There Will Be Blood

Question: If War is not the Answer, what is?

The President of Iran has just called for Isreal to be wiped off the map.

So when a flood of armed Muslim fanatics rushes toward Isreal's border what should they do? Allow themselves to be massacred?

"War is not the Answer" makes a nice bumper sticker, but as philosophy it's intellectually vacant. It crumbles when subjected to analysis.

Sometimes War is the Only Rational Answer.

As I've stated before: It only takes an aggressor to start a war. It is commonplace that other belligerents reluctantly enter the fray.

Of course, if you don't value your life, your nation, or your culture enough to defend it, you can avoid conflict and go straight to death and defeat. So let's see, the answer is "Accept Death and Defeat" or "Go to War". Tough choice.

There will be blood. Oh yes, there will be much blood. Isreal will not be rolled over. The Star of David will not be removed from Isreal, even if it takes nuking Tehran to prevent it.

So count the price carefully my Islamic brothers. Think about what might be the cost. Be certain that the Palestinian cause is worth the Persian blood. Because in terms of Blood and Treasure, this could be the most expensive enterprise in the history of Persia. And millions more will weep at it's failure than would have rejoiced in it's success.

St Crispins Day

Today is the 590th anniversary of the Field at Agincourt. Henry V of England and 6,000 weary troops handed 30,000 French troops their asses.

It is noteworthy in that it teaches the effectiveness of tactical advantage over numbers.

It is also known that Henry was well loved and respected by his troops and spoke words of encouragement and led from the ranks. Leadership dissolves huge disadvantages.

Shakespeare's fictional account reads thus:

Enter the KING

WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more...

...Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Fa-whip...Fa-Whip...Fa-whip...

I remember the first time I had a burger at a Wendy's joint. It was big and juicy and the corners of the trademark square beef patty hung out way past the edges of the bun.

That was over 25 years ago. That Wendy's is still open or at least it was earlier this year.

I had a Wendy's burger tonight. It was a thin, dried out ghost of past glory. Except for the square beef patty playing peek-a-boo at the edge of the bun, I might have been at MickeyD's. Where's the Beef? I thought to myself.

And Fa-whip...Fa-Whip...Fa-whip? That's Dave Thomas (Founder of Wendy's) spinning in his grave.
Hoo-Hah

Poverty is Not What it Used to Be

In the US, poverty means "never having to say you're hungry."

No matter what the liberals tell you, no one starves to death in the US except by the act of some twisted, psychopathic parent or guardian, and it has been that way for 50 years.

Poverty in the US now exceeds the median standard of living in most of Europe. For a good understanding of the median standard of living in Europe, think high-rise dwelling, public transportation riding, cheap booze drinking, television watching, cigarette smoking, proletariat loser.

If that sounds familiar, do something about it. Poverty is not what it used to be, but it's still not very good.

The Challenge to the Pseudo-Intellectuals

I challenge liberals to disprove this statement:

Welfare Perpetuates Poverty.

We've spent 7 trillion dollars on social programs and poverty is at roughly the same level as it was in 1964.

Lawyers

Lawyers are mostly bottom feeders. They trade in misery and conflict. They increase the cost of everything they touch. A bane on human endeavor. A cork in the fountainhead of human accomplishment.

Conventional Wisdom dictates that Supreme Court justices should be lawyers. I think we'd be much better off if the Supreme Court was made up of small business owners with a semi-religious respect for the Constitution.

I can interpret the Constitution better than Breyer or Ginsberg. They've read so much liberal sociology they could find it in the Bible.

Bush should've nominated me for the Supreme Court. There's no way I'd have gotten past the judiciary committee, but it sure would be great to fire back at Kennedy and Schumer for their criminal behavior with respect to their fellow Americans.

A fireworks show like you wouldn't believe. They'd pray for a Janice Roberts Brown or Priscilla Owen after I was through with them.

Hoo-Hah!

There's a New Bond in Town

New Guy to play James Bond.

Speaking about the Bond franchise, actor Daniel Craig has said "he does not like the fact that the films are more about gadgets than feelings."

To quote my son: Just what we need - To have 007 destroyed by some liberal who wants to make sabotage, explosives, gadgets, and sex all about "feelings."

Look back to the source and see what the author created. James Bond is a loyal musketeer of the Crown. Rakish, daring and unfettered, he charms his way in and out of trouble. Issued a warrant that permits him to kill as he deems necessary while on assignment.

If Ian Fleming were alive he would write Daniel Craig into a story so James Bond could put an icepick through his eye.

HooHah

The Harriet Miers Nomination

The conservatives have delivered control of the White House, the Senate and the House. Why can't we get a gunslinging conservative nominee and a Senate Judiciary Committee battle that forces a discussion of real ideas. Make the liberals filibuster and don't pass a single bill until the floor vote is tallied. Hold up welfare and farm subsidies and education funds and force the Dems to choose between their special interest groups.
HooHah

Flyingisms

Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death ..I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing!
(Sign over the entrance to the old SR-71 operating base Kadena, Japan).
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You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3. (Paul F. Crickmore -test pilot)
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The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.
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Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky. (From an old carrier sailor)
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If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe
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When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash.
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Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club.
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What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up,...the pilot dies.
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Never trade luck for skill.
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The three most common expressions (or famous last words) in aviation are: "Why is it doing that?", "Where are we?" and "Oh Shit!"
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Weather forecasts are horoscopes with numbers.
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Progress in airline flying: now a flight attendant can get a pilot pregnant.
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Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight.
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A smooth landing is mostly luck; two in a row is all luck; three in a row is prevarication.
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I remember when sex was safe and flying was dangerous.
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Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up there!
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Flashlights are tubular metal containers kept in a flight bag for the purpose of storing dead batteries
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Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it.
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When a flight is proceeding incredibly well, something was forgotten. Just remember, if you crash because of weather, your funeral will be held on a sunny day.
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Advice given to RAF pilots during WWII: When a prang (crash) seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity as slow and gently as possible.
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The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world; ...it can just barely kill you.
(Attributed to Max Stanley, Northrop test pilot)
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A pilot who doesn't have any fear probably isn't flying his plane to its maximum. (Jon McBride, astronaut)
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If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible. (Bob Hoover - renowned aerobatic and test pilot)
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If an airplane is still in one piece, don't cheat on it; ride the bastard down.
(Ernest K. Gann, author &aviator)
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Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you.
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There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime. (Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1970).
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The three best things in life are a good landing, a good orgasm, and, a good bowel movement. The night carrier landing is one of the few opportunities in life where you get to experience all three at the same time. (Author unknown, but surely someone who's been there)
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If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to.
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Basic Flying Rules:
Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there.
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You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal

Og the Caveman - PTIII

Grok doesn’t like the hard work of swinging the rock. He likes the food but he doesn’t like the work. After a few days of swinging the rock, he goes back to basic hunter-gatherer status. Og continues to work hard and bring a full harvest each day. He also has learned how to use the yams and the skin bag to trap small animals for roasting.

Grok grows increasingly discontent. He knows why Og is successful, but he’s still unhappy. He wants the fruits of success but he doesn’t want to work for them. (The founding member of the modern Democrat Party) One evening as Og returns with his harvest Grok takes it from him by force. (A thug just like all the other redistributionists) Og puts up vicious resistance but is finally subdued and takes quarter.

Grok brings the harvest back to the cave and is given the royal treatment. (Like Bill Clinton - rich as Midas - from other's labors) Og watches with contempt as the fruits of his labor are used to take his luxurious life away from him. He resolves to never let it happen again. The next morning, he goes out and harvests a little food and eats it. He sleeps for a while and then digs a few more yams and eats them. He goes back to the cave with an empty bag his club in his hand.

Grok is waiting at the cave and is confounded by the empty bag. The tribe looks suspiciously at Og and Grok. There is no large dinner to be shared tonight. Og gestures that he will not dig food for them anymore. He gestures that he wants two males to go with him the next day and they will dig for the tribe. (First Small Business Owner, First Employees) He will show them where and how to dig and hunt meat. He gestures that he will no longer share food with Grok. (Efforts to marginalize the criminal element) Grok must find his own food. (First Convict Rehabilitation Program)

Grok is enraged and attacks. Og stands his ground and cocks back with the club. (2nd Amendment) He waits until Grok is in range and swings as hard as he can. (Self-defense) In one swing, Groks appetite and rage are no longer an issue. (Capital/Corporal Punishment) Grok’s lifeless body falls to the ground. The same male that once smacked Grok's skull with a stone once pokes the dead body with a stick to confirm his suspicions.(Really Most Sincerely Dead)

Og stands over the body with defiance. It was not what he wanted. What he wanted was to be able to have sanctity of life and property. But his natural ability to compete for survival and willingness to confront aggression identified him as a force to be reckoned with and made him stand out as a natural leader. By action and public opinion, he has just been made chief benefactor and chief of the tribe.

2nd Generation Paratrooper PT II

Here is my address to the Basic Airborne Class 45-05 at Graduation Thursday 6 Oct 05.

Good morning paratroopers old and new, distinguished guests, friends and family. Thank you for the opportunity to take a few minutes of your time.

Today is about honoring these men and women. They have completed training that represents a commitment to the legend and legacy of the airborne. They are anxious to get their wings so I promise this will be short. Just three main points.

First - Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.
Second - The road to glory is service and sacrifice
Third - Live each day in a heroic manner.

Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.
People will expect you to be sharper and tougher than non-paratroopers. They expect you to be a little smarter too – even though you do jump out of perfectly good airplanes.

The paratroopers that went before you bought the reputation that you wear with their blood. Treasure that reputation. Treasure that legacy. Honor it and never do anything to bring discredit on the airborne. Keep your honor intact. Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.

The road to glory is service and sacrifice.
Because you are paratroopers, you will be expected to serve harder and sacrifice more than non-paratroopers. Do not shirk or shrink away from this service. Wade into it fearlessly! Add to the legend and legacy! If you show me someone that is bathed in glory, I can show you where they sacrificed or served to get there. When things are tough, remind yourself that you are “on the road to glory”, because the road to glory is service and sacrifice.

Live each day in a heroic manner.
Do not be satisfied with who you are but choose worthy goals and be proud as you achieve them. Be strong, smart ,fast and lethal. Making a combat jump is a matter of being in the right unit at the right time. Being ready for a combat jump is a matter of personal preparation that takes daily self-discipline. Be prepared when your moment comes - by living each day in a heroic manner.

So that’s it: three main points.
Honor the legacy of the paratroopers that went before.
The road to glory is service and sacrifice
Live each day in a heroic manner.

In closing, I’d like to prepare you for a question that you will hear over and over for the rest of your lives.

People will ask you: Why in the world would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane? The answer is: because they let officers fly them.

I’d like to thank Alpha company (1/507 Parachute Infantry Regiment) for the opportunity to shadow the class through jump week and be the speaker today. The job of getting 250 jumpers 2 jumps a day is huge and they did it admirably.

Good luck and god bless you all.

Here is a picture of me pinning the wings on my son.
Later in the day I pinned them on in a more traditional manner.

HooHah

2nd Generation Paratrooper

Here my son runs off the drop zone with his parachutes after his first jump. He made 4 jumps over the past two days at Ft Benning, GA. If the weather holds he'll make his 5th (graduation) jump tomorrow.


Thursday's graduation promises to be another one of those parents paydays.
HooHah

Og the Caveman - PTII

Grok is not happy with Og. Og has brings back the most food everyday and thus always gets the best place to sleep and the continued favors of the females. He goes out each day with his two skin bags and he comes back with a load of food.

Grok is the biggest caveman in the cave. He’s been used to getting his way most of the time but not lately. Og has been running the place and Grok has had enough of it. He decides to take action. He strides over to Og and picks up the tool bag. When Og stands up, he pushes him backward. Og gets back up and throws himself into Grok and they scuffle. The other members of the tribe don’t know what to do, Grok is bigger but Og has been feeding them. One of the males picks up a large stone and smacks Grok on the head. The combat subsides for a second and the males pull the combatants apart. Og picks up his tool bag. There is an uneasy truce in the cave. The females and some of the males have sided with Og. The disenchanted males gather around and commiserate with Grok. Og goes to sleep with a female on each side. Grok sleeps alone.

As he lays by the wall of the cave steaming in his anger, Grok wants to know how Og does it.

Grok follows at a distance as Og leaves the cave. Instead of heading down toward the river where the ground is soft, he heads toward the dry creek bed where the ground is hard at this time of year. When Og stops and sets down his tool bag, Grok watches from the distance.

Og starts to break up the ground with his rock and stick, periodically sharpening his stick with the sharp stone. Grok can’t believe how easy it looks. He looks around for an appropriate stick and stone and is soon at work.

Og sees Grok imitating his practice but goes on working. Grok finds that swinging the hammer stone is harder than it looks. It works but it’s hard work. He works at it for a while but quits after he’s accumulated a normal days harvest. He leaves the stick and stone and lies down for a nap.

Og sees him napping in the distance, but continues working while Grok sleeps. Grok’s skin bag is lying on the ground next to his rock and stick. A ferocious looking saber-tooth rabbit is sniffing around the opening of the bag. Og has been waiting for such an opportunity and pulls his club out of his tool bag. He carefully stalks the distracted rabbit.

Wham! While the rabbit’s head is in the bag, he crushes the rabbit’s skull with one clean stroke. The noise wakes Grok. Grok sees Og standing over his harvest bag and springs to his feet. As he sprints toward Og, enraged, he sees Og pull the carcass of a ferocious looking rabbit out of the bag. Og gestures to indicate that the rabbit was eating Grok’s harvest. He thinks about trying to snatch the rabbit but Og is still holding the club. In his other hand.

Grok accepts the explanation, picks up his harvest bag and they return to digging wild yams. There will be meat in the fire tonight too.

Grok both resents and admires Og's success. The tribe is similarly split. Things haven't changed. The ones that admire success are smart enough to understand that success generate indirect benefits. The one's that resent it are the modern equivalent of liberals. They're too stupid to understand how success provides a wide circle of benefits.