Peace-time Military

I don't know why I'm surprised by THIS:

Many people in the military now perceive a "generation gap" that is marked by a specific date; September 11, 2001. Those who joined after that day, were more likely to have done so for patriotic reasons and were in to fight. The pre-911 troops had served in a peacetime military. The 1991 Gulf War lasted only four days. The Balkans peacekeeping operations of the 1990s involved very little combat. In other words, the pre-2001 troops had seen very little action. A lot of the pre-2001 officers and NCOs had a hard time adapting to wartime.

There are people in the military who aren't really comfortable with the military's prime mission, which is to kill people and break things.

This shouldn't surprise me.

Ten years after I left the Navy, I ran into a couple of peace-time sailors who were still in the Navy, as a career, who hated going to sea, and resented the Navy for sending them to a ship that by definition, goes to sea!

The peace-time military acts much like a large corporation. You follow the peace-time rules and sing the company song, and you get promoted, especially if all of your paperwork is in order and your subordinates don't pee in the potted palms.

In wartime, all of a sudden the rules change, and the "routine" that you've been following, the simulated "war games" that you've been doing, the immaculate paperwork that you thought were the "real reason" you joined, are supposed to be actually put into real mud and blood practice.

And so, some of the peace-time military gets moved aside, and is "encouraged" to find something else to do.

And the newspapers, who are not staffed by war-time vets, "view with alarm" the number of mid-level officers and NCOs who are leaving the services.

Of course, once the war is over, the guys who do the heavy lifting, and are good combat leaders make the politicians uncomfortable. They are shuffled aside as quickly as can be arranged, because after all, we have to be "politically correct" while we're "preparing our military for the next "humanitarian mission" in Kosovo or wherever...

What Was That Al Sharpton Said?

This irony is just delicious - not to mention mind-boggling!

Yes, my mind is boggled!

The biggest mouth in America telling Bill Clinton to "be quiet", to "stop", to "shut up"?

Gawd, tell me it's true, please!

Al Sharpton: “But I think that it’s time for him to just be quiet. I think it’s time for him to stop. As one of the most outspoken people in America, there is a time to shut up, and I think that time has come.”

It is alleged that the Reverend Al said that on The View.

Got it from Fox News, HERE.

Un-Freakin'-Believable!

Now, you've all heard and seen the reports and informed opinion about the "Clinton Machine" getting all geared up to clobber Sen. Obama. Well, it appears that there's a bit of trouble in the "Machine", some sand in the gears, and perhaps a lack of lubrication.

Now, all we need is little screeching from Senator Clinton about the VRWC to make my day complete....

Monday, PITA Monday

It is generally acknowledged throughout the civilized industrial world that Monday is the "worst bloody day of the bleedin' week."

It is my personal opinion that all of the previous week's sneaky little gremlins have managed to hide all during the previous week, merrily plotting their weekend's activities, so that when the poor, humble, down-trodden IT geek shows up on Monday, it's "Surprise! We've been busy!"

Sheesh.

I shoulda got sick and stayed home, in bed, with a bottle of whiskey.

Good whiskey.

No, NOT the idiot dog that some misbegotten mongoloid named "Whiskey".

Y'all are a bunch of preverts.

And I'm a grouch.

Grrr....

Memories, PC and Fear

'Way back there, when OWW was a kid, the "Walt Disney Show" used to broadcast some of the Disney movies as specials, running for two hours, including commercials.

One of those marvelous movies was "Song of The South" - great music, and a good story line.

When "Song of The South" was released, in 1946, the critics loved it, and movie-goers went to the local theatre to see it.

Now, with every movie under the sun available on tape/DVD, you can't find a legit copy of "Song of The South".

Why?

One theory that has the ring of truth is that the Disney Corporation looks at "Song of the South" as causing great controversy - if they release it to home video, it will be widely condemned as "racist" or "inappropriate".

That's very sad, from my point of view.

Because I just remember "Song of The South" from a kid's perspective. Great songs, good characters, and a decent story line.

What else do you need, eggs in your beer?

Self Defense

First, follow the link HERE.

Second, by all means, do the Happy Dance.

Third, send a contribution to Mr. Taylor so that he NEVER runs out of fresh ammo.

Folks, "right between the eyes" is synonomous with "gun control".

I went out in the front yard and did the Happy Dance.

Twice.

Monday Came on Tuesday This Week - For a Moron

I've been stumped, recently, for things to blog about. Call it "blogger's block".

Politics, although interesting in the abstract, just doesn't have any zing.

I've already touched on the GHIP (Great Home Improvement Project), and I'm pretty sure that nobody is all that interested in my dog's "Kennel Cough", which is under treatment and going away.

How about one of my Christmas presents? Y'know, the headphones for my iPod, which have sent those pukey earbuds right into the trash?

Nahhh.

Well, how about "You Can't Make This Stuff Up"?

From Fox News...


Moron Arrested After Driving Truck Into House
Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Note to Mr. Moron: Don't act like one.

Bryan Scott Moron, 20, of Burleson, Texas, was arrested Friday after he lost control of his truck and struck a mailbox, then a house, MyFOXDFW.com reports.

Living up to his surname, Moron failed sobriety tests, the station said. The arrest report showed his blood alcohol level to be more than twice the legal limit.

Moron, a restaurant server, was also driving at an excessive speed, according to the report.

Iowa, Hillary vs. Barck, and the Future

After thinking it over for a little bit, I have my own advice for Hannity, Limbaugh, and Associates: "Be careful what you wish for!"

Just ask any Republican: "Who would you rather run against? Hillary or Barack?"

The Clintons (Hill 'n Bill) have a boat-load of negatives. In the general campaign, any half-decent campaign could load Hillary's record, her and Bill's documented record and political positions into the old political scattergun and have a ball. And beat the stuffing out of her/their candidacy, no innuendo or half-baked accusations required.