My Big Secret Is Out!

I have wanted to talk about this to my readers for several months now, and its time. Many of you know that I was an Air Force veteran. While serving my country, I discovered something about myself.

That is....I am not really me.

I wanted to be a she....so I did it.

The first phase is over- as you can see in the picture above, the estrogen therapy has worked. "Eugenia" will have to live with those "pesky round things" for a year or so, until its time for snip-snip.

Anyway, its time for Jeanne Bice and QUACKER FACTORY on QVC. I just LOVE her bandanna, must have one.

Does anyone have an idea about where to by swimwear for a lady of a "certain age"...its so funny having to say that! I hope this isn't too much for some of my long time readers to take...but if it is, there is only one more thing I want to say....

(Sigh)...now don't you feel stupid for even bothering to read this idiotic post?

I would!

Have a good one!!!!

BTW....the song leading off the PLAYLIST- "The April Fool" by Pete Townshend and the late, great Ronnie Lane (formerly of Small Faces and Faces).

The Tattooed Poets Project: Theresa Senato Edwards

We are launching this second volume of the Tattooed Poets Project with Theresa Senato Edwards.

Theresa seemed like the ideal candidate to kick off the month, as she is the devoted editor of Holly Rose Review, a poetry and tattoo literary arts journal.

Theresa has four tattoos, and picked two to share with us here on Tattoosday.

Her first tattoo was this Celtic symbol on the left part of her upper back:
A closer look:


Theresa tells us that this is the:

"Celtic symbol for motherhood, two dots representing my two sons. The goldish dot for Richard, his birthday in November (November birthstone); the red dot for Troy, his birthday in July (July birthstone). I had asked my younger son, Troy, if he thought it would be cool to have his artwork on my skin forever. He did, so he drew it for me, looking at a pic I got off the internet. Tattoo by Mike Calamita, Lasting Impression Tattooing in Hopewell Junction, NY."

My favorite of Theresa's four tattoos was the third one she received, this holly rose:

Theresa explains that this holly rose is

"a holly branch wrapped around a bloomed red/purplish rose with thorned stem.... [and] symbolizes my parents: my dad's birthday was in December; the holly is one of the plants that represents December. My mom's birthday was in June; the rose represents June. They have both been dead for more than 15 years. I had this done in their memory. That's also where the title of Holly Rose Review comes from, although I didn't know that at the time I got the tattoo. Also done by Mike Calamita."

Check out Theresa's poem "Holly Rose," about this tattoo, over at BillyBlog. You can read more of Theresa's work over on her blog here.

Thanks again to Theresa for helping kick off our second annual Tattooed Poets Project!

Daily Show- Jon Stewart & Robin Williams Skewer McCain & Palin

Ladies and gents, its been a long day...and frankly I don't feel up to writing...and a laugh or two was in order.

So.....check out this episode of The Daily Show, where Jon Stewart talks about the RNC and the "Voyeur Scandal", Michael Steele, Sarah Palin, John McCain....and the amazing Robin Williams is his special guest.




See you next month!

The Tattooed Poets Project, Volume II

April is National Poetry Month!

Last April, I launched, with the cooperation of poets across the country (and one across the Pond), the "Tattooed Poets Project".

In addition to the "regular" Tattoosday features, every day in April we featured the tattoos of poets. Each post featured poet-contributed photos, with a link back to BillyBlog, where one of their poems was posted on the corresponding day.

Not all the poems were tattoo-related, but many were.

This year, we are resuming the project again, featuring more poets, and a few returning ones.

I enjoyed this adventure last year and am looking forward to another successful April!

Tom's Sleeve is Based on Faith

I don't know what it was about March, but this final post of the month is the third featuring ink from a member of our Armed Forces.

Tom is eventually going to have a full sleeve that accentuates his faith. The top of the arm is done, with the main focus on the guardian angel on his bicep:


His grandfather passed before he was born and he has always thought of him as the guardian angel that watched over him.

This piece was inked at Aces & Eights Tattoo in Augusta, Georgia.

He also has a couple of tattoos featuring angels on the inside of his bicep and on the outer section of his upper arm as well:


These were done at Third Dimension Tattoos in Marshalls Creek, Pennsylvania

Tom is a member of HHC 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division.

Thanks to Tom for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

THE PACIFIC, Episode Three- The Saviors of Guadalcanal

James Badge Dale (center in teeshirt) as Robert Leckie

Spoiler Alert...if you haven't seen Episode Three of THE PACIFIC, advance at your own risk!

Part Three of HBO's The Pacific shows an abrupt departure from the storytelling style of its companion piece Band of Brothers. In BOB the audience received little information about the personal lives of the men in Easy Company. We knew where some of them came from through conversations with other characters; we knew some were married, others not, and we got a smattering of personal history. BOB was about the story of one unit, Easy Company, and how their wartime experience in Europe spanned most of the significant events from Normandy to the occupation of a conquered Germany. Most episodes of BOB dealt with an action in which Easy Company participated, as we saw some characters we got to know a little cut down and replaced by new ones, and old stalwarts marching on to VE Day.

The Pacific's story is told mainly through the eyes and experiences of John Basilone (Jon Seda), Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale), and Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazello), as well as several secondary characters. Consequently we learn more about these characters in three episodes of The Pacific then we do in ten hours of BOB. And since it deals with individuals rather than a particular military unit, the action does and will move from location to location more readily than BOB, and some characters may not appear at all in certain episodes- Eugene Sledge is no where to be found in the third episode The Pacific- Saviors of Guadalcanal.

After being evacuated from Guadalcanal in January, 1943, the Marines are shipped to Melbourne in the Southern part of Australia for some R&R. Its summer in Melbourne, and when the transport docks they are greeted by throngs of thousands of Australians waving flags, carrying signs and banners greeting them, cheering them to the music of John Phillip Souza....Australians regard the American Marines as saviors of their country, and are treated as heroes by the populace.

Many of Australia's fighting men are serving in North Africa, and there is a shortage of young men in the country, and many beautiful, young, single women. The Marines are billeted at a cricket ground, but MP's look the other way when many of Marines go AWOL....it was time for a break, featuring booze and babes, after their ordeal in the Solomon Islands.

Leckie is partying with his buddies when he meets Stella (Claire Van Der Boom, pictured left), a beautiful Australian of Greek ancestry. He gets her address, and comes by her house the next day. Stella is the only child of loving and warm parents from the old country, who take an immediate liking to the young American. Over the next few weeks Leckie and Stella fall in love, and he becomes regarded almost as a new member of the family by Stella's mother and father. One day while siting in the back garden eating roast lamb provided by Leckie, Stella's father reads that Stella's friend from childhood, Alexi, was killed in combat. That triggers something in Stella- she realizes that the odds of Bob Leckie making it through the war unscathed may be long. She decides to break up with Bob Leckie- losing him in battle would be too much for her to take, and it would be even more devastating to her parents- particularly her mother- who had grown to love Leckie as their own.

Bob Leckie goes on a drunken bender after the breakup with Stella. He had lived through hellish months on Guadalcanal before attaining several weeks of heaven with a beautiful woman and her wonderful family, only to see it slip away through no fault of his own. He gets into a profane and violent confrontation with Lt. Corrigan. He ends up in the brig overnight- the next day he finds that he is being shipped out.

Meanwhile Sid Phillips (Ashton Holmes) has struck up a romance with a lovely young woman named Gwen, who is constantly under the watchful eye of her protective grandfather. Sid finally "touches the merchandise" shortly before he receives his orders to ship out. You get the feeling it was the first time for both.

During his stay in Melbourne Basilone and JP Morgan get into a a small brawl with an Australian soldier who mocked their toast to dead buddy Manny Rodriguez in a pub. Basilone and Morgan continue to drink it up and party hard. The next day a hung over Basilone is told by Lt Col Chesty Puller that he has to pull it together and be a better example to his men; Basilone was being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Several days later, after the medal ceremony, Puller tells Basilone that his next assignment was to rotate back to the United States- he was needed to sell war bonds, to put a human face on the war effort. Basilone says goodbye to old friend Morgan; in the final scene of the episode Basilone is looking out the window of a plane flying over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Watching the ending of this episode I thought about Basilone, being a sort of hero surprised by his celebrity much like the flag raisers of Iwo Jima, and how both were used to sell war bonds on tours conducted nationwide. And I remember hearing stories of the old timers who lived in those days, the ones who manned the home front. You bought war bonds, because you were expected to do so. You had gasoline, meat, and butter rationed, as with many other things. There was a sense of unity in the country, and of common purpose.

Maybe that was an America of which we may never see the likes of again.

Update- For Those Who Want To Know...."Did Bob Leckie Get Back With Stella And Marry Her?"

I was just looking at some of the queries to this blog....and the most popular one was "Leckie-Stella". A lot of people, myself included, wanted to know if Bob and Stella had a reunion and a happy ending.

Well....I'm not going to tell you. That would be one spoiler too many. But If you want to know more about Bob and his family after the war, check this article at NorthJersey.com, and this video at HBO.com for the answer....did Bob Leckie marry Stella?

Update May 19, 2010

For those who are still curious about the identity of "Stella" and what happened to her, I included the answer to your question in the bottom of the blog entry for Episode 10; Home & Beyond. You might be surprised.

Two Tattoos from Taylor

I met Taylor where she works at Kaleidoscope, a toy store in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

I gave her a flier after admiring her really cool feather tattoo that was inked behind her right ear.


A week later, I was zipping by on my bike and saw her on a break outside the store. That was when I had a chance to speak to her about her tattoos and take the photos for this post.

This is one of her nine tattoos, and was done by an artist named Chris who works out of Puncture Tattoo in neighboring Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.


Taylor says the tattoo is inspired by the fact that she feels free-spirited, like a bird, and that her aunt, who died in a plane crash, used to call her a "little Indian girl". The dangling feathers behind her ear seem to capture both sentiments nicely.

Unlike the first time I met Taylor, on this occasion she was wearing a shirt that showed off this cool tattoo at the top of her back:


Taylor explained that she loves cats and her sister's gray cat Dusty passed away from breast cancer, which has also been a disease that has run in her family, as well. She had the tattoo artist, Peter Cavorsi, of Body Art Studios, model this piece based on Dusty's eyes.

As always, Peter did a superb job. He is no stranger to Tattoosday, having inked one of my tattoos (seen at the bottom of the page) and several of my wife, Melanie's. This link will show you all of Peter Cavorsi's work that has appeared on the site over the last two-and-a-half years.

Thanks again to Taylor for sharing her two beautiful tattoos on Tattoosday!

Hutaree Militia- Is There More Behind The Madness?

For the past couple of days I've been writing a tongue in cheek parody called "Life In the Totalitarian State", done for laughs and for my own amusement, and maybe yours as well.

But it seems there are more than a few people out there who indeed TRULY believe that the United States has become a dictatorship, and it appears some are ready to take up arms against their own country.

Nine members of the Hutaree, a self described Michigan based "Christian militia group" have been arrested in a series of raids held by the FBI. Allegedly, members of the group intended to ambush and kill members of law enforcement, and then attack their funeral entourages with homemade bombs. Then they supposedly wanted to carry on the fight using IED's to protect them in "rally points".

The FBI raids were carried out in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

The members of Hutaree believe in the return of the Anti-Christ, a figure from the Bible's Book of Revelations who's appearance would trigger an apocalyptic battle between good and evil before the prophesied "End of Times".

It is believed that the Hutaree would use the initial attacks to trigger a larger battle against the United States government.

Along with Hutaree leader, David Brian Stone, eight others were arrested, including Kristphor Sickles, an Ohio based militia leader who is also known by the pseudonym Pale Horse. Sickles once called for an armed march on Washington (that never materialized) and has trained with his group at Camp Stasa, once the training site of the Michigan Militia.

Below, from TPM.com, why the connection with Sickles and the Michigan groups may be significant.

Pale Horse's alleged involvement with the Hutaree is significant because it suggests an overlap between the Christian militia group and the broader militia movement. That broader movement appears since yesterday to have been trying to distance itself from the Hutaree, telling reporters that at least one Michigan Militia member, of Islamic descent, has been working with the Feds as they target the Hutaree.

It also is significant because both the timing and the script of the Pale Horse videos -- "our country is in peril," for instance, and the call for the march on Washington -- suggest that Sickles may be motivated less by an "End Times" theology or a fear of the anti-Christ than by more immediate and political concerns.

Below, the video featuring "Pale Horse" in his rebuttal to the mainstream media, taken from his You Tube site.

The second video is "Pale Horse" being interviewed by right wing talk show host (and conspiracy theorist) Alex Jones.





They may seem crazy....but crazy scary. Its a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for the government- leave them alone, and there's probably violence and death in the cards. To be proactive and try to prevent a problem, the Feds will probably find these arrests used as a propaganda tool for the paranoid delusions of these types.....remember Ruby Ridge? Or Waco?

I hope I'm wrong...but I think there's some rough times ahead.

Mike's Incredible Aquatic Sleeve (and More!)

I had the good fortune of meeting Mike outside of Penn Station last week and, despite first noticing him because of his leg tattoos, he was extremely generous and unveiled an incredible sleeve that covered his right arm:


Mike is a fisherman and a loves the brightness, color and variety of oceanic life. Such things translate well to the body's canvas and make for some amazing tattoo work...


The giant octopus actually curls up over his shoulder and onto his chest, with one tentacle moving down his arm....


The deep sea diver punctuates the middle of his arm...


At the bottom of the arm are tropical motifs including a huge tiki god and a hibiscus....


On the inside of his inner bicep is this fish which is a cross between an anglerfish and a razorfish:


And we ended with this piece that was so fresh at the time, that Mike had to peel back the protective plastic covering this amazing blowfish:


The artist behind this amazing work is Steve Woison formerly of Electric Tiki Tattoo in Patchogue, and now at Studio 520 in Oakdale, on Long Island.

Thanks again to Mike for taking the time to share his amazing aquatic sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!

Life In The Totalitarian State; Day Six; Legalizing Pot in California....AND DC?

Some conservative pundits have stated that the enactment of the HealthCare Reform Bill would lead to socialism and totalitarianism in the United States. This is my on going diary charting life under the boot of American totalitarianism.

Well, its been six days since the signing of the healthcare reform bill, and more signs that the country is going to hell in a handbasket.

Today, Palm Sunday, I went to mass....and the crucifix on the altar was draped with a red cloth!!!! And the priest was wearing red vestments as well. It can only mean one thing....even the Catholic Church (US version only) has....well, do I have to spell it out for ya?

And then this bit of news from the Washington Post....California could be legalizing pot this year...and the District of Columbia could be next!.

It could be a plot- what if marijuana was legalized in DC. If you think that things moved slowly in Congress before, just wait. Orrin Hatch bobbing his head up and down listening to MOTORHEAD. John Boehner going before the House and saying in a monotone, "Hell no you can't...oh- I said this before? Really? Cool....ahhh what was I so pissed off about? Oh....okay- anybody see my smokes?....heheheeheh!"

Not to mention the proliferation of BASKIN AND ROBBINS, BEN AND JERRY'S, and Häagen-Dazs franchises sprouting up on the National Mall opposite the Capitol!

Can you imagine a government office reduced to THIS???? Check out this video...



WOW!!! On second thought, man....this this totalitarian stuff might not be so bad after all....

Gotta stop.....I forgot what I was going to say.

Anybody remember what I did with those SNICKERS?

Days 76 & 77

76. Katie Price has been giving style tips to husband Alex.

77. Cheryl Cole tops the charts once again.

Earl's Tattoo Honors the Fallen

It was the ring of bullets that first grabbed my attention when I spotted him in Penn Station:


As a soldier in New York City's 69th Infantry Regiment in the New York Army National Guard, Earl has had the honor and privilege of serving in our armed forces overseas.

But, like any one of these brave men and women can tell you, they have seen their share of sorrow when they have lost fellow soldiers in the war in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Earl's way to honor them has been to inscribe on his flesh "For the Fallen," and the initials of those that have died for their country, each bullet representing someone he knew.


On his right arm, he has this tribal piece with a military inscription:



The phrase "Mess with the Best, Die like the Rest" is one of those military slogans that is designed to inspire the soldier and intimidate the enemy.

All work was by Mark Madden at Madd Grafix Tattoo Shop in Buffalo, New York.

Thanks to Earl for his duty to this country and for sharing his memorial ink with us here on Tattoosday!

Life In The Totalitarian State; Day Five; Town For Sale In Washington State

Some conservative pundits have stated that the enactment of the HealthCare Reform Bill would lead to socialism and totalitarianism in the United States. This is my on going diary charting life under the boot of American totalitarianism.

Its down to this folks....things are getting so bad in the Brave New World that a family in Washington State has put an ENTIRE TOWN UP FOR SALE!!!

For a cool half million $$$ Wauconda, Washington can be yours.

Check out this video.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Hey....a spaghetti saloon! Who knew there were paisans in the Great Northwest? I wonder if they have linguine with white clam sauce, calamari with marinara, or even cannolis for dessert?


In other news....no sign of the storm troopers who were supposed to knock down our doors after the healthcare bill passed....and my wingnut neighbor had SEAN HANNITY on his radio outside yesterday, keeping us all "informed" whether we wanted to be or not.

In fact...nothing unusual has happened at all...except that Butler(!) and West Virginia (after 51 years) are in the 2010 Final Four.

Be careful out there!!!

Amy's Sugar Skull from New Orleans

Amy shared this sugar skull with me a week or so ago:


Clicking this link will display the vast range of sugar skulls that have appeared here on Tattoosday over the years.

They are one of my favorite types of tattoos to post, because they tend to vary from one to another and can be uniquely personalized.

Amy got this one on All Saints' Day, in honor of her grandfather.

She was at the New Orleans Voodoo Tattoo Convention and an artist named Joey just free-handed the drawing on her arm.

Thanks to Amy for sharing her sugar skull with us here on Tattoosday!

Together Again...Johnnie and Sarah, Redux

Reunited.....because it felt so good...(NOT)....the first time.

John McCain, in a fight for his Senate seat from upstart JD Hayworth, had the once and former Governor of Alaska...and his running mate in 2008...do some stumping with him today on the campaign trail.

Sarah Palin and John McCain...."Together Again".

Yes....just when you thought it was safe to come out....HELL NO!!!!

They did their usual schtik today, bashing President Obama, Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, the nefarious "Big Government", and some others drawn from the chapters of the GOP's GREATEST HITS.

There's only one thing wrong....didn't they audition together previously?

It didn't work out very well, did it?






To be brutally honest....the role John McCain is trying to play now of being more conservative than the self proclaimed "Consistent Conservative" Hayworth isn't working, it looks rehearsed, phony, and he just isn't comfortable being an attack dog.

And Sarah Palin....what else is there to say? Vapid is too mild a word in describe the less than one term former governor. Her material is getting a little old, and her shrill voice, resembling fingernails on a blackboard, is enough to make one choose waterboarding over listening to her speeches.

It is cashing in time for Palin....if McCain didn't pick her out of obscurity in September 2008, she'd still be doing her "governor- thing" in Alaska, at much less than the seven figures she's pulling in as the Sweetheart of the Right. It wasn't so bad losing in '08 for Sarah Palin...she got a book deal, big time speaking fees, a gig on FOX Noise....and her own reality show on TLC. The only person who made out better than Sarah Palin after the McCain-Palin loss was Tina Fey

So if you want to hear what these two icons in the Grand Obstructionist Party have to say, be my guest. I couldn't make it through either video.

Better yet....just listen to Ray Charles sing TOGETHER AGAIN on the PLAYLIST.

Days 72-75

72. Exclusive: Nadine Coyle hits back at eating disorder and Cheryl Cole feud rumours.


73. Watch Cheryl Cole sing live as she performs Parachute and Fireflies on Radio One.

74. Skins star Kaya Scodelario: I was bullied at school.


75. The Hills cancelled: Producers say 'it's over' as reality show is axed.

Life In The Totalitarian State; Day Four- Dog In "Red State" Attacks Police Car

Some conservative pundits have stated that the enactment of the HealthCare Reform Bill would lead to socialism and totalitarianism in the United States. This is my on going diary charting life under the boot of American totalitarianism.

The first indication that the rebellion has indeed begun was evident when a pit bull mix in Tennessee attacked a police car, damaging the front bumper and tires.

The dog, named "Winston", must now wear a a special tag that says "Potentially Dangerous", and MUST attend "obedience and canine good citizen classes".

Hmmmm.....probably he's being reprogrammed with socialist doctrine, don't you think?

Renee's Papal Insignia Challenges Her Beliefs

I met Renee in the Clark Street subway station in Brooklyn Heights recently, and we had a fascinating conversation.

We talked for a good bit, and actually spent more time time talking about her plans for new tattoos, as opposed to what she already had on her body. She has five tattoos, two of which she did herself. We ended up talking most about this one, on the middle finger of her right hand:


This is one of her self-inked tattoos which, she says, she did using "the prison method". This generally involves using a needle or a sharpened guitar string and dipping it in ink. Sometimes with, sometimes without, a jerry-rigged motor.

The design is based on the insignia of the Pope.

At the time that she did this, she felt a connection to the Catholic Church that was very strong. Religion was a "huge part of her childhood"

However, as anyone paying attention to the news recently is well aware, the Catholic Church has been under fire for quite some time due to its handling of internal matters regarding abuse among the clergy.

Renee finds that who she is now is "irreconcilable with the Catholic Church" and, as a result, she plans on having this finger tattoo covered up "as a statement" about her feelings and her conviction that this symbol is, in her words, "something I can't have anymore".

So today's post features a tattoo whose time is running out, which is not all that common here on the site. I have always maintained that the tattoos seen here aren't always the "best" in art, but rather, interesting encounters in New York with interesting people.

Thanks to Renee for being so forthcoming about her personal connection to tattooing, and for sharing this small, seemingly harmless tattoo, that carries with it such a weight, laden with meaning.

Norway names the day

Norway's courtship of the Hague Agreement, soon to be consummated, has been closely followed on this weblog (see here and here). The final chapter is now in sight, according to The Hague Notification No. 99: on 17 March the Government of the Kingdom of Norway deposited its instrument of accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, which will enter into force via-a-vis that most affjordable of jurisdictions on 17 June 2010.

Daily Kos: Cantor's story unravels

Republican House Minority Whip Eric Cantor has accused Democratic leadership of "fanning the flames" in the wake of at least ten acts of vandalism or menacing threats geared at Democratic lawmakers after the passage of the Healthcare Reform Bill this weekend.

Cantor also stated that his office in Richmond was fired on when a a bullet struck a window last week.



But there is a problem with this story...the police have said that the window was struck with a downward spiral, meaning it was shot into the air, and it minimizes the chances that Cantor's office was the intended target.

I guess its time for a new "Magic Bullet" for the 21st Century.

(DISCLAIMER!!!!.....In no way am I advocating indiscriminately  shooting bullets, arrows, slingshots, etc into the air in the vicinity of Congressmen or any elected official, or any other creature living or dead. Amen)

READ MORE....from Daily Kos

The Pacific Episode 2; Guadalcanal

After a delay of several days, its time for my overdue take on this Sunday's episode of HBO's The Pacific. I did get a bit sidetracked by all the other news going on, and I wanted to get a chance to see the the second episode one more time. Though it deals with a period of only a few days of the Battle of Guadalcanal, I wanted to see it again to get a better feel for just what the Marines of the First Division were up against at Guadalcanal. A second viewing helps to grasp the enormity of the task at hand, what they did, and of the heroism of the First.

By October, 1942 the US Marines at Guadalcanal were cut off- the Navy had to move out after being repelled by a Japanese attack. They were alone, short of food and ammunition, suffering from the brutal tropical heat and humidity, insects, malaria and digestive tract infections- and were being harassed by Japanese attacks around the clock. After Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale) and his fellow Marines survive a Japanese assault, John Basilone (Jon Seda) and his men are sent by LT.Col.Chesty Puller to defend the perimeter around Henderson Field to keep it from falling back into Japanese hands. They are also ordered, if they are defeated, to go into the jungle and continue to fight as guerrillas, if need be.

On the night of October 24-25, 1942. Basilone and his men of C Company were vastly outnumbered, yet held their positions and repelled the Japanese attack. Basilone manned machine guns in the attacks, then repaired jammed guns, and went back through the jungle to get more ammo. He killed several Japanese in hand to hand combat and with his side arm, and returned to his men. One of his hands was badly burned when he touched the hot barrel of the Machine gun, but he fought on.

Below, his his citation, from the Arlington National Cemetery Website.

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machineguns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

One source claims that Basilone killed 38 Japanese in that battle, another says the number was close to 100. While watching this sequence I noticed the battle, which lasted all night, was condensed into roughly eight minutes. Still, the portrayal of Basilone's action was accurate given the constraints of time. The next morning Basilone is told by Puller that he would be putting Basilone in for a medal. Basilone goes looking for his friend Manny Rodriguez, who stayed behind as a runner for Puller. Manny's body is found, laying dead in the jungle by Basilone.

Meanwhile back in Alabama, young Eugene Sledge( Joe Mazello) is told by his physician father that he no longer has a heart murmur. Gene tells his father that he will be enlisting, though his father has concerns about what war will do to his son.

By January 1943 the Japanese evacuate Guadalcanal, and some of the Marines are transported off of the island. The episode ends with Leckie and his friends finding out while drinking coffee in the galley of the transport that the Marines of the First Division at Guadalcanal were considered heroes back in the United States.

This morning while reading the print edition of The Star-Ledger I checked out letters to TV critic Alan Sepinwall, and one talked about the scope of The Pacific, and how it neglected the role the Army played in the theater. And it is a valid criticism- the series won't deal with the war in New Guinea or the Philippines, or in China, Burma, or many of the other fronts. Nor will it talk about the role of the Army Air Corps, and the Naval aviators or naval battles- the scope of the Pacific war was just too enormous and cost prohibitive to reproduce in a limited TV series. Much like Band of Brothers concentrated on one group in a series of battles in the European war, it was not the whole story of victory in Europe. "Brothers" didn't deal with the campaigns in North Africa or Italy, and of course, the first turning point in Europe was the German defeat in the Eastern Front by the Soviets.

And The Pacific does limit its story to the three main characters, Basilone, Leckie, and Sledge, and the war waged by Marines island hopping in tiny specs in the ocean, all the way to the Japanese home islands. What this series does is open the door to people who were too young to feel the direct impact of the war, and gives them a start in a search for the history of the war in the Pacific, in all its vast scope, tragedy, and triumph. For a more comprehensive view of World War II, I suggest Ken Burns' The War, shown on PBS several years ago and available on DVD.

Episode Three is coming up Sunday night, with Basilone getting the Congressional Medal of Honor and national celebrity status.

Life In The Totalitarian State; Day Three

Some conservative pundits have stated that the enactment of the HealthCare Reform Bill would lead to socialism and totalitarianism in the United States. This is my on going diary charting life under the boot of American totalitarianism.

I had a bad night last night, sleepless with much tossing and turning. I was pondering this question....

When the Republicans in Congress get a bill passed over the objections of congressional Democrats, its called "the majority rules".

When Democrats in Congress get a bill passed over the objections of of congressional Republicans, its called "totalitarianism".

Is that because...in a particular instance...a bill passed with not one Republican in either the House or Senate voting for it?

In other news...the sun came out this morning, the earth is still rotating on its axis, and "Octo-Mom" has yet to give birth to a few more kids. And still no sign of those storm troopers who are going to bash down our doors.

But its early.

Richard's Cybernetic Tattoos

I met Richard in the Amtrak section of Penn Station, which I have found to be a wonderful place to find tattoos from all over the world.

He was in the New York area on business, having traveled from Oregon where he lives and runs his company, Out of the Box Mods, LLC.

His tattoos are directly related to his vocation of computer modding, which "involves making physical changes to a computer for aesthetic reasons or to improve the performance".

Here is the piece on his upper left arm:


Often, I will be sent, a better photo that was taken right after completion, or in better circumstances than my quick little snapshots in public. By comparing the photo I took with the one Richard sent, you get a better idea of how the tattoo artist envisioned the piece, down to the bruising of the skin around the torn flesh.


I also took a photo of a work-in-progress on his forearm:


The outline for the second piece is completed, for the most part, and it is soon to be colored.

This style of tattoo is often referred to as "torn flesh" and is marked by an added dimension of perspective. When done properly, the effect of the tattoo is unsettling, as if the skin of the tattooed person has been ripped away, exposing the workings within. The variance comes in what lies beneath the skin, which allows individuals to express more about their selves through their tattoo art. See some other examples of the torn flesh motif as seen on the site can be viewed here and here.

The machinery below Richard's outer layer of skin personifies that which drives him: mods.

The work shown is the creation of tattoo artist "Lil Kev" at Ink-Daddy's Tattoo in Salem, Oregon.

Richard tells me he's getting the forearm piece finished in a couple of days, so check back to see the link to the updated piece, once it's done.

Thanks again to Richard for his participation and cooperation in sharing his cool mod tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

The Return of The Home Shopping Queen!

After a hiatus of many months, our old friend "Queen Bea", the Home Shopping Queen, has returned to the internet and has posted her first entry since last June, with some interesting news about what she's been up to.

Its good to get her back....and in an email she kidded me about my "communist" blog!

Now if I'm a commie.....then Obama is a socialist- yeah, I know; 64% of the Republicans out there already think he is...yesterday's news.

So QB's old fans...drop by her blog and give her a "welcome back".

The Tea Party's Last Stand On Healthcare....The Elephants March Backwards

Above- Question; "How is this elephant like Bette Davis?"....Answer; "They both said 'What a dump!!!'"


Its better late than never in showing this video. Its from one of the last Tea Party Anti-Healthcare reform rallies last week in Washington, and is from the NewLeftMedia You Tube Channel.

After seeing this you might get angry, or you might feel sad....but I'll guarantee one thing- some of these protesters will have you laugh at some of their "WTF" answers and ideas.

Be careful where you step!

A backward marching pachyderm might have been there first!

Right Wing Blogger Calls On Supporters To Vandalize Democratic Party Offices

Above- Rachel Maddow

Mike Vanderboegh, an Alabama based blogger, survivalist, and militia leader, has called on his readers to throw bricks through the windows of local Democratic Party headquarters throughout America to send a message to the Democratic elected officials, voters and supporters.

At least five incidents of windows or doors being smashed by bricks, some with messages attached, have been reported by Democratic field offices from New York to Arizona in recent days.

Vanderboegh, who writes an anti government blog called Sipsey Street Irregulars, has been reported to be on Social Security disability.

Below, a report from Rachel Maddow on The Rachel Maddow Show.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Life In The Totalitarian State; Day Two

Some conservative pundits have stated that the enactment of the HealthCare Reform Bill would lead to socialism and totalitarianism in the United States. This is my on going diary charting life under the boot of American totalitarianism.

On the second day of the totalitarian takeover the sun came out, the birds were singing, and the flowers bloomed.

And I was left to ponder the allegory that will perplex future historians of American history.....

When there is a Republican President and the Democrats in Congress challenge him, those congressmen are obstructionists.

When there is a Democratic President and the Republicans in Congress challenge him, those congressmen are patriots.

This is very confusing.