Breakfast With My Girlfriends

NO TORTURE

2012-02-24T06:54:00.000-08:00

Two marines and a Vietnamese scout come rushing in to the medical bunker
unexpected with the obviously wounded Vietnamese solder. He has a hole in his
trachea[windpipe] from shrapnel. A major spray of blood comes gushing out with each exhale and I see he is obviously in severe
shortness of breath, in danger of asphyxiating from blood. accumulating in his lungs with each inhale. Also his eyes are in an
absolute terror and panic as he looks at me. I had never seen this before. He managed to keep flailing his arms, trying to keep the corps men on and myself away.

One of the Marines tells me as they leave that the solder believes he is there to be tortured
since that is what he was was going to happen if captured.

The only ones who understand a word of Vietnamese in the bunker are the scout and the wounded prisoner.
I repeatedly tell the scout to tell the prisoner I want to help him, to save his life. Each time the scout talks to
him, the wounded soldier goes again into another wildly failing episode as if fighting us for his life.

I am meanwhile hurriedly preparing a surgical tray with expanders, scalpels, etc to stop the bleeding and secure an
airway by doing the tracheotomy before he suffocates from his own blood. By necessity, this has to be done in full view of the soldier.

In the context of Vietnam, I knew there was a 50-50 chance the scout was still telling him I really was going
to torture him if he did not give information about his combat unit and their plans.

To this day, I do not do not know and will never know what was being said. If
he thought to the end that I was there to torture him or to help him.

All of this was happening in 3-4 chaotic minutes.

Finally did the only thing which seemed save his life in the midst of chaos of blood spraying, prisoner terror, etc,
Pushed the scout aside, had 6 corpsman hold the wounded guy down and gave him just enough of a dose of IV sedative
I dared to which would sedate him but not fatally suppress his already reduced breathing ability.

Good part of the picture. It worked. Tracheal tube put in under sedation. Stable when helicopter picked him out .Every reason to believe he survived.

Not so good part of the story. Was uncomfortable to be seen as part of a possible system of medical torturing. I knew it was not true
of any American doctors in Viet Nam. Had real suspicions whether it was also not true of the South Vietnamese or Korean 'allies'. But the wounded soldier lumped
myself and them as part of the same adversary.

A day in Viet Nam. Dr. Paul L., Then Captain, USMC

MY DAD

2012-02-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

My dad was the most ethical person I've ever known. I surely didn't realize it at the time. However, today, I "get" what an extraordinary man he was. I could probably conjure up several examples but one just made it across my radar screen. ( Could be because today, Feb 22, is the anniversary of his death). He had a simple ethic: "always try to do what's right." This view was not always clear or made sense to anybody else but it did to my Dad. He was fond of saying he understood what "doing the right thing" was even if others didn't. The example that comes quickly to mind is a time when my Mom's folks "fell out") This is a NC term which means they refused to have anything to do with him. The perceived slight had to do with my Dad's decision to help a neighbor harvest his crops. What made this an issue was that my Uncles, Mom's brothers, wanted to have all the land in the area to farm. However, another farmer had rented acreage and would not give it up. The Uncles came up with a plan: deny him the labor force needed to harvest his crops.The idea was that if he could not harvest the crops, the landlord would not get her share and so the land eventually would come back to the Uncles. When my dad refused to go along, Mom's folks were incensed as well as my mom. My dad's logic: not fair to the neighbor and a selfish and wrong act; "getting back at someone" was not in his nature but mainly, helping the neighbor harvest the crops was the "right thing to do."

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE

2012-02-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

WHO THE F..K are these people? I can't help but think, who are they?. When Romney, Gingrich, Paul, Santorum speak and the people applaud, my first thought: who the f..k are these people taking in this stuff? I guess they are fellow Americans but it sure as hell doesn't make me feel any better. People whose narrow views are simply products of non thinking or bigotry or racism. Politicians, especially this Republican crowd, they'll do or say anything. They are drunk with idiocy. But, the audiences, what is it that they go for these narrow, extreme views. Bias myself? Absolutely. I hate that fellow Americans are this stupid and it is hard for an "Independent" like me to find empathy. In NC, we have a view: "you can say most anything about someone if at the end of the pronouncement you say, 'bless their hearts.' " What the hell, at least the Republican candidates, as they are bad mouthing the Prrsident, ought to say, bless his heart." They, the Repub wannabes, if they threw the "bless his heart" in occasionally would make them appear less nasty. If I were a Republican, I would be ashamed that Sarah Palin, was more or less a spokes person for my party. She continues to command wide audiences. Don't you know that she's on her knees daily, thanking John McCain who is into the stupid and angry mode and wants to bomb most foreign counties, for picking her as his running mate. As my Dad use to say, "might as well laugh as cry."

Whitney Houston

2012-02-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

I am not much of a celebrity worshiper but have always liked Whitney Houston. What a voice and talent! From my perspective, with no real facts, just observation, she was doing great and then got involved with a "dope head" and she gets all hooked on whatever dope he's into. She never came back from it although the relationship ended. And, now the irony is that the former "dope head" has pretty much shaped himself up. Here's a big-time subjective view, based on many years of counseling with couples or women. It has been my observation that women will often choose men who are absolute sorry asses by anybody's standard. I have wanted to say over and over, "why did you marry that sorry asshole?" But, I've refrained. Oh, there's the psychobabble of "bad boys" but it is more than that. Women in general seem to go into relationships that have little or no chance to make it. Just an observation and what the f..k do I know!

ROSY REPORTS FROM AFGHANISTAN

2012-02-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

This is one of those links that you wonder if its true. I think so. I keep wondering where the f..k these rosy reports of Afghanistan come from. If this article is true, now we know. The military has always been a "can do" organization. It has worked to our detriment. And, the ones that have to be blamed, if establishing blame is what we have to do, is our civilian leaders. There are all sorts of examples. Let's cite just one off the top of my head. In the lead up to the invasion of Iraq, one general voiced opposition. Shinseki, now the head of VA. He was simply ignored. The rest of the generals were "can do." In their defense, I can only say, they view the mission, whatever it might be, as doing their job.

http://armedforcesjournal.com/2012/02/8904030

VIETNAM AND AFGHANISTAN

2012-02-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

In the NYT Sunday mag is a great article by a reporter who spent some time with a Marine platoon out on the tip of the spear, in Helmand province. Makes me glad my time was in Vietnam, not Afghanistan. It seems not much has changed for the grunts, especially here, in an undeclared war, backed by a few, not the many. He accurately, for me, describes the Lt. and his platoon.
One particular fact makes one take note: the "booby traps" aka IED's, are much more lethal in Afghanistan than in the villes and rice paddies of "Nam". It seems that the Taliban has learned a thing or two about materials, placement, and components and explosives. It also seems like they've figured out how to get the most 'bang' for their buck, using cheap chemicals available from agricultural sources in Pakistan. There's something rotten in Pakistan but I don't think we should really get involved there either. It's frustrating, knowing so little of the facts that our decision makers are privy to when deciding on strategy.
I guess we'll have to live another 30years or so to find out what really happened. In the meantime, we'll bear witness to the list of wounded and maimed as they return after multiple tours, fully knowing that their chances of returning unscathed are pretty much zero after 1 tour. I guess if there is a saving grace, it's the fact that the Taliban can't mass for an assault like the NVA. Our intell is no doubt better now and the drones keep the Taliban on the move and the night really doesn't offer the protection it once did back in the day. I still wake up counting the hours until the sun comes up, and with it, new life.

CPT, you are getting an A on emails. Would you believe that I read the article about the Marines just yesterday. Good article and I am pretty much where you are. My thought overall is what a f..king mess to put a bunch of young Marines in a no win war. Not just "no win," a train wreck. Where I see the difference in Afghanistan and Vietnam is that we could have won Vietnam at least in military terms. Take over the country, won the war and sort it out later. In Afghanistan, if we stay there a hundred years, will not make lots of difference. The only thing I would see if somehow, we decided to make Afghanistan as training ground for the wars to come. But, it would take lots of creative thinking and with the top levels of the military, thinking is in short supply and the high levels of government have had no military experience and don't know s..t. What it would mean is closing places like Fort Irwin where we do desert training. Instead of practicing war, we would actually be in one. Aside from that, we need to get our asses out of Afghanisyam post haste. It is only going to get worse. All the rosy picture of our progress convinces me that somebody at some level has been smoking the "John" weed.

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE ROSES AMERICA--Get the f..k out of Europe

2012-02-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

LEAVING EUROPE. About time. If there is anything about which Ron Paul is right on, it is reducing our footprint in foreign lands. We are bigtime stupid in this area. Why, for instance, has it taken this long to start moving out of Europe. Well, the ready answer is probably the "Cold War." I'm not going to dispute such but I can tell you this for a fact, it is now damn time. Even In the early seventies, it was not without it's problems. I was a soldier in Europe then and it was not good. American soldiers resided in substandard barracks while the Germans, at that time, having conscription, lived in new facilities. I use to think, "what is wrong with this picture: here we are suppose to be protecting the Germans from the Soviets and yet we are second class citizens." And, it was one of those subjects no one talked about. Damn straight. A tough time. Our American military was struggling with issues of racism while drugs were rampant. The draft was on its last legs and the Vietnam war was all but wound down. A hell of a hard time. And, add to this some uncaring and stupid decisions by those who made and carried out policies that related to the military. One specific one created an untenable situation where, even today, we are dealing with the fallout. Scores of Vietnam soldiers with a few months to do before discharge were sent to Europe to fill out the ranks. It was a gastly mistake. These Vietnam soldiers were expected to "soldier" when in fact, they were jaded with war. Many crashed and burned, mainly through drugs or other types of insubordination. To the active military's discredit, soldiers who had done their duty were simply and unceremously hung out to dry. The reputation of the Vietnam soldier was forever sullied as being a dope head or worst still, the Vietnam war was somehow directly his fault. Shameful is what can be said. LEAVING EUROPE IS LONG OVERDUE.

Ticking Off The Catholics

2012-02-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

THIS ONE IS FOR ANDY
The Prez needs to take a page out of the Susan B Komen Foundation's recent book. They f..ked up. Taking back a grant from Planned Parenthood. They realized it immediately as the backlash was a hurricane. They "got it" and restored the grant, said "Sorry, we f..ked this up." They will not get back to where they were but at least they tried. The Prez or Sec of Health and Welfare, have ticked off most of the Catholic population or so it seems. Hard to say. I heard these two "talking heads" on "The News Hour." You would have thought that the mention of condoms was cataclysmic to the Catholics. Who knows (granted, I don't have all my facts together). It is politics and the Prez and cohorts would probably have been better to appease them. But, let's face it, the Catholics want to keep people buried in that bullshit of no birth control. For whatever reasons, maybe to create new believers to brainwash. Damned if I know. But, look at the poorest nations of the world, Catholic. Having babies right and left. An example that I see often: I'm stopped at a light in San Francisco: a young hispanic girl crosses in front of me, she is pg, has about a six year old by the hand, has a small baby on her chest, pushing a baby carriage with what looked like twins: count them, five kids. Want to bet? Catholic. A mystery to me. Even after the child abuse scandals, the Catholics seem to be stronger than ever. I am a Christian, a Bible thumper (meaning that I believe, even with all the mysteries, there is no need for anything outside the Bible as relates to the faith). I don't go for canon law, all that bullshit outside the basic Bible. Priest forgiving sins. That sort of thing but still, why offend if you can figure a way out of it. What is that saying: if you discover you are digging yourself into a hole, quit digging!!!

THE PREZ STATE OF THE INION ADDRESS. WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID

2012-01-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

They’re (military) not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
Most of the people I am surrounded with are a bunch of self serving assholes who have only their personal interests at heart.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
The defining issue (middle class values) of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake aren’t Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. And we have to reclaim them.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
The Wall Street Tycoons have lined their pockets with big bonuses while ripping off honest people who thought they were playing on a level playing field. The bankers are not far behind. They gave mortgages to those who couldn’t afford them and then foreclosed heartlessly. Their asses should be in jail.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them. Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people’s money. Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.
It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hardworking Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly 4 million jobs. And we lost another 4 million before our policies were in full effect.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
I inherited a f..king mess. Wall Street was selling bundled bullshit for big money, insuring it as they bet against their own creation, while telling their investors s..t. Talk about dishonest reprobates, these f..kers were it. They should be having lunch with Bernie Madoff on a daily basis. Let’s face it the regulators and the rating agencies were in bed with these thieves.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
The same recalcitrant Republicans are back. They are obstructionists, self serving and have dedicated themselves to getting me defeated. So be it but I am going to fight them all the way while I am President. They haven’t had an original idea since I’ve been around. They know one word, “no.” I have nothing against George W. I think he listened to the wrong people but let’s be clear about this, he turned over to me a f..king train wreck. And, I’ve spent most of my three years trying to right the mess I inherited and have gotten nothing from the Republicans but the same old bullshit. Now, I say this emphatically, they can go f..k themselves.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. But there’s no reason why Congress shouldn’t at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation. So far, you haven’t acted. Well, tonight, I will
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
I don’t expect you Republicans to believe in climate change. As usual, you have head up your ass or either stuck in the sand. Climate change is real. The polar cap is melting, weather patterns have gone to hell on a hand basket. You can sit on your hands if you want too but not me. F..king “do nothings.”
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
In the next few weeks, I will sign an executive order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects. But you need to fund these projects. Take the money we’re no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
Now is the time to have a FDR new deal. Let’s put fellow Americans to work repairing the nation’s infrastructure. It is time that Republicans quit dragging their feet as usual. The country needs this. It is not some “will of the wisp idea” , let’s get this done. America needs it. Don’t invoke bullshit like the deficit.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
Millions of innocent Americans saw their home values decline. And while government can’t fix the problem on its own, responsible homeowners shouldn’t have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief. And, that’s why I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low rates. No more red tape. No more runaround from the banks. A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit and will give those banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
Damn straight, I’m putting a fee on the banks for having aided in the creation of this disaster in the beginning. Plus, we bailed their asses out and so now we expect then to step up to the plate.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
When it comes to the deficit, we’ve already agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts and savings. But we need to do more, and that means making choices. Right now, we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households. Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
This is BS to the max that we are going to continue to reward the wealthiest Americans who don’t need rewarding with these tax cuts. What Buffet and these others should have done is voluntarily written a check to pay their fair share. Yeah, I know, “what have I been smoking.”
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID

Tax reform should follow the Buffett Rule. If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. In fact, if you’re earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up. You’re the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. You’re the ones who need relief.

Now, you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.

We don’t begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it. When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they envy the rich. It’s because they understand that when I get a tax break I don’t need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference — like a senior on a fixed income, or a student trying to get through school, or a family trying to make ends meet. That’s not right. Americans know that’s not right. They know that this generation’s success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to the future of their country, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense of shared responsibility. That’s how we’ll reduce our deficit. That’s an America built to last.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
Americans who care are not stupid. But, this selfishness bullshit has got to cease. Republicans can put spin on it all they want but I say again, "most of these big buck fat cats wouldn't have what they do if they didn't live in a great country which allowed them to achieve what they have. So, rich folks let's get off your ass and pony up.

WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
Now, I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt, energy and health care. But no matter what party they belong to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right about now: Nothing will get done in Washington this year, or next year, or maybe even the year after that, because Washington is broken.

Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
Damn straight, we don't expect s..t to get done in Washington this year. Mainly because our system is broken. Self interests and politics have replaced what is good for the country. We need a new congress. You might say we need a new president, so be it. I am willing to take that chance but if not, I need some flexible and cooperating team members here. Not some non thinking uncompromising assholes controlled by the tea party, gun lobbyists, or self serving lobbyists in general.

WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
I’ve talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad — and it seems to get worse every year.
Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics. So together, let’s take some steps to fix that. Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress; I will sign it tomorrow. Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact. Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa — an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID
Does not anybody here watch SIXTY MINUTES. It is a damn shame that we have to leave it to a TV program to point out how corrupt our Congress is. And, this is across the board. Democrats and Republicans alike. Another example of Congress thinking they don't have to play by the same rules as the rest of us. And, this bullshit of "shooting the messenger" just want hack it. Nancy Pelosi blaming it on seine out to get her. The fact that she and her husband have made millions is beside the point. This s..t has to end.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those 50 stars and those 13 stripes. No one built this country on their own. This nation is great because we built it together. This nation is great because we worked as a team. This nation is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, and our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.
I WOULD HAVE SAID THE SAME THING

RACE

2012-01-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

What is going on with Republicans? Really. The Republican candidates are white. Mitt Romney is the whitest of the white. He conveys a subtle message: starched shirts, pressed Jeans, etc. a Mormon, where only recently can blacks be bishops. Want America the way it use to be: white. I'm your man. Obama got in on a fluke. Most Republicans think Obama got in on a fluke. We had the financial crisis, he got in before the "Mitts" grasped it. I am not so sure Obama will be so lucky this time. There's a hatred out there that is amazing. When Southern Baptists will vote for a Mormon, a womanizer, a hardcore Catholic, there's got to be something. Race. I have been thinking about this for awhile. I don't think any of the 10 chaps are racist but I think we fail to admit that something is amiss here. The President for his part has been much more George W than I would have preferred.

I think that the tea party, the right wing types, those who want us to return to the 1950s will vote. The disenfranchised, the food stamp folks (thank you Newt), maybe the Hispanics will not vote. And, I have serious doubts if Obama will get a second time and to me, that is what should really trouble us.

STATE OF DISUNION

2012-01-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

I've heard a lot of discussion, mostly from pundits about tonight's "State of the Union." It is suppose to be a time when the president "states" where we are as a country and then lays out his coming vision. To me, it is a kind of political theater. The president is meeting and greeting, signing autographs. Making nice with his detractors. Applause, some polite, other more enthusiastic, based on what one supports or doesn't.

Based on the past, the President is a better man than me. I would be calling most all the Republicans sorry ass MFs who don't know the meaning of governing and certainly not of seeking the common good. Our system is broken and we need to throw the bums out. We are not going to do that. Congress has a piss poor approval rating but we love our own reps it seems. How stupid is this! We are being duped right and left. Get this, as an example: A Republican in Washinton in today's political climate, the mantra--"get rid of the president", forget the problems of the country. Assholes!!!!!!

What approach should the President take in his speech? I think first of all, he needs to lose the phrasing, the "American people." It is bullshit that the "American people" are someU entity that he can win over. Many of the so called American people don't give a flying f..k one way or the other. The fact that barely half of eligible Americans vote should tell him something. The President is not going to get anything done in the near future. If he wins the next election which is not certain, then he can tell the Repubs to go f..k themselves but it is not in his nature. I think he personally should just draw the battle lines. When you have a "Speaker of the House" being so disrespectful and Mitch McConnell of the Senate almost as bad, why would you give them the time of day. They should at least respect the Office of the President. If I was a constituent of either of these, I'd be f..king ashamed.

The president should take a page from an advisor to LBJ. What a President has to have according to Walt Rowtow is 60% of the people for him. 25% will be against everything. And, 15% are "out to lunch." With due respect to Walt, in today's political climate, the numbers are probably, President needs 50% for him. 35% are against everything, 15% are still out to lunch (meaning don't care). God bless the President and as the NASCAR guys say, God bless "MERICA."

America's Moral Leader

2012-01-19T15:57:00.000-08:00

This is a mystery to me. The only Republican candidates who have had any real ideas are Jon Huntsman and Rick Perry. Huntsman has already gone and Perry is out the door. Huntsman wanted term limits and Perry to reduce Congress to half salary and part time. Neither one of them got any traction. A mystery. I could understand Iowa Caucasus, people smokin and jokin and New Hampshire is a bunch of Yankees. But, SC, I don't get it. I've listened to some South Carolinians who are going for Newt: really, they are actually voting for Newt because all of us are sinners saved by grace. I've thought for some time that the Republicans have their brains bottled in formaldehyde. This clinches it. Newt., even the Democratic moralist, Bill Clinton, would call Newt a moral pigmy. Takes in his paramour while wife is gone, eating off her dishes and sleeping in her bed. Wants open marriage, an old idea but with a new ideas Newt twist. But, the biggest issue is that he is rivaling the Guv of NJ in being fat. Which wife did he divorce when she had cancer? Now, a good Catholic and since the Catholic Church is the only true church, anything he has done before gets a pass. And, present wife is in elite Catholic choir and when Newt becomes the proud Republican president, her choir can sing at his inauguration.

High on Prez

2012-01-19T06:35:00.000-08:00

Lamar, I am as high on Obama as I have been. He has veered from the courses I would go for, only because he has been stymied by the recalcitrant and self serving Congress. I think he had had to learn out to be president and consequently has done a few things that I didn't like, especially in listening to the military too much. However, as I tell my Democrat friends, where are you going to go. A poor Republican field. Romney will do anything for a vote. Crazy. Conservatives (hate these labels) will go for social issues, anti abortion, etc, while ignoring the fact that Mormonism believes that God had a wife and she is Heavenly Mother. Does that make any difference. Not really but what makes that any different than say various social issues: gay marriage. Ron Paul is a nut and should be hanging out with his grandchildren. Santorum is a hard core Catholic that the fundamentalists have embraced. What's with that: they ignore canon law, authority of the Pope, priests who can forgive sins. Please!! Here's what I wish: we coulRd throw the whole lot of congress out, Democrats and Repubs. Our system is broken. However, we'll not do that. I have no faith in the voter.

I do hope however that those who are disappointed with the president will not sit on the sidelines. The Repubs would dismantle those programs that serve the poor, etc. democrats have lots of problems but they represent the middle class, etc where the Repubs are Haley Barbour, pardons a couple of hundred, goes out to his old lobbying job, half mil or so, making speeches, 30-50 thou a pop. And, get Nancy Pelosi, millions on insider trading. Corruption everywhere but if voters can throw out the Repub house members who have blocked everything, get a super majority in Senate where Prez can ram through good things. Do away with tax cuts for rich, tax the 1%, etc. so, long answer to question. I am really just getting started but I'm going to give us all a break.

Christian Fundamentalists

2012-01-19T06:32:00.000-08:00

You have got to be bullshitting me. The very idea that some group of Christian fundamentalists could meet in Texas and crown someone like Santorum as their favorite, to unite behind, is about the most absurd thing I've heard in my life. If the Republicans fall for this, they are more stupid than I thought. Much less the findamentalist churches. Church going in South Carolina is a phenom. Where, in a place like San Francisco, at most you'd get people going to any kind of church, single digits. SC, some places, easily 90%. I am not blowing smoke. Amazing. But, doubt some fundamentalist organizations like Focus On the Family could dictate to these Church going people. The very idea some bigoted group would try is a little more than interesting. It is beyond me. First of all, Santorum. The f ..ker is a Catholic. They apparently don't know Catholic theology. First of all, I cannot imagine church people, even the fundamentalist, simply doing what some group would tell them. And, I would think that a pastor would not talk blatantly about politics from the pulpit. Most fundamentalists, at least that I know, are a pretty independent lot and would lean on the story in the Bible where the Pharasees tried to trap Jesus by asking him about the church (kingdom of God to Him). He ask for a coin. And said to his detractors, "whose picture is on this?" Caesar, of course. OK, here's the word: "render unto Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods." Plus, how the f..k are the fundamentalists going to deal with Canon Law in the Catholic Church, i. e., authority of the Pope, Priests being able to forgive sin. What are these fundamentalist Christians thinking? I tell you what I think: this group is a f..king bunch of modern day Pharisees. I would be quite surprised if the good people of South Carolina couldn't see through 'em. I can tell you this for a fact, Jesus would figuratively kick their ass.

HIGHER GROUND

2012-01-17T10:50:00.000-08:00

"Higher Ground" with Vera Farmiga. Really good and confronted every issue that we face almost, especially as relates to life. And, it did it from the Christian fundamentalist view; the pastor with regular meetings of the "house" church idea (small group meeting away from the Church) where their fundamentalist views are regularly reinforced. The pastor constantly says, "God says" without ever saying where God says it. In the movie, there's no judgment or putting down the church. What is different than any movie I've seen along this line is that the protagonist, Vera Farmiga, best known for her role with George Connery in Up In The Air, is great with facial expressions that project exactly what she is thinking but doesn't say. She is what sets this movie apart. It reminded me a little of Robert Duvall in "The Apostle." There's one of the funniest scenes in the movie that I've ever seen. The Lord leads the pastor to discuss with the men that they are not looking after their wives sexually. So, he has them listen to these casette tapes that are very explicit (The expressions on the men's faces are priceless i. e., location of the clitoris, etc). This was serious as God told the pastor to do this (small segment of movie). The most sobering part of the movie has to do with Farmiga's vibrant and very effusive best friend who is struck down with a brain tumor. The surgery leaves her as a shell of her former self while the church celebrates the miracle that she is alive. Farmiga is wrought up bigtime in trying to reconcile this. I am thinking about the pastor and these people, "are there really people like this out there? Answer: YES! Help!
Super movie. See!!!

PFC BRADLEY MANNING

2012-01-14T06:02:00.000-08:00

Court Martialing PFC (Private First Class) Bradley Manning is a stupid thing to do. My views are well documented but we have no surprises here. A court martial (military term for trial) was inevitable based on the military system. The military conducts a thorough Article 32 investigation (Grand Jury). Once they have done it, the guilt or innocence is well established. Consequently the term, "bring the guilty bastard in." There is no dispute that Manning leaked the documents. The stickiness should be that the military has more than a little culpability. Manning should not have had assess to sensitive material, short and simple. He is a f..king midget in the system.

I have watched many a court martial. Most are cut and dry. Where they can possibly work is if they grasp and take into account mitigating circumstances. A senior (17 years) NCO (non commission officer) that I knew in Korea got himself tangled in the black market. He had some extenuating circumstances at home. Sick wife and child. He should not have been in Korea but he needed the extra cash (an unaccompanied tour of duty usually pays more). This normally outstanding NCO was stupid. Purchased electronic equipment at the PX (post exchange) at a very cheap price and paid no tax on it, then sold it at a profit on the very robust Korean black market (One of many reasons why we need to be out of Korea). The good sergeant got caught and was court martialed. Even this was pretty heavy handed in my view but the military is a rule oriented entity, especially in a non combat environment. He should have been given a "Special Courts Martial" in front of a judge with usually lessor discipline. Maybe in a stretch, an Article 15, which is non judicial punishment administered by the commander. Can be pretty stiff but easier from which to recover. The courts martial busted my NCO one rank, fined him a month's pay and shipped him home. Not bad and something frm which he could recover.

The military could be smart here and give PFC Manning a Special Court Martial, bust him to E1 (he's now an E3), fine him a couple of months pay, sentence him to time served, give him a bad discharge and say sayanaro. Any chance they would do it. Not a chance in hell as someone might have to admit they f..ked up.

COPORATE VULTURE

2012-01-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

LIVE FREE OR DIE
I use to ski in New Hampshire. In fact, I loved the area and got some crazy idea that maybe I could buy a little piece of property. On "time" since I was beyond poor. I had no money but thought maybe somebody would discover my love for the state and the type of person they'd like to have. Well, guess what? When they realized I had no money, they ran me out of town. And, now I'm really glad. Damn bunch of non thinkers and "yankees." I've been listening to the attack ads against Romney. And, here's the rub, "is it negative if it is true?" I hardly paid any attention to them but to hear views of Romney as a corporate raider made me perk up. Buying companies, firing the people and driving off with millions. It is always up for spin, of course. And, Romney, making statements like he's had a few "pink slips" in his life. We believe him: he's a multimillionaire whose father is a multimillionaire. Give me a break! Here's the thing that convinced me that Romney is, as his fellow Republican, Rick Perry, calls him, a corporate vulture and embodies everything that thinking and caring Americans should hate: Randy Johnson (not the former baseball pitcher) whose company was looted by Romney and is now out for revenge in the only way he can: following Romney around telling what Romney did to his company. Destroyed it, fired the people, and walked away with millions.

Good luck to the guy. Do I think it will make any difference. No, not really. I don't have any faith in the American voter. It is always self interest,

FLAW IN DEMOCRACY

2012-01-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

GIVE ME A BREAK. I've never heard such BS in my life from the Republican candidates for Prez. At least they are attacking each other. In a sense, what the Repubs are doing is exposing a flaw in democracy. Listen to any of the voters interviewed. Guess what: they always come from, "how does this effect me and how does it relate to my life." Inherently selfish. The flip side of the coin is that all of us are mostly there. Our own welfare, comfort in the present and future is what we are into. Nobody says, so and so might be good for me but it is not good for the country and so I choose the country.

GITMO

2012-01-12T07:26:00.001-08:00

Very early on, I grasped through ecperience that prisons bring out the worst in people (I started off my military career as an officer involved in the stockade, which military prisons were called in the day). An axiom exists, passed along by my brother, who for a long time, worked in a state prison system. He said that in six months, it was hard to tell who the guards were and who the prisoners were. I think GITMO has brought out the worst in us. What amazed me is the lack of cry that has ensued. What the f..k, are most Americans asleep at the wheel. Let me relate this story. Too long, other than to give my biased salient points. The U.S. arrests this guy in Bosnia. Bosnia's supreme court investigates and says there's no evidence this guy is a terrorist. The Americans still take him to Guantanamo (I don't know how they could do this). There, he is treated awful, remains in custody seven years. Missed his kids birthdays, gets no mail. Treated so unAmerican makes me ashamed. The guy's life is ruined. And, those who decided all this bullshit in their own war on terror are sitting at home enjoying themselves. Nobody ever apologizes or says they fucked up. Read the story: nytimes.com/opinion

CORPORATE VULTURE

2012-01-12T07:25:00.001-08:00

RON PAUL MAY NOT BE SO NUTSO

2012-01-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

Listening to Leon Panetta talk about the cuts in military spending, the future, my initial thought, "what has this guy been smoking?" Honestly, I don't understand this thinking. This goes beyond politics so what the f..k! Do these people have some script they are reading from? There are plenty of ways to cut. And, to me, at this stage, it is all philosophical. But, I don't think that Panetta or even the President "gets it." Life has changed--circumstances have changed in the world. HELLO! HELLO! The Arab Spring should have taught us that countries can determine their own destinies without us. Panetta talks as if we are in the cold war. Sure, there are threats in the world but we are not the world policeman. Even if we wanted to continue to be stupid, we no longer can afford it. But, what is more important than that is our worldwide police activities have produced nothing but dead bodies, i. e., mostly young Americans and innocent civilians. Listening to Panetto (that I basically like) is what makes someone like Ron Paul credible. His foreign policy sounds drastic but only compared to what we have been doing and the way Panetto is talking.

Look at the objective evidence of the past three wars. Vietnam, we left with our tail between our legs. Ten years and a waste. In a thumbnail view, they solved it on their own. The great strategy of the domino theory was so much bullshit. IRAQ. All we got out of that was a dead Hussein and lost American soldiers. Just a day or two ago, close to a hundred Iraqis killed.

And, for goodness sakes, don't listen to the generals on Iraq or Afghanistan. They have to share some of the blame for our misadventure into Iraq, especially, where we don't even get a break on Iraqi oil. (The only general that kicked the traces on the invasion of Iraq was Shinsik)i. They in essence fired him. And, Afghanistan is a f..king mess by any standards and the only people who say otherwise are the generals and State Department.

It is insane to continue our present strategy. We simply cannot afford it. And, what is equally disturbing to me is the lack of interest in our foreign policy which often involves troops. I heard one of the Republicans criticizing the President for his military cut-backs while singing the tune of a strong military. His audience applauds and why not; He's talking to people who have no "skin" in the game. We have no draft, other people's children are fighting our wars (Romney, for instance, has no military experience and doubt that his 5 sons have served). Here's why Ron Paul is a possibility. His overall strategy wouldn't fly. Simply, couldn't pull it off but he might be able to do enough to move us to a sensible and sustainable position. It is worth looking at. Any possibility that it might happen? F..k no, the American electorate by in large is a selfish entity with only one mantra, "how does this affect me?"

The Only One On This Crowd With Any Real Moxie Is Ron Paul

2012-01-05T16:55:00.000-08:00

I am so over Iowa. What amazes me is pollsters are usually right. All this bullshit about American voter getting it right. Give me a break! Romney is a Mormon, has nothing to do with religion. It is a mentality. The f..ker will tell anybody anything to get a vote. Some "right winger" wants to do away with public TV, Romney got it. Santorum is a bigoted Catholic, wants women back in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. And, of course, Ron Paul. I admit that I like his ideas on foreign policy. Time to reassess. These two wars probably haven't taught us s..t like Vietnam didn't. And, time to say again: I don't think it makes much difference who is president other than one thing. He can send you to war. And, I think that to have someone like George W. who let the f..king neocons like Rumsfeld and especially Cheney goad him into sending us to war is real with the Republicans. Go figure. All we have gotten out of either war is dead young Americans and costs us money that we don't have. So, Ron is right but he can't win but I hope he stays in to remind us what a foreign policy could be. So Iowa, God bless you and go away.

LET'S CUT OUT THE BULLSHIT

2012-01-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

"F..k up a two car funeral precession" is a good Army expression. It aptly rightly to the U.S. handling of many things. Mostly it is the bureaucracy surrounding an attempt to get something done. In this case, it has to do with those Iraqis that helped us in our ill advised adventure into Iraqi. Regardless of how one feels: the utter stupidity and lunacy of many decisions made after the invasion or the lies that got us there. The sad fact, from all appearances, is that our efforts in Iraq were totally worthless. (Don't be waiting for anybody in government to admit it). Iraq is already sinking into sectarian violence. The democratic process has fallen apart. The "Hoo Rahs" that we are gone: the invaders, the occupiers. All over we hope for us but cleaning up some of our mess remains.

We have to deal with the reality of what is. In our strategy of prosecuting the war, many Iraqis helped us and we owe them some sort of allegiance. Helping those who helped us is a big priority or ought to be. Getting them out of country NOW is paramount. They will be killed. The State Dept appears to be dragging their feet. Beauracracy. Why not do what we did with the Vietnamese and have a massive airlift and sort it out when they are out of danger. Taking a chance? On what? The risk is only right.

WAS IT WORTH IT

2011-12-31T07:01:00.000-08:00

All this week, it seems that the various news programs have interviewed soldiers back from Iraq with the question, "Was it worth it?" What do we expect them to say? Soldiers at war have to believe that what they are doing is the "right" thing. It is in the psyche of most soldiers. One story dealt with a small town where several soldiers from a National Guard Unit had died. Sad.

Was it worth it? We can't asked the soldiers NOW! They are too close to it. When I was in Vietnam, I supported the war. I had too. How else could I look at it. Seeing my buddies die, the ravages of war. How could I not say we were justified/doing good. Give me a break! Now, way down the road and many years before even, I can say assuredly, the sacrifices of Vietnam were for nothing. It was a sorry war, almost as ill conceived as Iraq. And, worst of all, the sorry MFers, the powers that be, didn't learn s..t from Vietnam. In a way, I will have to say this for LBJ, he kind of "got" how he had f..ked up in the end: no second term. Nixon is the real culprit. When he promised to get us out of Vietnam, we only had a few thousand lost to that sorry ass war. By the time he resigned, 58,000 plus had given their lives for s..t. Was Vietnam worth it. F..k NO. Was Iraq worth? F..k NO!

TIRED OF IOWA

2011-12-31T07:00:00.001-08:00

I am so tired of the Repubican bullshit stuff. It is the same old song, with the the pccasional exception of Perry. He at least can have some novel ideas. Ron Paul, he ought to be hauling his Grandkids around. Newt has bit the dust based on his ethical lapses where money rules. The only colorful one was Herm Cain who had gotten it on with most women in America. Rick Perry's idea of a part time congress. Reduce their salary. Now, that resonates. Why it doesn't appeal to voters is beyond me Mitt Romney is a bigtime 1%er and is constantly checking the direction of the wond and would tell anybody what they wanted to hear. Once he's got the vote, he wouldn't give you the time of day. How does the Iowa voter not get it.
Most of the hardcore Iowa Republicans appear to be idealogue zeolots and are f..king non thinkers (softening this) in my opinion anyway. And, what I also think is that those who follow someone like Ron Paul somehow don't grasp that he is so far out of the mainstream that he's dangerous. Plus, they are surrounded by people who think like themselves. What the f..k is this anyway.

PFC MANNING

2011-12-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

PFC Manning is a soldier, bigtime stupid but not dumb. He doesn't need to be treated like some treasonest paragon. If I have been disappointed with the President in anything, it is in areas like this. I can't believe that in his heart he wants to take this heavy handed approach to this stupid young soldier. Manning is a PFC. Do you know what a PFC is? He is a f..king private: at the lowest rank of our military system. (E1-a recruit, E2-finished basic training-E3, breathing, sometimes given E3 based on civilian education and has to do with pay). I say again, as a soldier, he gets the PFC rank for breathing. Manning as a PFC (private first class) would be invisible. Comparatively speaking, in the civilian world, a mail room clerk in a giant corporation would be way above a PFC. Are you getting the picture here? It is just the military system.
The very idea that we would allow Manning or any "Private" access to important material is unfathomable. It is like a parent giving the car keys to a 12 year old. There is no way that he should have been able to see classified documents. Where the f..k is the "calling into account" those who put this temptation in his path.

Manning is a smart, twenty something, disgruntled, shown no respect, so? The military has spent lots of taxpayer money on his education. The issue in a real sense isn't Manning, it is a piss poor system that puts us in this position.

I haven't seen where the leaks have hurt. Cost lives? If that is the case, from the media, I haven't seen it. For instance, Afghanistan is so f..ked up, I don't see where anything we do or don't do makes a difference, surely not leaked documents. We don't even know who the f..k is on whose side.

Manning is a young, troubled soul obviously. A Private First Class in a military that hardly allows his existence, other than scut work. His work is probably listening for radio traffic, maybe seeing some block of info but most of the time he is cooling his heels. He is obviously unsupervised, much like the Americans who so screwed up at Abu Garib. The American military has a strict chain of command and with Manning, somebody was asleep at the wheel.

My suspicion is that by taking a heavy handed approach means that the President is listening to the military or other bureaucrats. Plain and simple, Manning should not have had assess to important documents. He is a Private.

Those at the top of the military are "rule followers" by in large who wouldn't know a creative approach to PFC Manning if it ran over them. An article 32 investigation is a joke. Sure he did it. The investigation will produce a court martial. Any military type who has been around will tell you about court martials: there is a common refrain: Bring the guilty bastard in. Give me a break!

The whole classified bullshit is also a joke. The military, when they don't want to do something says, "classified." This is time for the President to weigh in. Manning is a misguided, young twenty something who easily should be on Castro Street in San Francisco and not in the military--probably joined as it was about his only option. Based on his initial public appearance, it is going to be a circus: civil rights, 1st Amendment BS, all will make us look bad. Work out a deal: prison time which should be time served, give him a General discharge, which probably means nothing to Manning but the traditionalists would like it; fine him, announce you are assigning responsibility to those who should have been supervising him. The big thing is end it. Move on. Don't have a circus. Don't listen to those who want a heavy hand. Any parent with kids understand this. Let's treat him like we would any Private: kick his ass and move on! Next Case.

MILITARY ACADEMIES

2011-12-15T09:08:00.001-08:00

Talk about a spirited contest, the Army/ Navy football game. Both sides' stadiums full. Even the Prez showed up. For American style football, this isn't much. No powerhouses with the Academies. The military academies and most everybody who cogitates their navels about sports gets why. Really big football prospects aren't going to the academies, mainly because they have a military commitment of mostly five years waiting for them. Thus ending any desires for a professional sports career.

There was a time that the Academies were competitive. When? We had the draft. Young men figured they were going to serve anyway, why not get a good education? For free no less. Do we think that Milt Friedman and the then SecDef, Melvin Laird, who sold us a bill of goods, thought of those unintended consequences?

I always look at the academies a little differently than most. First of all, this worshipful attitude toward them needs to be put in perspective. These kids' education is no small thing--a million bucks a pop. And, there's other stuff, they do get a stipend, maybe a few other bennies. The flip side of the coin is that going to one of the Academies is no cake walk. It is hard: field problems, restrictions, other things that some non academy types like myself don't even know. I can tell you this though. We don't need all these separate academies. One is sufficient and certain curriculum could be tailored to individual services. Consolidating the Academies, like so many things in government, could save billions of dollars. Think any congressman would have the "balls" to even suggest such a thing. We are talking WW3. The military lobby would be in "hell raising" political posture before you could say, "at ease."

ARMY's FEEL GOOD PROGRAM

2011-12-15T09:06:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday's NewsHour, Betty Ann Bowser profiled a new Army program called, "The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness" program. Get this, the Army gave this guy from the University Of PA a "no bid" contract of 32 mil to develop this program. When I saw it, I thought, you have got to be s..ting me.

Think about this. The powers that be have "played" the soldier card. Who does not want to help soldiers but some hardened combat vet is not about to sit in some class and be told, "be positive, you will be OK." Bullshit.

Its goal is to boost the mental toughness of soldiers. Teaching them how to better communicate with loved ones, become more aware of their emotions and change the way they cope with emotional stress. Good goals and the Army BS hopes to reverse the number of troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and suicide. Bullshit, a "feel good" class ain't going to do it.

This all sounds worthy until you grasp that we have/had programs like this out the "gazoo:" doctors, psychologists, chaplains, shrinks, social workers, etc who are already doing and running programs like this. And, it appears that the guy who sold this program to the Army has made liberal use of psychotherapist, Albert Ellis. Ellis theory of Rational Emotive Therapy was basically founded around the idea, "it's not what happens to you thats the problem but how you look at it." The more I think about this, the more it appears collusion stupidity might be involved. A "no bid" contract, no coordination with other Army programs and skeptics from other disciplines outside the military that are working on the same thing. With us focusing on the deficit where in California, for instance, we are doing away with school busses and the Army is pending 32 mil for our soldiers to feel good. F..kkkkkk

CONSOLIDATE THE MILITARY ACADEMIES

2011-12-13T09:45:00.000-08:00

The Prez On Sixty Minutes

2011-12-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

Sixty Minutes is one of my favorite TV programs. I find the stories penetrating and mostly relevant. I don't care much for the celebrity interviews but nothing is perfect. Sunday night, Steve Kraft interviewed the President. I don't get it for one thing: why the president would subject himself to the media that mostly are interested in a story and not the truth. I guess the Sixty Minutes format is the best. Steve did a pretty good job, he's no Mike Wallace which in my opinion is mostly good, no softballs and a little more gentle that I like --the President was candid, answered the questions directly. But, I still don't get it. You can't convince people who have their minds made up. And, let's face it, most Americans were watching a ballgame or some reality show. Give me a break. In fact we went to a dinner party of about a dozen recently. I did my own little survey: "any of you watch Sixty Minutes Sunday night? Zero, zilch, none.

And, what the f..k is it with these polls? Nobody ever polls me. How a question is asked probably determines how it's answered. F..kkkk; still 73% disapprove of the way he's handling the economy says the survey. If it were me, I would give them the finger. What the hell do they think the president is: a magician. The guy inherited a f..king mess anyway you look at it.

I think he has been a good president. I don't notice Americans out here sacrificing by in large; every seat in athletic stadiums are filled, every plane full, the roads are filled with cars. Yeah, I know there are people out of work and his illustration of the pilot of the ship in stormy weather strikes true. Fuck yes? Some people are unhappy but I don't see where the president can get the blame.

The Republicans are this bunch of recalcitrant buffoons, sure; but the ones that tick me off as well are the non thinking Democrats or Independents. Where the hell do you think you are going to go: to the Republicans who haven't had an original idea in the last ten years.

I thought the real telling comment of the President on Sixty Minutes was his reality check:he said something like. "the Republicans have supported most of the legislation I've proposed in the past. However in the present climate in Washington, attach my name to it and the Republicans only know NO!!!!"

Homeless Kids

2011-12-06T09:40:00.001-08:00

This will make you happy. Scott Pelly just announced that those two kids from his show on homeless kids who live in a truck with their dad have both been given a full scholarship to Stetson University. She is the girl who was so well spoken. Remember? Great news!

The above is the text my wife sent me when I had lamented about these homeless kids. In essense, my thinking is that there will be much more for these kids and others like them. Americans are generous by nature has always been my contention. I, like much of America, was taken by the two kids living in a truck with their father. Good for Stetson for being on the ball like this. Plus in our news media world what great publicity for them. I notice that Scott Pelly is leaning up next to their truck with the GMC emblem. Apparently GMC, at least as far as we know, is asleep at the wheel as they are not giving this family a new truck. O,r better still, give the dad a job.

BATTLE OF WANAT

2011-12-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

The "power of grief" is probably our most potent emotion. I was reminded of that, which I already knew, recently through an article in Vanity Fair about a young Lt killed in an isolated outpost in Afghanistan and a father's grief which almost succeeded in tarnishing everybody that a sorry war touched. The story is too involved to recount and establishing blame is such a subjective thing. The only other grief so palpable that I've seen of late, related to the same sorry war is Pat Tillman. In both cases, the grief drives everything. The sad thing and bottom line to use that overworked term, is that grief is simply

I recently read a long article from Vanity Fair. Took me three days to read it as it was so dense with facts and description. Great writing. It demostrated again the "power of grief" which is probably our most potent emotion.The article was about a young Lieutenant killed in an isolated outpost in Afghanistan and a father's grief which almost succeeded in tarnishing everybody that a sorry war touched. The story is too involved to recount and establishing blame is such a subjective thing. The only other grief so palpable that I've read about of late, related to the same sorry war, is Pat Tillman's family. This putcome is much better than the Tillman one. (To me, the Tillman family never really got their due as it somewhat ended in a congressional embarrassment with them bowing and scraping to the generals and a few others, even Rumsfeld if I remember correctly). The "power of grief" is probably our most potent emotion. I was reminded of that, which I already knew, recently through an article in Vanity Fair about a young Lt killed in an isolated outpost in Afghanistan and a father's grief which almost succeeded in tarnishing everybody that a sorry war touched. The story is too involved to recount and establishing blame is such a subjective thing. The only other grief so palpable that I've seen of late, related to the same sorry war is Pat Tillman. In both cases, the grief drives everything. The sad thing and bottom line to use that overworked term, is that grief is simply

I recently read a long article from Vanity Fair. Took me three days to read it as it was so dense with facts and description. Great writing. It demostrated again the "power of grief" which is probably our most potent emotion.The article was about a young Lieutenant killed in an isolated outpost in Afghanistan and a father's grief which almost succeeded in tarnishing everybody that a sorry war touched. The story is too involved to recount and establishing blame is such a subjective thing. The only other grief so palpable that I've read about of late, related to the same sorry war, is Pat Tillman's family. This putcome is much better than the Tillman one. (To me, the Tillman family never really got their due as it somewhat ended in a congressional embarrassment with them bowing and scraping to the generals and a few others, even Rumsfeld if I remember correctly).
In both cases, the grief drives everything. The sad thing and bottom line, to use that overworked term, is that sometimes grief is simply a debilitating emotion that turns into anger. Very sad unless it helps the grieving along their path of recovery or something related. Doubt there is ever complete healing. And, the article is another example of what a fast train to nowhere is Afghanistan. (just today, over 50 killed by suicide bombers) A mess.

The battle of Wanat (subject of article) was a disaster and the blame has to go to the generals who sit back and make these inane strategy decisions like young LTs who hardly know what end is up sitting down with what we would call "village chiefs" and who are probably involved with the enemy anyway. It is idiocy at the highest levels. Hurts my heart. The command structure above expected way too much, gave them inadequate support, and simply ignored some of the basic survival rules of war.

In the final analysis, after the battalion commander, company commander were reprimanded, signed off on by guys like Praetreus, the special investigator, in the face of enormous opposition, reversed the findings with a partial analysis which I totally agree with: in combat anything can happen and Monday morning quarterbacking can never measure up to what a firefight truly means. I had read about it before but not with this depth.

In both cases, the grief drives everything. The sad thing and bottom line, to use that overworked term, is that sometimes grief is simply a debilitating emotion that turns intoY anger. Very sad unless it helps the grieving along their path of recovery or something related. Doubt there is ever complete healing. And, the article is another example of what a fast train to nowhere is Afghanistan. (just today, over 50 killed by suicide bombers) A mess.

The battle of Wanat (subject of article) was a disaster and the blame has to go to the generals who sit back and make these inane strategy decisions like young LTs who hardly know what end is up sitting down with what we would call "village chiefs" and who are probably involved with the enemy anyway. It is idiocy at the highest levels. Hurts my heart. The command structure above expected way too much, gave them inadequate support, and simply ignored some of the basic survival rules of war.

In the final analysis, after the battalion commander, company commander were reprimanded, signed off on by guys like Praetreus, the special investigator, in the face of enormous opposition, reversed the findings with a partial analysis which I totally agree with: in combat anything can happen and Monday morning quarterbacking can never measure up to what a firefight truly means. I had read about it before but not with this depth.

AMERICA COMES THROUGH

2011-12-04T06:52:00.000-08:00

OCCUPY WALL STREET AND VIETNAM VETS

2011-12-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

What never ceases to amaze me is the often unexpected analysis of life. An example: When Vietnam vets returned from Vietnam, a sorry war, but one in which young Americans, many draftees even, were sent by their country. They went, did their duty and returned home. Not as returning heroes but victims blamed for a war where they merely did what the country asked them to do. Relatively speaking, vets were silent for about ten years.

Now, I see some real affinity with the "Occupy Wall Street" movement and returning Vietnam vets. The OWS movement is out there legitimately assembling, attempting to bring attention to the inequities in our culture and thievery of Wall Street. The OWS participants are alienated from much of society, even as Vietnam vets were. Now, often, they have become objects of derision just like Vietnam vets. Cities are treated them as the enemy. They are not being supported visibly by Americans who themselves are in the 99%. What the f..k! The Cities are using those old excuses of safety and security to break up their camps. We've all seen the pepper spray, etc, those authorities and others who tepidly support them mainly now want them gone. Occupy Wall Street has become a movement. They are not going away like Vietnam vets did. And, to those who don't support them, I say, f..k you very much! More power to OWS!

HOMELESS KIDS

2011-11-30T06:06:00.001-08:00

My heart is hurting. After watching the 60 Minutes program on homeless kids in Florida, I was so so sad. To think that we have these kids who have no place to lay their heads, other than a truck, a car, and if they are lucky, a dingy motel. Heart Breaking. Philosophically, we know that people (adults) often make decisions which may bring them to where they are. Or, they find themselves where they are through no fault of their own. But, the bottom line is kids ought be playing ball, shooting marbles, playing with friends, drawing pictures, Barbees; whatever kids do now days, not worrying about their safety, living in cars, motels. What in the hell is this? "Sixty Minutes" profiled several but two stuck out. The Metzgers: dad, an out of work carpenter, Mom dead. Their uncertainty in living the life they had too was simply overwhelming. The attitude of these kids--the cute little daughter wants to be a lawyer, serious, had ambitions and an incredibly positive attitude. What the hay, I wanted to run out and adopt them. If some wealthy American who has big bucks and doesn't get on this, I am going to not only be disappointed but reinforced in the idea that we have become greedy sorry MFers. Most of our kids and Grandkids should be so aware as this youngster, saying something like, "it isn't so bad, education is everything to us." She was born "forty years old." Her younger brother is not far behind in attitude. Don't disappoint me America. We made black Friday the biggest shopping spree in history, the least we can do is get a home for the Metzgers and get him a job. And then there was this African American family. Super attitude too. I wish so many of these f..king racists, mostly Republicans, could see this family: guy finally gets a job hustling around trash cans. His comment: "so happy just to have a job."

THE CHANGE I BELIEVE IN

2011-11-29T07:08:00.000-08:00

I've never heard of Katrina Vanden Heuvel but she is speaking my language. Her book, "The Change I Believe In," is one I'm going to believe in. She has the best critique of the President I've read. Some disappointment but a realization that he is at heart, a "reform president domestically, committed to improving people's lives and to the renewal and reconstruction of America." I believe that and have viewed the president as discovering the running of a country is a hell of a lot different than campaigning. He has tried to reach out to Republicans and they have chew his hand off. Here's where he could have taken a note from Hillary. She never doubted the Republicans hated her and that good will was as illusive as a "straight" man in San Fran's Castro. The president would have served himself and us better if from the beginning he had said, "f..k you very much."

Vanden Heuvel's outlook is a little different from mine. But not much. Where she is somewhat tempered in her view, I am less so. For me, the Republicans have been a recalcitrant bunch of sorry MFers who, with their racist views, announced from day one that they had only one goal: bring down the President. The choir was led by Mitch McConnell, a KY racist who is minority leader of the Senate. In fact, the f..ker announced it publically--One goal, defeat the president. She mentions but a little too academic and not forceful enough for my taste that Democrats, which she spells with a "little d" need more patience. My idea: listen you sorry ass Dems of any label, left wing, right wing, moderate, progressive, where the f..k are you going to go, you sure as hell better wake up and smell the roses or you are going to wake up one morning and the roses will be replaced by some big ass self interest that the Repubs have dreamed up.

The description of Vanden Heuvel's book sounds more than promising. I'm not quite as optimistic. But, then again, I don't know s..t! Greed is going to have to be overcome and that is a hell of a proposition.

GREED

2011-11-27T22:02:00.000-08:00

My good friend and his wife met me at this little cafe in North Beach in
San Fran. His wife and I talked a little politics until she said, "I don't want to talk about it anymore." She is a right wing Republican. I am always simply amazed at how this happens: a smart intelligent person in today's environment who has bought into the bullshit of mostly the Republicans that all our social programs have to be dismantled to solve our problems. Beats the hell out of me how people get this way. Forget the BS of Repubs and Demos, just think of the 25 million kids who are homeless. This is scandalous considering the wealth of this country. These f..king idealogical positions will not fill a stomach. Politics is not for s..t but it is what we have and we can do better. Unfortunately, I have little faith that we will. As a country we are just too damn greedy.

MICHELLE BACHMAN

2011-11-27T06:07:00.000-08:00

Listening to Michelle Bachman interviewed by Robert Segal on NPR, my first reaction is, "you've got to be s..ting me. She has written a book. Probably the "Tea Partiers" will run out and scarf it up. F..king non thinkers. I have lots of thoughts but here is the basic one by way of illustration. Stay with me now: These old guys I hang out with use to go to this little restaurant where we got to know our little waitress. We bonded. She was cute as a bug, spoke English really well. We generously tipped. Bought her flowers on her birthday. She was probably illegal. We really had a philosophy about immigration but it went to hell and in our often rattled minds did not apply to our little waitress. She works about three jobs, goes to school. We are proud of her. We affirm her constantly. She has a boyfriend who surely doesn't seem worthy of her. By her own admission, he has cheated on her, lied, etc. Sorry f..ker should have his arsh kicked until his nose bleeds. Here's the grand finale. One morning she announces she is 3 months pregnant. Our mouths drop open. She is happy about it. Her mother is coming from Equador to help. We are aghast. What about her college plans, her future? We are tortured. It is like our grand daughter announcing this catastrophy. What about a termination, other options. She wants none. Too Catholic. What the f..k!!!! In our view, her future goes to hell in a hand basket. What was she thinking. Fast forward back to Michell Bachman. She brags about her own five kids and the 23 foster kids she's raised--something, while laudable, makes me want to say to our little waitress and to Bachman, Why? And F..kkkk

THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. So much for which to be grateful. I am always reminded of those less fortunate Americans who, for whatever reason, find themselves suffering. But, on this Thanksgiving, Americans everywhere are helping ease the burden. My daughter is out delivering meals; there are food banks, turkeys--scores of Americans everywhere are out there on the firing line. And let's celebrate that. I am about f..king tired of the news media talking doom and gloom. Hell yeah, the world, the country have dug themselves holes but for America in particular, we might need to do a little retrenchment. Who knows! And, I for one, think it is about time, we cut out the media's negative approach to most everything. As my buddy Tino says, f..kkkk!!!!

NEWT

2011-11-24T06:00:00.001-08:00

Newt is the latest front runner for Republicans. Personally, I don't give a flying f..k who the flavor of the moment is for those mostly "half truthers." Fact checkers should have a field day with their facts just from their debates. They wouldn't know the "complete" truth if it ran over them. Unfortunately, in my thinking what makes them relevant is my lack of belief in voters. When you have only 50% of Americans who vote and you have a f..king bunch of zealots on one side whose mantra is, "don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up" and on the other, you have apathy (Democrats). Do the math. I could give a s..t less but why a president is important is the f..ker can send you to war. We are fighting one and trying to extract ourselves from the other because a President's ego became more important than American lives.

A DO OVER

2011-11-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

David Brooks on the "News Hour" the other night said that in 10 years we would be like Greece. I would like to think not but based on current things, maybe and before. We are in a f..king mess anyway you look at it. 400 super rich Americans have more that 150 million low to middle class Americans. A protest movement who, if they don't know all the answers, know they are the 99%. Congress is a f..king bunch of "do nothings" who don't give a s..t nor have to answer to anybody. And, whose fault is that. OURS. Mine and yours asshole/MFers. It is our fault. We keep voting the same people into office. They go to Washinhton and enrich themselves and then come home and act like they give a s..t. Wake up and smell the roses. What we need is a "do over." get rid of them all. Start over. It is our only chance. Will we do it? Of course not, we are stupid and we are f..ked

TEENAGE ANGST

2011-11-15T05:50:00.001-08:00

Jackie and I saw this movie last night that I thought was the best at showing the angst of teenagers that I've seen. What was absolutely amazing to me is that it was so well done, given the fact that there were no real stars in the movie. Well, Mare Willingham (I think is her name) was the only one. Kids dealing with parents who are unbeliably dysfunctional, peer pressure, drugs, suicide, etc. Check it out. Very thoughtful movie. Jackie don't like it at all.

Hope all is well.

{{{{{{{Jerry}}}}}}

CONGRESSIONAL CROOKS

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have often wondered how a person could be elected to Congress as simply an average "Joe or Jane" of average means and a few years later leave as a multimillionaire. Well, after Watching "Sixty Minutes" last night we know: INSIDER TRADING.

While stock brokers and other corporate types, many who maybe should be in jail but aren't, can and do, on occasion get caught and go to prison. But, get this: "not Congress," they aren't subject to the same laws as the rest of us on "insider trading." Consequenly, they can use insider information and trade on it and get rich and they do. Some guy and several students, I think at the Hoover Institute, did a study on Congress and who did, in fact, "line their pockets." It is appalling. Steve Kroft of "Sixty Minites" confronted several, some guy from Alabama who make beaucoup bucks on "Insider" trading. Bachus was his name. This asshole bought some sort of derivities or something which made him big bucks because the country was basically headed into a recession. I don't understand it all but he basically profited off the misfortune of the country. Sorry MFer. Most of the confronted Congressmen/women were smart and wouldn't talk to him. He nailed Nancy Pelosi in a news conference with something like, "it doesn't bother you that you have information that the general public doesn't have and can make stock purchases which enrich you." She stumbles, "I haven't done anything wrong." Oh yeah, one answer from a public source says she apparently bought $1 million to $5 million of Visa stock and then thwarte serious credit card reform for two years, and then watched her investment skyrocket 203%.
HELLO!

Pelosi is not the only one for sure. The crooks in Congress are more the rule than the exception. They always have an answer. But, here is the discouraging thing. It won't make a f..king bit of difference. It really is the voter's fault. We keep voting them in year after year. They will never produce reform because it means reforming themselves. Let's face it, our system is broken. Revelations like these keep coming but it doesn't make for s..t. Even master lobbyist and crook Jack Abramhof, just out of prison, which most Americans won't even know, when asked something like, "is Congress less corrupt now than before you went to prison for helping them be corrupt." His simple answer, "No, Congress is more corrupt." Congress can have an approval rating of zilch, total disdain by the people surveyed--doesn't make for s..t of difference. Do we think in the long run, the revelation that Nancy Pelisi that I voted for twice will make any real difference and she'll get pitched our. F ..k no.

TIDBITS

2011-11-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

I'm still blown away by these three old codgers in Georgia, charged with terrorism. These old f..kers should have been hanging out with their Grandkids. I usually try to avoid GA, SC, AL as they have more nuts than the average bear but this about takes the cake: ignorance, stupid, uneducated. 

GREECE. I am about over this. The Greeks, unti they change their culture, forget it: good old fashion graft is the name if the game. A Greek buddy of mine calls it the "small envelope and the big envelope". You want a doctor's appointment. If you can wait a couple of days, it is the small envelope. If you are really sick and need to see the doc, the big envelope, stuffed with, "guess what." Everybody knows this but nobody talks about it. Give me a f..king break! 

Afghanistan. The only people who seem to not "get it" are the generals and the Ambassador. There is no chance in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a failed state. We are stupid. There's no other way to explain it. What we are counting on at this late date isn't working. Corrupt police, tribalism, fifteen young soldiers died in one incident recently and nobody seems to give a s..t!!! 

Mississippi wants to vote on when life begins. Oh yeah, that is a worthy topic. The debate has been going on forever but some idiot politicians in MS think they know. Conception. No, A fetus may begin in the back seat of a 49 Ford Coup but it is a long stretch until birth. Here's what I think. Conception begins when the fetus can live outside the womb. 

CONDALEEZA RICE. I saw the interview on PBS. I like her and will probably leaf through her book. She, like those before, justify their decisions. Nobody ever says, I/we f..ked up. Why is this? Human nature I guess. But, Condi, you guys f..ked it up. We are leaving Iraq and what did we get out of it? Not even a "break on the oil." What in the hell ever happened to that idea that Iraqi oil was going yo pick up the tab for the war. Asked some Mom who lost her son in that sorry ass war and see what she says about all you Bushites justifying what you did. To me, it is a f..king national disgrace. 

LEAVING IRAQ

2011-10-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

LEAVING IRAQ. Does this sound like the Second Act of a bad play? If the metaphor isn't a good one, think up one on your own. Try this: leaving Vietnam after 55,000 dead with our tails between our legs. Leaving Iraq with 6000 or so dead, no telling how many civilians dead. Nothing to show for it. Vietnam based on stupidity, Gulf of Tonkin BS. Iraq, the elusive weapons of mass destruction. What on the f..k is wrong with us???

NO GREATER CALLING

2011-10-23T20:46:00.002-07:00

The very idea that I would read something by the inner circle of George W is far out. But, a memoir by Condi Rice (that I liked) maybe? I have always been stupefied why chose to hang out with lowlifes, i. e., Rumsfelt and Chaney. She has written a book, hasn't everbody associated with Bush, "No Higher Honor." Sounds different. She talks about confrontations with Chaney and Rumsfeld. Chaney, in particular, comes across simply as a mean spirited asshole which I've said often. My bitch is that he has never been in the military but had no trouble sending other people's kids to die. He could have gone to Vietnam but in his words, "had other priorities." Sorry MFer. You would think that somebody whose heart was giving out would have some heart but not so. In his book and in my opinion, he logged in most of the pages justifying his erroneous beliefs. In terms of self disclosure, I didn't read either book but read lots of reviews and excerpts from each. Condi's appears to be more honest. I'm thinking that her survival skills among f..king neanderthals must be fabulous. What she has tried to do according to the prepublicity is explain the chaotic atmosphere surrounding 9-11. I have always said about George W.--no president has had to operate in a charged environment like 9-11. It was all "seat of the pants." George W mostly f..ked it up but still, it was something no president had been through before. I'll be back with a review or comments on "No Greater Calling."

2011-10-23T20:46:00.001-07:00

RACISM REVISTED

2011-10-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

RACISM

2011-10-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I think racial. I don't think the ten chaps are so much racial as in denial. Because I talk to my brothers regularly, who are educated, successful. Three of them have this unbelievable hatred of the president. There is simply no explanation other than racism. Most southerners are chafing under the idea that they have a black man in the White House. When LBJ and group passed the cilvil rights bill and voting rights bill, he said the Democrats had lost the South for ten years. He was wrong, lost maybe forever. Well, when kids get to be adults, maybe as they've had integration, etc.

If I were a Republican, I would be ashamed that the party put self interest ahead of country. One goal, defeat Obama. If you do that, what have you gained? No jobs bill, etc. With 9 million out of work, let republicans offer something themselves. Democrats unlike the obstructionists, they would pass something. I am a Democrat but rather more of an Independent. I put the good of the country as paramount. I think because of the Republicans in Congress, our system is broken and this should concern us all.

{{{{{{{Jerry}}}}}}

On Oct 12, 2011, at 12:52 PM, "Marvin Vickers" wrote:

A great debater? Lamar you are too kind. He cannot stay on point long enough to argue a point with him. He is too busy blaming everyone but himself. Racial! Wow this is the catch all for the catch all. If you don’t agree with him or you argue a point with him then you are Racial. That basket if too full. Or as one of my favorites says, “The dog want hunt anymore.” Oh, the “favorite is black, maybe I should quote someone else so it want sound racial. Marv

From: Lamar Hunt [mailto:lamarhunt@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 3:07 PM
To: tcarter@gbhem.org; 'Bernie Windmiller'; Claude NEWBY; Northrop@centurytel.net; Ctclanton@aol.com; Dave Peterson; Don Breland; Jerry Autry; Lamar Hunt; Marvin Vickers
Subject: Racism and the President

Aw, come on, Jerry! Racial? When I listened to his "last" speech, I think, actually a news conference I was struck with how petulant the tone was, just poor me. The reality that I see is that the country chose him, wanting to have a black president, for all (most of) the good reasons, and it hasn't worked out. He is a great debater, but leading is a different task. Is the country supposed to just do anything he asks because we don’t want to appear racist? If he were white you would be all over his case.

Blessings.

Lamar

http://www.lamarhunt.net

-----Original Message-----
From: riobubba@aol.com [mailto:riobubba@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 10:13 AM
To: Lamar Hunt
Cc: ; Bernie Windmiller; Claude NEWBY; ; ; Dave Peterson; Don Breland; Lamar Hunt; Marvin Vickers
Subject: Politics

Jackie and I went to lunch Sunday with some long time friends. Actually a woman who worked with Jackie. The husband is a South African who said something I thought was prophetic. He said that he had always thought the American system of governing was the best in the world but he's changed his mind. The American system is broken. I think so.

The Repubs in general in our system is "don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up." To be honest, I don't know what it is: I actually feel badly for the President. What it appears to me is that not only does he have to contend with the recalcitrant, obstructionist Republicans who have only one goal, defeat the president and to hell with what is good for the country. And, besides that, his own party is giving him tepid support. You can't hear a news report that you don't hear some negative something about issues of leadership, etc. The other night on the PBS Newshour, Mitt Romney who is dry as shucks and will say anything to get the Republican nomination said the president has not communicated with the American people. The President is constantly trying to explain something and nobody seems to get that much of the American people don't care.

I still personally think much of it is racial.

Hatred of the President

2011-10-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

Bernie, we will never agree but the short answer that it is politics, even with democrats. Plus, and I would never expect the 10 chaps to buy this but the Democrats want to keep lots of social programs where the Repubs mainly operate with the old saw, "of my father's children, I love myself the best. If the Lord provides for me, the devil take the rest." There are plenty of places to cut the deficit, waste is everywhere.

I think Obama is too smart to be president. He is an ENTJ on the Myers Briggs and he loves to negotiate, get ideas. In many ways he has followed many of George W'
issues on terrorism, etc.

I do think he's vulnerable because most of the American electorate is stupid. Many of the Hispanics and blacks and even the poor who helped put himself into office and are disenchanted will probably not vote and consequently vote by not voting and go against their own interests.

Plus, one thing that the President has failed to do is constantly remind Americans who care and not all do, is that he inherited the worst economy since the great depression. Bush still had 18 months to go with the first bailout. And, two wars, let us not forget. And the stupidity of many saying that he has had 3 years to work it out is imbesilic at best. Those like Lamar refuse to believe it is rasist but the intense hatred toward Obama leaves no other explanation.

Herman Cain For President

2011-10-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

Herman Cain for president! Talk about a guy that you need to ask, "what have you been smoking?" Cain is one. The racist Republicans would nominate a black man for president? You have got to be s..ting me. I like Cain but he's got to be smarter than that. He's funny, to the point and I especially like his 999 plan. But, he has about as much chance of getting the nomination as a snowball in hell. Think about it: the Republican Party, mostly white men, right wing Christian fundamentalists whose take on the Christian Bible is the worst sort of distortion; southern bigots whose IQs top off in the mid double digits. And, as a "party" have dedicated themselves to defeating the President at the expense of the country. Give me a break. Mitch McConnell from KY should be the nominee: sullen, hateful, an overall a'hole! Please!

Well, Cain, won the Florida straw poll, whatever the hell that is. Florida, the state that put George W in the White House. They sure as hell ought to be proud of that! Here's what I think. Cain is like a general in the army. He begins to believe the press or the "yes men" around him. The reality, Herman, order a pepparoni pizza and drink a six pack and call it a night.

Southern Baptists and the LDS Church

2011-10-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

When I was a seminary student, I use to listen to Dr Criswell of the First Baptist Church in Dallas I was a farm boy "called," as we said in those days, to the ministry. Our world was very narrow and simple. Dr Criswell (every preacher of a big church is a "Dr" of something) had a megachurch before we knew what a megachurch was. His only real rival in Southern Baptists' circles, in those days was Robert G Lee who also had a megachurch, can't remember where. Dr Lee preached a firery brand of Christianity and his famous sermon was "Payday Someday," a very fundamentalist view of hell. "You were a sinner hanging over the fires of hell by a string. If you dod't repent and give your life to Jesus, 'your ass is grass.' " I would get fired up. The big difference in then and now is politics. It is very hard to really equate the differences. During Dr Criswell and Lee's time, they didn't have all the media. Now, most of these preaches are media stars with egos as big as the outdoors. They are about as far removed from what Jesis taught and how He lived as they can possibly be. By in large, they are f..king hypocrites. An example, Robert Jeffress, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Dallas ( Dr Criswell's old church) was introducing Rick Perry as "a committed follower of Christ." Perry thanked him, and said Jeffress had "hit it out of the park." Afterwards, Jeffress told reporters that Perry's rival for the Repub presidential nomination, Mitt Romney, was "not a Christian" and that Mormonism is a "cult." Now, does he really believe that bullshit. Probably not. He's trying to continue to take care of his ego needs by being controversial. My view anyway. What is it about Mormonism that sparks such concern among evangelical Christians, a critical bloc of voters in the Republican party. Mormons rely on the Book of Mormon as a text and give it equal weight with the Bible. So do the Catholics rely on Canon Law as they call it. Why don't Jeffress and his crowd nail their ass. Both Catholics and Mormons deviate from the Jesus Christ who is portrayed in the Bible. I think that the Mormons (LDS, Latter Day Saints) are an easy target and it is all politics anyway. The people who are going to pay those like Jeffress any attention anyway are the crowd he already has. So, he's preaching to the choir but my opinion which no one gives a s..t about,"pastor J, f..k you very much."

BUMPER STICKERS WON'T HACK IT

2011-10-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

This is Fleet Week in San Francisco. This cracks me up every year. First of all, there's no Navy around anywhere, plus San Fran has traditionally been hostile to the military. Ask any Vietnam vet and he or she has a war story. One of my buddies tells the story of a fellow vet crossing the street and this hippy looking type, long hair, a bath in the last millinium comes up beside him and says looking at the hook where the hand had been. "What happened to your arm, man?"
"Got it blown off in Vietnam."
"Serves you right." He should have killed the MFer and left him bleeding in the street.

This speaks to a new survey by the Pew Research folk where they surveyed over 4000 vets and determined that vets had a greater sense of patriotism than the public at large. DUD!

The American public at large doesn't give a f..k about those serving. This is more pholosophical than real and may sound harsh but based on the fact that you have a half of one percent of eligible Americans who serve, what conclusion can be drawn.

We're in two "sorry" wars, just as Vietnam was: soldiers just did their duty and years later, we wrestled with what it all meant. At least now, on an overt level, Americans give lip service, support the troops bumper stickers, recognition at sporting events. So...let's accept. God bless the troops!

GIVE THE PREZ SOME SLACK

2011-10-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

I am getting f..king tired of listening to all this bullshit of bashing the President by the nonthinking Repubs. And, I might add, I've been tired of the rhetoric for some time. It is "don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up." I actually feel badly for the President and have for some time. What it appears to me is that not only does he have to contend with the recalcitrant, obstructionist Republicans who have only one goal, "defeat the president and to hell with what is good for the country." And, besides that, his own party is giving him tepid support. You can't listen to a news report that you don't hear some negative something about issues of leadership, etc. Last night on the PBS Newshour, Mitt Romney who is dry as shucks and will say anything to get the Republican nomination said the president has not communicated with the American people. The President is constantly trying to explain something and nobody seems to "get" that much of the American people don't give a rat's behind. But, I'm telling you right now, "the Democrats better wake their ass up. The Republican base is mostly ignorant/stupid, and will constantly vote against their own interests. As a Democrat, you don't like the president, so what do you want, Bachman, Cain, Perry, Romnie. Wake up and smell the roses. Think Alabama. They haven't had an original thought since they join the Union.

WE MEANT WELL

2011-09-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

Peter Ban Buren's book, "WE MEANT WELL: How I Helped Lose the War for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People" is reminiscent of Vietnam in a sense. MAINLY IN BEING STUPID!

I heard this Van Buren interviewed on NPR. I'm going to buy the book. Sounds like some good stories, telling us what we already know: we f..ked up big time in Iraq in involving ourselves and once we realize we've f..ked up, we compound it by being stupid.

I always asked myself, "why would a guy like Van Buren write such a book. I surely can't answer for him but think it is out of frustration. He has witnessed all this stupidity and wants to record it andsyne even have something to say in stopping it. Talk about p...ing in the wind. Forget it...

And, the same sort of idiocy continues in Iraq and bigtime in Afghanistan even today. For Van Buren the "powers that be" didn't appear to give a s..t as he admits that he fell in line too with being stupid.

As a "midget" in the great scheme of things, what is utterly discouraging to me is that "tell all" books like Van Buren's, which should serve as some sort of "lessons learned" don't matter for "s..t." In Vietnam, we would take a piece of ground, give it up. Then we tried Vietnimization, win the hearts and minds of the people (does that sound familiar). The next thing was "body count." The soldiers realized it was bullshit but kept on doing it. Now, of course, as we are still into two wars with less than dubious results and this is saying it mildly as we still continue to be stupid, stupid, stupid.

WHAT BIBLE

2011-09-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

The style section of the "NYT" did a story about this former rocker and right wing fundamentalist preacher, Bradlee Dean. He has a Christian rap band, and a youth ministry. Michele Bachmann is a fan. If that wasn't enough to immediately dismiss him, his "way out" views are enough. He has arms full of tattoos with Biblical references. I could call him a "crazy" but he's smart like a fox: DVDs, books, an industry himself. If these guys do good and positive, I don't give a f..K but what I do object to is misquoting and prooftexting (pulling out a phrase or sentence, totally taken out of context) the Bible to propagate their erroneous and misguided views.

What Bible are they using? In any sort of reading about the life of Jesus, this "way out, hate propaganda" is simply not only erroneous but a downright lie. And Bradlee and Bachmann's views would be an anathema to Jesus who lived a life of tolerance, love, self sacrifice. Don't believe me, read the Bible yourself. Go to the very beginning of the New Testament and read, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Read what Jesus did and said. You don't have to depend on what some preacher, me, anybody says, go to the source. THE BIBLE.

DOING THE RIGHT THING

2011-09-24T06:49:00.001-07:00

Politics by it's very nature is at best compromise and at worst, corruptive. Most of us Americans who "think" and have a smidged of faith in the process keep hoping that we'll see something truly unusual in the President. I remain a supporter as I think as politicians go, he has "given at the office," meaning really tried to be the president of all the people. However, governing is different than campaigning and in his case even though supportive, I see politics and re-election intruding more and more.

What I want is to see the President "rising above it all. Doing the right thing." To hell with his advisors, the political process, his own conciliatory nature and simply as my dad would say, "do what's right."

I think the Palestinian statehood at the UN may be one of those times where the President has a chance to do the right thing and f..k the politics. As a country, we are always going to support and defend Israel. To my Dad, it was a Biblical thing. Very complicated that he couldn't explain but would roughly say, "don't f..k with the Jews or God will get you." But, let's face it everybody needs a home and a country. Come on! What in the f..k is the big deal other than politics. Politicians can explain why Palestine can't be a country but it doesn't really hold water. It may even sound naive but what real difference would it make? None in the big picture from my perspective as I don't know s..t but I do know what it means to "do the right thing."

I don't even know who the hell the Jewish lobby is but obviously they wield lots of influence--however, this might be a case where the President "rolls the dice" and says, "I'm doing the right thing, f..k you very much."

RECALCITRANT, OBSTRUCTIONIST REPUBLICANS

2011-09-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

The country is in the preverbal mess. The Republicans are a recalcitrant bunch of obstructionists and the Democrats can't get their stuff together. What gets me is that so many Americans who depend on the social programs that the Democrats are mainly responsible responsible for, i. e., social security, medicare, continue to be misguided in my view and vote against their own interests. I don't get how they can be blinded. Crazy. Do we think for a moment that the poor people in Texas, if they truly understood what Rick Perry sood for, would vote for him. Or, if any American who used their brain could possibly see a country created by Michelle Bachman could possibly support what she stands for. Please!

DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL ENDS TODAY

2011-09-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

I support it but if for a minute we think
it's going to be easy, I have to asked, "What have you been smoking?" Overall, my faith in soldiers makes me want to think they will deal with it just fine. In a sense, it is hard to know. It isn't like racism or related social issues. This has to do with the "verboten" subject of sex. The leadership calls it "sexual orientation" as though this handles it. Bullshit! A propensity to be interested in a same sex is basic theory and it would be like GIs being typical males flirting with girls, whatever. But, we dealing with long standing prejudices fueled by a culture trying to come to grips with a different set of values. Technically, it is sexual attraction, just so happens, it is same sex. Issues of showers, display of affection, deep rooted beliefs, crushes; hell, we are talking about kids here. And, then there are the religious views. Preachers who are not immune from prooftexting (taking out selected passages to prove their point) the Bible to reinforce their homophobic beliefs even though sincere.

My belief is that overall, soldiers will get past this. I liken it to homophobia in general. Let me give you this example: A soldier will have all these macho/homophobic beliefs and suddenly, he meets a guy who is gay. They become friends. The heteresextual/homophobic, all of a sudden, these feelings go out the door. It happens. I have dozens of war stories of my own. I met a gay Priest once who said he was attracted to me. Bullshit. Although flattered, I like women. (this is macho talk). We laughed and became great friends. He left the priesthood years later when he "came out." We are still really good friends.

My big thing is let's don't get in a state of denial more than we already are. While I think that soldiers will adapt, I don't have a clue how it is going to work. Sex is a driving force in our makeup I think. Men in particular. Think of all the men, powerful men, who have been stupid. Eric Spitzer, Arnold Swatzerneggar, this French asshole who was accused of raping the maid. Need I say more. Put any spin or psychobabble you want on it, it is the "elephant" I'n the room.

And our culture is still mired in a type of strange silence about it. Soldiers in conventional units will probably do better than the more elite units like the 82d Airborne Division, Special Forces (Green Berets) and the Special Operations units of all the services like Seal Team Six. The Marines will not have an easy time of it, you can count on it. And, then there are the movies that absolutely reflect our culture. "An Officer and a Gentleman." Richard Ghere and his fellow trainees are in formation and the tough as nails tdrill sergeant played by Louis Gossett, jr.,is hassling them. One recruit says he's from Texas. The drill Sergeant says, "the only things that come out of Texas is steers and queers." Take a look at the movie, "Full Medal Jacket" and count the number of references to "fags." Good luck and God bless.

OUTRAGED

2011-09-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

My wife walked into the kitchen where I was reading the paper and said, "every American should be outraged. On one side of the paper is an article that says students defaulting on loans, the poverty rate for kids and adults is out the roof, people are without jobs. The President has proposed a 'job's bill'. The guy is at least trying to do something. On the other side of the page is Eric Cantor saying immediately, forget it, the Republicans won't go for it." She shakes her head and walks out.

I think always, "who are these people like Cantor? Who in the f..k votes for them. And, NO, Americans are not going to be ashamed. Many don't give a s..t. And those who are bitching about Obama. Where the f..k are you going to go? And, you better think twice before you don't vote because if we can't get the Cantors and O'Connels out, it is going to be bad, bad, bad!

REPUBLICANS ARE THE TEA PARTY

2011-09-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Reading Sarah Reidy's comments about the debates of Republicans is "right on:"For years I have tried to prove that the GOP isn’t the Party of elitist, stereotypical people that lack compassion...Hearing the debate crowds go crazy over things like executions and the uninsured dying makes me sick and sad for my Party."

Sarah, let me pass this to you. The Republican Party/Tea Party is made up whites, wealthy, older Americans which is in fact the Republican party. Add angry, recalcitrant, party of no, racist.

RACISM

2011-09-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

COMMENTS FROM A TRUE SOUTHERN LADY

Have been reading excerpts from Jackie Kennedy tapes. Interesting...wonder how they will be received?? For a well educated Yankee ...she shared same views as women in "The Help" (movie) towards blacks. Funny how she had such distaste for Martin L. King... but never saw her husband in the same light. Have read before how she and all the Kennedys thought L.B.Johnson was a buffoon. But then the entire South was looked upon as Buffoon's! The movie "The Help" took place in the 1950's. & early 60's...loved the cars...when I was in high school and college ..then married. Had some black students in summer school at ECU...but didn't think anything about it. My husband was teaching in 1962-1964 and never taught a single black child. chg

RESPONSE

NBC's Brien Williams featured a few of Jackie Kennedy's thoughts last night. She definitely was not too charitable toward MLK and LBJ. Historically, I don't think even LBJ's staunchest critics can deny that his lasting imprint on America did far exceed what Kennedy could have done had he lived. LBJ gets credit for Civil Right's and Voter Act, plus Medicare.

The interesting thing now is that with LBJ as President, with this political climate, he couldn't do s..t. Just wouldn't happen. What we have now is partisan politics where the Republicans are much more interested in getting the President out of the White House than what is good for the country. And, in a round about way, LBJ is responsible for this vitriolic climate. Many of those making the loudest noise are racists just beneath the skin, i. e., most of the South, always solidly Democrat--after LBJ and the Civil Rights Act, Republican all the way and remain so today. Republicans hide behind issues like the deficit, Obamacare, etc but at the heart of it, they don't want an African American in the White House. My view anyway.

BARNEY

2011-09-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

"Barney's Version." I thought it was a comedy. Heavy, Jewish, divorce, dysfunction, dope, alcoholism. Should I go on. This is one of those movies where the one who wrote the synopsis or developed the movie trailer should have a "time out." The trailer showed Paul Giamotti leaving his very Jewish wedding (with every Jewish stereotype you can imagine), pursuiing another woman. It gives all indication it's a comedy. There is hardly a funny scene in the entire movie. It starts with a drunken dope scene in Rome with Giamonni and friends who impact his life somewhat throughout the movie.

It is a very disconnected movie, even if very heavy in every way. There's even a subplot of a supposedly murder. A downer movie but sobering too in terms of reality. For example, most marriages, need a reality check on occasion. Watching a movie like "Barney's Version" can help us look at our own marriage, i. e., "how are we doing?" And, a coup de gras: Barney descents into dementia. A guy who drinks, smokes like a chimney, personal life a mess and finally exists in a dark world inhabited only by Barney.

With a differing view, my wife says, don't see this movie unless you are already depressed.

Heroes

2011-09-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

The term heroes is mostly semantics. And, I think there is some histrionics in the idea that there is a "cult of the uniform" as the Sunday "Times" article, "An Empty Regard" suggests. I think there is another explanation why the majority of Americams express appreciation of the military. Americans who care and not all do have somehow in their psyche decided that they are never again going to treat soldiers as badly as they did Vietnam vets. As Vietnam vets of that sorry war, if we have any legacy, blaming the soldier for our misadventures will not happen again. Our own emotional well being is still tied up with that awful treatment. We not only fought in Vietnam but had another battle at home. And, those battles have persisted through recognition on health issues like Agent Orange and PTSD. For a good ten years or more, Vietnam vets were basically silent. The literature coming from us was scant and even the movies that showed up only reinforced what most Americans thought: crazed Vietnam vets who are whack jobs.

Anybody can apply any term--heroes is as good as any. Many soldiers are serving multiple tours, families barely scraping by and the soldier themselves engaged in a warfare that is lethal: deadly outposts, a srtategy that, if workable, in nation building would take years, not to mention a populace that is ambivalent, not through lack of desire but unable in taking charge of their own destiny once we're gone. The present soldier has done every single thing that has been asked of him or her and more. If that isn't heroism, I don't know what is.

Jerry Aughtry
Vietnam, class of 68-69
Sanfranjerry@gmail.com
415 515-8369

PARELLEL UNIVERSE

2011-09-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Reading an excerpt from Dick Chaney's book, "In My Time," is like visiting the Star Wars Cafe. Talk about escape from reality. I am amazed even for Cheny. I always thought the "neocons," were a routestep bunch of malcontents, whose spinning and hold on the real world is almost beyond the pale. At best, they live in a parallel universe.

My disclaimer is that I have not read the book: A couple of excerpts before I became nauseous. I did read Maureen Dowd who is left of center, of course. I love her writing. Then I read in the "right of center" Wall Street Journal a book review and a long piece by another writer. The review was fairly objective but the other writer should be on Fox News. Give me a break!

Faced with the facts, Chaney unpacks his own views where the truth and reality are strictly coincidental. Biased? Absolutely as I think Chaney can soundly be accused of being the major culprit for Iraq. Even most reasonably credible "right of center" will admit that the Iraq war was based on a lie. No, I take it back. They won't admit it but we know it's true.

Fortunately, at some point, George W. wised up but it was too late. I would sound like some West Coast Berzerkely type if I mentioned "war criminal" status for Chaney. As a very minimum, if I were a mom or dad whose son's life ended in that uncalled for war, I don't know how I would ever get over it. It was easy for Chaney to convince Bush to send kids to war as Chaney, of course, had other "priorities" and consequently didn't serve in Vietnam. How does draft-dodger sound? But, let's call it what he is: a combination spin and escape from reality. Chaney hasn't morph into it but has always been there. Don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up.

You would think that with the heart trouble, it would have softened him a bit. For most, it does. Lee Atwater, for example. He was a Republican strategist and a mean "mother" in politics--take no prisoners. When he got cancer, it changed him and before he died, he said something like, "my illness has taught me something about the nature of humanity, love, brotherhood and relationships that I never understood." chamey hasn't come to that lesson.

Putting the bad mouth on Colin Powell and Condi Rice should maybe elevate them in status. I've never been much of a fan of Colin Powell as I think he sold out, relatively speaking. It is sad to me because rarely in life does a single individual get a chance to change the course of history. Powell had his chance, I think, when he went before the UN to plead the case for invading Iraq. By his own admission, he had doubts about Iraq--he caved.

I might have to revisit the whole thing now that Chaney has dissed him. Maybe there's something I don't know. A last thing. I did read his cohart's (Rummy) book. I never got the feeling that Rumsfeld was mean spirited. Chaney, on the other hand, comes across as bitter with a few scores to settle.

BLOOD BROTHERS

2011-09-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

I believe that if this book can play a small part in insuring the American people will never again experience, in their future, a war like Vietnam, then maybe the physical and mental scars of our Vietnam veterans can, in a small way be justified. (We learned nothing from Vietnam and are mired in one war and in the other, we are trying to extract ourselves but it is highly unlikely).

Tim O'Connor, author of the book, Blood Brothers. Till Death Do Us Part

HEROES

2011-08-29T16:30:00.001-07:00

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

2011-08-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Thank you very much." When I was a teenager I use to stand in front of the mirror and practice my Elvis impression. "Thank you very much." Elvis left us way too early.

I've never been one of those celebrity worshipping types. They seek fame and when they get it, all they can do is gripe about paparazzi hounding them because they are famous. Elvis seemed a little different. Timing, lots of things, some outrageous behavior, mostly generosity if myth stands for anything. Did Elvis go to buy a Cadillac and in asking the salesman how it did on gas, only to be told that if he had to asked that question, a Cadillac was not for him. Elvis bought the entire dealership of Cadillacs to give to his friends and oh by the way, fired the salesman. Myth? Probably! But, it was Elvis and it was OK

As a junior or senior in High School, I remember with much fondness, waiting in my 52 Chevy for early morning football practice. School had not even started and my enthsiasm for practicing football was not at razor pitch. It was about this time of year, August. "Don't Be Cruel" blaring over the radio. Elvis was my psych for pushing through. Yesterday was the anniversary of his death.

TOO MUCH INFO

2011-08-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

I've never really like Mullen, the outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. It's nothing personal. A Navy weinie can't really grasp what it means to be an infantry soldier but all that BS is beside the point. What I think amounts to something akin to whale manure is the fact that watching him talk to young soldiers in Afghanistan about the debt ceiling--translated that they might not get paid was beyond the pale. What stupid MF would stand up in front of combat soldiers and talk about a subject like the debt ceiling. Damn if anybody I know would do it. Give me a break! Soldiers whose lives are on the line constantly and living from paycheck to paycheck, away from home, worried already and Mullen suggests a possible "no payday." If those bumbling idiots in Washington don't get it together, soldiers will still be paid, plain and simple.

STANDARD AND POOR ARE CLASSIC HTPOCRITES

2011-08-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

Glad you are not spending your time on Fox News. I say what I have been saying about the deficit: bringing it down with a scalpel, not an ax. In our recent history, let us not forget Bill Clinton gave us a surplus. Our system is such and this isn't my thinking but mostly democrats and the Economist magazine: our system is unique, we can relieve suffering in the immediate term, i. e., jobs with federal programs while reducing the deficit. Taxing the rich is just part of it. Guys like Warren Bufettt say, do it.

I don't think for a minute that I can out argue or convince the 10 chaps. I listen to Brien Williams and Lester every night and they are my favorites, followed by the News Hour. And, hauling the Grandkids around, I listen to NPR lots. All the news outlets do what I hate and this is something I have said before and will continue to say: In attempting to be fair, they always let their guests do their spin without correction or hard questions. Consequently the facts get obscured and those Americans who care get confused. An example: guess who was a big culprit in the housing crisis, Standard and Poor in giving AAA ratings to those who were selling subprime mortgages. And, we should listen to them.

{{{{{{{Jerry}}}}}}

REPUBLICAN RECALCITRANTS GOT WHAT THEY WANTED

2011-08-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

Since the markets have done exactly what Standard and Poor's wanted, I guess the f..king hypocrites are happy. Plus, I think NPR must be in cahoots with them, especially "Talk of the Nation." I have never in my life heard so much negativism and what I would consider pandering to the Republicans. Standard and Poor's hypocrisy started with giving Triple A ratings to crooks who brought about the disastrous economic crisis. But, I must admit, they've got a gigantic "pair" of them as they are probably laying around gloating on how finally they called it. Payback time and the investors bought it.

Who the f..k are these investors is what I want to know? The guest of "Talk" had a big article in the Sunday NY Times, also: What Happened To Obama? What the f..k! I could hardly believe this bigoted asshole got this much ink. I am probably a little too hard on him but when I saw he was from Georgia. Really. He's author of a book called The Political Brain: The role of emotion I'n deciding the fate of a nation. This f..ker is a Rwpublican spokesman if I've ever heard one. In the article in The Times, he actually criticized the president who had actually made speeches already that this guy was saying je should do.

The best thing that I heard today was a caller to "Talk" who defended the President as a possible best president in history who has had to deal with Republicans who have taken a blood oath to bring him down. I agee with one caveat: I also think much of it is racial.

DEATHS BY "HOOK"

2011-08-11T09:58:00.001-07:00

The loss of a single life in our two present wars is sad beyond words. But, the loss of this group of elite soldiers is incalculable. These guys are the best of the best. Having taken a brief (what they called it in those days, the gentleman's prefix 3 course), I can say inequitably, these guys can truly scale any building, climb any mountain. They are Superman.

With only 1% of Americans with any involvement in the two questionable wars, to be proud of these elite soldiers goes beyond what any might say. To die in a "hook" which is like flying a small house is questionable. Under any circumstances, these things are targets. I'n Vietnam, we use to say about helicopters, "any little old lady" with a WWl Springfield rifle could knock them out of the sky. And, from it appears, they were brought down by a rocket propelled grenade. Even a rebel fighter from Libya couldn't miss.

It is easy to be a Monday morning quarterback second guessing this decision but it doesn't make any sense. From what I read, everybody knew the Taliban were everywhere. Why would they take a chance? Relying on luck won't hack it. I'm not going tp say anymore. Just wait and see. For now, like any American who care, I'm just going to be sad or angry. I'm grieving.

DEATHS BY "HOOK"

2011-08-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

FAST TRAIN TO NOWHERE

2011-08-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

On an NPR program a day or so ago, a reporter went to Virginia, home of many of the Navy Seals or Special Ops troops. The reporter made a note of the lack of fanfare, no flowers, ribbons, very subdued, much like the lives of the fallen soldiers: no fanfare, speeches, just do the job. The reporter also talked to ex military, mostly retired. They were sobering in their comments about getting out of Afghanistan. What is pretty remarkable is that as a rule military people are reluctant to even give a hint that they don't support the war efforts. This is different. What any of us who care have come to realize: Afghanistan is a "fast train to nowhere." There is absolutely no area that is not f..ked up. And, the death of these soldiers make us realize it with a palpable sadness. Villagers protect the Taliban either out of fear or sympathy and in reading various analysis, the simple calculation is clear: if we stay in Afghanistan ten more years, guess where we'll be? ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

DRESS BLUES

2011-08-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

Last night on NBC news, they showed a letter from the pilot of the "hook" that went down in Afghanistan. It showed a picture of the pilot and his 10 year old son. The son was wearing a set of dress blues that obviously the dad had had made for him. It was unbelieably sad

MASS MURDERER

2011-07-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

MASS MURDERER
There is no way to explain the mass murder in Norway. It defies any kind of explanation. Right wing Christian fundamentalist. What the f..k is that!!! Crazy is the only idea I know and that doesn’t do it.

How does a rational enlightened society deal with it. Damn if I know. It is this crazy, nuts, sick: it is Timothy McVeigh, the Unabomber. The list is endless: revenge, payback, killing the sorry perpetrators. Bring back public hangings. I don’t know. How does a people deal with the mass murder of their children. It is too horrific to contemplate. For me, it makes me believe in hell. The idea that someone so evil and delusional will at least experience the torment of burning forever. I don’t usually quote the Bible because most who do, do it wrongly and out of context but I found this on an APP and it gave me comfort. (Slightly paraphrased)

“For God would not [even] spare angels that killed innocents, but would cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept there in pits of doom till the judgment.”

I am doing all I can do. Sending good thoughts and prayers. My hope for the loved ones is that their pain can at some time down the road be transformed into lasting and tangible memories of the potential of those lost. God bless all.

LETTERS

2011-07-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

death. I have been watching a program on war letters; very interesting as it covers all American conflicts. In several cases, the letter is shared and then at the end stated that the soldier had died a day or two after writing the letter. Just think of all the letters that have not been written in our current conflicts; who will save and share the email letters or phone conversations that are the common ways now of contacting loved ones and friends.

TC

SELF INTEREST TRUMPS COMMON GOOD

2011-07-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

I listened to this guy on NPR who had an essay on whether "self interests trump the common good." HELLO!!! Good commentary but this is a no brainer. Of course self interests trump the common good. And, anybody who thinks otherwise is in another galaxy I think. Example: Congress. Their self interests trump what's good for the common good. Hands down. The debt ceiling is the best example I know. Think right wing fundamentalists, i. e., the Republicans. They will take a chance on the country going down the tubes just for the "next election." Sorry MFers. And, they don't give a f..k because they know that they can spin it in such a way that it can be blamed on others.

RECALCITRENT REPUBLICANS

2011-07-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

Now here is a non conspiracy theory but just as real. And, this isn't just my view but heard it somewhere: the "debt ceiling" hadn't been a big deal up until now. One or more of the Republican lessor light zeolots seized on it and tried to tie it to their favorite theme of "reducing the deficit and don't raise taxes." To me, it is very complicated, the entire financial system, our economy: tell me the average American gets it. We don't.

Listen to the stock market, up or down, some analyst gives us some speculation. Then, the next day, it goes down or up on a view of the world. The f..king analyst comes with something else. He doesn't know s..t. Give me a break. He only knows what he thinks.

Unemployment goes up. Why? Then it goes down, the stock market goes down. Why? Some analyst claims he/she knows. It is speculation. An economy based on consumer spending. What the f..k is that: buying things we don't need. Some talking head says, "housing bubble" continues to be problem. Banks foreclose. People try to get loans. Can't. Speculators buy up houses. Banks rather foreclose that work out morgage modifications; Greece is defaulting. Italy is in trouble. We owe China. Gasoline has gone up. It goes down. I could go on and on.

Do we honestly think us average types in the "street" get this even if he/she is interested. I don't get it. And, this isn't a putdown of the "American people" that the politicians are so fond of claiming to have their best interest at heart. Bullshit.

Politicians lose perspective, reelection is the only thing that matters while they are touting their mantra: Don't raise taxes, no raising the debt limit.

Unfortunately at this time, in my view, we have to listen to those who know more than we do. Economists, even our president, God forbid. How about the Fed Chairman, (who does understand where we are). But, none of this makes any difference to a zealot who basically operates on the idea, "don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up." If I were the president, I would say to the zealots, f..k you very much and raise it on my own. I've listened to enough rhetoric to think that the constitution gives him the power to do it. What the president doesn't seem to get is that with the recalcitrant Republicans, he is not going to get them to move. They are the party of "no." They would take a chance on hurting the country in a millisecond for politics. But in some ways, I think it is much deeper. Some in the country hate the president so much that they simply have no objectivity. And, "ha", that is a revelation that they ever had any. Me biased? Hmmmmm

OUR MAN ANDY

2011-07-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

As all of us know, Andy has experienced a recurrence of his cancer. And, as he says, "I think that I have bought my final ticket." Who knows but we want to think about how to be supportive." We don't want any philosophical BS, just how to respond or not. Sometimes, there really is nothing to do but "be there."

We all know Andy pretty well. Hell, we showed up for Kathy's Memorial and Andy was in Florida. So, we just have to do the best we can as friends. Larry has really been on top of it lots, going to chow, etc. with Andy. Let's keep the squeeze on him for breakfast, etc. As it progresses, if it does, we'll just have to see. Treat him the way we always have: kick his ass for being such a curmudgeon, taking forever to order chow, bitching, being Andy. Don't treat him any different than usual. Pay attention here, this is good stuff. Amen, power in the blood, God bless or Andy's benediction: "may the God of your choice bless you." Think "next life."

In fact just thought of this and in the spirit of keeping it light, here's an idea to present to Andy.

THE RECALSITRANT REPUBLICANS

2011-07-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

My War Is Better than Your War

2011-07-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

Tom, good article even with it's
inaccuracies. Thanks for serving two
tours. Shorter deployments but more
often, I think, would be tougher. I think
there's going to be lots of comparison
and as the wars wind down, if they do,
let the fun begin. This chaplain sounds
like Curry Vaughn. Because the soldier
is in such collective favor in these
days because of overall guilt, I think,
the chaplain as well as soldiers get,
relative speaking, good support.

Based on the system, this guy better
retire, doubt he will be promoted again.
The military hardly will not see this as
weakness (depression).

What is undeniable is that the casualty
rate was gigantic in Vietnam as
compared to Afghanistan. And, the
soldiering was different but many of
the same issues. There is no such
thing in my mind, as "my war is better than your war."

2011-06-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

Friendly fire is something dreaded by soldiers. As welcome as that whizing sound of artillery over your head, equally dreaded not hearing it when you know it is supposed to be there-- oh hell a "short round." And, in Vietnam when it happened, it was routinely reported as enemy fire. Who the f..k wants to be killed by his own people--I know because I'm the FO (forward observor ) NCO (non commissioned Officer). In other words, I'm the guy who calls in the artillery. It was OJT (on the job training). Pretty simple, calculating distances, learning the language. A military artillery observer is responsible for directing artillery onto enemy positions. The artillery battery is often located miles away. I was the eyes of the gunners, calling in target locations and adjustments. We were suppose to have a lieutenant FO. I don't know why we kept losing them. The last one stepped on a booby trap on Christmas day. Bummer.

How GIs died in Vietnam sometimes takes on a weird, even if a deadly route. In fact, I heard about a guy who got hit by a "short round" while sitting on the "crapper." Wonder how that was reported? But, there is one that sticks in my mind. I had met this guy a couple of times. He was with me at Campbell with the 101st but then got a chance to go to language school. In fact, I applied to go to the same school. It was in Monterey, California on the beach I heard. Somebody told me he wasn't all that keen on it but the school was in California, so why not. I got it. Maybe he thought he could avoid Nam. Who knows! My unit wouldn't let me go anyway too valuable bullshit! Anyway, he disappeared off my radar screen and then one day I was at Camp Eagle which was the rear area for the 101st, picking up some supplies and there he was. We had a little mini reunion. He told me that he was workng with the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) as an advisor/translator and was loving it. Time was passing and it was interesting work. He must have seen the incredulous look on my face as he said, "really, we don't give them enough credit."
"Yeah," I replied, "the few times they'd been with us, they were chasing ducks or chickens for their evening meal." I acknowledged that I was probably unfair and let it drop. He wanted to get some Cs (C rations were the staples for the American GI in Vietnam)
off me as he mostly ate Vietmamese chow. I gave him a whole box. He was some kind of happy. No sweat.

And, of all things, we got the shit kicked out of us a couple of days later and to nurse our wounds, somehow mercy was bestowed and we went to Co Co beach, this little Navy supply depot where we were suppose to be pulling security. And, what the hell, I scored the first watch of the night. The commo chief gave me the call sign and frequency of this ARVN unit about a mile away. "Run a commo check," he said. "Don't want the ARVNs gettin spooked." Sure enough, as soon as I got settled in which was at the north perimeter, I checked in. I thought I recognized the voice. "Brown (not his real name), is that you?" I be damn, it was. We broke radio protocol and chatted a bit. His ARVN unit was joining up with the 101st for a couple of sweeps (This is a kind of "walking through," a general area to see if any of the enemy could be flushed out. It was mostly a waste of time).

We signed off and the next thing I knew, it was time for another radio check. I couldn't raise him. For a couple of hours, I kept trying with no luck. Finally I was relieved from duty and promptly made it to a hooch where the company was mostly bedded down. I was out like a light. The next morning came way too fast but the good news is a hot chow, courteous of the Navy, was waiting. Still wiping the sleep from my eyes, somebody said, "Hear about that poor guy whose throat got slit. He was an advisor with the ARVN. The VC (Viet Cong) slipped in and slit his throat. I bet those f..king ARVN did it and blamed it on the VC."
"Was the guy's name, Brown?"
"Yeah, Brown was his name."

I don't know why Brown's death affected me so hard. I hardly knew him but still I did know him. He was an America soldier who died an inglorious death. I was still stewing about it a couple of nights later when I was preparing to prep this little village area in our AO (area of operations). Just to the right of us was this ARVN company, maybe 500 meters or so. Brown's ARVNs who slit his throat. I was firing phosphorus, WP, willy Peter we called it. Fire for effect. I was good. Most thought I was the best FO in the battalion, maybe the Division. Try the Army. I was firing for effect. The combat assault went off without a hitch. I heard that we trapped a whole parcel of VC. High body count!

I was getting some "rays" when the Company Commander strolled over to me. "What the fuck happened last night?"
"What you mean?"
"The ARVN Company to our right took a "short round. Killed or wounded the entire headquarters section."
"Damn, what the hell."
"Don't worry about it. Things happen. Better them that us. Probably be an investigation but you know what bullshit that is."

I never heard a word. One of my buddies, Phil Woodall, the Company poet wrote a book after he left Nam. Phil said about all our buddies who died, "they may have died in vain but they lived I'n honor." And,

AFGANISTAN-No Way Out

2011-06-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

I see us in a bind on Afganistan and Iraqnam, even, which I'm not convinced we are going to get out of cleanly. It appears to me that even in Iraq, the Iraqis are being killed with impunity. (I want to keep my remarks away from politics except where necessary for clarification. I don't think it is helpful for us to couch things in terms of politics). For instance, the Republicans play to a hawkish philosophy, as I see it mainly to appear to take a position different than the Democrats, whether right or wrong or good or bad. Ordinarily as of late, the Democrats since Vietnam have somewhat stayed on the sidelines, other than Bill throwing a missile or two somewhere. But, George W with 9-11 as a backdrop got us into two wars Obama has actually been as hawkish and in some areas more. See what I mean and the above, although from my perspective, accurate, the fact is: "it is what it is."

And, unfortunately, Afghanistan is not going to be a political issue. The vast majority of Americans have "no skin" in the game and as long as the wars are not affecting them personally, not on the radar screen.

But, to me, it is a major issue because unlike politicians, I feel it is Vietnam revisited. For instance, the other night after the president's announcement, some Republican type, Rogers, I think was his name, was talking about withdrawal and how bad it was, sending a signal of being soft, etc. Very hawkish. Lindsay Graham, John McCain trying to outhawk the president who has been led down the primrose pass with ideas like, "get the job done", winning, support the troops". And, so now you have the president and generals' and the "talking heads" all painting this rosy picture of Afghanistan, "Can't give up the great progress" they say, when in fact, those of us who are out here listening to the news, reading the books, trying to find credible evidence cannot find one single thing about Afghanistan that offers any hope if we stay there a hundred years.

Where does this rosy view come from? I've thought for some time that the generals live in some parrellel universe. What they see is not what I see. Afghanistan is a country where loyalty to a village, a clan, a tribe with no sense of a central government, is simply a fact. Even if they had a president who wasn't corrupt, it wouldn't be happening. We've implemented a war philosophy of counter insurgency which is short hand for "nation building." Now, here's one thing you have to give the president, in his speech the other night he said something like "it is time for nation building in our own country."

This is a statement that really got me, "President Obama on Thursday told U.S. troops who have fought in Afghanistan that the U.S. has turned a corner after nearly 10 years of war, and it's time for their comrades still in that country to start coming home."

WHAT CORNER IS HE TALKING ABOUT? Reminds me a bit of Westmoreland telling President Johnson during the Vietnam war, "send me more troops and we'll be home for Christmas." What we didn't nail down was what Christmas. As it turned out, the Christmas was five or 6 years later.

In the last few days or so, I've listened to three NPR programs which have more or less had to do with troop reduction and politics; one of the programs were three civilians. One of them was this guy John Nagl, retired LTC, smart guy as I've heard him before and has some good ideas like conventional troops out and only Special Ops troops staying but still involves being in Afghanistan for years. For most of these like Nagl or Petreaus or Gates--it is more like having a position and refusing to back down. How often have you heard someone say, (us included) "I made a mistake or changed my mind." One in ten million.

The smartest "talking head" I heard was this female, she laid out exactly what the real scene is: not the things that are so obvious: corruption, billions of dollars, drugs, tribe loyalty, the Taliban--simple fact, if we make it out of Afghanistan with the withdrawal of 33,000, still, our footprint in Afghanistan is going to be gigantic for years to come.

Another program was called "Talk of The Nation" and Afghan vets were asked to call in and give their views. About six or eight called in. Not a one supported staying in Afghanistan with basically no faith in the Afghans' ability to take over from us. Plus, a couple of Vietnam vets called In and both related Afghanistan and the futility of it to Vietnam and our sacrifices meaning nothing. I basically see it that way.

In all of this, I never hear a single advocate of returning to the military draft or anything that would move us to some kind of shared sacrifice for all Americans. It ain't never going to happen. As long as we have a volunteer force that can do the job with all the inherent problems to come, if we ever get out of these two sorry wars, we will muddle along. The volunteer force is a moral issue all it's own. By in large, poor kids or at least those with few options are fighting America's wars. Pretty sad. I only know personally about a half dozen kids who are presently in the military. Every single one of them are youngsters on the margins, mostly from homes that are terribly dysfunctional or kids who have no real options other than joining up. Amd, they are good soldiers: that is not an issue. The moral failure to me is simply that most Americans are willing to let other people's kids fight our wars.

Celebrity Politics

2011-06-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

Politics is, by its nature, corrupting. Our system, in my view, is so weird if you think about it. We elect someone, then the media, with their help, of course, makes them celebrities and then they get use to the perks and spend most of their time going for reelection. The celeb politicians talk about the "American people" as some sort of mantra when there is no "American people" rather the "American people who care." Not even 50% of Americans bother to vote. But, all of this is our fault. We keep electing the same ones. At least in CA, we have a form of term limits and now a separate commission drawing the voting districts. Is it any better. I don't know but I think so as the politicians keep trying to do away with our ballot initiatives but we keep resisting.

I would prefer talking about women but fear someone would get out tweets and it would be a problem. Just kidding, only happens to celebrity politicians who get caught. Here is the most clever one of those politicians I've read about. This new congressman, Aaron Schock, who posed for "Men's Health Magazine"--pose is open shirt, showing his wash board belly. (in the spirit of full disclosure, I am a big fan of the "mag"; in addition to being for a young 30s audience and plenty of almost nude females, us old guys get some good health tips); however, here is the congressman's schtick, "If you want to talk about healthy lifestyles and staying in shape, you should do your best to be an example to people." Who can argue with that? It is like saying the "will of God." And, this guy is obviously now a celeb. Got to love our system.

THE PREZ CAVED

2011-06-01T06:17:00.001-07:00

The President apparently caved to the SecDef and other military types when he didn't name Marine General James Cartwright to be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He wanted him from all reports, so why not? Basically, I don't give a rat's ass who is chosen. It is mostly politics anyway. The fact that Cartwright butted heads with Mullen and Gates would make him all that much more attractive I would think. Gates and Mullen like so much of the military want "Group Think." From what little I read, Cartwright disagreed with them over Afghanistan policy. DUD!! Who the f..k with any brains would not. The Marines sure as shit don't want to be sitting arumd BSing with some lame ass tribal type who is thinking of switching side or, figuring out where the money is. Probably Cartwright and his Marines wanted to be killing the MFers, that's what you do at war.

That alone should make him more attractive. I really don't know what it is. Does the president see all that "lettuce" on their chests and get intimidated. The President hasn't been in the military but he is the commander-in-chief. He ought to be able to have who he wants. He's the president for God's sake. Gates is from Texas A&M and has looked reasonably good during his tenure because his predecessor was so bad in my view and McMullen is in the Navy. Nough Said.

2011-05-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

Sixty Minutes tonight featured this young troop from Afghanistan who won the Medal of Honor, the first living recipient since the Vietnam war. Such a humble kid, well beyond his years of 26. He came in at 19 from Iowa where he was working in a SubWay.

He gave all the credit to others. Interviewed by Laura Logan, the reporter that was sexually assaulted in Egypt--She was really good I thought. They devoted most of the show to him with a short episode on another part of Afghanistan. To think we are sacrificing youngstes like this in a useless war is really hurtful on this Memorial Day. God bless our soldiers who are doing their jobs.

WAR STORY--Brushing my teeth!!!!

2011-05-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

I was a big nut about brushing my teeth and shaving. To me, it was more than hygiene. Plus, the Captain required it. He said it showed we had pride in ourselves and our Unit. And, I'll have to say that he led by example. This one morning we were I'n this big grove of trees, kind of peaceful. I walked over and scooped a steel pot full of water out of one of the bomb craters, which were pretty numerous. I dropped a couple of water purification tabs in. The water gave a kind of silky, putrified look. The taste was nauseatingly iodine but a little "sweet," I thoughr. You get use to it. Being raised in foster homes and an orphanage, I could adapt to anything and did. War was a "piece of cake." I proceeded to brush my teeth first and then I'd save part of the water for shaving although this was a nice little well of water and so there was plenty. In the distance, walking by the men and chatting was our first sergeant. He was a giant of a man, over six feet tall and a vet of over three years in the Nam. He wasn't always in the field but sometimes stayed in the rear doing paperwork. His trademark was a gigantic chew of tobacco stuffed in his jaw and spitting these gigantic globs of tobacco juice everywhere. He claimed that he could spit on a streetlight if we had one. This boast was usually followed by a big belly laugh and a demonstration of his spitting prowess. Our Captain was always saying, "Top, if the VC wanted to know where we are, all they got to do is follow your "bacca" juice. The Captain always emphasized "Bacca" because he said that is the way they say it in Kentucky. We had tremendous respect for "Top" and nobody messed with him. His presense could be noted with a trail of tobacco juice/spit.

I was brushing away when he got to me. Chan, he said, as he spat a big glob of chewing tobacco spit into the water in my steel pot. "Damn Top, why did you do that?" With those comments, he cleared his throat again, let go with the entire chew right into my well. If I hadn't had so much respect for him, I would have wanted to kill him. He must have seen the look on my face as he motioned me over. I didn't want to get too close as I might be temped to throw him in. I walked over and he took me by the arm and forced me to look down into the bottom of the crater. I almost threw up. At the bottom were two decomposing bodies of enemy soldiers. How in the world had I missed it. I'll never forget that morning of brushing my teeth.

DIALOG ON COMMO ISSUES

2011-05-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Claude, Clyde and Jerry,

Great stuff. I have been contacting some of our chaplains who have deployed in present conflicts to invite them to our next reintegration event to be held this Sep in Colorado. We have some hurting guys and gals and this event has reached over 50 couples so far. This year we are adding a day of equine therapy that will hopefully provide additional assistance.

On the communications issue. I just did premarital counseling with a recently returned Special Forces soldier. In our conversation, I mentioned the much easier communications link to the home front. He said for some soldiers it is a real issue on not being fully engaged in their war responsibilities. I have seen this trend since I was in HI in the early 80's and our chaplain on Johnston Atoll was able to call his wife living on Oahu daily. It took him 6 months to become fully engaged in his chaplain responsibilities on JI. I have notice the cell phone to the ear issue with the summer camp counselors when I spent a week at Camp Pecometh last summer. As director, I would never tolerate that.

Peace,

Claude, thanks back for the tip. I will download Self's book. I think there's going to be a great deal of comparison with Vietnam and our present wars. For one thing, it is hard to imagine the social media, not to mention the basic commo that exists now as opposed to what we had: now, they are fighting, then emailing the wife, becoming involved in the domesticity of family life of raising children, etc.; and, then back to the war.

Plus, another phenomena of those fighting our two present wars is that because they are so aware of things like PTSD, they don't mess around, thet are right on it whereas for Vietvets, it was a good ten years in the PTSD issues and fighting for them. I have never filed a claim but I think most should and the present crop of soldiers will be doing it ASAP.

COMMENTS ON ARNIE

2011-05-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Be interesting to know if it was a weak moment slap & tickle or an extended affair. I am sure, their will be books, talk show circuts and movie deals to come.

What males this different, I think, he is a rapist and from what we read, often has nothing to do with sex but power, sickness, etc. The French will come around I think.

If ARNIE had any sense which he doesn't I don't think, he'd take a page out of the movie, "Get Low", starring Robert Duvall. Duvall plays Felix Bush, a backwoods Tennessee loner who plans his own funeral. It really isn't so much about his funeral as is the gathering of the the people so he can confess to a great error in judgement forty years ago. In his confession, he asked for forgiveness and redemption. It is a powerful movie mainly as it conveys the great depth to which guilt can take us. Pay attention, ARNIE, these are "pearls."

2011-05-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

I agree with you. Very gutsy call on the part of the President. Especially the going into Pakistan without telling the Pakistanis part. I liked that part of it best. Well, I liked the getting Osama part best, but next best was the Pakistani thing.

Regards celebrating Osama's death. I had it explained to me and now I get it even though it's not in my nature. I listened to a young woman on NPR the other day (and I guess the majority of those who were publicly celebrating were young people). She celebrated. She said she was 10 when 9/11 happened (she's 20 now). She said it terrified her and that she it just seized her and came to dominate her life for a while. She's still afraid of flying I think I heard her say. And it came to me Brother, for kids that age 9/11 was their boogeyman. When I was that age (8-12 I guess) I was terrified of two things; one was that the Soviet Union was going to nuc us and that I'd end up a nuclear mutant and the other was polio. Many nights I laid awake for hours worrying about one or the other. Thank God Jonas Salk took care of polio, but the Soviet threat persisted for many years. So, now I can see why people of her age would celebrate bin Laden's death with wild abandon. To some extent they're free of the boogeyman.

WR, Col., USA, RET.

Beast in the Heart of Every Fighting Man

2011-05-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

The article, "Beast In the Heart of Every Soldier," is one of the most disturbing I've read about the war in Afghanistan. While we are beating our chests about killing Bin Laden, we are losing the very souls of many of our young soldiers in Afghanistan. While the idea of The Beast Within is good psychobabble, passing off the killing of innocent civilians, to rogue soldiers is equally an easy way out. We may not have “collective guilt” but it does not mean we shouldn't. Every American bears

responsibility

when our soldiers lose their way. We've put them at war and bought into a theory that is impossible for young, emotionally unsophisticated Americans to implement. Unconventional warfare is "pie in the sky." To be successful, unconventional warfare would take ten more years and only older, more experienced soldiers in the best environment could make it work. And, the generals know this but keep leading us along a path they know is impossible. And, if the article, Beast in the Heart of every soldier doesn’t convinced thoughtful Americans that “supporting the troops” is more than slapping a bumper sticker on your car. It is demanding that we exit a war without end.

EGOMANIAC

2011-05-01T17:42:00.001-07:00

Donald Trump is, by any sane person's definition, an egomaniac. The very idea that anybody would give someone with his hair, the time of day, much less, credibility is "over the moon" to me. He absolutely should be a joke to people. And yet, according to the media who is totally at fault for creating someone like Trump, he and his hair are near the top in polls for the Republicans.

And, he has done it based on trumpeting a fuss about a non issue, the President's birth place, settled long ago. What it proves to me is something I get and don't know why others are so f..king dense about it: the media can't figure out s..t: they are never interested in the truth, only a story. Why in the f..k can't we get that!! To them Trump is a story where you he is s "f..king" joke. And, it irritates the hell out of me to watch some of these "talking heads" (I'm thinking one from the Washington Post on the PBS Newshour the other night) talk about Trump as though he were important. They never say, "think about it, an idiot, egomaniac Donald Trump with the worst hair on the planet proclaims himself the Republican frontrunner. How stupid!

I sound like I think he's important. I only mention the asshole so I can graphically frame what I really think.

And, I might add there will be those in the country who will believe a fraud like Trump, his idea of how he has forced an issue of the President's birth or now how he is onto, "should the President have been allowed to go to prestigious schools". For Trump, any disparaging issue in a storm and there will be those who believe his bullshit because they want to believe.

Reminds me of a good war story. When I was young and stationed with the military in Germany in the old days, I got a frantic called from a commander who said a rape had occurred between a soldier's wife and a soldier other than the husband. It was a missle unit and fairly isolated. The young soldier's wife lived on the economy (a little German village) as we called it. I immediately went to the site and questioned the wife. The conversation went something like this, "Mrs. Phillips (not the real name), I am so sorry. What happened?"
"Well, our friend came over while my husband was working. We had some wine and began dancing and then we had sex."
"What! You mean you agreed and there was no rape?"
"Of course not. I told my husband what happened."
I went to the husband and said, Phillips, it was not rape but consensual." He would not believe me. "No, it was rape, I don't care what anybody says." SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT. "Don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up." These Americans (who can believe anything they want) will believe Donald Trump and his hair because they like being stupid.

BAY OF PIGS

2011-04-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Bay of Pigs
I read that a couple of days ago was the fiftieth anniversary of the Bay of Pigs. It brought to mine, Rodrigues. He was a Cuban captured in the Bay of Pigs. He was with us at Leavenworth (Command and General Staff College) and quite the character and lived just down from us. I can still see him in my mind’s eye, sitting at our kitchen table and me printing out the key things in my notes. He would pretend he could understand the instructors but didn’t get a word they said. And, depending on me for his notes was even funnier. I got about a fraction of anything. I was uninterested and bored. It is now funny. My wife used to get so mad. She had things to do and there sat Rod and me printing out my notes. Guess you had to be there.

I think he was imprisoned too after the Bay of Pigs. I know he was wounded. I remember the pain—the emotional pain—you could literally feel it when he talked about being abandoned by the US, waiting on the beach for air cover that never came.

Sometimes when I think of the military involvement of our country, to include our present two wars, plus Libya—just don’t know what to say. I doubt we have ever cleanly escaped any of our misadventures, based on one’s perspective.

*****

FROM MY BUDDY, Retired and the absolute best military officer/leader I’ve ever known. His comments, slightly edited and used without permission.

I do remember Rodrigues. And you’re right, he didn’t have a clue often at what was being said. And that is funny that he depended on “you” for passing along information. I do remember that you weren’t terribly impressed with the experience. But, you and he got through the course and that’s what counted. Did you ever hear from him after we left Leavenworth?

I did know that the fiftieth anniversary of the Bay of Pigs passed recently. And my thoughts sort of paralleled yours. We have abandoned our “friends” more than once. Sometimes I wonder why people even expect that we will help them out at all, or if we do help initially why they would expect us to stay the course. On the other hand, we hung in there in Europe during the cold war and we’re still there. We hung in in Korea for sure. And we’re still in Kosovo, we still have UN peacekeepers in the Sinai, or somewhere, and for crying out loud we’re still in Iraq trying against all odds to put that place back together. So, I guess we aren’t totally unreliable. Hard to know what’s the right thing to do in Libya. I still think the President is on the right course. I think in international politics you can afford to lead from the rear sometimes.

THE FINANCIAL MESS

2011-04-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Listening to the debate about our debt crisis, any idiot would have to say we have to do something. The problem is that the debate is more smoke and mirrors than anything. I don't care what sort of spin is put on it, the Republicans come across as a f..king herd of zealots. And, I don't give a shit about party. I usually am in the Democrat corner as the Republicans are so f..king mean spirited. It is zap medicaid, for instance, no help with heating oil for the poor. The Democrats want to raise taxes on the well off, those who have benefitted from being in this great country only makes sense. The top two percent of the country, the wealthiest ought to be willing to step up to the plate and help out. It is hard to speak rationally without sounding partisan, a word that I dislike almost as much as hearing politicians say, "American people." 35-40 percent of Americans don't give a shit one way or another. They get up in the morning, go to work, come home, watch Fox News, cuss the politicians, wish for America the way it use to be. They're not watching PBS, they're surviving. It doesn't mean, however, that they are less important. Traditionally the Democrats in modern times have looked after these Americans with welfare, some relative means of health care, and more often than not, they are the cultural minorities: uneducated, emigrants, addicts, you name it.

Who is going to look after these people. It sure as f..k ain't going to be the mean spirited Republicans if history is any indicator. I heard a program on NPR the other night about some program in Florida that rescues endangered children from doped up parent addicts. One 15 year old was looking after his two siblings by scrounging food from trash cans. Who is going to rescue these kids if we don't; not the anger, Mitch McConnell. I can tell you where to cut: how about two wars, tax corporations that are making millions and paying no taxes. How about these defense contractor exorbitant overruns or projects that we ought to scrap anyway.

HOW ABOUT THE LOOKING GLASS

2011-04-14T10:33:00.001-07:00

Sometime ago, on the TV show, Sixty Minutes, Julian Assange surely didn't come across as some egomaniac national security threat as he's been portrayed. He came across as a fervent evangelical for transparency (overused concept, how about just honest) in government. And, will have to say this, his interviewer, Steve Croft didn't throw him any softballs either. I'm no Julian Assange trumpeter but I am for telling it like it is. Let's establish blame here. In my way of thinking, it is hard to say. But, the government has to come in for a good hit. Bradley Manning ,the young soldier that did the leaking, supposedly, surely, but give me a break, a lower ranking enlisted soldier with the capacity to have assess to all this classified material. Come on, the government types who are in charge of secrets have got to be better than that. Manning, who knows computers, etc., probably but come on, he's a midget in the system for God's sake. In some ways, anybody who has been associated with the military knows that it is almost the nature of the beast for lower ranking enlisted types to get to hating the Army (Navy, Marines) or at least the decisions they've made. This is all speculation, but you get some kid without much direction but very computer savvy joins the military. Some recruiter has talked him into it, sounds good, gets a bonus. A couple of years down the road, he's looking at four or five more years in the military. He's bored, has a computer job, maybe a less than aware boss in turns of authority. Who knows! He decides to play some games, get back at the military for probably some inexplicable reason. Who knows but for him to even have assess to some of this material is unfathonable to me.

So, now what. The government, military needs to suck it up. We f...ed up. Eric Holder who seems less than the brightest bulb in the lot, needs to quit threatening. Fall on your sword. Remedy the problem so this can't happen again and get a grip on really what is classified. I often wonder what in the hell happens to people. I guess it is a "group think." The government slaps a "classified" label on things that don't need it and they throw around terms like national security when it is bullshit. Any of us who have spent any time around the government or the military get it quickly.

Do I think that the military in particular will learn any lessons. Hell no. Instead of falling on their sword, saying we f...ed up, they be hollering national security, court martialing Manning, overall putting their brains in formaldehyde. Think Pat Tillman, Abu Grabib, all kinds of other "who is watching the store" mentality.

I've talked to lots of my buddies of all different persuasions--to a person, they came away from the Sixty Minutes segment on the Assange interview with a favorable impression of someone who might be basically embracing old time American ideals which we may have ourselves let slip.

So, what's going to happen? Well, it's going on for years. The government probably should negotiate with Assange if there really are some honest to goodness national security issues which I doubt or especially if naming names will put someone's life in jeopardy. Manning. Give him an Article Fifteen, which is a slap on the wrist and discharge him with a general discharge under less than honorable conditions. Will that make any difference. Only that somebody in the military had used good common sense and when Manning writes his book, the military will look better.

This sounds like a big-time putdown of the military in particular. Not so as I see it. The military overall is more fair than most gigantic organizations and are not victims of the whims of money (it is taxpayer money anyway). Unfortunately, as I see it, not enough real thinkers get to the decision making point who can say, we f...ed up and I'm sorry. But, overall, if we could, we'd be better off in the long run if we could learn this lesson. MY OPINION.

THE "NO" REPUBLICANS ARE BACK

2011-03-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

NPR (National Public Radio) is under fire again by the "right wing" Republican, non thinking recalcitrant neanderthals. And, I am being kind. I've listen to the debate off and on all week, mainly when I've been in my car and guess what it was on, NPR. I've only come to NPR in the last few years mainly as I had to travel lots and I would find myself listening to the radio. I found the programs on NPR stimulating, a great variety and completely objective. I'n fact, if I had any complaint about NPR, it is that they bend over backwards to present all sides. I hate that: those who stick their fingers In the air to see which way the wind blows. If I wanted that bullshit, I'd listen to Fox News.

I really don't know what the issue is. Maybe it is that government shouldn't be involved iyn something like NPR. My suspicion, however, is that Republican objection is merely something disguised and a chance for the right wing to finally get one of their favorite targets.

And, the CEO of NPR just resigned based on another executive putting the bad mouth on the Teaparty. The NPR f..ker should get a medal. To me, that's pretty funny. I don't know much about the Teaparty but they've come to prominence by electing congress types who are to the right if Ghengis Kong. To me, it is a real mystery who these people are who are after NPR and who seem not to have a brain.

I recently heard on NPR as part of the debate on who listens to them: Upper middle class, college educated, mostly white, have a liberal tint. What the hell is this? Nobody ever surveys me. I hate labels anyway. Liberal, conservative, right wing, left coast, teaparty. What in the hell does all that mean? I am a Democrat but it doesn't mean I park my brain somewhere and don't try ro see what is right or the real truth and have some measure of objectivity.

Maybe NPR needs to get out from under having to deal with this B...S..t I pledge evey year to my local station. I would up my pledge as NPR is a valuable resource to me. And, then they could day to these a..holes, go f..k yourself. The only problem I have with that is giving these sorry ass MFers the satisfaction of think they have won something. Then they would get up and proclaim victory for the American people. If I hear "American people" one more time, I'm going to throw up. Come on! Most of the "American people" don't give s..t.

WHAT THE HELL DID I EXPECT??????

2011-03-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

When I advocated taking Qaddafi out, my thinking was, now or later but ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) that I am, it was only later that I suddenly remembered my thoughts when we invaded Iraq. The same: It is now or later. At that time, I opted for NOW. Big mistake. 8 years later and counting, we are still in Iraq and I am still suspicious that we'll get out clean. And, for most of the residents, they'd like to have Saddam back. Sure as hell, they'd have more electricity in Baghdad. And, if we are going to get anything out of our foray, costing precious young lives, I don't know what the f..k it is. We are not even getting a cut on cheap oil. I've fretted about Iraq, from the moment we went in--and the literature backs it up: it is as though we could screw up a two car funeral parade. I have envisioned guys like Rumsfelt, Wolfawizw(sp), and then Fieth, the one that General Tommy Franks called the "dumbest man in America," sitting around and saying, "how can we f..k this up."

We were not long into Iraq until I regretted my view. And, when we started bombing Libya, suddenly I felt the same way. Not so much, here we go again as it was "heavy heart" time. Three wars. Damn! And, although I was glad to see France and Britain take the lead, it didn't seem like very long when all of a sudden, it was us. I don't know the ends and outs of the strategy, the plan as most Americans don't but we can't let this drag on. And, based on history, this could embroil us. Here's my plan. Take a few more days to destroy tanks and anything related. We hope something is already happening to arm the rebels. Then, announce that we've accomplished the mission and depart with maybe an occasional flyover just to let Qaddafi know we're around but leave it to what happens happens!!!!

THE FAT LADY HAS SUNG

2011-03-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

Recently, a buddy of mine and myself were debating the Lybia dilemma. I had expressed that I would go in and take Qaddafi out. He didn't disagree but expressed the fact that Gates in particular was cautious. And, he allowed that it was probably both Iraq and Afghanistan that had made him so. Maybe for good reason: we're pored billions into Iraq and Afghanistan with virtually nothing to show for it. Our brave youngsters have done their best under unbelievable odds. However, Gates keeps talking about concentrating less on leaving and more on getting the job done. Say what! Everybody who thinks we'll get out of Afghanistan with any degree of rapidity, raise your hand. Gates, the generals and Mullen all say the same thing, "leaving is situation based." What the f..k does that mean? A land of corruption, a police force that is as loyal to the Taliban as the government, an intractable enemy who kills and intimidates at will, a drug culture that actually finances the enemy and lines the pockets of the President's brother or other cronies. Need I go on? Now, what about this overlay when the SecDef says, "finish the job."

The job can't be finished, plain and simple. What to do? I've advocated a liberal immigration policy, especially for women. Exit, whether the fat lady has sung or not.

THE REST OF THE STORY

2011-03-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

I love war stories. I mean, literal war stories. Those of us who are Vietnam vets especially love them, mainly because nobody ever wanted to listen to them. In fact, in one military assignment, Korea, since the vast majority of us were Vietnam vets, we had a little game we played. Anytime, there was a gathering, someone would invariably try to pass along a war story, "when I was in Vietnam...." they were stopped immediately and reminded of the rules: once a week, we had a special Vietnam vets party and each person got to tell three war stories. Funny, "yes," but real. And, as I've read and told my own war stories, there is kind of something that happens to them. They grow, they change, they get bigger. Here's an example: When I was in Vietnam, I remembered this guy, can't remember his name. But, OI do remember some unusual circumstances surrounding him. His claim to fame was that the killed the 5000 VC/NVA soldier for our battalion. He was something like a PFC and was immediately promoted to Staff Sergeant. Quite a fascinating story as I remember it. One of our Infantry Companies, A company, I, think, had swept through a village and cleared it. The soldier goes into a hut and sees some straw fall from the roof. He empties his M16 into the straw. Kills all five of the VC hiding there. So...

Now, the following is the real story.

Many have asked me how I came about the nickname of MadMonk. Well, as Paul Harvey would put it, “and here’s the rest of the story”.

The story actually begins back in 1967 at Ft. Campbell, KY. We were undergoing some rather intensive training in preparation of joining our 1st Brigade in the war in Vietnam. My unit was E Company-Recon, 1st Battalion of the 501st Infantry Airborne, 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division.

Well...one day during this rather intensive training I mentioned (which was quite near the time we were to be deployed to Vietnam) it sort of came to me that, even as short as it was, my having very blond, almost platinum colored hair in a combat situation was most definitely not an ideal condition. So I lathered up my head and shaved it completely bald.

This didn’t seem to sit very well with my leadership at the time and I caught a bit of hell for it, however, it made perfect sense to me as it seemed that the best way to survive in any firefight was not to present any well defined target. I mean, if I were to somehow lose my headgear during a firefight what better target than this bright white globe popping up from cover to shoot at you? Right?

Now...after deployment to Vietnam I maintained this “close haircut” look for some time and during one of our very early missions somewhere in a dense jungle type area (damned if I know where) we ran across this old, old abandoned Buddhist pagoda where I happened to find this very old and very large (2" to 2 ½" diameter) bronze coin with a square hole in the center of it. I thought it to be a real unique find and I was so enamored with it that although it was badly tarnished I managed to scare up some leather thong and craft the coin into a necklace which I wore from then on.

Okay...So jumping ahead in the story, there this grunt in one of the line companies (A Co. 1/501 I believe). He was a rather plain looking fellow with glasses that hailed from somewhere in Michigan and he went by the nickname “The Hippie”. He had a peace symbol drawn on his helmet cover and a large pewter peace symbol necklace around his neck. Don't let this fool you as this guy was a hellion and I was convinced that he was at times quite insane. He was awarded a number of medals including the Silver Star and was promoted quite rapidly to the rank of Staff Sgt. E-6.

In our capacity as a Recon Platoon we were called on quite often to assist various line companies which frequently included the unit he was with and as I became more familiar with this crazy bastard he began calling me “The Monk” due to my shaved head and my old coin necklace.

As our tenure in beautiful Southeast Asia progressed and his reputation compounded I began calling him “The Mad Hippie” due to the role he played in a number of rather controversial incidences. Not long thereafter he reciprocated by calling me “The Mad Monk” and the nickname has stuck ever since. So now you know “the rest of the story” except I intentionally left out the particular incidences that instigated each of us to call the other “Mad”. I prefer to keep that little bit of the story unpublished, okay?

I will, however, tell one side light to the story that I can’t really say surely happened or not. I heard a report that the grunt mentioned earlier, after returning home to Michigan I guess really couldn't handle the transition from one minute being a “hero” to the next minute being a “mother-raper and baby-killer” so one day he lost it and pulled a combat assault on the neighborhood gas station/convenience store which only succeeded in his earning some time in the “cuckoo’s nest”. A truly sad epilog on the story of an average American boy that was radically changed by the Vietnam War.

“MadMonk”

E Co.-Recon, 1st/501st Inf.
Vietnam, class of 67/68

Here is another account by the best soldier I've ever known.

I remember being is training with the same soldier mentioned above, stateside back in Fort Campbell, KY. I believe it was sniper school. If I were to describe him, I would say that he had very fair skin, and he wore black rim glasses, he looks very much like a church goer, if I were to pick a religion I would say that he may have been a Jehovah Witness but I have any proof to that statement I would like to add, if I were to pick an bird that looks like him, I would say an owl. Anyway, as the 2nd Brigade deployed to South Viet Nam, and as time goes on, several months in country, there was a continuing enemy body count by Brigade, and this soldier gets credit for the 5,000 kill--he was immediately promoted to the rank, Staff Sergeant E-6, and he was granted a weeks stay in the Battalion Commander’s bunker, drinks were on the house as were his meals. Now for the rest of the story……..

This soldier is walking through a Village, he enter a hooch, notices some straw was falling from the rafters, he puts his M-16 on full auto, and shoot blindly into the ceiling area then a body drops down, the kid was still alive, this guy was one of the few infantrymen who walks around with his bayonet attached to his M-16, slowly Michael inserts his bayonet into the suspected VC stomach and he was screaming with agony, just then a helicopter lands with his sister and a officer from the local Popular Force (I believe that’s what you called them, it could have been a ARVN officer). The sister runs into her hooch, just in time to watch her brother die. She turns around and says that her brother wanted to surrender as a Choi-hoy (sp?) that was a program where a VC can forfeit his rights in being commie and become an agent for the American forces. I would put this time frame towards the end of our Tour of Duty, maybe Oct. or Nov. of 1968. Shortly thereafter I rotated stateside, and one afternoon while watching a local TV talk show, I saw this soldier, along with Lt. Calley of My-Lye fame. On the show I heard the soldier that killed the 5000 enemy soldier in our Unit saying that he low crawled up to a local gas station with a rifle and while in the prone position held it up. CSM WC, Vietnam Class of 67/68