OBITS

I read obits. I think it is a function of age. 

You look at the page. This guy was younger 

than me, etc. I was not reading the obits but 

about this article in the NY Times,  "Big Bang of  

Social Networking," kind of giving a history of 

Social Networks.   Listed was one of the 

founders of a social networking site, Diaspora. I love the name. 

Founded by four young guys; one, 

Zhotomirskiy, committed suicide. I remember

when it happened. Sad, sad. 

I often say when I try to make some sense 

of somebody doing themselves in: when they

seem so promising; when there is 

no sense to what they have done. But, the 

article merely mentioned this and, for me, 

I put it in the obit category. 

Zhotomirskiy "A charasmatic math prodigy, and competitive swing-dancing, dumpster diving, power-kiting, unicycling juggler." 

MOST PEOPLE ARE SELFISH

I use to have a blog, "Most Americans are stupid." Pretty arrogant, right?  I didn't mean dumb. Most "Mericans (using NASCAR pronunciation) are pretty smart but let's face it, those "Mericans" who care and many don't, are pretty selfish. They operate on this basis, "Of my father's children, I love myself the best. If The Lord provides for me, the devil rake the rest." 

I don't know how the president stands upright, really. As President, he has done more than a credible job--inherited two ill conceived wars, the worst economy since The Great Depression and has essentially brought us back; yet, according to the pollsters, he goes down down. What the hell, throw in a little or lot racism and selfish attitude and what other explanation is there?  

GO GIANTS

I am beating around the City. (San Francisco) Everybody is talking Giants. What a win; favorite player. Key play of the game, Bumgartner for president or sainthood. 

Then there were these folks demonstrating in front of City Hall as I was passing by. At first I thought they could be a left over group from the night before, celebrating the Giant's victory; not so, they were pretty much railing against most things, loud crinkling of paper, whatever. A very nice lady who could have easily been a stand-in for a hippy of the Sixties gave me a flower.  God bless "Merica."

GLEN CAMPBELL

It is a curious feeling, difficult and poignant, when you reach that tipping point in the relationship where a person no longer recognizes you. I think that is very difficult. I really wish I could go over and see him and play some songs. 
Jimmy Webb, who wrote, "By The Time I get to Phoenix" and "Wichita Lineman," for Glenn Campbell, now suffering with Alzheimer's. 

SHARON

GO GIANTS. The Sharon Series marches on. HooAhhhhhh. Above all they have "Sharon" in the dugout.

Roger that. What a great way to keep her memory alive: "Sharon's Series". To her, baseball was America's game. Wish you and Sharon could be at all of Sharon's Series. . She is watching, along with Walt, I have no doubt. 



That's Sharon's little Giant she has sitting in a little white rocker for years.
Yes, the "Sharon Series."

DO WE HAVE REGRETS

Absolutely, I have regrets. I often discuss with my GFs (old guys I hang out with that are affectionally called Girlfriends) such esoteric questions. They lie. I expect them too. Who wants to talk about their "fuck ups." Most people will say they don't have any regrets. 

Do you have any regrets? 

No. 

Not a one? 

No. 

You would live your life just as you have? 

Yes. Wouldn't change a thing. 

Damn. F..k. LIARS! (Good natureley. This is how we are. We could care less about feelings. All of us love to be brutally frank. One of the few places in our cultures where we can lay it all out).  I have so many regrets that I want to say, "How much time do you have?" 

The flip side of the coin is that when we look at things retrospectively, what we may have thought at the time was disastrous may actually have been good. Here's my example: since America is crazed about football, I will use my brief football career. I was on a partial scholarship at my college and was really struggling with academics while trying to make the team. I was about 10th string. At one football practice, I got in a fight with one of the star players. It really was not my fault I don't think. We were just lightly hitting and this guy knocked me on my posterior about three times. The coaches and most of the team were enjoying it until I really socked him and almost knocked him out. 

The coach threw me off the team. By school rules, they couldn't take my scholarship unless I voluntarily gave it up. I wouldn't do it but the Coaches really bullied me and finally I gave in. It is one of my regrets. I think. I should have stuck it out. Shortly, thereafter, I failed out of school and was drafted into the Army. Almost all of the football team avoided Vietnam. In hindsight, maybe it was the best thing that could have happened to me. 

TOUR IN THE MARINES

The Newshours did a piece about Silicon Valley (start-ups, APPs). Looking at these "would be" millionaires who weren't even old enough to shave, I couldn't help but think, these kids would do well with a tour in the Marines. 

MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR

I really am jaded at defending the president. In practical terms, it is a waste of time. I admire the guy just because he can stand upright. I can't feel too sorry for him because this is his choice. But. I get charged when I hear these f..king "know nothings" talk about his being indicisive, etc. it is politics and it is racism. I am a white boy from the South and I can recognize it when I see it. That is another topic. 

The President is an ENTJ on the Myers Briggs. The MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) is the most popular personality instrument in the country. Developed by two women who were trying to figure our people. Google it. The president personality is basically who he is, like all of us--how he acts and reacts. He is an E (extrovert) likes people, moves toward them easily. Has a good sense of humor. An N (iNtuitive) Notice the way it is written, capital N. The president is iNtuitive: innovative and creative, gathers facts. He is not indecisive, he merely is looking at his options MFers. The prez is a "T" (Thinking) in his head. Comes across in very ethereal ways. Logical, college professor. And lastly, he is a J (judgement) not judgmental but a term that Katherine Myers and Isabel Briggs came up with, designed to convey a "lifestyle." Judging as opposed to Perceptive which is on occasion flaky whereas "judging" types are organized. The president always looks sharp, crisp. He is a leader. OK, got it: ENTJ. Know why I am pretty sure. My wife has the same personality. She could easily run the world. OK, there you have it. For us Democrats, let's simply say to these party of "NO" types, get real and understand the personality of the president, asshole. 

EBOLA

Ebola. Sad and scary. Should we prohibit movement to West Africa. I think yes. Good military concept: "When you are up to your arsh in alligators, kind of hard to remember that your mission was draining the swamp." This meaning, do what we can to help the people. F..k, we have already sent the 101st Airborne to help. General Lee, my hero was first commander. 

RIGHT TO DIE

RIGHT TO DIE. I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE that California does not have a "right to die" law. California, a state that is almost buried under the weight of its citizens who are on "life support" (IVs, feeding tubes, oxygen) with no chance of recovery or getting better. 

"Sixty Minutes" profiled a nurse/daughter who was accused of helping her father do what he wanted, DIE. Her case is a typical example of what can happen. Amazing is that it is California who prides itself in "leading the way." What the f..k! We treat our animals better than our loved ones. 

In the case of the PA woman, a State Court Judge did the right thing: dismissed the charges. But, it is a perfect example. We can have "Medical Directives," which we think that the wishes of our loved ones will be honored when, in fact, only two states make Medical Directives binding. West Virginia is one. What the hell? I am going to quit putting the bad mouth on West Virginia. 

THE GENERALS

Sir, Understand your thoughts. I worked for General J A when I was with 2dBn/4th Marines. He is happy to be back in what he would consider a combat/humanitarian joint force assignment. I've briefed him numerous times...he will never rock the boat...

What this means is that even now from the generals we continue to hear these rosy reports from Iraq. Our stupidity is beyond thinkable. 

JOE

JOE is one of those sleeper movies that you see, expecting one thing but getting another in drastic form. It is about an ex-con who has these violent episodes which he seemingly cannot control. Joe played by Nicholas Cage, one of the best actors around I think.

Joe runs a crew of workers who kills trees so the forest can be replanted with healthy seedlings. It sounds like something illegal but not. This is a character driven movie. Everybody in it is somewhat damaged, maybe not the all black crew of workers. There's a mentality of survival which is dark in every way. It is alcohol, smoking, lowlife mentality. Abuse, sex, the base existence to life. 

Joe meets a kid, fifteen, Gary. He begins some redemption. The stark surroundings, the lowlife characters, the bare existence of people who survive makes quite the movie. I don't know why a movie like "Joe" doesn't get more notice. This is a people, an environment that exists in this country. They are the have nots, the survivors, uneducated and unsophisticated but remarkable in a weird way. Joe, especially. 

I originally saw this on a plane but could not quite grasp it. I
immediately watched it again. It is worth your time. 

Best Statement On Politics I've Seen Lately

Here's something (of a stretch, perhaps) to make you feel better about a potential change in control of the senate:  
1. No matter who controls the senate, gridlock will continue for the remainder of Obama's term. 
2. If the Republicans take control now they will be forced to propose legislation, rather than just oppose any and everything.
3. Because the GOP is so at war with itself it will be difficult for them to find enough common ground amongst themselves to propose anything without a major and publicly reported fight. Obama retains a veto to block anything asinine.  
4. Losing the camouflage of "opposition", enough sane and sensible middle-of-the-road American people see the GOP for what it truly represents, and vote accordingly in 2016.    RL

GET REAL

The President is following the path of George W.,  listening to the generals and others who don't know s..t, so to speak. Even though he is the president, the commander in chief, he looks at all those uniforms, those ribbons and tends

To get bamboozled. Generals want to go to war. They are Custis LeMay: let's bomb Hanoi and all the problems will be solved. Stupid. We need to cut this bullshit out. We have so many problems. You have those like John McCain who is beyond hawk to stupid. We can't solve the Mideast. Our efforts are beyond idiocy. Millions and millions of bucks to train an Army who ends up fleeing in the face pf ISIS, in running suits, no less. Now, we are back again. It is like some f..king resurrection or nightmare. Help? And Putin and his oligarchy buddies are not going to stand by and allow western armies to be on the border. Any first year political science student knows this. This is the Cold War REVISITED. What the f..k. 

AMAZON

I cannot believe that Amazon did not invite me to their "Campfire" for writers. What the hell! F..K, double F..K. I could have used some of those lavish gifts. Damn, a retreat, relaxed. Come on Jeff. Look at it like this, you invited all these big names for the last four years to your "Campfire" and now, you need a little "love" and they jump up and bite you in the arsh.   

I have been a big supporter. I am beaucoup applauding Amazon for leveling the playing field. Always before, big time, established publishers have pretty much had everything to themselves, mostly ignoring us unheralded authors. In the present dispute, I sense a lot of whining going on. 

I am not the type "not" to take sides. I choose Amazon. For us no-names, Amazon has given us a chance and for myself, if I am anything, I am loyal. 

I've read lots about the dispute and I doubt the dire claims of the "end" of publishing. If I am looking a book, I can find it somewhere.  Maybe I don't have to have it tomorrow. Manipulating ordering, pricing. What the hell, retail stores have their own systems. They put books they are pushing in strategic spots. Probably kickbacks in some form. 

As a writer and small publisher, few of the reading public understand how insane this process of getting published is.  About a hundred percent of the time, us would be published authors  cannot even get Hatchett to respond. No use blaming them. In California, we have more writers than readers. Regardless, before Amazon, we were s..t out of luck. To a large degree, Amazon and the Internet have changed that. I know for a fact that you can get a   few readers, people say to me, "where are your books?" AMAZON. No small thing. 

Here is s good example of the insanity of this business: I have been querying 
agents for months (Queried 40 plus and can't even get anybody to read my novel--they don't know if I have a masterpiece or not because they haven't read it).  But, in a real sense, pressure is off, owing much to Amazon, I have options: publish myself, get it on Amazon. Do an E-book. 

The plight of the author doesn't escape me but it has to be more than money. Sniveling aside, authors or at least those I know, to include myself, realize. this is a tough business and an insane one with no real rules. Big named authors who have made millions may feel slighted but I have a hard time feeling sorry for them. 

GETTING FIRED

This morning as I was perusing the NY Times, I read this extensive article on homeless vets who make up a quarter of the total homeless population. I am always flummoxed  at this. How do some make it and others crash and burn. Regardless, Vietnam remains in vets' psyche. 

I have a related war story. My old boss in Vietnam is reported to be one of the homeless. He and I never got along. It culminated in him telling

me to do a certain thing. I refused because I thought it would put soldiers in jeopardy. I had been with these guys for almost a year and thought I knew best. 

Probably some sort of jealousy. He replaced me with somebody else and sent me to the rear area to be sent home. What nobody could understand is why that should bother me as it got me out of combat; but to me, it was a big thing, really devastating. I was a young Captain and he was a Lieutenant Colonel. 

At war unusual things can happen. My commander was based at this place called Camp Eagle. It was at the headquarters with all the staff people and the generals--they had never been attacked. Most considered that it was safe and impenetrable. They had all the amenities. I was down South, getting ready to be unceremoniously thrown out of the country and out of the Army. Most figured I must have done something bad or whatever or else this would not be happening. I didn't understand it myself. 

Without warning, Camp Eagle came under a ferocious attack. Actually a siege, nobody could get to them. It went on for about three days. Finally, they were rescued. My boss was literally catatonic and had to be sent back to the States. I went back to my old unit. 

The interesting thing is that nobody other than me or my boss were even knowledgeable of what had gone on. Had the siege not happened, I would have gone home and been out of the Army. The rest of this is history, I guess. If there is a moral to the story, it is just, "keep your head down and see what happens." There is nothing worse sometimes than jealousy. And, in our culture, money also seems to be the winner but I am still naive enough to believe that "right" is the winner. I can tell you what it did for me throughout my career, it made me a champion of the underdog, the downtrodden or those who got on the wrong side of the beauracratic establishment. Most of my peers feel that my public "stands" probably kept me from being a general. I don't think so. 

. 

BOYHOOD

Filmed over 12 years, amazing. Three hours. Noway could a movie hold my ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) for three hours. It did. Fascinating movie. Why? I guess so much of it is "true to life." The story line, actually there was no real story line, like this is a script. The characters remained the same, just aged. Every subject was played out: alcoholism, divorce, abuse, abandonment, narcissism, surly teenagers. God, man and the Universe.

I would recommend to every parent. Good scenes that show our failures but in them, in most ways we are doing the best we can. I saw lots of cultural stuff. Only in America. With most every subject, there is something to talk about. The adults, the teachers who recognize and praise. I saw my old Ag teacher in one of them. He would chew is out for our sloven work but at the same time let us know we could do more. One of the ways I judge a movie: "am I thinking and talking about it days afterwards?" Yes. Is the movie instructive as well as entertaining. YES! Check it out.  

BUGGING OUT

The concept of "Bugging Out" was popularized during the Korean War. It had to do with a kind of "organized retreat." The North Koreans marched toward Seoul with such devastation that the Americans had to "bug out" to regroup to fight. It is tempting to apply the term to the Iraqi Army. If so, they would give new meaning to it. We poured millions of dollars into training the Iraqi Army and in the face of danger, they "bugged" out--not to a pre position to get ready to fight. They, in essence, ran. What are we to make of it. Probably that they lacked leadership. In listening to my favorite NPR (National Public Radio) person, Terry Gross, interviewing Tim Arango, bureau chief for Baghdad (NY Times), very insightful and may be the clues for the Iraqi Army "bugging out". In a word. "Corruption." From what he said, reminds me of watching "Pride and Prejudice". They have a scene where literally it is explained how an Englishman gets a commission into the military. He buys it. Same in Iraq. They buy it. This is a hell of a way to have an Army. I blame us in a sense. All the way along, why didn't some American in a leadership position stand up and say, this is a disaster. Let's blame it on the generals: Patraeus, Allen, Frank. Take your pick of a dozen or so. Civilians can be forgiven but not the American military. Actually there probably were some military types. At best, nobody paid them any attention. At worst, they chose to bury their heads in the sand. F..K. 

THE GFs LAUGH

The GFs convened at Miller's Deli in San Rafael. John and TC arrived first. We went over potential topics of the morning. John felt that we should discuss the President's latest edict on fighting ISIS. He felt that it was making war and definitely against the President's stated purpose of his presidency. 

John was somewhat giddy as he had just scored the purchase of a great clock which was very heavy as it was black onyx. John agreed that his interest in clocks sometimes overpowers his common sense. Upon hearing that he was an inspiration to our wonderful hispanic waitress; who, by the way, is to have her wisdom teeth extracted, he agreed to give up the clock for a hundred or so. 

Our resident, attorney, Sam, the Godfather, and the Battalion Surgeon arrived. We initially launched into a discussion of the value of a particular supplement that would assist in shoulder pain and arthritis. Sam agreed to try it and give feedback. Upon further reflection, he has ordered all of us a supply. 

The Doc said that he would like for us to examine the sudden and untimely death of Joan Rivers. Since her procedure was elective surgery, it is unclear who was in charge. The doc allowed that it appears there was confusion and then panic when the unexpected happened. The doc, as a young Marine Lieutenant in Nam, experienced first hand treating young Marines who had to be intibated. Sam enlightened the attentive group as to legal responsibility. For any who would like to review total communication, please check with the doc's blog if he had one. 

Just before the group hug commenced, someone intoned that it was wonderful to have a peer group where everybody was tuned in, hung on every word of an opinion and cherished this invaluable time together. 

FOOTBALL

Recently, I was in my favorite bar, SFAC (San Francisco Athletic Club). On five screens I could watch football. I was simply amazed. 

To be honest, I am pretty much turned off with big-time college football. It is simply weird to me. Here are a bunch of white people watching mostly black players. They cheer for their alma mater. Especially the Southern teams. I watched a couple of teams where almost every single player was an African American. It absolutely is a subject that nobody discusses. What is the subject really? Do we think any of these people watching say, Alabama, are going to invite the players to brunch. I doubt it. So, what is the concern? That it looks and feels like this is ancient Rome. The players are gladiators. I am having trouble framing this. Somebody help me out. I want to blog this.       

The NY Times

A good buddy of mine is always saying things like, "Don't absorb too much of "The PropagandaRag", of Hillary, aka NYT (New York Times). 

We always laugh. (I am just an ordinary reader) When I went to LIU (Long Island University) back in the dark ages, I fell in love with the "Times." Is it all the news that's fit to print?" Of course not but it is one of the truly complete newspapers left in "Merica" and I like my politics slightly to the "left"). I hate labels.  

I actually took a course on how to read the "Times." My Sociology prof, Dr. Bigliosi, taught the COURSE. He made it come alive. (He has since gone on to his great rewards and although I didn't start out to keep his memory alive, this does it for me). According to Big, You start off reading the (1)Front page. Then go to (2) Sports, then, it is what we now call, (3) Sunday Review. The rest is "personal preference," i. e., Style, Book Review, etc.--Dr Big said, "You can be an educated person by reading the Sunday Times." 

ERIC CANTOR

“THERE IS NO SHAME. Eric Cantor just landed a job on Wall Street for 3.4 mil. He has no shame. And, for this 3.4 mil, he will be going to his old friends in Congress who will look with favor on him. They have no shame.”

Opinion by GdA

ROBERT SHERRILL

It was the first time I had thought of him in a long time. He was a hell raising journalist that seemed to take on everybody if he saw them soft peddling the truth. There were several quotes which were titles usually for his writing. "Military justice is to justice as military music is to music." Here's another that I loved. "The Saturday Night Special: and other guns which Americans used to win the west, protected bootleg franchises, slew wildlife, robbed countless banks, shot husbands purposely, and ... killed presidents--I loved this guy. God bless him on his journey. Sherrill, an original maverick where God only made one. 

EARTHQUATE

“In Northern California, the idea is never “if” but “when” an earthquake. We had a 6.0 this morning. It seemed to go on forever. It woke me. I immediately remembered the La Prietta on Oct 17, 1989. I was at Letterman Army Medical Center on the Presideo, standing in the Lobby, talking with a family about withdrawing life support from
their terminally ill father. The earthquake happened. Everybody scattered. Suddenly, I was by myself. A chunk of the outside structure had fallen. The Marina was burning. We were rushing docs to help. The Bay Bridge had collapsed. We had an earthquake!!!!!!!”

GdA

FERGUSON

What else is there to say about Ferguson? There are so many things that are intertwined. To have a "clean" statement is impossible. I have done an informal discussion with these old guys I hang out with two or three times a week. Plus, I am part of an email group with close to a dozen retired military types. All the whites pretty much see it the same: "Unfortunate police action but can't tolerate lawlessness. Rioting, etc puts it in different category. Now, thugs have come in to take advantage."

 Most African Americans deal with the heavy handedness of the police, the brutality. Even the most hardcore would have to admit, "shooting a teenager six times in the head is a bit much." Issues like no jobs, president's fault, too much military style policing. Questioning of heavy handedness. All over the map. 

Regardless of where we stand on Ferguson, we can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, "we have not solved the issue of race in our country." 

RACE

Are race relations as bad as ever in America. I don't think so. Much is the media. Never forget that the media wants a story, not necessarily the truth. 

 

THE SIXTIES REVISITED. I was on the way to Vietnam when riots erupted  over the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.  Amazing that few things have changed about race in the country. African Americans accusing  the police of being heavy handed and the police accusing the protestors of being violent. 

I thought the former mayor of Ferguson was close to the truth. On the "News Hour" when asked about racial profiling, he said something like, "When a policeman sees a car with expired tags, he is going to pull it over. The vast majority of the time, the car owner is an African American who can't afford to pay for tags. This is 80% of the time. Is that racial profiling? So, issue is as much economic as race?

These little townships around St Louis have the vast majority as blacks. Yet the elected officials and police are mostly white. What is this?

IRAQ REVISTED

I opposed the Iraq war from the very beginning as it was built on fraud. George W f..k up, let's face it--Listened to the neocons who still are in denial. 
We finally got out of Iraq luckily through the bungling of Nouri al-Maliki
who has maintained a crazy hold on power. 

We lucked out. Now, a weary nation (at least those who care), are faced with what to do again in Iraq? The president has taken a courageous stance in bombing. We can't turn our backs on defenseless people like the Yazidis. It is not in our nature.  The bombing seems to be working. We have stopped the advance of fanatics who kill indiscriminately anybody who doesn't agree with them. I think I would take a little riskier tacict than just bombing. Forget those like John McCain. What the f..k is wrong with him. He was a POW for God's sake and ought to be bigger than all this criticism he constant levels. He is still a sore loser I think. And Hillary, politics. Give me a break. But, with what I've read, we are dealing with murderous fanatics. Vicious fanatics like ISSI must be confronted. And we should be prepared to facilitate their martyrdom. Air strikes alone will not do it. There is no winning this war on terrorism, they continue to multiply but we can win this battle. We should deploy the 82d Airborne. They are the premier large scale fighting force in the American military. The 82d Airborne trains and lives for this moment. Already, they have prepared a scenario exactly for this moment. They are trained. Their mission means ready to "rock and roll" in 72 hours. In this case, they are sitting on the runway, waiting on the green light. It is time to do it. And, once the mission is completed, "wheels up" on the way home, the Kurt's have the mission.

BOBBING ISSIS

Ordinarily I would oppose a decision to even think of doing anything with Iraq but I think Ryan Crocker is right, “This is about America’s national security,” said Ryan Crocker, who was ambassador to Iraq under Mr. Bush and to Afghanistan under Mr. Obama. “We don’t understand real evil, organized evil, very well. This is evil incarnate." People like Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” the ISIS leader, “have been in a fight for a decade. They are messianic in their vision, and they are not going to stop.”

The President has made a courageous decision. Politically,  he can't win.  The fact is, ISIS will kill innocent people indiscriminately and we have "try" to prevent it. God bless us. 

AFFLUENCE A Tour in the MARINES

A young photographer discovers his family to be a family who wrote the book on "dysfunctionalty." A world of money and very affluent kids who feel privileged is the backdrop. They have incorporated parental values into their own. Talk about a f..ked up scene. 

Dylan, the photographer is himself a self aware pot head. This is really scary for a grandpa with his oldest granddaughter going off to college. 

Parents ought to see this. In a sense though this may be mainly just over the top but don't think so. Dylan's Uncle: Steven Gutenburg, 

plays the part of a Wall Street tycoon who gives new meaning to the world of hypocrisy and the "f" word. I am blown away. 

I didn't even mean to watch this movie but became mesmerized. It is kind of a coming of age movie but more. The financial collapse is the final undoing of the tranquil indulgences. The "material" issues go dark and are vaporized. The movie keeps trying to find a redeeming character.  Dylan comes close but his constant pot smoking doesn't do it for me. 

This is an aside but holds that ever kernel  of truth. The kids in this movie are pretty pathetic. Even if only nominally accurate, they are way too many. A joke among my friends when we see these kids is that they need a tour in the Marines. More truth than fiction. These kids of Affluenza have no direction, trade on the perceived influence of a relative and would've know discipline if it ran over them. Sound like a candidate for the Marines. F..king A. 

Our country was sold a bill of goods by the late Economist Milt Freeman and at that time Mel Laird who was the secretary of Defense. I have no doubt that these are honorable men  who had no earthly idea of the unintended consequences of their ill defined cause would unlease.  Maybe they did. I've actually read that Friedman held the philosophy that the draft was actually incompatible with compulsory service. Laird may have simply been duped. Quite the opposite is true. Is there anything more compatible than a fair and comprehensive draft. I don't think so. 

FIRED. PINK SLIPPED

 The Army “pink slipped ” nearly 1,200 officers involuntarily selected to separate; some while deployed in combat zones.

The 87 deployed captains (O-3), once notified, immediately received “change of mission” orders and will be out of country within 30 days. They were given the choice to either return to home duty station or to a transition location of choice and given 10 months to separate. 

The above is the news item. As my Mom would say, this is scandalous. Let's use the correct term,  of "fired." Tom and I know about being fired. Getting SERBed was the best thing that could have happened to me. I was doing basically nothing. But, for me to say that it was not humiliating or disingenuous to blow it off would be untrue. We all can understand the chief's office when they got a chance to throw my ass out. I had burned bridges everywhere but for a guy like Tom and Bob Campbell, it was absolutely unbelievable. And now to see the sorry way the Army is doing and the Chief's office probably, if they get a chance. I was at Bliss when they had the RIF (reduction on Force). They threw out guys who had given their life's blood, mainly young helicopter pilots who had been to Vietnam over and over. You think the Army cared. Bullshit. It is not personal, it is "bean counters" but they (the RIFed) took it personal. I should have done more then. 

With the SERB, they probably violated a contract that we could stay to 30 but it was changed without our knowing it. In fact, I had been through the drill of "regular army", remember that? A commander I had insisted I go through that whole BS process for RA; that lasted a few years and the whole system was changed. Now, here comes another "firing" and some of it is done while the poor guys are at war. I will be kicking and screaming and raising hell any way I can. At least I want them to use the right term: FIRED. . 

PTSD

I am pretty much with Dave but will have to say, I am somewhat confused about it all, too. I do support a more open stance on it. The government throws away so much money, why not give to those who have been to war and need it. I have never filed a claim on PTSD and wouldn't. Know why? I don't need the money? But, lots do and they realize, although questionable to us, in their minds, not so. I basically think that any of us who have been in combat units have some measure of PTSD. I am sure Dave does. Two tours, how could he no? I blame a lot of things on Vietnam. Jackie says if I didn't have Vietnam, what would I do? I am scared of the dark. Not just not going out in the dark. It frightens me. In Vietnam everything happened at night. During the day, no sweat. But, come the dark, we are talking fire fights mortars, etc. ; you got where you dreaded the dark. So, PTSD. DANG, if I know. 

Guys in Iraq and Afghanistan were filing claims before they left the war. They are social media savvy and don't mess around. We are in a phenom, everybody loves the soldier or the vet. I mean, come on? Even the Democrats and Republicans got together to pass a bill on VA. Now, 10 chaps, this is something to discuss. What is going on.? Will it last? What caused it. Vietnam vets went from being derided, to everybody wants to be one.