Three people were injured in a stabbing incident inside a church in Chantilly VA. Witnesses say a man drove up to the entrance and ran inside where he entered a Bible study class and stabbed the pastor. Two congregants rushed to aid the pastor, with one receiving wounds requiring medical attention.
Fairfax county chief of police, Edwin C. Roessler, who was in attendance, was also injured while taking the suspect into custody. The names of the other two victims have not been released at this time. None of the injuries appear to be life threatening.
A pastor at the church issued the following statement:
Greetings,
Today, in a routine church educational setting, one of our pastors was assaulted by an attendee. Two church members came to the pastor’s aid and valiantly risked their own lives to defend him. In the process, one of our members was injured. The pastor and one of the members are being treated at Reston Hospital for non life-threatening injuries. The other member involved sustained injuries that did not require medical attention. The assailant was taken into captivity at the scene.
We are in prayer for all the injured. We are grateful for the courage exhibited that prevented worse from happening. Lastly, we want to thank the broader community for their outpouring of concern and support in this time.
In Him,
Brett Fuller
Pastor, Grace Covenant Church-gracecov.org
Chaplain, Washington NFL Franchise
The incident is under investigation. No information about the suspect has been released at this point.
Today’s featured image is of Lake George, taken from behind Ft. William Henry, in the village of Lake George NY.
It seems, at least according to the Media, the feds are snatching peaceful protesters right off the streets of Portland. Stormtroopers are what Nancy Pelosi is calling them. From what I can find, the arrests being made by the feds there are not just random. It seems that they have a list of people, many of whom are facing charges for previous unrest. Shipwreckedcrew, a writer for RedState and a former federal prosecutor, posits the feds involved are DEA based on the actions and dress. I’d tend to agree, as an FBI agent looks like an FBI agent. DEA agents don’t look like feds, at least in my limited experience.
The WHO hired a PR firm to help with that agency’s image. For a mere $135,000, the firm Hill + Knowlton Strategies engaged with social media influencers to spread the WHO’s message.
The firm’s influencer focus included:
Macro Influencers -those with large followings (1M+) such as celebrities for greater amplification of WHO messaging
Micro Influencers -those with smaller but highly engaged followings who function as trusted advisors and informed validators
Hidden Heroes -those without significant followings but who nevertheless shape and guide conversations, such as health experts appearing frequently on news programs
The scientific, medical and health community -to ensure they believe and advocate the advice given
Media -to ensure that articles are balanced in a time of concern verging on panic and uncertainty
NGOs -to ensure peer groups and local grassroots organizations endorse the role of WHO and its advice
The informed public -those that read everything and use their own channels and networks to validate or invalidate claims
And they wonder why nobody trusts them.
I was always a fan of the Round Mound of Rebound. Charles Barkley’s latest comments haven’t done anything to change my opinion.
“Listen, DeSean Jackson, Stephen Jackson, Nick Canon, Ice Cube – Man, what the hell are y’all doing?” asked Barkley in a Steam Room podcast. “Y’all want racial equality,” Barkley began. “We all do. I don’t understand how insulting another group helps our cause.”
I’m going to let you guess why the Democrat governor of PA is withholding those funds.
A Fordham student says he’s been disciplined for taking a photo with a firearm. Andrew Tong ran afoul of the university’s regulations “relating to bias/and or hate crimes” as well as the school’s policy against “threats/intimidation” with two social media posts. What exactly did he post? A picture of murdered retired St. Louis police captain David Dorn with a caption of “Y’all a bunch of hypocrites.” In the second post, Tong posed with a rifle, captioning the picture “Don’t tread on me #198964” with emojis of the U.S. and Chinese flags.
Tong says the second post was a reference to Tiananmen square massacre.
As part of his disciplinary probation, which will remain in effect until he graduates, Tong is banned from representing the university in any extracurricular activities or running for or holding leadership roles in student organizations. Tong can no longer enter the university campus without the dean’s permission, and he has to finish the remainder of the school year through remote learning. In what Tong described as a “Soviet nightmare,” the university is also demanding him to complete “implicit bias” training with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and write an apology letter.
Iran suffered another mysterious explosion today. An oil pipeline exploded in Ahwaz in the western Khuzestan Province in Iran, according to Iranian media. No official report has confirmed that the oil pipeline was the source of the explosion as of yet. This is the latest in a series of unexplained fires and explosions in the Islamic Republic. There are reports they the Iranian air defense systems are on high alert. The European civil aviation authority has issued a warning to all carriers about overflying Iranian airspace.
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Lilith Sinclair could barely contain her excitement at the cheers when she announced herself as an “Afro indigenous non-binary” protest organizer on Friday.
massive applause after saying that their mission is the “abolition of the United States as we know it”
Following her speech, rioters violently attempted to barricade federal officers inside the Portland Federal Courthouse and Justice Center while launching explosives at the building. They also allegedly tied a man to a fence and beat him and held a street preacher at gun point before brutalizing him and physically removing him from their protest, according to a witness at the scene who spoke to livestreamers.
Liberals and some of the more media-focused organizers have repeatedly claimed that the Black Lives Matter riots’ goal is simply to end police brutality, while most of us knew that wasn’t these Marxists only agenda. This woman just let the mask slip on what those of us paying attention already knew.
There have now been 50 straight nights of rioting in Portland.
Video has surfaced of Portland AntiFa organizer Lilith Sinclair speaking at a rally. She can be heard advocating for the end of the US among other things.
For me, I cannot look at and will not look at these moments and these movements that are happening right now—we’re living through history—as riots. Instead, what they actually are, are the uprisings that the U.S. and every other imperialist and capitalist, racist and oppressive system has seen across history. There only comes a certain level to which you can ask large and vast numbers of people to sacrifice their literal health, lives and sanity for the capitalist system that will not provide for them and will also exploit their labor for the protection of the continual padding of the pockets of the 1 percent.
This is what leading Democrats like Nancy Pelosi are defending. This is where the Democrats are leading us.
Images and video of the damage sustained by the Bonhomme Richard have surfaced on the internet. The ship caught fire alongside at San Diego. The fire was called away at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
A Navy representative has verified the authenticity of these images.
CNO Gilday called the burning of the ship “a gut punch” for its crew, but said they are being looked after. “The names of those ships mean something to those sailors,” Gilday said. “This is their home. This is where they would fight from.”
It is unclear if the ship will sail again. Gilday said the defense industry could make Bonhomme Richard seaworthy again, but that it may not be worth the cost.
What is justice? “Justice consists in doing no injury to men; decency in giving them no offense”. Cicero, Roman Orator (106-43 BC). Justice is the combination of civility and morality bound together under the law to safeguard the peace and security of a society.
Socrates
Justice is often administered by the judicial system, is it therefore law? “What is in conformity with justice should also be in conformity to the laws”. Socrates, Greek Philosopher. (469-399 BC) Justice may be directed by the force of law but is not obligated to follow the dictates of law.
Is justice blind? “Justice discards party, friendship and kindred, and is therefore represented as blind”. Joseph Addison, English Philosopher (1672-1719) Justice may be blind, but judges and court administrators often pervert the intent of both Justice and the Law.
Some crimes are so vicious and heinous that they call out for extreme measures that defy and deny any response of compassion and mercy for the perpetrator. And yet the scriptures admonish us to show mercy and compassion; Zechariah 7- 9; This is what the Lord God Almighty says, ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another’. Herein lies our problem, how do we show mercy and compassion for a person or persons who have committed evil and egregious acts against one or more of the community?
Is the death penalty justice or retribution? ”Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully”. Proverbs 28-5. Opponents of the death penalty decry its cruelty, but that does not express compassion for the victim, only mercy for the perpetrator.
The penalties prescribed in the book of Leviticus are severe, from being put to death by being burned, by the sword or by stoning. Also quite severe was banishment, banishment often was a death sentence due to the precarious nature of life. For justice to have meaning it must have consequences and let the punishment fit the crime.
An eye for an eye is biblical, is it harsh? No doubt, but the punishment certainly fits the crime.
Blaise Pascal
“Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful is just”. Blaise Pascal, French Mathematician and Philosopher. (1623-1662). In order to facilitate justice the judiciary must have the power to pass sentences that reflect the theme of “let the punishment fit the crime”. But that power must be used with due care, often judges subvert the intent of not only the law but the intent of juries as well.
Vigilante Justice, was it justice? Or mob rule? This is an issue long debated, not only its legal standing, but its value to the community. “The just, though they hate evil, yet give men a patient hearing; hoping that they will show proofs that they are not evil”. Sir Philip Sidney, English Soldier and Poet (1554-1586). Using this principle vigilante justice may be viewed as justifiable.
Often in this nation’s past, the only law available was vigilante justice. In the absence of, or the overload of official law enforcement, this was the only avenue for crime to be recognized and the culprits brought to justice. “Justice delayed is justice denied”. Wm. E. Gladstone, English Statesman (1809-1898). Was this the justification for frontier justice to often culminate in summary justice? On many occasions the facts were so apparent, and the crime so egregious to the community that summary execution was justified in the minds of the community.
For instance, a bank robbery was devastating to a community as that was the major part of the money supply the town’s merchants depended on to be able to transact business. There was no FDIC to cover losses, no recovery unless the citizenry formed a posse and ran the culprits to ground. Unless the posse was able to catch the robbers and recover the money, the depositor was often left with nothing but a bad taste for bad men and banks.
The Death Penalty, is it Justice or Retribution? So far as I can determine, the death penalty is somewhat meaningless. Years of appeals and delays, do nothing to bring closure for the victims and their families. The perpetrator is guaranteed a speedy trial while the victims must languish through lengthy appeal processes sans the compassion and mercy accorded the guilty.
Daniel Webster
Justice prevails when the sentence of the court is carried out in its entirety, thereby punishing the guilty and bringing closure to the victims. “The criminal law is not founded on the principle of vengeance; it uses evil only as the means of preventing greater evil”. Daniel Webster American Orator and Statesman (1782-1852). Using Mr. Webster’s formula while adding the theorem of “let the punishment fit the crime”, we have arrived at true Justice. Therefore it is appropriate that the punishment of crime afford the victim closure and the guilty a deserved sentence.
The Death Penalty is supposed to be a deterrent to crime. How can this be when all executions are carried out in the middle of the night and tightly closeted in the most secure of prisons? Oh yeah, there are witnesses, persons who have a vested interest in seeing the guilty punished. But for the death penalty to have any real impact, it needs to be public. It should never be the party spectacle of a bygone era, but rather a somber affair, one that befits the enforcement of a sentence of death.
The claim by some that public execution is, “cruel and unusual treatment”, have clearly not studied the history of this nation. What a scurrilous charge that what was once looked upon as a necessary part of our system of jurisprudence must now be hidden away so as to not offend the sensitivities of a select few. In our own history people were held in stocks, publicly whipped and hanged all in the public arena as prescribed by law, thereby dispensing Justice publicly.
The toughest sheriff in America, former Sheriff of Maricopa County Arizona, Joe Arpio, ran what is called the toughest jail in America. Even after numerous jaw-boning attempts by high government officials and law suits to force changes in Sheriff Arpio’s jail, all have come to naught. Why? Because Joe Arpio operates his jail within the confines of LAW. The tough guys say they don’t want to go back to Sheriff Joe’s jail. Sheriff Joe’s tent city jail is either infamous or glorious depending on your point of view. Visual Justice is Justice meted.
Immigration, specifically ‘illegal immigration’ and Justice, are the two compatible? A thorny question but a legitimate one with this caveat. It must be understood clearly that US immigration law was broken. Of that there is NO doubt. The question is one of adjudication.
The United States is being invaded, a horde of people streaming across our southern border that may well contain members of Islamic jihad; while our government does nothing to stop the flow. They as well as we know that summary deportations are the only viable answer to an historic invasion. That stops the inflow, now comes the part of locating and deporting not only the criminal element among the illegal immigrant population but all who entered this nation illegally. For Justice to have meaning, it must be levied equally to all.
Edmund Burke
Then there is the fraud committed against the American Public by individuals. Welfare fraud, Medicaid fraud and disability fraud while our national debt goes through the roof. The lack of investigation of this massive fraud is the biggest fraud of all. “Justice is itself the great standing policy of civil society; any departure from it, under any circumstance, lies under the suspicion of being no policy at all”. Edmund Burke, English Orator and Statesman (1729-1797). Our ‘civil society’ is being rent asunder by political correctness, absurd directives, and a quest for a utopian dream that is unattainable. Justice and Liberty cannot exist one without the other, for either to be extinguished has been and is the bane of mankind.
That radical Islam wishes to return to the 7th century is a given. The rub comes when the rest of the world says NO! To this the radicals begin a reign of terror, committing atrocities that belie their claims that Islam is the religion of peace. How are we to respond to such barbarity? “We ought always to deal justly, not only with those who are just to us, but likewise to those who endeavor to injure us; and this, for fear lest by rendering them evil for evil, we should fall into the same vice”. Herodotus, Greek Historian (484-425BC) This is where Justice becomes visceral, where the struggle to survive calls the shots. When it’s either kill or be killed, maim or be maimed. Almost biblical in its simplicity, but Justice is not complicated, it only becomes so when it becomes the sole domain of courts, judges and lawyers.
Justice is the moral code, the essential fiber to a civilized society. As the mores of society change, so changes our perception of Justice. Our Lord left us a beacon, a path of Justice and Honor. It is to us, the task of maintaining that path that leads us to JUSTICE.
33 year Representative from Georgia and civil rights icon, John Lewis lost his battle with pancreatic cancer yesterday. He was 80.
Lewis, the son of Alabama sharecroppers, was already a national figure when he first entered Congress in 1987.
He was one of the keynote speakers at the March on Washington in 1963 and the only one who lived long enough to witness President Barack Obama’s election.
“When we were organizing voter-registration drives, going on the Freedom Rides, sitting in, coming here to Washington for the first time, getting arrested, going to jail, being beaten, I never thought — I never dreamed — of the possibility that an African American would one day be elected President of the United States,” Lewis said shortly before Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
“He was honored and respected as the conscience of the U.S. Congress and an icon of American history, but we knew him as a loving father and brother,” his family said in a statement. “He was a stalwart champion in the ongoing struggle to demand respect for the dignity and worth of every human being. He dedicated his entire life to nonviolent activism and was an outspoken advocate in the struggle for equal justice in America. He will be deeply missed.”
In 1862 during the Civil War Battle of Shiloh, after several days of fighting and maneuvering against the rebels, the forces of Ulysses S. Grant found themselves at a tactical disadvantage. They were outnumbered by Confederate forces and they had their backs to the Tennessee River with no clear means of escape. One of Grant’s senior officers, Col. McPherson, suggested that they might be able to cut their losses and retreat under the cover of Union gunboats across the river on wooden steamboats, if they did it quickly. Grant quietly sized up McPherson and calmly replied, “Retreat? No. I propose to attack at daylight and whip them.” And, the next morning that is exactly what the Union forces did.
That is an example of what the military still refers to today as “Commander’s Intent.” Commander’s intent is clear concise guidance – guidance that has no ambiguity. It is direction that everyone understands. It epitomizes the grandest principles of leadership.
On September 12th, 1962 (and I remember watching this live on a black and white TV), President John F. Kennedy gave his famous speech that got us into the space race against the Soviets. This speech in particular, is a superb example of Commander’s Intent. Standing at the podium he firmly grasped both sides. “We choose to go to the moon,” Kennedy proclaimed in his characteristic New Englander’s accent. “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do all the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure our best energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one that we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”
What both the Grant and Kennedy examples have in common is that they are mission focused and designed to create unity of effort. Parallels may be made by watching a school of fish swim or a large flock of birds fly. Somehow, they have unity of effort, and acting like a single being, they all seem to change direction and turn at the same moment. They act, and even look like a self-morphing yet purposeful being. We can only wonder if they have a leader or, how they all just somehow know what direction to go at exactly the same moment.
Man is a tribal being. Mankind has evolved that way and we are all wired that way no matter how sophisticated we think we are, or how many advanced degrees we hold. Some examples of our tribal roots can easily be observed whenever we deal with events we don’t understand and/or feel threatened by.
Take 9/11 for example. During and following the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks people banded together. There was a sense of unity, a sense of purpose. It was us against those who attacked us. Shortly following the attack, President Bush proclaimed to the world on national television, “In our pursuit of those responsible in this fight against terrorism, you are either with us or against us.” It was classic Commander’s Intent – “you’re either with us or against us.” Make your choice.
Do you remember all the public gushing of Americanism following the attack? American flags were displayed everywhere. Flags of all sizes were hung on many buildings, on bridge overpasses and everyone had a flag flying from a small banner clipped to his car window. It was a time of great national unity. Do you remember hearing anything from the agendas of liberals, conservatives, Democrats or Republicans? No – there was a singular mindset – a tribal mindset, and that tribe was the United States of America.
Here’s another example. If you look anyplace on our planet where people are geographically isolated, and lacking infrastructure ties to the population centers, you will find clans. Afghanistan is an excellent modern day example, as is the Middle East as a whole, which shares religion-based clanship. Due to the rugged geography, so might be parts of Kentucky and West Virginia, especially during the 1800 and early 1900’s. Even today they are clannish. Unlike large population centers, the terrain of these rural locations lends itself to isolation by retarding easy transit. Infrastructure is largely lacking. The people who inhabit these areas reside in small semi-isolated pockets. Hence, clanship flourishes.
This is not necessarily bad. In fact, it might be explained as our tribal roots – we are wired that way and it is nothing of which we should be ashamed. We are after all, simply human. But there is for many of us a painful side to being human, and that is our failure to recognize and act upon success. There’s a difference between failing (which is a natural and normal part of life) and being addicted to failure. When we’re addicted to failure we enjoy it. Each time we fail, we are secretly relieved. For example, Hollywood’s culture glamorizes failure and embellishes victimhood. Starving poets, romantic suicides, America-hating and other self-defined victimized souls invert failure and warp it into a perverted success. In truth, it results in cultural incapacity, so that we no longer have to ask and answer Stanislavsky’s famous questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want?
Becoming one’s self means becoming authentic. It means striving to become better than yourself. It means defining your individual worth and identity, and not leaving it to others to define for you. It means making good people into better people, not the reverse. We should never fear self-definition; we should celebrate it. We should not wait for inspiration; we should practice our lives in anticipation of it. Practice is the key. Practice means following a rigorous, prescribed regimen with the intention of elevating the mind and the spirit to a higher level. Practice implies engagement and belief, and without them there can be no Commander’s Intent.
Reporting by today’s agenda-driven media cannot be trusted. Politics is more polarized and less honest than ever in our country’s history. The American culture is under attack from within. If we could write a Commander’s Intent on behalf of the USA, perhaps it would go something like this: “Give countenance to no act of national dishonesty. Advocate no wrong, defend no error, deny no truth, for the sake of party or personal interest.” We must never forget who we are and what we are. As veterans and patriots, we must practice.
Honorable mention: I want to credit my friend Steven Pressfield for many of the words you have read in this article. Steven is a bestselling novelist who has written a number of excellent titles based on historical fiction. A few years ago he published a non-fiction book titled, “Turning Pro” which I have adopted into my own philosophy about “getting things done.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are again proud and honored to be able to publish one of Paul Evancoe’s outstanding pieces of original prose here at milvetsandpatriots.com. It is a privilege to be associated with him. You can check out his impressive bio on his first post with us, The 21 Gun Salute. Mr Evancoe does not participate in social media commenting, but if anyone has a question or concern that they would like to direct to him personally, please submit using our Contact page, and they will be forwarded.
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder in which sufferers find it hard to fall asleep, or stay asleep long enough.
Exactly how much sleep is enough is subjective, but most adults need seven to eight hours a night.
Many adults will experience short-term (acute) insomnia, which lasts for days or weeks, at some point in their lives; usually the result of acute stress or trauma. But some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts for a month or more.
Insomnia symptoms may include:
Difficulty falling asleep at night
Repeatedly waking up during the night
Waking up too early
Not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep
Daytime tiredness or sleepiness
Irritability, depression or anxiety
Fatigue related issues such as the inability to focus
Ongoing worries about sleep
Complications of insomnia may include:
Lower performance on the job or at school
Slowed reaction time while driving and a higher risk of accidents
Mental health disorders, such as depression, an anxiety disorder, or substance abuse
Increased risk and severity of long-term diseases or conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease
Many Possible Reasons for Insomnia
Insomnia may be the primary problem, but it may also be the result of other conditions.
Common causes of chronic insomnia include:
Stress.
Travel or work schedule.
Poor sleep habits.
Eating too much late in the evening.
Chronic insomnia is usually a result of stress, life events, or habits that disrupt sleep. Treating the underlying cause can resolve the insomnia, but sometimes it can last for years.
Additional common causes of insomnia include:
Mental health disorders. Anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may disrupt your sleep. Awakening too early can be a sign of depression. Insomnia often occurs with other mental health disorders as well.
Medications.
certain antidepressants
medications for asthma or blood pressure.
Many over-the-counter medications — such as some pain medications, allergy and cold medications, and weight-loss products
Insomnia becomes more common with age. As you get older, you may experience:
Changes in sleep patterns.
Changes in activity.
Changes in health.
More medications
Diagnosis & Treatment
Diagnosis
Physical exam.
Sleep habits review.
Sleep study. Tests are done to monitor and record a variety of body activities while you sleep, including brain waves, breathing, heartbeat, eye movements and body movements.
Initial Treatment
Prevention
Good sleep habits can help prevent insomnia and promote sound sleep:
Keep your bedtime and wake time consistent from day to day, including weekends.
Stay active — regular activity helps promote a good night’s sleep.
Check your medications to see if they may contribute to insomnia.
Avoid or limit naps.
Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol, and don’t use nicotine.
Avoid large meals and beverages before bedtime.
Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep and only use it for sex or sleep.
Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as taking a warm bath, reading or listening to soft music.
Advanced Treatment
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia
Stimulus control therapy. Remove factors that condition your mind to resist sleep.
Relaxation techniques. Progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and breathing exercises
Sleep restriction. Avoid naps
Remaining passively awake. Getting in bed and trying to stay awake rather than expecting to fall asleep.
Light therapy. To adjust your internal clock
Prescription medications
Examples include:
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Ramelteon (Rozerem)
Zaleplon (Sonata)
Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist)
Prescription sleeping pills can have side effects, such as causing daytime grogginess and increasing the risk of falling, or they can be habit-forming.
Over-the-counter sleep aids
Antihistamines
Melatonin supplements
So tell us YOUR story!
Ask questions!
Disclaimer: This is an informational post designed to foster discussion. It should not substitute for the advice of your doctor.
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for a new original article from Paul Evancoe, to be published at 1000 EDT. It is titled Commander’s Intent, and will truly strike a cord with this crowd.
