Who is Bowe Bergdahl (subject of ROLLING_STONE article in current issue)? Afghanistan P.O.W. of Taliban

here is the family's statement (August 10, 2009):

Although the public was notified on 02 July 2009 that PFC Bowe R. Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban, the actual date of capture was early in the morning of 30 June 2009. In order to prevent any undue discussions or questions that may arise from the disparity of the two dates, I offer this narative.

As noted by the media in many articles, details surrounding a captured, or even missing, soldier are often kept secret for a time. The reason behind this is not an act to keep the American public out of the loop, as it may seem sometimes. Instead these details, if kept secret, can aid in the recovery of the captured soldier. Due to this need for secrecy the American public and even the family of PFC Bergdahl were not privy to many of the details of his capture. In fact, for the first two days the family was simply told that Bowe was missing, not that he was captured. Not until June 2nd did the military inform the family that Bowe was indeed captured. The difference in dates can appear to some as details that prove the Bowe was wandering the desert for days prior to being captured. However, much to the chagrin of the conspiracy theorists, the answer is much more innocent than that. It is simply the difference in time between proactive operations to recover Bowe and the backfill of information to the Amercian public.

Bowe was indeed captured on the morning of 30 June 2009. The Army performed an 100% accountability check at 0900 local time in Afghanistan on the 30th. A scant 2 and a half hours earlier Bowe had completed his guard duty and retired to his bunk, where he prepared for a little shut-eye. What happened in the next 2 hours are pure speculation until we can ask Bowe himself, when he is returned. I do not intend to offer any details to prove or debunk the myriad of theories that led to Bowe's capture as I, nor anyone else, can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt any factual details supporting their theory. The bottomline is that within approximately 2 hours after Bowe was released from his guard duty the military had indications that a service member was captured. There was no indication as to who the service member was prior to the 100% accountability muster.

I hope this clears up at least the date of Bowe's capture. Please refrain from speculation, but instead pursue truth. Allow the military the freedom to do their job as the professional men and women that we know they are.

Most of all, continue to pray. Pray for Bowe's strength to endure the mental, and possibly physical hardship and pray for Bowe's swift rescue. Pray for our service men and women who are actively involved in the rescue effort that they will also remain from harm. Pray for our service men and women who are deployed to fight for freedom from terror. Pray for the families who wait at home, hoping that their loved one will return quickly and unharmed.

Very respectfully,

Michael, Bowe Bergdahl's brother-in-law

http://www.supportbowebergdahl.blogspot.com/

June 2012: World Blood Donor Day (American Red Cross information)

from June 8 list serv sent by American Red Cross online:

In a complicated world, it’s nice to know you can make a difference through the simple act of giving blood through your American Red Cross. Every minute of every day, people worldwide need blood to help save their lives. When you give blood this June, you’ll join blood organizations everywhere in recognizing that universal need through World Blood Donor Day on June 14. With the 2012 theme “every blood donor is a hero”, organizers of World Blood Donor Day are working to boost the number of people on every continent who give blood on a regular basis. Will you join the global community of blood donors and make an appointment to give blood? --Your American Red Cross

World Blood Donor Day World Blood Donor Day on June 14 recognizes the need for a strong and stable blood supply around the world. Through World Blood Donor Day, organizers are working to boost the number of people around the globe who give on a regular basis. According to the World Health Organization, more than 70 countries have blood donation rates that are considered less than necessary to meeting basic blood needs.School is out, but we still need donors! Did you know that high school and college students account for about 20 percent of the blood supply Steady and consistent donations are key to a strong blood supply.

　

Parable, Providence, the Poor: June 25 conference, 7 p.m.

as advertized on Dickens 2012 dot-org:

Oliver Twist: Parable, Providence and the Poor

25 June 2012
Royal Wootton Bassett Library, Boroughfields, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon (UK)

Join us at the library for a bicentenary illustrated talk with Dr Keith Hooper whose work has recently appeared in the leading international Dickens journal, The Dickensian. The talk commences at 7 p.m., admission is free but please book a seat at the library.

Sunday following Pentecost -- to remember the Saints to numerous to be held singularly

from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly (PBS series: Lilly Foundation sponsored program): Calendar

June 10, 2012
All Saints (Orthodox Christianity)

In the Christian church, days were specified to commemorate important martyrs and saints. But after certain persecution periods, the number to be remembered was so great that a special day could not be named for each. The feast of All Saints Sunday commemorates all the saints of the church who have remained anonymous. It falls the Sunday after Pentecost. Orthodox Christians pray to the saints for help of various kinds.

Michigan Sixth Congressional District: GOP Debate on June 10: Upton (incumbent) vs. Hoogendyk

from Sunday June 3 coverage in Herald-Palladium front page -- www.h-p.com/

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton and challenger Jack Hoogendyk have agreed to hold at least one debate, set for June 10 at Western Michigan University.

In a Friday press release, Hoogendyk's campaign director, Steven Mobley, said his campaign has been pressing "for a series of debates around the district," but "the Upton staff would not commit to more than one, citing the uncertainty of the Congressman's House schedule. They did say they wanted to 'Get one on the books,' and we appreciate that they have started to discuss having debates, but time is running short."

Joe Wicks, campaign manager for Upton for All of Us, said: "Fred looks forward to discussing his efforts to strengthen our economy and repeal the government takeover of health care in the June 10th debate. We are working on scheduling other debates."

Upton, R-St. Joseph, and Hoogendyk are contending for the 6th District nomination in the Republican primary election in August. The winner will face Democratic and other party opponents on the ballot in November 2012. . .

http://www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2012/06/02/local_news/10196432.txt

Watching the heavenly spectacle of planet Venus track across the Sun -- June 5, beginning 10 a.m.

"Celebration of the Transit of Venus" (details included in IN_THE_BEND dot-com May 31, 2012: Southbendtribune's local entertainment "magazine"):

PLACE: Buchanan Michigan Art Center, 117 W. Front Street, Buchanan, MI

AGENDA: Free popcorn, drinks, and Venus-related items for sale, all-day observation of the transit of Venus (269-697-4005 or buchananartcenter.org/

Telescope and eye-shielded viewing of the rare celestial event. The last time the planet passed directly between the earth and the sun was 2004 and before that in 1882 and 1874 as well as 1761 and 1769.  After the transit happens on June it won't occur until Dec. 11, 2117 and Dec. 8, 2125.

Who was Dante Aligheri Rossetti? Born on this day in A.D. 1265

from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media, Minnesota Public Radio, Garrison Keillor):

June 1 is the day we celebrate the birth of Dante, born in Florence, Italy, in 1265. No one knows for sure the exact date. What is known about the poet is that he met his great love and muse, Beatrice, when he was about nine years old; it was love at first sight. Three years later, he was promised in marriage to another girl, but that didn't stop him from writing about Beatrice in his poetry, where he referred to her as his main reason for living.
Dante had political aspirations, and because the law held that public officials had to be a member of one of the professional guilds, he became a pharmacist. He had wanted the Vatican to have less influence over Florence -- but opposing forces came to power, and he was exiled to Rome. With his fortunes left behind and his great love Beatrice now dead, Dante had nothing but time to devote to his poetry; it was then, toward the end of his life, that he began work on his Divine Comedy.
Dante chose to write the poem in colloquial Italian rather that Latin, which had been the language for Western literature for more than a thousand years. It was also the first epic poem in Western literary history in which the author served as the main character.
He was 55 when he died of malaria, shortly after completing Paradiso, the third and final part of Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and Purgatorio. In the years after his death, as the influence of his work helped establish Italian as the world's accepted language of great literature, his hometown of Florence came to regret having banished Dante, and requested that his remains be transferred back for burial, but it wasn't until 2008 that the city officially rescinded his sentence of perpetual exile.