Year 2, Day 259 (So Many People Without Sense Nor Focus, Part 2)

I had mentioned in yesterday's post that there were two things that disturbed me... well here is the second. Recently the President of Iran spoke at the UN. This, in itself, is nothing new. He's spoken there several times, and about the same issue: anti-Semitic vitriol. There are several things wrong with this; a) he spoke at the UN this past Wednesday, which was Yom Kippur (about as coincidental as protests in the Middle East occurring on 9/11, to protest an anti-Islam video that had been on YouTube since July); b) the photograph of Ahmedinijad:

This is the same photo that was not only run by the New York Post (did you notice he's flashing a "peace" sign all the while he's spewing hate), but was also used for an article in the New York Daily News

Now here is where I connect the dots between yesterday's post and this one: There is a backlash against Victoria's Secrets latest lingerie line, but silence concerning the above stated facts of Ahmedinijad's anti-Israel stance?! Really?! Ahmendinijad wants to see the total destruction of Israel, a.k.a. genocide - remember that word from the sickening events that developed in Rwanda several years back - where's the outcry now!! Israel has been behind the U.S. for many decades, yet, our current government CONTINUES to completely disregard Israel - and blatanly disrespect their Prime Minister - and continues to do NOTHING on the issue of Iran. Iran speaks in the UN: the masses are silent; Victoria's Secret come oput with new lingerie and you come unglued for no good reason! There have been more outcries of "racism" these past 3 1/2 years than I have ever seen before.

That's the problem with our society: we have become a bunch of spineless, over-sensitive pansies, while Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood are planning world domination... but many don't care, as long as they have a mindless cause to protest and their "reality" TV shows.

How's this: wake up and be a part of REAL reality.

Year 2, Day 251 (Fire The D.J.'s And You Stop The Spin)

Pretty recently, a man whom I know through social media (though we haven't yet met in real life) and I engaged in a pretty good conversation, which actually sparked this post. I won't reveal his real name, so let's call him "Mike" (that's seems a common enough name). Mike and I were discussing what's going on in the Middle East, more specifically between Israel and Iran. He views Israel's Prime Minister Netenyahu as being "war hungry" toward Iran. I feel differently. Here's a few differences between the two: PM Netenyahu has never called for the destruction of Iran, Ahmedinijad has called for Israel's destruction... on many occasions... in many different forums (to include the U.N. General Assembly, right in NYC); Netenyahu was never involved in taking American hostages, Ahmedinijad has (remember 1978-79?); Israel has nuclear weapons, Iran wants nuclear weapons (they key difference here is Israel has them for possible use in a defensive measure, whereas Iran has already made it known they want nuclear weapons to destroy Israel. But you know it wouldn't stop there, Iran would further use the weapons against other "infidel" nations... which definitely would mean the U.S.

Mike and I agree that we need to pull our troops out of the Middle East. I also think that our Government needs to stop meddling in the affairs of the Middle East especially since NOBODY in Washington has any clue about the culture NOR the mindset... and I will stress - they have NO CLUE!

During our diatribe, Mike had mentioned Bush never finding the WMD's. Let's look back in history briefly. First, then-President G.W. Bush, in the days & weeks following 9/11, was responding to the intelligence reports he was given by then-Director George Tenet. Tenet had been appointed the deputy DCI (Director of Central Intelligence) in 1996. At the end of 1997, the then-DCI, John Deutch abruptly resigned, making Tenet the acting DCI. Shortly after that, he was unanimously appointed, after then-National Security Advisor to Clinton, Anthony Lake, was blocked for confirmation, then withdrew his nomination for the position.

As you can see, there were a lot leech-lines to this cesspool known as "politics". Much like there were leech-lines with the WMD debacle. When Bush went to the U.N. to get the green light to send troops (which I don't think he should have asked the U.N., but rather told them what we were going to do... we were attacked!) into Iraq, there had already been dirty money being made due to the "Oil For Food" scandal. It's possible that some of that dirty money made its way into the pockets of certain U.N. Diplomats. It had already been discovered that Germany and France had business dealings with Iraq, under Hussein (another point of irony: it was also Germany and France who's opposing vote blocked the U.S. from sending troops weeks earlier). I'll put it this way: U.N. "sources" (probably directly tied to Germany and France) get in touch with Iraqi officials with the message (to put in non-Diplomat terms), "Something's getting ready to go down and we're are trying to hold off the dogs... whatever you have - make it disappear!" It sounds kooky, but when you consider that, on multiple occasions, when U.N. Inspectors were searching facilities in Iraq (stemming from the post-Desert Storm U.N. resolution treaty/agreement), it was almost laughable that they were denied access and run off by either Iraqi troops, government officials, or both.

Getting back to Israel... to put it in a nutshell: if our Government can't even protect our own people, then have no right to tell Israel not to defend theirs. Ahmedinijad is not only a danger to Israel, he is a danger to the world. Remember, we didn't realize how dangerous Adolf Hitler was until the world found out he had murdered millions before anything was done.

By the way, thanks you, "Mike" for the discussion. Did I miss anything?

Year 2, Day 247 (Look Beyond The Smokescreen)

Some interesting developments have occurred over the past few days. It's no secret that rioting and attacks upon our embassies and missions have been taking place in the Middle East. Somehow, this furor has been in "protest" over an anti-Islam movie on the internet. A few interesting facts:

1) this "movie" - which is actually very low-budget - was uploaded onto YouTube back in July, by its director, who goes by the pseudonym of Sam Bacile;

2) The present home of this director is in California;

3) Those who are "protesting" have, in the past, shown to be, not only well organized, but also computer savvy... so why such a delay in the "uproar"... such as to "coincide" with 9/11?

Another point to consider is that, in the aftermath of the attacks (and subsequent murders of diplomats and embassy staff), President Obama was quoted as saying,

"As we mourn their loss, we must also send a clear and resolute message to the world: those who attack our people will find no escape from justice. We will not waver in their pursuit. And we will never allow anyone to shake the resolve of the United States of America,"

Yet, last night (as reported by The Guardian) a man named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who is thought to be the director (or as the article says, the writer & producer) behind the aforementioned "movie" (a.k.a. Sam Bacile), was brought in for questioning by police in California. Not arrested, just brought in for questioning.

Voluntarily.

At around midnight.


Going back to the President's comment:

"Those who attack our people will find no escape from justice. We will not waver in their pursuit."

Last I checked, Nakoula did NOT "attack our people". The only crime that he can be charged with at this point is violating parole, for using an alias (he had been on parole stemming from previous charges of bank fraud). The article from The Guardian was also reference in a shortly followed blog post by Glenn Reynolds on the InstaPundit website. What I find very eerie - and some of you may call me paranoid - is that the photograph (shown in both of the above links) is of Nakoula being escorted by the police, whom, ironically enough, were wearing brown shirts (reminiscent of the Nazi regime). That may be a coincidence, but there have been too many coincidences with this administration, linked to Nazi-era Germany. If this develops into the direction I suspect, Nakoula could face more serious charges, or be extradited to the Middle East... which gives rise to the thought that Sharia Law may be one step closer to being embedded here in America. Again, so much for "separation of Church and State". Granted, the talk is that Nakoula filmed the "movie" in a way that its cast "didn't know what the film was about" and there were times of obvious overdubbing of some lines, but if what I mentioned earlier, that would set a new precedent... one we DON'T want... punishment for what can be perceived as blasphemy, especially if those offended are of ONLY one religion: Islam. We've seen the deteriorating of all other religions/faiths, while, at the same time, the building up of laws protecting Islam and Muslims.

Another blog of note on this subject is the recent posting by Mark Steyn of The National Review, which is quite scathing, but very much on target (both blogs were brought to my attention by the Facebook postings of Kevin Jackson of The Black Sphere website).

In closing, my wife - and a mutual friend of ours - posted something on Facebook that is right on the money:

"They will burn our flag, but they won't burn our currency."

Year 2, Day 244 (Have We Really Become So Jaded?)

The other day there were multiple protests/attacks on our embassies in the Middle East, more specifically, Egypt and Libya. Ironically this occurred on 9/11, yet our inept media outlets, such as CNN, even have the audacity to ask if the attacks were related?! Not only were they coordinated with one another, but with the date thay were to take place. In Egypt, it's reported that Ambassador Anne Patterson did not permit the Marine guards to have live ammunition. In Libya, Ambassador Christopher Stevens and several others were killed in the attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. What infuriates me is that our Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, actually made the statement that Libyan citizens were "carrying the Ambassador to the hospital." Just because she is clueless about Middle Eastern culture doesn't mean the rest of us are. I have not gone to school and studied their culture, but I do have a better understanding then the majority of people I know.

I'll let you in on how I've come to this basic level of understanding: the Bible. For Christians, and their pastors, in America - which has their origins from a European mindset, but deeply rooted from a Greek/Roman cultural mindset - and study from the Bible - which was written in a Middle Eastern mindset - yet expect it to make sense, is not only absurd, but also futile. For example (and this will shed some light on current events), for the Libyans to drag the body of Ambassador Stevens through the street is not only an insult, but the severest form of disrespect and desecration. It's in the Old Testament.
Muslims demanded that we honor their religious practices when Osama bin Laden was killed. The Muslims are not stupid. They are not even brilliant. But they use against us what we ourselves fail to use: common sense. They know we have a predominately "politically correct" society; they know we want to "honor" other religions and not offend them; they know that we have judges, lawyers, and lawmakers that are sympathetic to the Muslim religion, and want to be sure they are afforded certain leniencies in a court of law, that the rest of us would be fully prosecuted for. The Muslims know all of these things... and exploit them! Think of the states whose courts allow for Sharia Law exemptions. So much for separation of Church and State.

There is a reference I have made in the past when talking about the U.N. making resolutions against Iraq (and Saddam Hussein) in the years following Desert Storm, and I think it still holds true today for us. Many of you remember the Looney Toons cartoons. There is one where Bugs Bunny is confronted by Yosemite Sam. Bugs draws the line in the sand and tells Sam, "I dare you to cross this line!" When Sam does, Bugs draws another line and repeats the same words, the process is repeated several times.

We are Bugs, the Muslims are Sam.

Only this time, Bugs Bunny is the one that will fall off the cliff.

Year 2, Day 72 (2 Days And Counting Until I'm Home)

We unloaded this morning in Tulsa, then waited for a little while until our next load was assigned. This one has us picking up in Stillwell, OK (not far from the Arkansas state line) and delivering by 2300 (ET) tomorrow in Suwanee, GA (which is just north of Atlanta). As of now, it's unknown as to if Larry and I will take this on, then get another load back to Little Rock, AR so I can go home and Larry can take his final evaluation, then get his own truck. I say that because we are both low on our available hours on our 70 hour clock (we each had less than 14 this morning).

If I may, I'm going to make a detour from my usual banter...

A news report just released by the BBC is telling - or at least trying to tell - of the daily lives most Israelis endure on a daily basis. I've heard the protests of pro-Palestinian groups, even our own media reporting on the "attacks" allegedlt "perpetrated" by the IDF (Israeli Defense Force). Ironically enough, these very same entities FAIL to tell of the ongoing rocket attacks upon Israel from the Gaza strip. If Israel retaliates upon the terrorists and geurillas, they are immediately vilified... yet when the rockets are fired from Gaza (and there are MANY) - to include civilian victims - it is then my ears begin to throb in pain at the deafening silence. When Israel is attacked with rockets from Gaza, the UN has the audacity to tell Israel to use restraint... but nothing is said to the terrorists who fired those rockets.

Can you begin to see the worldwide political trend that is being set?

Day 300 (Are We Being Deceived?)

Recently my wife and I had a discussion regarding the Occupy Wall Street situation. There have been many other similar protests that have started around the country as well, but I'll try to put some focus on this OWS. Over time we have seen the erosion of our economy and our culture - some over a period of time, so as not to be noticeable; others more overt. One thing is for sure, I no longer think our current leaders are reliable nor trustworthy. When you look back in history, British economist John Maynard Keynes held an economic theory that, basically, believed a government could spend its way out of an economic slump... much the way our politicians are doing now - also the way Roosevelt did before... as did Mussolini.

When it comes to OWS there are so many facets to the web (source of funds raised, support groups, etc.) that it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep them all in line. Recently there were a couple young men from Cairo that joined, "in solidarity", the OWS movement. This was recently reported by Israel National News. They were part of what became known as the "Arab Spring" - the trouble is, most of those Middle East protests had The Muslim Brotherhood backing them. Also reported by INN back in early September was on how the "Arab Spring" could end up being bad - very bad - for Israel.

This also hold true when Marwan Muasher , a Jordanian, is speaking in support of the Muslim Brotherhood - and also is endorsed by George Soros. According to Matthew Vadum in his article on the Human Events website, Soros provides funding for the Open Society Institute and the Tides Foundation, as well as the Alliance For Global Justice... the organization that is now (coincidentally enough) handling all the donations that are coming in to support OWS.

In this day and age (and with the rampant corruption in our government - in ALL parties) I support the idea - as well as the actual execution - of protests... as long as they are truly against what has been going on. To protest against Wall Street is the same as protesting (nowadays) the government. The only difference is your expecting one facet of the entity to come to your aid to battle the other facet of that same entity! What it comes down to is this: certain people (inside AND outside our government) are pulling the strings in order to get the masses to do what they want, a.k.a. Hegelian Dialectic. If we don't take a real stand against ALL politicians, the result could be a grotesque Socialist/Communist/Fascist hybrid - trust me, the fuel economy on that hybrid really sucks.

Day 267 (Just Waiting It Out)

We are still parked here in Bentonville, AR just waiting it out until we make our delivery at 0500 tomorrow, which, as some of you already know, I really don't care for those early morning deliveries - especially when I can't park closer to the customer than what I am now.

Last night, while hanging out here at Starbucks, I was fortunate enough to engage in some real conversation - intellectually stimulating. The gentleman whom I conversed with (mostly) was named Sherman, from Palm Beach, FL (not very far from my birthplace & "stomping grounds" of Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale). Our dialogue ran the gamut, spanning about 2 - 2 1/2 hours, when we parted ways 1 1/2 hours after Starbucks closed. We did share the same view concerning the recent Palestinian Authority bid for statehood, in that the whole media coverage of it is a farce. First of all, it's interesting how there are so many that seem to "forget" that the breakdown in the peace talks between the PA and Israel was not due to PM Benyamin Netanyahu refusing to negotiate, but PM Mahmoud Abbas! For one thing, Abbas is now talking about calling for a renegotiation of - which could very well bring an end to - the Oslo Accords.

Second, it's interesting that there is such a push for Israel to revert back to the pre-1967 borders. During that war Israel was outnumbered, yet were still victorious. Therefore, the message that is being sent by the Arab world is, "it doesn't matter that we lost the war we initiated, as well as the land (*note* also referred to as the spoils of war), if we cry "injustice" long enough and loud enough, the rest of the world will pressure the victors to give it back to us." Palestine doesn't exist as a country, but that's the "title" given to them ever since the British Mandate in 1920. Also interesting, that one of the terrorist organizations within the PA is Hammas. If you do a little biblical research, you'll find that G-d called Noah to build an ark, because "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." (Genesis 6:11)... but when you look at it in the Hebrew text (this excerpt is taken from the Hebrew Today website):

וַתִמָלֵּא הָאָרֶץ חָמַס (בראשית, ו, יב)

“. . and the earth was filled with violence” ( Genesis 5,11 )

The word “חָמַס “ ( chamas ) is translated into English as “violence”. The Hebrew word for “ violence” is “ אלימות “ ( alimut ). So what is the difference between the two? חָמַס is a much more severe type of violence. Violence which contains injustice. It does not have to necessarily contain physical violence. Theft , embezzlement and fraud are all considered “חמס “.

Both the Hebrew word AND the terrorist group name are pronounced the same! Just some food for thought.


What are your thoughts?


- Another rant via BlogPress

Day 254 (Rebuttal To A Comment From Yesterday)

Today Chuck and I delivered our load on the north end of the Atlanta area. Once we finished unloading, we headed to the nearest truck stop to wait for our next load. When it came in this afternoon, we headed to the customer, which is just a couple miles from where we unloaded, though, because of a mixup between the customer and the broker, this has quickly become quite the fiasco (one of the reasons I don't care to deal with brokers). The broker has said the load is scheduled to deliver in New Albany, MS tomorrow at 2130, yet, the customer (where I'm loading) is saying it doesn't load until 2000 tomorrow. I'm letting Monica (my Fleet Manager) - along with our CSR - try to get it hashed out with the broker.

On another note, the blog I posted yesterday garnered a response on the blog's "comment" section. I usually get comments on either Facebook or Twitter in regards to the posts, but every once in a while I get one on the blog itself. As I posted at the end of my post for Day 245, I will post all comments, unless it takes on the appearance of "spam," so this comment I treated as a regular comment. This particular comment rather amused me. As a general rule, "spam," by definition, is trying to sell or market some type of service or technological assistance. I'll first post the comment (unedited), then analyze its content:


brinkka2011 says: How is it that just anyone can publish a blog and get as popular as this? Its not like youve said anything incredibly impressive more like youve painted a quite picture through an issue that you know nothing about! I dont want to sound mean, right here. But do you genuinely think that you can get away with adding some quite pictures and not truly say something?


Here's my rebuttal to "brinkka2011" - A) This was in my inbox as a post from "anonymous"; why not identify yourself?, B) *ahem* "as popular as this" - really?! Even the most basic research wasn't done! Had this person even looked, they would see I have 10 subscribers through Blogger, and another 5, via Networked Blogs, and (I'll be nice and just cover 3 areas), C) "an issue you know nothing about" - that statement alone is laughable. 9/11 is an issue I know nothing about... now that's rich! "brinkka2011," when if you have a desire for a real debate, bring some facts - and some SOLID issues to discuss - and we can address this like intellectual adults... until then, go trolling on somebody else's blog!

I could go on a brutal tirade with "brinkka2011", but I'm in good spirits today: I got a funny comment on yesterday's post AND I got my trademark coffee (grande triple Marble Mocha Machiatto) from Starbucks... a pretty good Monday (even if I am waiting until tomorrow to load).


- Another rant via BlogPress

Day 253 (Remembering 9/11/2001)

Ten years ago a terrible tragedy took place - the attack, and subsequent destruction - of the Twin Towers of New York City. Many of us have our own story to tell of what we were doing that day. I do as well, but here I will NOT share it! The reason being is this day shouldn't be remembered by memories of what we were doing, but by how it has affected our lives, communities, and most importantly, our nation. Ten years ago, I was living in Hemet, California. The night of 9/10/01 things were as I would expect them to be: people in a rush to go nowhere, and every once in a while, a motorist might show a little courtesy to either a fellow motorist or a pedestrian. 24 hours later brought a turn-around: people would yield their right of way at intersections, using their turn signals, even allowing somebody to cut in front of them during peak traffic hours... and miniature copies of Old Glory flying from just about every vehicle that drove down the street, Sadly enough, things reverted back only one month later.

As time has gone on (and after going back out on the road, I was able to see a broader spectrum of this complacency), the slogan, "Never Forget 9/11" always seems to pop up everywhere a week before the annual memorial. The truth of the matter is, we have many entities to blame for this tragedy happening. The Muslim world, for one. After all, seeing the footage of the celebrations and the dancing in the streets shortly after the towers fell... they certainly weren't having a block party! They call us "infidels" and despise our way of life... yet never give a second thought about about using Western technology (cell phones, computers, automobiles, etc.). They are truly cowards when they hide behind black hood, store their arms & ammunition in their own mosques, even attack and kill their own fellow Muslims, just so they can instill fear and control over them. I can almost bet that the "peaceful" Muslims would not be peaceful any longer if there were an actual Jihad called upon the Western world.

Another entity that we can put blame upon would be our own government. Before 9/11, the Twin Towers had already been attacked once before, just 8 years earlier. I remember this because I was in the Marine Corps, and all of Camp Pendleton was locked down when it happened. When you start looking a little closer at events and how they tie in with one another, you begin to see a pattern. The attack in 1993 didn't work, so the Muslim radicals began to explore other methods, also referred to as "trial and error." Since 9/11 there are other similar patterns. There was an attempted bombing several years ago in Oklahoma City. OK, during an OSU football game. It was an "attempt" because the security officers were diligent and refused to let a patron in because he refused to allow his backpack to be searched. The device went off in a field outside the stadium killing only the potential bomber. This was an event that wasn't reported on any of the mainstream media outlets. FOX didn't cover it because then it would have sent the message that Conservatives didn't want to get out: "we are not as safe as we led you to believe"; ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN didn't report it because it would have sent the message, "perhaps Muslims are not as peaceful as we want you to believe," and that would have contradicted their ideology as well.

Then there is the post 9/11 activities. Throughout the past 10 years we have succumbed to the "Politically Correct" ideology that has been force-fed to us, using the military as the test subjects. In 1993 was when the military began the "Stress Card" program - recruits were issued a "Stress Card" at boot camp. If any recruit felt he or she were getting too "stressed out," they held the card up, and the Drill Instructors could not do their job (i.e. build up discipline, create camaraderie/integrity, in short, an environment that a soldier or Marine must endure in a combat situation). That was probably just the stepping stone which allowed for the shooting in Ft. Hood, TX to take place. Because of the practice of being "politically correct," Maj. Hassan couldn't be disciplined despite the fact that he had made comments of his extremist views in a forum of his fellow Army officers. He is a Muslim, I get that, but if you make Jihadist remarks, then you should be disciplined! He wasn't even confronted by his superiors when he made anti-America comments... that is NOT the military I served in, but, apparently, it's the military that our elected morons have created. The Ft. Hood debacle is just another example of the radicals "testing the waters" to see what their next plan of action will be.

In closing, let's not honor the fallen just on 9/11, let's treat everyday as if it's 9/11. Muslims threaten Israel on a daily basis. They despise Israel AND America; both the Jewish AND the Christian. Israel is surrounded by Muslim countries, yet they still exist and survive. If Muslims succeed in "wiping Israel from the face of the Earth," then how much easier will it be for them to attack us again (after all, they live among us all over the country). Be alert, be diligent, and, most of all, be persistent. We can't afford to be "Politically Correct" any more!

Above all, PRAY! Pray for our protection, for our leaders, for our troops... and for Israel!

- Another rant via BlogPress

Day 140 (Off The Beaten Path)

Rather than my usual banter, I would like - if I may - to veer off in a different direction.

Just the other day we were "honored" with yet another speech by The President. I didn't watch it on t.v., nor hear it on satellite radio, but was able to locate the text of what he said. However, there were a few things that stuck out. Those things I will address... but I will use his words, while attempting to not take it out of context (as is VERY common among politicians and mainstream media reporters).

I won't go through the entire speech, just a few select sections, such as this paragraph:

"For decades, the conflict between Israelis and Arabs has cast a shadow over the region. For Israelis, it has meant living with the fear that their children could get blown up on a bus or by rockets fired at their homes, as well as the pain of knowing that other children in the region are taught to hate them. For Palestinians, it has meant suffering the humiliation of occupation, and never living in a nation of their own. Moreover, this conflict has come with a larger cost the Middle East, as it impedes partnerships that could bring greater security, prosperity, and empowerment to ordinary people."

First of all, for him to say "For decades, the conflict between Israelis and Arabs has cast a shadow over the region." is a gross understatement. He is, more than likely, primarily referring to the time since Israel has been recognized as its own Nation. But the "conflict" goes back further than that... MUCH further. Rather than go into any great detail, I'll just make reference to an incident in 1929 - nearly 20 years BEFORE Israel became a nation.

Another thing that sticks out is "For Palestinians, it has meant suffering the humiliation of occupation, and never living in a nation of their own." The mere use of "occupation" implies that the land in which they live is already theirs, which it is NOT! The land, first of all, belongs to The G-D of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If you want to point fingers at the people of Israel and say that they took the land illegally, and they should move out, well... let's look at our OWN country. The land we live in was taken by force, illegally, so by using that same judgement, the only ones that should be left in THIS country are Native Americans and Mexicans.

Palestinians are also not a nation, but more of a nomadic people originally. They are of Arabic decent, yet their own Arabic neighbors are the ones REALLY abusing them, and propping them up for political gain. To put this into perspective, the Arab world treats the Palestinian people much the same way Al Sharpton did to the people of New Orleans did in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: they are helpful for an agenda, but once the hype dies down - and there's no further "face time" - they are cast aside and rendered as "useless". This whole fiasco is just set up to reveal our government's intentions: to vote in the affirmative, this September, for the creation of a Palestinian State. Obama further proved that with a statement, further on in his speech:

"As for security, every state has the right to self-defense, and Israel must be able to defend itself -- by itself -- against any threat."

Basically, The President is supporting a Palestinian state, and turning his back on Israel. Israel is an ally! Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you claim a nation to be an ally, that means you stand with them - and they with you - in any battle. You may not realize this, but Scripture points out that those who bless Israel, will be blessed, and those who curse Israel, will be cursed. We went through that already, with G. W. Bush. He supported, then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to give up the Gaza Strip in exchange for peace. Shortly after - VERY shortly after - Hurricane Katrina came out of nowhere. We were held responsible for our leader's actions. If a Palestinian State is voted in this September, Katrina will seem like a light shower compared to what will befall us!

This is just some food for thought - worthy of some serious rumination.

- Another rant via BlogPress

The Road Scholar - Day 18

From Noel, MO to Sterling, IL: 581 miles, 10 1/4 hours total driving... I know, I know - la-di-bloody-da. That was my day, and, though it was long, it turned out pretty productive. It gave me time to listen to more of my current audiobook, some music, and time to ruminate on the distant past (which was sparked by something I saw on Twitter last week).

A mutual follow (I follow them and vice versa) posted this:

That really got me to thinking: 20 YEARS, MAN!!! (if you didn't catch it, that is a reference to a line spoken by Jeremy Piven to John Cusak in Grosse Pointe Blank - except Jeremy uses the number 10, instead of 20). Yeah... it was actually 20 years ago. I reflected on many things during that time: temperatures in excess of 120°, living in the desert, and, of course, the daily battles we all had to face - continual attacks from entire brigades of... flies! While we attempted to "enjoy" a meal in the field, we were always swarmed by flies. Fellow Marines waving their hands over the food, even when it's on the fork enroute from the plates (or MRE package) to our mouths. And for the record... reading the book Dune by Frank Herbert while deployed in the Arabian Desert - NOT a good idea (unless you like the mind trips associated with it). I'll get into more detail on that another time.

One thing we all enjoyed was the influx of mail we got, most of which came from people we had never met, and in most cases, would never meet. This does not include the letters already coming in from friends & family. Many Marines received letters from single ladies. One guy in my platoon carried an exchange with a young lady, and their correspondence with one another was so sordid, it may well have been THE precursor for what is now referred to as "cyber sex." I myself had a few young ladies writing to me, but once the cease fire was called and we returned home, they, as well as I, lost interest. But of all the letters I received during that time, there was only one who's letters I looked forward to the most, and even our correspondence was completely by chance.

One day at mail call, I was handed a letter addressed "To Any Marine" - from somebody in Nebraska. Not only was I NOT from Nebraska, I didn't even KNOW anybody from there... but since that was the only letter I had - why not! The sender was an 11 year old girl named Kelli. She was in a school that got involved in this letter writing campaign that rapidly swept across the nation. What I liked most about Kelli's letters were her perspective of the world. She lived in a small town, which to her, that was "the world." I remember her once telling me, if memory serves correctly, of the hot air balloon festival in her town. She said, "it's a small town, so not a lot goes on here." I found her letters to be so precious, full of innocence... a viewpoint that hasn't been jaded by society, in the way we all succumb to as adults. Her letters, for me, served as an ideal escape into a rural community, away from the harsh reality I was presently sitting in. We wrote each other for months, even after I returned home... but unfortunately, we too lost touch, which is something I regretted for years.

Then over a year ago I get a friend request on facebook from a Kelli [I'm withholding her last name]. I do remember saying to myself, "self" (well, what would YOU say?). Seriously, though... I said, "I don't know any Kelli ****." There was also a message in my inbox from the same person... the body reading, "is this the same Doug Dowen that had a pen pal from Nebraska during Desert Storm?"

My heart didn't just skip a beat... it stopped!

This was THE SAME Kelli that, unbeknownst to her, saved my life, with just her letters... my "little sister."

Over time, we've been able to catch up a little. She is now married and had two sons. Kelli, to this day, probably has no idea what her letters did for me back then. At a low point in my life then, I actually didn't care if I came home - I had nobody to come home to. Her letters were what I needed to carry on. They gave me hope. When I came back and met Michelle (my wife), Michelle is the one that gave me a new beginning (my homage to her will be on March 23, which will also explain why I chose that date). But without Kelli's letters, that may not have happened. Kelli also probably doesn't realize she will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart. To me, she is like my baby sister, though we have yet to meet face-to-face. We spoke on the phone, briefly, about a week ago. She called me her "most favorite Marine in the world."

Then again, perhaps she DOES know...

Operation Desert Shield - 1990
(that's me kneeling in the center)