It is a very temporary endeavor... Historic but only...

... as long as you can keep it. The Republic of Benjamin Franklin and his fellow delegates to the convention in Philadelphia of 1787. We are now engaged in a great uncivil discourse about the future of the tattered mess made of the original concept, and strangely both parties are pretending that there is only their party's way to greatness again. The popular media is also pretending that only the official news sources are professional and competent enough to explain what is only "Common Sense", hoping to capitalize on the ignorance of the general common folks. So many pretending, so much pretension and all we notice is 'smoke and mirrors' just more illusions of the magicians. What can we believe in? It doesn't seem to be in our government and its goodness.

I had very little trouble fighting against 'godless Communists' in my early years, was very proud to do it well but upon reflection I realized I was fighting fools exactly like myself. Misled by their leaders, who were never in the jungles and mud with us as we struggled. How does that happen? As I grew much older and cynical I noticed that separation of church and state (which I support because the government is so ineffective) means to modern Americans that there is no honor, no moral backbone, no reason beyond money or fear for doing what the government requires. And that is our 'God'less government. I hold that the government requiring certain behavior is the first sign that it believes it is godlike in its scope and power. This false sense of its reason for being becomes central to its inability to convince its citizens to do their best. Remember, the citizens formed the government, and in its dishonorable path to its greatness, the government became their worst nightmare. The Constitution was to contain the power of the government, not to enhance it. Only those that own the government want to make it more powerful, to oppress those in opposition, to suppress discourse and discord.

I watched as a fine Bible Study, followed by a potluck feast (no luck in that really) turn into a loud passionate defense or attack on the other members' thoughts about the economy, the Presidential race and politics in general (they are all EVIL!). I kept my focus and cool, for I know that America is gone and what calls itself the same is only a shadow pretending to be... but I marveled at the energy, misinformation and dedication to fool ideas I found in the loudest men. This country isn't ready for the number of good meaning citizens denied the voice by the politicians and parties in charge.

Okay, girls, get your gear!

I am old and very out of it, but the country of America has decided that women can serve in combat units - true equality has been reached. Social engineering is constant. Just more evidence that America is dead or has gotten totally stupid.

This is the very same country that has decided that violence against women needs Federal protections, for the women not the violence. I still remember my wife being very glad our first bed was King size so she could be farther from my thrashing nightmares.

So, how is it going to work? I am still sure that two military members in the same family with constant deployments is very destructive to children's upraising. But then like we always knew, if the service wanted you to have a spouse they would have issued you one. Or you have to be promoted to sergeant before you may wed... social engineering doesn't win any wars but then, the military could just be the government's program to influence completely the future of its members - civilian citizens are so outta control.

Silence is a form of communication...

It has been very quiet in this house the past few days, seems I crossed a line or tripped up or made living with me tougher than it should be. I got busy and attacked the windfall behind the fence and chopped or sawed it to smaller pieces and made piles of it deeper in the woods. In old Europe that would have been picked up and added to the fuel piles of tiny homes of older people. I was using the saw and the clippers and a branch at a time and sometimes the whole tree trunk went away. The rain slowed and finally stopped then started then stopped then started then stopped.

Finally it was finished, the green will grow in our direction again, the struggle for sunshine of plants is constant in the warmer times, but that is always small branches with leaves. I got to take her out and show her the clean up, and it was impressive enough to start conversations and I got a fine steak dinner out of it, and to read "Hawk in May" by Gillian Bradshaw. Nice day...

Looks like Blogger changed the software for posting, I am not sure about how much I like it yet, multiple pictures is nice but then they never asked me and blogging is so old fashioned (time sense of humans shrinks with lack of walking everywhere).

So what is your American Dream? do you want to share...

Tis the season for politicians to tell us that they are going to: Restore America, Hope, Change, and Continue on the Road to Prosperity... or some such. Did you see your dream in their words? Or is your dream wrapped around the life you live, the work you do, the education you are working at, the family you are building, the improvements to your faith, the attention you pay to God?

Most people building dreams aren't waiting for the government to get out of the way, to provide them an opportunity, to tell them what to dream or that theirs is an impossible dream. They are going to do the best they can and doing all they can to avoid conflict with the local, state and national authorities. Isn't that a shame that they are afraid of their own government's interference? This is America, land of opportunity, go live your dream!

Between bouts of work on the yard, a haircut and drooling over the firearms now on sale at the local base exchange,(Colt is selling to civilians again!) I thought about how different my American Dream is from the one on television. As I looked at rifles and pistols, I talked to a couple of men and maybe my almost field jacket and my patches from NRA and RWVA were like an invitation to share thoughts, for sure we did, about what was on the shelve, what we wanted and how others in our lives would look upon it. I am still working on making firearms familiar and safe again. Where I don't get bullied by the anti-gun forces with their lack of logic. I don't think our lives should be lived in fear, of anything except the Lord.

They have started a special line for people that pay to be more special than the other air passengers, for a hundred dollars Alaska Airlines and TSA will pre-screen you and make your life getting on the aircraft easier. I have held since 9/11, all they had to do to make it quick and uniform just roll everyone up in shrink wrap and treat them like luggage and put them on a cargo shelf until landing. A special container sleeper with a tube fed and disposal attached would be the luxury way to go. I shouldn't have to live my life afraid of another terrorist attack, but the government refuses to allow me to carry weapons on aircraft - because of what? the fact they can't control my actions. This is the same government that can't control their agents in performance of their duties and the appropriate conduct when in public. I guess the government is lucky most of us are ignoring their poor performance - or we might just vote them all out.

My American Dream is stuck, in long ago and far away -- back when the Federal Government was bound by the Constitution and the People had Rights the government couldn't take away. Where was that? Before President Jackson moved the tribes out of their homes? Somewhere back there, where we didn't understand what we did to the least of these you have done to me?

You didn't miss me? I didn't get your text either...

In the Great NorthWest, Doug and Helen hosted the Washington State Appleseed Patriot Day celebration - too many words but in honor of those that paid the price of Liberty on April 19th, 1775 or the Marine in Afghanistan 2012 we took time to tell stories and fire a volley in honor of them as we taught marksmanship and heritage.

Reputation proceeds me, and you do know how difficult it is to live UP to the tales of how wonderful you are, don't you? There were so many people at the dry farm in Bickleton, WA that I remembered from years and many Appleseeds ago. I was welcomed in the dark on Friday night then walked towards the parking lot to find a space to park and go to sleep, driving four and a half hours makes me tired. I was startled by an energetic teenager jumping out at me in the darkness, he was happy to see me, and after I slowed my heart back down I was glad to see him, but his voice is deeper and he has another inch in height. His sister finds us and then the rest of the family and other instructors show, the host worries about my sleeping arrangements and offers a cot (how many years did I sleep on cots - many, many). I would sleep in my Caravan and breakfast in the morning. Coffee coming from all directions - many thanks!

As we set up the target line and started preparing for the first day of the shoot, there were lots of helping hands with more driving in or coming up from the camping site. By eight the registration table and assignments were set up. It wasn't very long before we were starting the introductions and safety briefing, preparing to bring rifles to the line. I helped instruct and gave my sage advice to the other instructors and the shooters. Way too much advice but it was what I had to offer.

As with most Appleseeds, there were many shooters with family and friends, many repeat Appleseeders (some of which had already made Rifleman) and many shooters that had never fired their rifle very much before this first day. Instructions were many, points of instruction often hidden inside of lots of padding and missed. I remembered my first Appleseed, and I can't recall ever being taught Natural Point of Aim (although it must have been part of the instruction) just I missed it for worry about my rifle or lack of focus. There were a lot of Red Hat instructors and the lines were safe and tips and reinforcement and coaching constant. I concentrated some of my efforts with Mike and his Mosin, liked his attitude and how vigorously he worked at learning that fine old firearm. We did get one AQT done on the first day in the blazing Sun and steady whirl of the big blades of the wind farm (do you have any idea of how much noise they make?) After closing for the first day and cleaning the line of brass and getting most everything packed up for Sunday, the Shoot Boss had the instructor meeting and we talked about what went well, could use some improvement, and suggestions for making it smoother in the morning.

I had noted the beauty of the night sky as I started to go to sleep Friday night, almost wishing I had a moonroof on the Caravan, but not enough to cut one out. On my second night I watched the stars come out in the Heavens above my head, then looked at the horizon and noted there were a lots of red blinking fallen stars circling our position - those whirling wind mills continue into the darkness - cutting the air to produce tornado and hurricanes in our future. I sleep deep and hard until almost daybreak, when I would have a library dream, my supervisor cut my access to the internet and I left a yellow sticky saying something about how I would tell him I quit but I no longer had email. Woke up to a fine Sunrise, and Cinnamon Rolls made by Helen our hostess. I unwound about three in the morning savoring them slowly. The field sermon was fine and we prepared to have another great day of Appleseed. My coffee came from Nick (French Press) and Joni, perked perfectly and enough because the remainder of the day was to drink water to stay ahead of dehydration.

The firing line got set up, shooters organized, rifles brought to the line, and reviews of yesterday's materials starting with safety, then the particulars of marksmanship as we checked the first Red Coat and then sighting squares. I became the coach of a boy named Austin, and he had a lever action with open sights and no sling. But he was paying attention and worked with me to become better. When he had troubles, shooting his father's target or shooting during preparation time, he got very upset with himself and tearful. But I talked him through what had happened and how he was going to fix it so he didn't have those problems again that day. He was very eager to be better, to show his parents and friends what his targets looked like and ran to and down the target line. His father thanked me for my patience and coaching, later his mother did also and as I said he was a fine boy and it was what we did with the shooters - her eyes teared up a bit and made me uncomfortable (it wasn't a big deal helping shooters, nothing to cry about). This wasn't the first time I had run into ladies that got emotional about something about the way Appleseed worked.

I was worn out by the afternoon, and spent my time scoring AQTs for the shooters, finding out that I grade hard and that I can still make arithmetic errors - might as well, they can be filed with all my other types of errors. Over all shooting got better as the day went on, repeat Riflemen (Troy, Ty and others) and many shooters that were doing better than they had earlier - until the heat and the tire got to them. Travel time also cut into their day and they started departing a bit earlier than the last rounds on target. Still the last Red Coat targets were impressive and everyone reported to have had a great time. I read about Lexington from the British point of view from the book Fusiliers, the story of the 23rd Infantry, which would go from Lexington to Yorktown supplying officers and fighting in many of the major battles of the American Revolution.

A short Instructors' meeting and clean up of the range and packing up and out, the farewells take the longest and most of us know we will meet again on the trail, and are looking forward to those days. Appleseed and the Revolutionary War Veterans Association are worth my time and best efforts, hope it all comes together.

Live like you are only going to get one chance...

You mean that I don't get a 'do-over'? on my life? So if I fly off the road at speeds because I was drunk on speed and alcohol - I am not trying to live long and prosper? Imagine that.

Could it be that we really think there is something out there that will save us from our folly? That bad behavior is expected, cool, and forgiven quickly? One would have to still be living in childhood to think that is going to be better as soon as you get back to mother with your tears and bruises.

I don't need to personally examine your or my life, but let us just look at the Federal Government. Why do those in the offices and agencies and positions of perhaps powerful - why are they operating as if they are going to get a pass, a do-over, and forgiven? Crimes against the citizens? Can they be held responsible for their sins? and silly stupidity?

Ever hear that one about, if you haven't got time to do it right now, completely and correctly - when are you going to have time to fix it? Yeah, live like you are only going to get one chance. Another good reason for one term limit. ONE term limit in every elected office, no retirement, and thank you very much for your attention.

It is called Government 'Service' for a reason, we didn't say that the positions must be powerful, we said the People must be powerful. Representing the People, not RULING the people restricting the People or redesigning the People.

Well, time to start packing out for the trip to this weekend's Appleseed. Hope you are all going to shoot straight and do great things this weekend - live like you are getting only one chance to make that shot, kiss that girl, win that race or love your pet when no one else loves you.

For those that don't know, today is one of those...

days so important and not remembered enough. April 19th, the day the Federal government took down the Compound in Waco, Texas. Two years later a bomb blows up and destroys the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Should be a day that everyone remembers shouldn't it? The nation should know exactly what happened in both those cases, but probably doesn't. There are movies and books about both, mostly from the survivors not enough from those that caused the confrontations and destruction.

So, since recent memory is so bad, although there is video tape and audio tape of the siege and take down of the Branch Davidians, it isn't part of History.

Way back in 1775, the Royal Governor, General Gage, had sent his Flank Brigade out under Colonel Smith to seize the military stores at Concord. So seven to eight hundred Redcoats, grenadiers and light infantry, were rowed across the back bay, and made a night march to Concord, with a confrontation in Lexington that got out of control, where eight townsmen were killed and a regular wounded. That brief exchange of gunfire in Lexington was not the end of the killing, or the mannerly confrontation between the Royal Authority and the restive population of New England. By the time the British actions in Concord started the confrontation at North Bridge, the death of more New England militia and British regulars the American Revolution was rolling along faster than History could write and report about it. Over fourteen thousand New England militia would have gathered and attacked the British forces and forced them back to Charleston and Boston.




So if it is 1775, April 19th, and you live in New England, where would you have been on that day? With the British? on the road trying to catch up with the fight? on the farm taking care of the animals (cows had to be milked), at home packing food up for your boys to take out to the men? treating the wounded? burying the dead? putting out the fires in homes burned by the British? Where would you have been? and would you have any idea about where this was going to go?

April 19th, should be a very important date for Americans to study and remember - a nation shouldn't grow into its first enemy should it? Certainly the sins of the father shouldn't become the sins of the great-great-great-great-great-great grandsons. Should they?

Well, are you hiding that you don't think the way ...

"they" do? While visiting Sunday School I mentioned that I like to shoot, and that some people actually believe I am dangerous because of that, and compared it to telling people that I am a Christian working my way to Heaven, as close as I can get at least. I often thought that my son and I will be outside the Walls of Heaven waiting for the Devil and his dudes to show up and fight, and that my wife was going to have to throw food over the wall to sustain us. That isn't real theology, more fantasy than fact. But if you write and walk and talk, and never use profane, vulgar or obscene language - no one notices the absence. If you don't steal, try to have sex with whomever you can hook up with, cheat on your taxes or drive too fast -- no one notices. If you quietly take your gun for a walk downtown, and no one sees it -- no one notices. If you take it to the range, shoot it in safety - the only people that will notice are the other shooters trying to make their best shots, or asking about your firearm, ammunition and how is it going.

You are sailing under the radar, flying under the radar, not making waves, being a wonderful quiet citizen. You could be hiding. You do want more safe sane shooters, more ranges, more opportunity to have a good time with firearms. You do want more honest people, hard working and happy families, don't you? If you are like me, your hair and half your teeth are gone, the excess weight is slowing you down, and you are listenting too much to people with things to say, so they can sell advertising space based on how many are watching them. FOX News plays to a demographic that CBS, ABC and NBC don't - but all of them aren't shooting, or praying in public and thanking God for their blessings, are they? They are entertaining or something like that, and they aren't making honest young people into the future of America and the world, although they might think so. Kind of like the Education Department, good intentions poor performance.

Every time a politician gets up in front of questioners, ask they when they are going to repeal those fool laws no one enforces against criminals, when we can take God and guns back into our schools. Ask them, I don't expect an honest answer, I was talking about a politician, but they need to know what flag you are flying under, and if the question is well stated and intended you make them think they can't keep you out of their arena. Time for those with a difference to stand up and make a bigger one.

Glad someone understands the best we have...

I have been reading Carteach0, for a long while and it is on my blog roll and I have him on Facebook. I have admired his good sense about many things and am still using his reloading instructions. Anyway, he finally went to Appleseed - not that I think he needed to, he shoots very well - but it is out there and some of the other bloggers talk about it, so he went.

Preparation

Day One Saturday

Day Two Sunday

I have to acknowledge that I am a frustrated citizen, not understanding what is going on in the culture and country - which I see as doomed to failure, but when I find another blogger going to and then posting about Appleseed in this kind of positive manner, to me that is one more person I can trust with the future. The most important part is the passing on of a fine tradition and honoring the heritage of April 19, 1775. They weren't running a marathon that day, although it may have seemed like it.

Sometimes a letter with a smile is all it takes...

Carteach0 has caught the best part of Appleseed, although he also wrote (after a good night's sleep) about the difficult part for us elder gentlemen. I agree, the best part is the caring and sharing the love of safe shooting, and improving it. I would relax the eyes a bit, and only focus on the front sight, but first make sure that you are on the correct target. I have always loved to read about Appleseed from the eyes of those that just found it. If you are part of it, you wonder why the whole nation isn't doing it. But then I have thought (since about 1962 Junior High Rifle Club) that learning to shoot well with a coach that loves the sport is the way to a lifetime of happy experiences with firearms. I hope his second day is great, although it is raining...

I found an email in my inbox, from a friend, catching me up to many of the things that have happened to him and his family and our church since I have moved along. We last had lunch in November, but that was a long time ago, wasn't it? He is one of two friends I admit to having, but since the other one has been long, long out of touch that says way too much about my lack of social skills and commitment than theirs.

The NRA and most of the gun community seems to be enjoying St. Louis, I read the bloggers a bit. I am very certain that a large part of our American culture is not reflected in our media, controlled by the elite - which makes me wonder what we don't know about long ago and far away in History. I see the Secretary of the Treasury telling his version of the economy and the current President's programs and promises... either he doesn't really know anything about what is really happening, or he is misleading the reporter for the wrong reasons. Time to go back to finding the target, settling into the six steps for making the shot, for sure when you go look at the target it says what happened. There is always a little padding of the truth as you walk away from a great day at the range - don't we always remember the best things we did, happily?

Old dog new tricks...

I am not moving into the high speed world of iPad, iPhones and the like, but I have a Kindle and the library lends eBooks in that format and others. So I wanted to read a book by Elizabeth Moon, and put it on reserve for myself - then asked how I would get it into my Kindle...

First one has to go to a new part of the Library webpage "OVERDRIVE" and set up an account, then browse for desired title then add it to your request list, then wait for email from Library for notice that it is available. Notified, you get seven days (really they go by hours) to download it to your Kindle. You put it in your cart, go to your Kindle account and when you next link up with your Kindle it is magically at the top of your reading list. Hope you didn't forget the title... or you might not recognize it. Read quickly, because it is due to magically disappear one day. I am in the middle of a far away land with good people and heroes, and EVIL nasties... and only my pressing the page forward or back makes it any different from a paperback, and that my library doesn't have all the titles in the UNIVERSe that I want to read. How do we fix that?

How will they weed the collection? Kindle knows how to keep track of my browsing and buying... do I have to wade through all the Romances? Appleseeds everywhere today, I have one for next week in the midst of the state in the middle of windmill country...

Okay, I am a generous man...

Or so you could believe, as I finished my income taxes today and wrote the check that would make sure I had paid my fair share... I noticed that my wife and I had given more to charity - accounted for, and not accounted for - than we paid in federal income taxes. Sure we paid more taxes on property, sales tax, fuel tax and idle thought tax but those aren't big ones. To me that just proves that I follow God's guidance better than I follow the King's. And I don't seem to face fines and penalties if I don't come up with the tithe on time. God is good, and the King needs better promotions.

Politicians aren't to be trusted, since they act like we aren't to be trusted. If one has to whip the slaves to get them to build a monument, then they aren't really into the memorial or it is really bad art. If you have to threaten me to get me to produce a fair share, I must not think fair share for me is the same as fair share for you... but then - I like most of us 'people' don't KNOW many politicians, just not hanging around with them. They aren't walking along the road with me, shooting at the range with me, and only Ron Paul and some candidate for Governor think I am worth Facebook space... hmm.... that might mean I am smarter than they (all the others) than they are. But then I knew that, but what counts with me is being more honorable.

It is so easy to be more honorable in this day and age... the fools think you are old fashioned, quaint or certainly not to be trusted if you can't be threatened or bought... Sigh, they really never grow up, do they?

Just thinking, the lite version...

Okay, we know there are big problems with our American Dream, aside from the fact we have lost control of it. But there is a LARGE DEBT hanging over the nation. That was part of what got a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. How soon we forget, but that was what History class was for, duh.

Someone was wondering where the Libertarians were in organizing to fight the destruction of our Rights. Again, that is a NO Brainer, the Libertarians are against being organized, putting on T-shirts with a Cult Hero picture "Who is John Galt?", they avoid employment with unions, voting with a political party and obeying LOTs of laws. They aren't so much criminal, but we have way too many Laws and Regulations -- and then the POWERS that BE selectively ignore the basic Constitution of the United States of America.

Since it isn't the hack and slash Doctor and Congressman Ron Paul that will be elected by the Electoral College before Christmas, I am sure the debt will continue to go up, the economy remain shaky and America will fall in its darker doomed future. There wouldn't be an America today, if one third of the population hadn't been convinced to the point of fighting for Independence to defeat the forces of the King and British Parliment. And those weren't the law breaking drunkards and wastels and ignorant fools... often seen in Occupy protests, were they? The reason those same, the law-biding hard working solid folks don't rebell now - is that today they aren't as solidly working to perfect their part of God's Kingdom.

I have physical problems, most from aging badly but many from foolish excesses and lack of better sense - sounds like America: aging badly, foolish excesses and lack of better sense. But, I know, since I have been tracking it closely, that I have more possibility of better health, solid financial standing and potential of a wonderful life as I correct my weaknesses and past performance slumps.

In other words, America isn't going to correct itself very well, and I can and will. I really like Congressman Paul Ryan, but then I don't know if he shoots or served in the military. But he has done more for improvement than the current President. Ah, looked it up, he never served in the military. Still don't know if he shoots, or hunts, or cares. Doesn't matter that much, except for him.

Expert testifies...

I was sure I was going to be an expert on procrastination, but never got around to it. My father shocked me when he told me in his elder years that he wished he hadn't procrastinated so much. I couldn't remember anything that he didn't get done when it was time, but he must have. But I find that I am getting real good at alienating those that I care about. So I am not getting called, talked to, advised or helped along my way. It isn't anything to be too concerned over, when people get prepared to leave for other places, jobs, missions or relationships there is often a lot of blame going on for the friction and drama and trauma. Years later, if you have time to forgive them for your hurt, try to remember to apologize to them for theirs - like all communication, it only works if both parties are working on it, not just one. Kind of like waiting for God to tell you when your end is near, have you been telling Him it is time?

Part of feeling apart is the change of personality or actions and reactions, my wife finally said that I wasn't the same guy after Vietnam that I had been before... okay, but where is that coming from. I think I know, part of this drive to get back to VA and get more disability, I am of the opinion that I am fine - but I even like me. Her friends have husbands with long lists of things wrong with them, that they receive disability payments for. Sorry for them, but there is an entitlement mentality that says you have to take it to make it... or something like that. I think if I needed it I would get it, but I am not in need. Of course as I get older, and tears come to my eyes over memories or touching my tender spots, people around me won't understand - I suppose I should be overly medicated to function like a happy fellow, but I am happy. Just alone.

Life is almost all in how we look at it...

It has been a busy Saturday, and I haven't gotten a thing done. I did the stationary peddling, ate fine poached eggs, went and fired the M1 at 100 yards in off hand, kneeling and prone positions, then a slung up sitting position. Talked to other shooters, all of us impatient to get a position on the range and shoot. It was a very beautiful day in the Great NorthWest. Mount Rainier was perfect. I went home feeling so successful that I decided to see if jogging would kill me. I still don't know, since I jogged, then walked, jogged, then walked, jogged then walked, kind of interval training. I liked the overall time, being much faster than just walking, and the kind of running and not dying. Still I have a long way to go, and will keep working on it. Drove up to Renton and visited my cousin and his family. Lovely dinner and great story telling, but we always tell tales, and we helped celebrate a birthday. The grandchildren of his are really growing up, quickly, but as I told them. On the other side of growing up, waits 'growing old', don't be in such a hurry.

Target analysis, eight rounds high in standing, eight rounds lower but horizontal stringing in kneeling, eight rounds closer to where they ought to be on prone six o'clock hold. Twenty-four rounds high left on sitting at bench with sling, but everything on the paper, with more time, much more dry fire in all the hard positions and more calling the shots I will get better. And you can bruise your face with an M1 and you won't care -- as long as every shot counts!

Were you there when they crucified my Lord, our Lord?

Communion and the Passion Pageant, and I am sure, we were all there somewhere when the organized Religious leaders and the easily swayed politicians and princes decided to kill a threat to their stability, to their power, to their wonderful life... It could happen today, and you wouldn't do anything much except worry about not being too disturbed on your commute to work or your favorite entertainment being prempted.... yes, we were all there then, and looking around we are still here now, and they will crucify the Son of God, again. We just haven't gotten the message.

Just a quick note for those the worry about conspiracy..

Now, get away from the television, I like to read economists along with gunnies and good people, so I am not surprised that the economy is getting stronger. I haven't said that the government wild spending and fighting wars that weren't needed is getting better, only that the economy is getting a bit better. Okay, gasoline prices haven't come down enough yet - but they will, or we will be walking more soon, which is why this is going to be short, I have done three hours on a stationary bike now it is time to walk between the rain drops.

Back to the economy recovering, first - this is America, and most of us don't wait for the government to clean up before or after floods and hurricanes, although FEMA is around now, these strange terrible weather and natural disasters have been around much longer. So I am not surprised that those that want to start businesses, get the economy moving again and such are going to be doing just that - if the government had been less regulatory, it probably would have started earlier. If there hadn't been unemployment, how many more workers would have searched hard for another job? You don't know do you? The unemployment RATE is falling, why? Well, more opportunities, less long term benefits - they have cut back the total number of months in Washington, because our rate of unemployment is falling, which is a very good sign.

For those that want a conspiracy theory to mull over - one which I don't believe - the current Federal Administration has done all it could to promote unemployment, a bad economy and terrible fuel prices and confusion over an ability to have a budget, to have a budget that balanced and a Congress that would work together to reduce restrictions on Americans and dependence on a handout for everything which the Government has helped raise the prices of... now, it all started with the former Presidents, and the current one only benefits in that slowly most hard working Americans are going around the efforts to make us miserable. As they succeed, the current President and his minions get to claim loudly that his economic recovery plan is working - his efforts for a peaceful withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq are working - and the world under inspection is just a great and beautiful place to be and live. Why should you want to change Presidents?

Well, I think I would like to change government, I would like a Republic again, I would like to know that the politicians will be punished for their crimes, that those in government can't lie to me without being charged for it -- I can't make an untruthful statement to them. Only fair. I don't think that a President Romney will fix the problem in Washington, DC. He will put a different face upon it, but it will grind on slowly looking for that cliff to fall over... it is just beyond the horizon, in the fog of mistakes we spin into success.

Most of the nation knows what is good and right, and still allows our leaders to take us on major military adventures without declaring war and mobilizing EVERYONE to fight or build resources for the fight. We would be done much quicker if War were as important as political games played in Washington, DC. If President Johnson hadn't been allowed to start his War on Poverty, until the War in Vietnam was done - he might have lived longer after office. If we had finished that war, Vietnam might have become a democracy instead of what it is today, or maybe not. Won't know for sure, we never fought the war as a Superpower, or even as a major factor in determining Victory... we watched it consume our bravest and best (unless deferred for various reasons) and our treasure, we pretended it was the fault of the South Vietnamese and the media, and snuck away pretending everyone would be better if we didn't do that any more... at least not half-heartedly. Gulf War I, we won, and left. But fools came back for the second invasion of Iraq, and Afghanistan, and they wanted to do exactly what they couldn't do in the Nam, Korea, Philippines or Germany and Japan... WE DON'T MAKE any other country into America, and ask Canada - it is not a bad thing to be another country, friendly with the United States, but not overly influenced by us.

Of all the stuff to add to my worry about list...

That list of things to avoid, CBS 60 Minutes finally had an expose on Sugar as a toxin. Although they didn't come out and tell Congress to ban it, their experts were against it for good solid scientific reasons. This is not a new concept that many of human dietary problems can be eliminated by going back to un-refined foods. Or just a little won't hurt, everything in moderation. One of the illustrations was that the brain treats sugar being tasted as starting the pleasure receptors in the brain! Just like other addictions. Good, I will be throwing out pies, cakes and Girl Scout cookies with the ice cream in the future.

I have decided that my health issues are all because of Vietnam and my poor adaptation to the entirely too rich diet of America... if only I could move around more, I came back from Vietnam a skinny young man, and I ate everything in sight, John Wayne bars, C's, candy from home, breads, potatoes... lots of sodas full of sugar, and I didn't drink coffee black then either... but it was really hot! I always thought that the heat kept my body lean, fat fools really suffered until the body weight came down. And I wasn't that physically active, a little swimming, a little lifting artillery rounds when there was an important mission I wasn't computing data for... yeah, I read a lot, wrote a bunch and threw knives, swung in a hammock when nothing was going on but I had to be present - awaiting a call for fire.

Anyhow, I am working very hard on returning to my physical peak, which was around thirty-two or so... This is my blog and I will expand on the little I am really doing as much as possible. But really, today is a bit of recovery day since I am driving my wife to appointments, work and then picking her up. So I will hit the treadmill, exercises, and dry fire of the M1 rifle when she gets home. No excuse not to, here.

The picture is of Drill Sergeant Oliver, once as my assistant in my platoon, great leader, became a Houston policeman and later a sheriff's deputy, liked his S&W 357 revolver, it was interesting shooting it on the Army ranges beyond the distance the Army thought one should engage targets with handguns. They did go down when hit. He was a great friend, found me a few years before he passed on in his second bout against cancer, our Senior Drill Sergeant looked me up and told me, caught me up to all they had done. We may go down, but we can go down hard, and swinging. Oliver was very impressed with the fact that cows could and would jump his patrol car. One of those friends I want to meet in Heaven, a foot washing Baptist he claimed.

The beauty in all of God's creation is in the imperfections...

Yep, the real beauty that sings to our souls, in colors, texture, tones and rhythms beating on - they are all imperfect. Really. Ancient Asian wisdom was to make the most beautiful object and then mar the perfection just the tiny bit. For one would never want to compare their best work with the best of the Heavenly Hosts', would they? But in everything, I look upon or walk through or listen to - is not perfect in anything, except in the feeding of my soul.

The Olympics started as the celebration of competition, as a celebration of the best man could perform - for the benefits of the gods? well, I am cynical enough to believe that there would be ample rewards from people that just loved touching champions, and being able to say that they feasted the victory celebration. For the athlete - well, they are there to do their best, it is personal.

I was stationed in Seoul, Korea as they were hosting the Olympics and the world's best. I only wanted to see the baseball game between Japan and the US, and I am sure that I would have been released from duty to go - but I didn't. It would have been etched in my memory forever, it is anyway, but being there would have been so cool. Before the regular Olympics they host the Olympics for the others. We, my battalion, got to host and brief some of the competitors. The briefings are always about why we, America and the United Nations, are still in Korea, what we guard and how it is going. I sure talk too much, but I wanted the competitors to know about us and I was interested in them. Remember I was still doing road races and ROK Ranger training, still young enough to like competing, old enough not to sink everything I had into winning it all.

Anyway, the two younger than I ladies, were beautiful and intelligent (and nice enough not to yawn in boredom as I laid layers of Asian, Korea and the military mind upon them). I asked serious questions of them and their training and their competitive goals. I loved some of the answers, because I hadn't thought that they would cut back on alcohol for lack of normal body volume that other women would have, I would pass it off as being in training. I was glad my official duties got me to talk and meet them - I still remember being awed to speechlessness in the Nam on my firebase when the Miss America contestants flew in for our happiness... both, meetings were once in a lifetime, and I am better for them. The ladies I was briefing went on to compete in the 1988 Summer Paralympics, they did just fine.

We, as a human race and current culture, keep putting people in various boxes and we seem totally uncomfortable around those that 'aren't like us'. So why would God and the angelic hosts have any time to spend, or power to waste on creatures that pose as a little better than apes? And worse, acting at sub primate community badness? The apes will cast out a danger to the tribe. Oh, silly me, I forget that God's entire purpose in His life was our creation - to mar the perfection of the Universe that He has made... and offer the salvation and the way to His love and glory. We can do it, we just have to have the passion to compete, the training to improve and the encouragement of those that love us with all our faults to become better and truly beautiful.