This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Pointless blather

  • Years Ago, Even Generals Had a Sense of Humor

    Given all the “heavy” material on TAH the past day or two, I thought it might be time now for something completely different.  (And no, it’s not a story about “a man with three buttocks”.)

    An earlier article on humorous military “gotchas” and the reader comments it generated seemed to be enjoyed by many.  Well, the other day I remembered a story from years ago – one which shows that back then, at least some Generals had a sense of humor. So I thought I’d share it with TAH’s readers.

    Unlike the first article, I can’t personally vouch for the truth of the story that follows.  I didn’t witness the incident or see the documents allegedly involved. Since the individual said to be the central figure has passed away, I’ll also refrain from identifying him or the time frame.  But having been stationed at the same installation about the time this is alleged to have happened – and having met the GO who was allegedly involved, briefly, and heard him speak once or twice – I won’t dismiss it out of hand, either.

    Botom line:  dunno for sure if the story is legit.  But it being true would not shock me.  This particular GO was quite a guy.

    He was charismatic, energetic – and walked to the beat of a somewhat different drummer.  He was SF-qualified and had spent substantial time in SF units.  But in spite of that, he had been selected to wear stars. (I say “in spite of that” because years ago, “Big Army” had a pronounced bias against officers who spent too much time in Special Forces; it was unusual for any officer who spent very much time in the SF community to be selected for promotion to BG.)

    He was sharp as a razor and didn’t suffer fools easily. But he also had a pretty good sense of humor, too.

    His men loved him. He was one helluva leader.

    He also reputedly expected documents coming to him for signature to be correct, with zero typos.  And therein begins the story I heard.

    (more…)

  • A Few ‘Fiscal Follies’ Updates

    Food Stamps and the Current Economic Recovery

    Yeah, the current administration has the economy just humming along.  Just look at the money spent on food stamps during the last 4 years.  It’s increased each year the current administration has been in power – from a bit over $56 billion in 2009 to over $80 billion in 2012.  And other various Federal food assistance programs have raised the total Federal tab for “nutrition assistance” to nearly $106 billion in 2012.

    Two things about this bother the hell out of me.  First, an improving economy should show a declining need for food assistance – not a continuing rise.  And as our liberal brethren keep telling us:  the current POTUS has made the economy “way better” – right?

    Second: as I’ve previously written, the Obama administration quietly gutted Clinton-era legal limitations on the receipt of food stamps by able-bodied singles back in 2009.  Those restrictions have never been restored.  I have a REAL problem with paying for people’s groceries so they can to sit on their ass when there’s no reason whatsoever they can’t work and use what they earn to pay for their own.

    Isn’t It Nice to See Their Eyes Finally Opening?

    You probably noticed a jump in your taxes already this year.  Specifically, your Social Security deduction went up by close to 50% (from 4.2% of taxable income to 6.2% of taxable income, an increase of 2% of your taxable income; [ 2 / 4.2 ] = 0.476, which is an increase in social security taxes of 47.6%).

    Predictably, many liberals are outraged; some of the comments from DU quoted here are priceless.  I guess they missed the “temporary reduction” part.

    You can thank the current POTUS and his administration for that particular increase.  After all, it was the Obama administration that engineered that temporary Social Security tax reduction during 2011 and 2012 in order to help the economy when it was clear that the 2009 stimulus boondoggle was a failure.  But apparently the economy has now recovered, and that reduction is no longer necessary. (Yes, I’m being sarcastic.)

    Hey, DUmmies: for once, the POTUS delivered on a promise.  You’re getting exactly what you voted for.

    Support Your Local Strip Club – with Taxpayer Dollars!

    Well, that’s the case if you live in NY – and probably anywhere else that pays cash welfare benefits.  But it seems that’s particularly easy these days in NY.  Apparently NY gives both SNAP (formerly food stamps) and cash benefits via EBT card.  And there aren’t any restrictions on where folks can get that cash.  Rather, it’s ATM owners that make the call whether or not they’ll dispense cash from EBT cards that show a cash benefit available.

    As a result, there are plenty of EBT-card cash transactions at ATMs in NY these days. Many of those transactions are at ATMs near liquor stores, strip clubs, hookah bars, and porn shops.  Your tax dollars at play.

    Now, Where ARE Those Pesky Welfare Recipients?

    But at least NY can tell where some of their welfare payments are being spent.  Apparently MA can’t find a rather large number of their welfare recipients.  That could make one wonder just which are real – and which are Memorex.

    But of course, the MA Governor says “don’t worry about it”.  Or was that “pay no attention to the man behind the screen”? (smile)

  • I Don’t Care If It IS the Best Thing Since the Invention of Beer . . .

    . . . my answer is still, “Uh, no thanks.”

    Wynkoop Brewing Company’s Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout will now be sold nationwide in cans–available in (what else?) two-packs starting this month.

    No, I’m not kidding.  And yes:  it is indeed flavored with what its name implies.

    Edited to add:  Here’s the April Fool’s Joke video that started this whole brew-haha – which later turned serious.  Enjoy.

     

     

  • TAH: My favorite 10 posts for the year

    This year has been so much fun, it’s hard for me to pick out my favorites – but that’s because I conflate fun with traffic and how many people I pissed off, but probably my favorite posts were TSO’s posts about Timothy Poe, because for once, I was seeing them like you do because I was off in limbo for the whole thing. And it led to a profile of us on NBC News.

    Another one I had fun with was Jake Diliberto. We’ve been arch enemies for years and someone on Facebook approached me about him and that led Diliberto to the Stolen Valor throne this year.

    And then there was Timothy Oliver, who we not only shut down as a phony, but we taught some of the media a lesson about Stolen Valor.

    Leo Webb was another one with whom we taught the media about believing everything they hear. Even the Stars & Stripes was fooled, until we straightened them out about Larry Marquez.

    Ken Aden dropped out of the Arkansas Congressional race because of us.

    Of course, as I’m fond of telling reporters, Stolen Valor isn’t the only thing we do, and we’re not the only ones doing it. But this year has seen a rapid expansion of folks who hunt pretenders. We certainly weren’t the first to do it, but I think we can take credit for bringing it to the popular culture.

    In fact our biggest traffic-generating post was the one we did about Lindsey Stone which had nothing to do with stolen valor. I did a lot of interviews over that one that never got published because The people who interviewed me were disappointed that I didn’t want her to lose her job and that removed her and her employers’ contact information from the blog. I guess they expected me to lead the pitchfork brigade and light every torch.

    We also got dispatches from TSO when he was embedded in Afghanistan and Africa this year – just like a real milblog.

    But I think the post that tickled me most had nothing to do with anything, really. It was during the breathless LA Times reportage about troops in Afghanistan posing with dead suicide bombers when I came across this picture on Facebook of our buddy Jim Hanson of Blackfive.

    I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the invasion of a few weeks ago when the John Cole fanboys descended upon us thinking that they could convince any that their fearless leader had a valid point.

    And, finally, I enjoyed putting together the Members’ Gallery and reading your stories and picking out which pictures I wanted to use was an absolute ball. I kept telling TSO that I couldn’t believe that more than 80 people wanted their faces associated with this blog.

    So those are my favorite ten posts of this year. So which were your favorites? Or which brought you here in the first place? There’s about 6,000 of you who come by every day, so I want to hear from you lurkers, too. TSO and I are always wondering what brings you folks here, and I can’t figure this blogging thing out – so tell us.

  • A Soldier’s Night Before Christmas

    I’d guess we’ve all seen one of the multiple versions of this poem at some point in time. It’s based on the famous Christmas poem by Clement Clarke Moore, tailored to reflect that reality experienced by all too many in the military over the years: a Christmas spent far from friends and family.

    I said “multiple versions” because I’ve personally seen at least four: one specific to three different services, and at least two different versions for the Army. I’d guess there are dozens if not hundreds of different versions.

    Indeed, even the authorship of this particular work has been variously attributed to individuals from multiple different services – “a Marine Stationed in Okinawa” and “a USAF LtCol stationed in Korea” being two. The best claim to original authorship seems to belong to USMC LCpl James M. Schmidt, who apparently wrote the first known version in Washington DC in the 1980s.

    In the end, it doesn’t matter all that much. The basic idea is constant: voluntary service in the defense of others causing family separation at Christmas.  My background is Army – and I’m writing this article – so I’m using an Army version. (smile)

     

    The Soldier’s Night Before Christmas

    ‘Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone.
    In a no bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

    I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
    And to see just who, in this small house did live.

    I looked all about, a sad sight did I see,
    No tinsel, no presents; not even a tree.

    By the mantle, no stockings; by the door, boots on sand.
    On the wall hung some pictures of a far distant land.

    Seeing medals and badges, awards of all kind,
    No thoughts of Christmas would stay in my mind.

    For this house was different, it was dark; it was dreary,
    I’d found the house of a soldier, once I could see clearly.

    The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
    Curled up on the floor in this no bedroom home.

    The face was gentle, the room in disorder;
    Not how I’d pictured a United States soldier
    .
    Was this the hero of whom I had read?
    Curled up on a poncho, just the floor for his bed?

    I knew most the families I’d see on this night,
    Owed their lives to these soldiers, who were willing to fight.

    Soon, round the world, the children would play,
    And grownups enjoy a bright Christmas day.

    They all had their freedom each month of the year,
    Because of these soldiers, like the one lying here.

    I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
    On this cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.

    The thought of their service brought a tear to my eye,
    I dropped to my knee and started to cry.

    The soldier awakened, and I heard a rough voice:
    “Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice;

    I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
    My life is my God, my country, my Corps.”

    The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep.
    I couldn’t control it, I started to weep.
    I
    kept watch for hours, silent and still,
    And both of us shivered from that cold night’s chill.

    I hated to leave, on that long, dark night,
    This Guardian of Peace, with his Honor so bright.

    The soldier rolled over, and his voice soft and pure,
    Whispered, “Carry on, Santa, all is secure.”

    I looked at this soldier, on this cold Christmas night.
    I thought of his comrades, and knew he was right.

    The world is freer, for they’re willing to fight,
    For Freedom and Christmas, and all that is right.

    So to all you, my friends, to U.S. soldiers in all lands,
    Know that you are remembered, by family and friends.

    For this one special night, may you rest without fight,
    With a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

     

    A very Merry Christmas to all my brothers- and sisters-in-arms, past and present.  And for those still serving who are spending this Christmas away from home and hearth:  a fervent hope that next year finds you spending Christmas at home with your family.

  • Shiny Squirrel Monday

    Banthapug

    Just a bit of a distraction from the world going to hell and usual Monday crap. TSO, you can thank me later.

  • Can Kerry Unite Us?

    Two things prompted this missive.  Of course Jonn’s post where I made a comment that said in part –  Back in ’04 Kerry managed to bring disparate groups out of the woodwork to unify in condemning his Presidential run. And a reply to that comment from Nik – That’s a good sign, right? He can get people to work together who might not have otherwise.

    I doubt you can find ANY MilBlog that is thrilled with the notion of Kerry as SECDEF, that isn’t what I’m trying to address here.

    “Swiftboating” entered our vocabulary in ’04 following the Kerry Lied Rally in DC.  The MSM used it as pejorative while some embraced the term.

    Thing is that Kerry’s effort was stopped then.

    The fact of Kerry’s ascension to public consideration for ANY office higher than those in Massachusetts keep re-electing him for  could/would/should bring the old Kerry Lied crew back together.

    Will this particular resurrection of Kerry be enough to stir up that which needs to be stirred up?

    Aside: I am genuinely curious.  That Kerry’s name even CAN be mentioned for a cabinet post has me befuddled. I do hope there is a bright side.

  • The Top Two Finishers in This Year’s Marine Corps Marathon . . .

    . . . were Soldiers.  Specifically, the top honors went to US Army SPC Augustus Maiyo (2:20:20); second place, to US Army CPT Kenny Foster (2:22:31).

    Well done, men. Kudos.