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

Category: Who knows

  • And The Road Goes On Forever . . .

    Just thought I’d check in again from the road.

    No, the road doesn’t really go on forever.  But lately it certainly seems that way.

    But the scenery does sometimes compensate.

     

    Y’all take care.

  • Two From Mr. Z

    Here are two by the late Warren Zevon. They somehow seemed apropos for a cold winter Sunday morning.

    The songs roughly “bookend” Zevon’s popular music career. The first is from his second album (the first one to see commercial success) in 1976. The second is from his final album, released roughly 2 weeks before his death from cancer in 2003.

    Both concern situations we’ve all likely experienced, either directly or through observation of someone close. If you’ve recently lost someone close, you might want to give the second tune a pass. Ditto the first if you’re currently having issues with someone you care about.

    Should you choose to listen to either or both, you might want to have a tissue handy.

    Zevon was known for being one of popular music’s out-of-control “wild men” during the 1970s, the era of “sex & drugs & rock & roll”. Much of his work then (and later) concerned harsh – and sometimes, dark – subjects. But he was also an incredibly astute chronicler of the human condition.

    And he was talented as hell.

    Rest in peace, Mr. Z. Gone far too soon.

  • No Rewind Button

    Just thought I’d do a quick check-in. Many thanks to all (DH, Ex-PH2, PT, and TSO) for holding down the fort while Jonn was under the weather and I wasn’t available to help.

    I heard this while on the road for the first time in a while. It somehow seems apropos. It’s a lovely song – even if the accompanying video’s imagery is IMO a bit overdone and heavy-handed.

    IMO, it’s also damn good advice. Sometimes each of us forgets three things:

    (1) you can’t change a damn thing about the past;

    (2) many things happen in life that are beyond your control; and

    (3) you can get through damn near anything if you can keep your wits about you and remember to pause . . . and breathe.

     

     

    I’m hopeful that things will settle down and allow a return to whatever passes for “normal” in terms of contributions here in another month or so. Till then, my contributions will likely be sporadic and infrequent.

    And yeah, IDC SARC – we know you’d hit it.  (smile)

  • Manning’s sentence commuted

    Manning’s sentence commuted

    The President released a list of folks that he intended to pardon for their prison sentences. The list unsurprisingly included Bradley Manning, the soon-to-be man with a woman’s name and with male chromosomes. Manning admitted that he turned over 700 thousands of classified documents that he purloined from government computers while he was stationed in Iraq with his unit, soon after his boyfriend broke up with him and his section chief pounded his narrow ass – clearly his act was personal in nature and meant to harm the county as well as his acquaintances,

    Anyway, the government punished him with 35 year incarceration. But the president decided that the six years he’d already served (most of it was “time served”, as he awaited the out come of his trial) were enough. Actually, the President, didn’t feel that Manning’s crime was all that serious, mainly because the documents that Manning released were from the records of the president’s predecessor, they didn’t really affect Obama much. Releasing Manning had no downside for Obama, politically speaking. He simply endeared himself the LGBT crowd and the “Democracy Now!” hippies. Plus, since Assmange promised to turn himself in if Manning was pardoned, he earned the admiration of the Clinton crowd who blame WikiLeaks and Assmange for their candidate’s loss in the political clown show during the President’ selection.

    Of course, he rendered every oath of office ever written into meaningless cinders, but then Jimmy Carter set that treachery bar pretty high. Manning will kill himself within a year after he gets out anyway,

  • Eric Schmitt-Matzen; Santa Claus

    Eric Schmitt-Matzen; Santa Claus

    Eric Schmitt-Matzen

    You probably remember the story of Eric Schmitt Matzen and while in his role as Santa Claus held a dying child in his arms during the child’s last moments on Earth. The story was in the Knoxville News Sentinel. In the story, Eric said that he was a Ranger for four years;

    Schmitt-Matzen Ranger

    The Ranger Regiment confirmed that he had served with them in some role, when I got his FOIA, I had some questions;

    Eric Schmitt-Matzen FOIA

    So, I did a telephone interview with Mr Schmitt-Matzen.

    The FOIA only mentioned his Army Reserve service and his time as an ROTC cadet – he admits that he wasn’t commissioned. He was in a five-year engineer program at Tennessee Tech, so he dropped out of the ROTC program when he had to make a decision on one or the other but not both.

    He tells me that he went to Ranger School in lieu of attending Advanced Camp for ROTC cadets, since the Regiment confirms he had some kind of contact with them, I have to think that it was possible. The Army used to do that, substitute Ranger School for Advanced Camp, however, the FOIA doesn’t support his completion of Ranger School.

    Schmitt-Matzen doesn’t remember his Ranger School class date and the Ranger Regiment has pulled the post on Facebook about his service with them. He admitted that he didn’t serve with the Rangers for four years like the interview says – he claims that he didn’t tell the reporter that part.

    He’s still standing by the story of the child dying in his arms, so I have to support him in that, unless the media can dig up evidence to the contrary. I did my part.

    The 75th Regiment folks sent me this message on Facebook;

    Unfortunately, we are unable to fill in the gaps. We had been told by a couple of former Rangers that he had served with 2/75. We pulled the story because it had not been confirmed by a second source and we were unable to officially verify his service in the Army.

  • Iowahawk explains the Russian “hack”

    This guy, Iowahawk, has kept me in stitches since the first day I clicked a link on the internet. Last night he explained the Russian “Hacking” of the DNC’s emails for those of us who just didn’t get it;

    There, I hope that helps.

  • Taylor Swift and her fans

    Taylor Swift and her fans

    Swift and Porter

    We have a tendency here to complain about the Hollywood types who don’t like America, so here’s a little different story about Taylor Swift. She’s a good kid and she doesn’t deserve a lot of the negative things folks say about her, in my opinion. She does like her fans. Here’s an example – she made an appearance at the home on Christmas of 96-year-old World War II veteran Cyrus Porter who Fox News calls her oldest fan;

    Porter told local news outlet Ozarks First that Swift’s music helps him to connect with his nearly two dozen grandchildren. He has seen her perform in concert two times.

    “I just enjoyed going to see ’em and her,” he told the news outlet. “I would as soon go see her right now as anybody!”

    The 96-year-old hopes to be able to see Swift perform live one more time.

    “I just liked the way the way she did stuff,” he shared.

    Porter’s grandchildren shared pictures of Swift’s visit on social media. One called it a “Christmas miracle.”

    I know Taylor Swift stands out among many of the so-called stars because of her support of the troops as well as support of her fans, in general. I don’t have a cross word for her.

    Thanks to Thomas for the link.

  • Where’s Hondo? Thanks for Asking.

    I’ve received word that some regular TAH commenters are wondering about me.

    Now, I understand that the phrase “I really wonder about (name) sometimes” has on occasion been used by others talking about me in the past.  (smile)  But in this latest case, I do appreciate the concern. Thanks.

    Nothing drastic or bad has happened.  I’ve simply been “hair on fire” busy and out of pocket as a result.  It looks as if that will continue to be the case for a while – probably for a few more weeks.  But it shouldn’t continue permanently.

    And, for the record:  our “good friends” from the Definitely Really Great/Monumentally Fine and Amazingly Honorable (DRG/MFAH) group we all “know and love” have nothing whatsoever to do with what’s going on.  What’s keeping me busy is completely unrelated to those      jerks      fine individuals.

    Sometimes reality simply has demands that none of us can sidestep and which won’t wait.  Like everyone else on Earth, “Hondo only pawn in game of life.”

    Merry Christmas, all.