Servicemembers Music Videos

OK, totally off-topic, but please bear with us.

There's something about Lady Gaga that our servicemembers [mostly Soldiers, but also Marines] downrange really like, to the point that they record themselves doing something silly, then post for posterity on the Internet. Here are some of the best, followed by one more [quite crazy, but then, they're deployed, so it's OK]:

The world-famous Telephone Remake [from Afghanistan]



from the U.S. Air Force Academy:



Vanilla Ice Remix [looks like MPs in Iraq]



And another from Iraq, spoofing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"



Finally, here's Lady Gaga's Pokerface [also from Iraq]



OYE Comment: The Atlantic's Cailey Hall said it best:

The military has more important battles to attempt to win without taking on the extraordinarily pervasive popularity of social networks. But just in case they do, I recommend you get your fill of soldier music videos while you can. You might laugh, you might cry. And perhaps you'll even think about some of the other things those young men and women in uniform are facing over there.

If these crazy videos help to bring the American people closer to our deployed servicemembers, it's all to the good.

Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan.

Ben Leming: Credible Candidate for Congress

From his campaign site:

"Mission First."

Every Marine understands that the number one priority for the unit and each individual is mission accomplishment above all else. This is the driving force that makes the Marine Corps and U.S. military the finest fighting force in the world. Nothing deters a Marine from the mission - not personalities, not environmental factors, not politics - nothing. Individuals put aside their differences and work together to find the most effective course of action to accomplish the mission.

Our elected officials also need to live by “Mission First.” When our nation and her citizens are in need, and when it’s clear that course corrections must be made, we need elected officials who will put the mission first and politics last. We need leaders who aren’t swayed by the pundits, who aren’t posturing and posing, all the while failing to accomplish the mission, just to get themselves reelected.

What the Young and College Republicans are up to

Rove to pimp his book “Courage and Consequence” to young cowards. Rove using the word “courage” is like Keith Richards using the word "sober".

UC Merced College Republicans announced Monday that Karl Rove, former senior adviser and Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush, will speak at UC Merced on Oct. 8 as part of the conservative student group's speaker series.

Rhode Island said to be having a "conservative revolution". Translation: Young Republicans want to obtain leadership positions without having to go through the hassle of earning credibility.

Travis Rowley believes that Rhode Island is going through a “conservative revolution” and he is doing his part to hasten it to fruition.

One part of his effort — he is also chairman of the R.I. Young Republicans — is what he calls a “pamphlet,” consciously evoking the patriotic pamphleteers of the American Revolution, called “The Rhode Island Republican” and subtitled “An Indictment of the Rhode Island Left.” The cover of the 42-page, glossy-magazine-style publication shows a tiny but determined-looking elephant furiously tugging at one end of a rope, trying to prevent a sneaky-looking donkey from walking Rhode Island off the edge of a cliff.

Chicago YR's hope their electoral success is better than The Cubs luck.

In choosing the locale for this party—an event to display as well as swell its ranks— the Chicago Young Republicans (CYR) seemed to have made certain assumptions about the venue’s inherent inclusiveness. If it wants to swing Chicago’s political machinations in its favor, it will have to start with Cubs fans evidently. But the Cubby Bear, despite its storied history as a rock venue, isn’t necessarily an hospitable environment for those not accustomed to traversing sports-themed watering holes. Are all Republicans sports fans?

Dance Fever

Denny Terrio is no longer the host.

The clip features six soldiers on patrol in Hebron, which is home to many sites that Jews, Muslims and Christians consider holy. Some 600 Israeli settlers live in the city among roughly 160,000 Palestinians — which means it has also been the site of tension over the Israeli occupation.

As the soldiers canvass the street with weapons in hand, a muezzin can be heard leading a call for Muslim prayers. Suddenly, Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” abruptly comes on and the six soldiers break out into a dance routine. After a few seconds of hearty gyrating, the soldiers promptly return to their patrol duty and to appropriate military postures.

The Israeli Defense Forces brass is not amused, AFP reports: In a statement, the IDF leadership called the performance a “joke by the soldiers” that amounts to “inappropriate conduct during a military operation” and will be “investigated by battalion commanders.” The video, first posted to YouTube on Friday by the user "cleangrunge," has since disappeared from its original account — but several other users have reposted it.

Poor Anthony Mantova

At OYE we've chronicled the cowardice of Anthony Mantova over the years and even wished him well after he stepped away from politics and opened a business in California. But unfortunately for Anthony someone alerted the local residents about his past.

From Craig's List:

ANTHONY MANTOVA THE YELLOW ELEPHANT (EUREKA)

Read all about this young republican douchebag wannabe... http://operationyellowelephant.blogspot.com/2006/08/leadership-institutes-anthony-mantova.html

I DEFINITELY speak with my money and will NOT patronize this freak's store and will tell EVERYONE we know. And trust me, as parents of youths involved in the music scene, we spend a LOT of money. It just won't be supporting this gasbag.

He can have as many friends as he wants post messages on R&R, trying to make it sound like everyone supports him, but it's only a couple of his cronies & himself, posting OVER AND OVER......I noticed he's blocked his facebook page too, so we can't add him as a friend and tell him what we REALLY think of him. He's also removed all references to himself and his contact info off his store's website. Coward....or should I say TYPICAL CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN...big mouth until someone calls you on it, then have a panic attack and run and hide like a paranoid freak. Textbook!

Anthony you're no intellectual genius...you're an idiot. An idiot that has just sunk his business.

Location: EUREKA it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1817983888

Jeez, we hate to think we may have somehow effected the professional life of a gutless war-cheerleader.

Republican Senators Blocks Homeless Veterans Bill

Had Senator McConnell not weaseled his own ass out of serving he may have realized the importance of this bill.

Such a tolerant group of guys

At least they're good in basketball, right?

Back in April, Duke University junior, Justin Robinette, was forced to give up his position as chair of the Duke College Republicans. According to the campus group, the unanimous impeachment vote was in response to several instances of unprofessional conduct. However, according to Robinette, it was because he is gay.

There is no proof that Robinette was in fact removed due to his sexual orientation. Members of the group cite numerous instances in which Robinette "pushed" a lot of formally active members out of the group and fixed group elections. However, we are not told of any specific instances.

Cliff Satell, former College Republicans vice chair, spoke out, saying the impeachment was premeditated. "It was set in stone before anything happened," he said. "These people, all of them, voted three weeks ago to re-elect Justin. And during the three weeks where it was discovered that he is gay... the next meeting that was held... he is impeached."

Everyone who enlists has their reasons

RIP

When Russell Madden signed up for the Army two years ago, it was with one purpose – to provide medical care for his son.

Four-year-old Parker suffers from cystic fibrosis.

“Where he had been working he had no benefits or anything like that,” said Madden’s sister Lindsey Madden, “so he joined because he knew that Parker would always be taken care of no matter what.”

Madden’s family learned Wednesday night that the 29-year-old Bellevue High School graduate had been killed in Afghanistan. Madden, a private first class, died that morning when his convoy was attacked with a rocket-propelled grenade, his sister said.