Random thoughts

3 July 2009 by Sarge

Having the day off is a dangerous thing here at the Command Post. You never know what will pop into one’s head while relaxing on the sofa in front of the idiot box.

My mind raced back 233 years to another hot, humid locale where 55 men met to discuss issues important to them in their day and time. Some of those same issues are prevalent today and not just with the current administration. Over the past decades, we have seen our liberties taken or restricted in ways the Founding Fathers could only imagine. Maybe they did, I can’t really say.

As we get ready for the next election cycle, keep some of these items in mind:

Real ID
Patriot ACT
Immigration
Gun Control
National Security
National Defense
Health Care Reform

The list goes on and on.

As you contemplate your choices when you next visit the ballot box, keep in mind not only what is good for you, but what is good for your neighbors, your neighborhood, your city, county, state and the nation as a whole. Take the time to learn who the candidates are, and where they really stand on the issues. Look at the voting records of the incumbents ans ask yourself is how they voted the way you wanted them to? If not, have you voiced your concerns to them? If not, why not?

Recently, I saw some stats on communicating with members of Congress and found them interesting:
e-mail or other electronic forms of communication = 1 person
Telephone communication = 10 people
Written letter = 100 people
I’ll see if I can find the source for those numbers.

As a side note, on Wednesday, the price of a pack of cigarettes when up by the a dollar. Smokers in this area now pay $1.34 in state taxes per pack. I saw that a carton of Marlboro’s now costs in excess of $50.00. Glad I am a reformed smoker.

Sarge, Out

Arrogance

14 April 2009 by Sarge

There has been a lot of media play of late about the President of the United States apologizing for the United States being an arrogant country. If one takes the time to look at our past history all the way back to 1776, I think we have every right to be arrogant. Let me provide a few examples:

First, in 1776, we declared our independence from Great Britain and the “Empire upon which the sun never sets.” While the British didn’t take to kindly to this, loss of revenues and such, they decided to come on and as they say today “bring it.” While they came and marched in beautiful formations, our Minutemen met them on the field of battle and kicked some British army tail. Not to say it was easy, but we had the fortitude to see it to the end.

Next, in 1812, the British decided they wanted a second helping of Colonial Whip A@@. They got so far as to burn Washington DC. Of all the government buildings, only two survived, the Patent Office because one man stood tall and convinced the British commander that it was a building worth saving, and the Marine Barracks. Yes, my friends, even the residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave was burned with Mrs. Madison escaping with the portrait of George Washington at the last possible moment.  U.S. – 2UK – 0

Let’s jump ahead a few years to a place called the Alamo. A small band of patriots stood off a larger better equipped Mexican army under the command of General Santa Anna, for about a week. Name such as Davey Crockett and James Bowie among others less known. Rumor has it that when informed of her son’s demise at the Alamo, Bowie’s mother stated that there was not a single wound to his back.

In 1860, we fought a little skirmish amongst ourselves, or as Sons of the South would call it “The war of Northern Aggression.” Not about slavery, as you were no doubtly told in school, but about whether states could just decide to leave the Union. In a place called Gettysburg, over the course of three days in July 1863, more men fought and died than any other place on American soil. Just so you know, General Robert E. Lee had 75,000 men that stood toe to toe with General George G. Meade’s 97,000. Neither army could gain the advantage over the other.

Moving into the 20th Century, we sent young men not much older than the cadets at the various Military Schools to Europe to help our allies fight off the Germans. Unfortunately, we had to do it again about a quarter century later. All we ever asked for in return was enough land to bury our dead.

What do you think; do we have a right to be arrogant? Who is it that steps up to the plate when there is some sort of natural disaster? A Tsunami in Indonesia, food shortages in Kenya, earthquakes in Mexico. We are the most giving nation on the face of the Earth today, and we have a President whose wife has stated that “America is a mean country.”

To those that think I agree that we are an arrogant country, you didn’t read the post closely enough. I only stated that we had every RIGHT to be, not that we were. We are a proud country and we welcome those that want to share in that pride with open arms.

Take a look around you. If you live in a military town, you can tell who the military members are. Not by the haircut, but by how they carry themselves. Especially Marines.

If you want to see arrogance, watch the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Every time he speaks, he is speaking down his nose. Watch him. Here is a man that won an election, but hasn’t stopped campaigning. He has been called a “gifted” speaker. But if you take away his teleprompter, he can’t put a coherent sentence together.

Has the Time Come?

8 April 2009 by Sarge

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

About two hundred thirty three years ago, fifty-six men met in a hot and humid city and pledged to each other their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor. One is said to have quipped, as he signed his signature prominently and in a large hand, “The British ministry can read that name without spectacles; let them double their reward.” As each man came forward and affixed his signature to that document, he committed treason. If caught, his life was forfeit and his lands would pass not to his heirs, but to the crown.

Of course the document that I am speaking of is the Declaration of Independence. But the same principles that applied to those 56 men in that hot and humid city apply today across this nation. Many who visit me here have sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC. My friends, our freedoms are being diminished and it is not an enemy from outside our shores. It is coming from inside. I urge each and every one of you to contact your elected representatives at all levels of government and remind them that they work for you and not the other way around. We, as Americans, need to take back our country. We need to stop this cancer that has infected the hallways of government from the city to the national level. From the Statehouse to the White House.

PC Run Amok

27 March 2009 by Sarge

Seems our Immigrant friend was sacked for insisting that customers cunduct business in the laguage of the land.  Why do I feel that it will not be too long before that happens here?

My friends and neighbors, we are on a slippery slope and we need to do whatever it takes to stop our downhill slide.  It will not be easy, but the end results will be worth it.

Sarge, Out

Of Country and Language

23 March 2009 by Sarge

First, I am not anti-immigrant.  But, when someone comes to this great nation that I served for 20+ years and refuses to learn the language, there is a problem.  I am not for ballots or signs in any language but English.  Our Constitution and all of our governments business is conducted in English.

Over at Barking Moonbat, there is a post about what happened to an immigrant that took to his adopted country with zeal and then was punished for doing the country’s business, and insisting others do as well, in the language of the land.

Folks, if you don’t think it can’t happen here, you are in denial.  Between the Command Post and a friend’s home, there is a billboard that has not one word of English on it.  It is starting here and unless we work to stop it, we will see the same thing happen here that happened to our immigrant friend above.

Sarge, Out

A Plantin’ We Will Go

21 March 2009 by Sarge

Well, I know that we are already a couple of weeks behind GuyK and Sweething on their half-acre, but CINCHOUSE and I got the Jalapenos and ‘maters in the ground today.  I hope CINCHOUSE saw fit to put some bell peppers in.  Nothing like a frsh bell pepper off the vine, cut in strips and a pinch of salt.  I know, shouldn’t partake of the salt , but what can I say.  Let me have one vice.

As soon as I can find the old point-shoot, I post a pic or two.

Sarge, Out

Cat Fishin’

8 March 2009 by Sarge

GuyK over at Charming Just Charming has a post up about catching catfish and what the best bait and tackle to use.  Good read.

His piece brought back some memories of when I was growing up in the mid-west.  We fished several of the lakes and rivers around St. Louis and always brought in a passel of channel catfish.  We used almost exclusively chicken liver and always had enought to freeze.  We went for the ones down in the cold water so we would set our hooks about 3 feet off the bottom.

Dad always got rid of the dorsal fin first and then would bleed them.  To skin them, cut a slit around behind the head and grab with a pair of pliers and pull.  Dad would take his skinning knife and stick through the head to hold the critter down for this step.  When the skin was pulled all the back to the tail, cut off the tail and discard the skin.  Dad would then cut off the head and then fillet the cat by just slicing right down the spine.  Nice thing about channel cat is that all the bones are along that route and there was none to interfere with the eating step.

Now the most important part, after catching of course, is preparation for consumption.  Cornmeal.  Roll them in cornmeal and pan fry.  And as close to the water as possible.  Catch, skin, roll, fry is what I am talking about.  Unless you get the frozen in time, the will degrade, though your milage may vary.

That, folks, is good eats.  And sure brings backs a memory or three.

Sarge, Out

“I have a dream …”

19 January 2009 by Sarge

I am too young to have heard Dr. King speak, but I don’t believe, as some are saying, that this is the day he dreamed of.  I believe that Dr. King was dreaming and speaking of a day when we would associate with a man simply because of who he is and not the color of his skin.  I have heard a number of people talking about how the election of Barak Hussein Obama to the highest office in the land fulfills Dr. King’s dream and with all due respect due to those people, I have to throw the big red BS flag on that.

Unlike the Reverends Jack$on and $harpton, I believe that the content of a man’s heart and soul is more important than the color of his skin.  If you voted for or against someone simply because of the color of his skin, you are part of the problems that this country faces.

Sarge, Out

What makes this such an “Historic Event?”

18 January 2009 by Sarge

I keep hearing that this inauguration is going to be an Historic Event.  Why?  Have we not had administration changes before?  Are we not a country that sees orderly shifts in power every 4 to 8 years?  Come on folks, President Bush is leaving office on Tuesday simply because his time is up and President-Elect Obama will take the oath of office on Tuesday to become our next president.  It is as simple as that.

What makes this inauguration so much different is that the MSM is having a lovefest with the new president and Chris Matthews of MSNBC will have more shivers running up and down his leg.

On Tuesday at 1200 hours Eastern time, Barrack Hussein Obama will take the oath of office and we will witness the peaceful, orderly change in administrations.  And on January 20, 2013, we will see yet another peaceful, orderly change in administrations again.  In fact, I predict that in 2017, we will see yet another peaceful, orderly change once again.

So, other than electing a man who has accomplished nothing but getting elected to sucessfully higher offices in his 40 some odd years, what makes this inauguration so historic?

Sarge, Out

So much for Change

23 August 2008 by Sarge

You have heard the mantra from the “annointed one” and his minions “Change you can believe in.”  Well I guess we now know what kind of change that Barak Hussein Obama wants, none.  Hey Obama, when you want change, you do not select a running mate that has been a part of the establishment for over 30 years.  You have picked a running mate that during the primaries said that you were not ready and that the position of President of these United States is not a job for OJT.