Alexander Haig, former secretary of state, dead, 85, infection

Retired Army Gen. Alexander Haig, who held influential positions in the U.S. military and government and who as White House chief of staff shepherded Richard M. Nixon toward peacefully resigning the presidency, died today at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore of complications from an infection. He was 85.

Thank you for your service to our country. Our prayers are with his family.

US Marines airdropped into Taliban-held territory

MARJAH, Afghanistan – Elite Marine recon teams were dropped behind Taliban lines by helicopter Friday as the U.S.-led force escalated operations to break resistance in the besieged insurgent stronghold of Marjah.

As the major NATO offensive entered its seventh day, about two dozen Marines were inserted before dawn into an area where skilled Taliban marksmen are known to operate, an officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

You can bet these Marines are from the Special Operations Command. Effectively U.S. Marine Special Forces. These are some hard charging bad asses that you DO NOT want pissed off at you. And lastly you don't want them behind your lines. These guys are as disruptive as a 5 year old hyperactive ADD kid jacked up on candy bars and Red Bull.

 Kick some ass men. Don't bother taking any names, God knows who they are and what they've done. He'll sort them for you.

Vancouver, Site of the 2010 Olympics (TM) Totally Random Trivia

Not a Scot, he's Canadian...who knew.

More random facts about Vancouver after the jump.

Barack Obama statue removed from Jakarta park

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Authorities removed a statue of Barack Obama from a park in the Indonesian capital due to a public backlash and moved it Monday to a nearby elementary school that the U.S. president attended as a child.

The bronze statue, inspired by a childhood photograph of a 10-year-old Obama in shorts with a butterfly perched on an outstretched thumb, had been targeted by critics since it was erected in the Jakarta park last December. Detractors argued that an Indonesian hero should have been honored instead, noting that Obama still could pursue policies that hurt Indonesia's interests.

Obama, whose American mother married an Indonesian after divorcing his Kenyan father, went to school in the capital from 1967 to 1971 and is regarded fondly by most Indonesians.

I guess they were expecting bail-out funds that didn't come. Or perhaps they've come to their senses and realized the fervor over how awesome and amazing he is supposed to be was just silly. I wish America would come to their senses over the love affair with a do nothing president. It's quite possible that Obama might have a bigger following in the countries he lived in as a kid, than the one he allegedly lead as President.

Doug Fieger, leader of the power pop band The Knack, dead, 57, cancer

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Doug Fieger, leader of the power pop band The Knack who sang on the 1979 hit "My Sharona," died Sunday. He was 57.

Fieger, a Detroit-area native, died at his home in Woodland Hills near Los Angeles after battling cancer, according to The Knack's manager, Jake Hooker.

Great music. Maybe not a huge success as a band but damn fun to listen to. I grew up listening to these guys. Our sympathies go out to the family.