You know my name .... it is Infidel

(Editor's Note: Being a gentleman lost out this time and, pardon the expletive, to hell with political correctness. This is the second part to the email I received from an old friend, a once-upon-a-time captain in the U.S. Army. He is further right politically, further toward military solutions to problems, further .... well, you know, further than me, but he also is more of a social liberal in many other regards than am I. (Life is a mix, not a doctrine written in stone, in case you have not noticed.) To complete this circle, I have gone to the internet and ordered a couple of t-shirts which include the word, "Infidel," on them, front and back. I want no mistakes made in that regard. I will stand against anyone who attempts to impose religious restrictions/beliefs upon others. Again, I am tired beyond measure of a do-nothing Congress and an ostrich for a president, and I need to unleash a bit of this frustration in a post. In a sentence, I am disillusioned with a United States that does nothing about massacres of civilians in Syria or about Russian invasions of the Ukraine or about Christians being persecuted in any number of countries. I do not turn the other cheek and I resent American politicians who do. Again, there is no illustration/photograph to accompany this post. And, the musical selection is much shorter than it was in my last post. It is an instrumental rendition of: "You Know My Name," from the James Bond film "Casino Royale." In this instance, my name is "Infidel.") 

 U.S. Navy Directive 16134

Inappropriate T-Shirts

The following directive was issued by the commanding officer of all naval installations in the Middle East.

(Editor's side note: It obviously was directed at the Marines.)

To:  All Commands
Subject: Inappropriate T-Shirts
Ref:  ComMidEast For Inst 16134//24 K

All commanders promulgate upon receipt:

The following T-shirts are no longer to be worn, on or off base, by any military, or civilian personnel, serving in the Middle East:

1. 'Eat Pork or Die'
  [Both English and Arabic versions]

2.  'Shrine Busters'
  [Various.  Show burning minarets or bomb/artillery shells impacting Islamic shrines.  Some with unit logos.]

3.  'Goat  - it isn't just for breakfast any more.'
  [Both English and Arabic versions]

4.  'The road to Paradise begins with me.'
  [Mostly Arabic versions, but some in English. Some show sniper scope cross-hairs.]

5.  'Guns don't kill people. I kill people.'

6.  'Pork. The other white meat.'

7.  'Infidel'

The above T-shirts are to be removed from Post Exchanges upon receipt of this directive.

In addition, the following signs are to be removed upon receipt of this message:

1.  'Islamic Religious Services Will Be Held at the Firing Range at 0800 Daily.'

2.  'Do we really need 'smart bombs' to drop on these dumb bastards?'

All commands are instructed to implement sensitivity training upon receipt.

Sort of military rules of engagement

(Editor's Note: I have a friend who once was an officer in the U.S. Army [Yes, I occasionally do associate with Army-types.] and who recently sent me an email entitled, "Military Rules of Engagement." As he points out, it obviously was written by a Marine or a once-upon-a-time Marine. As some of you might recall, January 24 is the anniversary of signing my name on the dotted line with the U.S. Marine Corps. I thought I might run this email then, on that "magical, mystical, mysterious anniversary day" [Yes, I am trying to be funny.], but I am having a rough month and decided I cannot wait until then. [Who knows where life will have taken us by then .... and, I need a few laughs now ....] I will add that while this piece undoubtedly will offend a few who are devoted politically correct individuals, it is pretty typical of military humor and the "good-natured" insults that go back and forth between members of the various branches of the U.S. military. How much truth is involved here, how much sarcasm, how much silliness .... well, I will leave it to you to decide. So, here is your choice: Either laugh with us or point your nose higher in the air and stop reading right now. By the way, there is a "part two" to this; I am not certain I will run it .... political correctness .... bah, humbug !! And, while there is no illustration today, there is a bit of rock music with some absolutely fantastic guitar work by Michael Schenker to accompany the words. So, here are the "rules of engagement" as someone, somewhere believes them to be .... semper fi, baby ....)

US Marine Corps Rules:
1.   Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.
2.   Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
3.   Have a plan.
4.   Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won't work.
5.   Be polite.  Be professional.  But have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
6.   Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a '4.'
7.   Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice.  Ammo is cheap.  Life is expensive.
8.   Move away from your attacker.  Distance is your friend.  (Lateral and diagonal preferred.)
9.   Use cover or concealment as much as possible.
10. Flank your adversary.  When possible, protect yours.
11. Always cheat; always win.  The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12. In ten years, nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
13. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating your intention to shoot.

US Army Ranger Rules:
1.  Walk in 50 miles wearing 75 pound rucksack while starving.
2.  Locate individuals requiring killing.
3.  Request permission via radio from 'Higher' to perform killing.
4.  Curse bitterly when mission is aborted.
5.  Walk out 50 miles wearing a 75 pound rucksack while starving.

US Army Rules:
1.  Curse bitterly when receiving operational order.
2.  Make sure there is extra ammo and extra coffee.
3.  Curse bitterly.
4.  Curse bitterly.
5.  Do not listen to 2nd Lieutenants; it can get you killed.
6.  Curse bitterly.

US Air Force Rules:
1.  Have a cocktail.
2.  Adjust temperature on air-conditioner.
3.  See what's on HBO.
4.  Ask 'What is a gunfight?'
5.  Request more funding from Congress with a 'killer' Power Point presentation.
6.  Wine and dine 'key' Congressmen, invite DOD and defense industry executives.
7.  Receive funding, set up new command and assemble assets.
8.   Declare the assets 'strategic' and never deploy them operationally.
9.   Hurry to make 13:45 tee-time.
10. Make sure the base is as far as possible from the conflict, but close enough to have tax exemption.
11  Always have ICE CREAM.

US Navy SEAL Rules: 
1.  Look very cool in sunglasses.
2.  Kill every living thing in sight.
3.  Adjust Speedo.
4.  Check hair in mirror.

US Navy Rules:
1. Go to Sea.
2. Drink Coffee.
3. Insert SEALS.
4. Deploy Marines.
5. Launch Aircraft and Missiles 350 miles away from fighting.
6. Drink more Coffee.
7. Shout: Go Navy!

View looking down into a canyon of a city

This Blackberry view belongs to anyone who dares to fly .... and, who is not bothered by a bit of fog. The first song may be for me; the second song may be for she.

So much for resolutions
 

No resolutions this year. I made five last year (that I recall), and did not manage to keep a single one of them. Here they are in abbreviated form:
 

To participate in an archaeological dig. Nope.
 

To visit a certain town and war memorial in Germany. No, I did not make it, but I will continue to think about doing so .... this year, maybe ??
 

To kiss a woman or two who I never had kissed before. No-o-o-o-o .... actually, I am beginning to wonder if my heart and my head are frozen in the past, and if I hesitate too much, too often, for fear of making a bad choice/poor decision.
 

To exercise twice a day, at least five days a week. Well, I scored about six out of ten on that one.
 

To cut down on my whining. Never will I accomplish that task, even if I would live to be one hundred.
 

So, no resolutions for 2015 .... but, I am open to suggestions.
 

A medical puzzle
 

The first segment of this post might seem frivolous, but my mood is not. I am wired, strung out, nerved up and on edge, as I have described myself from time to time to a beautiful, young lady I once pursued. The music here this evening is a good indicator of my state of mind.
 

Physically, at least, I am all in one piece. My doctor pronounced me in perfect health and excellent condition following my annual examination the day after Christmas. Too bad my mind does not keep pace with my body. I am open to suggestions in this regard, too.

At the moment, Benedictine or brandy or Southern Comfort is my "calm and cool medication" of choice. My doctor had nothing better to recommend. I think I puzzle her and frustrate her .... in a medical manner, I mean .... and, I have a couple of old scars which seem to intrigue her ....
 

 

Happy New Year & dream on

Where has time gone? It must be somewhere. Or, is it nowhere? Was it ever real? The pocket watch in the photograph (the case of which, incidentally, is 14K solid gold) was made in 1883 and once was held in the hand of a living, breathing, dreaming man who long ago (pardon the allusion) became dust in the wind. The wrist watch only dates to 2011, has more than a bit of gold itself (love it) and still adorns than arm of a living, breathing, dreaming man -- but, one who seems to have lost his way reconciling time present with time past, which is necessary to move along into time future. Did I lose you? Never mind. As for the music, beginning and end are dreams .... or, should that be, end and beginning are dreams ??

Measuring time in black & white

Have you ever .... have you ever lost your past? This is to say, your past does not seem like reality, like events you experienced, like moments you lived? Rather, your past seems like chapters in books you have read, like episodes in films you have watched, like fragments in dreams you have had on restless nights?

That seems to be what I am in the midst of right now. It is like I have no real past. It is like all there is for me -- all that exists for me -- is the present. There is now; no before. Whether or not there is a future, a tomorrow, a time after awakening in the morning, I am uncertain.
 

It sounds silly, perhaps. It sounds ludicrous, crazy, ridiculous, like fiction, perhaps. But, it is none of those things. It is my reality.
 

There is no past. There may be no future. There is only now, and now comes and goes in the blink of an eye or in a glance at the sweep of the second hand on a clock -- whichever lasts the longer.
 

Whatever .... it seems like an improbable but distinctive way to begin another new year, which may or may not actually exist. Dream, baby .... sweet dreams, baby, for as long as it lasts .... and, do not look at the calendar to measure actual time, because it is done by the mind, not by the orbits of the planets ....
 

 

 

The few who live forever .... a re-run

Maybe, there never was or will be time for us

(Editor's Note: As I wrote on December 10, I planned to post a piece between Christmas Day and New Year's Day and, in fact, already had written it. But, instead, I now find myself re-printing this "story told in column form" from October 23, 2009, five years and two months ago today. I re-read it after noticing that someone had looked at it a few days ago. What struck me was the similarity between it and the words I had planned on running next week; they are like two sides of a coin. I felt a compelling urge to re-post this piece -- for its second appearance -- right now. I probably will run "the other" in a few days -- or, I might not. Moody guy, am I, and my mood is like the swirls and eddies and shifting currents of a swiftly moving river. [Uffff .... I can close my eyes and it is like I can feel/sense myself once again swimming in such a stream, in deep water, with currents and temperatures varying between the surface and a few feet below .... warm on the surface; icy cold below .... the river is me and I am the river and, perhaps, a few of you are able to understand what I am saying if you have experienced such a swim or have a good imagination {possibly, it is an allegory of emerging into the world during birth ?? }] .... anyway, it is Christmas in two days and I wish you a merry, joyous, peaceful few moments and successful swimming, no matter where you do it .... see you later .... next year, I think. By the way, I am on the road, not far from home, in a town named Rochester, Minnesota .... I sort of like it here and thought I would be here a few days .... not so .... I will be on the move again tomorrow, as it turns out .... )
 

Somewhere in time
(Originally published October 23, 2009)

I have fallen from beyond the sky,
And risen from the bottom of the sea;
Where else can I go, what else can I be?

I have given life, I have taken life,
And kept my life when all others have died;
What else is left to do, what else can be tried?

I have known brilliance, I have enjoyed beauty,
And scattered all the Muse with my sullen glance;
Who else might I find, who else is worth the chance?

I have flown upon visions, both in day and night,
And studied long to understand this endless chase;
When will it come to pass, when will I glimpse her face?

--vwsd