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My wife and I have seen the Milwaukee Ballet’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite a number of times over the years and it never fails to exceed our expectations. If you’ve never attended a performance by the Milwaukee Ballet, this is an outstanding choice for your first experience and it makes a great Christmas gift and could become a family tradition in no time. Evan a “lowbrow” like me can appreciate this art form.
My favorite scene is the Waltz of the Snowflakes. This video of the scene is not the Milwaukee Ballet, but I want to share it with you anyway. In my opinion the Milwaukee Ballet’s production and performance of the Waltz of the Snowflakes is superior to this one.
I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life. I am an American Soldier.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP) exists to honor and empower Wounded Warriors who incurred service-connected injures on or after September 11, 2001. On that date, America watched in horror as approximately 3,000 people died including hundreds of firefighters and rescue workers. The tragic events of September 11 are often the reason warriors say they felt a sense of duty to volunteer for the military. These individuals chose to defend our country, and that is why we honor them. September 11 also served as a catalyst for conflicts Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Operation Iraqi Freedom refers to military operations in Iraq that began March 19, 2003 and officially ended August 31, 2010. Operation Enduring Freedom refers to combat operations in Afghanistan and other regions in support of the Global War on Terror.
With advancements in battlefield medicine and body armor, an unprecedented percentage of service members are surviving severe wounds or injuries. For every U.S. soldier killed in World Wars I and II, there were 1.7 soldiers wounded. In Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, for every U.S. soldier killed, seven are wounded. Combined, there have been almost 42,000 injured in the two conflicts – nearly 32,000 injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom and nearly 10,000 in Operation Enduring Freedom.
With the mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors, WWP is the hand extended to encourage warriors as they adjust to their new normal and achieve new triumphs. Offering a variety of programs and services, WWP is equipped to serve warriors with every type of injury – from the physical to the invisible wounds of war.
Please click here if you would like to make a gift in honor or memory of an individual.
If you would like to become an Advance Guard monthly donor, please click here.
Okay guys and gals, don’t freak-out, but Christmas is less than two weeks away, so here is another gift idea for you last minute shoppers who hate crowds. I can personally vouch for the high quality of the Pajamagram. We bought Santa delivered a Pajamagram to my daughter last Christmasand sh loved it. This year the company has added Hoodie Footies to its product line.
Bublé’s 2011 holiday release was recorded primarily at Capitol Recording Studios in Hollywood and The Warehouse Studios in Vancouver. The album includes guest performances by fellow-Canadian and Country music star, Shania Twain on "White Christmas" and The Puppini Sisters on "Jingle Bells." Bublé‚ also put his unique take on such classics as "Silent Night," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." In addition, a Bublé‚ original "Cold December Night" is included on his second Christmas CD.
Here is a behind the scenes look at Bublé in the studio recording the Christmas track "Jingle Bells" featuring The Puppini Sisters!
From February 17 - September 3, 2012, celebrate the right to free expression at an exhibition that rocks! Explore Bruce Springsteen’s career in From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen, the first major exhibition about the American songwriter. Created by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, this must-see exhibition makes its East Coast debut at the National Constitution Center - the first and only venue where it is slated to travel. Learn more…
"Killing Lincoln" by Bill O’Reilly is another great gift idea or the history buff on your Christmas List.
Barnes & Nobel Overview
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever: a riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly.
The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased.
In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.
A Kodachrome Christmas Starring Milwaukee’s own John McGivern
Enter the colorful world of cable access TV hostess Earlene Hoople, the self-proclaimed "Queen of Rural Media," as she tapes her last Christmas Special in front of a live audience. A hilarious and heartwarming holiday romp from writer/director Pat Hazell of "The Wonder Bread Years."
If you think you know GeorgeWashington, think again...
This is the amazing true story of a real-life superhero who wore no cape and possessed no special powers—yet changed the world forever. It’s a story about a man whose life reads as if it were torn from the pages of an action novel: Bullet holes through his clothing. Horses shot out from under him. Unimaginable hardship. Disease. Heroism. Spies and double-agents. And, of course, the unmistakable hand of Divine Providence that guided it all.
Being George Washingtonis a whole new way to look at history. You won’t simply read about the awful winter spent at Valley Forge—you’ll live it right alongside Washington. You’ll be on the boat with him crossing the Delaware, in the trenches with him at Yorktown, and standing next to him at the Constitutional Convention as a new republic is finally born.
Through these stories you’ll not only learn our real history (and how it applies to today), you’ll also see how the media and others have distorted our view of it. It’s ironic that the best-known fact about George Washington—that he chopped down a cherry tree—is a complete lie. It’s even more ironic when you consider that a lie was thought necessary to prove he could not tell one.
For all of his heroism and triumphs, Washington’s single greatest accomplishment was the man he created in the process: courageous and principled, fair and just, respectful to all. But he was also something else: flawed.
It’s those flaws that should give us hope for today. After all, if Washington had been perfect, then there would be no way to build another one. That’s why this book is not just about being George Washington in 1776, it’s about the struggle to be him every single day of our lives. Understanding the way he turned himself from an uneducated farmer into the Indispensable (yet imperfect) Man, is the only way to build a new generation of George Washingtons that can take on the extraordinary challenges that America is once again facing.
Monday, December 10, 2012 at 9:24 AM 
