Well, folks, it's been a hell of a ride. I've decided to reclaim my time. I've stayed in this hellscape a lot longer than I intended to. Thank you for all of the great convos. I've laughed, I've shaken my head to the point of whiplash, and I've spit out my coffee. 1/ I feel like I personally know some of you. Some of you I actually do. We've managed to form some weird relationships and shared some good times. Unfortunately, this space has become a cesspool. 2/

Notwithstanding the facts behind the withdrawal and who signed that agreement, it is unsettling that posts like this are out there. I would like to think that most vets are better informed but I know some are not. Instead of fomenting inaccurate information maybe educate.

https://twitter.com/paulrieckhoff/status/1770173828473237780

There is nothin virtuous about never forgiving a man who had little to do with the decision. Yes, we lost 13 brave souls that day and we can ponder and point fingers-it happens in war. As tragic as their loss is -

I think it’s clear. The only way that trump is going to be held accountable is if he loses the election…maybe. Watching from the outside, I’ve seen justices and judges bending over backwards to appease him. I’ve watched as DOJ slow walked the process. 1/ I’m not a lawyer so I don’t know all of the intricacies involved. I am an American and what I see is disturbing. I see a weak AG. Perhaps an unpopular observation but one I believe. 2/

I can only speak about the Navy I served in for 31 years. We have Black and Brown Admirals, Commanding Officers, Pilots, Senior Enlisted, Nuclear Propulsion engineers... Some of them are women. Nobody ever asked us if we were DEI hires as we took in lines for long deployments. 1/ I know they never asked our Marines. I’m pretty certain those in the Army never got asked that question either. 2/

We all saw this tragedy in real time. We watched as cops cowered in the hallway. One sanitized his hands as children were slaughtered. I share the frustration and the despair these families must feel. Maybe one day, the truth will come out. 1/

https://twitter.com/ksatnews/status/1765939828791615749

See, the loss of human life, whether young or old, does not stick with us. We move on. Unless that loss of life affects us and connects with us directly, it quickly becomes a distant memory. It becomes less important when money comes into play. 2/

The @GOP is conducting a stress test. They are saying what we have always known out loud. A relatively short time ago, saying things like this would mark the death of a candidacy or a career. They know that the garbage being spewed from their mouths is beyond extreme. 1/ They know that the more vile the statements, the more "comfortable" a segment of the electorate. They know that if it stresses the machine too much, they can walk it back with catch-all responses, "That's not what I meant," or "That's not who I am," and some will buy it. 2/

Imagine you own a company. It's a big company serving its employees and the entire public. Your company has 50 departments, 100 department heads, and 535 upper-level managers. They each get paid $174K/yr plus many perks, long vacations. 1/ An internal audit has determined that at least half of these department heads and managers are lazy, have no idea what the job entails, don't know the company's history, spend time on social media, take company-funded trips to competing companies, and badmouth management. 2/

They were non-binary. They went by Nex. They didn’t fit into any pre-fabricated box. They had parents, friends. They had dreams and goals that won’t be realized because they were killed. 1/ I assume that they weren’t actively recruiting others to join the non-binary ranks. I assume that whoever is responsible for this tragic death, acted out of anger fueled by the rhetoric, perhaps of parents, from lawmakers,” and from school board members. 2/

1/ One week into the New Year. I didn’t bother posting on New Year’s Day because I’ve dreaded 2024. It’s an election year and the race to the bottom was well underway before the holidays. Now, that race has been supplemented with who can be the shittiest person. 2/Scrolling through this site, navigating through the vitriol, the endless ads for bras, keto diets, sweaters, reading glasses and other cheap, bullshit scams, is fatiguing. One can’t scroll one second before coming across an ad.

It’s amazing to me that the Framers were capable of such foresight. One of their flaws was believing in mankind and humanity. They failed to take into account that greed, hubris, and apathy would outpace anything they could imagine. That the tyranny they feared would explode. 1/ Another flaw was believing that individuals could act without bias. That individuals on the Supreme Court could conduct themselves ethically and with dignity. They also believed that elected officials could do the same. 2/

I have been receiving responses to a post I wrote regarding @SenTuberville's most recent stupid comment about our military. I won't tolerate anyone disparaging our military, our veterans, their families, or their service. Especially from those who never had the guts to serve. 1/ Please don't misunderstand; I don't believe everyone should serve. I am glad we live in a country where citizens have that choice. I'm glad some have chosen to serve in other ways. 2/

Dear @SenTuberville,
I want to address your most recent asinine comment regarding our military.

“We’ve got the weakest military that we’ve had in your or my lifetime.”

Quite a mouthful coming from an individual avoided serving during Vietnam.
1/ Your worthless lifetime includes those who took your place during that conflict. Oh, you had other opportunities to serve, you simply relied on your privilege to go to college and become a sub-par football coach.
2/

As bleak as some things may seem at times, we have much to be thankful for. Personally, I am thankful for having a wife that has always supported me and made me laugh. A wife who is my equal, strong, independent. Who has been with me through tough times and good times. 1/ A woman who has made me a better man. A woman who also served her country for 30 years. A woman who has embraced my immediate family as hers. To our family, she brought a son, who has also chosen to serve his country-a good man. I could go on because she’s a rock star.
2/

Here is a dystopian thought…2024 Election results are in. It appears that the folks who were worried about Biden’s age have won. TFG is in the WH again. Time isn’t waisted. He pardons himself of all crimes, including, giving away our nation’s secrets. 1/ Congress gets to work. First on the agenda, all abortion is banned, regardless of any danger to the mother. Testing for any problems the baby has also been banned. God will be the ultimate arbiter in such matters. 2/

Quite a mouthful. I'll attempt to address each of your claims. First, there was an agreement made between McCarthy and President Biden. Dems bought off on it. It was McCarthy who reneged. I don't know about you, but most of us don't reward or tolerate a lack of integrity. 1/

https://twitter.com/davetroy/status/1714272718353543427

Clearly, McCarthy is a contender for the worst Speaker in history. Yes, he is an idiot. Did having him as Speaker pass a budget? Was anything accomplished while he had the reins? No. So what difference would it have been if Dems had saved his sorry butt? 2/

I don’t know if I’m off kilter with these observations but here goes.

We mock places like Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan. We feign outrage at their human rights violations, their treatment of women. We describe them as zealots, terrorists.
1/ Meanwhile, in the US, toxic masculinity bros are all wearing beards-cops all of sudden started growing facial hair, and it almost seems that the level of brutality exhibited by them escalated.
2/

Unlike many of our “leaders.” Our military doesn’t need constant affirmation and stroking. We don’t need to hear how pro-military you are. Your actions will demonstrate your support of the military. Photo ops, sitting in the Chamber and spewing platitudes does nothing. 1/ When your actions are contrary to your words, it’s called lying and hypocrisy. When you’ve never served and still believe you know everything there is to know about the military, it exposes your stupidity. 2/

After I retired from the Navy, I went back to school and got my BA in English, and my teacher’s certification. I taught HS English. My advice to aspiring teachers? Don’t do it. Find another career. 1/ I believe that teaching is an honorable profession. For many, it’s a calling. Unfortunately, teachers continue to be vilified, threatened, and disparaged. 2/

I’m amazed by how some of these politicians call our military “woke.” They say we aren’t lethal. They accuse us of spending our time teaching CRT. They want a military full of toxic “masculinity.” 1/ Yet, they are the ones that publicly embarrass themselves groveling at the feet of an indicted, corrupt, criminal. Most of these critics never served. They call it in everyday. They bend over, losing any dignity or integrity they might have had. 2/

I’m not an economist, but I remember when airlines started charging for baggage as a remedy for high fuel prices. Fuel prices have gone down and up, as they always have, but they kept charging for baggage. I think that companies are doing the same thing. 1/ Now it seems that airlines are charging extra for window seats, isle seats, and extra to board while still at the jetway. (Sarcasm). They charge extra if you want to secure a place in line for boarding otherwise, your boarding position might be Z100. 2/

Anyone who has studied a bit of history can link religion to some of the most horrendous periods in our past. We can see how religion is being used to cause irreparable damage in our society today. Facts can’t compete with what some call faith. 1/ Religion, politicians have manipulated that faith in ways that are incomprehensible. Let’s say there is a man. A man who has spent his entire life taking, cheating, destroying lives. A man who has clearly committed every deadly sin-pride, greed, lust, gluttony, wrath, sloth. 2/