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January 31, 2007

Freedom of Speech, Even For Soldiers

OK... it's been a long day, and I'm tired.

That makes me a little cranky, OK? So, cut me a little slack, here.

Mr. William M. Arkin, of the Washington Post, has put together a little screed (HERE) knocking NBC (see the video HERE) for daring to report how those young enlisted types who are actually serving in the Sand Box feel about "Support the troops, 'Diss the mission".

Actually, the illustrious, industrious Mr. Arkin just 'disses the troops, with a kind of a side-swipe at the mission.

I'm all for everyone expressing their opinion, even those who wear the uniform of the United States Army. But I also hope that military commanders took the soldiers aside after the story and explained to them why it wasn't for them to disapprove of the American people.

You mean to tell me that our soldiers aren't allowed to have their own opinions of people like you? And they're not supposed to say anything contrary to your notion of the will of the American People?

"Oh, the Horror of it All! I'm being contradicted by Enlisted Swine!"

And this:

So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?

"Decent" wage. "Vast social support systems". "Above society".

Sure.

Annnnnnd....here's the capper:


But it is the United States and instead this NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.

"Mercenary".

Mr. Arkin, YOU get paid (probably by the word) for what you do. Does that make you a "Mercenary Writer"?

Well, does it?

These young men and women are not "mercenary soldiers". They are in the organized and Constitutionally mandated armed forces of their own country. They have indeed volunteered. Yes, they get paid. So do you.

There is one big difference between you and them. They stick their physical necks out. You just stick your literary neck out.

And by the way, from 1969 through 1973 I was in the Armed Forces of the US. Judging from your photo, you and I are contemporaries. Where were you, in '72?

Hmmmm?

Posted by ward at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2007

A Little More on Invective

She Who Must Be Obeyed has laid a little of what she's pleased to call "Linkie Luv" on me at her site, and also a little bit to my friend John Dominik at his site.

The whole schemozzle started HERE, then John weighed in HERE whereupon my Sweetie laid THIS out for public consumption.

Flowers? Dinner (at a nice joint)? Chocolate?

Sure - nada problema. That's already budgeted anyway.

Jewlery? May or may not fit the budget, but I'll try....

And, Sweetheart, when the next telemarketer calls, I'll try to make sure that you are not forced to listen to me verbally dismember the cretin...


--

Posted by ward at 06:13 PM | Comments (1)

January 20, 2007

Heidi Cullen Advocates Scientific Censorship?

With just a single sentence in an obscure blog entry, Dr. Heidi Cullen of The Weather Channel has managed to get herself slammed by no less a luminary than the dreaded Rush Limbaugh.

Here's the sentence: "If a meteorologist can't speak to the fundamental science of climate change, then maybe the AMS shouldn't give them a Seal of Approval."

Read the entire post HERE.

When I heard Mr. Limbaugh ranting and raving over Cullen's written comment, I thought that surely he must be mistaken. Rush has been known to miss once or twice.

Well, Rush, you weren't wrong, but you were getting a little over-exercised. Or were you?

It turns out that Dr. Cullen has had as a guest on her show a fella named Dave Roberts who has advocated the following for people who are sceptical of "global warming" theories: "When we've finally gotten serious about global warming, when the impacts are really hitting us and we're in a full worldwide scramble to minimize the damage, we should have war crimes trials for these bastards -- some sort of climate Nuremberg." See his words HERE.

My apologies to Rush - and it appears to me that Dr. Heidi Cullen and The Weather Channel deserve all the criticism they get.

Posted by ward at 10:55 AM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2007

It's all about Me, Invective, and the NY Times

I'm afraid that I've managed to mightily annoy not only an employee of a Major Mainstream Media outlet, but also, and much more importantly, my wife.

Let me explain....

Y'see, I happened to be next to the phone when it rang at 8:30PM this evening. On the other end of the connection was some guy (who very politely introduced himself, but I cannot remember his name), who tried to sell me something, a subscription, perhaps?

He said he was representing the New York Times.

Anyway, I offered to "crawl right through the phone and rip your ears right off your head, and after that, I'll get really rude!" Imagine an escalating volume, if you would.

I didn't swear.

I didn't offer to jump on an airplane to do him actual physical violence.

I was merely... rude, obnoxious, and noisy.

We're on the National Do-Not-Call Registry for a reason.

But, because of my immoderate (although limited - I didn't even get properly warmed up) invective, my beloved wife is annoyed with me.

She's much nicer than I am, and much less likely to use the telephone to puree and flambe some booger-eatin' moron of a tele-marketer who richly deserves every ounce of telephonic abuse and creative invective I can give him.

Bob, Jim, Fred, or whatever your name is, I won't apologize to you, not at all. I will, however, render a heart-felt apology to my beloved. She is, after all, much more important to me than your sleazoid old rag of an alleged newspaper.

And, Bob-Jim-Fred, if you should be so unwise as to call again, you'd better hope that you get to talk to Moogie, and not to me. She will be nice, and firmly polite, and will decline to buy whatever you're offering, and will, politely, refer to the National Do-Not-Call Registry.

If you get me, on the other hand, well, I learned, from a Chief Boatswain's Mate, USN, just how to go, for about two solid minutes, without swearing once, to elaborate on your personal habits, your ancestry, your current lack of discretion, your future prospects, and whether or not you have any smarts at all. Without repeating myself even once. And then, and only then, will I refer you, again, to the National Do-Not-Call Registry.

Think about that, Bob-Jim-Fred.

And Sweetheart, I'm really very sorry that I offended you.

UPDATE: I turned the comments on for this post.

Posted by ward at 09:25 PM | Comments (1)

January 18, 2007

A Great Thought

I know, I've been falling down on the job. I haven't posted in fourteen forevers, and all six of my regular readers have fallen into the deepest, darkest despair.

Well, I'm baaaaaack!

And here it is, my thoughts that will save mankind, bring peace to the world, and provide unlimited, FREE beer to me and my closest friends.

Chickie, my twelve-year-old daughter, made this point while I was driving her home from her dance classes (Tap and Ballet) tonight.

"Daddy, how come Creedence Clearwater Revival sounds so much like Huey Lewis and The News"?

Ummmmm....

The essence of Rock 'n Roll music is very simple.

The best Rock 'n Roll makes you tap your foot, sing along with band (off key, of course), and dance like a retard.

And.... that's it - The Essence of Rock 'n Roll.

Posted by ward at 09:04 PM | Comments (0)