Chocolate or Sex

I saw a conversation over at ALa's that got me to thinking. Someone mentioned that reportedly Oprah had once asked the women in her studio audience to answer the question, "Which would you rather give up for the rest of your life: chocolate or sex?" Supposedly a substantial majority said they'd give up sex for the rest of their lives in order to be able to continue to eat chocolate. Unbelievable!

So my dear female readers, I have a poll for you. LADIES ONLY!

UPDATE: Yup, it would be a post on the combined topics of chocolate and sex that breaks the record for highest number of comments 'round these parts. *sigh* Luv ya guys, though. :)

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And Now for a Little Jingoism*

I'm generally not a country music fan, though the self-deprecating humor and unabashed pride of some songs is marvelous.

And yes, some of the things Charlie Daniels has said/written make me cringe. But I stumbled across an obscure website today... and once again, That Song left me in tears, regardless of whether I can endorse every line.

In part:

They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it's too disturbing for you and me.
It'll just breed anger that's what the experts say.
If it was up to me I'd show it everyday.
Some say this country's just out looking for a fight.
Well after 9/11, man I'd have to say that's right.

Have you forgotten how it felt that day,
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell.
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden...
Have you forgotten?

Now I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war,
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they're fightin' for.

Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Some went down like heros in that Pennsylvania field.
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon,
And all the loved ones that we lost and those left to carry on?
Don't you tell me not to worry about bin Laden.
Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten how it felt that day,
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell.
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden...
Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?

*Jingoism: 1. an appeal intended to arouse patriotic emotions; 2. fanatical patriotism.

Which one is this? I don't know. I just know I'm sitting here with tears on my cheeks once again.

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Political Inconsistency

Surfing the web, I found the most amazing little quiz: Iconochasms, a compendium that highlights some of the notable inconsistencies among major political figures. But as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Here's a sample of questions about people who, for better or worse, were not always consistent (answers are in the comment section):

Who, commenting on the deaths of more than half a million children, said "I think that this is a very hard choice, but the price - we think the price is worth it," Yasser Arafat, Madeline Albright, Pandit Nehru, or Ayotollah Kohmeini?

With reference to World War One, who said "If our country were defeated, I hope we should find a champion as admirable (as Hitler) to restore our courage and lead us back to our place among the nations," General Montgomery, Winston Churchill, King George VI, or Bertrand Russell?

The two questions above may be among the easier ones; others are more challenging. It's a lot of fun to see both what the surprising answers are, and how many you answer correctly (My score was 30 out of 46). Go, take the quiz for yourself.

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Iraqi Military Readiness

This last week it was widely reported that only a single Iraqi battalion was completely ready to take over. My first mental image upon reading that was of the rest of the Iraqi military units just running around in training exercises, unable to do any "real" work.

Major K has been involved in training the Iraqi military forces. As is more and more frequently the case, the true story is behind the media spin. The major sets the record straight:

In the initial months of our operations here, most major raids and searches were conducted jointly by an Iraqi unit with an equivalent-sized US unit, a company with a company or a battalion with a battalion. US units were still in the stage of carrying their Iraqi counterparts through these operations as the Iraqis still had a reputation for cutting and running if enemy contact got hairy. Support for Iraqi units was needed in almost every area...

But after nine months...

Battalions and companies are seldom, if ever matched with US battalions and companies for "strike operations" - raids, searches, etc. Many Iraqi Battalions operate with a small US MiTT (Military Transition Team) that is squad-sized (9-15 men). The MiTT advises, rides along, and provides limited training, logistical and communications support.

...The Iraqis constitute over 95% of the manpower on any operation, and no longer cut and run from enemy fire, even after sustaining casualties. The US MiTT helps to coordinate to overcome logistical snarls...The MiTT also provides communications infrastructure to link the Iraqis with other Iraqi units and the US higher command....Metaphorically speaking, the MiTT is the father running along side of his child riding without training wheels for the first time to scoop the child up if the child crashes.

...As I write this, two sectors of Baghdad are controlled by Iraqi Army Brigades (4000-5000) assisted by a platoon-sized (30-40) MiTT. The number of Iraqi Battalions operating with only a small MiTT adviser group as I described is in the dozens, and that is only here in the Baghdad area.

Just stop and consider the kind of military culture that existed in Iraq before 2003. And remember that it's been only two and a half years since the first shots of OIF were fired. Dozens of battalions living by new rules and operating with mere training wheels in Baghdad alone (among the bigger "problem areas" in Iraq) is awfully impressive.

Major K also shares this:

While visiting 1st Brigade a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Mini-NCO Academy that they had set up with the help of their MiTT Team. It was one of those experiences that really gives one hope.

Tough, competent, professional NCO's are what the Iraqi Army has been lacking for many years. The culture of the old Iraqi Army was one of an aristocratic officer corps and subservient but tightly controlled enlisted force with no real NCO corps in the middle...In this little NCO Academy, of which 1st Brigade is very proud, Iraqi Sergeants are taught professionalism, leadership, ethics, initiative, map reading, training concepts and planning, to name a few of the courses.

...Now, the courses are taught exclusively by Iraqi NCO Instructors. Several of these instructors are female.

...As we stood at the back of the classroom watching one of the classes being taught by a graduate of the Academy...[I looked] over at my interpreter, Jay, who was born in Iraq but has lived in the USA for over ten years, and he was wiping away tears of joy from his eyes.

Major K also writes about some of the challenges involved in training Iraqi military forces (illiteracy and fatalism), and some great related pictures on the left hand side bar of his blog. For a ground-level view of the emerging Iraqi military, go read it all.

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FbL Joins the 21st Century

I am no longer a Luddite! The Cable ISP guy came this morning and I've got the wireless up and running now, too. It's AWESOME!!! What's even more cool is that it turns out that my worthless desktop computer can handle this one little thing without crashing: hosting the WiFi.

One little hitch, though: IE on my laptop doesn't recognize that it has access to an Internet connection, though the laptop says WiFi is connected. Any geeks out there who can help me?

Update: It turned out to be even worse than that. But all fixed now, thanks to Masked Menace, Flightpundit, and a very nice guy in the Yahoo "Computers Chat Room." *does little happy dance* Now all I need is a chair on the patio so I can sit out there with my laptop while I enjoy the view of the lake. :D

Oh! And somebody to help me set it up so that I can print from laptop without wires to the printer, too. ;)

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A GOOD Meme This Time

I found this at ArmyWifeToddlerMom (who was kind enough to email me recently), and I thought it would be a lot of fun. The procedure is: answer the 5 groups of 5 questions and forward to 5 more people. Hmmm... wonder why they call it the Five Things Meme?

5 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Put more than just a bookshelf in my living room
2. Become an extraordinary teacher
3. Travel in Europe
4. Go at least four years without a (minor) traffic accident
5. Find the love of my life (Where's he been hiding?)

5 things I can do:
1. Play the piano
2. Be very patient with children
3. Cook and bake almost anything
4. The splits
5. Tease and torture the men of the Castle

5 things I cannot do:
1. Take a compliment gracefully
2. Write legibly
3. Encounter willful ignorance with equanimity
4. Draw a straight line with a ruler
5. Tell a convincing lie (I gave up trying a long time ago, LOL!)

5 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Intelligence/Wit
2. Quiet confidence
3. Sparkling eyes
4. Large, strong hands
5. Honor (integrity, chivalry, courage, etc.)

5 things I say most often:
1. Daisy, no!! (make the cat stop scratching the screen)
2. Hello.
3. Goodbye.
4. Where did I put my keys/purse/car/glasses?
5. I'm lost.

ArmyWifeToddlerMom was kind of enough to ask that everybody who read her answers join the fun. I'll be "nice" and restrict it to Lex, AFSis, Neffi, FlightPundit, Kat... Tag, you're it! If you don't have a blog, or don't want to post it on your blog, please email it so I can post it or put it in the comments. Thanks!

******************

Update: Neffi answers! For those who may not know, Neffi is a Castle Denizen and a light-aircraft pilot with a sometimes frighteningly-creative mind. :)

5 things I want to do before I die:
1. Give my daughter's hand to a good man.
2. Fly a Supermarine Spitfire
3. Canoe the Platte River to the Mississippi
4. Build a functional light-sabre
5. Reclaim the Bering Land Bridge

5 things I can do:
1. See the good in most everyone
2. Fool trout into thinking that bit of feather and fur is lunch
3. Keep a Shovelhead Harley-Davidson running strong
(125,000 miles since I bought it 23 years ago)
4. Cheat death in a stick-and-rudder flying machine... so far...
5. Psycho-analyze complete strangers during a 5 minute conversation

5 things I cannot do:
1. Keep a lawn alive
2. Dance
3. Play the 'pipes
4. Tolerate fools and/or venal people
5. Teach presidents not to say nuke-yoo-ler

5 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Attitude
2. Wit
3. Intelligence
4. Eyes
5. Being a rich heiress

5 things I say most often:
1. What the Hell are you doing?! Follow the procedure, dammit!!! (at work)
2. Hey, Foxy Mama- what's yer sign???" (disco nite at the VFW)
3. Umm, no- I don't actually know what the speed limit here is, officer...
4. Altitude?! We got plenny altitude- quitcher snivelling!!!
5. D'oh!!!!!

Thanks Neffi, those are awesome answers! :D

Lex and AFSis, and Flight Pundit have also responded.

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Update to "It's That Date Again"

Since I've been on vacation, I've found the the time to unpack all my books. So, I finally found the piece of paper I was looking for when I made this post.

When I sang in the Rolling Requiem for the victims of 9-11-01, I wore the name of Richard P. Fitzsimons printed on a heart-shaped nametag over my own heart. As I wrote here before, it was a physical weight that pressed down so hard that I couldn't take a full breath.

A character sketch of Mr. Fitzsimons was published in the NY Times on September 27, 2001:

Richard Fitzsimons, of Lynbrook, N.Y., kept his Irish roots well watered. For him, a visit to Ireland was going home, said Colleen, his daughter. He last saw Dublin in the summer, when he ate, drank and danced for 13 hours to celebrate a niece's wedding.

At home, he kept busy. In his job as a fire safety inspector at the World Trade Center, he conducted drills and planned evacuations. He was, Ms. Fitzsimons said, almost certainly "saving people right from the start."

Mr. Fitzsimons golfed and coached a working men's ice hockey team. He belonged to the Ancient Order of Hibernians and had studied Gaelic with Patricia, his wife.

At 57, he was keeping his life interesting by starting fresh. He was toying with the idea of another career as a guidance counselor or as a travel agent. Two years ago, he began taking piano lessons. He and his wife would spend evenings at home, singing old tunes while he played along.

[After the requiem, I remember looking up his name on the Internet and reading that he was last seen helping to evacuate a childcare center at one of the WTC towers. I can no longer find that reference.]

When we finished singing, we were encouraged to write a note on the back of the tags we had worn so heavily. I sat thinking for quite awhile; I knew that words could ring hollow, and I had no idea how his family had coped in the year since his death, or even how old he was (I hadn't yet had the opportunity to research his name). I finally wrote, with a heartfelt prayer that it would be true, "May God Bless and Comfort You." Then I signed my name and the location of the Requiem performance. The name tags were collected and sent to the respective families. I have heard nothing about Mr. Fitzsimons and his family since that day, but I hope that his widow and children have found some peace--and even joy--in these intervening years.

I will most-definitely Never Forget.

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(Pea)nuts to Me!

I found this quiz by accident when I got a blog address wrong, and found it to be fun. Not sure about the results, though... I'm definitely not practical, haha! I think I'm actually a cross between Marcie and Sally. Try it...

Which Peanuts Character are You?

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Meeting Flight Pundit

Unfortunately, the Support the Troops activity we had planned for Luke Air Force Base fell through. The main gate was shut down, we couldn't find a gate that was being used a lot, and nine of the eleven people scheduled to come didn't show up.

Yup. Just me and Michael (Flight Pundit). I was disappointed, but the silver lining was a chance to sit and talk with Michael, who proved to be a great conversationalist. He credited his ability to draw me out to having six sisters. But frankly, I think he just spiked my water; either that, or he used some super-secret mind ray on me that nearly made me spill my guts. Fortunately, my strength of mind resisted it... I think. LOL!

Regardless, we sat in McDonalds and talked for two and a half hours--about everything from our careers to religion, politics, sociology and psychology. Lots of laughs were interspersed, and in the moments I shut up and listened, a lot was learned.

All in all, a nice start to my trip. Thanks, Michael! :)

P.S. Michael, anytime you need a paper placemat shredded into a couple hundred tiny pieces, you know who to call. ;)

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Phoenix

Safely in Phoenix and met up with Michael of Flightpundit. I will have a description up tomorrow, but in the meantime, don't believe a word he says! ;)

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Incommunicado

Speaking of supporting the troops, I will be at Luke Airforce Base in Phoenix this Saturday (Oct 1). If you are in the central Arizona, come join us.

I'll be down there for several days, staying with friends, so I don't know what my Internet access will be; I may be offline until Tuesday. "See" you then!

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Captain Fishback

I am no expert on military matters of any stripe, but I count among my friends those who definitely are. So, I'd like to share with you something that one of those friends sent me recently.

For those who may not know the whole story, an Army Captain of the 82nd Airborne has gone public with his concerns that he was not given adequate guidelines for how to treat prisoners or detainees during his tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He says he spent 17 months asking internally for advice and clarification and that this lack of direction created situations that lead to what he fears was abuse or torture. CPT Fishback was apparently interviewed by Human Rights Watch over the last several months, and his ethical concerns clearly come through in his words. He seems very credible and earnest, but of course he's taking a lot of heat from both his army peers and the Pentagon types.

Because of CPT Fishback's apparent credibility, I am extremely disturbed and disappointed to think that there may have been a such a huge (systemic) failure of leadership in this case, and that there could be horrendous cases of abuse associated with this failure. I brought this up with a friend who is a rather high-ranking military officer. I found his reply so insightful and thought-provoking that I asked (and received) permission to share it here. I'll let him simply speak for himself:

Nothing rises or falls on one man's opinion, no matter how passionately held. We do a better job of most at staying on top of the core values: Duty, Honor, Country for the Army. Honor, Courage, Commitment for the Navy. The Corps, for the Corps. But none of us are perfect, and as institutions, sometimes we are very far from that we ought to be.

The Captain has launched his volley - the [military/DoD] will respond. Somewhere between the two the truth will be found. I'm sure he would have gotten someone's attention if he had said, "Look, I feel really seriously about this issue and it's not being answered to my satisfaction. If I can't get a square response from someone, I'm going to the people via the press - I'm going over everyone's head." If he did so and was still shut down, then everyone in his chain of command deserves what's coming to them. If he did so and they answered but he still wasn't satisfied, well that's something different, and we'll have to look at the facts.

It's never all of one thing, or all of another. I'm sure the captain had his guidance - I'm not sure he agreed with it. At some point, an officer is supposed to use his judgement - not everything can be spelled out. That's why we pay them the leadership bucks. Ultimately, he is responsible to the Army (and to the country) for doing what he thought was right.

[snip] No one should be surprised when people on the other side of the issue (all of whom believe they're doing the right thing for the country) look for a way to discredit the author of what will end up being a very damaging letter.

Is the captain's moral quandary more important than winning the war? ...Does he relish the opportunity to be the One Brave Man while everyone else goes grimly about the task at hand? I guess we'll find out soon.

Knowing the author of the above, those last questions are asked with great sincerity. He closed his letter with the famous line by General Sherman (Civil War): "All war is cruelty - there is no use trying to reform it."

He certainly left me with a new perspective and a lot to think about...

See Neptunus Lex and Castle Argghhh! for additional informed discussion of this topic from a military officer's perspective (be sure to read the comments).

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Support the Troops?

[I've rewritten/amplified this just slightly, though I think the message is the same]

Holly Aho, Valour-IT's webmistress and a great blogger, has written one of the best dissections I've seen of what it means to "support the troops." She points out that support is an action, not a feeling. As she says, there are few people actually opposed to the troops and wishing them ill. However, it's hard to say that the rest of the U.S. population is actually supporting the troops. "Support" is a verb--an action.

Holly discusses the intense disagreements between the various types of people who say that they support the troops. Then she writes:

I think the obvious has yet to be stated. When you support our troops you are aiding their mission. How so? Well, a letter to a soldier that boosts his morale will enable him to better perform his job (ie. accomplish his mission). [snip]

Something else - trying to do what you think is best for someone is not the same as supporting that person. Trying to bring the troops home now (if that's what you believe to be right), is doing what you think is best for them. Now perhaps there are those soldiers who might agree with you on what is best, but not all of them, and not most of them. So in effect you are putting what you believe to be best above what they believe. Kind of like forcing someone to get married who chooses to remain single, or forcing them to be a doctor when they'd rather be a lawyer because you think you know the best choices for them, regardless of what they want (or pushing a minority position on a majority public? Can we say democracy?).

So what am I saying? That you must be for the war in Iraq? [...] No. What I am saying is this - if you are supporting our troops with actions such as letter writing, carepackages or whatever, you have to realize you are aiding the mission you oppose.

Holly goes on (read it all) to theorize that there are three types of people who say they support the troops: 1) Cheerleaders--those who wish them the best, but do not demonstrate active "support" for the troops, 2) Those who try to do what they think is best for everyone ("bring them home!"), and 3) Those for whom support is a verb--those who are actively building the troops' morale and providing for their needs before/during/after deployment (this can encompass far more than just letters and packages). I'll add one more 4) The extreme leftists who appear to want them to lose, and whose actions (such as picketing Walter Reed) actively reduce troop morale. This last category attempts to use "We support the troops," as a shield against criticism.

This reminded me of a conversation at Villainous Company in response to a post about what it would mean if the U.S. pulled out of Iraq too soon. A commenter wrote:

I try to put myself in their shoes. If I were in the military, would I want to be used as a mercenary, or in a just cause that actually made my country safer?

Yes, our soldiers should all be proud of the honorable work they do. They are all loyal to whatever cause they are told to support, as our armed forces need to be. It is the people who sent them there, to do their personal bidding, that are committing an unforgivable crime.

My reply was (in part): "It is not honorable to simply support a cause because you are told to support it. Ah, yes... let us laud the honor of the mindless automotons that simply do the evil leadership's bidding. And you call that supporting the troops?!"

Another commenter replied, "Yep. Not very supportive, is it? More like the kind of support you give an abuse victim. Which might work with someone who's actually suffered abuse, but with military personnel, it probably pisses them off." I'll add that the reason it "pisses them off" probably has a lot to do with honor, a word that gets thrown around a lot, but with little understanding of what it actually means. Because as near as I can figure, there's no honor in being used as a tool for evil.

I share all of this because it seems to be excellent food for thought the next time we say we "support the troops."

Btw, if you are looking for a non-politcal way to support the troops, consider donating to Valour-IT. Valour-IT provides voice-activated laptops to warfighters who suffer hand and arm wounds. It's a great way to support the troops after they return from the battlefield.

UPDATE II: Holly cross-posted at Mudville Gazette, sparking a throught-provoking comment thread.

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Back to Our Regular Programming...

We now temporarily return to our regularly-scheduled programming of ignoring politics.

I like the concept of this quiz (in best Homer voice: uhhh.... pizza!), so I thought I'd share it. Enjoy! (Mmm... I think it's pizza for supper tonight...)

What's" Your Pizza Personality?

Cheese Pizza

Traditional and comforting.You focus on living a quality life.You're not easily impressed with novelty.Yet, you easily impress others.

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We Took it Back!!!

Yes, the title of this post was shamelessly stolen from Blackfive. But it captures the joy and relief of those who were deeply disturbed by the plans of the "International Freedom Center" for the WTC site memorial in New York. From the Take Back the Memorial website:

Governor George Pataki has cancelled plans to build the controversial International Freedom Center at the World Trade Center site - and representatives of the center say the location change has forced the entire project to be scrapped.

The center had drawn criticism from some 9/11 victims’ family members because it would not focus exclusively on the terror attacks. Family members also said the IFC could potentially contain exhibits that were anti-American.

Pataki said Wednesday that he’s given the center a chance to clarify its intentions, but there’s just too much opposition.

In a statement, Pataki said: “The creation of an institution that would show the world our unity and our resolve to preserve freedom in the wake of the horrific attacks is a noble pursuit. But freedom should unify us. This center has not.”

The governor asked the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to work with the IFC to explore other locations for the center, but representatives of the center have decided to scrap the idea completely.

In a statement, the IFC said: “We are deeply disappointed that the will could not be found to continue the development of the International Freedom Center at this hallowed site. We do not believe there is a viable alternative place for the IFC at the World Trade Center site. We consider our work, therefore, to have been brought to an end.”

Background on this issue here, and Washington Post details of the IFC withdrawal here.

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I'm Pro-Victory

Those who want to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq have long claimed the title "Anti-war." The logical antonym would seem to be "Pro-war." But as I've said before, I am not "for war." So, people who oppose "Anti-war" types struggle to label themselves. "Pro-troop is somewhat satisfactory, but some people are pro-troop but truly believe the war is hopeless and we should withdraw, so that doesn't fit. Other labels are even less satisfactory.

But Jay Tea at Whizbang has come up with the correct label for those opposing the "anti-war" position:

Let the other side be "anti-war." If they choose not to recognize that the war started a long time ago, and we've only recently started fighting back, that's their stupidity. We have more important things to worry about than their whining and kvetching.

We're pro-VICTORY.

It's a good word. It says exactly what our goal is: to win, to defeat the enemy, to stop those out to destroy us and our way of life and impose their tyrannical vision on people.

I like it! A North American Patriot agrees, and has given it a logo. If you are Pro-Victory, get your logo here and display it proudly.

H/T Mudville Gazette / Holly Aho

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The Politics Quiz

I thought this quiz was very interesting because it illustrated what I said about my political values a few days ago. I found it at Grim's, and he does a great analysis of the quiz itself.

You are a Social Liberal (63% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (66% permissive) You are best described as a:Libertarian Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

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Well, We're Movin' On Uh-up...

I'd seen some slight sagging recently, but hadn't noticed the pouch until this morning... I'm a Marauding Marsupial!! *Happy Hoppity Dance*

Less than two months of blogging, and I'm already a Marauding Marsupial! Wish I could take credit for it, but I started out with a couple of unfair advantages--Status as a Castle Denizenne, and the visibility of being Team Leader for Valour-IT. Still fun, though.

Speaking of Valour-IT, keep your eyes open. Things will be picking up soon.

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Attack of the Killer Meme

The day I dreaded has arrived... I've been tagged with my first meme (since I started blogging). I saw this one developing (ick!) and prayed it wouldn't land on my doorstep. Thanks a lot, AFSis! :P

1. Do you try to look hot when you go to the grocery store just in case someone recognizes you from your blog? Nope. In fact, I don't even clean up as much as I should, considering I'm likely to run into some of my students and their parents.

2. Are the photos you post Photoshopped or otherwise altered? What photos?

3. Do you like it when creeps or dorks email you? Yes, I like Neffi just fine. ;)

4. Do you lie in your blog? No, though I have used subterfuge to conceal various peoples' identities at times.

5. Are you passive-aggressive in your blog? What do you think?

6. Do you ever threaten to quit writing so people will tell you not to stop? No. Is it just me, or is this meme just a little...pathetic?

7. Are you in therapy? If not, should you be? If so, is it helping? No. Probably, haha!

8. Do you delete mean comments? Do you fake nice ones?The only comments I've ever deleted were removed because they were XXX-rated. I've never faked a nice comment...that's so pathetic!

9. Have you ever rubbed one out while reading a blog? How about after? What would I need an eraser for when reading a blog? You asking if I killed someone?! Because I hated their blog or something?!

10. If your readers knew you in person, would they like you more or like you less? Who knows...ask them after we've met!

11. Do you have a job? Yes. See Question 1.

12. If someone offered you a decent salary to blog full-time without restrictions, would you do it? Probably not. I'm still trying to figure out why I started blogging in the first place, and what I really want to do with it.

13. Which blogger do you want to meet in real life? A long list of them. Most of the bloggers I read would be on that list, but lately Sgt. B, Lex, BillT and Kat (put us in the same city and watch what happens!) have been hanging out near the top. [AFSis, I would have included you, not after you gave me this meme! Pbbbppbbbt!]

14. Which bloggers have you made out with? None

15. Do you usually act like you have more money or less money than you really have? Probably slightly less. I tend to really stress about money, and I hate spending it on myself.

16. Does your family read your blog? Yes, a couple family members do. Most don't even know I blog.

17. How old is your blog? Look at the archives on the sidebar. Duh! ;)

18. Do you get more than 1000 page views per day? Do you care? Definitely not 1000! On a good day it's about 50 visitors and 75 page views. I guess I care because it's fun to see that people are interested in what I say. But ultimately it's more like a game than anything else.

19. Do you have another secret blog in which you write about being depressed, slutty, or a liar? No way, LOL! I felt bad enough about creating FbL at the Castle!

20. Have you ever given another blogger money for his/her writing? Yes. I've hit the tipjar for some of my friends.

21. Do you report the money you earn from your blog on your taxes? What money?

22. Is blogging narcissistic? I think partially, yes. I think that's especially true for more personal (non-informational/non-discussion) blogs. But then again, as a professional musician, I don't have much room to talk, haha! How much more narcissistic can it get than thinking people want to sit and listen to you play 200-year-old music?

23. Do you feel guilty when you don't post for a long time? Yes, but only because this is a way for me to publicize Valour-IT. So, I feel like I can't let the blog die or lose any of my meager readership.

24. Do you like John Mayer? Who?

25. Do you have enemies? Probably, but no idea who they might be.

26. Are you lonely? Considering that I just moved by myself to an overgrown small town in the middle of nowhere... yes.

27. Why bother? I hate questions like this. I have no idea what they mean. If it's some kinda nihlistic thing, I guess my answer would be: because. Because life is strange and interesting, and sometimes wonderful... and what we choose to do in this world always matters to somebody.

Now... [rubbing hands together evilly] who shall I tag with this nasty little meme? John, SWWBO, and Sgt. B... You're it! Don't you dare wimp out on these questions. I suffered through them; you can too. :D

Update: John reports for duty, hairy eyeball in tow. Sgt. B checks in.

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What "Get Out of Iraq" Really Means

In another of her amazing essays, Cassandra articulates one of the many reasons why the "anti-war" pressure to leave Iraq prematurely is so repugnant, and bereft of fundamental human decency. [For those who may not know, Cassandra is a Marine officer's wife, veteran of many deployments of family and friends]. The entire thing is excellent, but her closing paragraphs are powerful:

The anti-war Left has told us over and over that Iraq is a quagmire: another Vietnam. It is not, of course. The differences are numerous and striking, but the unpalatable truth is that they long to make it one. And the old adage, "Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it" may well come true once again; for if we withdraw too soon from Iraq, we betray not only the Iraqis, but 150,000 men and women who have served bravely, believing that their service actually stood for something.

Believing that America meant what she said.

How sad for them to find out that the country they believed in with all their hearts is but a paper tiger: a nation of videots whose attention span lasts no longer than the next episode of Survivor Vanuatu?

That we sent them into danger and bloodshed and toil on a fool's errand and then, losing interest, said, "Oh... nevermind. This isn't really all that important after all."

Perhaps you can look that young graduate stepping off the parade ground in the eye after we make it clear what he has just signed up to serve: a nation that doesn't honor its commitments. A nation that will ask him and his friends to die for causes it does not really believe in.

I know I can't.

And here is a Marine of 3 deployments to Iraq (commenter "USMC in Iraq" at Indepundit) who says the same thing his own way in response to a the commenter I quoted in yesterday's post:

How many Iraqis have you had to look in the eye and promise that you would not desert them...then have to worry that your own countrymen would be the cause of you breaking your promise? I know the answer to the last question -you and those who espouse your belief are telling them, "you're days are numbered...we're going to do everything we can so that you suffer the same fate as the Vietnamese and Cambodians" Why? God knows...I sure can't figure it out. [...] Despite your best efforts, I am betting my life, as so many Iraqis are betting their lives and the lives and future of their children, that Iraq will succeed as a democratic nation. I know why I am here and what my efforts are worth. Go look yourselves in the mirror and tell me what you are....and what it's worth..then tell me how you can live with yourselves.

These two say it better than my feeble attempts of yesterday. I'll give a nod of respect to genuine pacifists, and I'll pity those too unintelligent to comprehend the meaning of their actions...but this is why I find the majority of "anti-war" protestors so disturbing and disgraceful.

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