After a long night...

Oh god 3:15 in the morning, took pictures till 1 in the morning and since then have had people pour alcohol down my throat, so guess you could say I'm drunken blogging tonight. Was a good birthday, not too many presents but did do my first semi pro photographic shoot and people liked my work, no complaints at all. Well I'm going to pass out, somehow I've been hooked up with the executive suite which is way cool, not as cool as the presidential suite but not too shabby at all. Take care all.

It's my birthday! It's my birthday!

Sorry that's all I'm going to post, Marine Corps Ball tonight and lot's of stuff going on, must go, take care and thanks for reading!

Things that worry me about being in the military

This is an issue that show it's ugly head after every war, people returning back who are suffering from some sort of mental disorder. A report released in July from The New England Journal of Medicine of Iraq combat veterans showed that at least one in eight - between 15 and 17 percent - seemed to suffer from major depression, generalized anxiety or PTSD. My unit wasn't at the forefront and we didn't see heavy combat for which I'm glad but there are small signs in us too. Being at Edwards AFB, there are usually a dozen or so sonic booms a day, for the first couple of weeks after we got back, every time one went off, everybody in the room would duck. Whether we admit it or not most of us suffer from some form of anxiety, mostly mild. It faded fairly quickly for most of us and we went on with life. Not too many people talk about it because of stigma attached to mental illness. Face it being called crazy once most people think you're crazy for the rest of your life.

This story was pointed out to me by a new addition to my Milblogs list, Eddie from To New Frontiers. 1st Lt Goodrum came back from Iraq suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and was turned away from his local medical care facility when he was having a nervous breakdown so he did the next best thing and checked himself into a civilian psychiatric hospital. The problem with mental disorders is that they are internal and mostly a judgment call by the medical staff. We can't go into the head of the patient, to us they might appear normal and calm but internally they're one straw from going stark bonkers.

The problem with the situation above is that he didn't put leave papers in, so he's being charged with being AWOL. I don't know the facts behind the story other then what is in the Washington Post article printed but it is bothersome that someone who is clearly sick is also being charged with a crime that was clearly caused by his illness. If the charges go through, he could be imprisoned and kicked out and the underlining reason for this all left untreated.

Obviously I'm a big supporter of the military but I do think there is a clear need for better psychological counseling available for the returning troops that is easier to get to then the current system. An open door policy that is always available with a minimum of flak or paperwork. These are the people that need the real help when they get back, now while it's still fresh so they can recover and get on with their lives. I for one don't want to see them on some street corner in twenty years with a sign that says "Help a Disabled Iraqi Vet-Hungry-need food".

Thoughts on Taiwan

At least once a year you see fights break out in their National Assembly, usually making it to some form of Real TV out here, not the real news. I'm wondering what those folk are thinking sometimes. Found this link, it takes the cake of the craziness that I've seen come out of that country.

PS If you have a high speed internet connection, make sure to watch the video too, what a dumb ass.

the best use of bunnies I've ever seen

full reviews of movies in 30 seconds I kid you not

Democracy at a local level

Once again my weekly post from the laundry mat, so we get here on election day, listening to the Poll results on NPR and somebody has left their laundry filling every single one of the washers! There were some other folk waiting here for a half an hour before us. They asked us if it was out laundry, nope. So all present took a vote and decided to take all of the laundry out and put it on the counter, quite a bit of laundry it was too.

The power of democracy working in every day life. That was 45 minutes ago and the owners still haven't shown up. Sheesh, some peoples kids.

The Marine Corps Ball is coming up this weekend and became known to most of the civilized world that I'm a photographer of sorts and own tons picture taking geek gear. So while everybody is enjoying the festive night, I will be taking pictures.

Maybe this could be what I want to do when I grow up.

This is a list I stole from the Dastard, interesting to think a majority of the politicians that served in the military are Democrats, not that it will make any difference at this time.

DEMOCRATS
Richard Gephardt: Air National Guard, 1965-71.
David Bonior: Staff Sgt., Air Force 1968-72.
Tom Daschle: 1st Lt., Air Force SAC 1969-72.
Al Gore: enlisted Aug. 1969; sent to Vietnam Jan. 1971 as an army journalist in 20th Engineer Brigade.
Bob Kerrey: Lt. j.g. Navy 1966-69; Medal of Honor, Vietnam.
Daniel Inouye: Army 1943-'47; Medal of Honor, WWII.
John Kerry: Lt., Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star with CombatV. Purple Hearts
John Edwards: did not serve.
Charles Rangel: Staff Sgt., Army 1948-52; Bronze Star, Korea.
Max Cleland: Captain, Army 1965-68; Silver Star &Bronze Star,Vietnam.
Ted Kennedy: Army, 1951-1953.
Tom Harkin: Lt., Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve, 1968-74.
Jack Reed: Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army Reserve 1979-91.
Fritz Hollings: Army officer in WWII, receiving the Bronze Star &7campaign ribbons.
Leonard Boswell: Lt. Col., Army 1956-76: Vietnam, DFCs, Bronze Stars,&Soldier's Medal.
Pete Peterson: Air Force Captain, POW. Purple Heart, Silver Star &Legion of Merit.
Mike Thompson: Staff sergeant, 173rd Airborne, Purple Heart.
Bill McBride: Candidate for Fla. Gov. Marine in Vietnam; Bronze Star with Combat V.
Gray Davis: Army Captain in Vietnam, Bronze Star.
Pete Stark: Air Force 1955-57
Chuck Robb: Vietnam
Howell Heflin: Silver StarGeorge McGovern: Silver Star &DFC during WWII.
Bill Clinton: Did not serve. Student deferments. Entered draft but received 311.
Jimmy Carter: Seven years in the Navy.
Walter Mondale: Army 1951-1953
John Glenn: WWII and Korea; six DFCS and Air Medal with 18 Clusters.
Tom Lantos: Served in Hungarian underground in WWII. Saved by Raoul Wallenberg.
Wesley Clark: U.S. Army, 1966-2000, West Point, Vietnam, Purpleeart,Silver Star. Retired 4-star general.
John Dingell: WWII vet
John Conyers: Army 1950-57, Korea

REPUBLICANS
Dennis Hastert: did not serve.
Tom Delay: did not serve.
Roy Blunt: did not serve.
Bill Frist: did not serve.
Rudy Giuliani: did not serve.
George Pataki: did not serve.
Mitch McConnell: did not serve.
Rick Santorum: did not serve.
Trent Lott: did not serve.
Dick Cheney: did not serve. Several (5) deferments, the last by marriage.
John Ashcroft: did not serve. Seven deferments to teach business.
Jeb Bush: did not serve.
Karl Rove: did not serve.
Saxby Chambliss: did not serve. "Bad knee." The man who attacked MaxCleland's patriotism.
Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve.
Vin Weber: did not serve.
Richard Perle: did not serve.
Douglas Feith: did not serve.
Eliot Abrams: did not serve.
Richard Shelby: did not serve.
Jon Kyl: did not serve.
Tim Hutchison: did not serve.
Christopher Cox: did not serve.
Newt Gingrich: did not serve.
Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as aviator and flight instructor.
George W. Bush: six-year National Guard commitment.
Ronald Reagan: did not serve.
Gerald Ford: Navy, WWII
Phil Gramm: did not serve.
John McCain: Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross, Retired Admiral
Bob Dole: an honorable veteran, wounded, Purple Heart WW11
Chuck Hagel: two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, Vietnam.
Jeff Sessions: Army Reserves, 1973-1986
JC Watts: did not serve.
Lindsey Graham: National Guard lawyer.
G.H.W. Bush: Pilot in WWII. Shot down by the Japanese.
Tom Ridge: Bronze Star for Valor in Vietnam.
Antonin Scalia: did not serve.
Clarence Thomas: did not serve

PUNDITS AND PREACHERS
Sean Hannity: did not serve.
Rush Limbaugh: did not serve (4-F with a 'pilonidal cyst.')
Bill O'Reilly: did not serve.
Michael Savage: did not serve.
George Will: did not serve.
Chris Matthews: did not serve.
Paul Gigot: did not serve.
Bill Bennett: did not serve.
Pat Buchanan: did not serve.
Bill Kristol: did not serve.
Kenneth Starr: did not serve.
Michael Medved: did not serve.
Michael Moore: did not serve.
Lt Smash and Blackfive whom I have greatest respect for; of course served.

Make of it what you will.

Happy Halloween Everybody!

I'm Jack Skellington this year for Halloween, just hanging out and handing out candy. Went to a Halloween party last night and posted pictures here. Fairly mild compared to my norm, must be getting old.

If I don't get back tomorrow, don't forget to vote on Tuesday! Stay safe everyone.

some personal bad news from the front

Got some bad news the other day, back in Iraq at the base I was stationed at, the guy that ran one of the Hajji Marts family was killed by insurgences. Just because he had a shop a the base.

His shop was a regular stop as I walked back to the barracks almost daily. The shop is no more and he will be missed.

The insurgences, whom I believe are foreign nationals mostly, aren't doing anyone over there any good. They're installing fear in everybody, they're not only attacking us, they're attacking the very people that are trying to raise the country out of post war barbarism that seems to be running rampant. These people don't have the good of the Iraqi people at heart, they don't worship Allah, they worship Chaos.

This is the true terrorism, when you're trying to change a country by taking out anybody that can make a difference. Relief workers, people that help the poor? Doctors, Teachers, potential Leaders?

After such attacks, who is ever going to take these people seriously?

Oh yeah, I'm of mixed feeling that this guy is back on the radar, in one way I'm sad that he's not bloody vapor on some cave wall in Afghanistan but on the other hand it takes away the mystery of him being alive or not. He's the target we should be worrying about.

Can you spot the difference?

It took me a while but I finally did

I'm a big fat Thief

Oh the wonders of wireless internet, brought my laptop to the laundry mat to type up a blog entry and what do you know? The groomery next door has wireless internet on an unsecured channel. Hmm, now should I feel guilty for using their internet that popped up so nicely on my computer with such an excellent connection?

Not today I say!

I'm are doing the motherload of all loads of laundry, there's 7 of those side load washers here and we filled all of them up. Glad there was no one here when we got here for we caused quite a gridlock. Where in the heck did all of this laundry come from?

The day seems to being running into big projects that were waiting to get done.

Doc Jim, Smitty and I cleared out 20 or so physicals this afternoon, which for us is quite a feat. And a morning full of drawing post-deployment serum samples. Busier then the average day which is good, meaning that we accomplished quite a bit.

Haven't had much to talk about lately or just haven't felt like telling it to the world. Received a couple hundred dollars of studio lighting gear in the mail last weekend and have a week and a half to play with it before the ball. All we need to come up with is a good back drop. Some wheels are turning on that. In any case I'll post some of the final work on my fotopage after it's all through.

You notice on my sidebar I have some sponsored links. In August, the Associated Press did a story where they mentioned this blog. Over one weekend I had 70 thousand or so people check it out, 250 clicked on those links. Guess how much I made?

13 bucks.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to drop them from the sidebar soon. 13 bucks for with 70 thousand visitors? I pay my girlfriends son more to wash the suburban! Well the clothes are starting to come out of the dryer so I'd better start working.

Have a good night and watch out for bandwidth thieves. Heh heh.

Local News about Law Enforcement

I'm always watching for local stories that are of interest.

The Kern County, California, Sheriff's Department ordered plain white patrol units and had the graphics applied locally. In this case: What they ordered was not quite what they got.

This car was driven for 1 week before an officer noticed what the graphics company employee did on the passenger side of the car.

(The employee did this on his last day working for the graphics company before he retired.)

Sort of a busy week

and haven't felt like writing or posting, too much stuff going on all at once so I have been placing a few things on the back burner, posting pictures of Larry's wedding on my fotopage right now. This is a weekend with my son and we're all heading off to Chucky Cheeses an hour or so. I have a few things I want to blog about but haven't had the time, maybe tonight. Peace out.

Yet another weekend in Prescott

I'm a bad blogger, haven't updated in a few. Still coming down off a great weekend and had to recover from the usual huge load of paperwork that normally awaits me on Monday morning. Yesterday was spent chasing down fires, not much actually work got done. Today was Belly and I filed away at least a 2 foot stack of loose forms (meaning we had a constructive day). Everything went smooth for once and we cut through swaths of red tape.

Last weekend I left for Prescott on Wednesday, spent the night at my moms. Thursday drove into town and offered myself into service of my best friend Larry's wedding, running errands and such. Pretty much ended up being the food driver and up-grader of their computer. Worked out well.

The wedding took place on Saturday, I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked but I'm getting a copy of the pictures from the professional photographer work. Learned a few new tricks as far as lighting went. It was an outdoor wedding that was picture perfect (which I couldn't take advantage of because I was part of the ceremony, sigh). Afterwards we had the reception at The Hotel St. Michael, corner of the square on Whiskey Row in Prescott, lots of pictures from that. I'll post more of those soon. Then a night on the town where I took one for the team by naming myself the DD (another way of saying that I was wussing out because I was still recovering from the festives the night before).

Took off a bit early to start making copies on CD's of all the pictures I took and start all the video coping. I left them with directions to call me if anyone needed a ride. Better to start then because I'm a horrible morning person. Drove people home till 3 that morning but I made enough copies for all of the people that took part in the ceremony.

Got the new laptop, a Toshiba 3.2 gig Hz, it flies! It's been a while since I had laid money down for new computer gear. I'm very happy with it so far.

Take care all!

Post that brings it all home...

Sean from Turningtables goes back to the beginning of why we started blogging, a night on the town with Salam Pax. Salam is the likely father to thousands of blogs and through us tens of thousands of grandchildren, when are you going to start paying child support? Thanks for opening our eyes to the world.