A Cautionary Tale

Boy Wonder convinced me that I should put this bit of my history out here, because it has a direct relation to what's happening today.

When I was a Marine Security Guard at the embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, like everyone with money we had a ton of servants. We had two housekeepers, a tailor, a guard, a laundry man and a cook. The cook, Mohammad Chefias Khan, was the highest paid servant in the capitol and worth every cent. He was more of a friend to us than a servant.

One day on his day off, a few of us decided to surprise him with a visit. He lived in the third village north of Murree Hill Station, about an hour's drive up into the foothills of the Himalayas. The village was built on both sides of a steep valley.

When we got there, several men - heavily armed men - asked what we wanted. My Urdu was pretty pathetic and their English was nonexistent, but we managed to get our message across. They signaled that we were to wait in the car while a young lad took off down the valley and halfway up the other side, where he disappeared into a house.

About a minute later the lad came running back and rattled off an incomprehensible string of Urdu, but he must have said the right things, because those guarding us all broke into smiles and welcomed us with hugs.

They led us to "Cheffy's" house where, according to custom we were greeted as honored guests. We were introduced to the chief of the tribe and spend a wonderful afternoon there.

Now, this was around 1971 - 1972, and Pakistan and the U.S. were friends. But once you got into tribal areas that "friendship" didn't cut much ice. I'd hate to think of what would have happened if any of us would have done something stupid.

That area is in the north central area of Pakistan - nowhere near the borders. Now go forward 30 years. If you were to go to one of the border tribal areas uninvited looking for someone who didn't want to see you, your life wouldn't be worth two pice.

People can't understand why bin Laden hasn't been found. My little tale should give you some idea as to why. I'll really enjoy watch the Democrats - assuming they get into power - following up on their claim that they'll be able to just waltz in and get him.

It Just Ain't No Fun No More

All my life I've been able to find some twisted humor in almost any situation. Unfortunately, lately that just hasn't been happening. Trying to keep up with what's happening in the world has been depressing the living shit out of me.

Besides that, things at the home front have been really tense for some time, so I think it's time I take a break from this. It might be a week or so, it might be longer. Maybe - just maybe - I'll be able to get my head right again.

I really appreciate all of you who have supported me the last couple of years and I'll still be checking up on what you're up to.

More Fun, More Games

About six months ago the VA did an EEG on me that showed an abnormality - like I needed them to tell me that!

Tomorrow I have to go for a sleep-deprived EEG, which means no sleep after midnight. As if that wasn't bad enough, those sadistic bastards also said I can't have any caffeine either. The problem is most of the drugs I'm on have a tendency to send me to nap time.

I have music, movies, books, munchies, orange juice and root beer lined up - and if it gets really bad I might even put up a post. I just have to make sure I don't wake She Who Must Be Obeyed, because if I do she might rock me to sleep - with a large chunk of granite!

Just Another Day

(and yes, Blogmama, this one's for both of us!)

Fences. National Guard.

Crap.

As long as Bush is going to allow an amnesty our border is going to look like a swarm of ants heading towards a steak.

Marines As Seen By:

Himself: A handsome, buff, highly trained professional killer and female idol who carries a finely honed K-Bar, wears a crisp 8-point cammie cover and is always on time due to the absolute reliability of his Seiko digital watch.

His Wife: A stinking, gross, foul mouthed lovable bum who arrives back at home every few months with a seabag full of dirty utilities, a huge Seiko watch, an oversized knife, a filthy hat and hornier then hell.

Headquarters Marine Corps: A drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting "cumshaw artist" who wears a Seiko watch, an unauthorized K-Bar and a squared-away cover.

His Commanding Officer: A fine specimen of a drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting bullshitter with an incredibly accurate Seiko watch, a finely honed razor sharp K-Bar and a salty cammie cover.

What others have said:

Congress: Marines are overpaid, overrated tax burdens who are indispensable since they volunteer to go anywhere at any time and kill whoever they're told to kill, as long as they can drink, brawl, steal HMMWVs, corrupt women and sing dirty songs while wearing cammies, oversized knives, Seiko watches and really screwed-up 8-point covers that don't look like the Army's.

Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States: "Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they've ever made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem."

General Douglas MacArthur, US Army: " . . . these Marines have the swagger, confidence and hardness that must have been in Stonewall Jackson's Army of the Shenandoah. They remind me of the Coldstream Guards at Dunkirk."

Admiral Chester Nimitz, US Navy, on the Marine Corps' battle for Iwo Jima: "Uncommon valor was a common virtue"

General Douglas MacArthur, US Army: "I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front. There is not a finer fighting organization in the world!"

LtCol T R Fehrenbach, USA, in "This Kind of War": "The man who will go where his colors go without asking, who will fight a phantom foe in a jungle or a mountain range, and who will suffer and die in the midst of incredible hardship, without complaint, is still what he has always been, from Imperial Rome to sceptered Britain to democratic America. He is the stuff of which legends are made. His pride is his colors and his regiment, his training hard and thorough and coldly realistic, to fit him for what he must face, and his obedience is to his orders. As a legionnaire, he held the gates of civilization for the classical world . today he is called United States Marine."

An Anonymous Canadian Citizen: "Marines are about the most peculiar breed of human beings I have ever witnessed. They treat their service as if it was some kind of cult, plastering their emblem on almost everything they own, making themselves up to look like insane fanatics with haircuts so short as to be ungentlemanly, worshipping their Commandant as if he was a god, and making weird animal noises like a band of savages. They'll fight like rabid dogs at the drop of a hat just for the sake of a little action and are the cockiest SOBs I've ever known. Most have the foulest mouths and drink well beyond man's normal limits, but their high spirits and sense of brotherhood set them apart and, generally speaking, of the United States Marines with whom I've come in contact, are the most professional warriors and the finest men I've had the pleasure to meet. "

General John J "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army: "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle! "

General Mark Clark, US Army: "The more Marines I have around the better I like it! "

General Johnson, US Army: "I can never again see a United States Marine without experiencing a feeling of reverence. "

Richard Harding Davis, war correspondent (1885): "The Marines have landed, and the situation is well in hand."

A Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island: "Did you come here just to spoil my beloved Corps, maggot?"

A boot camp weapons coach: "To a Marine, happiness is a belt-fed weapon."

LtCol Oliver North, USMC (ret): "The only people I like beside my wife and kids are Marines."

MajGen J N Mattis, CG, 1st MarDiv - Iraq, March 2003: "You are part of the world's most feared and trusted fighting force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of our Line of Departure. Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight with a happy heart and a strong spirit. For the mission's sake, our country's sake and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past battles -- who fought for life and never lost their nerve -- carry out your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a United States Marine."

Eleanor Roosevelt - 1945: "The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps."

An Anonymous US Marine: "I recently attended a Kansas City Chiefs football game at Arrowhead Stadium. It was their annual Veteran's Day tribute so members of all the services were asked to participate in the festivities.A color guard for the National Anthem was provided by the Buffalo Soldiers Association. They looked very sharp in their 1800s-era US Army Cavalry uniforms. Following that, the Navy parachute team put on an impressive display that brought cheers from the 78,000 football fans in attendance. Shortly thereafter, we were treated to the truly awesome sight of an Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flyover as well as a few other aircraft. All of these sights -- but especially the B-2 -- were truly appreciated by the crowd who let it be known by their cheers. I expected that was all we would see of the US Military that day. I thought we would see a high school or college marching band during half-time. Few watch those shows anyway because they have to go to the head or grab another beer during the intermission.Shortly before half-time, however, I looked down on the sidelines near the end zone and saw the Marine Corps' Silent Drill Team forming up. As the half-time show started, the players left the field and the announcer came on the public address system to advise us of the Drill Team's performance. Many of us Marines have seen these performances in the past and they're always awe-inspiring. I didn't expect that the large civilian crowd of football fans would be as appreciative of the Drill Team as they had been of the high-tech B-2 or the daring of the Navy parachute team. However, I was on the edge of my seat. As the Drill Team marched onto the field, the crowd grew noticeably quieter. Soon, the team was fully into their demonstration. The stadium was absolutely silent.From high in the stands' upper reaches where my seats were, I was able to hear the "snap" and "pop" of hands striking rifles. Both big screen "Jumbotron" scoreboards displayed close ups of the Marines as they went through their routine. As they completed their demonstration and lined up for the inspection, the crowd began cheering as the Marines twirled their rifles in impossible fashion. Then came the inspection. Again, the crowd fell silent and watched intently as rifles were thrown, caught, twirled, inspected and thrown some more. Each well-practiced feat brought a "wow" or "did you see that?" from those sitting around me.I sat there in silent pride as I watched my brother Marines exit the field. A young girl behind me asked her mother a question about how the Marines learn to do the things they just did. The mother replied, "They practice long and hard and they're Marines; they're the best."

Semper Fidelis!!!

Thanks to Wayne of Waynes World for this!

One additional quote: The daughter of Harry Truman once referred to Marines as, "Underpaid, oversexed teenaged killers".

Busy, Busy

Well, let's see - yesterday was a trip to the VA to see my GP - apparently my general health is better than I have any right to expect. That still didn't stop her and the nurse from beating up on me about smoking. That's about the only recreational equipment I have these days.

Today was the VA again, this time to the foot doc. The shoe with the brace is starting to fall apart again, so it's back to the orthotics place to get re-glued and have the shoe inserts re-worked.

This afternoon was taking the Devil Dog to the vet. That was an experience - that coward had to be physically lifted into the car and tried desperately to find somewhere to hide in the vet's office. At least he got a clean bill of health - we got him a cow femur to gnaw on and that has kept his teeth beautifully clean.

Now all I have to do is figure out how a 66 pound dog can shed 90 pounds of undercoat a week! When warm weather hits a Siberian Husky they tend to fall apart - for months! Three swipes with a curry comb fill it up and he is not impressed with that - but a normal brush don't do squat. I guess I could shear him but I don't think I could handle the guilt trip.

A Woman For President?

The Democrats keep telling us they have a wonderful plan for when - not if - they take over. As an exercise to see who would be the best woman for that job, vote for one of these for the office of President. Getting up on the roof with the .30 cal or slashing your wrists is not an option:

- Nancy Pelosi
- Barbara Boxer
- Hillary Clinton
- Cynthia McKinney

After all, they all represent the best and brightest of their party, right?

Neatness and originality of thought will be considered.

A Fantastic Evening

Last night Attitude With Legs, my Sidekick and I went to a Winston Salem Warthogs baseball game. The Warthogs are an Advanced Class A farm club of the Chicago White Sox.

They had something a little special at the game - for the first time in history the World Series trophy came to Winston Salem. Not only did they have it on display, you could have your picture taken with it.

Now, I've been a White Sox fan since I was a pup living on the South Side of Chicago. I can remember when the fire chief set off all the air raid sirens in the city when the Sox last won the pennant in 1959 - then they proceeded to lose the Series to the Dodgers.

An opportunity to have my picture taken with that hardware - along with one of the rings given to the players - was too much to ignore. It may not happen again in my lifetime, but Damn - it felt so good!



Truly a Night To Remember!

Price Drops - So What?

Is anyone out there really buying into the Supply-and-Demand, China and India bullshit about oil prices? Have any of you noticed that these prices for a barrel of oil have had nothing to do with OPEC?

According to an AP article, "Traders sold off crude futures for a third straight day after government data on Wednesday showed a rebound in gasoline supplies ahead of the summer driving season. A barrel of light crude lost $2.34 to settle at $69.94 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where gasoline sank 9.1 cents to $1.995 a gallon."

Pay attention, there'll be a quiz. This is the futures market - speculators buying and selling futures on June, July - even September oil. They are the ones who have manipulated the price. Now, these same people might have connections to the oil industry - they might not. Just please stop insulting our intelligence over what's driving the prices.

Yes, the oil companies have to make something like 44 different blends of gasoline to meet the greenies demands of the states and that has had an impact every summer. But if supply and demand were the culprit OPEC would be the ones setting the prices, not the futures exchange.

And while I'm at it - I figure just about everyone who comes here regularly doesn't need this notice, but for the first time I'm recommending a boycott. I don't care if you run out of gas and have to push your car two miles uphill, do not buy at CITGO. Besides being the Boston Red Sox mascot, every dollar you spend at CITGO goes straight into Hugo Chavez's pocket.

Works For Me

So - Moussaoui gets life without parole. Hopefully they'll bury him in a pit in a supermax and deny him any contact with the outside world.

At least this way the jury has accomplished a couple of things at the same time. He doesn't get to be a martyr for the Muslims to point to, and once he's locked up we won't have to hear his name ever again. If he had been sentenced to death, his appeals would have been front page news and there was always the chance that some court would overturn the sentence.

Now he can rot in his own personal Hell and we can all go back to pretending that 9-11 never happened and how bad our government is. Right?

I Must Be Getting Older

Happy Birthday To You,
Happy Birthday To You,
Happy Birthday Boy Wonder,
Happy Birthday To You!!

Ain't hitting middle age a bitch?

An Extended S&G

There are times when I'm kind of glad our schools are producing dummies. After all, if these Columbine wannabes over the last couple of years had any intelligence they would never have been caught before they could act.

George Clooney and the rest of the Hefty Lefties are now asking our government to sent troops to the Sudan in order to stop the "genocide" in Darfur. I'm guessing that these would be the same troops they claim we don't have. Genocide in Africa must be much more important than Saddam's genocide against the Kurds.

I cast my vote for the baseball all-star team, and discovered that the voting process must have been set up by the Democratic party. You can vote 25 times!

Today is the Communist International's International Labor Day. That's the reason the illegal Mexicans picked it. This whole issue has nothing to do with immigration - and damn little to do with illegal immigration. It has to do with Mexicans wanting to take over our nation. Have you heard from any other nationalities here, legally or not? Do you think those screaming for "immigrant's rights" give two shits about Europeans or Asians who came here illegally or overstayed their visas? Oh - right - they don't demand everything be given to them.

And don't you just f'kin love the argument some of these Mexican assholes are making - that the Pilgrims didn't have visas? For a start, there were no such things as visas in the early 17th century. Secondly, there was no United States, with established regulations and requirements for entering and staying in this country.

To me, what most of this is about is the Reconquistas who want California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to become part of Mexico. As far as I'm concerned they can have California, but all American teachers, doctors and nurses, and all government administrators at every level should close up their places of work and leave. And take every book, record and piece of equipment with them. They can have Mexican schools, Mexican health care and Mexican corrupt governments.