Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation

 
indigoinsights[at]hotmail[dot]com

Thanky to Say Uncle for the link to Classless Warfare's insight as to why the Dems are reluctant to nominate an A-A candidate for VP. I've often wondered that myself and Jay points out some factors I had not thought of before. (which, obviously was not difficult for Jay!) Interesting piece. Read it here.

If you're still wanting to complain to the horses' mouths, so to speak, TacJammer has linked to Email Addresses for Super Bowl Advertisers here.

Riverdog has his own weblog now. Stop by and get to know him, tell him hello and get a sampling of his writing wisdom while you're there. Welcome, Dawg!!!

SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST
In a link-jumping frenzy, beginning at From the Halls to the Shores, I stumbled upon Hog's Den. Spent a lot of time there because it's a true plethora of Marine Corps material and you all know how I love those dress blues!! Here are a few excerpts to tease you over to Hog's Den.

That Sweet Drill Instructor
The notion that some things never change has gone out the window in the 21st century. Everything changes. If you don't believe it, look what's happening in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and even in the Marines. According to a story in USA Today, basic training has gone to what amounts to social promotions in public schools. Everybody graduates. The new Army is bending over backward to help sad-sack trainees.
[Please go to the main page and read all of this piece. Read to the end. It's great!]

Death of the Warrior
Death of warrior culture dooms military -- TOM CRUISE, move over. The military has its own mission impossible -- recruiting and keeping key personnel. After falling 7,000 short of its recruitment goal last year (despite dangling lavish sign-up bonuses), the Army is now offering to help enlistees find civilian jobs when their tour of duty ends. The New Action Employment Service? For the last two years, 35 percent of those it did recruit failed to complete their initial enlistment -- a historic high. Young officers are stampeding for the exit door.
[Finish article on main page.]

Sound Familiar?
1945 - NCO's had a typewriter on their desks for doing daily reports.
1999 - everyone has an Internet access computer, and they wonder why no work is getting done.

1945 - we painted pictures of girls on airplanes to remind us of home.
1999 - they put the real thing in the cockpit.

1945 - your girlfriend was at home praying you would return alive.
1999 - she is in the same trench praying your condom worked.

1945 - if you got drunk off duty your buddies would take you back to the barracks to sleep it off.
1999 - if you get drunk they slap you in rehab and ruin your career.
[More here. This is just a sample.]

The Marine Corps and Psychotherapy
Copyright Fred Reed
Tell you what; I've had it with whiners. Further, if I hear the phrase "self-esteem" again, I'm going to kill something. It'll happen. Just wait. Some New Age, psychotherapeutically babbling little parsnip is going to gurgle to me about how arduous his life is, when he probably doesn't have a life to begin with, and about how its somebody else's fault, probably mine, and his self-esteem is all bruised and rancid and has warts on it. And I'm going to stuff him into a concrete mixer. No, wait. I've got a better idea. I'll pack him off instead to Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, in the festering mosquito swamps of South Carolina. I spent a summer there long ago, in a philosophy battalion. All battalions at PI are philosophy battalions. The chief philosopher was named Sergeant Cobb, and he was rough as one.
[This is a MUST READ essay. As usual, Fred pulls no punches.]

EXCERPTS FROM A SPEECH BY RADM J. STARK
MADE IN NEWPORT RI ON 10 NOVEMBER 1995....
The first reason I like Marines. They set high standards for themselves and those around them and will except nothing less. I like the way Marines march. I like the way Marines do their basic training whether it's Quantico, Parris Island, or San Diego I like the idea that Marines cultivate an ethos conducive of producing hard people in a soft age. I like the fact that Marines stay in shape. I like the fact that Marines have only one boss-the Commandant. And I like the directness of the Commandant. I like the fact that Marines are stubborn. I like the way Marines obey orders. I like the way the Marines make the most of the press. I like the wholehearted professionalism of the Marines. It occurred to me that the services could be characterized by different breeds of dogs. ..The Air Force reminds me of a French Poodle, the poodle always looks perfect... sometimes seems a bit pampered..always travels first class. But don't forget that the poodle was bred as a hunting dog and in a fight it's very dangerous, the Army is kind of like a St. Bernard. It's big and heavy and sometimes seems a bit clumsy, but it's powerful and has lots of stamina. so you want it for the long haul. The Navy, God Bless us, is a Golden Retriever. They're good natured and great around the house. Kids love em. Sometimes their hair is a bit long...they go wandering off for long periods of time and they love the water...Marines I see as two breeds, Rottweilers and Dobermans, because Marines come in two varieties, big and mean and skinny and mean. They've got really short hair and they always go for the throat. That sounds like a Marine to me. So what I really like about Marines is that 'first to fight' isn't just a motto, it's a way of life. From the day they were formed at Tun Tavern 221 years ago, Marines have distinguished themselves on battlefields around the world. From the fighting tops of the Bonhomme Richard, to the sands of the Barbary coast, from the swamps of New Orleans to the halls of Montezuma, from Belleau Wood, to the Argonne Forest to Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima, and Okinawa and Inchon, and Chosin Reservoir and Hue City and Quang Tri and Dong Ha, and Beirut, and Grenada, and Panama, and Somalia and Bosnia and a thousand unnamed battlefields in godforsaken corners of the globe. Marines have distinguished themselves by their bravery, and stubbornness and aggressive spirit, and sacrifice, and love of country and loyalty to one another. they've done it for you and me, and this Country we all love so dearly. And then asked for nothing more than the honor of being a United States Marine. And that is why I like Marines.

[ME TOO!]



posted by HCL at 7:26 PM