Berkley to be annexed to Iran

No, this isn't really happening, however, in my world I've already sent them packing. I caught this article from Fox News, as well as the retort from Sen. Jim DeMint. There are very few things in life that will make me shake with rage, and this is one of them. I understand that we live in a free society (thanks to those Marines, and many others), and that free citizens in this country have a right to express themselves. However, what this city council has done is bordering on criminal. Not only is the city council telling the military that they can't run a recruiting station, they're also giving an anti-war group the right to protest in front of the recruiting station. Last time I checked, this was an all volunteer force. Nobody is being forced to join the military. As a matter of fact, the military has given opportunities to those that society had discarded as trouble makers. So does this mean that if there is a store in my local business district that I don't like that I can get a petition and bring it before the city council to have said business thrown out of the area?
I really hope that Sen. DeMint follows through with his threats and cuts off any federal funding for the city of Berkley. Maybe Code Pink can pitch in some funds to help the city. Perhaps its members could volunteer their time by teaching the School Districts Anti-American, California First program. I'm sure that the city would appreciate any opportunity to have their young indoctrinated into the Pinko ranks.
If Berkley were ever the site of some sort of Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical attack, the first responders to that disaster would probably be the military (most likely National Guard). Those men and women would face grave danger. There's a chance that some could get injured, or die due to exposure. Would they risk it for people they had never met? Absolutely! Why? It's their job and they're willing to die for this country and all her citizens.
Berkley doesn't realize how good they have it. You don't like America's policies overseas? Fine, that's your right as a citizen. Let your voice be heard on election day. But don't take out your anger on those who have sworn an oath to protect you. I know, you say "we don't need a military".
Guess what, you're wrong! Even if we all laid down our arms, donned togas, and chanted we would still be hated and terrorist organizations would still try to destroy us. Why? Because we're a shining example of a free society and it scares them.
You don't want to live in a free society? Move! There are plenty of socialistic societies that have vacancies. I hear there's room in France. They don't even like guns!!

Newsworthy?

So everyday I attempt to read as many different news sources as I can. This evening I went to foxnews.com to see what the latest was on the energy blockade in Gaza City, and do you know what I found as the headline piece? "Heath Ledger Dead". My first thought was, "Who"? Not only is this on the front page, but several other stories on their main page are devoted to this topic. I understand that the media is in business to make money, rather than to inform, but why is this so important. Did nothing else happen today? Well let's just see. Today, Israel allowed medicine and fuel into Gaza City, Fred Thompson decided to drop out of the Republican race, World Powers decided to draft a resolution for sanctions in Iran, The Fed Chairman announced a 3/4 point cut in the federal-funds target rate, and Jose Padilla, the American accused of plotting with Al-Qaeda to detonate a dirty bomb is given 17 years.
I found these headlines in 10 minutes, and I believe that everyone of them is more important than another Hollywood 20 something that died. Do I care that he died? Sure, I don't like to see anyone die prematurely. However the media does us no favors when this is the focus. The average American wants nothing better than to sit down in front of the TV or the Internet and be spoon fed the important topics of the day. When this is the kind of garbage that is fed to us day in and day out, it is insulting.

Confessions of a Part Time Football Fan

I apologize for my lapse in postings. I was out of town last week and unfortunately, I was without Internet access. Surprisingly, this happens quite frequently when I stay in billeting on base.
The title of this post says it all. I am a part time football fan, at best. It's not that I hate the sport, in fact there is something about man vs. man vs. nature that makes me want to set up a lean-to in 20 degree weather. I've just always been an ice hockey fan. I enjoy the speed of a full sprint on ice, and the finesse of medieval juggler combined with the endurance to go toe-to-toe with a 260 pound Russian.
My issue with football, as well as basketball (even though I'm not convinced that basketball is a true sport) is the culture that it celebrates. These athletes have been raised to demi-god status for what they can accomplish on the field, however, thanks to the media, we know too much about their private life. There has been a rise of professional athletes involved in violent crimes over the last ten years. It seems as though the more problems the athlete has during his off time, the more attention he gets on game day. Am I the only one that sees a problem with this. These men are looked upon as heroes by countless children and teenagers. The more the media publicizes their exploits, the more it seems that their lifestyles are condoned. These are not the kind of role models I want for my sons.

Shoot First, Ask Forgiveness Later

It's a good thing that I never stayed in the Navy long enough to obtain a commission and command a naval surface vessel. If so, I'm fairly certain that I would be the media's favorite target right now. Unfortunately for the military in today's society, I would also be relieved of command, and quietly be made to retire (see story).
Sixty years ago, if Japanese or German vessels had gotten that close to a U.S. warship, the Navy would have vaporized the offending vessel, the captain would be a hero, and the crew would paint the silhouette of a ship on its hull to depict the kill.
I know, this isn't WWII. If fact, outside of the DoD and the State Department, we're not really at war. However, even though we're not officially "at war", it seems to me that a shot across the bow, would have been warranted in this case. It certainly would have been a deterrent. However, the Secretary of Defense and the President would have come under extreme criticism from the Left.
My question is why? Attack boat crews don't just arbitrarily wake up one morning and say "gee, I think I'll play chicken with a U.S. Navy warship". By doing nothing we condone this behavior, and before too long we're seeing news footage of one of our vessels with a 20 foot hole in its hull.

The New Rage

A California man was arrested for digging 50 holes on mountain bike trails. Apparently he had been run off the trail by a mountain biker and decided to exact some revenge. I'm a frequent mountain biker and I've ridden on trails, as well as through cities. It's pretty difficult to run a pedestrian off the road while biking (...no, I didn't try), which leads me to believe that he was already a few sandwiches short of a picnic.
I can already envision where this is going. Bike rage will quickly become an epidemic, especially since the eco-nuts want us to abandon vehicles and bike everywhere.
Soon there will be 12 step groups meeting throughout the country full of people suffering from bike rage. "Hello my name is George and I have bike rage. It's been two months since I last lined a trail with claymore mines".
You're walking on a bike trail, turn down George Michael on your IPod and pay attention!

Too busy running the world

I caught this article on When Evil Prospers about Roger Clemens and the Mitchel Report. I have to say that I agree with John on this. This Congress has done very little since they were elected, other than try to coerce President Bush into pulling the troops out. The government has no business in trying to regulate MLB. That's a job for the commissioner of baseball, not my congressman. If illegal activities are uncovered by the MLB, then judicial proceedings can start. Did I mention Congress in my last two sentences? Of course not. That's because their business is the running of this country, not the running of our national past time. Congress can spend our tax dollars to hold hearings to determine whether or not Roger Clemens used steroids, or whether his trainer just said he did (can someone say cat fight), meanwhile we're in the second quarter of fiscal year 2008 and the defense budget hasn't been signed yet.
Did someone forget to remind the Congress that we're at war!

If Congress wants to get involved in baseball then I suggest they do what the rest of the country does, buy a ticket, a ballpark frank, and a beer and enjoy the game.

An idea Time Magazine will surely follow

So here I am, sitting here on a rainy Saturday afternoon reading the news when I run across this:
Dallas names the Illegal Immigrant as Texan of the Year

Texas is the largest state in the lower 48 and somewhere within that vast population I'm sure that someone must have contributed enough to qualify for this. Past recipients were George W. Bush, and a former police officer who's two sons were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is truly a sign that our great nation is in danger of failing as long as these liberal chowder heads are in control.

I'm sure that Time Magazine's vaunted "Person of the Year" will go to that woman who got herself fixed so she wouldn't pollute the environment.