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Showing posts from June, 2006
The Thought Police: a necessary function for our safety? Please take a look at this video and tell me what you think. When I saw this, obviously I was shocked, but even more than that, I started trying to frame my thoughts into the context of what I do for a living. Obviously in this country people have a right to express their opinion on everything that goes on. I am happy we don't live in a police state where so many things are censored and forbidden. However, I don't think that we should overlook people like this, the "Miami 7", or any other nutcases out there that are Anti-American. I don't believe that the United States has done everything properly over the years, but I do believe in the inherent "goodness" in America as a whole. So, should we kick the doors in of these people and haul them off to some austere prison complex for creating such a hateful and radical video? Certainly not, but I do think that they should be watched very closely, and...
One day and one half... I just woke up in my hotel room after a night of fun and good times with my wife at 4th Street Live. I glanced out the window, and realized that I was facing the sullen reality that I have today and tomorrow on leave, and that Tuesday means the end of my contact with my family for a great while. I have approached this time on leave with the solid intent of not concentrating on how much time I had left, but rather the quality of the time that I was using. Somehow, it just didn't work like I thought that it would. I have noted that these past two weeks have flown by, much quicker than any other two weeks that I have experienced in my life. If deployment were to go like this, the time wouldn't seem so unbearable. But, nonetheless I suppose that I need to get myself prepared for the inevitable. The reality is that my oldest son Devon who just finished the seventh grade will be starting his Freshman year of High School once I get back. Robbie who just ...
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Happy Birthday Mommie Essie! Today is my Grandmother's birthday. Unfortunately she passed away in November of 2004. She would have been 99. I remember so many things about those trips to visit her in Alabama. I can smell the familiar smells of her house, I never wanted to leave once I got there. Up until a certain age I would always cry when it was time to head back to Kentucky. She made the most delicious poundcake that I have ever tasted. She was so wonderful to me, and to all of our family. I woke up this morning and looked at my watch. When I saw that it was June 24th, I thought to myself. Hmm....today is Mommie Essie's birthday. Kind of sad, but she lived a long and wonderful life. What more could someone ask for?
On point.... I had to share these pictures here. This is my daughter clowning around with one of my sons toy guns. It is a tiny model M-4. Alexandra calls it an "M-Pour". Check out the stance and the finger outside of the trigger guard. Is this a daddy's girl or what? Here is a closer shot....
What do I fear? I have spent the last 10 days on leave enjoying the fact that I really didn't have to do a thing. Over and over, people have asked me what I felt about the mission that I am about to embark upon. Aside from not wanting to be away from my wife and children for an extended amount of time, I am somewhat ambivalent about the mission. This isn't my first one, and more than likely it will not be my last one. I do have to say that I was troubled by the guys from the 101st that were captured...the idea of being tortured is indeed frightening. I am not sure of the scope of the "desecration" that the reports indicated, but aside from the pain and the fear, I can imagine the overwhelming feeling of being alone was probably the most difficult thing. I could not imagine being in that situation...facing my own death at the hands of some torturing lunatic. I would not want my family to know that I had suffered like that. I wouldn't want them to imagine my last mo...
My girls... Just a few pics for no particular reason. The first picture is of Alexandra and Renee working in a coloring book. The second picture is of them standing in the kitchen, (sorry about the mess). The third picture is them on the back deck eating shrimp, (or shwimp as Alexandra pronounces it.)
Happy 231st Birthday to the U.S. Army! Happy Birthday to the greatest military fighting force that the world has ever known. I will be toasting tonight with dinner! I'll post a picture, it is a nice evening so I may have to eat on the deck tonight. Hooah! I am enjoying myself from now until the 27th. I am on Leave! Of course my decadence will be interrupted by having all four of my wisdom teeth pulled tomorrow. So, I may need to toast three or four times tonight. Hooah!
Jay Leno hosts Ann Coulter tonight.... Jay Leno will be hosting Ann Coulter on the Tonight Show this evening. Along with her will be comedian and raconteur George Carlin. Some people are saying that Jay will probably need referee stripes. I am sure that Carlin will draw first blood, because he is an anti-establishment sort of guy, but Coulter is no slouch. She has a scornfully derisive tone that knows no match on the right. I think she is even more harsh than Savage. Someone is probably going to get owned, but I wouldn't try and lay odds on either one...it will be a toss up tonight.
Joga Bonito... The performance of the United States National Team against the Czech Republic was very disappointing, but I love the game no less. There have been some great matches thus far. Here is an excerpt from a match that was "close to home" today. Damn I love being on leave.
World Cup Play... The United States will beging World Cup competition on Monday against the Czech Republic. I think to our disadvantage, people are looking at the U.S. National Team as the 5th ranked team that made it to the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup. I think we have a much better team, but we are in a very difficult group. It is called the "group of Death". I think that there is a very good chance that despite having a great offense built around the skills of Landon Donovan that we could very well fare worse than what we did in 2002....despite having a better team. Watch and see.......
AIRSTRIKE KILLS AL-ZARQAWI I just wonder it this will escalate, or downsize the insurgent movement in Iraq? The reason I ask this is because often times when there is a loosely organized movement with a figurehead in charge, as is the case with the Iraq insurgency' it is very difficult to launch a "decapitation strike" with much success. Either, it wiil have no effect because he actually didn't have the command and control he boasted about, or it will escalate because people will start doing dumb shit in the "name of Sheik Al Zarquawi" or something inane like that. I am happy that Nick Berg has been avenged, but I wanted Zarquawi to be either shot with small arms fire, or captured. The lunatics will try and martyr him and boast about how "Soldiers could not get him, only big bombs." I mean come on, we saw the video, the guy's weapons craft sucked. **UPDATE** [From ABC News.com] Oil exports from Iraq have failed to return to pre-war level due to...
Army officer from Honolulu refuses to report for Iraq duty A fellow First Lieutenant has refused to deploy with his unit. Some people are cheering him by saying that he is refusing to take part of an "unjust" war. Other people are calling him a deserter. I simply call him a Blue Falcon. Any of you guys who are military out there will know what I am talking about. While some people feel like they have given up some of their rights when they raise their hands and swear into the Armed Forces, others feel as if they are afforded the luxury of not having to have an opinion. This guy joined the military after the initial Iraqi campaign began and knew what sort of world events were in place. He is due to ETS on December 3rd of this year, but no doubt he will be stop lossed because of the scheduled deployment. I am not sure if he is a deserter, or if he is anti-American, or even if he is a coward. All I do know is he is a shitty Officer. Any man who accepts a commission and refus...
Abasement... I wish I could say that I have been having horrible dreams, or that there was a deep foreboding about my upcoming deployment, but there is not. On the contrary, all of the things that trouble me are here. I just have a feeling that perhaps things are not as complete as they need to be. I have been working on continutity books and the hand off of many of my duties. I worry about the people that i am in command over, as I have no idea who my replacement will be. I have those same worries that a parent has when his kid is changing schools. Possibly there is such the feeling that nobody can do what I do, like I do it, and then again perhaps this is the way of me coming to grips with the fact that I am leaving. Perhaps I am clinging to everything here as if I am holding on for my very life. I brought a box into the office to clean out my desk about two weeks ago. During that span of time I have been unable to do much more than place a few pictures and coffee mugs into it. As mu...
Fourth Street Live Last weekend, Renee and I went to Fourth Street Live to hang out for a while. 4th Street Live is an effort that the city of Louisville has made to inject life into the downtown scene. It is located near the waterfront, and consists of several upscale bars, lounges, and restaurants all within about a 2 block area. We attended a First Friday's celebration at a club called "Felt", which is a very nice billiards room. Here is a picture of me, Renee, her friend Derita, and Renee's cousin Howard. I hope to go back at least once before I head to Iraq.
Operation Overlord: D-Day + 62 Years "Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death." -Gen. Omar Bradley- For some reason there seems to not be much press about the anniversary of the Normandy Invsion this year. I am not sure if it is because of the oh-so-scary, 6-6-06 date., the coverage of the volcanic eruptions in Indonesia, or the incessant political squabbling between the Democrats and the Republicans. If there were ever a time to honor the sacrifices of people who have been called "The Greatest Generation", then I say it is now. I say this especially given the world climate now. Since this event happed roughly 62 years ago, it is not hard to understand why the true warriors are the only ones living. The wars are calculated by skilled tacticians with many years of experience, but the deeds are done by every day people. Young people. Junior Enlisted, Junior NCO's, and Junior Officers. If you were 18 during the Normandy Invasion y...
Honor and Nail Polish.... [HONOR] The last few months have been quite hectic.....with all of my TDY, and my rapidly approaching deployment, my wife and I have had precious little time for ourselves. With her being in school full time as well as working, it seems as if we never get to do something just with one another. Even when I am not at Uncle Sam's beck and call, we have three children, two of which are actively engaged in sports. Generally, I don't have time to take my uniform off after I get off work because of endless errands, practices, games, and just about anything else that the typical married father of three goes through. About two weeks ago I had traffic school. It just happened that the night that I went happened to be one of the most beautiful days of the year. My class was from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. As I sulked through my 45 minutes of downtime before I needed to depart for class, I heard my wife talking to my oldest son. It turns out that he said he needed to go t...
G.I. KEL, A real American Hero..... Last night I went to Blockbuster to take a video game back for my son, and to pick up a movie. After I wandered around the store looking for something worthwhile, I headed to the counter. Like always, there was a long line and I found myself in the pleasant company of three Goth kids. As usual, I didn't feel like changing clothes after I got home so I still had my ACU's on. I noticed one of the kids, (two female, one male...although I had to study the male to discern his gender), kept looking at me and he was whispering something to this female companions. I purposely acted as if I didn't notice.... Suddenly the guy looks up and says.. "Hey man, are you in the Army?" I said, "Yes I am." He extended his hand and said, "Thanks man, I really appreciate it." (For a split second I felt guilty about thinking that he was up to no good.) He then said, "Man, you are a "Real American Hero"..."You...