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Over the last seven days FReepers have helped raise a good sum of money for the FReepathon.   I know it is greatly appreciated, but we still have quite a ways to go.  I thought I might make it a little more interesting by launching a FReepathon Callenge.  Like a lot of you, I have already made a donation for this FReepathon, but I'm willing to up that donation in the interest of getting this FReepathon over in the quickest amount of time. At this time I would like to announce the DoughtyOne FReepathon Challenge. There are two ways for...

Adnan Oktar, a creationist and rival of Richard Dawkins, has offered trillions of pounds to any scientists who can show proof of evolution.Mr Oktar, 52, who successfully campaigned for Mr Dawkins' official website to be banned in Turkey, has said he will give 10 trillion Turkish lira, roughly equal to £4.4trn "to anyone who produces a single intermediate-form fossil demonstrating evolution."

Al Gore did not claim he invented electricity last Thursday. But the words he uttered in his challenge on energy carried just as much fantasy. According to Gore, the goal of producing every kilowatt of the nation’s electricity from carbon-free renewable sources like solar, wind, and geothermal within 10 years is not a far-fetched vision. In his address at the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall, Gore challenged America to abandon its fossil fuel usage altogether. "This goal is achievable, affordable and transformative,” the former vice president said. To achieve Gore’s lofty objective, the American way of life will...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush can order the imprisonment of an al Qaeda suspect in the United States but the detainee must be able to challenge his status as an "enemy combatant," a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday. The court, based in Richmond, Virginia, was split 5-4 on both issues in a mixed ruling about a Qatari national, Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, the only foreign national held in the United States as an "enemy combatant." If the government's allegations about Marri are true, then the U.S. Congress gave Bush the power to detain him as part of...

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Republican White House contender John McCain Monday laid down the gauntlet to automakers to extend the great tradition of US ingenuity by developing zero-emission engines. McCain, the rival to Democrat Barack Obama, offered a 300 million dollar federal prize and tax credits to the automakers as he hammered the election theme of alternative energy at a time of sky-high fuel prices. In a speech in Fresno, California, McCain said the US government should get off its fixation with corn-based ethanol as an alternative to gasoline-powered engines. Obama, senator for farm-heavy Illinois, supports ethanol subsidies and high...

(CNSNews.com) - President's Bush's call on Wednesday for Congress to lift its 27-year moratorium on offshore drilling is an "example of typical Bush White House politics," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) told Cybercast News Service Thursday. Other leading Democrats on Capitol Hill also said they were surprised that Bush has not yet rescinded the executive office ban on drilling, which was established by his father, President George H.W. Bush, in 1990. "What the president is doing is unfair to the American people to indicate, 'We will let Congress do something about it,' " Reid said. "He has the authority...

NEW YORK - A $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit over YouTube's ability to keep copyrighted material off its popular video-sharing site threatens how hundreds of millions of people exchange all kinds of information on the Internet, owner Google Inc. said. The company's lawyers made the claim in papers filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan as Google responded to Viacom Inc.'s latest lawsuit alleging that the Internet has led to "an explosion of copyright infringement" by YouTube and others. The back-and-forth between the companies has intensified since Viacom brought its lawsuit last year, saying it was owed damages for the...

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2008 – Searching for a tangible way to help Americans express their deep gratitude to servicemembers for their sacrifices, a Tampa, Fla., couple has designed their own challenge coin. The Grateful American coin is presented in the tradition of military challenge coins. With the five service insignia on one side and the phrase “Thank you for your service from a grateful American” on the other, it’s meant to be a tangible form of gratitude for the recipient. Net proceeds from sale of the coins help support two nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping wounded servicemembers and their...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq, April 17, 2008 – Soldiers from 203rd Brigade Support Battalion here tested their soldiering skills in a series of physical and mental tests known as the “Eagle Challenge” earlier this month. Team Wolfpack -- consisting of Spc. Louis Pinault, Sgt. Paul Zadzura and Spc. Mark Shaheer -- leads after the foot march portion of the Eagle Challenge on April 6, 2008, on Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq. U.S. Army photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The April 6 challenge tested physical endurance with a 1-mile run with rifles; a four-and-a-half-mile foot march, which...

CARACAS, Venezuela — For the better part of a decade, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has spent billions of dollars of his country's oil revenue to challenge U.S. interests, build influence around the world and fund a self-styled socialist revolution at home. Yet as Chavez moves from one international crisis to another— most recently a near military confrontation with neighboring Colombia , an important U.S. ally— many wonder how long his oil-funded wild ride will last. Not long, analysts in Venezuela and abroad said, if production continues to decline at the country's state-run energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. , known...

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2008 – In 2006, a Five for Fighting hit single asked fans what kind of world they wanted, and now they have a forum to answer the question and help five charities at the same time. “Whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com is a ‘You Tube’ for charity, where people can upload videos related to any subject they would like, and then pick a charity from the list I’ve selected,” said John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting, who created the site about a year ago. The charities include Operation Homefront and Fisher House, which support the troops, as well as Augie’s...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2008 – The commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Middle East today called the behavior of Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats that buzzed three U.S. Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday “unduly provocative.”  Navy Vice Adm. Kevin J. Cosgriff, who also commands U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, briefed Pentagon reporters via video teleconference from his headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. He said the USS Port Royal, USS Hopper, USS Ingraham were inbound to the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz yesterday morning. The ships were in the midst of a routine transit in...

The Pasadena man who killed two suspected burglars as they left his next-door neighbor's home did not intend to kill them when he stepped outside with his 12-gauge shotgun, his lawyer said Friday. In portraying Joe Horn as a victim of circumstances, lawyer and longtime friend Tom Lambright called the 61-year-old computer consultant "a good family man" who has been devastated by the Wednesday afternoon burglary and shooting. Killed in the incident in the 7400 block of Timberline were Miguel Antonio DeJesus, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30, both of Houston. Each had a minor previous brush with the law. Records...

DARPA has selected the 11 teams that will compete in the Urban Challenge Final Event on Saturday, November 3 at the former George Air Force Base in Victorville, Calif. The 11 teams will compete for cash prizes worth $2 million for first, $1 million for second, and $500,000 for third place. The teams will attempt to complete a complex 60-mile urban course with live traffic in less than six hours. The finalists will operate on the course roads with approximately 50 human-driven traffic vehicles. Speed is not the only factor in determining the winners, as vehicles must also meet the...

The DARPA Urban Challenge is an autonomous vehicle research and development program with the goal of developing technology that will keep warfighters off the battlefield and out of harm’s way. The Urban Challenge features autonomous ground vehicles maneuvering in a mock city environment, executing simulated military supply missions while merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, negotiating busy intersections, and avoiding obstacles.

The story is on top and the poll is on the bottom

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2007 – The Iraqi government needs to step forward to make progress in governance and revitalize the economy, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today during appearances on various morning television talk shows. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, participates in one of five morning talk shows at the Pentagon to help pay tribute to the sacrifices made by U.S. Armed Forces on this year's Memorial Day, May 28, 2007. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image...

LYNCHBURG, Va. - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Liberty University's graduating class Saturday to honor the spirit of school founder Jerry Falwell by confronting "the growing culture of radical secularism" with Christian ideals. Gingrich, who is considering a 2008 presidential run, quoted Bible passages to a crowd of about 17,000 packed into the university's football stadium four days after Falwell's death. Despite the somber tone of the day, graduates who covered the football field chanted "Jerry! Jerry!" in tribute to Falwell. "A growing culture of radical secularism declares that the nation cannot profess the truths on which it was...

CONCORD, N.H. - Three retired generals challenged a dozen members of Congress in a new ad campaign Wednesday, saying the politicians can't expect to win re-election if they support President Bush's policies in Iraq. "I am outraged, as are the majority of Americans. I'm a lifelong Republican, but it's past time for change," retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste told reporters. "Our strategy in Iraq today is more of the same, a slow grind to nowhere which totally ignores the reality of Iraq and the lessons of history," Batiste said. "Our president ignores sound military advice and surrounds himself with like-minded...

There's a problem playing any sort of trivia on-line, these days. You can easily hop onto Google, or Ask, or wherever, and look things up. Here is an attempt at a trivia game that is, more or less, Google-proof. The game is entirely fair, and accurate. Some questions are dead lock cinches, others are much harder. A few are ''within context'', meaning that there might be several correct answers BUT the incorrect answers will be ''weeded out'' by answers to the other questions. Rules? Simple. Associate the various clues with ONE, just one, letter of the alphabet. Please answer in...

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – Suicide-bomb attacks on coalition and Iraqi troops and civilians, orchestrated by Al Qaeda and Sunni extremists, present the top challenge in establishing security and stability in Iraq, the commander of U.S. Central Command testified at a Congressional hearing on Capitol Hill today. “Of all the things that we have on the plate in Iraq, the one that I think is first and foremost as a target for us to try to get a grip on and to neutralize is the group that is very clearly al Qaeda-motivated that is linked to Sunni extremists in...

WASHINGTON - Congressional Democrats say there is no doubt President Bush will soon be confronted with legislation calling for an end to the Iraq war. But the new majority must decide how far to go in trying to tie Bush's hands and what will happen after the president's inevitable veto. The debate is likely to expose fissures among Democrats, who remain divided on whether to cut off money for the unpopular war and risk leaving troops in the lurch. "My feeling is at a certain point we're going to have a 'come-to-Jesus' moment in the caucus and talk about whether...

Macao Bank Challenges U.S. Ban as Politically Based By DAVID LAGUE Published: April 17, 2007 SHANGHAI, April 16 — The Macao bank that was a stumbling block to international efforts to dismantle the North Korean nuclear weapons program challenged on Monday a United States Treasury Department ruling that bars the bank from access to the American financial system. Banco Delta Asia, a family-owned bank that the United States has accused of committing financial crimes on behalf of North Korea, said in a statement that the March 14 ruling was “politically motivated” because it was based on disputes between the United...

The Swedish royals have beaten off accusations of illegally trading on the good name of an Italian underwear maker. The complaint comes from the Italian company Calzificio Pinelli, which owns the trademark Solidea, under which it sells underwear. The company claims that the name of Solliden, the royal's summer palace on Öland, breaches this trademark.

Ugandan archbishop says that Militant Islam is century’s key challenge Anglican Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi of Uganda NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK — Much of the church is asleep or in “deep, dark denial” about Islam, Anglican Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi of Uganda said in New York City at the Kairos Journal Award dinner Jan. 26. This was revealed in a story by Gregory Tomlin for Baptist press (www.bpnews.net) in which he wrote, “Orombi, named one of World magazine’s ‘Daniels of the Year’ for 2006, has been at the forefront of the Anglican church’s controversy over the open acceptance and...

WASHINGTON - Iraqi leaders will be hard pressed to craft a lasting political settlement or improve their security capabilities in the next year and a half, the U.S. intelligence community concluded in a report that raises new uncertainty about the prospect for withdrawing American troops. Months in the making, the collaborative assessment by 16 spy agencies says that growing and entrenched polarization between Shia and Sunni Muslims, inadequate Iraqi security forces, weak leaders, and the success of extremists' efforts to use violence to exacerbate the sectarian war all create a situation that will be difficult to improve. "We think it...

Dear Athletic Director and Coaches, The US Navy SEALs have been blessed with much, so much is expected from us. We are in Minneapolis to issue a fitness challenge, (the Navy SEAL Trident Challenge) to Men and Women 13 and over. The challenge is comprised of 5 events. Swimming, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and a run. Complete details can be found at www.tridentchallenge.com the challenge will be held this Sunday, 10 Dec at the U of M) The purpose of the event is fourfold. 1. The pursuit of excellence 2. Promoting physical fitness 3. Providing youth a challenge 4. Promoting athletics

There's already plenty of punditry about what went wrong. What did the president and the Republican Party do and when did they do it? Robert Novak summed up the consensus view of the Republican wipeout well, writing that "opposition to the war and the president had produced a virulent anti-Republican mood." My point of departure from most of the analysis that I've read would be to disagree that this election was about any single issue. I think this election was about trust. Trust is the glue that holds relationships together. The war, rather than being THE issue, was more a...

Staff Sgt. Anthony Loftus, a drill instructor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, shared some MCRD discipline with one of yesterday's participants in the fifth annual Boot Camp Challenge. This year's turnout to run the three-mile obstacle course was the largest yet at 3,000. 60 drill instructors motivate runners At the Marine Corps Recruit Depot yesterday morning, a man with a long, gray ponytail ran toward the obstacle course, and into a drill instructor's line of sight. “HEY, WILLIE NELSON!” the drill instructor screamed. “YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT, WILLIE NELSOOOOON!” The ponytailed man ran off, and the...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2006 -- Two Army combat veterans who both lost something dear in the war against terrorism say they are determined to keep on battling, and proving it as they prepare to run the Army 10-Miler race tomorrow. Left to right: Army Spc. James Stuck, Capt. Matthew Scherer and Spc. Joseph Keck meet the press at a Washington, D.C., suburban hotel Oct. 6. Stuck and Keck are Army combat veterans who both lost limbs in the war against terrorism. They will compete in the Missing Parts in Action team that’s competing in the Army-10-Miler race held here...

The black senator who could challenge Hillary By Alex Massie in Washington (Filed: 06/10/2006) A black senator with only two years in office has emerged as the outstanding star of the Democrats' campaign for next month's mid-term elections. Senator Barack Obama is bringing hope to Democrats Kenyan-born Barack Obama, 45, is already being touted as a challenger to Hillary Clinton for the party's presidential nomination. Another scenario sees him as Mrs Clinton's running mate, raising the possibility of a first female president and first black vice-president in one fell swoop in 2008. Mr Obama is disproving the adage that Washington...

'Cold cash' congressman facing challenge for seat8 other Dems on ballot seeking seat held by Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson Posted: September 23, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-La.M The fallout from an FBI investigation into allegations of bribery – and the $90,000 in cash allegedly recovered from his freezer – apparently has U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, battling for his political future. Not only are there about a dozen challengers vying for his seat, which he's held since the early 1990s, but three of the state's former top Democrats have endorsed his chief opponent,...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2006 – Though violence and crime continue to hinder progress, the challenge in Afghanistan isn’t military in nature, the commander of coalition forces serving in that country said here today. “The coalition, NATO and Afghan national security forces dominate wherever they encounter the enemy,” Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry said at a Pentagon news conference. “The critical task at this stage is strengthening the government of Afghanistan, developing the economy, and helping to build Afghan civil society.” The general acknowledged that terrorists, militant extremists, drug traffickers and a determined criminal element have hindered progress. “Their influence has...

WASHINGTON - Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday called the view that President Bush has been perfect in fighting terrorism an illusion and urged Democrats to challenge the Bush administration's policies. "On the terrorism front, I'm happy to have that debate," the first-term Illinois senator said following a speech on energy at Georgetown University. "The notion that the president has led a flawless policy on terrorism is an illusion." Obama, mentioned as a possible 2008 presidential candidate, said the nation is involved in "a war in Iraq that has vastly expanded the number of terrorist recruits, a deteriorating situation in...

Women graduates challenge Iran By Frances Harrison BBC News, Tehran The number of women graduating from Iran's universities is overtaking the number of men, promising a change in the job market and, with it, profound social change. In some subjects 70% of Iran's graduates are women Twenty postgraduate students are sitting in a plush modern classroom listening to a lecture on environmental management at the Islamic Azad University - a private institution with 1.6 million students across Iran. The room is darkened so the students can watch the lecturer's slide show comparing energy consumption around the world. Three quarters of...

WASHINGTON - Sen. Joe Lieberman's primary defeat Tuesday night came at the hands of Democratic voters angry over the war in Iraq and demanding that lawmakers stand up to President Bush rather than stand with him. It wasn't a polite message they sent their three-term senator, a former vice presidential running mate who fell to anti-war challenger Ned Lamont. It was an eviction notice, served by an electorate that has grown remarkably sour about the course their country is on. That makes the result both an opportunity and a challenge for Democrats nationally as they head into a fall campaign...

Families of soldiers killed in Iraq launch party to challenge ministers · More than 70 candidates to contest Labour seats· Bereaved to meet within two weeks to plan strategy Steve Boggan Saturday August 5, 2006 The Guardian (UK) Whenever news of British military deaths in the Middle East flashes on to their TV screen, Reg and Sally Keys become silent and you can see anxiety wash across their faces. This week has been particularly tough; three soldiers killed in Afghanistan, one in Iraq. Each time it happens, it reminds them of their son, Thomas, one of six royal military policemen...

LOS ANGELES A federal judge who previously invalidated a portion of the USA Patriot Act as too vague delayed a decision on a similar challenge to a post-Sept. 11 executive order Wednesday but indicated in a tentative ruling she was inclined to uphold wide powers asserted by President Bush under an anti-terror-financing law. U.S. District Judge Audrey Collins heard more than an hour of arguments from a lawyer for the Washington- based Center for Constitutional Rights and from a Department of Justice lawyer before delaying her final ruling to allow more briefs to be filed. In her tentative 41-page ruling,...

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 11, 2006 – Violence in southern Afghanistan is caused not just by militant extremists, but also by regional issues such as a lack of governance, the U.S. general in charge of coalition troops in Afghanistan said today. The Afghan government has not traditionally had strength and presence in certain provinces in southern Afghanistan, so the Taliban can easily gain strength, Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of Combined Forces Command Afghanistan, told reporters in Tajikistan before boarding a flight here with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. "It's not a question of the enemy being strong; it's very...

A judge is considering a challenge to an Arizona law creating the state crime of immigrant smuggling, an offense that has drawn about 100 prosecutions and is criticized because it has been used mostly on the customers of smugglers. Lawyers for nearly all of the first 48 immigrants charged under the 9-month-old law argued the Legislature never intended it to be used on their clients for paying someone to bring them into Arizona, the nation's busiest illegal entry point. They also called the law an unconstitutional attempt by the state to regulate immigration, a legal area they contend is under...

The Supreme Court's refusal Monday to consider a second lethal injection case suggests the justices are not ready to decide whether the drugs amount to cruel and unusual punishment, legal experts said. The denial was issued without comment, leaving court watchers to speculate over justices' reasons for rejecting an appeal by a Tennessee death-row inmate who claims lethal injection is unconstitutional. "The Supreme Court is plainly not ready to step into the lethal injection controversy yet," said Eric M. Freedman, a Hofstra University law professor. "It's kind of a puzzle," said Kent Scheidegger, legal director of the Criminal Justice Legal...

The Nextel All-Star Challenge is the proverbial table setter for a furious fortnight of action at Lowe's Motor Speedway -- a venue that made its name with special events. The race is set this year for Saturday night, May 20, and it's got the track's ringmaster, err, president and general manager, H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, as thrilled as ever. "The all-star race is my favorite race," Wheeler said. "I'm telling you, you talk about wild eyes and people? "You get down there before [the race], after that [Nextel] Open is done and the guys have already gone through the introductions and...

Mater Dei wins second straight gas mileage contest at IRP Indianapolis, April 25, 2006 - Evansville Mater Dei won its second straight Super Mileage Challenge at Indianapolis Raceway Park Monday, averaging more than 1,200 miles per gallon of gas. The car was designed, built and driven by its student team members. The contest was sponsored by the Indiana Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Alliance. Mater Dei won the stock class for the second straight year, improving its fuel efficiency by more than 200 miles per gallon from last year. Lafayette Harrison won the unlimited class, averaging almost 11-hundred miles per...

This week Iran presented the US with the ultimate challenge and Washington must now make a decision. Is it fighting to win? Since the September 11 jihadist attacks on the US mainland, President George W. Bush has stated repeatedly that the greatest threat to global security is the specter of rogue regimes and terror groups acquiring weapons of mass destruction. At his January 2002 State of the Union address, the president declared that the regimes of Iran, North Korea and Iraq comprised an axis of evil and a central goal — indeed the most crucial goal — of the US-led...

The Libertarian Party Washington has nominated Western Washington University instructor Bruce Guthrie to run against U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. Guthrie, 42, a candidate for Congress in 2004, teaches marketing at the university in Bellingham. He also teaches ice speed skating. He can be reached at 360-647-5372 and spdsk8@aol.com. Party members also voted to get rid of its $25 annual membership fee to make it more accessible to voters, said Travis Wright, the party’s executive director. The party’s convention, which was held in Bremerton this past weekend, also delegated the power to nominate congressional candidates to its executive board, Wright...

3/23/2006 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AFPN) -- The smell and taste of cookies hot from the oven for many evokes happy memories of childhood. For one Airman here, his fresh-baked cookies landed him on national television. Senior Airman David Sutherland, a 741st Missile Squadron chef, was selected by the Food Network and competed March 20 in Denver at the Cookie Challenge for recognition as the best amateur cookie baker with a chance to win $10,000. “The competition was an exciting opportunity,” Airman Sutherland said. “It was a neat challenge to present my cookies.” Airman Sutherland has been baking...

First in Europe and now in the United States, Muslim groups have petitioned to establish enclaves in which they can uphold and enforce greater compliance to Islamic law. While the U.S. Constitution enshrines the right to religious freedom and the prohibition against a state religion, when it comes to the rights of religious enclaves to impose communal rules, the dividing line is more nebulous. Can U.S. enclaves, homeowner associations, and other groups enforce Islamic law?Such questions are no longer theoretical. While Muslim organizations first established enclaves in Europe,[1] the trend is now crossing the Atlantic. Some Islamist community leaders in...

US warns of challenge from Iran Iran has begun the process to produce its own nuclear fuel Washington has warned that Iran's nuclear programme is one of America's biggest challenges, and refused to rule out any option including military. Senior officials were speaking a day after United Nations nuclear watchdog the IAEA decided to report Iran to the Security Council. America's UN envoy told the BBC the issue would strongly test the council. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said earlier that Iran might present the US with its toughest challenge. Iran has vowed to resist international pressure, insisting it has...

A war of words between the US and Iran continues to escalate, with both side digging in over Iran's controversial nuclear program. After months of argument, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has referred the matter to the United Nations Security Council next week. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes. However, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that no country poses a greater challenge to America now than Iran. "We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran, whose policies are directed at developing a Middle East that would be 180 degrees different...

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2006 – Cadets representing 11 National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs from 10 states were on hand here today to accept awards for excellence in the their programs. Cadets from 11 National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs from 10 states attended the 2006 National Guard ChalleNGe Program Award Luncheon. The awards program, presented by the United Service Organizations of Metropolitan Washington, recognized excellence in several key components of the ChalleNGe program. Photo by Samantha L. Quigley  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Although the programs were being honored, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National...