Memorial Day 2013

Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations, that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and undivided Republic

~ John A. Logan

WCASB Primary Election Results

I am so delighted to report on a primary race that is near to my heart. The West Chester Area School Board (WCASB) has for the past four years been in the capable hands of my friend and fellow photographer – Sean Carpenter.  Primary elections were held this past Tuesday in Pennsylvania.  When the dust settled from election day, Sean Carpenter secured the highest number of votes within the slate of Republican primary contenders for WCASB: Carpenter 3,930, Coyle 3,637, LaTorre 3,573, Pimley 3,322.

Congratulations Sean!  I look forward to celebrating your victory in November and viewing your incredible photography.

FTR Radio Partners with Smart Girl Politics for Operation Helping Hand

FTR Radio to partner with Smart Girl Politics for Operation Helping Hand, a three hour radiothon to benefit the Mercury One Charity 2013 Midwest Tornado Relief Fund.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 22, 2013 – Indianapolis, IN – FTR Radio is teaming up with Smart Girl Politics for a three hour radiothon to benefit the Mercury One Charity 2013 Midwest Tornado Relief Fund. One hundred percent of the money raised will go directly to relief efforts in Oklahoma.

The three hour radiothon will air live on FTRRadio.com Thursday at 8pm EDT.

“In the past we have asked our listeners to donate to various charities and have been overwhelmed by their generosity” said Thomas LaDuke, Executive Director of FTR Radio. LaDuke added that “FTR Radio and SGP have done other radiothons in the past and we hope to top our 2012 ‘Cancer Sucks Radiothon’ that raised nearly $6000 for the American Cancer Society.”

Jedediah Bila, Monica Crowley, S.E. Cupp, Erick Erickson and Dana Loesch are just a handful of the cable news contributors and talk radio personalities who have agreed to take part in Operation Helping Hand.

For more information on the radiothon and to donate, visit http://mercuryone.fundly.com/operation-helping-hand-for-midwest-tornado-victims.

Prayers and Blankets not Politicizing Needed in Oklahoma

May 20th, Moore, Oklahoma:

Note the last few seconds of this video where the narrator notes that a school/daycare has been leveled. The video is chilling to watch and the death toll most likely will rise in the coming days.

New York Times reports:

Amy Elliott, the spokeswoman for the Oklahoma City medical examiner, said at least 51 people had died, and officials said that toll was likely to climb. Local hospitals reported at least 145 people injured, 70 of them children.

A spokeswoman for the mayor’s office in Moore said emergency workers were struggling to assess the damage.

“Please send us your prayers,” she said.

In the land that reality forgot and showing all the humanity of a modern day Eva Braun, Liz Winston, producer and co-creator of the Daily Show, uses this tragedy to score political points on the backs of the victims:

This tornado is in Oklahoma so clearly it has been ordered to only target conservatives.

— Lizz Winstead (@lizzwinstead) May 20, 2013

 

H/T: Warner Todd Huston

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific tornado. For those not interested in politicizing this tragedy, your help and support is greatly needed in Oklahoma. Please click on this LINK for information on ways in which you can help the victims of this disaster.

2013 Broad Street Run Recap

Broad Street Run. This is my all time favorite 10 miler race. A straight and mostly downhill 10 mile race that bisects amazing neighborhoods of Philly on the way to the finish at the Navy Yard. The part are the spectators who line the entire 10 miles of this course.  They are out in force cheering on friends, family members and strangers as they run past. I’ve not encountered a similar level of spectator participation in any other race. I love that it is my home town that turns out for this event.

When the running gods smile upon you during this race it feels close to heaven. When they don’t, well, it is better than not running at all.

2013 Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Recap

Three weeks after the Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, myself and fellow Team Philly runners traveled to Washington DC for the annual Cherry Blossom 10 mile run.  We all were excited about the possibility of running along  the tidal basin surrounded by blooming Cherry Trees as the National Park Service predicted peak bloom time would be race day.

They predicted wrong.

I Run DC – Have a Tiffany&Co Necklace To Prove It

On Sunday April 28th, Washington DC played host to the inaugural Nike Women’s Half Marathon. For the past ten years, Nike has hosted this race in San Francisco. This is the first year this famous women’s race has been hosted on the east coast. My Team Philly running friends jumped at the chance to run this and had a great weekend and fabulous run. I even managed a modest PR/PB on this half marathon and is the natural result of what happens when you focus on more consistent training.

The race course is essentially the Cherry Blossom 10 mile plus an additional three point one miles tacked on to complete the half marathon distance.

2013 Shamrock Anthem Half Marathon Recap

The weekend of March 16 & 17th brought together 28,000 runners to Virginia Beach to participate in the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon and Anthem Half Marathon.   A very flat (check out the elevation profile) and fast course that winds along woodland, beachfront and finishing up on the boardwalk.  The Marathon is a Boston Qualifier and with such flat terrain this race would be a good choice for those taking on the challenge of qualifying for Boston.

Are You The Doctor?

Yes, I know there are  serious issues swirling around with Gosnell, Benghazi, IRS targeting political rivals, and the shocking shakedown of AP by the Justice Department.

We will process and discuss these issues in good time. What we need right now is a moment to chill and perhaps have a laugh before digesting the above mentioned issues.

So sit back and enjoy the comic relief of my favorite Doctor – David Tennant:

Gosnell Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter, Infanticide

UPDATE: As I predicted, Gosnell was given life albeit behind bars. He will serve three life without parole sentences and an additional 2 1/2 to 5 years for the overdose death of Karnamaya Mongar.

It seems these so-called  ‘blobs of cells’ are human after all.  A Philadelphia jury found Kermit Gosnell guilty of infanticide and involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution can seek the death penalty in the three infanticide verdicts though I believe the jury, in the sentencing phase, will give life without the opportunity of parole.

@jdmullane reported this afternoon via Twitter:

The abortionist #Gosnell also guilty of infanticide in death of Baby A, and conspiracy in deaths of babies C and D.

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

Gosnell was also found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of Karnamaya Mongar.

In case this trial was not covered in your local news, JD Mullane has been diligently tweeting trial coverage since day 1. The following tweets explain why Baby A, C, D were so charged by the jury.

Baby Boy A:

Baby A was photographed by #Gosnell employee Adrienne Moton, disgusted after Dr Gosnell joked “He’s big enough to walk you to the bus stop.”

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

Baby Girl C:

Baby C, a little girl, was seen by clinic employees moving her arm before neck was snipped.

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

Baby D:

Baby D was born in a commode in the abortion clinic, and struggled to get out before A clinic employee snipped the child’s neck.

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

You can read all the gory details outlined by the grand jury report.

Of all the carnage that went on in this legal and state sanctioned public abortion clinic; the description of Baby D struggle for his or her life then brutal death haunts me the most. At the moment, Planned Parenthood is attempting to set groundwork for the legalization of infanticide of infants born alive after an abortion procedure by blocking life saving care and ignoring Safe Haven laws. Consider the implications of this legislation at a federal level: Kermit Gosnell would have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter only. In an interesting corollary to this story, Democrat congressional representative, Allyson Schwartz CD-13, recently announced her intention to run for Governor of Pennsylvania.  To date, she has not answered numerous questions as to whether as director of a PP abortion clinic she allowed referrals to Gosnell’s clinic.

Whatever your stance on abortion, we can all agree what went on in Kermit Gosnell’s clinic should be held up for scrutiny and accountability. The decades long victimization of women at this abortion clinic needs to be addressed.  Along with identifying community roadblocks that prevented these women from getting the appropriate information at a time when they needed it the most. The conviction of Gosnell is just the beginning of the healing process,  as a community, we have a long road ahead.

Thoughts on the jury verdict? Leave me a comment.