SYRIA

To Americans who care and not all do; and, to use the president's oft repeated phrase, "let's make this perfectly clear." We are conflicted but not confused. Life is full of ambiguities and let's fully understand them. However, as bad as it is and we deplore what has happened, the only box we will put ourselves in is making a military strike at the tyrant. Did Iraq teach us nothing? We were first hailed and then the very people who praised us turned against our good intentions. And what will happen with Assad: he will line all the bodies up and say, innocent civilians--killed by the Americans. There is no right or wrong answer. There is, in fact, "no answer" and we have to realize that we cannot win, not even a draw, only blame for everything. 

JIM KARANAS

A friend of mine hold me recently about a friend who had bypass surgery and literally when the surgeons got in, they found a "hole in his heart." Jim Karanas recently died and left a hole in the heart of an entire community.My wife, Jackie,  was one. Her sadness over the last few days has been palpable as has scores of others--a HOLE IN THE HEART. 

I didn't know Jim Karanas, only through my wife. He taught and introduced "spinning" as an exercise program to San Francisco. I am going to give him the title, "Father of Spinning." Jim was this bigger than life person to Jackie. He ignited in her a desire to be physically fit and to develop a lifestyle that would produce it.  What price can you put on such motivation? The thing that always impressed me about Jim is that my wife could call him anytime--here is a guy with all kinds of things going, seemingly dozens but he always took time to respond back. No small thing to me. 

What to do about "a hole in the heart?" A surgeon can repair. Not so easy to those who loved Jim. Keeping his memory alive is one way to venture repair. The poet, Angelo Patri, gives a hint, "In one sense there is no death.  The life of a soul on earth lasts beyond their departure.  You will always feel that life touching yours, that voice speaking to you, that spirit looking out of other eyes, talking to you in the familiar things they touched, worked with, loved as familiar friends.  They live on in your life and in the lives of others that knew them."

GOD BLESS JIM ON HIS JOURNEY 

82d Airborne Division

When I was last in the 82d Airborne, in the dark ages of 1982, we always were preparing ourselves for war. It was what we did. The 82d Airborne has always been a volunteer force and consequently is different from any other unit in the Army. You must volunteer to be in it. The one thing that we can pretty much know: the 82 has not changed. They are a bunch of wild hearted soldiers who are fearless. A good example: The main street through the 82d Airborne is Ardennes, named after that famous forest in WW ll. The 82d had a joke. "Put us on Ardennes and we will run to the war." 

The 82d Airborne has trained for the last several months to parachute into Syria. This is nothing new for the famed Airborne Division. They train for the latest crisis in the world. Wheels up, meaning that in 72 hours once they have been given the green light, they are ready to go and they are on the way. 

FAST TRAIN TO NOWHERE

I am listening to these prognosticators and honestly it is a crazy situation. What I can't get is "why"' in the f..k would Assad be that stupid. I think we are going to do something; I have mixed emotions. If it was my decision, what would I do. I DON'T THINK SO; I remember how euphoric I was when we went into Iraq. And, so chancy. Sadly so. I hope the president has enough experience now to be smart. He is not going to please McCain who can't be mollified. He is still angry about losing to Obama. Get over it John. And, I doubt that the President has a mandate for doing the Syria thing, regardless of what it is. Americans who care are war weary. We have seen war too much. Iraq where our reward for young dead Americans is nothing. Afghanistan, a parcel of corruption and the Taliban waiting in the wings. 

The situation is so iffy--so much confusion; sadly civilians have been gassed. There  are no clear cut answers on anything. Getting bogged down in another war is a fast train to nowhere and is unthinkable. If we have to do it, go in with a punishing attack on Assad's headquarters and air dense sites. Make it fierce with the idea that,  "do this again and your ass is grass." 

Jayne Mansfield's Car

This is one weird movie. Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon and my favorite, Billy Bob Thornton, always an under rated actor. A weird movie with weird characters. A good story or maybe best to say, "a study on the effects of war." Character studies. Every southern stereotype but what the hay, Southerners are easy to make fun of. It is good for us I think.  All true. Midway through the movie, my wife said, "Are there famiIies like this?" Absolutely. 

Billy Bob's character is permanently scarred by war, both physically and emotionally. The other brother equally scarred but in a different way: smokes dope and plays hippy. Then one who never left stateside but always felt guilty of not being in combat. A deep sense of patriotism, even in light of the "draft." The whole family still supports the government and the war. Not unlike the  "Red States" today, "don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up." 

The event that the movie is based on is a mother who escaped the South to flee to England where she met someone, married, and created a different life and another family. Her pull to the South, however, is that the insidious cancer has taken her, she be buried in the South. Her other family brings her home. The other family, the Brits, have their own issues (weirdness)

A couple of funny scenes with some, maybe I should say, idiosyncrasies, only to, in the end, turn out better than anyone would have suspected. 

A last thing, how did they come up with the title, Jayne Mansfield's Car ( the one she supposedly died in)? Possibly because Duval, who will always be Gus, from Lonesome Dove, was obsessed with automotive wrecks. But, then again with such a weird movie, what the hell difference does it make what the title is. . 

CLOSURE

GRIEF/CLOSURE. I have never particularly liked the word, "closure," because it implies that this is it, nothing else to be done, finished, next case. We know, of course, that grief works in different ways, for different ones. However, recently, I experienced a type of closure that was "right on." It was a celebration of our good friend's  life. She died a year ago. At that time, we had a wonderful celebration of who she was. In this case the husband had a ceremony of placing the ashes in this "see through" case. Hard to describe but it really was sweet. The unscripted casual way that we watched and celebrated who she was. When I think of ashes, I think of spreading them somewhere. This was different and I think for those present, a celebration as we've done what we can. A closure. 

PFC Bradley Manning

Surprise. Surprise on the Bradley Manning sentencing. The same thing on conviction. He had no chance. 

What fascinates me as ex military is how "little" civilians understand about their military. (Yes, it is a military that belongs to the people). Concerning Manning, there is a chorus of lawyers, journalists, adinfinitum who want to make sense of a system they f..king don't have a clue about.  

Those who don't "get it," want to look at a courts martial like they would a civilian trial. Bullshit. Military justice (and that is a misnomer) is no military justice in the sense that most think of justice in court. There is a bullshit trial but rarely and I mean rarely is anyone found innocent. I would love to see the stats. There are three levels of courts martial: (1) General, (2) Special, and (3) Summary. I haven't even heard these different types mentioned. Manning's trial was a "general." A "special" is for lessor crimes and a summery is usually smaller offences, before a judge. 

In Manning's case, his lawyer has been about worthless: made stupid decisions. In front of only a judge, for one. She is a military lawyer for God's sake. In a military courts martial, you have a prosecutor but the judge is like having two prosecutors. F..k, what kind of justice is that? The judge is subject to the same system as the rest of the military for her promotions, assignments, etc. There is an automatic conflict of interest. Why in the hell is this not pointed out? Answer, civilians don't understand the system. 

Courts Martial have a system of investigation called an article 32 which results in "bring the guilty bastard in." It is a procedure that is stacked against the Bradley Manning's of the military and civilians are clueless about it. THE MILITARY COURT SYSTEM NEEDS REFORM. 

Brits Just As Stupid

I thought the American Intel types were the only ones that excelled at stupid. But, apparently the Brits are not far behind: Holding the partner of Glenn Greenwald, at the Heathrow Airport for nine hours. Why? Payback to Greenwald for attempting to bring a modicum of transparency to America's (and Britain) vast public snooping network. 

HOW WE ARE CHANGED

When 9-11 happened, I, like most Americans, could hardly believe it--from that day forward, everything changed for us and for anybody who has anything to do with us. 

Think about it: to a useless and ill conceived war to now wholesale spying on American citizens. And all done in the name of preventing terrorism. This is, as my mom would say, scandalous. The intelligence community has, in a sense, bit by bit taken chunks out of our  government. It is why someone like Snowden and to a slight degree Bradley Manning are whistleblowers and not traitors or treasonous, whatever term the government wants to put on it. Do any of us think that had they not done leaked, the NSA would have fessed up. If you believe that, you have been on the "weed" way to long.   Instead of seeking to blame the leakers for forcing us to own up, we should be hanging our heads as we have become complicit in things that totally go against the value system of us Americans who think and care. 

AGING WELL

The examples of people living into old age and doing it well is legion, at least as I see it in San Francisco. The "City" is constantly winning, "healthiest big city in'Merica.' " Recently I went to dinner with a 90 year old. She was great. Other than she is vain, LOL, and will not get a hearing aid, she doesn't appear to have missed a step. 

In last week's "Vow's" Section of the NY Times, an 89 year old was marrying an 80 year old. According to her story, they are having sex (well the term used was "make love"). From the bride, "And, yes they make love. Romance doesn't stop with age and that is something that has rather amazed me. It makes me realize that there's hope for everybody". 

 

His story: married five times, including this one. Outlived three wives, one divorce. The divorce was while he was a soldier in France, fresh from the D-Day invasion where he drove a munitions truck onto Omaha Beach, he saw a crying French girl. Her house had been destroyed, family was destitute. He helped, eventually married her. They had a son. She later ran off with a French chef. One of his marriages lasted 44 years. Her last years were marred by cancer and faithfully he nursed her till she died. His son of French chef fame eventually found him. The best line came from the bride, "this is so much better than a funeral." 

PFC Bradley Manning

To be honest, I do not know anyone at the present that I feel more sorry for than Bradley Manning. Here is a young, confused soldier who has f..ked up and been convicted of his "f..k up" and is awaiting sentence. He and all the various talking heads, pro and con, are speculating about his sentence. 

HELLO! Let me clue you in: the judge is a military judge. She follows rules and regulations. (She is an ESTJ on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, you can take that to the bank). The guilty verdict was assured, "Bring The Guilty Bastard In." A big mistake by his lawyers to allow him just a judge. Manning might have gotten an empathetic ear with a jury of his peers. I doubt it but it was at least a shot. He committed a crime but in a sense has already been punished: harsh treatment and solitary confinement. All along I have felt it was immoral. An aside, I often wonder, what do other soldiers think about Manning. The guards at Leavenworth prison are young Military Policemen. I doubt they go along with his treatment. I surely hope not. 

Anybody who has adult children and thinks seriously about Manning "get it." Kids make stupid decisions, do stupid things and often get up every morning and take a stupid pill. 

What will the judge give Manning? Probably 20 years plus. What should he get, a "dishonorable discharge and time served." I am f..king dreaming.

VOTER ID

ONE ELECTION CYCLE. This is what a good friend of mine said about NC joining the other right wing Republican states when they passed their voter ID law. One election cycle is what it took. NC has traditionally stuck to doing its own thing, often apart from the rest of the South. Now, with "one election cycle," it has aligned with the bigots and right wing Republicans. My home state (NC) can't produce any  credible evidence that there is voter fraud. How about Racism? My friend who had recently moved to NC says that he loves the State, beauty, etc. but based on what the intolerable, right wing has done, he would never move to NC. F..kkkkkk 

The VA

Criticism of the VA and their lack of good "whatever" always seems to play well on the evening news. They have lots of shortcomings and are an overwhelmed HMO. And, there's two sides that most don't get: the claims section is not the medical side. However, with that slight bit of support for VA, what fascinates me are the vets themselves. They may or may not be a reflection of society. I don't think so. In front of me are a couple of guys who are like a history book. They know the units and they love to give commentary. as if it is the military channel: talking about the various units--5th Special Forces, 8th Infantry, 509 Airborne, Marine Force Recon. Need I go on? 

The VA is like a zoo. Today, mostly old vets and in fact, looks like mostly Vietnam vets. The guy beside me has his clothes in a plastic bag and is one of the "don't smell him, treat him" types.  Sometimes I don't know how I feel about VA. I go there because It is as close as I can get to soldiers. In my mind's eye, I have this unrealistic view that us vets are like a fraternity. We have been soldiers. We have similar experiences. 

But, I don't know. Fellow Vietnam vets, so called Swift Boat vets, sunk John Kerry when he was running for president. Think about it: Kerry lost, we got George W. We also got two useless wars, similar to Vietnam. Impossible to have decisive victory under any circumstance. As Vietnam vets, we should have known better. We have to figure that if Kerry had been elected, he had been a soldier and we would have avoided useless wars. As vets we f..ked up, let's face it. We were simply used for politics. Doesn't speak very well for us vets being a fraternity. 

LARRY SUMMERS

Have you ever known someone you don't even know but you don't like? Larry Summers is one and I am sure he will me staying up nights worrying about how some "midget" in the scheme of things doesn't care for him.  (In my defense, I have read lots over the last several years about him. But, based on my track record of late with the president's decisions, he will probably nominate him to be Fed Chairman). What amazes me about guys like Summers is that they have modest incomes/wealth at a certain point. They go to work for the government and immediately the f..kers are wealthy. Summers is a good example. He is worth about $400,000, goes to work for Obama and now conservatively $7-31 mil. You have got to be kidding me! What the f..k. Do we think that all these people who are paying him these big bucks or involving him in businesses or stocks or start-ups are doing it for his good looks or because he is a good guy 

He gets 6 figures for speeches. Who in the hell is worth that? These outfits who pay them that much money must be dumber than a "box of rocks." Maybe, dumb like foxes. I am absolutely flummoxed. 

My info comes from the "NY Times" story about Summers. Most of those interviewed fall over backwards touting positive things about the him. What do we expec them to say? They surely expect to gain, at least in influence. He'll take their call. 

Green Berets

I saw this saying and it reminded me of how the Green Berets saw this saying, "If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was."

What I remember from Special Forces days was a poster that you saw everywhere. I kept one for a long time, just as s joke at how macho the Green Berets were and they needed it based on their pretty hairy missions. 

"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, shoot it." 

THE GIFT

SWEETEST COMMENT

Nurse: Good luck and God bless you. 

Patient: I want to give you (all the staff at the Infusion Center) a gift for the great care you have provided. 

Nurse: No need. Our great gift is seeing you leave treatment and cancer free. 

ACTING LIKE A LITTLE KID

I am not bound to win but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed but I am bound to live up to what light I have. I must stand with any man when he is right. Stand with him while he is right and depart from him when he goes wrong. Abraham Lincoln

I have been a big time supporter of the Prez. Financially contributed, campaigned and defended even when I didn't agree: drones, GITMO, etc. But, it seems of late his good sense has gone South. His advisors maybe--I don't know where he gets these f..kers like Jay Carney. Milk toast personified, wakes up every morning as Alice in Wonderland in a new world. Here's an example of poor thinking in my view. backing out of a one on one with Putin, the President comes off like a spoiled brat. We don't get our way and we pick up our marbles and go home. What the f..k.

VIETNAM VETS

Hey Guys,  Check this out.  I was walking my dog the other day as a "Trucker" was pulling out from a motel.  He spotted my 101st Cap and motioned me over.  We had one of those insightful 3 minute conversations that transcended time.  I gave him a business card and he said he would be in touch.  Check out his communication.   

Enjoy  ..............  Dan

Greetings........Always nice to meet a vet wearing his Division patch. That alone says something. of your attitude....Ive met other vets who cant even remember who they served with..........When I went to Nam I always had the intent of keeping a diary and  even in my civilian life prior to going to Nam was use to carrying my trusty instamatic camera...........A few years ago I found one of the guys from my company had a website up concerning Nam and I spent about 2 years sending info and photos. Gordon,who runs the site, had also found the official duty officers log for each day.  ...........So anyway its just  an honest tour of duty account. Mostly boring and nothing they'll make a movie about but theres loads of photos. but it is honest and accurate............go to www.webewebbiers.com/vietnam/index.htm     and click on the Ed Nored story 

Dan, thanks for sending along. What an interesting chance meeting. I went into the website. He has best definition of a Vietnam vet and the war's aftermath that I've seen. It's simplicity is what is very good in my view. His comments that he knew some vets who didn't remember units, etc; I have never encountered that unless the people were bogus. When someone tells me they were in Vietnam, I ask what was your unit, your MOS and where were you? If a guy doesn't know this, he was probably not in Vietnam. I ran into some guy the other day who said he had been in Vietnam. Where were you? Oh, I was all over. OK! Hope all is well. God bless.  jda

NOTHING CHANGES

My apologies to the “NY Times" but have to mention this. The incredibly discouraging thing about our culture is that we can have all these investigations/exposes like in the “Times." Nothing changes. An example, a surgeon charges big bucks in the US; overseas, a fraction of the cost. Nobody says how the f..k can this be. He or she continues to charge.

BLUE JASMIN

This is not like a movie review. But, will have to say that Woody Allen's latest movie is terrific. Kate Blanchett will definite get an Academy Awards Nomination. Every character is terrific. My favorite is Bobby Canavale. He plays a blue collar type from Brooklyn. Great. The basic story is a little of a take off on Bernie Madorf. A reverse rags to riches story as a riches to rags. The Kate Blanchett character is essentially off her "rocker" and comes to live with the low self esteem sister.

The movie is simple an example of our culture--a movie about life. Everybody has a story. I love movies for the reason that they give us a chance to see and talk about our story. I'll be discussing it for some time--this is how you know a movie is good. 

NSA HAS US BY THE GONADS

"Closing of embassies because of the threat of terrorist attacks." Do we think that now with the National Security Agency in the spotlight, their calling our attention to potential terrorism justifies what they have been doing.  Have the vast majority of Americans just fell off the turnip truck? Apparently so with the acceptance that the NSA is doing its job is justified: Keeping us safe from terrorists or the threat thereof. The NSA can't lose. If we have terrorist attacks, they say, "we warned you." If we don't, the word will be that we were prepared and thus, attacks were thwarted. How can we dispute it? Give me a break!!

SNOWDEN

What is this BS. Last night all over the news is "Russia granting asylum to Snowden". Good for them, not going to be bullied by the U. S. What hypocrites we often are in this arena. We give around 5000 asylum prr year and we raise hell at Russia's action. To me, Snowden is someone who made a decision of conscience. And, we are singing a song of treason. Do any of us think that the NSA would ever admit that they are spying on us--yeah and I can fly. What is it with the president and all these politicians embracing the NSA for their spying on us. And, worse still, since we didn't get our way, we are not going to play, i.e., meet Putin when they have the G8 summit in Russia. Bullshit. 

MORE BRADLEY

Listening to the Bradley Manning guilty verdict, I was thinking first of all that the military and justice is an oxymoron to say the least. The catchword always is "bring the guilty bastard in." Then, we can listen to a bunch of old white men tell us how this PFC (Private First Class) who should never in a thousand years be allowed to have assess to anything beyond yesterday's newspaper has injured the country. 

Maybe a bit of a conspiracy theory. Why did he want just a judge to try him? She let him slide on one charge to make it appear like it was some sort of justice. Give me a break, conspiracy theory is closer to the truth than most would admit. Plus, think of the irony. You have a guy like John Kerry that I like and wanted to be President, came back after Vietnam, demonstrated, bad mouthed the country, really treasonist if you look at it in those terms. Jane Fonda, the heroine of every Vietnam vet goes to Hanoi at a time when it appears that the North, because of the bombing, might be ready to give up. Here comes this famous movie star and North Vietnam, not knowing our system think that most of America is against the war. They decide to hang on. Then of course, we have Daniel Ellsburg smart enough to go to the NY Times. But, of course this was Vietnam, everybody's war to hate.  

BRADLEY MANNING

Yes, we were so surprised that Manning was found guilty. (Major tongue in cheek). Well, "not guilty" on aiding the enemy. The idea that Manning would get a fair hearing is about as stupid as one could imagine. Doesn't mean that justice as defined by the law, wasn't done. But, like so much of life, just because something is legal doesn't mean it is ethical. 

Anybody who has adult children know how stupid they can be. Manning was stupid and never should have had assess to anything, remotely resembling important. For God's sake he is a f..king PFC, In the Army, a PFC is hardly authorized

Death and dying

The "NY Times Magazine" had an amazing article about a college professor who had a bicycle accident and is now a quadriplegic. The wife is a nationally known "right to die" advocate. Now that it is her husband, all changes. He has round the clock care, 8 caregivers, physical therapists,  respiratory therapists; a wheel chair that cost $45,000.  Paying for all of this is a combination, insurance from their University, Medicare, and private funds. 

This appears to be unusual in a couple of ways. Who could afford this for one thing? Without the funding, would he have already died? Probably. He often says he wants to die but changes his mind. Whoa! An amazing story and one in which I am trying to form an opinion. Who would want to live in this state of total dependence. The flip side of the coin is that it is easy to talk when you are not in his condition. But, still the question appears to be consent. This is interpretive based on the actions of the wife. He gets an infection, he immediately is rushed to the hospital and pumped full of antibiotics. A tough question. If I could project a bit, let me "go." If I say I don't want to go, ignore me. 

PRESIDENT!S REMARKS

As one who thinks George Zimmerman should have gone to jail, I don't think the President's remarks today helped us. I really don't know what he was about. Race is pretty much an insoluble issue. What he seemed to imply was that the rule of law in a jury trial got it wrong. Maybe, but I doubt the President's remarks are going to make the discussion any better. The recalcitrant Republicans, the racists, Americans who care--not sure. 

THE PRESIDENT AND THE MYERS BRIGGS INDICATOR AND THE PRESIDENT

Listening to David Gergen on Forum (local NPR show) is an example of these prognosticators who don't know s..t about most anything but especially personality. They apply typical conventional wisdom to the President. There are two things from my perspective to know: the first one is that it is a "personality" issue. If one knows the "Myers Briggs Type Indicator," this is the secret of who the President is. On the MBTI, he is an ENTJ. He is an (E) extrovert, likes people; an iNtuitive, very creative; (T), very ethereal in his head mostly and (J) Judging (not judgmental, a lifestyle), very organized, "give someone a job and get out of the way and let them do it." The SECOND thing is the elephant in the room, "racism." Not racism in a classic sense but more of what I would call "philosophical racism." Gergen mentioned LBJ and the civil rights bill. When it was enacted, LBJ said something like, "the Democtats have lost the South for ten years." He was off by 40 years. Shamefully it is the way it is. It is in our genes I am sorry to say. But, the President has done a fantastic job in living with a recalcitrant and partisan bunch of Republicans who by their own admission have had one goal, get rid of the president. Tell me that's not racism. 

FRUITVALE STATION

WOW. What a movie. It was extremely well done and if it doesn't win an Academy Award, I will be disappointed. The movie had several tentacles, not the least of which is how we view race in America. The movie is based on the last day in the life of Oscar Grant who was shot in the "back" on New Year's Day, 2009, by one of the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) policeman who later was convicted of manslaughter. The policeman's Defense was that he meant to "taser" Oscar but accidentally shot him with his gun. 

As a San Franciscan, I lived through the incident and have no objective data but it just seems that the incident changed policing throughout the Bay area. As I have watched various protests (Demonstrations are a way of life here), the police seem to be more culturally aware and gentler when crisis happen. 

The movie didn't make Oscar Grant, the protagonist, a hero but a good natured hustler and dedicated dad. Oscar lived in a culture and climate that brought him/it into conflict with a  police that simply went overboard with Oscar and fellow revelers who were returning to Oakland from San Francisco and a night of partying on NY's eve. 

The heavy handed police turned a simple incident into a major conflict. The "bad guys" appear to be the police--this one looked a lot like a Nazi, a reincarnation from the past and Buchenwald Concentration Camp. 

WHAT IS A LIFE WORTH? I surely don't know but if there is any sort of "take away" from this tragedy, (not depicted in the movie), it is the settlement that Oscar's daughter received, payments until

she is thirty. This is something Oscar would like. God bless her. 

Will this movie improve race relations in America. I doubt it but it surely should impact those of us who care. 

DOING WHAT WE CAN

I am often moved by the sheer generosity of some people. Also, the great need that we often confront can be overwhelming too. The informal motto of the UCSF Infusion Center could well be from Saint Augustine "Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by accidents of time, or place, or circumstance, are brought into closer connection with you."

VIETNAM

It is their country, their future at stake, not ours. To ignore that reality will be immensely costly in terms
of American lives and resources

Senator Mike Mansfield
Talking about Vietnam in 1968. At that time, a few thousand Americans had died in the war. By the time it ended, the number of American lives lost was 58,000 plus.

DEMENTIA

DEMENTIA. Very sad with my brother. What can I say? There's been so much written about one's slide into Dementia/Alzheimers, whatever we choose to call it, not sure there's anything left to say. I don't know how to express it. We kind of know what happens, we just don't know exactly what to do about it. My brother had been a very successful businessman to now be reduced to total dependence. In many ways, the sadness is left for his children who have to clean up the mess he left behind, the result of very bad decisions. For him, he is enjoying himself basically in who he is presently. He has a full time caregiver and responds to very simple things. He is fine. His family's dealing with the real world, of course.

One way to look at it in a sense is to be angry at his f..k ups that bring us to this point. Let's tell his story with just one FU. My brother had been a bachelor for years, having escaped a "controlling witch". He had retired, bought a nice little cottage on a golf course, did a little work with our older brother on his peach farm. He met a woman and married her, against our unsolicited advice after we met her. To say we failed To connect would be quite the understatement. We had gone to visit. The brothers were very close. She resented our questions by telling us that it was none of our business. To be honest we were more or less joking, certainly not serious. This incensed our older brother who said, "I don't think you understand but we will knock our brother in the head, throw him in the trunk of the car and you'll never see him again." We weren't exactly kidding. My brother married her. She wasn't all that bad, we allowed. They were traveling, bought a new house. Things seemed to be proving us wrong. Eight months into the marriage, she had a massive brain aneurism. In the process of her near death, a baffling practical discovery surfaced. She had lied about her age. She was ten years older that she had led my brother to believe. Immediately, the ramifications surfaced. When you are 65 or seventy, in our medical world, age means one thing but when you are 80, it is something else entirely. As my brother dealt with the discovery, she had another aneurism. She survives but becomes an invalid. As a joke but maybe an example, my older brother says, "You couldn't kill her with an ax." And, in general, we take our Dad's mantra: you might as well laugh as cry. 10-15 years down the road, here we are. She is in a nursing home. My brother lives now, thankfully, with another brother. Is there something to take out of this tale of woe? A couple of things: (1) Get your act together while you can. Don't leave a mess for your relatives to clean up. (2) figure out, assuming the above is taken care of, how you'd like to live out the last few years of your life.

Afghanistan

Stupidity seems to take over when you get to high levels of the government or the military, which is usually one and the same. These high level generals are politicians themselves, they give rosy reports about Afghanistan which is mainly BS, laced with a healthy amount of stupidity.

We ar p..sing in the wind, Afghanistan is simply out of here. Come on, millions and millions of dollars and in a sense all we have to show for it are the lost lives of some of America's finest. As soon as we leave, here comes the Taliban. Wake up and smell the roses. Think Vietnam. We worked out a peace agreement with North Vietnam and they owned the country before we could whistle Dixie. (this is an aside. I love NPR but sometimes wonder where the f..k they get some of these people: some government weenie or "think tank" imbecile thinking he knows s..t.) What about this don't we get. F..kkkkkk

WOMEN IN COMBAT

General Dempsey says "let's get women into combat positions to help with sexual harassment/assault." Men are sorry MFers let's face it but combat and death is no respecter of persons. Facing an enemy who could could give a s..t less about gender, we want the best soldier. And, 'political correctness' needs to take a backseat to potential death in combat. Combat is no 'day at the beach' and the military is not a 'social experiment.' Dempsey is merely another politician who wears general stars and a chess full of 'atta boys.'

LEARNING FROM HISTORY

SYRIA. Why the hell should any person who thinks, trust the government's view of why to go to war. Vietnam. Gulf of Tonkin. Bullshit. Iraq. Weapons of mass destruction. Out and out lie. Now Syria. Using chemical weapon. The flimsiest of evidence. 900,000 thousand Syrians dead. 150 (while any death is unacceptable) killed supposedly by "sarin" gas.

I know history, especially Vietnam and how we saw our involvement expand through dictators, inept military policy, and a host of other stupid mistakes. Syria is worse. The Mideast is a f..king mess anyway you look at it. Sad as it is, we will only get deeper into a morass we can't affect. And, nothing we see indicates that any country in that volatile part of the world can be democratic as we know it. We only make it worse I think. Stay the hell out of Syria.

SYRIA

Supplying the rebels with arms. I just don’t know. I know history, especially how we saw it expand, expand through f..king dictators, inept military policy, and a host of other stupid mistakes, in Vietnam. Syria is worse. The Mideast is a f..king mess anyway you look at it. Sad as it is, we will only get deeper into a morass we can't affect. And, nothing we see indicates that any country in that volatile part of the world can be democratic as we know it is. We only make it worse I think. I’ve convinced myself. Stay the hell out of Syria.

SPYING ON "Mericans."

This whole thing about gathering info from citizens is ticking us off! WHO? Well, for one thing, a group of 8 Vietnam vets (the ultimate in patriotism, right wing Republicans even). We took a poll. Eight guys. Seven said this spying with emails, texts, phone calls is a "noway Jose." Give me a break! This is not the American way. The main thing, here is a guy, only working for them three months, a contractor, blows the whistle. First of all, who the f..k gave this guy permission to spy on American citizens. This whole thing is way out of control. Nobody gets their arsh kicked for letting him have assess to gathering private citizen's telephone data. Same thing with Wikileaks hero, Bradley Manning. Nobody owns up for letting a "Private" have assess to all this supposedly classified material. A private! What the f..k? In military parlance, a "private" is, symbolically, lower than whale manure; in the military, a "Private" has to get permission to even breathe. It really is a classic example of shooting the clumsy messenger. What if they are checking out texts of me telling NSA to f..k off. As I've said before, they can just kiss my arsh.

NSA

If you haven't done anything or have nothing to hide, who gives a f..k about the invasion of privacy with the NSA looking at everything. The flip side of the coin is that I don't like it. The NSA and all these Intell agencies justify their existence constantly and go for the overkill. Consequently, you f..kers tapping into my blog post, kiss my ass. When I was in the Army, the Intell people investigated me for having an out of date, by several years, troop list (where they were). It was my job to keep up with them. What a waste of time. Then when I was in Korea, the Intell types got all excited when I mentioned this spy plane flying over us. Everybody knew it and yet I had the audacity to mention it. And, the Intell types dilute their effectiveness by classifying things that don't need to be classified. We need a real look at all this Intell bullshit. Let's get real here.

NSA

If you haven't done anything or have nothing to hide, who gives a f..k about the invasion of privacy with the NSA looking at everything. The flip side of the coin is that I don't like it. The NSA and all these Intell agencies justify their existence constantly and go for the overkill. Consequently, you f..kers tapping into my blog post, kiss my ass. When I was in the Army, the Intell people investigated me for having an out of date, by several years, troop list (where they were). It was my job to keep up with them. What a waste of time. Then when I was in Korea, the Intell types got all excited when I mentioned this spy plane flying over us. Everybody knew it and yet I had the audacity to mention it. And, the Intell types dilute their effectiveness by classifying things that don't need to be classified. We need a real look at all this Intell bullshit. Let's get real here.