GI CHRISTMAS PAST

In the military, Christmas seems a special time, especially to soldiers away from home. 

One Christmas that sticks out to me is one in Germany. I was a young Captain, maybe 26 and assigned to a Nike Hercules Missile unit. We had this crazy Sergeant Major who pretty much ran everything. One day he says to me “Chaplain, it is Christmas, we need to get a project where the troops can feel like they are in the spirit of Christmas. What about finding us something like an orphanage and we’ll get some presents and visit.” I go to several German Orphanage type places. Other American military units had the kids locked up. OK, let’s do something else. I found this old folks home we could visit. 

The Sergeant Major rounds up a bus load of troops to go with me. We bring presents for the old folks. We get there in early afternoon. Bunch of American GIs, maybe twenty. We are met by the Director of the home who says something like, "I hope you aren’t going to be disappointed. The men and women don’t get much attention, seldom are they visited. They mostly just sit." 

There were about 39 or forty grandmas/PAs. The GIs don’t speak a word of German other than eine beer bitta. The Germans don’t speak English. 

The old folks, men and women, began dancing with the GIs or with each other. I guess they didn’t need language They were all having such a good time. The Director was flabbergasted. Finally it was time to go. We loaded all the troops in the bus. The director said, "I’ve never seen anything like this. Most of the patients refuse to do anything and here they have been dancing and having a ball. 

We pulled out of the driveway and the oldsters were following us waving goodbye with their handkerchiefs. What a good time. Two days later I discovered that the soldiers had spiked the punch. All the old people were pretty soused by the time we left. Oh well, we gave them a great Christmas. 

COMMO

Recently I had a tête-à-tête with a friend. He is from my perspective, the worst communicator I've ever known--interrupts, makes these declarative statements, essentially shutting down the dialogue. Drives all of us crazy. I thought of this musing  by George Bernard Shaw, 

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday. As "Mericans" we have so much. Recently I asked a friend who is Irish, successful business person and desperately wants to emigrate to America. I definite get it for the really sad Syrians trying to find peace and safety. But, hard to say about my friend and I asked him why does he want to emigrate. His answer: you Americans have no earthly idea of how fortunate you are. You are safe. You have, even the poorest, a measure of what you want and you don't even think about it.  

However, even Thanksgiving can't take away these random thoughts. (1) Best treatment of the whole ISIS issue I've seen in the "Economist." (2) Very disingenuous to watch the Prez beating his chest like I saw him last night about how we are going to destroy ISIS. THEY HAVE US BY THE GONADS, let's face it. (3) If you saw 60 Minutes last night and the episode on Iraq, amazing. We are still pouring millions into that operation; some American general is claiming great victories. I think that we are at the stage where they outright lie. (4) Or, maybe it is downright perception. And, what we know is that a person's perception is his reality, regardless of the facts. I've always thought they bear some of the blame to where we find ourselves. Rosy reports, how we are kicking ass when out here in the hinterlands, we are not seeing these great victories. The examples are everywhere. Think Paris. It is a mess. 

God bless, Have a blessed Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday. 

Coilition

Can we or will we go for an effective coalition. NO, mainly because it has to be done by an effective and "cool" leadership. And that appears to be missing or in short support. It is not that it is not our fight but it is not something that we can do or should do, alone, if at all. Countries like the Saudis, Iran, all have to come together. (Good luck with that). I heard on one news outlet that there are Saudis who are actually contributing financially to ISIS. Saudi is a country where they behead citizens who are not Muslim. What the f..k. 

I have been an Obama supporter but he has of late f..ked up. I see nothing that we are involved in that is working. What is that saying. Something like, "To continue doing what we have always done and expecting different results mean that you get what you've always done." As a country, we know how to be stupid. 

I can't "get" this on our attitude toward Russia. This is, by any estimation, dumb, dumb, dumb. To tame Syria, Assad is the key. Take care of the problem (ISIS) and then sort it out. 

The prez and his choir say our strategy is working. WHAT STRATEGY IS THIS?

ZAPPING ISIS

Any amateur military tactician can tell us what we have to do to defeat ISIS. (1) OVERWHELMING  Force,(100,000)

 much like we defeated Saddam in Kuwait. Surround wherever ISIS is concentrated. (2) Cut off their supply routes, no one in or out, outside activity suspended (hauling oil). (3) Close off escape routes. (4) Bring lethal force, which means being prepped with air strikes by the dozens, tanks, mortors, reducing the ISIS space to rubble. Invade with ground forces, from every direction, two weeks max to kill or capture ISIS fighters. Mission accomplished. Not simple but the only way to defeat them for the present. 30 days max. 

Will we do it? NO! The reason Gulf War One worked is because we had a coilition and did not disguise what we were doing. It is complicated and the last thing we want to see is America, alone or with Europe, take up a fight that is not ours. 

Maybe We Ought To Think About The Draft

I don't feel safe in Paris and am emigrating to Israel. I feel safe there. Although they live with danger, they feel safe. Maybe it is because everybody in Israel has to serve in the military and they learn how to handle themselves. 

A Parisan Interviewee 

JUST FELL OFF THE TURNIP TRUCK

A couple of weeks ago some AF type said we were killing thousands of ISIS fighters. How does he know? Well, the targets, drones, whatever, are effective. Then some Colonel says yesterday that we have now targeted/destroyed 16 gas trucks. Yet hundreds are lined up getting oil. Then some government money guy estimated that we have seriously hurt the fanatics in the pocketbook. They are only making millions. Some Bloomberg reporter says, "let's try billions." The rosy, make that over optimistic, Alive in Wonderland spokesmen/women take us for a bunch of idiots. What ever it seems they need to tell us to float our boat, they do. The bottom line is that we are supposedly killing the leaders, defeating them in every way and we still have "Paris" and ISIS is stronger and more lethal than ever. 

We don't want to think our leaders are selling us a bill of goods, the equivalent of the Brooklyn Bridge. I say again, ISIS is as ruthless and powerful as ever, despite our chest beating. I think it is time that "Americans that care" are told the unvarnished truth or just accept the fact that we just "did fall off the turnip truck". 

REFUGEES

I confess upfront that Bernie is my man. He has new ideas and my independent nature likes him. He thinks that to deny refugees is unAmerican. Our country was built on immigrants, to include all of us. For us to deny helping people who have struggled for the very basics in life goes against all that we are. 

Are there terrorists among the refugees? Probably. Any young man or woman will have to be vetted throughly. It is another wrinkle in the great security apparatus. 

The politicians, grandstanding on the backs of trying to do the right thing, is counter productive, to say the least.  

SYRIA

We have said some stupid things but failing to coordinate with Russia on getting ISSI IS CRAZY. THIS IS A CHANCE; wanting Assad to go? Where is he going to go?  

Retribution and revenge against ISIS is what we want. Let's wake up and smell the roses. Syria has changed and we have to deep six (get rid of) our demand that Assad go. He has nowhere to go. And, we are not going to get anybody to the peace table or any table without him. 

PARIS

Already politics is entering the scene.  According to Senators McCain and Lindsay; naturally, it is all the Presiden's fault,  And, I get so tired of hearing; the "American People." Bullshit. It is not American People. We should say, "Americans that care." Let's face it, many Americans don't care, don't give a s..t, one way or another. 

RUTHLESS

The Paris terrorism reminded me of 9-11. My daughter called me then and said, "Dad, are you watching TV?" Afterwards, I was glued to it for days. Now, with the terrorist attacks on Paris, the same emotions have evolved. Just so happens that I was on a pheasant hunting trip with a few of my buddies, mostly vets. 

We have talked, postulated from the very beginning of news of the attack: what to do? In a sense we admitted that there is nothing to do unless we are willing to be ruthless. One of my buddies called to mind the Clint Eadteood movie, "Unforgiven." Clint has killed the corrupt Sheriff and he gets on his horse and looks at his good buddy, Ned, in a casket on display for all to see. (Morgan Freeman.) Clint stops and says something like, "You better give Ned a proper burial or I am coming back and will kill you and then I will hunt down your families and kill them." This is what we call "ruthless." It is the only way to confront ISSI. 

One of the aspects of what we are seeing is that ISSI doesn't mind showing us and telling us who they are because they are counting on our value system to keep us from being "ruthless." We will do limited retaliation but not much. We don't have the heart for "ruthless". 

In other words all we can do is react and not much of that. Do we have it in us for "ruthless." I don't think so. Are we ready to deport/blame families for their terrorist children. What about torture, water boarding. This is the way you get information, water boarding, profiling, listening in on conversations. What about it? Can we be "ruthless?" I DON'T THINK SO. 

TRUCK

 SOME STORIES ARE SO GOOD THAT YOU HAVE TO SHARE (slightly edited)

Yesterday we decided it was time to get another dog. Our beloved died in late September. 

 

Saturday morning we got an email from a breeder in Aiken, South Carolina. We had sent her our previous dog's obituary, which included pictures of him, and asked if she had a "Jack Russell."

 

With this email was a picture of a long-legged rough-coated male Jack Russell in many ways similar to our departed. This dog was a year old, had not been neutered and lived outside with 5 other Jack Russells, so that both he and his coat were thin.  The breeder warned he would be a project, having never been on a leash nor socialized. But, he was adorable, calm, and loveable and that closed the deal.

 

On the trip back to Atlanta, we stopped at a truck stop in Madison so everybody could go to the bathroom. My wife slipped a leash around the dog's neck. Never having worn a leash, he spooked, tightening the leash around his neck. With that he panicked and went berserk, biting her as she tried to grab him, and pulling the leash out of her hands.  The dog ran off to the trucks parked overnight.

 

Our turn to panic.  It was dark, this dog did not know and trust us, and would not come when we called...he didn't even have a name for us to call.  

 

We chased him as he darted around the trucks in this huge truck stop in the dark with his leash dragging behind. Fortunately he is white so easily seen by the big rigs that kept pulling in.  Then two guys in a pickup truck came to try to help...every time we would get even close to him he would sprint away. They were at least able to help us keep him in sight as he ran next door to Lowe's and on beyond to the Chick Filet.  The chase went on for over an hour.

 

Then two more people joined the chase...young guys, string bean thin, one wearing a cowboy hat. The boys were 17 and seniors in high school in Madison. 

 

 Our fear was he would head to the highway in front and sure enough he did.  At that point nobody could see how this would have a happy ending. Either he would be hit on the highway or would run off into the woods never to be seen again. We were as traumatized as well as the dog.

 

Suddenly one of the young guys ran up and said "We got 'im."  Turns out the two of them had chased him around the car dealership across the street and finally managed to corner him and step on his leash.  He, of course, bit the guy who grabbed him and pooped on his shirt but he managed to hang on. 

 

There was elation all around and I gave the two guys what money I had.  The dog calmed down immediately as if nothing had happened. As we drove home he stayed in my wife’s lap and peed on her pants to show his appreciation. It took us much longer to calm down. Once home he slept soundly on the foot of our bed, hard to say which of the three of us were most exhausted.

 

By today the dog and my wife have bonded. He still growls when I come into the room.

 

Oh yes, we named him.  Truck.

TRUCK

ONE RESPONSE

Talk about a laugh, I had it. Don't tell The owners (thanks to them for sharing) but "Truck," I am afraid, would have been history with me. My lack of patience and a realization that Truck was a dog would have done it. LOL. Now, if Truck had been a six year old child, I would have hung around.  

I guess that pets for those who don't have children become their children. Our upstairs neighbor who is now gone,  grieved/cried over her dead cat for months; she spend thousands of dollars on "Henry" to keep him alive. I blame the Vet. It was a money thing for him. Even after he died, she erected a shrine. So...LOL. I don't mean to be laughing. Thanks for sharing. I love pets. My daughter is fostering two cats that were abandoned in a fire. 

But, dang, good story and writing. 

TRUTH

Robert Redford) and "60 Minutes" producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) get in hot water after the network broadcasts a report about President George W. Bush and his military service. Good movie to me. Kate Blanchett reminds me of my daughter. 

The big overall story is about Bush using influence to get him out of Nam. When a rival network, ABC questioned  documents like OERs (Officer efficient reports), CBS caved. Dan Rather retired. CBS fired the Blanchett character who was the hero of the movie. 
Good movie, showed how the behind the scenes work; power, nobody tells the truth. Surprise surprise!! Historically, makes me think way back to Al Gore. What if he had hung in. Or, for Bush 2nd term,  CBS had not caved but said "F..k you very much," to the right wing. John Kerry, the Democrst at least went to Vietnam. The Swiftboat vets were "used" and did him in. 
Let's face it, the country would be a different place today. 


I liked the movie. A good story about something meaningful. George W., was not all that bad, just a little on the dumb side and easily manipulated by Rumsfelt and Chaney. Let's at least, give him his dues, he had to deal with 9-11. 


Can't give Chaney or Rumsfelt or CBS any slack. Chaney couldn't go to Vietnam, his own statement, he had "other priorities." Rumsfelt altered the military, making it less effective by closing posts and creating generals. CBS went for the bottom line, money. My personal protest is that I am not watching CBS anymore. Ever! MFers!!!!! 

SICKENING

Donald Trump has a house worth 100 million. Most of the Republivans are way up there. Milk Huckaby, a preacher lives in one that costs 3 million. Sorry MFer. The average ones of these assholes' size houses, 4440 square feet. Average American size of house, 1800 sq ft. 

What ticks me off to the max is that we keep electing such MFers or that we even give them a forum. . San Fran, my town, for instance, didn't do shit for the poor in the election. The rich and developers won on every hand. The poor don't vote and until they do, they are going to take it in the shins. 

Ramblings

One night recently, I found myself at night deep into the heart of the

San Francisco's mission district. What I noticed were the scores of mothers/grandmothers with small kids, with their backpacks waiting for the bus. It is pitch dark--what an interesting phenomena to me, a life that most of us don't think about. A mother, children in tow heading home, probably been at work, maybe cleaning houses. Minimum wage you can count on it. Hardly the American Dream. Created a kind of sadness. WTF

Mystery

Yesterday, I was boarding the bus and in front of me were two females, I guessed Brits. They asked the driver if the bus went to San Francisco. The very large African American female said, "No and you need to get off the bus." I started to jump into it but didn't F..King coward. The bus did go to San Francisco. Why the driver did this is beyond me. The mystery, If you think about it, how often had this bus driver been discriminated against/denied, whatever and yet she does the same thing to others. A mystery. 

VOTER RANT

My political rantings about SF. Big money won and as some columnist I read, said,  "if you don't think money rules the day, I want to sell you a nice bridge painted golden with a nice view." The people are stupid acting. And we knock out prop F on the strength of $6-8 mil poured into the campaign. We are stupid beyond words as overall even in liberal SF, we vote against our own interests. 

And then we are enhancing our democracy by not voting and as my late brother, Raz, use to say, "if you don't vote, keep the f..k out of this conversation." We need some more high rises in the City, anyway. 

HOOKED ON DRUGS

A "Sixty Minutes" story shook me to my toes. As a grandpa, the scariest 70 Minutes program I've seen. I couldn't help but project: Projection from all these kids that are hooked on drugs telling their stories to the pain of their parents. Here's just one. Google 60 Minutes and read the full transcript of the segment. 

"All of these parents say they wanted to talk to us (Bill Whitaker, the interviewer who is terrific) because too many other families are embarrassed, in denial about their kids' heroin use. 

These parents say the stigma and shame are compounding the epidemic. Here's a sad, sad comment. "So, for us, we were in total shock when it happened. But, the struggle was the stigma.

Lea Heidman: She passed away, (overdosed) the day after Saint Patrick's Day and she posted on Saint Patrick's Day a picture of her on her laptop, studying, doing homework, saying, "No partying for me, not even a single drink, I'm staying in and I'm-- and I'm working." The next day she used herion and that was the last time she used. She died. 

Prop F

I am not a San Francisco voter but It portends a lesson for us all. Prop F is yes and no. The NOs are spending 6-8 million on defeating the Prop, plus have brought in all the big guns. The other side has only $350,000. As a voter, does that tell you something? 

A Stupid Pill

Sometimes, I have jokingly said that teenagers, in particular, get up every morning and take a stupid pill. Now we can say this about our government. What the F..K, "they get up every morning and take a stupid pill. Here it is: US PLEDGES $100 Million to opposition fighters ." What opposition is this? Already, we spent millions and ended up with fourteen fighters. We are spending 10 million a day bombing without any real knowledge we are doing shit. Unless, of course, you have been to the American Generals "school of spin." Throw in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is endless; cruelty of war that is like a NC goat rope. "Nobody stands still and impossible to tell who the players are." 

We have a great "out" with the Russians in Syria. Assad has literally nowhere to go and we are not like some High School kid in a rivalry. I have always supported the Prez but might have to step away. 

Hello! Hello! John McCain wants to invade everybody. Does he have no memory of our stupidity in Vietnam. He was a POW for God's sake and should be the first to point out that Syvia is a "fast train to nowhere" for us. STUPID!!

The pundits are hinting oneupmanship to our leadership as opposed to the Russians. I sure as hell hope so. Maybe eventually the Russians will realize as we should have, get the f..k out. But, we've taken a stupid pill.  We can't win, we can't tie and by sending in a few Special Forces solders, we invite disaster. Stupid is the only answer I can come up with. 

An Alcohol Culture

A couple of days ago I texted my granddaughter who is a soph at BU and subtlety said, "be careful with all those parties and drinking too much." In fact, it is a simple fact: We live in an alcohol culture, plain and simple. If you really want to discover this, the next party/gathering you go too, just observe without drinking yourself. 

Recently my wife and I were invited to an anniversary party. It was not in our town and so we had to drive We decided ahead of time which of us would drink and the other a designated driver. It was a wonderful get together. Quality all around. Of the thirty or so there, I venture to say that I was the only one not drinking. The waiters kept filling the glasses. In a word, I saw personalities change. Some in remarkable ways. Not bad, just different. 

We live in an alcohol culture. What am I saying? Good or bad. Not really but basically I can’t think it’s good for us. 

AUTHENTICITY

Real combat vets often discuss the veracity of fellow soldiers war stories. Most true combat vets, those that actually fought, on the front lines, rarely talk about it. Here is one a friend passed to me.  

 "I tell people I don't really see a person as a combat vet unless they have a CIB, (combat Infantry's Badge or a Purple Heart or a Bronze Star or better. I often see everyone's DD214 (this is the official record of every soldier) so I know the bullshitters. I had lunch last year with a quiet Korean War vet as I told him I was collecting stories. I knew what he earned (all the above). He got hit with a grenade in the leg when he went to check a ridge during an advance. Getting toward the top, a grenade came rolling down the hill. 

He was back in the trenches a few weeks later. He said, 'All I really remember is how cold it was. All the time.' A real (and quiet) hero.

BOMBING

60 minutes. 

Fascinating. Showed this vast military operation we have in the Middle East. Costs "10" Mil!!!! Get this, TEN MILLION a day. $$$$$ Dollars we are talking about. Who would have thought bombing would costs this much. $$$$$ LOL. Imagine what we could do with those bucks (consider we have been doing this over a year) if we applied them to out problems in America.

 We are so f..king stupid. 60 minutes asked the Air Force types, "why a terrorist outfit like ISIS could still exist if we were so successful as the commanders said. One LTC allowed something like, "We are killing thousands." What in the f..k has he been smoking. 

Germaine Greer

Germaine Greer is speaking at some University and an on-line petition is badgering her because of her comments concerning transgender women. The University said, "no way" would she be prohibited from speaking (Cardiff U). They didn't cave like Amerivan schools have when faced with controversial speakers. (Brandeis University notably exhibited a marshmallow backbone by withdrawing an Aysan Hirsi Ali honorary degree as they didn't have the guts to stand up to controversy. They preferred censorship to listening to all opinions). 

I like this comment about Germaine Greer. She scoffed when asked wherther she understood that her views could hurt the feelings of transgender women. She said, "People are hurtful to me all the time. Try being an old woman for goodness sakes." 

I am not a conspiracy theorist but do wonder about the fact that the "Times" reported this in a little small article buried way down the page. 

My favorite Germaine Greer quote is something like this: "men have always been interested in T and A (trying not to offend any sensitivities. HaHa)  And now after centuries,  they are still interested in one thing, T and A and A nd T. True. 

WE CAN'T FIX IT

Recently, I was discussing the candidacy   of Hillary and Bernie with a friend who was a "dyed in the wool" Hillary supporter. I like Bernie because he has some fresh ideas and Hillary and Bill have had their chance. To me, Hillary will be so divisive. My friend pointed out, "And, you don't think Bernie will?"  Of course, the "right wing fundamentalist" will have a field day but with either Hillary or Bernie, no pulling the country together, even if it has ever been possible. 

It is our system. Broken and we can't fix it. When voters who care hear the word,  "broken," the illusion that we can "fix" it enters the stage. Ideally, we could vote out the present crowd and vote in a new one. But, we'll not do that.

 I have no faith in the electorate. We keep

 putting in the same worthless politicians. Many Americans even vote against their own interests as they get involved in so called wedge issues, i.e., Planned Parenthood, gay marriage, various bullshit sort of stuff. Politicians say, "American people" as if they have a clue what it means. What should be said, "Americans who care" and not all do. 

The best, I think, we can say about our system is "high drama and political theater." And, as a rock/blues guy, Sam Cooke, would say, 

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!!!!!

SHOW ME A HERO

This was an HBO show that said for the first time ever, politics is addictive. So, Joe not running is even more impressive. Finally a politician who is willing to fade into the sunset. No use to analyze, just Way to go Joe. 

Millinnials Revisited

Feedback from a follower:

We now live in the age of connectivity.  My children are always connected to their "clans"-those whose lives they value highly, and those they wish to communicate with on a regular basis.  It allows them the dynamics of "family" life no matter their location.  It's a fantastic, modern, technological transformation of the meaning of 'family'.

     We, you and I, etc., barely scratch the surface; but they are in up to their eyeballs.  We had to worry about the cost of long distance calls, toll calls, telegrams, sitting down, writing letters.  Not them: they flip open their "devices" and starting communications immediately.  Stay connected as much and as often as you like. 

Social Media

A few months back, my wife and I went to Seattle for our first gay wedding. I went kicking and screaming but it turned out OK, met some nice folks. Yesterday, a couple we met came to our place for lunch. He is a high tech guru in a start up and his partner, a theater type of some sort. They were absolutely delightful and

educated us in how "millennials" think/act. Here is my interpretation. They are always connected and organize their lives around social media. Their friends on social media are organized in groups, whom they are involved with in various avenues of their lives. They are "Facebook" friends with my wife and many others who were at their wedding. They touch base on FB and announce they are coming to San Francisco, give dates, etc. They "couch surf" (think that is the term--it is, relatively speaking,  where people who are "friends" on social media offer up their couch for free. There is a website). They didn't "couch surf" but could have. My wife checks in on FB, they plan lunch with us. Delightful. Their next social activity is already planned through FB. Absolutely fascinating to me. 

MORE TROOPS

MORE TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

Big mistake. The Taliban can't be beaten. They have an endless supply of soldiers. To be effective, we would need say, 50,000, to use the stupid term, boots on the ground. We are setting ourselves up for a disaster. When we lose soldiers like we have before, the public outcry will be enormous i.e., 220 American Marines killed by a truck bomb (1983) at a Marine compound in Beirut, Lebanon

The President is often bamboozled by the generals. The cry in Vietnam was, "more troops," same thing today. In Vietnam, "more troops and we'll be home by Christmas. The only problem, nobody told us what Christmas. 

THE ELECTION SEASON.

As my Dad would say, "I am already jaded." The Democrats, not so much a debate as a "group hug." Republicans go at it again tonight. 

 

I've really thought about what it means coming to this election season. I am an Independent/Democrat. I don't trust the Republicans to run the country. They would break down all that we've put in place. Hillary and Bill have had their shot. I think Bernie Sanders might be the guy. Glad Joe didn't run. Joe can now do something useful, Hang out with his grandkids. 

We need term limits. Will never happen as the ones who would put "term limits" in place would have to vote themselves out and we know what chance that would have. Term limits have worked in California. Let's face it, we are basically f..ked. 

SUSIES

I love the Vietnamese. I seek them out. For a long time, my barber was the Kim girls. I moved. Recently, I've come to know Suzies. They are manicurists.

I've always felt, we f..ked up their country, we owe them. My mission is teaching them to say, America, the Southern way--the NASCAR way. Not America but "Merica." It is adorable. God bless "Merica. You should see them smile. 

Every immigrant has a story. We are all immigrants. Susie, for instance, escaped (her words) Vietnam when she was 10. She loves America, the freedom, "blessed," she says. I always walk out feeling humble. 

The Vietnamese are maybe the most successful emigrant group in American. This is not to acknowledge those f..k ups we did. I always asked the question: If the Americans hadn't come to Vietnam, would you be better off. From SUSIES, 

a resounding NO. 

This is not such an objective questioning for sure. We did go To Vietnam for eleven long years and for most of us Vietnam vets, Vietnam rewrote our life story. To me, part of the Vietnam legacy is how little our involvement there has impacted future American f..k ups. Iraq, Afghanistan, the MidEast in general. We never learn. Well, we still have Suzies. 

BLUE ANGELS

For about 20 years I have been watching the Blue Angels fly over the SF skyline irritating the locals. Most every year I have been irritated myself. Not at the noise or any related activity. They are marvelous flying machines, no doubt. But, here is my gripe: can you fathom the money? I would say millions to put on this show and to what end? Soldiers (soldiers include all servicemen/women.) don't have adequate housing, low pay; some actually qualify for food stamps. And, what are we doing? Putting on an air show. F..K

THE GOOD SOLDIER

The old, "truth is stranger than fiction" popped up recently in a long article in "Rolling Stone" about a young Lieutenant who goes AWOL (Absent without leave), joins the French Foreign Legion for five years. Finally comes back and is "court martialled" and sent to jail. Talk about the condensed version, this is it. Read the long, long article. 

Not the Army's finest hour from my perspective. It is piss poor leadership, to include some hair brain general who doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. But, it is more. 

For the Lieutenant, having a father/family whose concept of nurturing was built around running a marathon or something related. 

A bigger picture may be how a system like the military deals with mental illness. A Lieutenant who was maxed out depressed and finally with a feeling of nowhere to go. Where were the docs, shrinks, the chaplain, social workers. The military has all of this, yet the Lieutrnant doesn't take advantage of it. Why not? A mystery. 

When I was a young Captain in Germany, freshly back from Vietnam, one of my Lieutenants wanted to talk with me about Vietnam as he was scheduled to go. We had this long talk. I remember it exactly. We even retired to the Officer's Club, continued  talking over a beer. I was candid with him, Vietnam was a sorry war. Useless but it was the only war we had at the time and unfortunately if this Lieutenant wanted to make the military a career, he has to go to Nam to get his "ticket" punched. The humor to my sad story is that the Lieutenant leaves me at the Club, gets in his MG and defects to Sweden--good for him, one smart Lieutentant. 

There are lessons in the Rolling Stone story. First of all, why did the military feel they had to make an example of the Lieutenant. They could easily have given him a field grade article 15, dishonoble discharge and put him out of the Army. No, they had to be stupid. You can forgive the two star general but it is why there is a chain of command: to counterman stupidity. Somebody above the general, to include the president, could have said, "whoa." Come on, as strange as it sounds, the Lieutenant  did join the Foreign Legion for five years. Now, that I'm thinking about it, where the f..k are the French standing up for him. 

The last time I looked, the French are allies. The Prez is the commander in chief. But, not to be. It is one of the reasons that I think the military is in grave shape. The leadership only knows vertical thinking. No real leadership or creativity. Here are the facts, go with it. I often think of a realization that came out of WW Il. The basic difference in the Germans and the Americans is that the Germans had a plan. But, if something happened and they couldn't execute their plan, they didn't know what to do. If something went wrong with the American plan, they made another plan. This is what we've lost, I think. 

Read this story. Think it's called "The Good Soldier" Worth your time. 

Tragedy

When I was a grad student at LIU (Long Island  U in Brooklyn. Don't ask?) our Sociology Prof, a wonderfully sensitive guy, trying to make a point about the sanctity of life, said something like, "There are 3000 muggings in NY City every day. In a city of 12 million, more or less, that is not a big deal. However, if you are one of the 3000, it is a 100%." 

I've always remembered that when someone points up a tragedy and says, it could have been worse. To the victim, it is a 100 %. 

STUPID

I hear these talking heads, government spokesman and others, mostly, PBS interviews and the WSJ. Here is s chance to "skate" out of an impossible situation in Syria. Think the Russians and Afghanistan. Eventually, they simply went home. If they thought Afghastan was tough, they ain't seen nothing yet. Let them have Syria. 

The thing that is crazy is we still talk about getting rid of Assad while the Russians are there to prop him up. Will we never get it that the f..ker has nowhere to go. We still continue to sing the same tune: Assad has to go, the 14 people we've trained to fight ISIS are the model for the Russians to join. Wake up and smell the roses. GOOD LUCK Putin, we are out of here. 

RIGHT TO DIE

I am so please to see the "End of Life Options Act" come to pass. Too many times I have seen patients continue treatment because they didn't know what else to do. Now, there are options. 

The reality of course, is that you are interacting constantly with those who can now choose when they depart the area. Amen and God bless them on their journey. 

A nurse in the Cancer 

Infusion Center. 

RIGHT TO DIE

Long time coming. Finally we have to applaud the governor. Although I have supported him, he will always be Guv Moonbeam. This wasn't courageous so much as what the f..k have we been waiting on? 

My old professor, Albert Ellis. (actually I was a student at LIU [Long Island U] and took a class taught at Ellis Institude.) I will never forget the class and Ellis view of "death and dying." Something like, "a person's life belongs to them and they can do with it what they want." Right on. The stories and examples are legion on how important it is at the end for someone departing this life to choose how they exit. So IMPORTANT. The law, although a long time coming, is here. Thanks to all those folks who have worked so hard to see this happen, many in the final chapters of their time on earth. God bless them.  

SNAKE BIT

There is an NC saying, "Snake Bit." What it roughly means is that regardless of what you try to do; good, moral, whatever, it comes across f..ked up. Snake Bit. Bad luck on every turn. That is us, overall in our present involvements. We pretty much get blamed for everything. Maybe, right or wrong. But, here's an example of Snake Bit. Russia is indiscriminately bombing most everything that moves. We are going for the big condemnation. At about the time we are taking the moral high ground, we bomb a hospital in Afghanistan and "tick" off the unflappable "Docs Without Borders." We are SNAKE BIT. 

Baseball

Going to SF Giants last game today. Symbolic, they are out of playoffs but been an entertaining season. 

The other day when I was watching the "Willy Mac" awards, I thought, how would it be to spend years playing baseball and then it ends. Now, of course, they make millions and we have to view them as entertainers. 

What I like about the Giants is that they are a kind of, "Peoples" team. Their manager is brilliant but not flashy. He doesn't "grandstand." You feel like you know the players.  So, Giants, thanks for the season. 

THE GOAT

San Francisco didn't make the baseball playoffs. They didn't finish last but not in the money, so to speak. I love baseball for its strategy. Some say it's boring. I've never been bored seeing managers maneuver. 

Overall, not much of a sports type but baseball, as Susan Sarandon quoted in my favorite baseball movie, "Bull Durham," 'Walt Whitman said, Baseball is America's game.' " 

Moping around, bemoaning the loss, I thought of a Lieutenant I knew in Nam. He was a West Point graduate and told me this tale. At "The Point" when the cadets get close to graduation, cadets who finish first or close to the top, their hard work has paid off and there's much of which to be proud. However, at this stage, nearing graduation, the real prize goes to the one who finishes "last." He is called "the goat." 

According to the Lieutenant who said he was more proud of being "the goat" than anything ever, when you get close to the end, you know how many points you need to pass a test, how much to fail one. There are scores who are vying to be the cadet "goat." When "the goat" walks across the stage at graduation, he is given a standing ovation. 

Well , my beloved Giants didn't win but they weren't the "goat" either. A sad note to this war story that I remember distinctly: the Lieutenant was killed shortly after telling me the "goat" story. Sad beyond words. We spent a million dollars educating this fine young troop to have him die in a useless war. It is not the money, it is just an example. The Lieutenant will never be married, have children, love the good American life. We sent him off to war and he died. The greater sadness is the anger at what we did. We have done it many times since Vietnam and continue. We f..king never learn. 

THE CRAZIES

And, I mean no disrespect to those who struggle with mental illness but the word "crazy" conveys the idea that a person, obviously mentally ill, is living in a parallel universe. He is hearing voices and having conversations that we can't share or know. And, from initial readings, his mom who coddled him was not a paragon of mentally stability, herself. 

As one who has no answers, maybe this could be an approach. Let's go

after the "gun dealers," make it a profession where they have to truly screen for mental illness. As much or more like TSA. The "crazies" might not be getting on a plane but they are loose in society with a gun. How can we keep guns out of their hands? The gun sellers! And, if a crazy has bought a gun from a dealer and the dealer has not done due diligence, he goes to jail. Now, jail is an incentive. Solve the problem? No, not really but it is something. 

God bless us all. 

HELLO, Russian war planes bombing

Hello, Hello. We are surprised that the Russians are bombing everybody who is not with Assad. They entered the frey and we are maxed out dumb to think they are going to fall in line with American views: Get rid of Assad, the one the Russians came to prop up. 

Hello, Hello. 

Jack Kemp

"Either we stay as a team or we don't play." Quarterback Jack Kemp, on a road trip with the San Diego Chargers, upon learning that black players were staying in a ratty hotel. 

I once met Jack Kemp and was impressed how down to earth he was. This quote is taken from the book. 

Syria

THE UNITED NATIONS IS TAKING ON SYRIA

Sitting out here in the hinderlands, listening to the President and then to hear Putin saying something like, "American arrogance, policies gone wrong," sounded about "right on" to me. What it looks like is continuing stupidity about Syria as we still are "beating our chest." What the f..k!  

There is no solution in a real sense for Syria. The underlying menace is ISSI, the fanatical Islamic religious idealists who are smart and have no rules. Brutal MFers who can attract immature youngsters by the scores. 

The sad reality is that a couple of hundred Americans have joined them and will most likely forfeit their lives for bullshit. This is an aside but important, what always gets me is that here are these American kids exposed to our way of life, untold basics: food and shelter, limitless opportunities and they give it up it to believe in some fanatical ideology which is opposite of what they have known. How f..king crazy is that!  In an anachronistic way, they join up with a herd of fanatics mired in the 12th Century. In America, they could be out chasing p...y, rather than getting themselves set up to die. 

We apparently will never learn; as historians kn even as far back as the Vietnam "Gulf of Tonkin" sham. LBJ at that time called Vietnam a "pip squeak nation." Well, we know what happened after years in Vietnam--that pip squeak nation drove Johnson from office. 

Iraq, for example, as one of our ill conceived adventures, is like a distant cousin of Vietnam. Vietnam ended up taking the smart path and making use of our screw ups. Not so Iraq and now Syria. 

But, Iraq, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Syria; really doesn't make any difference, we keep being arrogant and pushing an American style of democracy that has no chance of succeeding in the Middle East. After the so called, Arab Spring, smart people should have grasped this but as usua, we could f..k up a two car funeral possession. 

 And from listening to the President speak, same old stuff. Let's hope that when Putin and Obama stole away from the cameras, they bullshitted a little. 

"Putin, how's it hanging?" 

"Good and you?" 

"Let's have a drink. Thanks for taking this Syria mess off our hands. You know I don't think you are a bad guy, we have got to say certain things for the benefit of show and politics. And, let's face it, our style of 'democracy' is pretty messy. You got the right wing fundamentalists Republicans who wouldn't know "smart" if it ran over them--not like your country where you can kick a few asses, send a few to prison, take over a country or two. Still, I get it. Thanks again."

Now this is smart. The only other thing to realize is to "get real" about Assad. Core US principle, oust Assad. Bullshit. This is the epitome of stupidity. 

All along, nobody has said the obvious, at least I haven't heard it. Assad has no where to go. He looks around and sees what happened to Kadify, Saddam, Muslim brotherhood, etc. Literally he has nowhere to go--luckily for him, he has Russia, Iran, Iraq. 

Let's make like the shepards  guarding their sheep. They hear noises, possibly a wolf, one looked at the other and said, "let's get the FLOCK out of here." OK, "Merica," let's get the F..K out of Syria. 

"And, they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

On the Vietnam War Memorial, San Francisco, CA. 

For the record I like the Pope.

Why are you not enamored of the pope?

Actually, I am. I think he is what our world needs right now - do the right thing, care for the poor and hungry, eliminate pain. 

Just for the record, I think the Pope is super duper paratrooper; but I always have trouble with the Catholic Church's theology. That the Pope or priests can forgive sins. Only God can do that. That the Pope is really Jesus on earth (he is really Jesus acting but he isn't Jesus), their stand on terminating  pregnancies. It really is the people whose lives are effected who must make that decision. And, the saddest are those who blindly go along with the anti contraceptive use like in South American countries; mostly Catholic countries where these poor people keep having babies when they can ill afford it. I do like the POPE and his symbolic choices of eating with the homeless, etc. pretty inspiring. 

Some of his closest confidants should talk to him about exercise and weight. We want to keep him around as long as possible.  

OPERATION VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL RESCUE

The rescue operation commenced at 0600 Friday, 25 September. Arriving at San Francisco's Embarcadero and determining that no enemy fire was immediate, the two lone troops reconnoitered the scene. Artists had begun to put up tents, display wares, etc.: surprisingly they did not appear to view us as suspicious. The Captain immediately displayed unusual professionalism, honed by years at the Fire Rescue Department. He supplied buckets, various equipment and immediately issued orders. "Wash the memorial down with a substance of his making. Be liberal in its application." (2) Begin scrubbing. Immediately, it became obvious that one was a "worker" and the other a "looker." However, warding off the artist community was a concern as they could not be convinced that the "rescue" not part of the bureaucratic establishment. One, Maria, who seemed to occupy some status in the Artist community would not let up with her questions. She was convinced that the CITY would disturb the "artists." Finally, after being assured that we would laison with Mayor Ed Lee, she seemed to be appeased and moved on. 

The Captain continued to work as TC  mostly looked as the Memorial transformed from a dingy, dull, illegible surface to one of bright readable names of those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice. This was a good thing we did as nobody dies unless they are forgotten. These on the "Memorial" will be remembered. God bless their families. The Captain actually found a friend whose name was etched on the Memorial. 

What the Rescue Team discovered was that the City had planned to move the Memorial to the Civic Center, a day earlier. In fact they had displaced the Artist community to make ready. However, they failed to show up. The "Operations Timing" was uncanny and, added to the mystery of our "mssion." Operation successfully completed, the two Vets entered their vehicle and departed the area--Rescue Accomplished. 

SPIN GENERALS

General LLoyld Austin said we are making great progress in training a fighting force against ISSI. Obviously, he is a legend in his own mind. 

To fight ISSI, the Generals were recruiting so called moderates to fight. They ended up with about 54 fighters, millions of dollars spent and when the battle came, most all fled. These were the vanguard of America's plan to degrade and destroy ISSI. I don't know how these spin generals keep a straight face. They remind me of a third world country where the generaL became a general because he had a uniform. This is f..king embarrassing if not so tragic. 

YOGI BERRA DIED

It ain't over till it's over. God bless him on his journey.

WHO IS POPE FRANCIS

He is a Christian. Jesus starts out talking about the poor and Pope Francis follows sui. Sounds like Jesus. In Argentina, they called him the Slum Bishop. 

DON'T F..K WITH THE MARINES

The Marines are resisting allowing women to fill combat positions. Let's face it, the Marines are different than soldiers in the rest of the Armed Forces. Their psyche is different. They are somewhat nutso, plain and simple. They are brainwashed early on with Sempi FI. 

I have never known a Marine that would put the "bad mouth" on the Corp, regardless. And, trust me, the leaders are the worse at looking after their soldiers. But, if you are a Marine, you overlook it. In Vietnam, they were sent on operations with radios with no batteries or c-rats for every meal where the Army, even at war, got one "hot" a day. 

Why do soldiers put up with it? They are Marines. My brother, Raz, served the entire war, with the Marines on Guadalcanal . He was actually in the Navy. The Marines didn't have enough men and conscripted some right off Navy ships. My brother, to hear him tell it, was in the wrong place at the right time and was selected to be a Marine. From that time on, just knowing he was a Marine changed  his whole psyche. 

Here's the example of the difference in Marines. Tell the Marines to "take the hill," they don't hesitate. "Fix Baynets." Tell the Army to take the hill, they say, "what are our options?" Get the picture. It isn't a matter of discrimination, bias, whatever. Homophobic, of course. Sexists, sure. It isn't women having to prove themselves, they have already done that over and over. F..k, two finished the roughest course of the military: Ranger School. 

To mess with this fighting force is to be stupid to the max. War is not about equality. It is about fighting, putting your life on the line and you don'f..k with the Force (Marines) that is the best. 

Here is a sad example. The "NY Times" did an exhaustive article on a Marine Unit that had way above average suicides--most  had served in Afghanistan multiple times. The article profiled the 3/7th Marine Regiment in Afghanistan. 

The article is a book. Exhaustive and how suicide has devastated the 3/7. The really saddest stories I've heard. (The VA comes in for a lot of blame but in tragedy we want to find somebody to blame. VA is a ready target. Most of the criticism is justified, I think, for this is real). Still, there is a bigger picture I think. What is it? The cause. Why? 

The article raises questions. The ones they profile are mostly young kids, 19-28. A quote, "Almost seven years after the deployment, suicide is spreading through the 2/7th like a virus. Of about 1200 Marines who deployed with the 2/7th in 2008, at least 13 have killed themselves. Two while on active duty, the rest after they'd left the military. The rate of suicide is four times the rate for young male vets across the board and 14 times that for all Americans." Tragic. The gist of the article are the profiles of those who have done themselves in. 

I confess that I have been a little like Al Pachino in one of his movies, "Sea of Love." Pachino is a police detective and a Korean War vet. He says at one point, something like, "What the hell is all this shell shock (PTSD), I always thought it was part of going to war." 

I've changed my mind.  Here is my belief, based on this superb article. These young Marines, Sempi FI to the max, simply can't cope with the peace. They live these highly charged lives in war. They see, they experience. They return home and try to take up living. For some, it doesn't work. Some do the extreme, it is what Marines do. They kill themselves. 

This is merely an explanation/opinion, not an answer. I don't know the answer. I do know this: If we continue to have a mercenary military and want a force we can count on, we had better not f..k with the Marines. 

THE GREAT AND SAD MIGRATION

Last night, amidst my TV watching and generally good and comfortable life. (God forgive me),  I reluctantly watched the mass migration in Europe. So sad, just not the people but how cruel the police and others were to them. The little kids  crying was heartbreaking. They could have been my grandchildren. They were just crying their little hearts out. We can't solve the problem but we could do more to make sure they have water and something to eat. Even as we speak, we should have a dozen C130s in the air loaded with bottled water and prepackaged C-Rats or something like that. I guarantee you that somewhere in our great country, we have warehouses full of C-Rats from Vietnam. Or, no telling what other stuff. Let's do what we do best: look after the helpless. Sad!!! God bless them. 

BEING SMART

TEENAGER ARRESTED FOR BRINGING CLOCK TO SCHOOL

Well, not quite as simple as that. The clock, the package looked plenty suspicious to me. I think the teacher and police were being prudent. Let a school be blown up or a "lone wolf" target some innocents. See where we are then. 

The package did not look innocent. The parents should have been on top of it. As Law Enforcement said, we no longer can take a chance. The news media loves bullshit like this. They are never interested, relatively speaking, in the truth, rather they want a story/a headline. A poor little science student and the overeating teacher and police. Give me a break. 

This isn't politics. This is where people live. Islamaphobia. Bullshit. I am a left wing Bernie Sanders type but I'm not stupid. Let's wake up and smell the roses. 

The Generals

There is something about generals that honestly make me question how the f..k they got to be generals. Well, I can tell you one thing. Politics. Once a general gets past one star, it is all politics. By far the best military officers don't get to be general.s Listening to this General Allen on some TV program talking about our efforts to arm and train moderates in Syria, was nauseating. By any standards, any attempts we have made in Syria have been an abject failure. We don't even know who the players are. And, the worst part of this whole scene is once "they" (whoever the hell they are) have

 defined some strategy even if it proved bullshit, they want to continue ignoring the failure. The "generals" always want to present they are "winning" when they are hardly in the game. It is that same old thing we know.Something like, "If you continue to do the same old thing you have always done, you are going to get the same results you always have. Like this, "getting rid of Assad." Where is he going to go? He has nowhere. There might have been a time when getting rid of him seemed the smart thing--but now, five years down the road, maybe we need a new strategy. But, trust me on this: the General Allens don't have it. . 

Bernie Samders at Liberty University, made a great point comparing the proliferation of billionaires and millionaires in America to the highest rate of childhood poverty of any nation in the free world. Bernie forget it. Liberty, brainchild of Jerry Falwell, (gone on to his great rewards. Can't help but wonder how his views play now. He, of course, was the ultimate right wing Christian fundamentalist) who pretty much lived by the motto, "Don't Confuse Me With Facts, I Have My Mind Made Up." 

DISAPPOINTMENT

This is the American way and it starts early in my view. I ran into a  7 year old who missed his Karate "green belt;"  probably not up there with most of life's disappointments but still...it will make it sweeter when it comes: reminds me a little of the Giants' Madison Bumgardner missing a no-hitter. Opposing player hit a single off him in the eight inning. 40,000 fans were much more disappointed than Bumgartner showed. (He is from NC). Anyway, he got right up and pitched the rest of the game. The moral of the story: disappointments are a part of our American way of life, (this not quite up there with world refugee issue) whether you are 7 and miss your karate "green belt" or, a baseball pitcher missing your "no-hitter."

NO HITTER

Madison Bumgarner missing pitching a "perfect" game last night hardly is up there with the problems and issues of the world: world hunger, massive migration, terrorism, politics, Donald Trump's hair. But, for us baseball fans, Susan Saradan in the baseball movie, Bull Durhan had it right. She says to Kevin Costner, the aging minor league catcher of the Durham Bulls, quoting Walt Whitman, "Baseball is America's game." It is! When my fellow Notth Carolinian, Madison Bumgarner lost his perfect game when the opposing team player hit a single up the middle, it was the eighth inning. A collective gasp from baseball fans across America. "F..K," nothing else to be said. Baseball is America's game. 

After the hit, the game went on. Great metaphor for America, with setbacks, facing world problems, politics, whatever, we are going after the prize, the no hitter; if we don't get it, we go on. Madison came right out and pitched the ninth inning. Baseball is America's game. 

We have to tip one to our memories of 9-11 and to those memories of our fellow citizens who died. God bless them, even this many years later, on their journey. 

I was in Mill Valley. Rachael, my younger daughter was in Oklamoma. She called and said, "Dad, turn on the TV." And, of course that began the days of being glued to the TV. I said then, not meant so prophetically or original by me, although turned out to be true, "9-11 touched our lives forever. As a country we will never be the same  or those connected to us." God bless us all. 

PASTOR COMMITS SUICIDE

PASTOR OUTED

Possibly because of the Ashley Madison website, he committed suicide. I saw the interview with the family and felt genuinely sad. A bud sent me the link. 

Watching it was like watching our culture. The pastor's suicide was almost beside the point. The video had some pics of the deceased pastor, wife and two older children, up pops a McDonald's commercial--then the media interview, asking those unanswerable  questions. 

I 

 What is so bad that someone like this kills himself? I don't know. Is it only guilt? Is it the condemnation he knows he would have faced? I don't know. None of us know what we'd do. Sinners saved by grace.  ALL. 

Anything related to sex is scandal, scandal, scandal. Way too much. What about getting help. He's the helper. God bless his family. 

My favorite Cowboy, Gus, in the mini-series, "Lonesome Dove" when asked the unanswerable question said, "I don't know. I simply don't know." 

The Racial Reality of Policing

This was an article in the Saturday "Wall Street Journal." The author, Edward Conlon has enormous street cred: In the NYPD for 16 years, mostly in the Bronx. Great article. Best I've seen on the subject. He has authored a couple of books: a memoir, "Blue Blood" and a novel, "Red on Red." I am going to read. He doesn't say it and may not go as far as my belief that the racial issue cannot be solved. He says, "police bias are serious problems but any conversation about reform has to address the epidemic of blacks killing blacks." 

People mainly see what they want to see is his view. 129 blacks killed by confrontation or however by police. This will knock your socks off--in the same period of time, 6,739 blacks were murdered by their own peers. Since 2001, 90,000 black men have been killed by other blacks. 

Here is the most disturbing thing about this article. In his experience, he would arrest some culprit who obviously committed the crime, the murder, usually. Cut and dry. The jury would acquit. Incredulous. Why? On those juries were the little old ladies, the grandmothers of these criminals and they refused to believe their grandkids were guilty. Those kids standing on the corners, selling and doing dope and other things--the Grandmas are thinking redemption.  Read the article. It is worth your time. 

NO REAL ANSWER

The migrant issue is one fraught with an enormous amount of emotion and confusion. We have gone from the idea of pure luck that we were born an American to one of those poor souls on the "trail of catastrophe. " It is a moral calamity and no other way to put it. Hungary has looked barbaric. What the f..K!!!! The flip side of the coin is that it is unrealistic to think that ISSI and Al Queta  are not going to take advantage of this and everybody suffers. But, like much in life, we have no choice. 

FOOTBALL

The Tom Brady case is another example of the gripe football has on America. I have friends, smart, intelligent who live and die for football. What the f..k. Basically, I don't give a rip. 

I heard the author of "Against Football" interviewed the other day, he made a statement that resonated. Something like, "tell me any other business where the participants are assured of sustaining life threatening injuries." 

To be honest, I think that there is a large segment of "mericans," maybe 45%, (Sure hope it is no more) who are stupid and don't care one way or another that football is dangerous to the players that entertain them. 

FORGIVENESS

I like the Pope. I think he's a good man but that is just it. He is a man? Priests are just men. The idea that a Pope can forgive "sin" is biblical bullshit. As one example, The Catholics are saying,  "treminating a pregnancy," is sin. And sin means condemnation. We can spend all day defining sin, etc., let's just accept it as an example 

Only God can forgive sin. (If you have any interest in Christianity) What the f..k. What always amazes me is how intelligent people swallow such basic untruths. Although it is a matter of "faith." You either believe or you don't. 

The news media is somewhat culpable, I think. For instance, The "PBS Newshour" presented a big piece on the Pope in his proclamation telling priests they can forgive sin. They give the impression that the Roman Catholic Church  is "THE" Church. No, they are the Catholic Church. Has anybody heard of the "Protestant Reformation?" I am a somewhat biased blogger who is attempting to set the record straight. Keep this in mind: if you have any interest, you can go straight to God, bypassing the Pope/Catholics. Remember you heard it here. God bless us all. 

Trump

To me, it is never about Donald Trump. Any thinking person realizes that he is an egomaniacal "have" and will say anything to get press. What it truly is about is US. 

ASHAMED

I saw a big advertisement in the WSJ for Dick Chaney and daughter's book. (Don't want to name it. God forbid that somebody might buy it because of me--plenty of stupid 'mericans' that will buy the book).  

You have got to be s..ting me. This f..ker should be sitting in "sack cloth and ashes" for leading a hapless president down a road to shame.  With bad Intell, Chaney was the main cheerleader for the nvasion of a country that has been the open door to Mideast conflict for over 5000 years. (Like we could do something). As my mom would say, "anybody with one eye and half sense would know better." 

How guys like Chaney can hold their heads up is way beyond me. With few exceptions, George W. has at least not tried to put a spin on a colossal mistake and has by in large stayed out of the limelight. Chaney for his part is f..king clueless.