john_of_arabia

For those of you who don't know me, I'm a Sergeant First Class in the Army National Guard, Iraqi Veteran, observer of life, traveler and photographer. I keep my personal life close hold, and my LJ stays locked to avoid the prying eyes of Uncle Sam. If I've commented on your journal, it's because I've found something you've said to be interesting. Comment to be added. If I don't it's more to keep my Friends page readable than anything.

I'm middle of the road political, fiercley patriotic, an insufferable Yankee, and I don't suffer fools too easily. I'm also fiercely loyal to my friends, and a dispenser of great wisdom.

Yesterday I invited a fellow LJ'er to come over to my blog to debate abortion, out of respect for the journal we were "discussing" it on. 

So, ginasketch , ms_daisy_cutter , pixxelpuss , happiestsadist here is your invitation. 

I have friends on here who are pro-life and pro-abortion. Fell free to discuss this with them and me in any way you feel fit. 

Or don't.  



Edited: I thought not. I guess people are only brave in their comfort zone. Still, I did offer it to 4 of them. You would think there would be safety in numbers.

Went hiking after work Tuesday evening. We drove up to the southern Adirondacks. I was either point or rear guard. Dave and I took turns making sure everyone stuck together. 

 

Annual training, pics follow:

I was just thinking, as I rode along in the back of a 1098, waving to the crowds, how things have changed. 

First, it was us. We had two humvees and an LMTV. 8 troops, one of whom was an air force person. I had nothing better to do today, but the BN was drilling and this was the most that they could get to volunteer. 

If you go to any armory in NY, there are the pictures. Long lines of men, sepia colored panographic shots of doughboys clustered around a company guidon, dates scratched into the photo, Pine Camp, 1914. Shots of columns of troops marching down Broadway in any little city. Dozens of ranks, the men grinning jauntily with their Campaign Hats tilted back on their heads.  You can see the optimism in their eyes, even the ones who have just returned from the Great War.

Today there was 8 of us. 

Some changes are good. A black man, 2 women. 4 white guys. a hispanic guy. We're quality, far better educated and dedicated than the draftees of old. But how few we are.  

Then the people. In those old photographs, there were hundreds, crowded so that the sidewalks were overflowing. The men all wore hats and ties, or dress shirts and suspenders, shoes.  The women wore dresses, and the cheered. You could see it in their faces, their pride in being part of a country that was going somewhere. 

Today, we rolled along at a walking pace, past tattoos, spandex, bare chests, underwear puffing out of low slung jeans. There was an air of drunkeness, which I'm sure was there back then, but you can't see it from the pictures.  What you saw now, and didn't see then, was an aura of seediness.  A collective sense of loss. As we rolled by, you could almost feel the echo of those long dead boots, and the ghosts of the crowds pressing around you. The grandchildren of  those crowds  felt it too, and they brightened as we passed, and waved, and sometimes cheered, but they didn't seem sure of what they were cheering for.

From my latest Fotojournal post.




Random pics, no story ths time. Tell me what you think.

 This afternoon I took a run down through the Mohawk Valley, out ot Cobleskill. At the county fairgrounds, they were having a "Restored Military Vehicle Show". Pics of the show, and my ride back through the Valley, follow. 

Stolen from

radiantsun 

 

 Did a driveabout with the camera today. Results follow:


next stop was up into the Catskills


Hope you all enjoyed the tour, and here's one for the ladies. 

 

What do you think? I'm a little mixed on my reaction. I see the credit mess as getting worse, becasue just about everyone I know is way overextended.

Cut follows:

Tell me what you think I'm seeing a slow down in new businesses wanting space to lease on my properties. I'm not an economist, but I can see things like this happening. Common sense says that you can't spend what you don't have.

Debate time:

How far have we strayed from the intent of the Founding Fathers for this country?

Have we strayed at all?

State your position, provide valid references, and be prepared to defend your position. Be respectful.

Crosslink to invite others, I've opened it to everyone.

Having a bit of a debate with the "legalize drugs and all our problems go away" crowd.  

http://ernunnos.livejournal.com/1557230.html

You can either join in, or we can discuss it here. As a parent, (and a rightous prick, as I've been called before) I say hell no. 

One of the main things we''ve been debating is my point that, as a parent, I have a right to expect society to provide a safe environment for me to raise my children in. This includes minimal exposure to things which are generally considered by said society to be harmful. 

In response, I've been called a "welfare queen", told that my contribution to society as a soldier was worthless, and that if I had to rely on society banning drugs to keep my kids from using them then I'm a failure as a parent.   

My responses have been measured and polite. I have said that making drugs illegal is just one more tool in the parenting toolbox to help you raise your kid, in that if your child sees that society as a whole doesn't condone drug use, then it helps get the message across.  If you look at inner cities, where law enforcement is meaningless and drugs are freely available, you see an incredible breakdown in parenting, responsibility, and society in general. I seriously doubt that making drugs legal there would change things. Less violence maybe, but far more addiction and neglect. ALso, what does it matter to a crack addict if his $10 hit is going to come from the corner or from the drug store? They're still going to commit a crime to get it. 

I'd really like to here form people, esp. law enforcement officers and parents.

 Menawhile, a few miles from where I work, the "jackbooted thugs" have been at work ...

http://www.troyrecord.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18816887&BRD=1170&PAG=461&dept_id=7021&rfi=6

 
Weapons free, comment away.  Interesting that my office window is well within range of a .50 cal.

And in other news, not to far from home, 

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=220654

 Greetings from the Shire. Sometimes I love my drive into work ...

SO, who is going to be our next President? Make your choice, explain your reason, and then give predictions of what may happen during their presidency. Defend your position, and convince others if you can. No flaming, Keep it civil.

Notice I said who is GOING to be, not who do you want.

Iraq war, won or lost, or should I say, winnable or lost?

Debate away.

Everyone on my F'list MUST participate, if possible. No flaming.

I'm giing firends only, thanks to the good 'ole US Army. Not that they couldn;t crack it if they wanted to, but whateva.

Meanwhile, check this out. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eimPhKllkcQ