Wednesday Wanderings: Updated With Video

We had an unusual start to a July morning here in California's Sacramento valley, cool temps and a light rain, no complaints here and I am sure my tomatoes loved it. I am trying two heirloom varieties I had not tried before and they are huge potato leafed vines now approaching six feet tall with big ole slicers forming. I planted a pink Brandywine and a German Giant this year after poor crops the last two years and am eager to try them. I just love a fresh garden tomato no matter how you slice it or serve it. While heirloom varieties can be a little unreliable compared to the hybrids, the flavor is worth it, you just have to find the right one for your micro-climate. A hint for those that live in very arid environs, invest in a misting system to spray the plants like a morning dew to increase production. It has been a good spring and early summer for farmers out here with fairly mild temperatures, sunny days and cool nights.

I can't believe the level of idiocy being displayed in the Swamp among Senate Democrats, can't they at least read about the success of Gen. Petraus' strategy even as it is just now fully cranked up and rolling. I follow the war closely because I wish I was there in the fight for this noble cause, and I have seen a remarkable turnaround in recent months as AQ and similar thugs overstay their welcome and the people turn on them. The people now realize we are not there to steal their oil or occupy and rule them but to help them set up their own country that they can be proud of, that we are their friends, not the enemy.
Mike Yon's last few dispatches from Baqubah highlight this growing fact that the people now view us as a friendly tribe that can more or less be depended on for help, al-Ameriki. He has a video interview in his latest with a commander of a former insurgent group, a fiercely nationalist group, the 1920's Brigades, that is now fighting with us against AQ and Iranian backed gangs. The commander asked America to help finish stabilizing Iraq and getting its security forces able to do the job and then we can set a timetable to withdraw. This from a man that we would have shot on site a year ago and would have shot us. They misunderstood our mission and AQ educated them, now he works closely with our forces to secure his neighborhoods. If you have a strong Senator on the war, contact them and get them to read Mike's dispatches into the record, I'm stuck with Boxer and Feinstein, woohoo.
The Kagans have some great reads posted at The Weekly Standard about the surge and its results from lessons learned, these are must reads if you actually give a darn, here and here.
Quin Hillyer at The American Spectator opines on how the Bush administration can get the mojo back on the war effort. They screwed up in letting the MSM set the narrative from the beginning and it will take a massive effort to stop the bleeding. Hugh Hewitt adds his take on the situation as well. You can find the bill's text at The Victory Caucus site of which the Barnyard is a member.
As always Hotair has the good videos.

I know one thing, I would rather look at MKH, Michelle,or Elisabeth Hasselbeck anyday before Helen Thomas, Susan Estrich or Rosie. Donot view the following video while eating breakfast unless you have a goat's famed stomach.
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Rosie plays a retarded person, hmm........!?