Warm And Center Of Attention=Cats Dream

We had a Siamese cat when I was growing up named Dean, he lived to be 19 years old. He would sleep on the TV to stay warm- he was kind of the grumpy old codger of catdom. I do not know how many times someone would stop by the TV and say,"Oh look at this cat, it looks so real." and touch him causing him to bolt up hissing and spitting and swatting at the hapless stranger as he slid off the back of the TV while his victim would retreat clutching their chest sure they were about to die of a heart attack.


Not actual cat.

Monday's Missives

My new set of wheels to replace Turdbomb.

• Greatest headline I've seen in a while- Police: Homeless man hid stolen ferret in pants. Suspect faces theft, battery charges for dangerously wielding animal. AP



• "A former “Jerry Springer Show” producer, Bobby Goldstein, told In Touch magazine that he had a pilot, “Jon - Kate = Jon + Octomom” in the works and that Gosselin was onboard. According to a press release In Touch obtained, Goldstein’s show would follow Gosselin as “he contemplates what hooking up with Octomom could really be like.” msnbc the scoop



• NOOOOOOOOooooooo!



• I'm literally clawing my eyes out for reading that and hitting myself in the head with a coffee cup in hope of inducing a memory erasing traumatic brain injury.



• We are doomed.



• Finally took the tent down- want to figure out something semi permanent we can sleep in whenever the mood strikes.



• A heavy duty tipi maybe?



• The neighbors love me- that might challenge their patience though.



• Six cinnamon rolls and about eleven cups of coffee- it's what's for breakfast.



• Zac is starting gymnastics tonight, it's the type that requires parental involvement.



• Groan.

Fort Hood Murders My Thoughts

SGT Anthony Sills of Texas National Guard' 36 Infantry Division consoling his wife after the Ft. Hood murders.

• Although I was not there and can't really know what happened during the major who committed the murders at Ft. Hoods career (family claims he was harassed over being Muslim) I have been in the guard, regular army,peacetime,wartime, overseas in peace, a non combat job skill and combat job skill, been in several formal military schools, taught at a military academy as a guest instructor, served in several US states etc. etc. and one thing that always stood out- and I've considered it way before this event- teasing guys about their religion if not off limits is rare and self limiting if it happens.


• Another thought: I would be more than surprised I would be shocked if in the hyper sensitive environment of the Army under its equal opportunity mandated environment and the Army wide fear of reprisals over harassment if there was a lot of harassment over that guys religion.
• Specifically since his religion happens to be Islam.
• Also, reports have come from a cousin to the killer that he was harassed over his race by being called a "camel jockey"- being harassed over ones race in the Army? Uh,uh- sorry didn't happen- to an extent it would trigger some kind of mental break anyway. Even the allegation of same will end with everyone in the chain being sentenced to interminable cultural sensitivity training, poor reflection in evaluation reports and proven abuses? Everyone associated will be punished by article 15 and if they're not lucky a discharge from service. Would a lawyer make a joke about a bomb under a judges car? A doctor joke in any thing approaching a public manner about poisoning his difficult patients? Don't think these are appropriate analogies? You don't understand modern military thought environment then- harassment especially harassment over race and religion is not tolerated.


• If there's anything to his families claim- we'll hear about it from others he served with- that's the way it always is they don't have to break ranks there is always someone interested in doing the right thing and if nothing else a disgruntled troop who heard or witnessed something.


• Many people will be more than happy to accept the assertion that he was "mortified" over his impending deployment to Afghanistan as the reason for these murders- come on, he is a psychiatrist what did he have to fear either in a personal safety aspect or in regards to some kind of shock to his religious sensibilities? The air conditioner in his office wouldn't blow cold enough or someone, somewhere might find out there's a Muslim serving as a doctor on the base where he is deployed?


• The first talking head I saw discussing these murders began prattling on about PTSD in the first sentence he uttered. Ridiculous.


• DFW local news as events unfolded.


• The Soldiers Dome where the shootings happened is directly across the street from my old 1 Cavalry Division unit and when first built was a place for guys to drink and eat while watching sports, it was later converted to an SRC- Soldiers Readiness Center.


• Howze Theater another location mentioned often in the newscasts about the murders was the first place I saw Platoon.


• That guy wasn't wrapped too tight to begin with and the Army would have been the best hope he had to prevent a break (very good counselling, structured environment with good pay etc.).


• Anyway, he didn't need an excuse with his mental problems and twisted worldview.


• It's my opinion that if in the medical field mentally ill people will be more drawn to psychiatry, psychology and associated mental health disciplines. It kind of just makes sense but, is also demonstrable I bet- if you dug through news archives.


• People are asking,"How did he kill so many people, why didn't someone shoot him- it's a military base." On a military base not everyone is armed at all times and even if you have a weapon for a class, a range or mobilising for deployment the troops will not have rounds for their weapons until they're needed and issued.


• Sources reported a gunfight between another shooter and a SWAT team at a separate location simultaneous to the SRC murders- how does that happen, even in the fog of these developing situations?


• "He said: "Ford Hood is perceived as being even safer than normal because of its size and scale." excerpted from an interview of a British major who had been stationed at Hood- his analysis is wrong though. Look at Fort Hood the same as any other city of 100,000 people except, a younger on average population, higher density of males per capita, sense of anonymity, a whole lot of people bringing all kinds of bad habits with them from their backgrounds, a lot of alcohol and drug abuse etc. The sense of safety on the post is deceptive.


• I wonder what his case will do to the death penalty debate? Will opponents keep silent because they know the public desire for vengeance and how it will galvanize attitudes? You'll hear less from opponents than you might think at first glance I think.


• I assure you- he will have his dance with the ole Grim Reaper at the sharp end of a needle.

Thursday's Thoughts

Your armored Hey Now for the day- beautiful huh? M2/M3 Bradley Fighting vehicles. The one in number 2 picture is firing a TOW missile.

• I'm so tired my skin hurts. My patient expired as I was getting ready to walk out the door. A sad case- too young, not supported well by family, died with issues, I spent a lot of time with him and we did guy stuff like watching football. Man, he would hate to see me leave.
• I'm delirious with tirednicity.
• Thinking about the much maligned Bradley Fighting Vehicle the US uses for infantry support and armored recon duties. Most people probably don't care but, there's a lot of misinformation about it, even a movie Pentagon Wars starring Kelsey Grammer that rags on the early models and development thereof. Not really sure what drives the people so adamantly opposed to it but, they'll make it look like a too costly death trap that doesn't have the capability to perform its mission. This is odd, very odd- it's the best vehicle of its type in the world and it's good for the money for that matter- although yes, FMC doesn't give them away. It's very reliable and provides very good protection and fighting ability to its crew. Not sure what's going on there- politics?
• Here's a video of my beloved Bradley in action in Iraq.
• Bonus footage of insurgents being engaged.
• I'm going to embed myself after I soak in a hot shower.
• Good night.

Well, It IS A Long Way From His Heart As They Say

My favorite nephews arm- pre whip stitch. Chicks dig scars though don't they? Let's hope that's true anyway.

Wednesday's Digressions

One of the combat patches I'm authorized to wear on my uniform. Cool huh? It's in my top 5 of cool unit patches- with 1 Cavalry Division probably my fave. Click to be enawesome-ated. Simply can't wait until I'm about 90 and I get herded out to the Memorial Day activities swallowed in my baggy desert camouflage uniform that my biceps and chest used to be literally busting out of- and there I sit in my wheelchair looking around sweetly confused at the little kids waving 4X6 inch US flags...

• I hardly ever have dreams about warfare or sex but, when I do they are invariably doozees. Last night I dreamed of prison sex- not sex right after getting out of prison or conjugal visits etc. but, I was in prison and could somehow sneak a woman in every night. It was the same woman every time and I think she was supposed to represent someone famous who was quite pretty. Sometimes she delivered pizza to the prison others she was dressed as a guard or a journalist to get inside. The rub except for the imprisoned part? I was married and the wifey would visit my cell and find the girl every time- then the whole charade would start over.



• Care to psychoanalyse? I'm sure Freud would have a field day.



• I can spell psychoanalyse correctly the first time but, never guard.




• There are 400 known planets outside our solar system.




• NASA is still forging ahead with plans to invade Mars. An independent group has recommended they forgo a return to our moon and concentrate on Mars, asteroids and a few other moons. In a way this is very cool- in a way it demonstrates everything that's wrong with our ability to prioritize. This is actually the definitive picture of that when you think about it really- two very expensive wars, an imploded economy, people falling over dead from diseases that should have been cured years ago, astronomical food and energy prices (when if our heads hadn't been so far up our butts for so long the first would be dirt cheap- the second nearly free.) but, instead they're being told to forgo a trip to the moon and instead go to Mars???




• Oh, they'll only need 3 billion more dollars annually to do it though.




• Grrrrr.




• One thing you may not have thought of though: the trip to Mars with present/envisioned tech will take two years. Because of this and exorbitant costs associated with resupply missions and amount of fuel that could be carried I can assure you if they are thinking straight- no one who goes can ever come back. Resupply missions will be one way with the craft being repurposed by the Martians.


• Barry, the Blogfather sez," I absolutely hate watching news footage of kids getting a vaccine." Interestingly- it warms my heart every time I see a child getting one or I give one myself. It never fails that I don't think something like because of that simple act, that child may live to ripe old age and not die of some miserable, preventable sickness before they even have a chance at life.

I Hope He Passed

because I would not want to live in a world where someone who did something this cool failed.