Span of control...

Only ten, an infantry squad, only ten. It could be one or two larger but ten is a wonderful number. So the Sergeant, as squad leader, only has ten to lead, motivate, train, coach and fight against the enemy. Ten is not too many, the Centurion had a hundred - not actually. He had leaders of ten in that hundred that were responsible for their ten. So he only had to concern himself with those ten to control their ten... So General Anybody, isn't really leading 15,000 troopers, just ten particular sub-leaders, although the whole outfit can turn on a dime at command. Or close enough for government work.

This came to my mind when I heard someone proclaim - leader of 310 million people - knowing there isn't such a hero, or shining figurehead. Ideally, the Federal government should only have ten agencies, and those agencies should only handle the States and territories. Where did this fool idea they could handle all the schools, businesses, farms and ranches and such come from? They aren't that good.

The States can handle only the Counties of their state, by the time one gets to the Counties they can handle families, businesses and such.

Go back the other way, how many bosses do you need? Just one. And you married her, just kidding, that is supposed to be a partnership. And for those of great faith, you have only the ONE, God. The ones without faith keep trying to find the little god that could... too many to count, cause they couldn't.

Only one tax payer, me, and a Federal tax, a State tax, a County tax, and sometimes a municipal tax and then union dues or the boss wants a kick back.... only one payer and how many levels of sucking your wages away. One voter, can only influence the local level, not thirty local levels, fifty states, one hundred and eighty nations... and I know with Spring coming out here, the snows in Ohio aren't affected. Span of control.

The speed of communication, the ease of communications - the Pony Express is long gone, Clipper ships and fast frigates and cutters under billowing sails of yesteryear gone into memory or romantic mythology, while we speed dial our best friends to brag or blame or ideally or idly boast. Have more than ten well used numbers? But the sit down meetings and dinners and coffees on the side are where the contact counts. Generals sit in the Operations Centers watching the battle from afar, another step back from the Command and Control helicopter that influenced the battlefields too dangerous to be upon. They think because they can see and hear, that they have control. The lieutenant turns off his listening and takes care of the battle and those he has in his control. Not being far away, it is personal. Guess you have to live in the span to control it.

I am not to use the "B" word with little delicate girls...

Which in my mind conjures up lots of words not to use with any lady, young or old. Of course the cause of making young women into someone you never want to laugh with and share secrets with... seems a few successful women are trying to modify hurt by attacking the word, not the ill mannered behavior that makes the word a weapon causing harm.

Is there a pattern here, if I said a gun is the problem, not the killer, robber, or rapist you might see it clearer.

Grabbed right on to it didn't you? Of the offensive words I never use, and they are legion, those weren't selected by the verbal police. Because they love to use them, hurtfully, on the females that aren't part of their clique. Or Click. Really. Do you think, wanting Hillary to become President, anyone is going to complain that she is BOSSY?

So they are going to try and diminish a word, instead of the ugly, hurtful and totally unattractive behavior. Yes, I have seen that before -- since the music, theater, movie and entertainment industry can enrich our lives with filth, by using other words never used in truly polite society. The word Bossy must go. Such Bossy Babes they are, aren't they? They aren't delicate little ladies, haven't been for years.

You would stop complaining about the rain, if you lived here in the Great NorthWest...

And start smiling when the Sun breaks through.... Wouldn't you?

Remembering that Media and Politicians must have your attention to sell advertising space and become richer than whatever, remember that Earl doesn't sell space. I just occupy it.

We had a perfect rehearsal, full blown all equipment and men, and it was perfect. Vertical assault on an airfield in enemy territory simulation, actually Fort Bragg, NC. So we go through it all for REAL and the Soviet Defense Minister, who happens to be a General in the Soviet Army the following day.

What a difference a day makes.

Everything felt the same, just a little more tension from the top - this was for the Soviet DEFENSE Minister. But for the paratroopers, of my unit, they were going to get to jump, assemble on the howitzers, break them free, set them up and fire (LIVE!!) from the Drop Zone into the impact area. This is braggin' rights and beers tonight stuff, all for God and Country and the glory. How did I feel? Fine, I was a Senior Sergeant, I knew my men, the mission and I was only there for the glory. So, the green light comes on and out we go.

And the Air Force in its best Airman Murphy way, puts us over the trees off the drop zone, I could see that from the door as I went through. Must have been a major wind change, but for sure as much as I tried to slip back towards the Drop Zone I was going to come down in the trees (do you have any idea how many years I have been jumping without going into trees? About twelve... not enough for the Air Force) not only that but the trees I kept trying to slide between had this reflective shining surface around them WATER! Thank you Lord., I get tree and water landing on the same jump on the same day, may Your Mercy ever find me. Amen.

So my parachute hangs in the tree, but I am close enough to the little creek to get out of harness and get my feet wet, get my gear and weapon into action and leave it all behind, since my men and the mission were a quarter mile in that there direction. Get that airborne shuffle working, lots of sand to suck on my boots.

I get there, as I get closer I see most of the Heavy Drop Equipment is rolled over or on its side - it must have been a freak wind. But everywhere paratroopers are working on making it right, assaulting the objective and taking it down with the men and equipment available. Each minute more showed up, and then finally that howitzer round, LIVE! from the Drop Zone to the impact area.

The entire time the visiting dignitary and escorts in their open vehicle drove around the area, looking at what we would call chaos and mayhem seeing little groups of guys busting their butts making it work - reminded me of that operation in Normandy long ago and many real bullets back (June 1944) - the comment from the Defense Secretary of the Soviet Union, how many officers did you have to dress as privates to make this happen. Meaning that privates couldn't have done the correction and take down without more oversight and motivation. Shucks, I could have done this operations with nothing but trained Specialists and Privates. Which is true, it would have come out the same.

But that is the power of the American Military - we don't need no stinkin' officers, certainly not the ones that only want to please the boss, think their waste products don't stink, or won't fight when needed. Now I love a great leader, but they aren't all officers and certainly all officers aren't leaders, most certainly not. So I have over my life in uniform, followed and assisted leaders, and I have encouraged and developed leaders of all ranks and kinds.

The country America, and the United States of America, which aren't the same have exactly the same ability to make it work, and work well, no matter how screwed up it gets from those that should have known better and adjusted but didn't.  There will be no years without rain, no end to good looking fools and folly, no end to folks that want to run everyone's life for their own power and the victim's good. No end of them, and the work around reality will automatically start. Just like running between the rain drops, you will get wet, but the distance will be less by the speed of traverse.

Ivan the Awesome (Terrible), Peter and Catherine the Greats, Stalin and Putin are a problem in their country, they can make some things happen, but will never be able to make ALL things happen. Only the people of the country could, and they must be allowed power to do so. In American History, only the people save us, great leaders show up and we follow, but time moves, the wind changes and what worked yesterday is off the mark, more power to the people - less trying to make it exactly what it was, and if banks fail let them fall. The fear is the country has become dependent on stupid folks doing what worked yesterday and trying to make it work today... when the wind changed. Believe in the people they will make it work out.

Beautiful but so sad a flim...

Finished watching Indo Chine again, and since she (both of them) are worthy I will watch it again. And again. The beauty of the country and the feel for the culture is excellent, and what is so wrong with colonialism is again very well pointed out.

I was searching for 22 LR today, and found fifty rounds of 12 shot, which I laughed about, the clerk had no idea, even trying to sell me the 22 mag ammunition, that was at BIG Five, two gun stores and an indoor shooting range I did find five hundred round bricks for unbelievable prices. Sigh, but it is there. One gun store is closed for remodeling, and training new staff, then they say they will reopen. I was interested in finding out if they were hiring, but seems he has the crew he wants right now. I did also find another ten round magazine for my Marlin LTR. It doesn't drop free, yet, but I think it will one day.

On Facebook I was glancing at some comments by my brother and one sister, and the brother was sure with 300 million people we really needed more government to control them. And my sister was mentioning something about those that had government health insurance were against the idea of others having insurance. But I wanted to know who that was, really, who was she talking about. She has no idea about my health care, nor does she understand that my only problem with the government having the health care is that the government doesn't do much very well.

Education, has gotten worse as the government gets more involved, family life gets worse as the government gets more involved. I could go on, but really the country did much better when communications were slower, the people on site were responsible, and Washington, DC was a miserable swamp for a large part of the growing season. Darned air conditioning.


I am still waiting for stupidity to continue in the 'gun control debate'. They have laws against shooting people, no one calls that an infringement of a right. They have laws against rape, murder, assault, and robbery. They don't need any laws against firearms or arms (being a much larger group of weapons). They only need to enforce the laws they have, and in Chicago, they don't. If you don't give the criminal something lesser to plead guilty to, you might actually get the bad people off the streets for longer time.

I know the Media is all hyped over Hillary and maybe that big guy in Jersey, but I did like Rand Paul speaking, and the rip roaring cheer leading Governor Perry. And the Republican Party hasn't been Conservative for years - it is something in the water or the wine in DC. They all want to be the BIG Spender, does someone play that song over and over in Congress?

Wow, it is already way too great a day in my life...

Better make sure I buy those winning Lottery tickets. Woke up so full of vim and vigor the first thing I did was say thanks, the second thing was to remember to take it easy. I was really pleased to note that the experts have decided that those elder folks could have more steak and eggs with cheese. They actually said it would improve our lives... not that I think they know what they are talking about, but I will be a test subject.

Immigration Reform. You find a person that is undocumented, finger prints, photography, weigh, measure, check for illness, DNA taken and issue an Alien Documented Card. No opportunity for citizenship, ever. Work and pay taxes for as long as they like before they return to their own country.

You can't order a government, a culture or a meaningful life based on the stuff that comes from the media. Label it all Art and Fiction and get on with scientific endeavor. Doing anything else will only sell soap flakes and flu vaccine.

Stop thinking that the government has any good ideas. All their ideas come with a punishment for not obeying them. Do you see Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Honda, or any other capitalist enterprise having to have a gun to your head to make you buy, participate or listen? Stop thinking the minimum wage is sound, if it were they would not have to adjust it, stop thinking that any elected officials and the people surrounding them know better, they are all taking care of themselves and you are losing every year.

Who loves you, baby? Kojak once said that didn't he, with the lollipop. It isn't the government. In every case there are exceptions, but not the majority of officials and staffers, they have no idea what they are doing. Do the bankers? Yes, but then they know they own the politicians, do the special interest groups? no, but they have votes which keep politicians alive in each election.

Do not worry, people. Since the government has stopped being an effective means of assuring our Liberty, take your liberty and get ready for them to collapse, it will happen, they aren't good nor effective enough to jail us all, put us all in death or work camps. All their solutions have been tried and they all fail. What has worked but that no one believes in now is free markets, capitalism, and liberty of the people. Worked longer than any government in the modern world, but because change is spooky and control makes you think you can fly safely, you don't fly you steer like you were still connected to the ground.

Failures everywhere. The reason the Republicans can't be effective, is that they have no mission, they look exactly like Democrats, except they aren't as crooked. They do think they know as much and more, but they are wrong. The TEA Party, as a fine group of concerned citizens that don't want power but what effective freedom from government interruption.... But the government and the media keep controlling the fears and fantasies to make more rules, more agencies and more power for the most crooked of our kind. Politicians.

When I look out at America, and meet the people I have faith in the future, but when I listen to the media, or the politicians or even try to participate in the process beyond just casting a vote for the lesser of two evils or special needs former lawyers - I am again disheartened. Just once, show me a politician that knows and will say that the nation is broke, the money has been wasted, that no one really knows what is wrong with the way it just flies away, out of control. Just one.

Yes, you and I can have a fine life, invest in our future and have the government destroy it all because they are in power and totally stupid about what they are doing, why they are doing it, and where it will all end up. The media, either doesn't know, or thinks that some ONE or something will save us as we speed to the end. It will take a lot of hard working folks, with real values to save the idea of America. None of them are in the media nor in the elected government.

Must be time for some wine and meditation - two doctor visits tomorrow. Then the search for 22 LR...

A little wine, a little brandy and thee...

Spending much time reading, finding that one of the new former REP of the French Foreign Legion thinks the Legion is a bit too Spartan, too controlled and just not fun all the time. Since he was in another military unit for four years he has grounds for his disappointment. I will tell him, if we were ever to meet and talk, that what he was doing was very much what most of the world's military was like after World War II. Not much fun at all, the military isn't supposed to be fun.

I finished today watching Chariots of Fire, again. I like owning so many videos that I like to see, over and over. Like old favorite books, showing you something a little bit new with each visit. Tomorrow I will pay my bills and send off the checks, might even go shopping for groceries, gasoline and 22LR bricks. Get a good night's sleep for one never knows what tomorrow might bring. Still waiting in wonder about the illegal gun restrictions of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. But that was if anyone really pays attention to the Constitution, like it was the law of the land. Too many elites believe they are above the law, and that they are in power, empowered to make everyone else miserable and poor. But we are lucky, we could be living in Russia where they know who the gangsters are but can't arrest them, for they are in charge. Good night!

How do you speak up, stand up and show up?

There are troubling areas in the world, Ukraine comes to my mind. Not independent enough, and the Russians really have always had a vested interest in keeping the Black Sea fleet Russian. Warm water ports being few for Russia, no matter global warming fears of the West, they don't think the North Pole will warm enough to build ice free zones. About the Ukraine, I suggest that the President send the FBI Hostage rescue team to defuse the situation and save the Ukrainian citizens. Remember Ruby Ridge and Waco?

Okay, they would be a bit outgunned by the Russians, have you noticed the cool uniforms the Russian army is sporting now? Things change while we play on the internet, on the golf course, watching the Oscars.

Of note to me was the fine article about Argentina's decline over a hundred years. And don't think it isn't happening here. If you really pay attention we once could go to the Moon, now, we have to worry about terrorists crashing our aircraft, since we have a very unarmed and unaware  population We can't even get our Astronauts to the International Space Station without the Russians. More government, less work, more regulation less safety, more taxes and more poor people.

I really wanted to talk about God or Guns while I spent waiting time among people in the hospital. God because I am getting closer to my time running out here on earth. But of course, having mild manners not being in a church or on a range I never disturbed the focus of the professional staff nor patients. Guns because someone in that hospital knows where a 1903-A3 is and would part with the knowledge. One question constantly asked was if I were allergic - which has always been 'No'. But when they removed the sealed dressing on Saturday, the adhesive had burned my skin and I have four extra areas to heal now.

I was debating while at church yesterday if I should go to Ukraine to help with Liberty (they do have beautiful women there). Or Connecticut. Since they have no idea what Liberty is about, having elected fools and folly to protect them from folks that don't obey the laws against murder, breaking and entering and matricide. There is a law against matricide and infanticide in Connecticut, isn't there?

Anyway, since there is a need to have more ARs, with thirty round magazines in them in the hands of law abiding citizens in Connecticut so they will have overwhelming prison populations I suggest chartering buses and loading them with American people with the right to keep and bear arms and driving through New Jersey and New York and New York City to Connecticut to be arrested in mass demonstrations of civil disobedience.  I don't think even Fox News would cover it, but it would be worth showing up on the Green to make the point the law is stupid. They don't prosecute the laws they have now on the books.

Maybe I should just heal up, then hit the Appleseed trail again, and continue to spread the message and the skills. The media isn't, the politicians hardly know more then the good old boy hunting or shooting clubs or the NRA ranges and museums. Are all the real Americans outside of the Left Coasts and DC? Bible thumping and shooting spoken here? This is America.

Oh, I did see the movie, Son of God, and the book is better. When asked about it I said it was fine for those that don't study the Bible, it is based on the Gospel of John, but it is for those that really haven't read the book but are looking for the ending or Cliff note edition.  Like an Appleseed, it is supposed to stir the participant into further study, reflection and inquiry. Improving one's life one experience at a time.