 3rd Medical Command died yesterday in Baghdad from non-battle-related injuries, and the Defense Department has identified 10 earlier casualties.
The name of the 3rd Medical Command soldier, who was part of the medical task force that provides care throughout Iraq, is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Defense officials have released the identities of 10 servicemembers who died recently:


-- Army Sgt. David J. Davis, 32, of Mount Airy, Md., died in Baghdad Sept. 17 of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker armored vehicle in Sadr City, Iraq. Davis was assigned to the Army's 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

-- Army Sgt. Adam L. Knox, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, died Sept. 17 in Baghdad of injuries suffered when his patrol encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire. Knox was assigned to the Army Reserve's 346th Psychological Operations Company, Columbus, Ohio.

-- Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class David S. Roddy, 32, of Aberdeen, Md., died Sept. 16 while his unit was conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Iraq's Anbar province. Roddy was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 2, in Norfolk, Va., and was serving with Multinational Corps Iraq.

-- Army Sgt. 1st Class Bernard L. Deghand, 42, of Mayetta, Kan., died Sept. 15 in Spira, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his unit encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Deghand was assigned to the Army National Guard's 35th Division Artillery, Hutchinson, Kan.

-- Army Sgt. Clint E. Williams, 24, of Kingston, Okla., died Sept. 14 of injuries suffered in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Williams was assigned to 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Miller, 19, of Pearland, Texas, died Sept. 14 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

-- Army Sgt. David T. Weir, 23, of Cleveland, Tenn., died Sept. 14 in Baghdad of injuries suffered Sept. 13 when he encountered enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Weir was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

-- Army 2nd Lt. Emily J.T. Perez, 23, of Texas, died Sept. 12 of injuries suffered in Kifl, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near her Humvee. Perez was assigned to the 204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Army Spc. Harley D. Andrews, 22, of Weimar, Calif., died Sept. 11 in Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Andrews was assigned to 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

-- Army Spc. David J. Ramsey, 27, of Tacoma, Wash., was medically evacuated from Iraq on Aug. 24 after a non-combat-related incident and died on Sept. 7 in Spanaway, Wash. Ramsey was assigned to the 47th Combat Support Hospital, 62nd Medical Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Sgt. Adam L. Knox, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, died on Sept. 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his patrol encountered enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. Knox was assigned to the Army Reserve 346th Psychological Operations Company, Columbus, Ohio.

Sgt. David J. Davis, 32, of Mount Airy, Md., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept.17, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker Armored Vehicle during combat operations in Sadr City, Iraq. Davis was assigned to the Army's 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Petty Officer 2nd Class David S. Roddy, 32, of Aberdeen, Miss., died Sept. 16 while his unit was conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the Al Anbar province, Iraq. Walsh was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two in Norfolk, Va., and was serving with Multi-National Corps - Iraq.

Sgt. Clint E.Williams, 24, of Kingston, Okla., died on Sept. 14 of injuries suffered in Baghdad, Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Williams was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Sgt. 1st Class Bernard L. Deghand, 42, of Mayetta, Kan., died on Sept. 15 in Spira, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his unit encountered enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire during combat operations. Deghand was assigned to the Army National Guard 35th Division Artillery, Hutchinson, Kan.

Monday, September 18, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported 9/14-9/18/06

Three Soldiers Die in Iraq; Previous Casualty Identified
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2006 – Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed today in Iraq, and another soldier died yesterday. Also, the Defense Department released the name of a previous casualty from the war on terror, U.S. military officials reported.
One of the soldiers killed today died when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad, and the other died from wounds received when his unit was attacked by small-arms fire southeast of Baghdad, officials said. A soldier attached to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, was wounded by enemy fire yesterday near Mosul. The soldier was transported to a military hospital, where he later died of wounds. The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Also, the Defense Department released the name of a soldier previously killed supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael T. Fuga, 47, of Nuuli, American Samoa, died Sept. 9 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when he encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire. Fuga was assigned to the Army National Guard's 35th Special Troops Battalion, Kansas City, Mo.

Spc. David J. Ramsey, 27, of Tacoma, Wash., was medically evacuated from Iraq on Aug. 24 and died from a non-combat related incident on Sept. 7 in Spanaway, Wash. Ramsey was assigned to the 47th Combat Support Hospital, 62nd Medical Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.
This incident is under investigation.


Baghdad Bomb Kills U.S. Soldier; Enemy Mosque Use Increases
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2006 – An American soldier was killed Sept. 15 when the vehicle he was traveling in was struck by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad, according to U.S. officials.
The soldier's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.


Soldier Killed as 'Mountain Fury,' Other Ops Continue in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2006 – One U.S. soldier died and another was wounded in Afghanistan during two separate battles on a firebase near Khowst, near the Pakistan border, U.S. officials said yesterday.
Afghan National Army soldiers also were injured during enemy attacks that occurred amid Operation Mountain Fury, a coalition offensive launched several weeks ago to defeat Taliban troops operating in east-central Afghanistan. "The death of our soldier is a tragic loss for Task Force Phoenix," said Brig. Gen. Douglas A. Pritt, commander of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix. The deceased soldier, whose name is being withheld until the family is notified, was an embedded U.S. trainer with the Afghan National Army, he said. About 7,000 U.S. and Afghan troops are participating in Mountain Fury, which is being conducted in Paktika, Khost, Ghazni, Paktya and Logar provinces.


2nd Lt. Emily J.T. Perez, 23, of Texas, died on Sept.12 of injuries sustained in Al Kifl, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near her HMMWV during combat operations. Perez was assigned to the 204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Miller, 19, of Pearland, Texas, died Sept. 14 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported 9/11-9/15/06

Pfc. Anthony P. Seig, 19, of Sunman, Ind., died on Sept. 9, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when he encountered indirect fire from enemy forces while on base. Seig was assigned to the Army's 118th Military Police Company, 519th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Sgt. John A. Carroll, 26, of Ponca City, Okla., died on Sept. 6 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries sustained when he came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during a dismounted security patrol. Carroll was assigned to the Army 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

Sgt. 1st Class Merideth L. Howard, 52, of Alameda, Calif. & Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul, 43, of The Dalles, Ore. were killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 8, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV. Both soldiers were assigned to the Army Reserve's 405th Civil Affairs Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Sgt. Nathaniel B. Lindsey, 38, of Troutdale, Ore., died on Sept. 9 in Shajoy, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his HMMWV came in contact with undetermined ordnance during combat operations. Lindsey was assigned to the Army National Guard's 41st Brigade Combat Team, Portland, Ore.

Cpl. Johnathan L. Benson, 21, of North Branch, Minn., died Sept. 9 from wounds suffered on June 17 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Sgt. Luis A. Montes, 22, of El Centro, Calif., died on Sept. 7 in Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of injuries suffered on Sept. 1 in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Montes was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Sgt. David W. Gordon, 23, of Williamsfield, Ohio, died on Sept. 8, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Gordon was assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood Texas.


Spc. Harley D. Andrews, 22, of Weimar, Calif., died on Sept. 11 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Andrews was assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

Sgt. David T. Weir, 23, of Cleveland, Tenn., died on Sept. 14 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered on Sept. 13 when he encountered enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire during combat operations. Weir was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

Capt. Matthew C. Mattingly, 30, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, died on Sept. 13 in Mosul, Iraq, when he encountered enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. Mattingly was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Sgt. Jeremy E. DePottey, 26, of Ironwood, Mich., died on Sept. 11 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a single vehicle accident. DePottey was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. The incident is under investigation.


Two Soldiers Killed in Iraq; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2006 – A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died yesterday when his vehicle struck a makeshift bomb south of Baghdad, and a soldier assigned to a battalion under the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force died Sept. 11, from injuries suffered due to enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province, U.S. military officials reported.
The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.


Army Spc. Alexander Jordan, 31, of Miami, died Sept. 10 in Baghdad of injuries suffered when he encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat operations. Jordan was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Richardson, Alaska.


Coalition Soldier Dies in Afghanistan; Previous Casualties Identified
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2006 – A coalition soldier died in a vehicle accident yesterday in Afghanistan, U.S. military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of U.S. servicemembers killed recently supporting the war on terror. The soldier killed yesterday was conducting combat operations in Kunar province, when he was involved in a single-vehicle accident and roll-over. Another soldier was injured and required medical treatment. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our soldiers," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76. "Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and his fellow soldiers. He was serving his country and protecting the freedom of the Afghan people. His sacrifice will not be forgotten." The injured soldier was stabilized at the medical treatment clinic in Asadabad and will be transferred to the U.S. hospital at Bagram Air Base. The accident did not involve enemy forces, and no Afghan civilians were involved in the accident, officials said.


Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the names of nine soldiers and a Marine who died recently while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom:

-Army Sgt. Nathaniel B. Lindsey, 38, of Troutdale, Ore., died Sept. 9 in Shajoy, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his Humvee encountered undetermined ordnance from enemy forces during patrol operations. Lindsey was assigned to the Army National Guard's 41st Brigade Combat Team, Portland, Ore.

-Marine Cpl. Johnathan L. Benson, 21, of North Branch, Minn., died Sept. 9 from wounds suffered June 17 while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

-Army Pfc. Anthony P. Seig, 19, of Sunman, Ind., died Sept. 9, in Baghdad of injuries suffered when he encountered indirect fire from enemy forces while on base. Seig was assigned to the Army's 118th Military Police Company, 519th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.

-Army Sgt. 1st Class Merideth L. Howard, 52, of Alameda, Calif., and Army Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul, 43, of The Dalles, Ore., died in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 8, when a makeshift bomb detonated near their Humvee. Both soldiers were assigned to the Army Reserve's 405th Civil Affairs Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C.

-Army Sgt. David W. Gordon, 23, of Williamsfield, Ohio, died Sept. 8, in Baghdad of injuries suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Gordon was assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood Texas.

-Army Sgt. Luis A. Montes, 22, of El Centro, Calif., died Sept. 7 in Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, of injuries suffered Sept. 1 in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Montes was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-Army Sgt. John A. Carroll, 26, of Ponca City, Okla., died Sept. 6 in Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when he came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during a dismounted security patrol. Carroll was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

-Army Sgt. Jason L. Merrill, 22, of Mesa, Ariz., and Pfc. Edwin A. Andino II, 23, of Culpepper, Va., died Sep. 3 in Baghdad of injuries suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near their vehicle during combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Wuerzburg, Germany.

Friday, September 08, 2006

ABC's blatant support of the Bush administration...

In a little over 48 hours, ABC is airing a five-hour docudrama on the 9/11 attacks. The movie was written and produced by a right-wing activist who fabricated key scenes to blame Democrats and defend Republicans.It's so partisan that even Rush Limbaugh was surprised ABC decided to air it. And a FBI agent who was brought in to consult on the docudrama quit because, he said, "they were making things up."Public outrage is mounting across the country, and ABC is now "mulling the idea of yanking the mini altogether." But we only have a little time to act. Can you help out?http://pol.moveon.org/abcdoc/

U.S. Casualties reported 9/7-9/8/06

Lt. Col. Marshall A. Gutierrez, 41, of New Mexico, died on Sep. 4 in Camp Virginia, Kuwait, from non-combat related injuries. Gutierrez was assigned to the Area Support Group, Arijan, Kuwait.
The incident is under investigation.

Sgt. Germaine L. Debro, 33, of Omaha, Neb., died on Sept. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Debro was assigned to the Army National Guard 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry Regiment, Fremont, Neb.

Pfc. Vincent M. Frassetto, 21, of Toms River, N.J., died Sept. 7 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.


Soldier, Marine Killed in Iraq; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2006 – A soldier and a Marine were killed in separate incidents in Iraq this week, U.S. military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of four servicemembers killed recently supporting the war on terror.
A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed today when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad. A Marine assigned to 1st Marine Logistics Group died yesterday due to wounds suffered from enemy action while operating in Anbar province Sept. 6. The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the names of three soldiers and a Marine who recently died while supporting operations in the Middle East:

-Marine Pfc. Vincent M. Frassetto, 21, of Toms River, N.J., died Sept. 7 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
-Army Pfc. Jeremy R. Shank, 18, of Jackson, Mo., died on Sept. 6 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in Hawijah, Iraq, when he encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire during a dismounted security patrol. Shank was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
-Army Lt. Col. Marshall A. Gutierrez, 41, of New Mexico, died Sept. 4 in Camp Virginia, Kuwait, from non-combat related injuries. Gutierrez was assigned to the Area Support Group, Arijan, Kuwait.
-Army Sgt. Germaine L. Debro, 33, of Omaha, Neb., died on Sept. 4 in Balad of injuries suffered when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Debro was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry Regiment, Fremont, Neb.

Two U.S. Soldiers, Afghan Civilians Killed in Kabul Suicide Attack
American Forces Press Service
KABUL, Afghanistan , Sept. 8, 2006 – A suicide attack on a coalition convoy in central Kabul today killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded another.
U.S. officials in Afghanistan said the blast, near the U.S. Embassy in downtown Kabul, also killed an unconfirmed number of Afghan civilians. "Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and their fellow teammates," Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76, said. "Additionally, we are very sorry for the death of our Afghan allies who were killed by these Taliban extremists who care nothing about human decency or life." The U.S. soldiers were assigned to a Provincial Reconstruction Team helping to rebuild roads and schools, provide power, and complete hundreds of other projects to improve the lives of the Afghan people. "These acts of violence only confirm our resolve; we remain vigilant in our efforts to help the people of Afghanistan restore peace and security," Freakley said. "Their sacrifice will not be forgotten." With today's attack, 125 Afghan civilians and seven U.S. service members have been killed since January at the hands of the Taliban extremists in suicide bombings, officials said.


Sgt. Jason L. Merrill, 22, of Mesa, Ariz. Pvt. Edwin A. Andino II, 23, of Culpeper, Va. died on Sep. 3 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Wurzburg, Germany. Killed were:

Thursday, September 07, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported 9/6/06

Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Henkes II, 32, of Portland Ore., died on Sept. 3 of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Henkes was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Staff Sgt. Angel D. Mercado-Velazquez, 24, died in Yusifiyah, Iraq, on Sept. 1 of injuries suffered from mortar fire during dismounted combat operations. Mercado-Velazquez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Sgt. Ralph N. Porras, 36, of Merrill, Mich. & Pfc. Justin W. Dreese, 21, of Northumberland, Pa. died in Yusifiyah, Iraq, on Sept. 2 of injuries suffered from mortar fire during dismounted combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported 9/1-9/5/06

IEDs Kill 3 U.S. Soldiers in Iraq; Two Marines Die in Anbar
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sep. 4, 2006 – Enemy roadside bombs claimed the lives of three U.S. soldiers in Iraq over the past two days, another soldier died today of non-combat causes, and two Marines were killed yesterday during fighting in Anbar province, U.S. officials reported.
An improvised explosive device killed a soldier with the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team today during a convoy escort mission north of Baghdad, officials said. An IED explosion yesterday near Baqubah, Iraq, killed a U.S. soldier who was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team. Another soldier, assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, died yesterday from injuries suffered when his vehicle was struck by an IED near Mosul, Iraq. Two U.S. Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died yesterday due to enemy action during anti-insurgent operations in Iraq's Anbar province, and a U.S. soldier with the 15th Sustainment Brigade died today of non-combat injuries. The names of the deceased servicemembers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.


Sgt. Joshua R. Hanson, 27, of West St. Paul, Minn., died on Aug. 30, in Khaldea, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Hanson was assigned to the National Guard 2nd Battalion, 136th Infantry, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Lance Cpl. Eric P. Valdepenas, 21, of Seekonk, Mass., died Sept. 4 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Ayer, Mass.

Lance Cpl. Shane P. Harris, 23, of Las Vegas, N.M., died Sep. 3 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Lance Cpl. Cliff K. Golla, 21, of Charlotte, N.C., died Sept. 1 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson, 19, of Hartford, Conn., died Sept. 3 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar
province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Staff Sgt. Eugene H.E. Alex, 32, of Bay City, Mich., died on Sept. 2 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered on Aug 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, when he encountered enemy forces using small arms fire. Alex was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Staff Sgt. Michael L. Deason, 28, of Farmington, Mo., died on Aug 31, in Ad War, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Deason was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

Two Marines, Sailor Die in Anbar; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sep. 5, 2006 – Two Marines and a sailor assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died yesterday due to enemy action while operating in Iraq's Anbar province, and the Defense Department has identified two soldiers who previously died in Iraq.
Military officials in Iraq provided no further details on the deaths of the Marines and the sailor. Their names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Pentagon officials today identified two soldiers who died in Iraq in recent days:
-- Army Pfc. Nicholas A. Madaras, 19, of Wilton, Conn., died Sept. 3 of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his dismounted patrol in Baqubah. Madaras was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. -
- Army Staff Sgt. Michael L. Deason, 28, of Farmington, Mo., died Aug. 31 of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle in Ad War. Deason was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Pvt. Ryan E. Miller, 21, of Gahanna, Ohio, died Sept. 3 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Cpl. Jared M. Shoemaker, 29, of Tulsa, Okla., died Sept. 4 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Broken Arrow, Okla.
Sgt. Matthew J. Vosbein, 30, of Metairie, La., died on Aug. 29, in Sadr Al Yusifiyah, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol during combat operations. Vosbein was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Cpl. Shannon L. Squires, 25, of Virginia Beach, Va., died in Brooke Army Medial Center, San Antonio, Texas on Aug. 28, of injuries sustained along Main Supply Route Tampa, Iraq on Apr. 21, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his convoy vehicle during combat operations. Squires was assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 321 Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Field Artillery Brigade, XVIIIth Airborne Corps Artillery, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Pfc. Hannah L. Gunterman, 20, of Redlands , Calif. , died on Sept. 4 in Taji , Iraq , from a non-combat related cause. Gunterman was assigned to the 542nd Maintenance Company, 44th Corps Support Battalion, Fort Lewis , Wash. This incident is under investigation.
ONE STORY MAGAZINE'S COCKTAIL HOUR AND READING SERIES
Featuring Alix Ohlin

Her cocktail choice of the evening: Vodka Tonic
Friday September 8th at Pianos 158 Ludlow Street Cocktails: 6:30 pmReading: 7:00 pm
The One Story Cocktail Hour and Reading Series is a chance for One Story readers and One Story writers to meet, enjoy a cocktail, and mingle in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Part private party, part showcase. And just like One Story magazine, one author has the chance to take the spotlight.
Alix Ohlin was born in Montreal, graduated from Harvard University, and studied at the Michener Center for Writers in Austin, Texas. Her short story "The Tennis Partner" was One Story issue #38, and was included in her recently released short story collection, Babylon and Other Stories. Alix is also the author of the novel The Missing Person. Her work has been selected for both Best New American Voices 2004 and Best American Short Stories 2005. She has received awards and fellowships from The Atlantic Monthly, the MacDowell Colony, The Kenyon Review's Writers Workshop, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and Yaddo. She lives in Easton, Pennsylvania, and teaches at Lafayette College.
Our host this month: Hannah Tinti, editor of One Story
Pianos is located at 158 Ludlow at Stanton on the Lower East Side. Take the F or V train to 2nd Avenue. Walk towards the 1st Avenue exit and leave through the door that says Allen Street. Walk east on Houston to Ludlow, then a block south just the intersection of Stanton. Pianos will be on your left.
Cocktail hour from 6:30-8:00pm. The reading will begin slightly after 7:00pm.
ADMISSION IS FREE
Pianos is a 21+ establishment.

block island

We stayed in New London, CT on Friday night & had plans to catch the 8am ferry to Block Island. We went to dinner at a great mexican place right near the water w/good food & live mariachi band & "73 kinds of tequila!"...I avoided the tequila since we had an early morning...We got up at 7 to get in line for the ferry but once we got there we discovered it was canceled & they couldn't tell us if the next one would be running either. We took the chance and drove to Point Judith, RI and caught the 9:30 - good thing as it was the last ferry to attempt the crossing until Sunday. The trip over was flat out scary with the ferry pitching & tossing in "8 to 10 foot swells" - apparently, a sailor's life is not for me. I didn't get seasick though I think we all came close. Some guy sitting next to me kept saying "it's better if you're out in the air" - this as waves & spray were slapping the windows. I opted to stay inside and hold onto a bench until we were safely in the harbor. eek! Once on the island, we dumped our bags, wobbled around in the rain for a while and then headed out on a long hike to the South Point Lighthouse and the Mohegan Bluffs. I discovered that I actually enjoy hiking/trudging through the wind and rain. We also climbed the steep stairway down to the sea at the Mohegan Bluffs - definitely worth the effort. We managed to get back to town well before dark and did some small exploring around town (all 3 streets of it!). The island has a few galleries, two bookstores and some of great little restaurants along with a few tourist shops (t-shirts, etc.). Since the crossing was so rough, ours was the only ferry that made the trip on Saturday which not only left us feeling like hardened seaworthy travelers (ha!) but also meant that there were less tourists. We had grand plans Saturday night to hit 2 of the local restaurants - one for dinner, one for drinks but ended up going to lunch/dinner around 6 at the local brew pub (great locally brewed beer) and fell asleep watching TV - reading was out of the question. I slept pretty soundly despite the wind howling around the old hotel & the walls shaking a bit when particularly strong blasts hit (eek!).
We woke up wayyy too early on Sunday morning and got moving to do the much longer hike to the North Point Lighthouse. That was a mix of easy and tough trails - some just alongside the road (with no shoulders!). We took a cut off through the Nature Conservancy's "nature trails" that make up a large portion of the northern part of the island. Some of the hike was trudging through wind and rain and muddy trails but a lot of it was along the top of the massive bluffs that lead down to the sea. We only saw four other hikers during the entire hike - I'd assume due to the weather. Once we got to the lighthouse, we discovered it was "closed due to staffing shortage" but we had a nice time anyway playing in the freezing waves and relaxing after the long hike. On the way back, we followed the road which wasn't as nice as the nature trail but cut about 3-4 miles off the hike. By the time we got back to the hotel, the storm had cleared & we finally got some nice summer weather & played in the ocean for a few hours. That night, we headed up to the Hotel Manisses and had a really nice dinner at their Gatsby Room - the cheaper version of their formal dining room. It's a beautiful hotel - one of the old ones that was saved/restored. Monday morning it was clear and blue and 70 degrees with a nice breeze. Of course, this meant that ferries full of tourists started arriving & by the time we finished our morning hike, the town was full of people. We took an easy walk up to a beach that required a hard scramble to get to & had been nothing but massive waves breaking on rocks on Saturday. We had a great time just playing in the waves & then hiked a bit more & finally realized that we were both way too tired to attempt the final hike we'd planned. Instead, we walked around town, stopped at the better of the island's 2 bookstores. In an attempt to get away from the crowds, we grabbed some takeout from a great health food restaurant (Froozies) & walked out to the end of the jetty where we proceeded to get sunburns (ouch!). We took the 5pm ferry back to the mainland and once I realized that it wasn't going to pitch & toss anything like it had on the way to the island, I walked around taking pictures. The drive back was surprisingly painless - very light traffic all the way back.

Friday, September 01, 2006

this where I'll be this weekend..



Nothing like heading out to a tiny island for a holiday weekend while a major storm's heading in the same direction...I'll just think of it as "a different kind" of relaxation?