Waiting For the WARNO

July 28, 2008 - Monday

Waiting for the WARNO
Current mood: stressed


WARNO - Warning Order

Me and my MI unit got the news last week that we are to expect a WARNO. Originally, we were scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan Feb of 2010. Nix that! It's a "done deal" that we are now deploying Feb 09 instead of '10. Yep! That gives us a whopping 6 months before I go over to the sandbox. As of now, it's 99% assured it will be Baghdad instead of Afghanistan. In the meantime, I still gotta' hit the schoolhouse to get MOS-q'd, gotta' get all my affairs in order here... write my will, arrange benefits for Chaz, finalize my security clearance...etc...etc...etc.

Anyway... between all the things I'm having to arrange...plus my career, making sure training won't conflict with gigs (read: "income").... I'm ALSO part of the Colorado National Guard's Democrat National Convention Security Detail! UGH! I'll keep the blog up to date as much as I can... but, time is getting rare and precious!

God Bless to all of you my friends!


Currently reading :
John Adams
By David McCullough

The Audacity Of Hubris

July 22, 2008 - Tuesday

The Audacity of Hubris
Current mood: hot

hu·bris ..>play_w2("H0312100")..> .. (hybrs) also hy·bris (h-)

n.
Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance:
The free online dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hubris

On the Today show on July 9th, Senator Barack Obama gave this quote in an interview with Matt Lauer
"We've got enormous burdens on our military families and we're spending 10 to $12 billion a month in Iraq that could be used to put people back to work here in the United States and to create an energy policy that frees ourselves from the dependence on foreign oil. So my job as commander and chief is to listen to the commanders, but to shape a strategy based on all the factors that go into American security." (My emphasis)

Okay, Washington Post Opinion Writer Charles Krauthammer has an excellent OPED piece on "who does Obama think he is?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071701839.html
But allow me to add this bit of evidence... in his answer Barack doesn't even put in the qualifiers "When I'm in the White House....", "As President my job would be...", "If elected President, my job would be...." NO! He terms it in the PRESENT sense, "MY JOB AS COMMANDER AND CHIEF IS TO LISTEN......"

Now, I've been interviewed by scores of television reporters, radio hosts, etc... When one is being interviewed, it takes a GREAT amount of effort to "mask" true, gut feelings if one doesn't think they would be palatable to the audience. Unlike a prepared speech, a tv commercial, or even 4x5 notes for a presentation.... interviews allow gut feelings to come forth.

BARACK OBAMA THINKS HE IS ALREADY PRESIDENT and it's only a matter of the inconvenient voting and vote counts. This is known in some circles as "Albertgoreabetes." To him, he is ENTITLED to the Presidency, maybe 'cause he's black, maybe because everyone is already heroworshiping him, maybe 'cause he feels that it is ordained.

The fact is, however, he hasn't EARNED a damned thing! He hasn't taken the time to learn what leadership is. He hasn't had any hands on experience as a leader or an executive. If it weren't so serious, it would be the laughable moment in "Days of Thunder" when Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) says he can race NASCAR because he's watched it on ESPN!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a politician has to put his time in, kiss the right rings and "do his time" in order to earn the right to run. I'm saying that "Doing your time" "Paying your dues" and such is an invaluable lesson in "Learning the ropes." No one can effectively armchair quaterback because they haven't spent YEARS learning defense formations, linebacker shifts, and traits/abilities of the opposition as the PROFESSIONAL quaterback! No civilian should think they can out-general a US Army General because they (the civilian) hasn't spent years or DECADES studying tactics, strategies, weapons capacities, manpower abilities and such. The General has! Can George W. Bush rightfully expect to step into a Hollywood film and make the same amount of money, or perform as well as George Clooney? (Okay, skip that 2nd part... Clooney's a movie star, not an actor.)

Enough said, Barack is not only inexperienced, he's SO inexperienced that he has no clue what a neophyte he is!

IT'S THE INEXPERIENCE, STUPID! (T-shirts saying this can be bought at http://www.cafepress.com/mhbumpersticker )

Currently reading :
An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems
By Glenn Beck


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Up is down, black is white, left is right and right is wrong

July 16, 2008 - Wednesday

Up is down, black is white, left is right and right is wrong
Current mood: tired
Category: News and Politics


Anyone else feel like we are slipping further and further into the Twilight Zone? Or maybe further down Alice's rabbit hole?!?!?!?!

Here is an article reporting that the RESCUERS of the Columbian hostages might be facing charges of WAR CRIMES for misusing the emblem of the Inernational Red Cross. !!!!!

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/16/america/colombia.php

Okay, I fully understand the need to keep the Red Cross emblem one of unquestioned neutrality.... but WTF??? WHY wasn't the ICRC involved to BEGIN with?!?!?!There were clearly human rights violations taking place by FARC, the ICRC had every right to be there.... WHY WEREN'T THEY??

So, now the people who actually did the RIGHT thing (by rescuing people who had been held hostage for 10+ years) are in more trouble than the group that took the hostages to begin with! That would be like arresting Border Patrol agents for doing their jobs!!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,244193,00.html

What next??? Millions of supporters for an inexperienced, untested, America-hating slick-talker for President????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws
http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2008/05/11/old-media-ignores-obamas-57-states-couldnt-get-enough-quayles-potatoe
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/02/20/michelle-obamas-america-and-mine/



Curiouser and curiouser.


Currently reading :
Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph
By T.E. Lawrence
Release date: 1991-06-01

A Mixed 4th

July 5, 2008 - Saturday

Mixed 4th
Current mood: peeved


Every year for 5 or 6 years now, I've performed as Uncle Sam at the Thorntonfest 4th of July Celebrations here in Colorado. Last night was no difference 6pm - 8:30pm walkin around getting folks in the mood - waving, saying "hi", passing out candy... the standard routine. I love it!
http://www.cityofthornton.net/rec/4thofjuly.asp

First, the good stuff! This year they presented the travelling Vietnam War Veterans Memorial. http://www.thorntonveteransmemorial.org/news/index.html Wow! Truly a moving experience! I haven't yet seen the original in Washington DC, and this 3/5ths scale replica was just incredible! http://www.travelingwall.us/

The fireworks display was the first in nearly 40 years that has brought me to the verge of tears! The accomapnying mix of music (Presented by KYGO radio http://www.kygo.com/home.cfm ) included expected favorites like "Proud To Be An American", but also mixed in Lonestar's "I'm Already There" (with phone calls from servicemembers' spouses and kids... telling how much they miss their loved ones etc...) and Toby Keith's "American Soldier." It was the single most moving 4th of July I've witnessed (including when I was a member of the Jaycees in Estes Park and helped launch the fireworks!) Thank heavens Tess was there. I've got only one more 4th of July with her before I deploy, so every emotion was a bit cranked up!

Okay, now the moment of bitching, whining, and disgust. For the last few years I've had people "earn" their candy by answering simple American trivia questions (Name the three branches of government, who's the current Vice President, who was the first Vice President... what 3 presidents died on the 4th of July....etc....). Every year I've had to make the question a little bit easier than the last. This year it was disgusting! I had adults who didn't know the current President!!!! I kid you not!!! I understand GW Bush has only been in the Oval Office for 7 whole years, so they might have missed that bit of "trivia." A couple of times, my frustration got the better of me and I let it slip "You don't actually VOTE do you??? Please tell me 'No'!" It gets sadder and sadder!! But it certainly explains why some folks out there actually consider Obama potential Presidental material! ::::: shaking head ::::::: It's so depressing! As I told Tess last night after the fireworks, I love this country SO much! The more you learn about how it was formed, what it stands for, what we have fought and died for, you just love it more and more!!!! And to see folks that don't have the foggiest notion or the simplist facts about our government and its history.... it's sad!!! It's like watching someone who's looking at a Ferrari but doesn't have a clue about motorized transportation! ("so the wheels turn and it moves? Yeah but red is such an outrageous color! I don't like it. It's ugly trash!")

I definately have two loves... Tess and the US of A!


Currently listening :
Elv1s 30 #1 Hits
By Elvis Presley
Release date: 2002-09-24