"Suspicious Minds" Elvis Presley

This is one of my all-time favorite songs combined with my favorite movie, Black Hawk Down. They played this song, "Suspicious Minds" in the film before the guys from the U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force went back out to save their fallen brethren in the extremely unfriendly city of Mogadishu. If you haven't seen the movie, please rent it. Even better, read the book by Mark Bowden.

Speaking of a favorite book of mine being turned into a movie; Charlie Wilson's War, comes to the big screen on December 25, a.k.a. Christmas night. The book was really, really good and explains the origins of al-Qaeda and details the unintended consequences of warfare. But mainly illustrates the life of a wild Texas Congressman, Charlie Wilson, who gets President Reagan to support the insurgency in Afghanistan against the Soviets. The Russians experienced "Vietnam" in the unforgiving, mountainous terrain known as Afghanistan. This mighty army was bogged down for eight years and the experience is often referenced by one of the men who fought against the Soviets, Usama bin Laden himself. In fact, UBL is often shown on tape with a Kalashnikov rifle by his side which he allegedly took off a Russian soldier, whom he purportedly killed.

Anyway, I think there are three books that every American should read right now: Black Hawk Down, Charlie Wilson's War by George Crile, and From Beirut to Jerusalem by Tom Friedman. You can even throw in, Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden. But the aforementioned three, are must reads. Alas, though, that is just my opinion. How about perusing one? Please? Pretty please?

Anyway, I remember when I was reading Charlie Wilson's War and thinking that they should turn it into a movie. However, there is quite a bit going on in the book so it may be difficult to transfer onto the big screen. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts star, which hopefully means it will be good. Moving right along...

The one thing that I am not happy about in our country is the growth of private military companies such as Blackwater. The U.S. troops are more than capable and we don't need shadowy contract groups enforcing foreign policy.

Chilling: The Pentagon is very concerned with the growing insurgency inside the United States, according to a report declassified in June. Couple this with the fact that Halliburton has been contracted to build a Gitmo-like jail inside the U.S. that can hold up to 400,000 people. I'm not one that jumps up and down about Haliburton, because Bill Clinton used them just as much while he was in the Oval Office as G.W. Bush. But I find it very disconcerting that there is a growing insurgency in the U.S. Does anyone care or are we more worried about perverts in the bathroom? Hey, I'm glad Larry Craig is resigning, but can we move on to what's important. Please? Pretty please?

Such as, helping out the folks in New Orleans who have not recovered now two years after Katrina.

Best wishes to White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, who will be stepping down from his post on September 12. Snow, continues to battle cancer and always seems extraordinarily positive about his plight.

Finally, have a Happy Labor Day and drive safely...By the way, I just love this video. In my next life I'm coming back as an Army Ranger!