A guy at the supermarket sees an attractive woman waving at him. She says "Hello!" He's rather taken aback because he can't remember where he knows her from. So he says..."Do you know me?" To which she replies, "I think you're the father of one of my kids." Now his mind travels back to the only time he has ever been unfaithful to his wife and he says, Are you the stripper from the bachelor party that I made love to while your partner whipped my butt with wet celery? The attractive lady looks into his eyes and calmly replies............"No, I'm your sons teacher."
Mom's Not To Bright Either!
This is just wrong on so many levels!
Let's See If Junior Is Any Smarter......
The father was passing by his son's bedroom and was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an envelope prominently propped up on the pillow that was addressed to "Dad." With the worst premonition he opened the envelope and with trembling hands began to read........
Dear Dad, It is with great sorrow and regret that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend to avoid a scene with mom and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is real nice. But I knew that you would not approve because of all her piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes, and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it's not only the passion...Dad, she is pregnant.
Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a whole stack of firewood for the winter. We share the dream of having many more children. She has also opened my eyes to the fact the marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing for ourselves and trading it with people who live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy.
In the meantime, we will pray for science to find a cure for aids so that Stacy can get better. She deserves it. Don't worry Dad. I know I'm only 15, but I also know how to take care of myself. Someday, I'm sure we'll be back so you'll have a chance to get to know your grandchildren.
Love, Your Son John
PS: Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than report cards. You'll find that in my center desk drawer. Please call me when it's safe to come home.
I do believe round one goes to Junior!!! Til next time..................
Remember back in 2003, Superbowl 37, when Reebok first introduced us to Terry Tate:Office Linbacker? It was one of the many commercials that gained a lot of attention that year for their originality, creativity, and humor. Then once the game was over and all the hub-bub surrounding that years crop of Superbowl ads had subsided, Terry Tate endured the same fate as all the other "stars" of the Superbowl Sunday marketing blitz. He faded to the dark recesses of our memories, late night trivial pursuit questions, and obscure website pages........until now.
Terry has re-emerged onto the scene this presidential election year with a campaign designed to get the apathetic to polls. In typical Tate style, he has picked a side (and his first victim) so I'm pretty sure he won't entice too many conservatives to the polls with his latest video. But I have to admit it is kinda funny and it definitely gets your attention. Check it out.....
WOW! I'm not entirely sure who did the production on this piece, but my hat's off to them. The production was seamless. I spent a half hour trying to find the edit points with no luck. Very well done. I guess you could say that this piece give a whole new meaning to "Rock the Vote!"
Is it just me or am I the only one that has a really bad feeling about November 4th and the upcoming election? OH! But wait.....I already asked that question! That question was the first thing that came to mind again after listening to some of tonight's debate. Whether it was the barbed accusations between two men who really don't appear as though they like each other very much at all or the disingenuous and misleading answers both of them gave to questions sent their way, what we saw and heard tonight was quite the performance from two men who like to play fast and loose with the truth and will do or say anything to get elected to the highest office in the land. I was initially a McCain supporter, but now I'm just not sure I have faith in the man to be able to occupy the office of President in a manner this country deserves. Make no mistake though, I would never support Obama. Over that past several weeks, his campaign speeches are sounding more like those of a Socialist candidate than those of a Democrat. All in all, it's turning out to be a very disapointing election season this year.
But back to tonight's debate for a moment....at more than one point during the course of the debate, I heard both men make statements that just didn't seem right. It appeared that both of them were really "playing fast and loose with the truth." But nobody called them on it, not that they would in a debate format. Even in the post debate spin, nobody really seemed to want to point out some of the things that I thought "just didn't sound right." So, I thought, maybe it IS just me. Then I found this on the internet from the Associated Press.
Well, I guess maybe I'm not losing it after all. Maybe I can take some solice in that, but it still begs the question......"Is this really the best America can do?" I truly don't think so, but I looks like we're going to have to wait at least four more years to find out.
This past Saturday night I took my youngest son out for a night at the movies. In typical fashion for us we were a few minutes late. The lights had already dimmed and the stream of silly commercials, promos, and mindless movie trivia had been going for about five minutes. Whew! We didn't miss the start of the movie....but we did arrive just in time to see something that I'm really glad we didn't miss. A new Kid Rock music video and it wasn't just any video. It was the new anthem for all our citizen soldiers called "The Warrior."
In case you're not familiar with it, it is a project where Kid Rock teamed up with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendricks Motorsports, and the National Guard for one the coolest music videos that Kid Rock has done in quite a while. Check it out below...........
If you like the song....be sure to watch the end of the video for details on how you can get a free mp3 download of the song. Indeed! Kid Rock's and Dale Jr's support of our men and women in uniform is inspiring......like we needed another reason to be a fan!
You know I have spent a considerable amount of time over the last two or three weeks thinking about this silly 85 billion dollar "Wall Street Bailout." My initial reaction was (and still is) "HELL NO, NOT WITH MY TAX DOLLARS!" That said though, I will acknowledge that it is an extremely complicated mess that I'm not sure anyone has an answer to. Trying to figure out this mess created by the Wall Street greedmeisters is enough to make ones head spin like Linda Blair's did in the Exorcist.
Then, I received the following in my email. I'm not sure that it would have been the answer, but it couldn't have been any worse than the nonsense we've been getting from Washington and our two presidential candidates. Read on and see what you think.
To My Fellow Americans
I'm against the $85,000,000,000 bailout of AIG. Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a "We Deserve it Dividend." to make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. citizens over 18 years of age. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman, and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up. So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion and that equals $425,000. My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ in a "We Deserve it Dividend." Of course, it would NOT be free...so let's assume a tax rate of 30 percent. That means every individual 18+ would have to pay $127, 500 in taxes on their "We Deserve it Dividend." That would send $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam. It also means that every legal adult 18+ in America would $297, 500 in their pocket. A husband and wife would have $595,000.00. What could you do with $297, 500 to $595,000 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage?--most if not all of the housing crisis solved! Repay college loans?--what a great boost for new grads! Put away money for college? --It'll be there when you need it! Save in a bank? --You'd be helping to create new capitol to be responsibly loaned to budding new entrepreneurs! Buy a new car? --Help create jobs! Invest in the market? --Capitol drives growth! Pay for your parents medical insurance? --Health care improves! Deadbeat dads would have no excuse for not coming clean. Pay or go to jail! These are but a few examples and the list goes on and on.
Remember this is for every adult U.S. citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers, AIG, and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces. If the liberals in this country are determined to redistribute wealth, let's really do it....instead of buying votes with a puny $1,000 economic incentive check that is being proposed by one of our presidential candidates. If we're going to do an $85,000,000,000 bailout, let's bail out every adult U.S. citizen 18+!
As for AIG -- LIQUIDATE IT!!! Sell it off in parts. Let American General go back to being general Americans. Sell off the real estate too. Let the private sector bargin hunters cut it up and clean it up. Here's my rationale....we deserve it and AIG doesn't. Sure, it's a crazy idea that would never work even if it wasn't crazy. Why? because THEY don't want it to. It would mean they lose a little of their power. But could you imagine the coast to coast block party that would occur this plan ever did happen? How do you spell economic boom? I trust that most of my fellow Americans would know much better how to spend 85 billion dollars. The geniuses at AIG and in Washington D.C. have already proven that they don't.
And the best part, this plan is even cheaper. Remember this plan will only cost 59.5 billion since 25.5 billion gets returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam. Ahhh...now I feel so much better after getting that off my chest!
Kind personal regards,
Hank in Bull Hampsha
Like I said before, I'm not sure that this would've been the solution everyone was looking for, but consider this...........
For the past few weeks, all we've been hearing is that without this "reward for Wall Street," oops, I'm sorry.....I mean bailout, the American economy (and eventually the world economy) would crumble and we would all be facing difficult troubled times.
But here in California, in my little corner of the world, a gallon of gas is cheaper now than it has been in almost a year. Just a few days ago, I had to stand in a rather long check-out line at Walmart.....that's how busy the store was. Last night I took my son to see a movie in a theater that was packed with only one or two empty seats in the whole place. And finally, in today's paper, I read stories about modest gains in existing home sales and how it's getting better with every week that passes. They also said the coming months are looking better than expected too. I also read another story about how now is the perfect time to jump in the stock market and start buying stock in companies like General Motors and Yahoo. The reasoning....they are solid companies that have taken big hits but are primed for huge rebounds.
From the sounds of this, it doesn't seem that Main Street America (or at least this part of it) is running around like little girls with their hair on fire the way Washington, the bankers, and the greedmeisters in Martiniville are.
In other parts of the country, the rebound/recovery might take longer, but is it really necessary to reward what should be considered criminal behavior with an 85 billion dollar bailout? I say no!!! Let those greedy mortgage lenders, investment bankers, and the politicians who defend them twist in the wind for a bit. Just like the unsuspecting home-buyers were forced to twist when those adjustable rate mortgages started "adjusting."
I know the bailout is already a done deal....but maybe, just maybe America would've have recovered more quickly and been much better off if we had thrown the "criminals" in jail where they belong and presented the rest of the country with a "We Deserve it Dividend!"
Of all the recent failures and near failures in the current banking crisis, the story of the Lehman Brothers investment banking firm is probably the most disappointing. The man above, Richard S. Fuld, Jr. was the final Chief Executive Officer of the company that many credit with financing the birth and growth of the American Railroad Industry in the mid 1800's. Lehman Brothers also played major roles in the financial growth of household names like Sears and Roebuck, RCA, and B.F. Goodrich. The company had a storied history and became a major player in the American economy since it's birth in 1850. So where did it all go wrong? One has to look no further than those classic sunday school teachings about the seven deadly sins and number three on that list.......greed.
Much discussion has taken place over the "toxic" sub prime mortgage mess which figured heavily into the Lehman failure. This, however, was only part of Fuld's problems where Lehman Brothers was concerned. While painting a rosey picture to the shareholders and the public, behind the scenes, the picture was bleak. In an effort to save the company from his failed practices and deals, Fuld tried to broker yet more deals with other groups (including A.I.G) who had problems of their own. He sent people to both the Middle East and Asia to try and find fresh money with no success. As hard as he tried, he just couldn't find an acceptable deal that would save his crumbling empire. But again, how did he get to this point?
Greed. It wasn't enough that his company was, albeit small and independent, a heritage company in the investment banking business with a rather healthy portfolio. It wasn't enough that he had, by all reports, a fiercely loyal staff that would have walked through the fires of hell and back if he asked them to. It wasn't enough that he had over 800 million in company stock, an art collection said to be worth millions, and several luxury homes in his name. There had to be more and he was going to get it.
I can't imagine what it would be like to be that wealthy. Quite frankly, I'm not sure I want to know. But today Richard S. Fuld, Jr. still finds himself "working" for the company even though all of his once loyal employees have been dismissed and have lost their severance packages and health benefits. His current net worth? According to sources, Fuld is worth about 100 million dollars.
During a recent appearance before a House Committee on Government Reform, Fuld wanted to blame the media, the short sellers, the government and anyone else that came to mind. While he took responsibilty for the end result, he refused to acknowledge that Lehman's failure came about as a result of his poor choices and extremely risky deal making. Read the full transcript here.
It is often said that the road to hell is often paved with good intentions. In this case I would say it was greed, deceit, and extreme arrogance on the part of Richard S. Fuld, Jr. and his senior Lehman executives that paved The Road to Failure for one America's oldest investment banks.
Am I the only one the has a really bad feeling about this year's upcoming election? As I listened to tonight's debate, I got the sinking feeling that no matter who wins in November, our great nation is going to be in for some rough times over the next four years.
As I watched and listened, I saw one candidate that appeared old and tired and who sang pretty much the same song as Bush did eight years ago.....and so far that hasn't turned out too well. The other, young and vibrant but coming from the extreme opposite direction. At times he almost sounded like a socialist, especially when it came to taxes and entitlements. McCain, for his part, tried to respond.....but it just wasn't convincing, at least not to me. This country has some serious problems and neither of these guys have convinced me that they have the answer. As a independent conservative, I have never been as disappointed in my choices as I am this year.
What do you think? Who won the debate in your opinion...or did anybody really win? And looking at the bigger picture, is the two-party political system we have evolved into, really in America's best interest or is it taking us down a road we that we should not be traveling?
For those of you that have stumbled across this blog wondering...."HUH? What's up with all these old blog posts from a Yahoo site?"...well here's your explanation. Over two years ago, I originally started this on Yahoo 360 on a lark. After a while, it became obvious that I was striking a chord with some, providing a release for others, and even providing an escape with the humor (if only for a moment) for even more. I made a lot of great friends along the way AND I managed to find a way to make a few people laugh and ruffle a few feathers too. No matter what the topic, issue, or response, it was always (for the most part) good times and good friends on Yahoo 360. That is until Yahoo decided to start screwing with its 360 platform. I hung out for a while hoping it would get better but it never did.
So I decided to find another venue. That said though, I didn't just want to walk away from everything I had created on 360.....so I brought it with me. LOL Little did I realize how much of a chore that would be. Since there was no migration mechanism readily available to me, that meant I had to do it manually. Oh what the hell......my wife always says I like doing things the hard way. So off we went.
Now, here we are....after months of working on the migration of this blog from the 360 platform, the task is finally complete.
That's a brief glimpse about what you've been seeing over the last few months. In the week ahead we'll starting posting fresh new material. Between politics, Hollywood, Wall Street, the world in general, my family, my work, and Lord knows what else.....we should have some fun here. A word of forewarning though.......everybody and everything is fair game. Even my favorites aren't above being smacked on the back of the head when they screw up!
To all my 360 friends who have stuck with me, thank you! To my new friends, welcome aboard! You are all welcome to chime in any time you like. I have only one rule.....NO DRAMA. At times, we will all disagree about this, that, or the other thing and that's okay. But rudeness and hostility directed at each other will not tolerated. One of my earliest mentors in the world of broadcasting (a man from Knoxville, Tennessee named Colvin Idol) once told me that "Reasonable people can always reasonably disagree....if they choose to." That is something that has always stuck with me, especially out here on the "left coast." That is a rule we will abide by here as well.
That said............Welcome to all and I look forward to hearing from all of you whenever you feel like popping in.
This year, there seems to be a plethora of new Christmas songs out there. Not "re-makes" or "covers" of songs that have been around for years, but instead, original songs that are timely for the days in which we live. One e of those songs comes from a person who hasn't had a hit record in many years, but still packs'em in at concerts. Rick Springfield has always been one of my favorites. Even though he hasn't had much commercial success lately, his recent songs all tell powerful stories of his life experience. None of his new stuff demonstrates this more than his current Christmas release called "Christmas With You." You can view the video below. All proceeds from the recording of this song donated to support the US military veterans organization American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
This is from an email I received a few days ago. It's obvious by it's tone that it was meant to be an exercise in sarcasm. I started to delete it after a quick read, but hesitatated. After second more careful reading, I realized that on some levels....it rings of a sad and unfortunate truth. See what you think....................
QUESTION: What is the truest definition of Globalization?
ANSWER: Princess Diana's Death and You!
How you ask? Read on.
An ENGLISH Princess with an EGYPTIAN boyfriend crashes in a FRENCH tunnel, driving a GERMAN car with a DUTCH engine driven by a BELGIAN who was drunk on SCOTTISH whiskey and being followed closely by ITALIAN paparazzi on JAPANESE motorcycles. That BELGIAN driver would be treated by an AMERICAN doctor. Now, you are probably reading this on your computer that uses microchips from TAIWAN and monitors from KOREA. It was most likely assembled by BANGLADESHI workers in a plant in SINGAPORE, transported by INDIAN lory drivers, hijacked by INDONESIANS and unloaded by SICILIAN longshoremen....soon to be delivered to your local computer retailer by illegal MEXICAN truck drivers.
Yes, a definite exercise in biting sarcasm.....but very true on more than one level.
I'm sorry for you being sent to the dog pound for the broken lamp, which you didn't break, the fish tank you didn't knock over, the carpet you didn't wet, and the wall you didn't mess up with red paint.
But, on the other hand, things here at the house are much calmer now. And to show that I hold no hard feelings against you, I'm sending a picture so that you will always remember me!
Last Friday, California broadcasting icon Pete Wilson went into Stanford Medical Center for what supposed to be a routine hip replacement procedure. Acording to reports, all was going well until Pete went into cardiac arrest. He, sadly, never recovered.
Today, a stunned Bay Area asks why and how something like this could happen to a man, who by all accounts, was a picture of perfect health except for his recent hip injury. That is a question that will be answered in time I'm sure. But for now Pete Wilson is being remembered as a man who loved his family. He loved California and he loved to debate. Yes, Pete Wilson loved to debate. Not from the left and not from the right. Instead, Pete would engage listeners, viewers, and those around him from a position he commonly referred to as common sense. That, in and of itself, made Pete a much welcomed breath of fresh air in a decidedly and overwhelmingly liberal California. Part of that may be due to the fact that he was born and raised in the Midwestern United States. Throughout his career, he carried himself with style, professionalism, and a personality that made him a perfect fit here in California. All the while never losing the values and common sense instilled in him as child growing up in the Midwest.
In San Francisco, Pete worked for ABC owned and operated KGO AM 810 and ABC7 KGO-TV. On the KGO radio side Pete did a mid afternoon talk show. Each day at the shows conclusion he would go downstairs,put on his TV news anchor hat, and prepare for his 6pm newscast on ABC7.
For those of us who listened or watched on a regular basis......it's almost like losing a good friend or a member of your extended family. All we can do is offer our prayers and condolences to Pete's family and friends.
If you would like to read what Pete's TV colleagues are saying......click here.
From the Radio side......lots of audio remembrances and Pete's last monologue from the beginning of this past Wednesday's show(which, sadly, would turn out to be his last).
Father's Day......It's one of those days where, in the role of a child, we always make a big deal trying figure out which of us brothers could give Dad the coolest gift. However, now that I am the father, I find myself realizing that the gifts aren't that big a deal. Imperfect as we may be and not always right (you never heard me say that! lol), at the end of the day, we are just doing what we do.....being dad.
For me this Father's Day was much like any other Sunday in the Chase household. I slept in late, watched part of the race from Michigan on TV, washed and waxed the car, and later on took Kat and Eston to see the latest Pirates Of The Carribean flick (which I enjoyed immensely), helped Kat put away the laundry, and then sat down to do some writing. Somewhere between washing the car and going to the movies, I did get a really cool and totally unexpected suprise though. This is where I will begin to sound like a bit of a hypocrite, but that's okay. Nobody's perfect.....right?
Ericka, my daughter in law, baked a Fathers Day cake for me. It had lemon icing on it and she did a great job. Thank You!!!! It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated. The only thing that would have made it better was if Nathan could've been here to enjoy with us. For those of you who don't know, Nathan is our oldest and is currently serving overseas in the Marines. As a father, I'm damned proud of him too.
Looking back on this Fathers Day, I can honestly say it was a pretty darned good one! I am indeed a lucky man to have the family I do. In the end, even though we may have a day on the calendar set aside for us, we fathers wouldn't be who we are today if it weren't for our families, those who came before us (Thanks Dad!) and those we have with us today! Thank you all!
Okay-okay!!! I know I work in the radio/advertising/marketing industry and I would never bite the hand that feeds me (and my family).......however I think this is over doing it just a bit, don't you?
In the past, I have been rather vocal about my feelings regarding TV news and corporate/investment banking involvment in radio, tv, and print journalism in general. "Big Money" is as bad an influence on journalism as violent video games are on children. Now, Dan Rather finds himself embroiled in a controversy with his former CBS boss Les Moonves over the direction Moonves has taken the once proud CBS News Division. While I am by no means a fan of Dan Rather or his politics (another subject I have been very vocal about), I find myself in total agreement with him on this topic. The clip below is an excerpt from the Fox News Channel that contains an interview that David Asman conducted with Rather while filling in for Neil Cavuto. One could reasonably question Rather's motive for singling out CBS News since the industry as a whole is guilty of "dumbing down and tarting up" the news. However, no reasonable person could deny that what he is saying is true. Watch the video and see if you agree......I think you just might.
Okay! I'm still alive and still here and yes still writing.......
The job I started in January is going well. I just didn't realize how much work there would be to do when I started it several months ago. It has been an experience to say the least. It's the same work I did before, but as with any job change there are some differences. The whole vibe in the building is like night and day from my previous gig. That is slowly changing though and that IS a good thing. For me personally, I love a challenge and this new job has provided me with just that. At my previous job, I had everything so dialed in that I could almost phone it in everyday. Now it's like going back to square one and starting over. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what it is. And yes, I consider that a good thing. It forces me to pay closer attention and not to take things for granted as much as I did before. In the end though, it's all good. Busy....but good.
Speaking of my old job, I received a message from a friend Friday. This fellow was a co-worker at my old job who got fired for an accumulation of transgressions spanning almost two years. He is several years younger than I am and still has a lot to learn about the business. I always saw huge talent and potential in him, even when others didn't. Unfortunately, at the time, he didn't see the potential either. He was always make poor choices in his personal and professional life that others at the station had no tolerance or sympathy for. Those choices eventually cost the young lad his job. Now it seems though he is finally getting his priorities straight. After spending a few months unemployed here in California, he made the trek back home to the Midwest. He spent some time re-examining his life and career. He got a job at a small radio station near his home for a while and then this past Friday, I got a message from him with some good news! He's been hired by a station in the Denver market. Yes the young lad is about to hit the big time! I always saw that potential in him, even when he (and others) didn't. I just hope he keeps things on an even keel and keeps his priorities straight. And friend....... if you happen to read this......Just know that "I will personally come to Denver and kick your ass if you let this one slip through your fingers!"
Well, for everybody else, I guess that's about all for tonight. Now that things are starting to settle down a bit at work, I should have more time for writing. God knows, with everything going on in the world, there's a ton of stuff to write about.
WELL.....Where to start? I had a whole stack of stuff I had considered as topics for tonights blog. Then I found the letter below in my email. I can't began to tell you how infuriated I became after reading it. After doing the research to try and determine the legitmacy of the letter I came across a couple of other things that just got me wound up...if you know what I mean. Strap yourself in. This could be be lengthy and no doubt infuriating not matter your viewpoint.
First off the I will address the picture above. I do not begrudge anyone's right to any opinion they choose on any topic they choose or their right to express that view. But for the love of God......be mature about it. My 13 year old does the style of photoshop projects like the photo above because he thinks it's cute and funny. That's exactly what I expect from a 13 year old but not a supposed mature adult. If democracymeansyou.com and those of you who agree with their point of view have an opposing viewpoint, please feel free to voice it. Many of us both past and present have taken an oath to defend your right to do precisely that. But when you do, try using a little maturity in your approach. You'll find that it'll will get you a lot further than you have so far with those of us who live in the real world.
Secondly, the letter below. This showed up in my email today. It was written by an Army Staff Seargent identified only as "Sgt D." currently stationed in Afghanistan. He had an experience recently while on mid-tour leave to see his wife and baby boy that was the last straw. Following the letter are two websites that received copies of the letter, determined it's legitimacy, and then posted it. Read on..........
Things that I am tired of in this war:
I am tired of Democrats saying they are patriotic and then insulting my commander in chief and the way he goes about his job.
I am tired of Democrats who tell me they support me, the soldier on the ground, and then tell me the best plan to win this war is with a “phased redeployment” (liberal-speak for retreat) out of the combat zone to someplace like Okinawa.
I am tired of the Democrats whining for months on T.V., in the New York Times, and in the House and Senate that we need more troops to win the war in Iraq, and then when my Commander in Chief plans to do just that, they say that is the wrong plan, it won’t work, and we need a “new direction.”
I am tired of every Battalion Sergeant Major and Command Sergeant Major I see over here being more concerned about whether or not I am wearing my uniform in the “spot on,” most garrison-like manner; instead of asking me whether or not I am getting the equipment I need to win the fight, the support I need from my chain of command, or if the chow tastes good.
I am tired of junior and senior officers continually doubting the technical expertise of junior enlisted soldiers who are trained far better to do the jobs they are trained for than these officers believe.
I am tired of senior officers and commanders who fight this war with more of an eye on the media than on the enemy, who desperately needs killing.
I am tired of the decisions of Sergeants and Privates made in the heat of battle being scrutinized by lawyers who were not there and will never really know the state of mind of the young soldiers who were there and what is asked of them in order to survive.
I am tired of CNN claiming that they are showing “news,” with videotape sent to them by terrorists, of my comrades being shot at by snipers, but refusing to show what happens when we build a school, pave a road, hand out food and water to children, or open a water treatment plant.
I am tired of following the enemy with drones that have cameras, and then dropping bombs that sometimes kill civilians; because we could do a better job of killing the right people by sending a man with a high powered rifle instead.
I am tired of the thousands of people in the rear who claim that they are working hard to support me when I see them with their mochas and their PX Bags walking down the street, in the middle of the day, nowhere near their workspaces.
I am tired of Code Pink, Daily Kos, Al-Jazzera, CNN, Reuters, the Associated Press, ABC, NBC, CBS, the ACLU, and CAIR thinking that they somehow get to have a vote in how we blast, shoot and kill these animals who would seek to subdue us and destroy us.
I am tired of people like Meredith Vieria from NBC asking oxygen thieves like Senator Chuck Hagel questions like “Senator, at this point, do you think we are fighting and dying for nothing?” Meredith might not get it, but soldiers do know the difference between fighting and dying for something and fighting and dying for nothing.
I am tired of hearing multiple stories from both combat theaters about snipers begging to do their jobs while commanders worry about how the media might portray the possible casualties and what might happen to their career.
I am tired of hearing that the Battalion Tactical Operations Center got a new plasma screen monitor for daily briefings, but rifle scope rings for sniper rifles, extra magazines, and necessary field gear were disapproved by the unit supply system.
I am tired of out of touch general officers, senators, congressmen and defense officials who think that giving me some more heavy body armor to wear is helping me stay alive. Speed is life in combat and wearing 55 to 90 pounds of gear for 12 to 20 hours a day puts me at a great tactical disadvantage to the idiot, mindless terrorist who is wearing no armor at all and carrying an AK-47 and a pistol.
I am tired of senior officers and commanders who take it out and "measure" every time they want to have a piece of the action with their helicopters or their artillery; instead of putting their egos aside and using their equipment to support the grunt on the ground.
I am tired of senior officers and commanders who are too afraid for their careers to tell the truth about what they need to win this war to their bosses so that the soldiers can get on with kicking the ass of these animals.
I am tired of Rules of Engagement being made by JAG lawyers and not Combat Commanders. We are not playing Hopscotch over here. There is no 2nd place trophy either. I think that if the enemy knew some rough treatment and some deprivation was at hand for them, instead of prayer rugs, special diets and free Korans; this might help get their terrorist minds “right.”
I am tired of seeing Active Duty Army and Marine units being extended past their original redeployment dates, when there are National Guard Units that have yet to deploy to a combat zone in the last 40 years.
I am tired of hearing soldiers who are stationed in safe places talk about how hard their life is.
I am tired of seeing Infantry Soldiers conducting what amounts to “SWAT” raids and performing the US Army’s version of “CSI Iraq” and doing things like filling out forms for evidence when they could be better used to hunt and kill the enemy.
I am tired of senior officers and commanders who look first in their planning for how many casualties we might take, instead of how many enemy casualties we might inflict.
I am tired of begging to be turned loose so that this war can be over.
Those of us who fight this war want to win it and go home to their families. Prolonging it with attempts to do things like collect “evidence” or present whiz bang briefings on a new plasma screen TV is wasteful and ultimately, dulls the edge of our Infantry soldiers who are trained to kill people and break things, not necessarily in that order.
We are not in Iraq and Afghanistan to build nations. We are there to kill our enemies. We make the work of the State Department easier by the results we achieve.
It is only possible to defeat an enemy who kills indiscriminately by utterly destroying him. He cannot be made to yield or surrender. He will fight to the death by the hundreds to kill only one or two of us.
And so far, all of our “games” have been “away games,” and I don’t know about the ignorant, treasonous Democrats and the completely insane radical leftists and their thoughts on the matter, but I would like to keep our road game schedule.
So let’s get it done. Until the fight is won and there is no more fight left.
I have personally talked with men and women (some of them family members) in the armed forces who have said the same thing to me almost verbatum. It's very discouraging to see our servicemembers disrespected the way they are today. But it's even worse when you come across arrogant self serving members of the media who (in their haste to belittle America, it's military, and all that is good about both) show themselves to be nothing more that flat out liars in all that they and speak. I am speaking in particular of NBC Military Correspondant and Washington Post Military Affairs Writer William Arkin. Arkin recently posted an entry on his Washington Post blog that has got to be the most hateful and inflamatory piece of journalism I have ever seen.
William M. Arkin on National and Homeland Security
The Troops Also Need to Support the American People
I've been mulling over an NBC Nightly News report from Iraq last Friday in which a number of soldiers expressed frustration with opposition to war in the United States.
I'm sure the soldiers were expressing a majority opinion common amongst the ranks - that's why it is news - and I'm also sure no one in the military leadership or the administration put the soldiers up to expressing their views, nor steered NBC reporter Richard Engel to the story.
I'm all for everyone expressing their opinion, even those who wear the uniform of the United States Army. But I also hope that military commanders took the soldiers aside after the story and explained to them why it wasn't for them to disapprove of the American people.
Friday's NBC Nightly News included a story from my colleague and friend Richard Engel, who was embedded with an active duty Army infantry battalion from Fort Lewis, Washington.
Engel relayed how "troops here say they are increasingly frustrated by American criticism of the war. Many take it personally, believing it is also criticism of what they've been fighting for."
First up was 21 year old junior enlisted man Tyler Johnson, whom Engel said was frustrated about war skepticism and thinks that critics "should come over and see what it's like firsthand before criticizing."
"You may support or say we support the troops, but, so you're not supporting what they do, what they're here sweating for, what we bleed for, what we die for. It just don't make sense to me," Johnson said.
Next up was Staff Sergeant Manuel Sahagun, who is on his second tour in Iraq. He complained that "one thing I don't like is when people back home say they support the troops, but they don't support the war. If they're going to support us, support us all the way."
Next was Specialist Peter Manna: "If they don't think we're doing a good job, everything that we've done here is all in vain," he said.
These soldiers should be grateful that the American public, which by all polls overwhelmingly disapproves of the Iraq war and the President's handling of it, do still offer their support to them, and their respect.
Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order.
Sure, it is the junior enlisted men who go to jail. But even at anti-war protests, the focus is firmly on the White House and the policy. We don't see very many "baby killer" epithets being thrown around these days, no one in uniform is being spit upon.
So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?
I can imagine some post-9/11 moment, when the American people say enough already with the wars against terrorism and those in the national security establishment feel these same frustrations. In my little parable, those in leadership positions shake their heads that the people don't get it, that they don't understand that the threat from terrorism, while difficult to defeat, demands commitment and sacrifice and is very real because it is so shadowy, that the very survival of the United States is at stake. Those Hoovers and Nixons will use these kids in uniform as their soldiers. If it weren't about the United States, I'd say the story would end with a military coup where those in the know, and those with fire in their bellies, would save the nation from the people.
But it is the United States, and the recent NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.
The notion of dirty work is that, like laundry, it is something that has to be done but no one else wants to do it. But Iraq is not dirty work: it is not some necessary endeavor; the people just don't believe that anymore.
I'll accept that the soldiers, in order to soldier on, have to believe that they are manning the parapet, and that's where their frustrations come in. I'll accept as well that they are young and naïve and are frustrated with their own lack of progress and the never changing situation in Iraq. Cut off from society and constantly told that everyone supports them, no wonder the debate back home confuses them.
America needs to ponder what it is we really owe those in uniform. I don't believe America needs a draft though I imagine we'd be having a different discussion if we had one.
By William M. Arkin | January 30, 2007; 8:51 AM ET
There are so many inherintly incorrect statements of fact and assumptions in the preceding column that I couldn't begin to touch on them all. This blog would triple in length if I did. I will say this though about the last paragraph of this "op ed" piece. If Mr Arkin truly believes that "America needs to ponder what it is we really owe those in uniform," I would suggest he spend a couple of years living in a place like Iran, North Korea, or Cuba. Maybe then he would understand. If you would like to leave comments for Mr Arkin, you can email him at warkin@igc.org .
And finally, here's a clip from the Fox NewsChannel on Mr. Arkins antics. The man being interviewed is the same man who originally posted Sgt D's letter on blackfive.net.
As I said before, I don't begrude anyone any viewpoint. But before you exercise your right to open your mouth, make sure you know what you are talking about and that you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate. Otherwise we'll exercise our right to tune you out!
Well, the first week of the new job is now in the books! Working for this new company is going to be a pretty cool deal. I generally don't spend a lot of time talking about this kind of stuff in my blogs, but these people are really good people and I am extremely pleased to be a part of the organization. Although I am still trying to get the "lay of the land" (so to speak), I suspect that this is the beginning of another long run with a great group of people.
There's lots of other stuff going on in the world out there too that deserves some attention. For all the NASCAR fans, Daytona is coming up soon. There is a cool story there about a guy who's attempting to become the oldest man to ever qualify for the race. We'll talk about that a bit as qualifying gets closer. Of course, there's lots of political nonsense going on to write about. And then there's the Rosie/Donald Trump fiasco.
Since that one is "old news" by now, I'm not going to waste an entire blog on it. But since I wasn't around when it all went down, I will say this........Both Rosie and Donald Trump are nothing more over publicized and over paid windbags. I'm not in any shape, form, or fashion a fan of either. Having said that though, I think Rosie needs to pick her fights a little better. She started that whole deal by sticking her nose where it didn't belong. If she were as intelligent as she would like us all to believe, she should have known that Donald Trump is the last person she would want to engage in a public war of words and especially over something as trival as "Miss America." In the big picture, neither of them have anything of any socially redeaming value to offer those who reside in "Middle America," but they certainly did provide an entertaining distraction from the post holiday doldrums we seem to experience this time every year.
With that, I think this entry is about complete. As I close tonight though, I do want to thank everyone who has sent message of well wishes and support over the past couple of months. You guys are some really special people and you all are a big reason for the success of this 360 community. Thanks Again! And.................
I'm Back.........Finally! The day after my last entry something not totally unexpected, but still a jolt to the system, occurred. For the first time in my life, I was unemployed. I and over a dozen other employees in two locations were told that "our services" would no longer be needed and that we "were not being retained." No explanations, no thank you for your time and work, no nothing. That said, I'm not going to waste time bashing these people because quite frankly my time is more valuable than that and more importantly, even though it real easy to go down that road....it just isn't my style. I do, however, want to publicly acknowledge some people and things that happened that day. First off, our general manager, who was also "not retained," was the one who had to break the news to us. From my perspective and to his credit, he handled the whole distasteful affair with a grace, dignity, and style that is often missing in today's corporate environment. As for our former employer, Regent Communications, I just can't say enough about the class they showed through this episode. Not just with their words of support, but with their actions well. I'm not going to get into the details, but suffice to say, I walked away from my time with this company with nothing but repect for the whole organization.
So November 30th, I started a relaxing 30 day vacation by laughingly saying to my wife that the new owners must not have seen the humor in my last blog. Oh well, it's their problem not mine. I spent the next month, including a wonderful Christmas and New Years, relaxing, enjoying some real quality time with my family, and just re-energizing. Ahhhhhh! That felt good!
Then, the first week of January I set my sights on my next adventure. It took about three weeks to get all the details worked out. This past Monday, I signed the agreement and yesterday I started. Even after all these years, the first day of a new job still feels like the first day of school after summer vacation.....and more so when you consider that some of my new co-workers were also co-workers at various points during my last job. Yep! "The Band is Back Together".......or at least partially anyway.
So there you have it......THAT'S WHAT I DID ON MY CHRISTMAS VACATION!
Now it's a New Year with a New Gig and a New Attitude!
Today, I decided I wasn't going to work. Some would call it playing hooky, but in reality, I'm just burning off the last of my excess vacation days before the new owners take over. Either way, the end result is the same.....a nice, quiet, relaxing day. Just the same as if I were playing hooky.
And speaking of playing hooky, I came across an article written by the folks at careerbuilder.com. The article said that 32 percent of workers have used bogus excuses in the last year. Senior career adviser Jennifer Sullivan said many people are using sick days as "mental health days" to catch up on sleep or simply relax.
One in 10 admitted to doing so three times or more in the last year. Not only are workers using bogus reasons for missing work, but the excuses are getting more creative as well. For those of you who actually told the teacher that your dog ate your homework, you can rest easy in knowing that there are a variety of "grownup versions" of that all time favorite excuse. Below is a list of some of the most unusal excuses given to supervisors by employees playing hooky......
1. Employee was poisoned by his mother-in-law. 2. A buffalo escaped from the game reserve and kept charging the employee every time she tried to go to her car from her house. 3. Employee was feeling all the symptoms of his expecting wife. 4. Employee called from his cell phone, said he was accidentally locked in a restroom stall and no one was around to let him out. 5. Employee broke his leg snowboarding off his roof while drunk. 6. Employee's wife said he couldn't come into work because he had a lot of chores to do around the house. 7. One of the walls in the employee's home fell off the night before. 8. Employee's mother was in jail. 9. A skunk got into the employee's house and sprayed all of his uniforms. 10. Employee had bad hiccups. 11. Employee blew his nose so hard, his back went out. 12. Employee's horses got loose and were running down the highway. 13. Employee was hit by a bus while walking. 14. Employee's dog swallowed her bus pass. 15. Employee was sad.
Hmmm.......wonder if any of these will work tomorrow when the new owners take over.
Okay....That Thanksgiving meal was great! Friday and Saturday, the turkey sandwiches tasted pretty good. But by Sunday afternoon, this whole turkey business was starting to get kinda old. Now it's Monday night and you're just about ready to toss all the leftovers out! Before you do though, here's a few ideas I found to keep me from wasting that perfectly good food!
1. Barbecued turkey for open face sandwiches is simple to make. Shred or cut up leftover turkey and add your favorite barbecue sauce. Presto, it's done. Yeah, I know....you're saying, "But it's a sandwich!" Yes, it's a sandwich, but by shredding it and adding the BBQ sauce and other condiments of your choosing it becomes the King of Turkey Sandwiches!" If you just can't get past the sandwich thing....try tossing the ingrediants on a tortilla and heat it in a pan to make it a nice and toasty wrap!
2. Turkey and noodles are made just the same as chicken and noodles. Cook the noodles and add turkey. You can add chicken boullion if necessary and vegetables if you like. Not exactly my favorite, but lots of people do like it...so what the hey!
3.Turkey salad: Add a cup or more of diced turkey meat to shredded lettuce, minced onion, shredded cheese and sliced black olives. Top with sour cream or ranch dressing. I did this one tonight with a couple of minor changes. I dropped the olives and lettuce. I added a light coating of BBQ sauce in place of the ranch dressing or sour cream and added some extra cheese. I then heated it a small skillet for about 7-10 minutes and served on top of salad croutons. It was really good!
4.Turkey sandwich spread can be made in a food processor or blender. Add whatever suits you - pickles, onions, cheese, etc., to a cup of turkey and a tablespoon or more of mayonnaise or creamy salad dressing, then blend until it's fairly smooth.
But what if you've used all the "good meat"? If you've picked the best and biggest chunks of meat, you still have quite a bit of turkey left. It's time to cook the carcass in a big pot. Break it in two if you need, cover with water and simmer for an hour or more, until the meat begins to fall off the bones. Cool and pick the meat off and portion it into containers for use right away or for the freezer. Strain the leftover liquid and freeze for using with the turkey later. Or you can freeze it with the turkey if you only intend to make casseroles or soups with it.
Turkey is generally frugal meat anyway, but you can make it even more so by using it all. Get the absolute most from that turkey.
One of the many Thanksgiving Day traditions that many Americans enjoy is football and for many years the Detroit Lions have been a part of that tradition. Yesterday however, I think the Lions organization and fans hit an all-time low during the introduction of the offensive lineup for their opponents.....the Miami Dolphins.
During the player introductions, all of the offensive players for the Dolphins were introduced by the number on their jersey only....except for one player. The Ford Field Public Address Announcer called Dolphin QB Joey Harrington by name which resulted in Harrington being greeted with a resounding round of boos and catcalls. For those of you who are fans of the NFL, you know the story of Harrington and the Lions. For those of you who aren't....here's a quick cliff notes version of the story.
Harrington was a highly touted NFL prospect as he played QB at the University of Oregon. In 2002, the Lions made him a high draft choice and touted him as the savior of a franchise that has had a history of floundering as soon as they approach anything that could remotely be considered success. Through a series of horrible personnel decision made in the front office and the sometimes intentional underperformance of other highly payed team members, the Lions continued to suffer through losing season after losing season, becoming an embarassement for the city of Detroit. During this time, Harrington was expected to carry this team on his shoulders and turn this group of losers into winners. Throughout his 4 year stint in Detroit, Harrington kept his head held high, a positive attitude, and never publicly utterred a negative word about his employers, his teammates, or the city he called home. Then in May of this year, just when it looked as though the Lions had drained all of the life they could from the talented Harrington, they traded him to the Dolphins. A decision that would come back to haunt them.
More to the point of this post though, are the two men in the photo above. Genral Manager Matt Millen, and team owner William Clay Ford. These two men have collectively taken a team with a storied history and run it like the Ford Family has run it's little part of the american auto industry.(Yep! It's the same family.) Ford has a track record of horrible business decisions where the Lions are concerned. Rather than sitting back and letting the people he hires do their jobs, he loves to micro manage from the top. Front office staff members are a dime a dozen to Ford. He's also had 6 head coaches in the last five and half years. Notable names on that list include Bobby Ross, Steve Mariucci, and currently Rod Marinelli . Matt Millen is not any better as GM, plus he has a reputation for a fiery temper and a vengeful streak that I believe was instrumental for the attempt at embarrassing Miami Dolphin Joey Harrington. Yes, the same Joey Harrington that, earlier this year, the Lions discarded because thought they had no more use for him and who Millen blames for much of his horrible record(23-67) as a GM. As for the pa announcer yesterday at Ford Field......pa announcers (in any sport) don't do anything in the course of their duties that isn't planned out well in advance. In the professional ranks they usually take their cues from the front office.
Back in May, when the Lions traded Harrington to the Dolphins, he received a new "lease on his career." The signature on that "new lease" came in the form of Harrington's best performance ever on Thanksgiving Day. Joey went 19 of 29 for 213 yards, 3 tds, and 1 int. leading the Dolphins to a 27-10 victory over the Lions and "two of the NFL's biggest classless acts!"
Thanksgiving......It's a holiday that is many things to many people. It has a colorful history that in some cases goes back to a time before organized religon. Recorded history shows us that Thanksgiving celebrations were held by the Ancient Greeks, Hebrews, Romans, Chinese, and Egyptians.
Throughout the history of the human race, people (especially farmers) in many parts of the world held Thanksgiving/Harvest Festivals because they believed that their crops contained spirits that caused their crops to grow and die. They also believed that when their crops were harvested, these spirits would be released to take revenge on the farmers who harvested the crops. Many of these early Thanksgivings were celebrations of the defeat of these spirits.
In the United States, the first Thanksgiving (the one we all learned about in school) took place in 1621. Contrary to "revisionist history", this first Thanksgiving included BOTH Pilgrams and Native Americans. It would be two centuries later that President Abraham Lincoln would declare Thanksgiving an offical national holiday.
Today, Thanksgiving holds different meanings for different people. For many, it means food, family, and football. For others, it's not much more than just a day off. Some don't celebrate at all because they don't feel they have anything to be thankful for or they don't like the "pagan-like" origins of the original Thansgiving celebrations.
For me personally, Thanksgiving is more of a frame of mind. It's being thankful for not only what I have, but for what I don't have as well. Since my time in the military and seeing some of the things I've seen, it has also become a "frame of mind" that I try to carry with me throughout the year, not just on the last Thursday of each November.
For each of you on this Thanksgiving Day, my wish is that you have a safe and happy holiday....celebrating in the way you choose, with all the friends, family, and happiness one could hope to have.
Happy Thanksgiving....Til Next Time...................
As I write tonight, I am beginning the first of five days off over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Next week the new owners take over at the radio station and except for Christmas, I doubt I'll be getting much time off for a while. So you can bet I'll be enjoying this week off!!
I have a ton of stuff I could write about, but somehow.....this just seems like a night to keep things lite. So I have a few things I found in various places that seemed interesting and entertaining. Almost none of these made the mainstream newscasts. Seems that we were too interested in that piece of garbage named OJ Simpson....oh..wait, I wrote about that. Then there was the debut of the PS3.....nope, I did that one too. Oh well, you get the idea. Anyway here are some things that caught my eye that wasn't on the news........maybe you find them interesting too!
--------------------
In the South Pacific, an underwater volcano has given birth to a new island. The land mass, as of yet unamed and still steaming, is aproximately one mile in diameter and has four distinct peaks. The crew of the yacht "Maiken" are believed to be among the first to see this island as it formed. The "Maiken" was a day out of Tonga enroute to Fiji when the crew noticed the land mass rising from the water. Oh I smell a Discovery or National Geographic Channel special coming soon!!!
--------------------
A couple of weeks ago, it was announced that the Israeli military and General Dynamics have developed a new weapon in the fight against roadside bombs, land mines, and suicide bombers. The new weapon is called "Thor" and is a high energy laser weapon that allows the user to rapidly clear unexploded ordnance and defeat IEDs by inducing a low-order burn reaction in the explosive from a safe distance before they can kill or injure troops or unsuspecting civilians. Funny thing about this story though, I only heard it once on Paul Harvey's daily broadcast & nowhere else since. I was able to find this about Thor on the internet. The disappointing thing about this story is that I had to go to an Israeli newspaper to read about Thor. I guess our media was more interested in OJ and PS3 than they were in sharing some potentially great news for our troops involved in the war in Iraq and the War on Terror.
--------------------
And Forbes Magazine has come out with it's list of the world's richest fictional characters. "The winner.... Defense Contractor, Oliver"Daddy" Warbucks. Warbucks, a lieutenant general in the comic strip Little Orphan Annie, unseats Santa from the top position for the first time with an estimated net worth of $36.2 billion with the conflict in Iraq boosting his fortune." I swear, I wish I had been the one to make this stuff up......it's a riot for sure AND it gets better. "We still estimate Claus' net worth as infinite, but we excluded him from this year's rankings after being bombarded by letters from outraged children insisting that Claus is 'real'," according to a statement from Forbes.com. Other drop-offs include Ebenezer Scrooge, who gave much of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Superman nemesis Lex Luther, who blew billions trying to take over the world; and Cruella De Vil as demand for fur coats plummeted. The new annual list with an aggregate fictional net worth of $111 billion includes Mr. Monopoly, spam entrepreneur Prince Abakaliki of Nigeria, and videogame plumber Mario. Second place goes to Charles Montgomery Burns, owner of the Springfield nuclear power plant in the cartoon TV show "The Simpsons" worth an estimated $16.8 billion after announcing a "technology exchange" with North Korean leader Kim Jong II. I guess the folks at Forbes have gotten tired of trying to convince the liberals that our economy is actually doing pretty good. Either that or they decided they needed some way to amuse themselves since their boss Steven Forbes isn't planning another presidential campaign anytime soon. SEE THE ENTIRE LIST HERE!
And then there's this...........
In White Plains, New York, 32 year old Oscar Aponte is going BACK to jail after briefly flirting with freedom. You see, after serving his original sentence, Aponte was released from prison just before Halloween. But before he left the facility, Aponte decided he wanted to keep his orange prison issue jumpsuit. So he took it.....and wore it on Halloween night as he took his daughter trick or treating. Their first stop on this night of father-daughter fun? The home of a local deputy sheriff. Nuff said! LOL I swear I could feel MY IQ dropping as I typed that one! LOL
Idiot Dad!
This is just wrong on so many levels!
