This list comes directly from Congress via thomas.gov:

PIPA (S. 968)

Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT] (introduced 5/12/2011)

Sen Alexander, Lamar [TN] – 5/25/2011
Sen Ayotte, Kelly [NH] – 6/27/2011
Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] – 7/25/2011
Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM] – 10/19/2011
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [CT] – 5/12/2011
Sen Blunt, Roy [MO] – 5/23/2011
Sen Boozman, John [AR] – 6/15/2011
Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] – 12/12/2011
Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] – 10/20/2011
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD] – 7/13/2011
Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [PA] – 9/7/2011
Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] – 11/2/2011
Sen Cochran, Thad [MS] – 6/23/2011
Sen Coons, Christopher A. [DE] – 5/12/2011
Sen Corker, Bob [TN] – 6/9/2011
Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] – 6/30/2011
Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY] – 9/7/2011
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] – 5/12/2011
Sen Franken, Al [MN] – 5/12/2011
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] – 5/26/2011
Sen Graham, Lindsey [SC] – 5/12/2011
Sen Grassley, Chuck [IA] – 5/12/2011
Sen Hagan, Kay [NC] – 7/5/2011
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] – 5/12/2011
Sen Isakson, Johnny [GA] – 11/2/2011
Sen Johnson, Tim [SD] – 10/3/2011
Sen Klobuchar, Amy [MN] – 5/12/2011
Sen Kohl, Herb [WI] – 5/12/2011
Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [LA] – 10/17/2011
Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT] – 7/7/2011
Sen McCain, John [AZ] – 7/26/2011
Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] – 10/31/2011
Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] – 9/23/2011
Sen Risch, James E. [ID] – 11/7/2011
Sen Rubio, Marco [FL] – 5/26/2011
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] – 5/12/2011
Sen Shaheen, Jeanne [NH] – 6/30/2011
Sen Udall, Tom [NM] – 7/7/2011
Sen Vitter, David [LA] – 11/7/2011
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI] – 5/12/2011
Sen Moran, Jerry [KS] – 6/23/2011(withdrawn – 6/27/2011)

SOPA (H.R. 3261)

Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21] (introduced 10/26/2011)

COSPONSORS(30), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]:     (Sort: by date)

Rep Amodei, Mark E. [NV-2] – 11/3/2011
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] – 12/7/2011
Rep Barrow, John [GA-12] – 11/14/2011
Rep Bass, Karen [CA-33] – 11/3/2011
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] – 10/26/2011
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] – 10/26/2011
Rep Bono Mack, Mary [CA-45] – 10/26/2011
Rep Carter, John R. [TX-31] – 11/3/2011
Rep Chabot, Steve [OH-1] – 10/26/2011
Rep Chu, Judy [CA-32] – 11/30/2011
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] – 10/26/2011
Rep Cooper, Jim [TN-5] – 12/12/2011
Rep Deutch, Theodore E. [FL-19] – 10/26/2011
Rep Gallegly, Elton [CA-24] – 10/26/2011
Rep Goodlatte, Bob [VA-6] – 10/26/2011
Rep Griffin, Tim [AR-2] – 10/26/2011
Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] – 11/30/2011
Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] – 11/3/2011
Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1] – 11/30/2011
Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3] – 11/14/2011
Rep Marino, Tom [PA-10] – 11/3/2011
Rep Nunnelee, Alan [MS-1] – 11/3/2011
Rep Owens, William L. [NY-23] – 11/14/2011
Rep Ross, Dennis [FL-12] – 10/26/2011
Rep Scalise, Steve [LA-1] – 11/14/2011
Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] – 10/26/2011
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] – 12/7/2011
Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] – 10/26/2011
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] – 11/3/2011
Rep Watt, Melvin L. [NC-12] – 11/3/2011
Rep Quayle, Benjamin [AZ-3] – 12/13/2011(withdrawn – 1/17/2012)

Those that know me know I am for the Veteran and those serving in the military.

I was doing a little exploring on the Internet this morning and ended up finding out about the many benefits available to active duty Servicemembers.   As you know, being sent to a foreign country and being put in harms way puts an enormous stress on their lives and those of their families.  It’s nice to know that “Uncle Sam has your back” here at home.  But I wonder how many people know about this?? Especially those actually serving or those who have recently returned.

Here are some of the protections afforded to active duty military members via the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act:

• In the midst of a car lease?  Deploying for over 180 days? Just turn it back in to the leasing company and your lease is up. Without any penalties, interest, fees, charges, etc.  (Section 535)
• Can’t use that cell phone in Iraq? Suspend or cancel your cell phone service.  NO early termination charges or fees apply.  (Section 535a)
• All legal and court proceedings stayed (Sections 521-526)
• Credit Card or Mortgage Interest rate too high?  Not any more. They can’t charge you more that 6% interest while serving.  It’s a federal law!  Did they?  Did it cost you penalties, over-limit charges?  You get them all REFUNDED.  (Section 527)
• Renting? No evictions or imposition of distress on those remaining at home. (Section 531)
• Leasing a home/apartment?  Need to relocate because of military orders? No problem. Your lease is up. No penalties. (Section 535)
• No foreclosure during your military service and within 180 days after you return home. (Section 533)
• Got something in storage?  They can’t repossess it and sell your stuff. (Section 537)
• Can’t pay the life insurance?  No problem. Uncle Sam might pay it. It cannot be canceled.  (Section 536, 541-549)
• Property Taxes? They’re tolled too! (Section 561)

Now, before you get the wrong idea, this is NOT a free ride for Service members.To that end, Section 581 provides for those who would seek to abuse and make a mockery out of these benefits and provisions.

It’s meant so that they don’t have to worry about taking care of their normal lives back home.  It’s so that they can focus and concentrate on staying alive without having to deal with “bullshit” back home.

I don’t know about you – but if I was in a foreign country and the “bad guys” could be anywhere and they want me dead – the last thing I would want to be worrying about is “Holy Shit.. I think I forgot the car payment.” There’s far more pressing things to worry about. Like my surroundings and staying alive.

So, pass the word to your friends and family who may have people in military service.  They need to know about this!

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Full text of the law taken from Title 50 United States Code Appendix.  Learn about your rights so you can use them.

VFW_110thCongressBrochure A brochure from the VFW showing legislation passed by the 100th Congress to the benefit of Veterans

Arlington National Cemetery

It’s Memorial Day weekend here in the United States. For most it means nothing more than an extra day off from the daily grind.

I’d like to urge you, to take an hour or two over the course of this extended weekend to get back to the true meaning of this holiday. If only for a short while. This post will be sprinkled with many links to allow you to do just that.  For example, you can visit this site (http://www.cem.va.gov/) and click on the link, just below the picture “Find a 2010 Memorial Day Ceremony.” to find an official celebration near you.

When I was young, my grandparents and parents still called it by it’s original name: Decoration Day.  A day to honor the military dead and decorate their graves.

Indeed, at one cemetery especially dear to my heart, men and women have been working  hard this past week to decorate the graves of those who have served our country well.  That cemetery is Arlington National Cemetery,  just over the river from the center of Washington, DC.  When I lived in the area, it was a mandatory stop on Steve’s tour of DC. My eyes welled with tears at the thought that I was, indeed, walking on hallowed ground. I was in the company of many thousands of men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so that I may enjoy the life I have.

Especially poignant was a trip to Tomb of The Unknown Soldiers where you watch, what is to me, one of the most impressive displays of military honor that I could ever hope to see.   That is the soldiers who guard the tomb, continuously. Night and Day. 24-7. Always. Through storms and cold and heat and blizzards and even a hurricane, the tomb remains guarded by these select few: The Tomb Guard. The best of the best. The cream of the crop. (It’s a good thing I’ve got a box of Kleenex by my side.)

In Washington, DC you’ll find many more monuments in tribute to our fallen heros. There’s the Korean War Memorial, The Wall (Vietnam Veterans Memorial) and (the newest) the World War II Memorial (which I have yet to see in person) to name a few.  Google any of these to learn more.

But, you don’t have to live or go to Washington, DC. There are “official” military cemeteries located throughout the United States. They’re called “National Cemeteries.” My friends near Wilmington, NC will find one there.  To find one in your state, or maybe in your own town, just click here. Or, just visit almost any cemetery this weekend and you’ll be sure to see many graves with an American Flag proudly waving. A token of appreciation for their service to our country.  Walk up to one of those graves and pause for a moment to say, “Thanks!”

There are two other organizations I’d like to introduce you to. That’s the Military Order of The Purple Heart and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.  Their oldest living recipient, John Finn, died on Thursday at the age of 99. Visit them.  If you’re a web designer, you’ll find the Congressional Medal of Honor Society site appealing for design as well.

Better yet, why not expand your horizons and the meaning of this holiday to meet or honor a military hero.  They’re all around us. Walk in to any VFW or American Legion Post or Elks Lodge and you’ll likely find some elderly gentlemen (a few ladies, too) with some incredible stories to tell.  Perhaps you have one in your own family (Thanks Lester and Craig!).  Or maybe it’s your neighbor.  (Thank You Charlie!) I ask you to be especially cognizant, this weekend, for a chance to say “Thanks for your service!”

Have a safe holiday!

Pearl Harbor, HI 7-DEC-1941

In Honor of Those Who Lost Their Lives

At Pearl Harbor

68 Years Ago Today

I have to say that I am terribly disappointed that Google seems to have forgotten the importance of today. I was expecting some sort of acknowledgment. But, NOTHING!  I guess they have a bunch of youngsters there who are completely missing the point when it comes to history and the significance of this day.

For those of you who would like to know more about Pearl Harbor, please visit this page.

Deep Fried Turkey - YUM!

Here’s what I’m thankful for:

Life

I’m glad and happy I’m here. I’m glad and happy just to be here and enjoy the abundance that life has to offer. The ability to see, hear, taste, think, walk, talk, smell, know, work and love.  The chance to make a difference if I work hard at it.

Love

Love’s a great thing. Isn’t it? To find someone who you really enjoy being with and who loves you in return.  To accept and be accepted by another just because you are who you are.  To be able to share a closeness and bond unmatched by anything else I can image. To simply relish the presence of your love when they are near you.

I often marveled at the members of “The Greatest Generation.”  Those elderly couples who have been together, through thick and thin, no matter what, for many, many years.  When you see them together and they look at each other, you can see the deep love and devotion in their eyes; their actions; and the way they speak of each other.  I have been blessed to know a few such couples in my days.  Folks like Ace & Helen, Art & Janet, Ron & Mary and Dick & Aggie. Each of these couples, by the way they have lived their lives, have taught me much and I am so grateful for it.  They inspired me to search for a love like that and not settle for anything less.

Love may not work out in the long run.  More often than not, through the course of our lives, it does not.  I’ve loved and lost many times.  Yet, I remember the sad times and the glad times of each relationship and I, as a man, am better for it.  Each of my loves has taught me something and helped me grow to be a better person.

So, go ahead, fall in love.  Find that special someone just for you.  The search for that one special love itself is well worth it.  If you’ve loved and lost, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, learn from the experience and TRY IT AGAIN! You WILL get it right eventually and your life will never be dull as a result.

Liberty

There is no doubt in my mind that this is the greatest country on the planet. But, then again, I haven’t experienced that many.  However the freedoms and individual liberty upon which America was founded make it totally unique.  Yet, as a nation, we have allowed those whom we have elected to chip away at the very foundations upon which this country was founded.  We must resolve ourselves to take whatever efforts necessary to preserve our way of life, before it is stripped from us.  We must not be sheeple. We must aspire to the goals of “We The People.”

Family

Aren’t they fun?  As most of us gather today, we will be amongst and in the company of those we hold most dear.  Enjoy and savor those moments.  Look around the room and take a good inventory.  God willing, we’ll all be together again to do it next year. Maybe there will even be a few new faces in the room. But, maybe not.  Cherish these times when you are around those you love and care for deeply.

I’m so thankful for having been born into the family I was.  I love my sisters and my nieces and nephews and my aunts and uncles and those grandparents I was fortunate enough to meet. Thanks to marriage, I count among my family a whole plethora of wonderful people.  I started to name them all, but in the interest of brevity, I’ll enumerate them at some other time – as I work on my family tree.

Insert pause for Banana Pudding here. MMMM. Donna just gave me the bowl and a spatula. It was made with fresh cream, instead of plain milk. Also, hand whipped as opposed to using a blender. Together this made for a rich, heavy and absolutely delicious combination.  I look forward to savoring the finished product!

Friends

I’ve been truly blessed with many great friends throughout this country and even a couple scattered out there in cyberspace. Let’s see how many states:  New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Florida, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, DC, California, Ohio and Tennessee.

I miss you all and hope you have a wonderful experience today and have safe and uneventful travels getting to and from your celebrations.

To all my family and close friends gathered in North Carolina and New York- I will lift my glass to you today in celebration of  knowing you and in thanksgiving for having you in my life.

Animals & Nature

Finally, I’m thankful for the many animals who have touched and enriched my life. I have always been an animal lover, since my earliest days and will be one until I die.  God’s furry and feathered creatures are truly something to behold. The unconditional love and companionship they bring into our lives can serve to brighten our darkest days. I hope you have had the opportunity to experience the joys they provide.

As for nature, I marvel at the many wonders that surround me in my everyday life as well as those exceptionally large creations. The beauty of a flower. The smell of fresh cut grass. The ocean shore. Niagara Falls. The Grand Canyon. The Rockies. The Mountains. The desert. WOW!

In closing, may the richness and abundance of the life that surrounds you not go unnoticed.! Go now and LIVE, LAUGH and LOVE!  I’ve rambled on too long and need to get into the kitchen and start cooking!  May God’s abundance be with you each and every day of your life!

P.S. – Hey Ray, I wish I could be there lounging in a comfy outdoor chair, glass of Jim in hand and watching you cook. Boy, that’s so much fun!