I Am Not Stephen Colbert

Shameless attempt at increased web traffic. Please visit my photography on Flickr

Otherwise life is still frustrating. I don't know where to start except to reiterate that I have been pretty much irepparably screwed by my former unit. Good thing the damned 17th Sig Bn is now dead and deactivated. Unfortunately the cancer-like NCO corp there have metastasized throughout the rest of the army.

I have been trying to overcome all the logistics of being a single father in todays army while trying to survive an intercontinental PCS move. I realized tonight that each hurdle I have overcome has simply made way for the next. I am set to go to school at Ft. Gordon, GA. on 31 Aug. Guess what, no plans for the kids. To shorten a terribly long saga, I realized tonight that most likely all the strategic signal battalions work shift work while the frequeent-field-excercise tactical signal battalions will most likely deploy within the next 2 years. So, as a single father, I can't do either. One more good reason I should have been allowed to stay in Germany. In a few hours, when I wake, I will make another call. This time to a Chaplain in hopes of finally starting the process of separation from the army based on my inability to provide adequate care for my children. I am unable to provide a viable Family Care Plan and so am unable to continue as a soldier. I agree and the policy makes a lot of sense. --BUT-- The shame is that I had the answer all lined up while in Germany 6 months ago but was told that I didn't know well enough!!!

Today's moment of Zen

click for larger view

NOW

I want out, now. I am done messing with people, I want chaptered out of the army now. My family situation does not allow me the flexibility I need (read as "I can't spread wide enough") and my children and our lives are my priority, not showing up for some dumb $#%$$ school I didn't want anyway.

Oh, and thanks 17th Sig Bn for forcing me into that sham of a re-enlistment. Bastards.

Lies from the Tablecloth

Anyone else outraged at the absurdity of the most recent "terrorist" attack that was thwarted in England? Please. Now no gels and liquids on planes? What I appreciate is the subtle mind programming our shit-ass government uses to keep the sheeples in line with their thoughts. and attitudes. I was at the gym this afternoon watching the reports on the TV when some worthless politician stated, "The attempt to bring liquid and gel explosives onto the plane appears similar to what an Al Qaeda plot would be." 90 minutes later, it is announced that security stopped an Al Qaeda plot to blow up planes "mass murder on an unimagineable scale."

Challenge to the thinking person.... Who is Al Qaeda? Name someone in it besides bin Laden. Where are they? what do they do? What have they done? Al Qaeda in Iraq was a joke, dubbed that by an insurgent trying to ride the coat tails of the popular american boogymen. The term Al Qaeda has been programmed into the collective mentality of americans as a knee-jerk term there to create a complete and prejudiced reaction and opinion. We already decide before we hear an y facts!! Anyone familiar with the word "nazi"? Same process.

Face it. Al Qaeda does not exist as a terrorist group, there is no evidence of their existence!! Ever see the movie The Village? Al Qaeda has been propped up as the boogeymen in the woods to keep the ignorants in line and at home. Someone show me that they exist.

And now Bush calls them all "Islamic Fascists" Fascists. Fascists? Please. Tell me that I am the only one that sees the absurd irony in that.

Face it folks. the answers seem simple. The unrest in the middle east is rooted in Zionism and has not been around for thousands of years. The creation of the independent nation of Isreal is what the muslims are pissed off about. Isreal blasting the shit out of Lebanon doesn't help either, but I don't want to take sides on that issue here and now. The "terrorist" problem will exist as long as the middle east land structure exists as it does not. The unrest in the middle east will too.

Watch yourselves and question every statement that the government and the media makes to you. It is subtle, very subtle, but persistent.

Instant Karma

So, at first when we saw this sign, we were in disbelief. Carnealian pulled over at my request so we could take the pics. I still think it is terribly funny and no picture of me, ever, has been so true. We laughed in disbelief that we just earned ourselves a special room in Hell for this act of humor. Think about it....shouldn't it be "mentalLY" impaired? Poor grammar does not reflect well on the self-declared "un-impaired" who make these signs. But the most bizarre thing is WHY these 2 signs define the M.I.C. Zone as they do. As a motorist, why do I need to know the problems of the residence whom I drive past? The only sign similar that makes any kind of sense to me is the "Deaf Child Area" sign. Understandable as a motorist I might need to know that the child that refuses to get out of the road despite my blaring horn and screamed invectives really isn't so insolent to ignore me, but simply just can't hear me.

But what problem is this sign avoiding? I can't imagine the M.I.C. running loose on the roads frequently enough to precipitate the necessity of warning passing motorists. Shouldn't the M.I.C.'s parents be a bit more attentive than to let him / her run unattended around main roads?? Never had a thought a sign could ever make up for poor parenting.

...but yet, we can proclaim to all passers-by that an M.I.C. is nigh, but we can't stick a sign up declaring that "Pedophile lives here". That knowledge would truly benefit the community.

But what part of this has anything to do with "instant karma"? Well, not so instant but temporally close enough. Today I was driving my son to a friend's house several miles from here. I thought it would be nice to ride with the windows down instead of A/C. On the way, I was struck in the ear by a bug, no biggie. About 20 miles later I feel an increasing pain in my ass cheek. A little slowly I put 2 and 2 together and realized that all that time agao, it must have been a bee that hit me. I yelled at the first sting while I was driving at 60 mph, wondering what the hell really was going on. I tried to find a place to pull off the road but didn't find one in time. WHAM!! One more sting a little lower on the same ass cheek. Bastard got me twice! Thought they could only sting once but I guess he did it slow enough that it didn't rip him apart. I slammed the brakes on at the opening of a driveway. Trying to get out of my truck while I have my body arched inside to avoid sitting on the bastard again, is not at all easy. Zak jumped out - half afraid of the unseen bee. I jumped out finally, screaming to have him get it off. Zak yelled that it was hanging off my ass but then flew off. Damn thing. After the sting subsided a bit, we laughed uncontrollably and ran the A/C.

CONUS

Made it back to the States, against my will, and am staying in PA until 29 Aug. Sucked leaving Germany and the woman I love. Hope to see any / all of you while I am here and before Georgia.