Iraq

Did you ever wonder, as bad as it's portrayed, why the troops (ours) are not rebelling? Remember Vietnam? Many want us to, that's for sure - only the bad though doncha see. No, what I am remembering from Vietnam is the dissension amongst the troops, many vocally exclaiming their disapproval of the whole situation.

We are not seeing disapproval in Iraq. I am positive one could find it if they looked 'hard'... one would be totally naive to think there is zero dissension, but in general it appears they believe in what they are doing. This is good and makes me wonder [again] about what we are fed daily from those who feed us our daily Iraqi updates.

I do realize they are volunteers, but knowing that 'war is hell', it matters not if one is a volunteer or drafted into service. If those troops did not believe in what they were doing, there would be visible and verbal upheaval. So, I am left to wonder as I have for many months, slowly stretching into years; are things actually better than we are led to believe? I believe (perhaps hope is a better word), they just may be.

President Bush is preparing to deliver his altering the course speech in this effort. I suspect it will basically be 'stay the course', and I am in awe of his courage. While "I" personally do not like the rules of engagement in the war itself, I defer to those 'on the ground' as knowing abit more than we 'behind the lines' type. I think, perhaps hope, 2007 may be 'The Year'.

Alternative Energy - Ethanol

What with the recent dropping of prices at the pump this has sort of died down 'again'. However, here in the heartland we hear much discussion about new ethanol plants being built. These plants will not only boost the price for the farmer's corn, they will also create new jobs for the plants themselves, (or so they say).

I have now read more than once just how much water it takes to produce one gallon of ethanol. It requires four gallons of water to produce one gallon of ethanol. Now, we here in Nebraska have had several years of drought. 'Much' of our water for farmers comes from the huge Ogallala acquifer. Happens to be the largest acquifer in the world and it is in trouble. This acquifer feeds much of what is known as the Great Plains, feeds as in providing water to drink.

I guess what bothers me most are the lawmakers, in our states case, Senators Ben Nelson and Chuck Hagel... both espousing how great they are in bringing new business to the state, when in fact disaster looms. All I'm saying is, better leave the water to grow the crops / food... people may just want to eat even though they can't get fuel for their fords and chevys.

WalMart's Dilemma

I can remember the first WalMart I ever went into... it was in Las Cruses New Mexico - can't remember the precise year, but it was the year my daughter got married. I was working for Harris and went down there for nine weeks to fill in for a shortage of workers. So, I go into this great store WalMart I kept hearing about... my initial thought was, what in the world is all the hullabaloo about... my mother, my sister, both from the area where WalMart is king and I thought it was not even up to KMart standards. And so it went, as over the years I went with my mother to Wally World when visiting her... she always wanted to go.

As the years passed, we began getting the stores here in our area, and I very seldom graced their doors. The parking lot was always full, and I did venture in there on occasion, but never really going over to the 'dark side'. I did find if I went during the week, the crowds were not nearly so bad. Then one came to our little town. Jammed all the time... I began thinking as a taxpayer then, that it has to be good for the cities tax coffers. Regardless, I was very seldom a visitor.

Upon retirement I found myself going and strolling / browsing with more regularity, and in fact sort of enjoying WalMart, 'especially' when another one opened about ten miles away and took the pressure off our local store. And now, it seems the whole world is against them. It seems I am against the grain more and more as I progress down life's path.

Were I Wally World Corporate, I would pick some very high volume locations, oh, say maybe ten would do it, and I would shut them down... and do it within thirty days. Lock stock and barrel, shut doors. And, when the whining and crying began I would point to those in power who are trying to break the back of this company. I'm not even going to mention their names as you probably know the culprits anyway. In the end, WalMart is responsible for more employment (world wide) than any company in history. And I'm not just talking 'their' stores... I'm also talking about the people making some of the trinkets WalMart sells to all of we 'Ugly Americans'.

I dunno, I don't own any Wally World stock (sorta wish I had years ago), but I still think the business 'of a business' is to make money, silly as it sounds. And if the company is NOT making money and therefore NOT paying back the stockholders there will be an adverse reaction. So again, were "I" corporate I'd make the pigs squeal right now, and I believe were the ten stores strategically picked, they'd shut this movement down in a hurry.

Technology and The Internet

I have said many times in the past that the internet is probably the single most important development in my lifetime. Not trying to convince anyone of that, just my opinion.

I have an iPod, second generation, size is 20G. Recently I found a web site with old radio shows. I just added 92, thirty minute shows of old Dragnet to my iPod. Can you imagine??? They are from 1949 - 1951. It is a hoot listening to ole Jack saying 'just the facts'. Ha ha ha ha. I love technology.

The Study Group

Will someone please enlighten me? What in the name of all that is holy, does Vernon Jordan and Sandra O'Connor know about the war in Iraq. For that matter, the group itself makes me wanna puke. I probably would except I have a good beef roast in the oven and it smells mighty fine.

Come on folks. There isn't even one military person in the group. William Perry was a former SECDEF but how long ago for crying in the sink!! Alan Simpson was always one of my heroes while in the Senate. Does he know war strategy? I think not. Do any of them know what our real enemy is? Namely Islamic fascism? Evidently not... is it possible when these folks 'were the power brokers', that they caused the mess we are in today? I don't know, and I guess I'm not accusing them, but... when they say we need to negotiate with Syria and Iran, I suspect they've been smokin something!!!

I dunno, methinks, and I think I've said this before - this country is going to have to endure at least one more tragedy the equivalent or worse of 9/11 before it gets the message. I am sorry to even believe it, but this is truly what I believe is ahead.

The Secret Memo

Tonight, NBC teased their lead as a leak of Defense Secretary Rumsfield's SECRET memo... the memo supposedly indicated Rummy had acknowledged things were not working in Iraq, and he was recommending a change of direction. Herewith a few thoughts on 'the memo'.

a) Why even bother with security anymore. Someone is leaking classified material. Someone should go to jail, period.
b) The memo was dated two days 'before' Mr. Rumsfield was [fired]. This indicates the wing nuts that everyone says would not change course were in fact recommending a change in course (or at least talking about doing so).
c) By the way - the infamous pledge to 'Stay The Course', does NOT mean we won't change the way we do things. It means staying till the job is done. I am quite tired of this statement being misinterpreted time and time again.

If anyone thinks the way we do things in Iraq have not changed daily, weekly, monthly they are whacked out. Wars and the way we fight them are fluid. The ONLY regret I personally have is that we do not end it, and yes, I mean precisely what you are thinking. We have the technology.