Potpourri

Aung San Suu Kyi, from Burma. Miss Suu Kyi, 62, is the daughter of Aung San, Burma's assassinated independence hero. She grew up in Burma and India. She spent many years living as a housewife in the UK. She returned to Burma in 1988, and co-founded the National League for Democracy. Her party won Burma's national elections in 1990 by a large margin but was prevented by the military junta from taking office. She was awarded The Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. She is world's only detained Nobel peace prize laureate, having spent 12 of the last 17 years in various forms of custody.

I find myself having serious issues finding something positive to write about. I do not like to write anything negative because I am not a member of the Church of Negativity. I will try to keep this one short. This will be my last post for some time, I am falling behind schedule here and I need to get my house in order for my road trip in the middle of next week. Let's move on. WARNING. Some of the issues at hand are NOT politically correct, so, please, proceed with caution.

I take it personal. Yes, I take it personal because my family contributed to this war big time, but we are sick and tired of this war. This administration calls anyone who criticizes their policy in Iraq "anti-troops" and "unpatriotic" but, "supporting the troops" does NOT mean supporting an endless war. As per one Right Wing Wacko Talk Show Host, if you are in the military, and you want our troops to come home, then you are a phony Soldier [and we can add phony Airman, phony Sailor, or phony Marine]. So, service members who support U.S. withdrawal are "phony Soldiers." I want to see this Right Wing Wacko Talk Show Host and his water-boys joining the military, getting in desert cammies, flight suit, or navy coverall, and joining the fight [time to put up or shut up]. Last month I wrote about seven Soldiers writing an op-ed on the New York Time calling for the end of this war [two of the Soldiers died in Iraq after the op-ed was published]. Also, last month I saw an Army Sergeant on a news interview challenging the president or anyone from the administration to join him on his foot patrols around Baghdad [he is on an extended tour, and is sick and tired of watching his fellow Soldiers die], he is willing to extend another 15 months in Iraq for free if any of our politicians join him. I do not believe that the Sergeant and the seven Soldiers [two now dead] are phony.

Where in the world is Burma? Check the Google Earth and you will find it. In the 1980s during one of my deployments, we were involved in contingency operations off the coast of Burma. But that was then, and this is now. Things are not looking good for those asking for regime change in the old Burma [now known as Myanmar]. Soldiers are clubbing activists in the streets and shooting to kill. The military have occupied Buddhist monasteries and cut public Internet access. Things are not going to get any better. And there is NO HOPE in sight for those protesting on the street. We are for regime change, but there is NO OIL in Burma.

Republicans Political Debates. The "Black Forum" at Baltimore's Morgan State University, moderated by talk show host Tavis Smiley and aired by PBS happened yesterday. The top four Republican candidates were conspicuously missing, and their podiums were in place, with their names, empty. John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson did not show up for the debate, they were too busy collecting money [hopefully Black Republican voters will remember this when they go to vote]. To the Republican Candidates I say this, IGNORE the minority voters at your own risk.

Navy Swastika Building. This is all over the news. A military building here in San Diego with the shape of a Swastika. Believe it or not, I have walked in front of this building several times, and you will never notice anything from the ground. There is a park nearby, where we used to go for morning exercises. Now the Navy is going to expend almost a million dollars on the landscape in order to HIDE the shape of this building. Was anyone paying attention to the floor plans during the construction?

Larry Craig. Remember him? Today was supposed to be his last day in office. Well, guess what, this man is not leaving! He will be around to continue to drive his fellow Republican Senators crazy. He will try to clear his name, but as per some polls Idaho voters are sick and tired of the Toilet-Gate and can't wait to see him leaving the Senate for good. Not so fast, he will continue to be in office and he will continue with his homophobic votes for a few more days [or weeks, or months]. And oh by the way, the Minneapolis Airport will expend one million dollars in toilet modifications to prevent another Toilet-Gate from happening.

Troops draw down plan is now in progress. The first U.S. military unit scheduled to withdraw from Iraq under the administration's plan to reduce troop levels has left the war zone. The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, a group of 2,200 Marines who were stationed in Anbar, are now aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard and the rest of the ships in the Expeditionary Strike Group, and are heading HOME to San Diego. Don't anyone open those champagne bottles yet, we still have 165,000 troops in Iraq and it is going to take a long time before we get down to the Pre-Surge numbers. As of this moment, it is going to take 5 to 10 years before all our combat troops are out of Iraq. We broke it, we bought it.

America is sick and tired of a Bush or Clinton in the White House. I was not aware of this number! Forty percent of Americans have never lived when there wasn't a Bush or a Clinton in the White House! I have said ad nauseam that I am sick and tired of having a Bush or a Clinton in the White House. Eight Years of Reagan/Bush. Four Years of Bush One. Eight Years of Clinton One. Eight Years of Bush Two. Followed by another Four or Eight Years of Clinton Two? Time to put a stop to this nonsense! Just say NOT to another Clinton or another Bush in the White House during our lifetime!

Global Warming. Are you kidding me? Our president talking about Global Warming? No, this is not a joke. The president is talking about reducing global warming [but our friends from Europe are not buying his recommendations]. Today the president gave a speech in which he acknowledged that climate change is real and that human activity is a factor. What was he drinking?

This one is not a joke. Or is it? Today a small group of Republicans facing election fights next year have rallied around war legislation they think could unite the GOP. They have called for an end to U.S. combat in Iraq, but wait until President Bush is almost out of office. Okay, the second part of this equation IS a joke [waiting for president Bush to be out of office to implement the plan]. Enter Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, "I don't support it at all .. "It doesn't do anything." The Democrats deemed the legislation a nonstarter.

The Boys of Summer. See, I will end on a good note here! Last Sunday I wrote about The Boys of Summer and the Phillies, Mets, Cubs, Brewers, Rockies, D-backs, and my Padres trying to make it to the finals. Well, with three days left on the Regular Season, we have no division winners and no wild-card winners. The best weekend series is going to be the D-backs playing three games against the Rockies in Colorado. The Rockies have won their last eleven games, and are hungry for a play off spot. I will not bet a penny on what team is going to make the play off and on what team is going to be watching the games like the rest of us [on television]. This is exciting! Good luck to YOUR team.

Thanks for reading this book!