"...
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!"

from Tommy, by Rudyard Kipling

I grew up surrounded by veterans, one grandfather, father, uncle and seemingly everyone else's fathers from my father's friends and cousins. Everyone was a veteran, and none of them considered themselves heroes - they just considered themselves 'home'. One should remember that. It should have been an indicator to my generation. My generation, the BOOMERS, had lots of veterans, fewer draftees that didn't volunteer than the media would say, and many of us would stand watch long after the current conflict waiting on another - professional servicemen and women. That last was not in the design of America, the military was to get big and tough and take care of real threats - the Navy watched the waters, the Marines landed and made large statements of policy, and the Army only became imperial after the Spanish American War, based on colonial conquest (we have to control them to civilize them). Have you heard that reasoning from NeoCons lately?

Modern politics and modern warfare changed the military, and its missions. Didn't change the veterans, nor how the military is treated. I expect many more foreigners in our uniformed services, many, it is a historic fact of all empires, and declining empires in denial of their fading famousness... their own don't serve much. Once in Rome and Greece, every free man knew how to fight and was trained as a unit in the national defense... when empire strikes the free men just frolic and hire the heathens, check on David's rise as a military commander while King Saul sought his death... veterans are a good thing, men willing to serve unto death to protect their loves at home, and they come back to make a better world. There are a lot, now in Britain. Germany and America, non-veterans in places of power, centers of commerce, in the legal system.... only paying lip service to the proud tradition of national service. Remembering comments about being an elected official was just like serving in the military.  Nope, it is not, and I am not going to tell anyone that service to the nation automatically means one would make a fine politician or statesman. 

I would only say remember their service, pray for their continued success in life, and be thankful of all those that have taken on that thankless job when others wouldn't or couldn't. But for sure don't allow Kipling to write another poem about how one treats the veterans, once praised and sung about like heroes. The Last of the Light Brigade.

Why does he do it? what motivates him...

  Looking for that leadership, motivational, inspirational touches that make things happen. It has to be more than just showing up... 

  Back in 1968, or so, some North Korean Special Operations types - highly trained, politically sound - slipped right through the sleepy American soldiers on the DMZ and walked into the Seoul metropolitan area and into confusion, conflict and elimination at the hands of the ruthless capitalism fascist military might of the Republic of Korea. Well, one man survived and was kept political/military prisoner and zoo exhibit for years of propoganda.  He was finally rehabilitated, married and became a minister of the gospel, and a real nice man. Who is telling this story? Oh, me. So it must be totally true. Since I was one of the sleepy Americans behind the DMZ that they snuck through...

   Anyway, as I watch Korean television and the program about he and his wife and their lives in the limelight of the conflict between Kommunism and Kapitalism (K for Korean, aren't I cool?), my only thought as I watched how relaxed and at peace he is now compared with the frightened cool military operator of 1968, and they were really good. My only thought his whole life has been to make worthy the death of all his comrades - and since it is Remembrance Day and Veterans Day - don't discount how deeply you don't understand the vets motivation --- politicians would love to attach their power to that motivation, but they will never pay the price of the fallen comrades, they will never love enough to die in someone else's place. So the veteran understands and knows, and owes a good life to those that didn't make it far enough... it is called honor, heritage and responsibility... difficult matters for the newer generations, but historically always evident.

   What did you think the movie Saving Private Ryan was about? Veterans Day,. ask them about the men and women they remember from those far off times and service. Those are a building block of a veteran. Those that never grow older. This isn't Memorial Day, but the veterans can't live without honoring the dead daily.

Get together to repair the Federal Follies...

Just a quick idea, that is long overdue, the Congresspeople and Senators should get together and establish their good faith, intelligence and cooperation and do two things we can all agree upon.

1.  Repeal Daylight Savings Time - it never has affected the chicken, the cows, or the corn.

2. Have the President consider offering Daylight Savings time to the North Koreans under Kim, Jong-Un.

Really, this could be the start of real effective government.

Okay, State of Washington Attorney General

State Attorney General,

  I am concerned with my participation in the Appleseed Project, a two day rifle marksmanship clinic and heritage event the April 19, 1775. Many of the shooters at our events bring rifles to use that don’t facilitate their learning, and we have used loaner rifles for the day they need them and then take them back at the end of the day. This new improved control device to stop troubling transfers of weapons to people that shouldn’t have them, is not clear in our events. We aren’t really a competition, we are instructing rifle marksmanship.

  So, we would like the State of Washington to authorize our organization to have loaner rifles to use at our events. The state is the governing body and has jurisdiction over all state lands within its borders, only for the period of the event as a very temporary transfer for the instruction and practice of safe shooting on target.

Code Rev/AI:eab

9

I

-

2745.1/13

 (f) The temporary transfer of a firearm (i) between spouses or domestic partners;

(ii) if the temporary transfer occurs, and the firearm is kept at all times, at an established shooting range authorized by the governing body of the jurisdiction in which such range is located;

(iii) if the temporary transfer occurs and the

transferee's possession of the firearm is exclusively at a lawful organized competition involving the use of a firearm, or while

participating in or practicing for a performance by an organized group that uses firearms as a part of the performance;

(iv) to a person who is under eighteen years of

age for lawful hunting, sporting, or

educational purposes while under the direct supervision and control of a responsible adult who is not prohibited from possessing firearms; or

(v) while hunting if the hunting is legal in all places where the person to whom the firearm is transferred possesses the firearm and the person to whom the firearm is transferred has completed all

training and holds all licenses or permits required for such hunting, provided that any temporary transfer allowed by this subsection is

permitted only if the person to whom the firearm is transferred is not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law;

Thank you very much for your consideration in this matter.

                    Sincerely,

                    William Earl Dungey

You want change, well, it is coming...

  I was asked about I 594 and I 591, and I recommended voting NO on I 594 and YES on I 591, but I only had one friend that asked. So the big bucks folks, some that don't live nor visit the fine State of Washington, bought enough fearful advertising to make sure the eighteen page document would never be read, cause everyone knows it will prevent the death of one person... I am not everyone. Considering Bill Gates and his wife paid for much of the cost, and they have been known to have deep ties to Washington State - I do wonder if their good works have gotten in the way of good sense. But people do get old and fearful, maybe they are thinking that this will protect them. Probably I think well of their intent, they really do want only nice people to have the ability to keep, bear and share arms. Who decides who is nice?

  So, powerful people with fears and money, bought enough ads and advanced their cause to enough uniformed voters that could be swayed by lies and good feelings. That description fits much of modern law, doesn't it? Some organization or two will look to legal opposition, but real people, some of which shouldn't have a weapon and most which really should will immediately gain the weapons outside of stupid laws. I know that there are law breakers everywhere - only because the laws get too many, too stupid, and definitely too exclusive - so Chicago, New York, Washington DC, and other fool places passing said laws end up with criminals armed, quiet good people stealth armed, and everyone else just hoping dialing 911 gets a speedy rescue when one asks for it.  And the murder rate in Seattle got lower with concealed carry, but then the normal fearful anti-gun crowd thinks this I 594 will slow the murder rate down. Only a change in character will make a bad man with a gun into a good man with a gun. Even joining the NRA or a fine institution for worship may not make the character transformation happen, but I am hoping.

   Not off to the YMCA today, my wife says I should hit the yard and dig the french drain some more. All good ideas. Have said prayers for people in hospitals and under intensive care for falling apart unexpectedly, but that was the theme of the post wasn't it? You wanted change and then complain that you were better off as a brick maker in Egypt, and you got thin beer during the heat of the day, so water and manna don't really look good on the way to the promised land.  Yes, you want change, be careful what you ask for. It is like the weather in the plains, it will change - sooner than we are prepared. Shucks! I don't have enough friends to lose another in a hospital ICU or tent in some far away country fighting thankless wars unknown but to God. Be careful out there and spread a little more love, in all directions.

Kind of exciting watching the end of America, killed by stupidity... and kindness...

  I love to read books about America's end, not often is it because of outside influences, but godlike pretenders and their coven or clique or cult - depending on which persuasion they are.  It becomes really fascinating when comparison is made to the reality, or the contrast between what the author presents and the failure to account for irrationality of a free people. Most of the writing tries to see preparation as most crucial, and survival away from the government failures, and expect lots of sex and violence. Hemingway must have written the story - but there is only a normal amount of sex in real life, the violence is sudden and seldom expected, usually fatal and a story end. And no central figure will ever do it without the Centurion and legionnaire with the shovel and pick. Be it General Washington or Julius Caesar - they had to have lots of little people. Most authors can only work with so many characters.

  So I watch election news coverage - and not being a better on horse races, so I don't try to bet on the finish, why do news folks think they have a better idea than a straight count of the results? Why am I putting up with it? This is the same organizations that buy into global warming is a man made event, even knowing that the Earth has been hotter, with more carbon dioxide before than it has in any of the projections. They are smarter about politics... why?  If the projections work, the idea of tossing all the bums out make me wish the entire Senate was up for election. Oh, that isn't a flaw that is a design feature.

   It is 4:03 am, and I am up because of Congressional stupidity, Daylight that was never saved nor invested, sounds like the Social Security Trust funds - government IOUs? There is good that, God and I have quiet time to reflect and plan and pray.  The elk is waiting for me out there. Found an email asking for pray for a friend, and I don't have many. Found that some men, on Facebook, are planning on shooting on Saturday, with the intent of sharing rifles and ammunition - to thumb their noses at rich folks still pretending to own poor folks and fools.  I said it more like 'Rich people without understanding buying the votes of all the poor folks with without understanding.' I am going on an Appleseed this weekend, and taking a loaner rifle - which is exactly the kind of thing that I594 was supposed to instruct the Legislature to stop? Hmm, have to look up Initiative again - the legislature goes around them for tax increases.

What is wrong with those elected representatives? aren't they smarter than us?

  I am waking up in Daylight Savings Time, which is longer than needed but I adjusted last Spring forward. So I will now have to fall back harder, duh. No Daylight has been saved, see Einstein for conservation of energy - he never recommended this. It was an elected official with offers of something for nothing - which will get him (or her- no 'war on women' here) re-elected. This one thing, that fools engage in every year since we made those representatives in Congress important (in their own minds), is Daylight Savings Time. There never has been a real reason for it. You can gather eggs and milk cows in the darkness, or bring a lantern or turn on the lights. Hibernation preparation is also based on length of daylight, but we, will fight that for the opportunity to watch an evening football game in Hawaii four hours earlier than normal spectators at the game.

  So, if Congress is serous about doing good things for the nation, they need to repeal Daylight Savings time, they haven't found any of that daylight they think they convinced us they saved. If that were the first thing they fixed after being sworn in to office I might have more hope for change.

  Right after tackling the DST, they could change the relationship with the Federal Reserve Banks, come on the idea of making money out of air only works for the bankers when they are in control. In all other countries of the world, they have to get real currency for their fearless leaders when the system collapses - Swiss Francs, anyone? Gold? Silver? How about some of those eggs and milk for your children in exchange for? What is supposed to establish the value of our money in the United States of America - trick question.

   That idea is probably not on their list, Ron Paul isn't in Congress now. How about remaking the Federal tax code? Five percent from income, no credits no deductions and no adjustments, no lawyers and no accountants and no tax courts. No tax power for the Congressperson to barter for political power. Yeah, that will never happen until the collapse, which is closer every day - but I won't know the hour, cause I am still confused by the Daylight Saving rhythm and mythology.

Just those three things would show me that Congress is intelligent and going to do great things for the country, but if I were a betting man - I would expect that no matter the votes cast and the votes counted (lovely cheating Democrats and Republicans) the first order of business is to establish which fools will be getting paid extra for leading(?) that mess of folks that have just become more than civil servants and representatives of the peoples back home. It is all smoke and mirrors, not real magic.