19 August 2010

It's That Time Again...
And that time would be BACK-TO-SCHOOL time.
Well, for most students, that is.
My wife headed out to Parkview Field (aka Costaplenty Square) for an "outdoor" venue, complete with guest speakers (yawn).
She would have MUCH rather had these meetings at the schools...(and maybe saved a few bucks).
The EDUCATORS head back today w/ the admins., with the students of the FWCS starting Monday.
And, I'm sure the parents in many cases, could NOT be happier.
But that's not ALL the news out there...not by a long shot.
*** The LAST combat brigade stationed in Iraq crossed the border into Kuwait yesterday, so we now "officially" have NO active combat units in country. We will maintain an "advisory" detachment. The 4th Stryker.bgd, of the 2nd Inf. Div. headed their vehicles "outta Dodge", and here's the link to the story:
http://www.usf-iraq.com/news/headlines/last-american-combat-brigade-departs
This IS ahead of schedule, but now only leaves mostly non-combatants in Iraq.
Now, we can only HOPE that there is no escalation in OTHER "hot spots" in the Middle East. This is a pretty BIG deal here, and we're going to be having a lot of our troopers coming back stateside, so let them know how much you, as an American appreciate their service to our country.
*** Another new study finds teenagers are suffering more HEARING LOSS...
(no freaking sh*t, Sherlock)
I could have told them that AGES ago...all they had to do was drive to MY part of the ghettohood and "do the math".
Here's the link from PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/08/study-hearing-loss-up-among-teens.html
We knew this as far back as the BOOMBOX generation (those wonderful 70s), from which the Sony WALKMAN came into vogue.
Just because you jam an ear bud into the old canal, and it doesn't "seem" that loud, it is DIRECTED noise, which is more severe than ambient noise...(duh!)
Tell THAT to all those boomcar-driving morons...oh, wait...they can't HEAR you anyway, can they?
I rest my case on "acquired" deafness (through stupidity).
If you want more info on hearing loss that CAN be prevented as well as the effects of prolonged exposure to LOUD noise (and rap music certainly fits into THAT category nicely), bop on over to these sites and read away - you WILL leave with a much better take on this overly-invasive issue in America:
http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp
http://www.noiseoff.org/
http://www.noisefree.org/
http://www.nonoise.org/
That should make the case as to WHY this is happening and what can be done to stop it.
*** Now, what was that you said earlier about the kids going back to school, Bob?
(Ahh...glad you reminded me...thanks)
Yes friends, the future of America (and ALL it's "to be inherited" debt) is heading BACK to the classrooms, and when I see them grudgingly getting on ALL those buses, it puts a smile on my face...for a brief time.
Then I think back to when I went to school.
The way that we dressed like little gentlemen and ladies...the lack of busing because most all of us knew how to WALK to school...the fact that almost all of us had SOMETHING called BREAKFAST in our stomachs to tide us over until recess or lunch...all this, and SO much more we endured, because it was the proper thing to do. None of this "government please gimme" BS in our lives, no matter how thinly our parent's finances were stretched.
We had something called PRIDE...in ourselves, our parents, and even "the system", because in THOSE days, it worked a helluva lot BETTER, and with a helluva lot LESS money.
We knew that we BEHAVED ourselves in school. We paid attention to the teacher, and respected ANYONE older than us, because they "knew more".
We did what we were told, and were chastised by our teachers AND our parents if we "acted up"...none of this "time out" crap. You MIGHT sit in the corner, or go in the "cloak room" if things got out of hand, but it was hardly laced with any type of "feel-good" rhetoric.
There was nothing to feel good about because you were bad.
My, how times have changed from those halcyon days of youth.
Today, kids go to school looking like slobs, acting like uncaged wild animals, and the parents make sure every hand is OUT for something "free".
And since so MANY of these kids have been MISDIAGNOSED with ADHD, when all they really were was just IMMATURE, that certainly explains a LOT, doesn't it?
(Google up ADHD study...it's mind-blowing)
Be nice to see a return to "friendlier times", wouldn't it?
***Lastly today, I got this from a dear friend who lives in Indiana as well.
I think you'll get as much of a hoot out of it as I did...enjoy:
(( Drafting Guys Over 60 - New Direction for any war:
Send Service Vets over 60!
I am over 60 and the Armed Forces thinks I'm too old to track down terrorists. You can't be older than 42 to join the military. They've got the whole thing ass-backwards. Instead of sending 18-year olds off to fight, they ought to take us old guys. You shouldn't be able to join a military unit until you're at least 35.
Young guys haven't lived long enough to be cranky, and a cranky soldier is a dangerous soldier. '

My back hurts!
I can't sleep, I'm tired and hungry.'

We are impatient and maybe letting us kill some asshole that desperately deserves it will make us feel better and shut us up for awhile...
An 18-year-old doesn't even like to get up before 10am.

Old guys always get up early to pee, so what the hell.
Besides, like I said, I'm tired and can't sleep and since I'm already up, I may as well be up killing some fanatical son-of-a-bitch.
If captured we couldn't spill the beans because we'd forget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be a real brainteaser.
Boot camp would be easier for old guys...

We're used to getting screamed and yelled at and we're used to soft food. We've also developed an appreciation for guns. We've been using them for years as an excuse to get out of the house, away from the screaming and yelling.
They could lighten up on the obstacle course however... I've been in combat and never saw a single 20-foot wall with rope hanging over the side, nor did I ever do any push-ups after completing basic training.
Actually, the running part is kind of a waste of energy, too... I've never seen anyone outrun a bullet.
An 18-year-old has the whole world ahead of him. He's still learning to shave, to start a conversation with a pretty girl. He still hasn't figured out that a baseball cap has a brim to shade his eyes, not the back of his head.
These are all great reasons to keep our kids at home to learn a little more about life before sending them off into harm's way.
Let us old guys track down those dirty rotten coward terrorists.

The last thing an enemy would want to see is a couple million pissed off old farts with attitudes and automatic weapons, who know that their best years are already behind them.
HEY!! How about recruiting Women over 50...in menopause!!!

You think MEN have attitudes??
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh my God!!!

If nothing else, put them on BORDER-PATROL.
They'll have it secured the FIRST night! ))

And to think...in a little over TWO years...I can SIGN UP...LOL!
If that's not something to hang onto in life, I guess I just ain't trying hard enough.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

4 comments:

Ann T. said...

Dear Bob,
Blahahahahahahaha!!!

I can't imagine what hell the Army of Curmudgeons might bring to the War on Terror. But I have noticed it's hard to get you guys lined up and taking orders. You tend to yell back that whatever is a damn fool idea.

Personally, I think you need a woman Captain to lead you all unknowing into unified battle. I notice all curmudgeons will generally forgive women for orders they wouldn't take from another man. LOL!!!!!

As to school, I agree with you on the sloppy thing. Uniforms! All the inner-city schools need to go to uniforms. And, it cuts down on some crimes for them, as they are not advertising bling or sports jackets.

OMG. ROFL!!! You are Crazy!! But seriously, I do think our long experience could be put to damn good use.

Ann T.

Bob G. said...

Ann:
I think we "Band of Curmudgeons" might do well in combat...just AS LONG as we get to nap somewhere around 2PM (or definitely AFTER DINNER)...LOL.

We could all go to whatver hotspot is available globally, toting our guns and attitude yelling "STAY OFF MY DAMN LAWN"!

It has the novelty of never having been tried yet.

Uniforms are a good idea (and nearly ALL private and most parochial schools still have them), but just something to keep these kids from looking like micro-thugs and prostitots would be a damn fine start as well.

Hey, thanks for stopping by the fence today, "General".

Dismissed!
(nap-time at last)

:)

indy said...

i had tears in my eyes about the over 60 joining the army. he was right about over 50 women. i'm in my 40's and i'm facing some serious issues. heat flashes. they are eithor work related, weather related. or my body is freaking out related. the hotter it gets the more moody i get and my tempor is only controled sometimes by walking away to the bathroom to compose myself. yea, i could see me again on the battle field. this time i wont mind bringing down a car bomber or two. it would make me feel good at the end of the day. lol.

Bob G. said...

Indy:
I had a feeling if ANYONE was as ROFL over the "Band of Curmudgeons" thing as I was, it would be YOU!

ANd isn't that what it's REALLY all about anyway?
Feeling GOOD at the end of the day...?
(no matter HOW many rounds go downrange)

Yasureyoubetcha!

Hey, thanks for "taking five" here today.
Much appreciated.

Carry on.