You Say You Want A Resolution...

So we arrive at the dawn of a new year.  It always seems to be a time of new beginnings.  Or at least wishes for new beginnings.  We look back wistfully, or proudly, or disappointedly and sometimes think of what could have been.  We also look forward.  I like to think most look forward optimistically.  That the new year will bring new challenges, new opportunities, new successes.  At least that's what I try to do.

I'm not huge on resolutions, but they can be fun.  They can also sometimes make us think.  Make us think about what we can be...what we should be...what is good for us and bad for us.  Unfortunately, many resolutions (I RESOLVE to do this!) don't last long.  They get forgotten in our hectic lives.

So I'm gonna try...try to state them...try to work on them...try to keep them.  Maybe I won't be totally successful, but I'm going to write these down, keep them in mind, and this time next year look back.  I hope it will be proudly...not wistfully or disappointedly.  Here they are:

Honesty--This might be pretty difficult.  We all take the easy way out on this one.  We don't say what we think.  Of course, it's very important to take feelings into account when giving your opinion.  Sometimes you need to be sensitive to hurt feelings.  But most times it's tempting to give the easy answer.  To tell someone what they want to hear.   To wimp out.  This year I RESOLVE to be honest.  You want my opinion, you're going to get my HONEST opinion.  If you don't want it, don't ask for it.  If you don't want to read it, leave here now.

Unsubscribe--This one will be easy.  I get way too much nonsense email.  I RESOLVE to unsubscribe to things I don't need/want and keep at it throughout the year.

Exercise--Need to do more of this.  I'm a pretty active person.  I get in the gym regularly...but not regularly enough.  I get out on a bike ride regularly...but not regularly enough.  You get the picture.  So this year I RESOLVE to exercise on a regular basis.  Wish I could say an interval or time schedule, but the reality of my life/job makes that not doable.  But this time next year I'll know if I fulfilled this resolution.

Moisturize--This is another easy one (hey...I need some that are no brainers!).  My doctor tells me to do it more.  My wife tells me to do it more.  I can look at my skin and realize I need to do it more.  So this year I RESOLVE to apply moisturizer to my skin more regularly.

Getaway Place--we (mostly me) have wanted to get a second home for a while.  I think it would be great to have another place in a resort area for a getaway.  And do it regularly.  And do it more and more.  Right now I'm focused on a condo in Mammoth.  The area it all.  Four seasons, lots to do (hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, golfing, festivals, and much more), pretty reasonable, close to drive to, etc, etc.  But I need to do some more research.  But I RESOLVE to narrow the choices, go visit the target area, and pull the trigger.  Hopefully we'll have next Thanksgiving at our place in Mammoth.  Stay tuned.

Electronic Sanity--I really like technology.  I have many of the gadgets that connect me to the world.  I'm all about the web.  It's revolutionized our lives and mostly for the better.  But lately I've become sort of disenchanted with how pervasive they can become if we let them.  I've experienced people who are truly over the top.  People who can't let it go.  They check their devices (whatever they are) constantly, as if there is some all important message or information that needs immediate attention.  It got me thinking...what did we do before these things?  Did we pay more attention to each other?  Were we more aware of our surroundings?  Did we give each other more respect?  So this year I RESOLVE to put the devices down and leave them down more often.  I mean...it's just not that important.

Weight--Okay...you knew this was coming.   Who doesn't go on a diet on Jan 2nd?  Jan 2nd because there are just too many good things to eat while watching football on the 1st!  I'm a big guy and carry it reasonably well, but could stand to lose some weight.  Especially at my age, I gotta eat better.  Of course, that's difficult because I like food so much!  But I'm gonna try.  This is one that will definitely be judged this time next year and I'll look back either proudly or disappointedly.  I'll let you know.

Try New Restaurants--Here's another easy one.  I blogged a while back about going out to eat.  We go out pretty routinely.  But sometimes we get in a rut.  Go to the same places over and over.  Nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong with being loyal.  But it's also cool to try new places.  Literally, every time we do we enjoy ourselves.  So we're going to try and explore new restaurants.  But now that I think about it, maybe not so easy.  If I'm going to lose weight, I better choose wisely in exploring new restaurants.  :)

So that's it.  I usually think of a few things in my mind and then go about my business.  But writing them down is helpful...and a bit scary.  I mean...they are out there for all to see.  At least everyone who is reading.  Check back next year, same time.  I'll let you know how I did.

Finally, here's a quote about the new year that I really like.  Pretty simple and straightforward...and one that after all is said and done I can aspire to...

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better person.” –Benjamin Franklin

Motivation Monday

Good Win

Any win over the hated Raiders is a good win!  I was on a plane and missed the game so can't comment on specifics but, hey...a win is a win!  And to finish the season beating the Raiders is sweet.  So now what?  Most (all?) believe Norv and A.J. are gone.  That is the nature of the beast.  Winning is the name of the game.   So they'll need a new coach, a new GM, and many new players. I also saw that they get the 11th player in the draft.  They better use it wisely!   Lots to do!!

Friday Funnies

As we go into the last week of the NFL season this seems appropriate.  Especially with the Mannings continuing to dominate the scene!

Motivation Monday

Playing It Out

Chargers win ugly.  Jets are bad.  Real bad.  Which is interesting because they have three pretty good athletes competing for quarterback.  But now they are both just playing out the season.  The good news?  Padres Spring Training starts Feb 23rd!

Light Show

Tis the season as the saying goes.  It's my favorite time of the year, as I'm sure it is for many.  One of the fun things is to see all the folks who decorate their homes and businesses.  Makes everything festive.  I came across this collection and thought I'd share.  Some are over the top...but that's okay.  I think I like this one the best...

Stunningly Insensitive

So it's been a week.  A week of tears, funerals, agonizing over cause and effect.  A week in which it seems that people are at least starting to think about the culture.  Most responsible voices are talking about cause and effect.  About why we've come to a place where we increasingly experience the heartbreak of mass murders, of gun violence, of senseless killings.  The call for sensible gun regulations is heartening, at least to me.  The awareness of the need for increased attention and funding for mental health seems like a good and positive step.  Of course, there is plenty of evidence that many don't agree.  The stories of increased gun sales, of people demanding unlimited gun rights are still there.  But at least there is dialog.

And then the NRA comes out with their statement yesterday.  I guess advocacy organizations have to take an extreme stand.  They have to stake out a position that will allow a retreat to a position they can accept.  At least I hope that is the case here.  But...more guns are the solution?

One week after the slaughter at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the National Rifle Association’s  Wayne LaPierre took to a microphone to deliver a defensive, crackpot speech that didn’t fully grasp the impact of the murder of 20 first-graders at the hands of a madman with an assault rifle.  Everyone was to blame. The media and their corporate owners. The political class in Washington. Video games. Violent movies. The mentally ill. But at no point did he point his finger back at the NRA, the one institution that has made it difficult, if not impossible, to bring about common-sense firearms legislation in the country.

I believe a national effort to improve the culture is needed.   We clearly don't have the leadership to do that.  But some are trying.   It's also tough to do in a nation of 300 million and an environment where anything goes.  I believe in all the rights we are afforded under our unique and beloved Constitution.  But to keep those rights and to maintain our society requires fundamental personal responsibility.  That is woefully absent.  LaPierre's speech is a good example of that absence.

Navy Humor

Got the series of stories below from an old shipmate.  If you're attuned at all to the rivalry and camaraderie amongst the ranks in the military, you'll appreciate this humor.

"THE FIVE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS HEARD IN THE US NAVY"

A Seaman saying "I learned this in Boot Camp..."
A Petty Officer saying "Trust me, sir..."
An Ensign saying "Based on my experience..."
A Lieutenant saying "I was just thinking..."
A Chief chuckling, "Watch this sh$t..."

NOW THEY TELL ME

During a commercial airline flight a Navy Chief was seated next to a young mother with a baby in arms. When her baby began crying during the descent for landing, the mother began nursing her infant as discreetly as possible. The Chief pretended not to notice and, upon debarking, he gallantly offered his assistance to help with the various baby-related articles. When the young mother expressed her gratitude, he responded, "Gosh, that's a good looking baby...and he sure was hungry!" Somewhat embarrassed, the mother explained that her pediatrician said breast feeding would help alleviate the pressure in the baby's ears. The Chief sadly shook his head, and in true US Navy fashion exclaimed........ And all these years I've been chewing gum.

NAVAL OFFICERS and NAVY CHIEFS 

A group of Chiefs and a group of Naval Officers take a train to a conference. Each Naval Officer holds a ticket. But the entire group of Chiefs has bought only one ticket for a single passenger. The Naval Officers are just shaking their heads and are secretly pleased that the arrogant Chiefs will finally get what they deserve. Suddenly one of the Chiefs calls out: "The conductor is coming!". At once, all the Chiefs jump up and squeeze into one of the toilets. The conductor checks the tickets of the Naval Officers. When he notices that the toilet is occupied he knocks on the door and says: "Ticket, please!" One of the Chiefs slides the single ticket under the doors and the conductor continues merrily on his round. For the return trip the Naval Officers decide to use the same trick. They buy only one ticket for the entire group but they are baffled as they realize that the Chiefs didn't buy any tickets at all. After a while one of the Chiefs announces again: "The conductor is coming!" Immediately all the Naval Officers race to a toilet and lock themselves in. All the Chiefs leisurely 
walk to the other toilet. Before the last Chief enters the toilet, he knocks on the toilet occupied by the 
Naval Officers and says: "Ticket, please!"

Moral of the story? -- Officers like to use the methods of the Chiefs, but they don't really understand them.

MASTER CHIEF AND 3 LIEUTENANTS

One day, a Master Chief went to the Officer's Club with his Captain to eat lunch. When they entered the main dining room, they found the place was crowded. They did notice three Lieutenants sitting at a table with two empty chairs, so the Captain asked them if they could join them. They promptly invited them to join them. They ordered lunch and joined them in conversation as they ate. At one point, the Master Chief mentioned he had observed characteristics about many officers from which he could determine the sources of their commissioning. The Lieutenants were eager to hear about this and asked if he could tell how each of them had been commissioned.

The Master Chief turned to the Lieutenant on his left and said he went through ROTC. The Lieutenant confirmed that was correct and asked how he had noted this. The Master Chief replied that the Lieutenant, through his conversation, seemed to have a strong academic background but limited military experience.

The Master Chief then told the Lt on his right that he had gone through OCS with previous enlisted service. The Lieutenant confirmed this was correct and also asked how he had determined this. The Master Chief said, again through his conversation, that the Lieutenant seemed to have a firm military background and a lot of common sense.

The Lieutenant across the table from the Master Chief asked if he had determined his source of commission. The Master Chief replied that the Lieutenant had graduated from the United States Naval Academy . The Lieutenant stated that was correct and asked if he had noticed his high level of intelligence, precise military bearing, or other superior qualities acquired at the United States Naval Academy . The Master Chief replied that it was none of these that led to his determination. He had simply observed the Lieutenant's class ring while he was picking his nose.

ROUTE TO BECOMING AN ADMIRAL

Three men are sitting stiffly side by side on a long commercial flight. After they're airborne and the plane has leveled off, the man in the window seat abruptly says, distinctly and confidently, in a low voice, " Admiral , United States Navy, retired. Married, two sons, both surgeons."
After a few minutes the man in the aisle seat states through a tightlipped smile, “ Admiral , United States Navy, retired. Married, two sons, both judges."

After some thought, the fellow in the center seat decides to introduce himself. With a twinkle in his eye he proclaims: “ Master Chief Petty Officer , United States Navy, retired. Never married, two sons, both Admirals."

SEAMANSHIP TEST

One time during the underway watch the OOD decided to test a Chief Petty Officer's seamanship.
"Chief, what would you do if the forward watch fell off the side of the ship?" "Easy, sir, I'd call 'Man Overboard' and follow the Man Overboard procedures."
"What would you do if an officer fell overboard?" "Hmmm," The Chief said, "Which one, sir?"

OLD SALT

A crusty old battleship admiral died and found himself standing before Saint Peter at the pearly gates. Peter welcomed him warmly, "Come right in, Admiral! You've served your country well and you may enter Heaven!"

The admiral looked thru the gates and stepped up to Saint Peter, "Just one thing, sonny. I hope there's no Chiefs here. They are the rudest, most obnoxious variety of human ever, and if there are any of them here, I'm not going in; I'd rather go to the other place."

"Don't worry, admiral," said Saint Peter. “No Chief has ever made it into Heaven – you’ll find none of 'em here."

So, the admiral goes on into Heaven. Moments later, he comes upon an amazing sight. It is a swaggering figure in khakis, garrison cap cocked slightly on his head, a mostly empty bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand, and a beautiful woman on either arm.

Incensed, the admiral rushes back to Saint Peter and gets in his face. "Hey! You said there were no Chiefs here! So what the hell is THAT?!?"
"Don't worry, admiral," says Saint Peter gently. "That's God. He just THINKS he's a Chief."

A WISE OLD MASTER CHIEF ONCE SAID

A young Ensign approaches the crusty old Master Chief and asked about the origin of the commissioned officer insignias.
"Well," replied the Master Chief, " the insignias for the Navy are steeped in history and tradition.
First, we give you a gold bar representing that you are very valuable but also malleable.
The silver bar also represents significant value, but is less malleable.
Now, when you make Lieutenant, your value doubles, hence the two silver bars.
As a Captain, you soar over the military masses, hence the eagle.
As an Admiral, you are, obviously, a star.
Does that answer your question?"
"Yes Master Chief" replied the young Ensign. "But what about Lieutenant Commander and Commander?"
"That, sir, goes waaaay back in history - back to the Garden of Eden. You see we've always covered our pricks with leaves."

THE CHIEF AND THE GUNNY

An old Chief and an old Gunny were sitting at the VFW arguing about who'd had the tougher career. "I did 30 years in the Corps," the Gunny declared proudly, "and fought in three of my country's wars. Fresh out of boot camp I hit the beach at Okinawa , clawed my way up the blood soaked sand, and eventually took out an entire enemy machine gun nest with a single grenade. "As a sergeant, I fought in Korea alongside General Mac Arthur. We pushed back the enemy inch by bloody inch all the way up to the Chinese border, always under a barrage of artillery and small arms fire. "Finally, as a gunny sergeant, I did three consecutive combat tours in Vietnam . We humped through the mud and razor grass for 14 hours a day, plagued by rain and mosquitoes, ducking under sniper fire all day and mortar fire all night. In a fire fight, we'd fire until our arms ached and our guns were empty, then we'd charge the enemy with bayonets!"

"Ah," said the Chief with a dismissive wave of his hand, "all shore duty, huh?"

Friday Funnies

This is funny.  Not Ha Ha funny.  Weirdly and truthfully funny...

Finally

The sad story of the Benghazi disaster has been ongoing for several months.  As I've posted previously here and several other times.  My point has consistently been to not focus on who said what in the aftermath.  I simply don't care.  But the response to pleas for help has been unacceptable.  Finally, we hear about the results of the investigation.  It seems pretty late but at least there are admissions of incompetence. People have been held accountable.  Some have lost their jobs.  And I think that is right.  The quote by William Burns says it all.

"We've learned some very hard, and painful lessons in Benghazi, and all are acting on them," said William Burns, deputy secretary of state, during testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "We have to do better. We owe it to our colleagues who lost their lives in Benghazi."

No Simple Answers

The Sandy Hook story continues...as it should.  I've posted on it in the last week and it still is fresh in my thoughts.  It was such a devastating and unthinkable disaster, that I believe (or maybe hope to believe) that some things will change.  Two issues that are getting front and center play are gun control and mental illness.  Both of these issues are controversial and impact on our rights.  But they must be dealt with.

I frequently look to others for inspiration.  One who rarely disappoints is Peggy Noonan.  She writes weekly for WSJ and periodically on her blog.  Her post is, I beleive, an inspiration.  It's titled simply, Newtown.  You can read it here:  http://blogs.wsj.com/peggynoonan/2012/12/17/newtown/?mod=WSJBlog
In the aftermath of this terrible tragedy, I think she makes three very valid points

     "...we must provide more treatment options for parents of children whom they know to be mentally unstable and potentially dangerous. If your child is hungry, you can get food. If your child breaks his leg, the hospital is there. But if your child is psychologically sick or mentally unbalanced and beginning to show signs of violent behavior, you’re more or less on your own. We have to change this. We are making more sick teenagers and young men now, not fewer, and this is going to continue as our culture breaks up. I think we all know this, deep down."  I saw a very applicable and scary story that someone posted on Facebook titled "I Am Adam Lanza's Mother".  You can read it here:  http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/12/15/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother  The choices offered today to help kids like this are unsat.  It must change.

     Second..."Congress should move quickly—really, right away—to ban something almost every member would ban next week if they were given a clean, short, unambiguous piece of legislation. Two years ago, after Tucson, I urgedPresident Obama to make such a bill a priority in his 2011 State of the Union Address.
A hot subject then was the polarizing nature of our political rhetoric. But I wrote:

Normal people are not afraid of a lowering of discourse in political speech. They don’t like it, but it’s not keeping them up nights. Normal people are afraid of nuts with guns. That keeps them up nights. They know our society has grown more broken, families more sundered, our culture more degraded, and they fear it is producing more lost and disturbed young people. They fear those young people walking into a school or a mall with a semiautomatic pistol with an extended clip.
What civilian needs a pistol with a magazine that loads 33 bullets and allows you to kill that many people without even stopping to reload? No one but people with bad intent. Those clips were banned once; the president should call for reimposing the ban. . . . The president should seize the moment and come out strong for a ban."

     Third..."everyone who has warned for a quarter-century now that our national culture has become a culture of death—movies, TV shows, videogames drenched in blood and violence—has been correct. Deep down we all know it, as deep down we know our culture has a bad impact on the young and unstable who aren’t sturdy enough to withstand and resist sick messages and imagery.  When Hollywood wants to discourage cigarette smoking it knows exactly how to do it, because it knows exactly how much power it has to deliver cultural messages. When Hollywood wants to encourage environmentalism it knows how to do it. But there’s a lot of money to be made in violence, and God knows there’s a market for it—in fact, the more people are fed violence the bigger the market grows, so it’s an ever hungry, always growing market. This is exactly what you want if you’re in a tough business and don’t have a conscience.
Republicans have no sway in Hollywood, none. They are figures of mockery, sometimes deservedly so. If they get into the act here, Hollywood will be able to ignore them, and nothing will change. But the Democrats and the president are in a different position. They could change things for the better."

I think all three suggestions are right.  We have to do something about the state of mental illness.  There are a lot of kids out there who need help but are not getting it.  They fall through the crack.  We also could do some quick things on gun control.  Magazines are a start.  But I really don't get why the average person needs a semi-automatic rifle.  An AR-15 Bushmaster is used for one thing...to kill a lot of people.  And I think the way to change the culture is to use all tools at our disposal, including the Hollywood crowd. 

My sense is that this time it's different.  The sadness is turning to outrage.  The need to make changes is compelling.  The question is whether or not we have the guts to do it...

Pet Peeve Wednesday

It seems that the tragedy at Sandy Hook has colored most of my thinking in the last few days.  Sadness has turned to outrage.  The idea that a guy with clear mental issues (if not illness) had access to an AR-15 Bushmaster is outrageous.  Really the idea that any civilian off the street has access to such weapons is outrageous.  And that leads me to this week's pet peeve.

And at first I thought it was situational, but the more I think about it, it really can be pretty generic.  When something happens in our society, wherever it is on the spectrum of good to evil, there is a natural reaction by our leaders.  The vast majority who have anything to do with it will speak about the need to take action.   To do something.  And I think they are usually just playing a PR game.  Because nothing ever gets done.  I've come to the disappointing conclusion that the majority of our leaders are quite simply, cowards.  If you're in a position of leadership, take a stand.  If you truly believe in a position, fight for that position.  I'm generally not a Dianne Feinstein fan.   But at least she is taking a stand.  She wants to ban these heinous weapons.  Good for her.  The rest could take a lesson...

Inspiration Monday

Could there be anything else?

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Numb

Yesterday was shocking.  Today I feel numb.  Numb to the killing.  Numb to the spectacle.  Numb to the idiocy.  I can't watch anymore TV.  It's too difficult.  They just go over and over the same thing.  And we've all been down this road before.  Virginia Tech, Colorado, Oregon, and many others.  It seems to be a variation on a theme.  Except.  Except this is so much worse.  Little kids mowed down.  20 of them.  And teachers.  People with a particular calling to help kids.  Gone.  Kids with futures.  Teachers with purpose.  Gone.  It makes no sense.

The battle over gun control is now emerging.  As I said yesterday, I don't know what the answer is, but serious dialog needs to begin.  Changes need to be made.  Somehow we need to honor and uphold the Second Amendment while at the same time putting into place serious regulations.  The Washington Post had a pretty good first editorial today.

"...whatever the facts of this case, that the country would be safer with fewer guns, that mass killings are more difficult with knives, that it is not the Second Amendment but political cowardice that precludes sensible regulation. That we are not supposed to exploit tragedy to talk about this issue, but that in the absence of tragedy it never gets talked about at all."

But I'm not naive.  I'm not optimistic that anything will be done.  If there is any dialog, it will be overshadowed by shouting and intimidation.  So I guess all I can do is declare my belief that the country needs some sort of gun regulation.  If I get the chance, I'll work for it and I'll vote for it.  Period.  This can't happen again.

We've also been inundated by news.  And this is certainly a newsworthy story if there ever was one.  But once again, as in every big story, be it the pregnancy of Princess Kate, a big hurricane coming ashore, or this unspeakable atrocity, the news media are spring loaded to going over the top.  Everyone needs to get an angle that others don't have.  It has always been that way but with our 24/7 news cycle, it's truly out of control.  We all want information, but what we get is saturation...over saturation.

I saw this little rant attributed to Morgan Freeman posted on Facebook.  I've also seen some articles saying its not true.  That he didn't say it.  But you know what?   I don't care.  I agree with a lot of the sentiments.

TURN OFF THE NEWS.......

Morgan Freeman's brilliant take on what happened yesterday :
"You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here's why.

It's because of the way the media reports it. Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single *victim* of Columbine? Disturbed people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he'll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.

CNN's article says that if the body count "holds up", this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer's face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer's identity? None that I've seen yet. Because they don't sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you've just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.

You can help by forgetting you ever read this man's name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem. You can help by turning off the news."

Like I said, I agree with most of it.  He (or whoever wrote it) points to mental health research instead of gun control.  I think it's both.  As a society, we need to attack both.

If I believe in anything in government, I believe in the First Amendment.  If there is any fundamental principle of our country, it's freedom of speech.  Once again, I'm not naive.  I don't think it will change.  I don't think it can change.  We're too far down the road and can't come back.  The news media is in it to make a buck.  And being first to report something, or continuing to report something, or finding a new angle that leads to more viewers, which leads to more advertisers, which leads to more revenue is the name of the game.  They will say they are just journalists cover a story.  Right.  But it's really about making a name and making a buck.  Free enterprise.  I get it.  But it's tough to take.  So I'm now a big fan of HGTV, Food Network, ESPN, HBO, etc, etc, etc.  Or going for a bike ride.  Or a walk.  Anything to not be subjected to it.

Finally.  Finally video games.  I haven't paid much attention to these things.  Have seen some advertisements.  When I drop by Best Buy or one of the other electronics stores, I've seen the boxes.  There are hundreds of these things out there.  I'm pretty sure anyone can get them.  Impressionable youth.  Sick weirdos with guns.  Anyone.  In case you're wondering if they are that bad, here's the description of the video game that ranked number one in violence in 2012.

No.1 Postal 2 

Taking the throne of video game violence is a mantle often reserved for only the elite titles, and Postal 2 easily captures the top spot. This is a game in which it is not uncommon to drop-kick grenades and whip scythes at unsuspecting civilians if they refuse to participate in your everyday life story (which is, after all, the plot behind the game). Of course, this includes using cat carcasses as silencers on your gun, hitting people with anthrax-laden cow heads and playing “fetch” with dogs using the severed heads of your dismembered victims. Postal 2 is the epitome of senseless, over-the-top video game violence.

Once again...something needs to be done.  At least...at the very least...we need to keep this kind of crap out of the hands of our kids.

Shocked

So what are we to make of today?  You know what I'm talking about.  Unless you were on Mars today you heard about the horror in Connecticut.  26 people, mostly little children gunned down at school.  It is almost unspeakable.  It is certainly unfathomable.  How are decent people even supposed to process it?  I was driving home this afternoon listening to accounts of the tragedy and found myself crying.  I was talking so my son about it and couldn't even continue.  Maybe I'm just an old softy, but it is just so sad.  I saw President Obama struggle to continue with his remarks and, for the first time, felt his sincerity.  This has touched most people deeply.  I just can't imagine the anguish that the parents of both the living and dead are going through.  All of our heartfelt prayers are with them, but it is small comfort.

And I find myself thinking about something else, that I've never considered.  We've got to figure out something to do about guns.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe in the Second Amendment.  But we've got to do something.  This is the worst, but there have been so many shocking gun tragedies recently.  I've never been a gun guy.  Just never got into it.  But I have friends who own guns.  Some own many.  Handguns, shotguns, semi-automatics.  You name it.  But I don't get why.  Why would you own something that can destroy so much?  I know, I know.  It's for target practice, or sport shooting, or competition, or hunting,or whatever.  But I just don't see it.  Get a different hobby.  Or they need it for protection.  Huh?  Every statistic debunks that theory.  Like I said, I just don't get it.

But the bottom line is that we seem to have gone to the extreme.  Why did that Mother own three handguns in a house with someone mentally unstable?   What was she thinking?  Anyone can own a gun.  There are literally millions in circulation.  There is very little control. I know, I know. We have the right to bear arms.  Guns don't kill people, people kill people.  We must have the ability to protect ourselves against the tyrannical government.  Really?  Really.  I guess I just don't buy it.

Here's what I know.  26 people are dead, mostly little children.  If that deranged monster would've had a weapon other than a gun, they would be alive.  And we've seen it over and over.  And I think we have to do something.  What?  I don't know.  But we've got to start talking about it.  Or it will happen again, and again, and again...

Before starting this I did a simple search about gun statistics.  It is literally mind boggling how many guns there are in this country, how easy they are to obtain, and how much damage they do.  This is just one small part of the problem.  Hat tip to TWJ

Friday Funnies

Because I spent 25 years of my life as a Naval Officer, I pay pretty close attention to what's going on with my beloved Navy.  And as has always been the case, some crazy stuff goes on.  Of late there is a big hullabaloo regarding sailors on liberty in Japan.  Too many sailors doing what sailors have been doing on liberty since John Paul Jones was an Ensign.  Many (most?) think the Admiral in charge has overreacted.  You can read about it here and decide for yourself.  

But in light of these latest shenanigans, this seems appropriate for Friday Funnies.  Hat tip to JVB.

Pet Peeve Wednesday

Every Wednesday I do this fun little feature.  It usually doesn't take too much thought to think of something that bugs me and write about it.  It's usually not earth shattering.  Funny little annoyances mostly.  Things you'd never really comment on but it feels sorta good to vocalize the frustration.  No big deal...just a small vent.   This week and because of the time of year it was particularly easy to think of a subject.  After all it's Christmas time.  And that brings me to this week's pet peeve.

We've all seen and heard the idiots who carp about nativity scenes on public property.  Folks who need to get a life.  We hear about "holiday trees", "holiday cards", "holiday songs", etc, etc, etc.  All this complaining is, to me, the ultimate in stupidity.  I mean, there is no forcing of anything by anyone in celebrating Christmas.  And society gives plenty of attention to Hannakuh, Kwanza, Festivus, Rammadan, or whatever else anyone wants to celebrate.   After all, the country was founded by Christians, so it's pretty natural that we celebrate Christian traditions. As we used to say when I was a kid, "if it feels good, do it".  But some folks feel a need to see the negative in everything.  Here's my simple advice.  Just go about your business.  Let people alone who want to get a few moments of happiness by celebrating something that makes them feel good in this big old troubled world.  Is that too much to ask?  I don't think so.  Oh, and the second part of this vent is the need to use the politically correct term "Happy Holidays" when wishing someone well this time of year.  It's funny how many people have blindly bought into that nonsense.  As for me, I wish you all a  Merry Christmas!

Everyone Just Take A Breath!

I feel sorta like I did when all the chaos and hullabaloo was happening prior to the election.  Non-stop, 24/7 coverage, opinions on the right, opinions on the left, do this, don't do that, doomsday if this scenario happens, easy street if that scenario happens.  It's like that now as the media, the pundits, the professional hecklers keep pounding away on the "fiscal cliff".  I had a post several weeks about where we get our news.  I said then and still believe that it's very important to check several sources.  But I swear sometimes they've all gone crazy.  Just take a look at Real Clear Politics for example.  On any given day they have  a collection of articles coming from both sides.  There are strident, pointed, opinionated, sometimes off the chart articles.  Try watching TV news.  The networks...in the pockets of the Dems.  And don't even get me started on the cable channels.   Fox and MSNBC...both bad.  CNN...at least they try.  NPR...please.  The fishwrap...nope.  I look at the internet news sites and I think CBSNews is the best of a bad lot.  The rest...not so good.  So as I said, you gotta look at everything.

I guess people have to be so remarkably opinionated to get an audience.  But for me...I just feel like turning them all off.  If someone is so far to one side or the other, in my eyes they are a jackass.  Now they would say they are passionate.  That they have strong beliefs because there is so much at stake.  That if they don't win disaster will befall all of us.  B.S.  This country has been through incredibly tough times, both from an economic perspective and from a national security perspecive.  Are we vulnerable?  Yes.  But with all the strong opposition for any idea that one side has, I don't see any radical moves occuring.

There is remarkable gathering commentary about the demise of the Republican party.  That it is just a bunch of old, white guys who are out of touch, hate women and minorities, want to protect the fat cats, and go to war at the drop of a hat.  Did I get that right Maureen Dowd?  Hmmmm...I may be an old, white guy but I'm certainly not any of the rest.  And I've got news for the smug winners and haters on the other side.  Things go in cycles.  Who's up now may be down soon.  I like to think we're all Americans and can get past the rhetoric.  But the hateful speech of the other side is tough to take.  Everyone should think about that before they go prancing smugly about claiming political domination for the foreseeable future.

As for the "fiscal cliff", something is going to happen.  The folks who beleive in big government and the protectionist/redistributionist state won.  There will be consequences.  But take a look at history.  Things go in cycles.  The pendulum swings.  So...taxes will go up.  There will be impacts on small businesses and those who rely on dividend income.  This Obamacare thing is going to be expensive and, I suspect, none too effecient.  But for the vast majority of the country it isn't a disaster.  We'll have to pay more.  Simple as that.  We'll give more to government and less to other things.  I know to most  of my ilk it's maddening that our taxes are going to fund bigger government, to make more people dependent and to squash the dreams of so many.  But it is what it is.  We've got a good check in the House of Representatives and I'm confident that Boehner will get the best deal he can.  He's in a tough position and I for one will support him.  Remember, what comes around goes around.  One of these days we'll be able to unshackle the economy and unleash the American entrepenurial spirit.  But for now...most are hoping we don't go over the cliff...but whatever happens I think it is going to be a pretty wild ride...

Motivation Monday