I received a link today to the “Top Photos of 2004” that featured several beautiful images, but none made me smile – or put me so instantly in touch with a specific feeling – as this one.
[See the other photos]

Not surprisingly, the verdict is in: any holiday that allows you to put on your imagination, dress up as anything you like, and get candy merely by walking up to a house and asking is tops with Lily. She said, “I love Halloween, Dad!” And then went on to rate her top three:

1. Halloween
2. Easter
3. Christmas

While Jack often got into the wagon to ride between houses, Lily ran from door to door.

She sported her Little Red Riding Hood costume, Jack dressed as a Mickey Mouse Fire Fighter, and the girls were “Peas in a Pod”. Char donned a witch costume and I was a scarecrow. I’ll upload some photos soon.

Todd sent me a link to the full text of Osama’s latest “message to the American people.” I guess, if you’re interested, you should read it. But don’t blame me if you don’t understand it, especially the part about the goat digging up a knife…

As if there wasn’t already enough confusion about this story, there are now questions about exactly how much explosive materials were in those bunkers. While the Iraqi government claims nearly 400 tons are missing, the UN inspectors note there was probably closer to three. Yes, three, not three hundred eighty. Read the ABC News story.

Also interesting is the untold story. You see, even if there were nearly 400 tons of missing armaments, that would only amount to one-tenth of one percent of all of the arms recovered and either destroyed or scheduled to be destroyed. More on that issue here.

It now appears that Russian special forces moved tons of arms, explosives, chemicals, and other equipment out of Iraq and into Syria. Not only are Russian special forces troops implicated in the removal of tons of missing armaments, Defense officials think they were either involved or (at the least) have knowledge about other missing items:

“Defense officials said the Russians can provide information on what happened to the Iraqi weapons and explosives that were transported out of the country. Officials believe the Russians also can explain what happened to Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs.”

This Washington Times article is a must-read.