How to know you know too much...

When working with children and you want them to have all your experience and knowledge so they don't make all your very personal mistakes. Can't happen, but you will always wish. By the time the babies I am learning beside are older the government will have it all perfect and figured out. Maybe not the tax code but everything else will be perfect. I am not betting upon that happening, the Republicans can't find one candidate for the Presidency, the Democrats are afraid to admit that Bush/Obama economic salvation program isn't working. I am sure happier with the babies, they haven't asked any questions about where the good food, drink and play are coming from. They haven't decided that only one kind of fashion is the current must have fad. They also want to 'do it themselves' but are still willing to have some help - and ask politely for it. No 'Occupy the Buggy Street' movement being raised here. Just more Barney, Elmo and 'Planes'. Can't give even a tiny bit of what I know, that is worth passing on, I blew my chance with their dad, he has much but I didn't throw it all his way - he is better for finding out many things on his own. I could never have anticipated his life, since I never lived it.

The babies feel, see, hear and fumble with everything. They learn much the hard way, but then maybe we did, too. Just too young to remember it all. We talk, we touch, we help when wanted and we can, but we can't live a moment of their lives. I will pray for them and God's guidance, which they may be smarter than I and listen to better.

Learning, always learnin'... Benny Hill was right...

Normally with a busty blond, but always learnin'. I have heard from the media and those concerned with the fat to the very fat and the criminally obese folks out there, that American poor get the wrong foods with their food stamps! Shock! My brother would calmly mention that the food stamps could be restricted so only proper food stuff was purchased. Another would say we should outlaw everything except bean sprouts and soy. They just intend for the better health of the nation. The government is secretly trying to make them all unhealthy so they don't depend so long? The government only pretends to care for its citizens, there is no love for sure.

I think I should be able to buy my food as I like, what I like and eat it the way I like. I even go pay bigger bucks to get it served hot and ready and now to get my wife out of the kitchen and paying attention to more than my snarly attitude. I went shopping in a big warehouse store for groceries - and they had everything a man could want. Or a bunch of hungry boys. Miles and miles of good stuff, most not very good for you, but eye-catching and mouthwatering -- have we all become sugar and fat junkies? Hot babes in Superbowl ads, for what food products? Steak? Fish? Dairy? Vegetables were in the picture - where? Fruits? No, just chips dips and beer.... and they have aisles and aisles of those bright red and yellow colored bags of ground, dipped and fried or dried goodness and lots of air to keep them from powdering on the way home.

I am an old man, I was there for mushrooms, water, yogut, prune juice and prunes. It took me a long time to find the dried fruit, the box store managers didn't want me to do it, but they had it. they weren't going to make their highest profit from that shelf space.

Once upon a time, a wagon would go to the town to get groceries - flour, beans, sugar, salt, lard, ham (maybe), cheese, crackers, canned peaches, hard candy. Big bags of the first two, fifty to hundred pounders. I was shocked to see a man taking a couple of twenty pound bags of flour, maybe he is opening a doughnut shop? We do like easier meal preparation, so we can wander the entertainment world for something of value. Our lives are so rich.

I walked the necessities to the house from where I parked the car, reminding me of carrying commissary items from the train or bus stop in Germany, to get them to the home with my wife and baby, forty years later, still delivering food stuffs to homes with a baby. Isn't life grand, the Lord has blest me.

For sure the game isn't over, we haven't been counted out...

I have heard people complaining about this Halftime ad, about seems to support what Obama and Bush have done in the past, but it doesn't. It talks about reality, not media or White House spin, it talks about having to get up for the next mission, the next patrol, the next fire fight, the next round and the second half. It talks about noisy roaring engines - not built to California standards, for emissions and noise abatement.... it talks about Americans as we can be without the government on our backs. Have you heard about the self defense in Detroit neighborhoods, they aren't waiting on the police. Yeah, America can come roaring back. Ford didn't get a bailout. Think of yourself in the Alamo, knowing that no one is coming to save you, you do what you have to to win and survive.

Don't mind me, I am off to learn something new...

I have been finding a lack of running (jogging or even vigorous walking), riding (blame the weather), shooting, and reading (how is that possible?) - and I haven't kept a library for almost two years. The visit through Barnes and Noble reminded me how out of touch with printed word I have become. So this whole blog thing is flying under false colors. I will say it has done wonders for my communications with my brother - who mostly misses my points, or thinks I would be a better person if he knew the truths as he sees them. He mentioned Rush Limbaugh (who I haven't listened to since the Haiti adventure that he didn't understand), but then he is sure I must be overly influenced by the NRA or Corporate Giants or some other terrible talker from the Rightwing Christian Conspiracy. Sorry, I have been skeptical since the whole first day in the military and a reasoned truth. Don't expect to change, I am still judging entertainment value on art and great story about terrible times.

I will continue to write as I find fodder for the guns, targets of opportunity. Will try to keep it simpler and pointed, work on editing it down to the conclusion - no one has time for why it works out that way, just give the correct answer. Some interesting conversations with my family recently have shown me more to learn, the really great adventure. See you on the trail...

A vote for ________ is a wasted vote,,,,,

You have heard the wisdom of the Ruling Party's Elites, those wise sages full of the wisdom of casting votes for the third or fourth or fifth candidates, according to money, polling or even unproven media bias.

That means the current office holder wins, they call themselves incumbents, and unless something really strange has happened they will be re-elected. They have the most money, the machines, the favors to call in, the position to threaten your silly future without them, -- they are supposed to win, that last victory at the ballot box should be an instant replay.

If there is a serious third party candidate, it will drain votes from the other real potential winners. So, everyone knows that to vote for the best candidate may just make you a loser. Ever been a loser?

I have been a loser. But then I don't live my life in fear of losing, only in not being allowed to play. Everyone else wants to stone the wench, but I am not voting that way. I pay a tithe not because I can drop it from my income to be taxed, I buy a home with a mortgage I can afford with the intent of providing for my family - not something I will become wealthy with. I married, but not the best woman in the world - again I was just a loser. We are still married, and except for what we are properly ashamed of, we are awesomely proud of God's blessings on our family and our fortunes. My wife is to me better than the best woman in the world - but then what would I know, I am just the loser that is going to vote for exactly the best candidate for the offices I want them in. The Democratic machine, the GOP, the TEA Party, the NRA, the Roman Catholic or Mormon church may have opinions but in the end I will cast my vote the way I see the election.

You see, I don't live my life by the values of Hollywood, the Mainstream Media, the people that are cool, chic, in the know, the movers and shakers. The world view of Earl is not that of current public school education systems, political solutions, compromised moral values, Living-Constitutionalists and such. I have to vote the way I take a shot at the target, putting all my preparation into it, focused and not distracted. There will be things that change from the time I check the blocks, or squeeze the trigger, as long as it isn't in the follow through, it will be my best. I can live with losing having done all I can to be right about my life and my vote.

You forget all it took to make you a Man...

Kind of like America has forgotten how hard it was to become a nation from a pile of former colonies with pretensions of being States. The media, always wanting to control you for their enrichment, would like you to think there is an EASY, Sexy, or just NEW way to improve your manhood. Modern times and modern methods, we know so much more... or we just haven't really paid attention to the past, or have forgotten it.

I remember better being a young boy and raising a young boy as I find myself falling swiftly apart and apologetic for all my lack of bestness (I know that isn't a word, but the media will get around to it, if they are proactive enough). I am just not the man I once was. Still I have something left, as I play tossing a ball to my grandson, he isn't ready for my thoughts on war or politics, on work or love, but he is ready to play gently (or just a bit rough once in a laughing while). I am hoping to be around for Canasta and conversation, some day. Card games, board games all help socialize the young - if played with their elders. School, church and books give us a lot of material to work with, and there are the terrible influences of our friends, but real men to watch and work beside, to hear an honest praise or a terse critique of one's failure from one who knows and has been there - makes me want to read Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer again. There was a walking commentary on boys becoming men. Most of us kind of forget how it came about.

If we continue to live beyond our History, our roots, in our American experience... we aren't going to be better, we are going to be so much less for trying to get it easier, faster, and into the spotlight...

I was once young and a soldier...

Then I grew up and very much older, and I have never valued my worth on money, hours worked, nor medals and ribbons. But others seemed to, and they still do - part of this desire (of political process) to figure out how to get heroes in uniform, a process acknowledged but not understood by the designers, since they are motivated by things other than love, sacrifice, duty or honor.

The current Commander-in-Chief made much of the ability of the military to accomplish the mission - and expects that the country should step up, get organized and accomplish our mission - wherever that State of the Union speech was going, thank you for the atta-boy, sir! But you don't get it, we were willing to kill and die for the accomplishment of the mission. You think if you watch the Discovery or History channel about SEAL or Ranger or Sniper training that you get it, that it is just hormones and youthful foolishness, with discipline and determined leadership provided by the officer corps. Forgetting that some very deep thinking well read people have been very effective soldiers. My favorite question, where do they get such men? Well, the basic building block is a person that values family, neighbors and friends. The military will take that person and cut them off and overwhelm them with new things to think about, building a new spirit and pride. They don't lose that love of the family, neighbors and friends - they will need it when the bad guys, the weather and Murphy show up to mess with their mission and life. It is the only thing that they can cling to when they take the uniform off and get back to normal... or a close variation of normal.

I mention this because communications have improved to the silly point of the Commander in Chief being right there with the shooters - virtually. I didn't like it when President Carter was losing aircraft and men in Iran and telling them to call it off -- he wasn't on the ground, not even in the air above the combat. Like watching the General in Somalia lose men and helicopters and safe in his bunker, blind but listening! Yes, they should be concerned but they gave the mission, get out of their way and allow them to complete it or die.

Could we have won the American Revolution with Congress telling General Washington they had a better idea? He had political generals contacting Congress for his job, position and stupid ideas about improving the supplies and tactics. The worst Generals were afraid of him personally, and the best officers (the ones that would follow him into battle) became his long arms. Politicians don't use the same judgment that a military person would, or the military person is really a politician in disguise (yes, they are there, but aren't attacking any enemy positions).

I guess I can't learn new tricks, almost all the Presidential candidates, including the current holder, are not the committed leaders I would attack the enemy for, with or following... so how can I think that the problems and potentials of the country can be correctly, boldly and vigorously met by such men. New question, aren't there any better? We are too safe, safety minded, hoping for others to risk what we wouldn't (aren't we - as a country?) . Will we give them a medal or ribbon to wear?