My Kind of Town (not University)

It's great when somebody gives back. I love that sort of stuff.

I have a soft spot for the University of Chicago because it is the University of CHICAGO, even though I've never even been there. I'm proud that the institute with the name of my home town is the birth place of the atomic era.

Also my cousin got a full scholarship to play women's basketball there. This isn't a photo of her. She didn't take the scholarship, it would have meant she would have had to study.

Go to Illini6!

New views of our home away from home......

My how Bagram has changed.....and I think the personnel have gotten better looking also. Major John this is for you and the rest of the hard working crew at Task Force Eagle. The real Base Ops.

Great Photos Here

Great 2004 Flashback Video Here

Belal still working hard at Kohe Safi......you taught me so much....Thank you for you Patience and Wisdom.

We have been warned again.......BRING IT!!!

Another warning by a Convert from California promising death and destruction if we do not stop doing what they are doing. I love the finger waiving, reminds me of a scolding by another sociopath. He pronounces Afghanistan so well, reminds me of the American dupes back in the 80's working so hard on there Spanish pronunciation of El Salvador and Nicaragua. I thought Viginia Tech was just an action by a lone gunman. I am not afraid, Candidate John Edwards and many others have told us there is no War on terror or terror threat, it is all a Bumper Sticker Slogan. The media tells me to worry about drowning polar bears, Rosie, and Lindsey, etc. Wake up everybody. Stand to.
Watch this Video here.

Remember

The 3/116th INF always did a great job when I went out on patrols with them. Their Soldiers were very professional, and they were very good at engaging the people of the area where I was working Civil Affairs missions. I felt confident and I felt safe being with them.

I know of two Soldiers from that unit that did not make it home. Please remember them and spare a thought for their families and loved ones.

SGT Bobby Beasley

SSG Craig Cherry

I'm back to and fired up........What's up Jimmy?

So much for the unwritten rule of former Presidents not breaking bad on current ones. Jimmy.....go back to building houses please. Forget your anti Semitic comments about Israel for awhile. Can't you find another Dictator with an election to approve of. I just love your Comments about President Bush the Younger as the worst President in history. I do not agree with all he has done but, there are many of us who remember your disaster of an administration.

Hi, Remember Me...

Hi, I'm Inner Prop. You may remember me from such posts as "Stick That in Your Pipe Mr. Gore" or "Quick, Get Me an Economist." I'd like to talk to you today about something that is even more important than the incarceration of heiresses: Prince Harry may choose charity over the army (gasp).

I was going to wait until the CSM handled this important story, but alas he did not and I feared it was going stale. We all know of course that Harry was denied the chance to serve in the defense of goodness and rightness in Iraq, but now he is threatening to quit the army and start doing charity work.

This reminds me of the time that Alex Baldwin threatened to take a long vacation to Australia (originally he said he would leave the country for good, but changed his mind) if President Bush were re-elected. Seems to me that he was and Alex didn't even make good on that threat, although I would have in his shoes.

I wonder how this Prince Harry would have been treated by Shakespeare, or even Monty Python?

In a completely unrelated topic, I would have put a post on this blog about my rumored retirement, and my winning the Crox de Guerre and the Pour le Merit, but I don't have any photos of the event. I know someone who does, but I have heard that he has chosen charity work over blogging.

Go to Illini6!

I'll be back

As I mentioned earlier (before events gave a one week lie to my claim) I have lost my voice, so to speak while blogging. Barring any major events - I will return when I have found my voice again. In the mean time, I will finish my last military education course, Intermediate Level Education - Common Core - as I really do want to make Lieutenant Colonel next year. Plenty of baseball and softball with the kids will help too.

I will probably lurk around, and I will continue comment on other's blogs. Just because I may have lost my original voice doesn't mean I will stop kibbitzing...

Until then...Auf Weiderschauen. Or would that be Auf Weiderlesen?

UPDATE: If I meant my own site, perhaps Auf Wederschreiben would be best.

A lagging indicator?

In the US - we have seen the opposition/Left capture the national legislature. In Europe, the last two big national elections (Germany and France) saw the opposition/Right [Germany] and incumbent/Right [France] win. Canada switched to a more conservative/Right government, and Mexico reelected the PAN/Right in their Presidential election. Last elections held in Australia and Britain saw supporters of the US President retained.

Some might argue that change in the US was based more on disgust with a party in power that had drifted from what it had promised/wallowed in Washington like any other pig in acorn mash. Or are we a lagging indicator?

The greatest irony could be that anti-current American Administration appeals don't work...outside the United States.

News of Afghanistan #56

This edition is brought to you by the latest shipment of Alokozay Tea, from the World's Greatest Military Contractor (thanks haji-o-matic!). Let us see what is happening:

A quick summary of the day.

What is with all the "scare quotes"? Maybe they were meant to be direct quotes, but if so, the effect is quite clumsy.

Leave? Most say "no thanks". I am sure Pakistan is none too happy.

If I remember this man correctly, the motives to kill him were legion. But he was sitting in the Meshrano Jirga, and this isn't something that should be tolerated - corrupt past or not.

photo: UNHCR/V.Tan

Iran shows something by doing this - beyond the obvious lack of humanitarian action. I think this reveals how much strain the Iranian economy is under. Even Pakistan isn't acting so drastically, and they have twice as many people... see also.

Well, we'll just see what happens. At least they didn't try to punch each other.

Indian biogas digester toilet training camp...begin!

Yea, microfinance!

President Karzai, facing efforts by senior members of his government to curb his powers, said on Wednesday he was working on a cabinet reshuffle. First Vice President Ahmad Zia Masood and several current and former cabinet members have formed a political party to push for the creation of a new post of prime minister, who would take some of the powers currently held by Karzai. Some pro-Karzai MPs have said the dissidents should leave the government if they want to oppose the president. (Reuters)

Hey, hey, hey do the Karzai Shuffle.

An interview with someone I'd love to kick in the butt. However, he is fairly blunt about some things in a way that surprises me.

Can not! Can too! Can not! Can too! Ugh.

Involving India is a good thing. I liked hearing this.

And in sports - the results from Spin Zar Stadium...

Judge in Texas Rules With Poetry

I suspect the judge in this case was just a little fed up with the lawyers...