Random Roadside Object

I'm not a mechanical engineer but, I'm pretty sure it's a bad thing for a disc brake pad to just fall off a vehicle. On the bright side, they have at least three others I suppose.

Wounded War Vet One Armed Catch Of Foul Ball

pic from YAHOO SPORTS

Watch the catch and interview. SSG Michael Kacer an Army NTL Guard soldier lost his left arm in a 2008 rocket attack.

I Learned About Empathy From That Part Two

I faded out then came right back to from the pain. Then a minute or so later the pain reached a point- I again fainted.
"Kevin, I'm going to get you something for the pain then get you admitted."

A few minutes later an RN came in and verified who I was and my allergies. I was breathing fast and my color wasn't very good. I know this because he said,"You're breathing kind of fast and your color isn't too good. Here, I'm going to put this oxygen on you. It may smell like plastic and tickle if you're not used to it."

Amidst the agony- it tickled like crazy and yes smelled like plastic.

He was a thorough and calm educator. The difference he must have made in peoples lives.

"Have ever had morphine before?" he asked gently. No. I replied. "OK, well you may notice a strange taste in your mouth, a little pressure behind your eyes and then just slightly nauseated. That will pass and then you're going to feel mighty fine, you'll be doing good."

I had been a nurse for years and never heard the first part of his education and still think the DR Feelgood tone to his voice kind of funny.

To be continued.

What I'm Listening To

Bush- Cold Contagious. A live performance of a great, great song.

Wherever you are you will always carry truth of the scars and the darkness of your faith.

Slowly move on, it all went wrong- how did we get to here.

It all went wrong, gravity claiming all your tears.

Everything looks so much better now.

You will get yours.

You have no right to ask me now.

You were never that around.

I have missed reality day-trips and your suit me suit me ways.

Turn out the light switch.

We've been awake for days and no ones coming around here no more.

You will get yours.

You have no right to calm me down.

You were never that around...

Friday's Dispatch

"Kevin- you idiot, put that thing down before it bites you! You're making it mad."

"Nah, he's not mad, he likes it- see he's smiling."

• Vintage mugshots. Very interesting- no surprise Keith at BON came up with them first.



• I had a horrible nightmare last night. An old Army bud and I met up at Dairy Queen in Decatur TX. Knowing he had been back downrange I asked him about it. He was unable to speak clearly or keep his train of thought and was trembling. While I was puzzling over this he turned his head to the side showing me a huge scar from a head wound and a strange looking hearing aid that had electrodes attached to the side of his head. He was our doc, very sharp, smart and funny. It was a terribly sad dream. It woke me up at four and I couldn't go back to sleep.



• I contributed to his legend early in our deployment by saying he put the combat in combat medic and later throwing a fit when late in the game they replaced him with another medic to patrol with us. He was the only medic in our battalion who I know for a fact engaged in firefights.



• I dream often about that DQ.



• Zachary loves the old Clash Of The Titans movie and calls Medusa Miss Dusa.



• 100.3 JACK FM plays all different kinds of music from just about every era and is great as far as I'm concerned. About the only songs they play I don't like are ones I never have cared for in any context.



• I learned my first dirty joke when I was in third grade and could make adults roll on the floor with it. My friend nearly stroked out last night when I told it again for the first time in probably 25-30 years.



• MC 900 Foot Jesus- The City Sleeps.

Wolverines

From the movie Red Dawn. In Iraq you would not have to look too hard to find a blown up tank or building with WOLVERINES painted on them. One more reason I love America.





Prologue/Opening Narration: Soviet Union suffers worst wheat harvest in 55 years... Labor and food riots in Poland. Soviet troops invade... Cuba and Nicaragua reach troop strength goals of 500,000. El Salvador and Honduras fall... Greens Party gains control of West German Parliament. Demands withdrawal of nuclear weapons from European soil... Mexico plunged into revolution... NATO dissolves. United States stands alone.

• You cannot look up information on Red Dawn without being beat down by critics and armchair generals. Come on- it was a movie.




• A comical clip.




• An iconic scene.




• At one time it held the record for most violent movie with an act of violence occurring as I recall once every 2.3 seconds.




• How pervasive is the Red Dawn story in American military culture? The operation to capture Saddam was called Red Dawn.




• When crossing a phase line or making a check point you nearly could not report the code for them over the radio without some smart Alec calling back "The chair is against the wall. The chair is against the wall. John has a long mustache. John has a long mustache."




• Read the list of actors, there are very few unknowns- even the more or less minor characters.




• On an off mission day I went out to see my guys off. As the HUMVEES were rolling out I called out,"Boys. Avenge me. Avenggggge meee!" Everybody chuckled.




• I guess you had to be there.




• My best friend in the Army claim to fame was being best friends growing up with kid who is left hanging out the school window after the paratroopers shoot it up.




• Why an entire post dedicated to Red Dawn? I have no idea.
  

What I'm Listening To

Hal Ketchum- Past The Point Of Rescue- an acoustic version. Hal is a direct descendant of Tom Black Jack Ketchum the first and last person ever hung in Union County NM. He was sentenced to die for felonious assault of a railway train, a law later ruled unconstitutional. Tom was born in San Saba Texas.