Apathy, is the apathy out there? crickets...

ISIS or ISIL doesn't believe in apathy, they will punish you for not being one with them - they aren't tribal they are just evil to any that aren't on their side or in their control... and they don't know how to tell the difference. Maybe I should just take out the garbage, even calm civilized folks are calling for the death of ISIS or ISIL, not that THEY (the calm civilized folks) would do the killing - they would hire it done.

Yes, I would go, I can teach and shoot, and am versed in all small unit tactics needed. But I am cheap and no one would hire me, they need a $500 million solution to a two bit problem.

You want to change the culture - you don't have a solution, you haven't understood the problem yet.

Look, maintaining Iraq is not going to work without a dictator in charge. Allow Kurdistan, too bad for Turkey, they could have accepted Kurds a long time ago, but they aren't modern enough to make their History into school mascots and funny costumes. Allow the Kurds independence, help them negotiate with Turkey, Iraq and Iran. That takes care of half of Iraq's weakness, everyone wants to be tribal in the modern age, don't allow them to be national... building a nation takes real internal leadership, and they all must pay attention to the population or kill the angry ones off.  How many time do language owners have their own country? How many languages in India?

Case in point, three hundred years since the Union in the British Isles, Northern Ireland isn't Ireland, and Scotland isn't England and Wales started it all... but as the polls closed the people of Scotland were deciding, civilized way by vote, to maybe stay in the Union or separate to a special class of lonely. Some fool American thinks it would be time for America to vote to rejoin the British Empire - Duh, Hong Kong is under Communist not Royal authority now. Very capitalist Communist authority, but it isn't part of the British Empire. Except for Gibraltar, the Falklands, what is left? The Commonwealth isn't an Empire, it is a club.

People love to believe they have the answers, they are in control, and they will get the thing organized and working again. But they don't believe the 'We the People' have the answers, are in control and can make it work without them.  So wrong.  So in many levels in many countries terrorism is needed to keep the people engaged in how wonderful those in charge are... and when we aren't - we are apathetic and the PROBLEM. And I was looking for leadership, but then they would want me to follow.

I will still like the pipes, still think we can all get along (as soon as we dump tribalism) and when I win the Lottery might visit Scotland to see the sights, find me a fine dog, and look confused when someone quotes Burns. 

Men's Program Manager.... help wanted from a Women's Studies graduate...

Interesting idea, a job on a University campus for a Men's Program Manager, sounds like a fine job for me, until I read further and find that they want a Women's Studies graduate and someone versed in gender equality, with ideas about homosexual, bisexual and really weird sexual preferences... duh, I thought this was a Men's program.  Okay, it may be the direction of the future. Not mine but theirs.

As I continue to read the Roy F Chandler books on the frontier, I am happy to announce he is absolutely right... and it is good reading. You can get them on Amazon.com for kindle - how many other ways to get them I don't know - for sure my public libraries only have one of his sniper books, and he wrote more than one of them. Always a small time small area writer, and not picked up everywhere.

It, talking about the frontier, has always been between the civilization and their borders and it is always kind of rough and tumble. So Greece with Macedonia, Macedonia with Persia, Rome with Gaul, Spain and the Germans then the Picts and Scots, --- frontiers. Like Judea under the Romans, trying to civilized the sons of Abraham a step at a time. Until finally they just burn the house down. Frontiers, need a special tough but flexible and quick responders.  For sure civilization loves lots of rules, lots of authority, lots of violence against the weak, the to be exploited for their own good, and those that might be a danger. And the RULERS of civilization aren't the fighters, hardly ever the leaders, but always conspiring to improve civilization in their favor. For the good of all, don't you know?

Maybe Progressives get to be bigger, and biggest because the Frontier disappeared. For sure women were voting and serving in the West before the cultured Eastern Seaboard even seriously considered it. Every frontier is a land of opportunity for real leaders and change - reread the book of Judges, and see if not being settled and ruled by other than their God allowed variations of conduct, until they demanded a King. Stupid civilization stuff.

One thing I keep looking at, since there is so much failure of government policy under government control of everything - as we ruin more cities, states and countries in debt, crime and chaos... Detroit come immediately to mind, but there are many others - and no matter what Bill O'Reilly says the Feds can't fix it.... as things fall apart and they do, there is a new undeclared frontier where change is happening, people banding together to fix what has gone so wrong under the doctrine of many enlightened thinkers - Marx and company. Get outside of government control and live large. The bad guys and the government will fight you for your freedom of action. But they are both engaged with each other and might ignore the smaller free folks.

The governments have two ideas - get control of all the weapons and buy off all the self sufficient with cash.
You have much better ideas than that. Hurry up, declare and live your freedom - you aren't getting any younger.

Women invited to apply for Ranger School

I have an opinion about that... but I have changed it.

Once I was an eager First Sergeant, and wanted to get back into the Infantry so I decided I wanted to go to Ranger school... I had read Northwest Passage by Kenneth Roberts and still have a copy within arms reach, so I knew Roger's Rangers and wanted to be one for the 20th Century. Paperwork got approved through the battalion and then hit the Division Artillery Headquarters, where the Command Sergeant Major wanted me not to go, I was going to make sure the grass was cut around my battery area. Sigh, so they sent the paperwork back (weren't supposed to do that) and I went off to Jungle Operations Training with many of my best troops tagging along with our Infantry battalion's rotation. I trusted my Smoke to take care of the grass and act like a proper First Sergeant.

I had a fine experience at the course, learned somethings that stood me well in the following years and was there to watch a tiny wasp, about a third of an inch long, sting one of the big men in the battery and he fell like an giant redwood. Out, took three hits of anti-venom to get him back up and moving out to evacuation points. I also noted that paratroopers really do need Ranger ropes holding their rifles on their body when they panic in the water trying to swim to the rubber boat. Interesting.


Ranger School goes co-ed.  That is the story, but I have changed my mind. Once I thought women shouldn't be in combat positions, shouldn't be in combat zones. For sure I thought we had enough men to fight, and the women could stay by the home fires and home industry keeping it warm. What changed?

Well, I don't think we have enough men left to fight, not sure they have enough will to win, am very sure many women don't want to be women any longer. I am sure with the current mad enemies around the world giving them women to torture, rape and exploit will be good for them. I am positive that it wouldn't be highlighted in the media - sexual assaults only get reported when a civilized man betrays our expectations of better behavior - not much when the mad Muslim mobs do something to reporters, female by standers or military members.

So I am good with the idea of not changing the standards, keeping the training and expectations of the Ranger Course the same and allowing women to apply and attend. I hope they graduate with fewer sexual assaults than the women in uniform do in all other courses, and I hope they learn a lot about fighting and living as a Ranger. You see, I know the world has changed, we are going to need as many fighters, real fighters as we can get - the general population is still stuck in the thought that women are a weaker sex, but I see the men shaving their chests, underarms and legs. And those aren't the swim team members.

I would really rather the women stayed ladies and nurtured and maintained the home and family - but I guess I have been reading about the frontier too much lately - and we need more adult fighters just for all the savages. Superman isn't coming - Ranger training - small unit leadership, patrolling, and raids and attacks are all good 21st Century self and unit survival skills. Teach them well how to fight, there are just too many men that can't anymore. They are still working on a pill - but the developers are cautioning that you should check with your doctor if 'your heart is healthy enough for fighting' for God and country.

Yeah, there are women that will shine in Ranger course, be happy to have them dealing death at my side.

Intervals, lets do intervals...

I once knew something about physical fitness, training and examples. So the latest news about how much more effective interval training is than just long boring same stuff same pace forever... is, is not news to me.

Honest when I was young and handsome and in my right mind, I knew all the intervals I wanted were there in the way I trained myself and my troops. Which is why as a Command Sergeant Major with a troop count of one (myself) I slid into dull boredom so easily. And boring gets slower and easier in consistent decline with the recline of the cushioned chair.

But, now that I have a constant heart rhythm monitor, and I am getting better everyday, I decide to spice the YMCA workout up. I add swimming! Yeah! only lap swimming is boring, and slow --- but I am doing sets - down and back in the crawl (before I walk?) then flip over and do the back stroke down and back, then flip to the breast stroke (no, not the one I'd rather do - the swimming one). So, I have a way to do the laps, change the muscles and stroke, and keep count, and three sets and one more lap of the crawl is five hundred yards. Yeah, I like that and the feeling it gives me after a normal work out on the rowing machine and the bicycle. So, next week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday I will finish with swimming, on Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday, I should walk, jog or run (????) as the desert. I am still illogically afraid to run, stretching out... don't know why, but it is silly me I am describing.

Hmm, that ice water with apple cider vinegar is pretty refreshing. When I finish this glass it is back to cutting the grass in the backyard.

So, I have come to the conclusion about the efforts to modify the RWVA and Appleseed to attract more folks - if it doesn't make me ashamed, sick or stupid I will continue to work the Appleseeds and work on marksmanship and heritage one or two shooters at a time. I was not the guy they wanted to attract back to work with them anyway (some days I think I could be the one driving everyone away - but then I remember the smiles - and Heather's happy hug - gosh, she scared me). What I like doing, I am going to continue. We all should.

I found out I have been remiss in finding a writer about the country I knew so well - not that I really know the mountains of Pennsylvania, but I lived there an important bunch of my life starting. Anyway, his name is Roy F. Chandler. I want his Pennsylvania frontier stuff, but he also was big in the shooting/sniping gun world. You can tell how little I pay attention to who writes what. Anyway, Arrowmaker, Pennsylvania Frontier Series Book 1. I have it in my kindle, what is your excuse? Intervals, change up and keep going up hill until you have to start down.

What made America great was that everyone could change their story, their life and build it better... what makes us weaker is that no one believes that enough in the elite political class, the underprivileged, and the media. So many Nay-sayers make a country weak. Just think if King Saul hadn't found a humble but willing servant of the Lord, a teenage shepherd from Jesse's house.  There is a time, there is a season, turn, turn...

We all seem to want the same thing...

   Millions of Moms Against Gun Violence, oops, that isn't their name is it? Anyway, I agree, there shouldn't be any unsafe firearms anywhere in my country. But I don't agree that a Bread/coffee selling company denying service to true Armed Americans (their right, exercising it is their privilege) is a money maker, and certainly won't keep the bad boyz away - can U text Flash Mob - unarmed Yuppies needing taken down at: fill in the bread shoppe nearest you, they ain't carrying.

   I am sure, seeing how many police SWAT raids and shootings are just over stepping FEARS gone wild, that having the government in charge of firearm safety is a poor choice. We all must be in charge of firearm safety. We all live on the same planet, we all have those we love, those we work for and those that must be defended against evil and terrible ugliness.

   Deciding that restricting and prohibiting drugs, alcohol or weapons of any kind will work - is an already defeated reliance on the law, enforcement of the same and the desires of the down trodden. You have to improve the human morals, you have to make right and wrong mean what is wrong isn't just this time but for all time. And the way one loses self worth, or life or respect for life is dangerous... need to fix that. It has never been about the guns, the drugs, the sex, the money, the alcohol -- it has always been about the no value in the life and the potential of good in everyone.

   I will honor the bread maker wanting to be in a gun free zone, I won't darken his doors. I would honor my Concealed Carry Permit - you will never know I am carrying. But for sure, ladies and gentlemen, I will not calm your fears for 'the foolish flee when no one pursues' it is all in your head. And the former Mayor's big bank account. Are there really a million of you? - hard to believe there are so many silly folks sometimes.

Travel light, freeze at night...

 Operational wisdom from paratrooper daze.

   I don't fly around much anymore, getting old, and the entire TSA from DHS was silly, intrusive and frustrating - so I would rather get on the Trusty Triumph and sleep on rest stop picnic benches across the country.  But sometimes, when you have to be there, you go by air.

   I had to cross into the protected zone twice in the last week. The efficiency has improved, or I was traveling at not peak travel hours (yep, go late come back early). But we slid through the lines and agents smoothly. Don't know how they award Pre-checked status but my wife got it twice, and I was so blest once. My pacemaker and bulging belly make sure I am scanned by ghost radar, I have no idea, put your feet there hold your hands above your head so, and wait. Thank you, sir. No, I don't want a copy emailed to my friends on Facebook. Bad enough the NSA and DHS have to file it and match it to the last data.

  The good part of the airport is always beyond the security screening gates.  Lots of food and drink choices, gift shops and book stores.  But the best part will always be baggage pickup where you might be greeted by people that expect you and want to help - the last time you saw such people was when they helped drop you and your luggage off at departure/ticketing.

  I was flying United and associated lesser carriers. The take offs were roaring, the landing bumpy (but I always compare to my father's landing - which I am sure he liked to make so smooth) but all safe, and we would get to walk away. Limited first class seating, business class has disappeared on the flights I would get on -- what happens when one is fugal (read cheap!) - economy. The airline is in business to make a profit, and they do, the seats are smaller, leg room less unless you want to buy a little (VERY!) stretch room, as I walked out of the last airplane I notice the aisle is just wide enough for one more seat, and they could swim through the air above as soon as the anti gravity units start working -- the next Boeing project I have heard about.  But most of all, there were never any empty seats, none. Everything was full. At the price of aircraft, fuel and operations they have to be.

   I had much more room on the transit bus, which is how frugal and wife get to and from the airport without the participation of the parking garages. But the government run bus services are also where lots of public assisted folks ride - I have no idea if there is a government program for the poor in public assisted travel on commercial air - unless one looks at the business tax breaks, military, and government agency tickets that come from the tax payers.

   Well, I had best get real serious about that body beautiful project, I was brushing the seats on both sides of the aisle as I loaded my lard and unloaded my lazy moving about. Yes, walking across the country could make me slim again. That statue of the Minute Man is the way one ought to look in the RWVA. Lean, mean, fighting machine... oh, don't those fool paratrooper thoughts ever bubble up?  Then again, if I carried a musket and possibles - I might be given more room?

Good trips are worth mentioning in dispatches... the truest honor.

  There was once an army of Regulars of the good King George and his many variations, that found a lot to be truly proud of being mentioned in dispatches from the front, to the court or to the home office. Now, wearing the ribbons or the medals are a public display of merit or achievement, I like to think my highest honor were to be thought well of by those that were there and actually know what they think they saw me do. This trip has been full of great things.

 I had conversations, deep ones with my wife as we finished meals with nowhere to run, no schedule to fulfill, place to be or were surrounded by people that would not care what we were doing in public. There is a lot of freedom in that place, although, it reminded me of my mother having to take a picture of me holding my wife's hand - she had never seen any public
display of affection between us - none that she could see through her idea of what my life should be like. If she had to write about it - she was always writing a story about everything around her.

  I was privileged to escort my wife to a formal military dinner for my son and his classmates and catch a picture of his advisor giving him the certificate (diploma) for the course. I met many fine men and women, currently in uniform - can you say the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Joint Chief of Staff ? He was truly interesting, kind and fun. My son's classmates were also polite, sharing and considerate - in the end I am happier with the current military than the media or most of the American public (although most of the public that knows people in the service or that had served before have a better idea than the media). Really, a very satisfying evening with my son and those he has been with these last few weeks. He looks so much better in his mess whites than I ever did in my mess blues - and I don't know the proper term for any Navy uniforms.


  He took us to visit Concord and Lexington and Battle road, found a museum that I hadn't thought to visit that had some very neat stuff I wouldn't have seen otherwise, with a helpful young woman that would have allowed me to exchange knowledge on North Bridge all day. We hit the best of the Friday got to go to the weekend commute, which was moving but frustrating - he held us together and returned us to the safety of the motel and we said good-bye until the next visit to his home.

  I have some real idea about how to improve my Three Strikes, and the Appleseed event on the getting the folks out of the deck chairs. I needed more time with those that really don't know who, where, when and definitely WHY, the loyal subjects of the crown would decide that being treated as not capable of Liberty because of birth or lineage was just stupid and must resisted by all means necessary.