Left of the Dial

Solsbury Hill

Oh, Left of the Dial. I've not forgotten you, I swear. We have so much to catch up. And we will, I promise.

Just not tonight. 

But I've got a present for you. It's a fine--though far from my favorite--version of one of my all-time songs...but one Top Management likes even more. The catchiest song in 7/4 time ever? I can think of none catchier. Such a beautiful breakup song that it's hard to imagine the boys in the old band weren't moved. And the best ever song written about Bruce Springsteen. 

In Memoriam

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel who died in Afghanistan and Iraq or at a military hospital of their injuries:

Thomas J. Gramith, 27, of Eagan, Minn.; captain, Air Force. Gramith was one of two airmen killed July 17 when their F-15E fighter jet crashed near Afghanistan's Ghazni province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

Benjamin S. Kopp, 21, of Rosemount, Minn.; corporal, Army. Kopp died July 18 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington of injuries suffered July 10 when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Ryan H. Lane, 25, of Pittsburgh; sergeant, Marine Corps. Lane was killed in combat Thursday in Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Brandon T. Lara, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Lara was killed in combat July 19 in Iraq's Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Jeremy S. Lasher, 27, of Oneida, N.Y.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Lasher was one of two Marines killed in combat Thursday in Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Anthony M. Lightfoot, 20, of Riverdale, Ga.; specialist, Army. Lightfoot was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan's Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Mark R. McDowell, 26, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; captain, Air Force. McDowell was one of two airmen killed July 17 when their F-15E fighter jet crashed near Afghanistan's Ghazni province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

Raymundo P. Morales, 34, of Dalton, Ga.; specialist, Army National Guard. Morales was killed Tuesday when his vehicle overturned near Mehtar Lam in Afghanistan's Laghman province, east of Kabul. He was assigned to the 148th Brigade Support Battalion in Cedartown, Ga. 

Randy L.J. Neff Jr., 22, of Blackfoot, Idaho; specialist, Army. Neff was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Afghanistan's Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Engineer Battalion at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Gregory Owens Jr., 24, of Garland, Texas; sergeant, Army. Owens was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan's Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Dennis J. Pratt, 34, of Duncan, Okla.; private first class, Army. Pratt was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan's Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Joshua J. Rimer, 24, of Rochester, Pa.; sergeant, Army. Rimer was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Afghanistan's Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Engineer Battalion at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Andrew J. Roughton, 21, of Houston; specialist, Army. Roughton was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan's Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Nicholas G. Xiarhos, 21, of Yarmouth Port, Mass.; corporal, Marine Corps. Xiarhos was one of two Marines killed in combat Thursday in Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

In Memoriam

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel who died in Afghanistan and Iraq or at a military hospital of their injuries:

Pedro A. Barboza Flores, 27, of Glendale; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Barboza Flores was one of two Marines killed July 11 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in southwestern Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Daniel P. Drevnick, 22, of Woodbury, Minn.; specialist, Army National Guard. Drevnick was among three guardsmen killed Thursday in a rocket attack on their base outside Basra, Iraq, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division in Stillwater, Minn.

Jason J. Fabrizi, 29, of Seffner, Fla.; sergeant first class, Army. Fabrizi was killed Tuesday when his patrol unit was attacked with small-arms fire in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Jerome D. Hatfield, 36, of Axton, Va.; master sergeant, Marine Corps. Hatfield was one of two Marines killed July 11 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in southwestern Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Michael W. Heede Jr., 22, of Delta, Pa.; sergeant, Marine Corps. Heede was one of two Marines killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near them while they were on patrol in southwestern Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Rodney A. Jarvis, 34, of Akron, Ohio; chief warrant officer, Army. Jarvis died of noncombat-related injuries Monday in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 46th Engineer Battalion, 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Ft. Polk, La.

Matthew R. Lembke, 22, of Tualatin, Ore.; corporal, Marine Corps. Lembke died July 10 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., of injuries suffered June 24 when a roadside bomb exploded near him in southwestern Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Eric J. Lindstrom, 27, of Flagstaff, Ariz.; staff sergeant, Army. Lindstrom was killed July 12 when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire while on foot patrol near Barge Matal in eastern Afghanistan's Nuristan province. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

David S. Spicer, 33, of Zanesfield, Ohio; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Spicer was one of two Marines killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near them while they were on patrol in southwestern Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

James D. Wertish, 20, of Olivia, Minn.; specialist, Army National Guard. Wertish was among three guardsmen killed Thursday in a rocket attack on their base outside Basra, Iraq, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division in Stillwater, Minn.

Carlos E. Wilcox IV, 27, of Cottage Grove, Minn.; specialist, Army National Guard. Wilcox was among three guardsmen killed Thursday in a rocket attack on their base outside Basra, Iraq, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division in Stillwater, Minn.

Obama Drastically Scales Back Goals for America After Visiting Denny's

...I think I've actually been to this Denny's. 

Wow. Now just imagine if he'd been to a Waffle House. 

Happy Birthday to U.S.

Big thanks to George and Tom and Ben and John and all the rest for the present. Sorry if we haven't treated it as well as we should. We'll try harder.