Tag: 2003

My apologies to all for my long absence. Between a shattered wisdom tooth and the Fire Pits of Apokolips (aka southern California), it’s been a hectic (and often unpleasant) week. Still, this too(th) shall pass, and though I am less “wise,” I’m much happier now that I’m short one molar appendix. Anyway, here’s wisdom for ya: there’s a reason the scariest torturers in spy fiction are evil dentists, though all divinity bless those who use their powers for good.…

Unsurprisingly, some of our troops don’t want to go back to the war zone when their leaves are up. This is human nature, the survival instinct kicking in on top of any of the other reasons these soldiers might have.

But what to do about them?

MORE

Soldiers failing to return from leave on schedule is an old story for the military, but nonetheless potentially a significant problem for commanders. Soldiers could face demotion or jail time for the offense.

“We had the same problem in Vietnam,” said retired Marine officer Gary Solis, who commanded a company in Vietnam and later wrote a history on military law during that war.

Hesiod is a genius:

IS DEAN THE NEW MCGOVERN?: I am still trying to figure out why people think equating Howard Dean with a decent, brave, highly-respected public servant, who EVERYONE WITH A BRAIN IN THEIR HEAD wishes to God had won the 1972 election…is some kind of slur.

Note to Howard Dean — RUN WITH IT. Actually incorporate the McGovern comparison into your stump speech, and tell people how proud and flattered you are to be compared to such a great American.

Then REMIND people who he lost to in 1972.

It’s been interesting reading the political blogs of late. One thing seems to have been uniting liberal and conservative bloggers alike — hatred of the Yankees.

Well, I’m against Microsoft, AOL, and Dubya, but I’m a lifelong Yankees fan and proud of it. I stuck with them through the lean years (Don Mattingly, one of the truly great players and gentlemen of the game, never got his ring) and knowing that they vanquished our old foes, the spiteful Red Sox, gives me most of the satisfaction I want. Most, but not all.…

Well, I’m glad to be back to blogging, after a long (and unintended) break due to the dreaded Real Life Attack syndrome. I went to my first protest (a truly wonderful experience, though I left when our side’s wingnuts began baiting the cops), ran a lot of errands, did some other writing, and spent time with my family.

Meanwhile, however, life goes on. And sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction:…

Oh, yeah, things are going really well in Iraq.

From the article Hesiod quotes:

A broad survey of U.S. troops in Iraq by a Pentagon-funded newspaper found that half of those questioned described their unit’s morale as low and their training as insufficient, and said they do not plan to reenlist.

…

In the too ironic for words department:

“There are a lot of things that are said by people that are their views,” [Donald Rumsfeld] said, “and that’s the way we live. We are free people and that’s the wonderful thing about our country, and I think for anyone to run around and think that can be managed or controlled is probably wrong.”

No comment necessary.…