Cross posting

I put it out to the book of Faces this AM.

Call for the assassination of a political figure once, you have my pity - you're smarter than that. Do it twice in as many days, and you get unfriended. I should call 'em out, but f--k it, it's like talking to a wall. I don't care how repugnant you find the incoming administration to be ideologically. Going down that road makes it OK for the other side to do it to you, you know (also, who do you think has been buying a record number of firearms and ammunition? Hint: they don't read Salon) That kind of shit is what gets reality TV stars elected, or, *shudder* civil war. 

Also, if you think you understand what civil war would entail, and think it's the answer to your problems, you have no comprehension of history, or how brutally savage modern Homo Sapiens can be.
Don't believe me? Check out the events of late 1st Century BCE Rome, as a primary example. Russia in the nineteen teens, Spain in the 30's, Cambodia in the 60's and 70's, Rwanda in the 90's, or Syria RIGHT NOW - THIS VERY MOMENT (Peace Prize in action) might also be illuminating.

Either work within the system, and persuade your fellow Americans in the arena of ideas. Other wise, it's time to catch up with the people you can't possibly deal with. They bought more firearms than needed to equip the United States Marine Corps LAST MONTH.

We're playing with fire. Prayers for love and cooler heads.

Just when you think you...

...have totally figured out - life throws you one major curve ball.  It's happened before, prior to finding out I was going to be a Dad, and getting divorced.

Change is good.  Change is constant. 

Stay tuned. 

Debates

Who hasn't made up their mind for one, the other, or neither?  Interesting question is why are they still having them? 

Ratings and advertising revenue. 

I am beyond disgusted by this.  There is no doubt in my mind of a way-back collusion between Clinton and Trump. I don't believe in coincidence.  The only person that Clinton could possibly beat is Donald Trump.  He makes her look positively presidential in comparison. 

Say what you want to about Hillary, but no one has ever accused her of being dumb.  Evil, perhaps.  Dumb, no.

She's not going to be a good president.  Her vaunted record as Sec State? 

Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, ISIS, just to name a few.  She's made an enemy of the Russians again. 

So, enjoy all of the benefits of the Second Clinton Regieme.  I, for one think bit will be much more of the same, with an option for a major war, and a further erosion of rights.

America, we always get the government we deserve. 

Crazed American, out.

Political Post

Well, the Orange is a certified cretin.  F--k that guy.  The Dowager Empress is also a patent  rapist-enabling, foreign policy dunderhead.  She will either not improve our foreign policy standard or, quite possibly make it far worse. 

The Orange is disgusting.

No endorsement here, and my non-partisan vote pledge stands, but the Dowager Empress is the Devil I know.  With her I know how this goes down!

23 Years

23 years ago today -  3 Oct 1993.

MSG Gary Gordon, 1st SFOD-D / SFC Randy Shughart, 1st SFOD-D / SSG Daniel Busch, 1st SFOD-D / SFC Earl Fillmore, 1st SFOD-D / MSG Timothy Martin, 1st SFOD-D / CPL Jamie Smith, 3/75 Ranger / SPC James Cavaco, 3/75 Ranger / SGT Casey Joyce, 3/75 Ranger / PFC Richard Kowaleski, 3/75 Ranger / SGT Dominic Pilla, 3/75 Ranger / SGT Lorenzo Ruis, 3/75 Ranger / SSG William Cleveland, Jr. 160th SOAR / SSG Thomas Field, 160th SOAR / CW4 Raymond Frank, 160th SOAR / CW3 Clifton Wolcott, 160th SOAR / CW2 Donovan Briley, 160th SOAR / SGT Cornell Houston, 10th MTN DIV / PFC James Martin, 10th MTN DIV

 

Remember.

Reading the Tea Leaves (political post)

OK, team - been a minute but time for me to do a little political tea reading.

If you have not been in a cryostasis tube on your way to a teeth intensive visit to an alien world, you've heard of Hillary "Never tell the damn truth" Clinton's health issues.

For the record: The Crazed American is completely NON-PARTISAN.  F--k 'em both.  I will NOT VOTE FOR EITHER OF THESE TWO CLOWNS.

If she, like a lot of the "Alt-Right" (Read Alex "DOOM is nigh, buy my diet supplements and neutraceuticals" Jones) is correct and she and her campaign are lying about her health and she does have some sort of chronic neurological condition or trauma, and there is some evidence of it (seizures, some of her unexplainable reactions, coughing fits, her handler with what looks to be like some sort of diazepam pen, and the whole DNC contingency plan), then it is obviously exacerbated by stress.

I cannot fathom the stress of having to compete against, much less debate someone like Donald "I'm not bothered by facts" Trump.

If you think there is some for of criminal conspiracy to keep Hillary's health a secret, then the sheer level of dealing with DJT's bullshit would send you over the edge.  Long story short is this:  if she is truly healthy, as her camp says she is, no worries, the debates will be merely a sad commentary on the train-wreck that is American Politics, and a road-map of lies the politicians will tell each other and the electorate.  Then points against the conspiracy folks.

But, when confronted with the bombast and attitude of "let's not let facts cloud the issue" attitude of Trump, what would be the reaction, pray tell if Clinton was to have a seizure from stress, on stage, on TV?

So in the debates, upon advice, he'll push her, confront her, trying to ratchet the stress level up.  It'll get her flustered, off balance.  If she does have some form of neurological condition, that'll be a perfect storm.  Stress, bright lights, fatigue from campaigning, crazy bullshit from the person on stage with her.

Imagine the optics of Trump rushing over to catch a falling, ill old lady.  He'll be quietly noble.  He'll be the closest person to her. He'll be the first person to tell the American Public that we should come together and pray for her speedy recovery, because there will literally be a microphone and a dozen TV cameras putting the whole thing out, live in full HD.  Then we'll have a **Shudder** President Donald J Trump, and I will prepare for an apocalypse.


Or, if she really is healthy, and just had a brief bout of pneumonia, then the debates will allow me to be an asshole non-partisan, grumbling into the whiskey that I will be drinking those nights.  Then we might have a President Hillary R Clinton, and I will prepare for an apocalypse, more distant, but still probable.

I hope she's healthy.  I want the debates to happen, unmarred.  I want the parties to be politically bloodied by this.  Let them spew their bullshit.  People are waking up.

Crazed American, out.

Face Black, Eyes Red.

So, we as a nation are in grief.  I for one grieve for the loss of innocent civilians on American soil.

My hometown is Orlando, Florida.  All of my formative young adult memories took place there.

First love, first time making love, first true heart break, first job, met Mrs. Crazed American II there.  I acted on stage and TV there.  I went to a great high school there, had great teachers.  I love that crazy, weird, touristy town.  I left from Orlando, to join the US Army and attend a small engineering school in the Hudson Valley of New York.

I dropped out of that school, and returned home, although, home wasn't back in Orlando.  My parent had moved, so I think, even to this day, going back to Orlando (which I haven't spent a lot of time in since) always feels great.

A warrior of the caliphate of the Islamic State entered a crowded night club (one apparently that he had been a regular at, and he apparently had a Jack'd account (like Grindr) as well), with a SIG MPX (AR15 variant, I guess - takes STANAG mags and has a different gas system) and a pistol, and killed 50 people, wounding 53 more.

I do want to state for clarity that there is a possibility that a few of the killed and wounded may have been a result of friendly fire. It is heartbreaking, but also a reality of a firefight, especially in a crowded, kinetic and life or death struggle.  I hope it not to be the case, but if it is, I hope all involved realize that that pig, that defiler of his purported faith, that slayer of the unarmed and innocent, HAD to be stopped before he killed many, many more. 

The Crazed American is a proud ally of the LGBTQ community.  I am a proud son of Orlando.

I call on the POTUS to petition Congress to pass an Act, a Declaration of War against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Anything less is cowardice.  If we are going to be at war, then we should be at war.

How many more acts of war must a people endure?

Crazed American, out.

Note:  I am not voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, not now, not ever.

Wish I could be a fly on the wall

So Sanders is having a sit down with El Presidente tomorrow

Figure the conversation is going one of three ways:

1) Quit and Hillary will make you her VP

2) Don't quit and you'll get buried

3) Time to nut up for the big game - you're it, 'cause I'm letting the FBI indict Hillary

Time will tell, 

Crazed American, out.

Lemme spell it out for ya...

Honestly its shit like THIS  and THIS that amkes those of us on the Pro-2A side of things not trust those in favor of "sensible" gun control. 

If you cannot make your case without having to resort to deceptive editing, then forgive us for not feeling like "engaging and interfacing" with you on the issue.

...and this was just this week. 

Crazed American, out.

Mark my words...

http://www.newsweek.com/hillary-clinton-email-terrorism-sloppy-communications-463605

If true, this is fairly damning, and it shouldn't be long until the indictments start rolling along.  

I'm thinking the Obama Administration is about to throw The Clinton Campaign under the bus. 

No secret that Obama and Clinton do not like each other much. 

Popcorn on standby. 

Ready for the Plagarist in Chief?  Uncle Joe Biden might just be the Democratic nominee...

But, of course, i could be wrong. 

Crazed American, out.

Announcement

I have officially found the new T-Shirt that will be work around Basecamp Ponderosa

http://16sucks.com/t/t-shirts

This guy gets it. 

Crazed American, out.

Shenanigans

 

 

 

404: FILE NOT FOUND: PAGLIANO.PST 

 

Wait, an "IT guy" worked someplace for 4 years and has NO emails? Not even the barely HR tolerable, almost inappropriate joke-meme emails, or "Servers and phone switches are going to be down tomorrow while we work on a UPS issue" emails???

This, the same guy that set up SecState's Email Server of Questionable Legal Status.

I call Shenanigans. It cannot be. Before any of you decry my lack of ability to comment on this, please know that I was an "IT guy". **0_o**

In modern history , the true damage never comes from the initial transgression, it is ALWAYS from the coverup.

Well, Mr. Pagliano's about to find out what the undercarriage of a bus looks like.  But he is currently being held on a close leash by J. Edgar's boys.  

Interesting times, 

Crazed American, out.

 

 

Words have meaning

In this time of the Novus Populares (Trump and Sanders) versus Novus Optimates (Clinton et al), this kind of language has meaning:

Bernie Sanders

There is nothing I would like more than to take on and defeat Donald Trump, someone who must never become president of this country.

and the Glenn Beck / Brad Thor: #neverTrump and #NeverEverTrump

OK.  If it is true that if you encourage your followers that Trump "must never" become president.  How far do you think your followers (or an unhinged follower) might take it?  Pretty easy to interpret this in a very negative and permanent way.

Told the Missus the other day that it looks as though our current time frame is beginning to rhyme with the very late Roman Republic (40-30 BCE).  This is illustrative for those who might consider executive protection and being a bodyguard as a line of work.  Don't do it.  Early 21st Century America might become known as an era known for political assassination leading quickly into organized violence. 

Lord help us have cool heads, and realize that the world won't end if someone is elected and rules are followed and everybody acts like rational adults. 

Rational adults in 2016 America?  Oh.  We're fucked.

Crazed American, out.

Lying Populist Hack Demagogue v. Same

It's over!  Cruz (Partisan Religious Demagogue) has FINALLY suspended his campaign after being trounced by a Lying Populist Hack Demagogue. 

So the race, barring a victory by the Democratic Socialist in the race, will be one Lying Populist Hack Demagogue -R versus Lying Populist Hack Demagogue -D.

The Republican Party is DEAD.  Good Riddance.  One down, one to go.  Your turn to eat yourselves alive, Democrats. 


The American Republic has been on life support for a while.  Lots of people like Glenn Beck have been asking if our current situation was closed to 1914 or 1939.  I counter that currently we're skating along at about 32 BCE. 

All it will take is a Caesar.  None of the clowns currently running fit that bill. 

Interesting times.

Build local community and local networks.  We're DEFCON 4 (with option to upgrade) 'round here, and I don't say that lightly.  Put some essentials aside, needs and some cash. 

Crazed American, OUT

The passing of a legendary legend.

Good night sweet Prince. 

Purple Rain (the movie, the album, the idea) was one of those formative moments in life. 

He will be missed. 

Apparently, His Sacred Purpleness has thousands of unreleased works in a vault in his compound in Minnesota.  I think I have divined the plot of the next Indiana Jones movie. 

Sadly,

Crazed American, out.

One is on it's way down...

...in flames.  The Party is OVER.

Me thinks the Democrats are next.  This little kerfuffle between Bernie Sanders supporters and the DNC, which has set up their primary / caucus system to do exactly the same kind of voter nullification with Super Delegates. 

But, what do you truly expect from two private corporations that have run this country virtually unopposed for 175+ years?? 

Damn you, peasants, you're not playing your part in Democracy Theatre 2016 correctly!


-R, -D: Both the same, just minor differences in marketing...

Crazed American, out.

Madame Secretary... tsk, tsk, tsk

Read THIS

If I, as an analyst for any of the alphabet agencies, had ever done anything even remotely similar, I'd be in prison (if I was lucky).

2016 is the year maybe everybody realizes that the US Government is beyond the point of saving.  Irretrievably broken...

Crazed American, out.


***UPDATE*** 
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2587663/

The server was hacked.  So it plays out thusly:  The Russian FSB and the Chinese PLA Cyber folks have the entirety of what was on the server from inception to the day she had it wiped. 

Guaranteed:  If she is elected, this will come back to bite us.  POTUS will be liable for blackmail on possibly 30,000 different items.  Joy. 

I have a vote...

...but I don't have Twitter anymore...


Cute idea, but as the British have found out, if you ask the internet to name a new science ship, you get a vessel named Boaty McBoatface.  Seriously.

Now the US Air Force wants to crowd-source the name of a Strategic Bomber?!?

If the B2 is the Sprit, naturally the B21 should be the Wraith.  Duh. 

This is a weapon of war.  Why are we crowd-sourcing this??

Crazed American's not loving the state of the nation right now, folks. 

Crazed American, out.

Mandate of Heaven

China got it right when it looked at history as a large cycle of boom and bust. We're in a volatile  time.  I'm afraid to consult the I Ching, cause I don't want to spook the beast.

This is not a bad thing, in the slightest, speaking of China.

Ho Chi Minh wasn't that much a communist.  He was a nationalist.  The communists would help him where no one else would.

Also, keep in mind the Chinese were beaten, badly by the Vietnamese.  Speaking as someone who's father spent a year (1968-9) fighting the NVA, the Vietnamese should never be underestimated.  

It is a relationship that should be cultivated.  We need as many friends as possible right now. 

Crazed American, Out.

Violence

So, the Crazed American just got back on Facebook after an absence of six months. 

Holy S#!+, people... there is a metric f--kton of bad mojo running around out there. 

Civil discourse is ALMOST gone.  Calls for violence against political opponents are PLENTIFUL. 

Keep in mind a lot of this is passed back and forth by normally nice middle aged (30-50 year old) folks. 


This does not bode well for the overall political health of the nation.  It also provides me a touch of nausea seeing it.  American politics is not supposed to be violent.  No tanks, or riot police rolled during the 2000 Gore/Bush debacle.  American politics can be vitriolic, can be filled with invective, but I think the accepted norms of not physically attacking your political opponents are in danger of collapsing.  The tome and rhetoric have changed.  Peaceful transfer of political power has been a hallmark of the American Political system.  Me thinks that era might be at an end. 

I think it's because the average American finally feels the disenfranchisement that has been there for a long time.  The political parties and their corporate masters can't hind behind the flimsy veil much longer. 

I can't predict where the battle lines will be drawn.  When or if this little experiment of the USA comes apart, it is not going to be like the nice, neat USA/CSA schism (650,000 dead) of 156 years ago.  This will Balkanize, with entire regions going up due to several competing factions in each area and state.  Cities will be criss-crossed with opposing organizations and groups, each one clamoring for control or a piece of the overall pie.  To say nothing of Russian or Chinese involvement in political developments and factionalization here.  We do it to them, why the hell do we think they wouldn't return the favor??

Overseas, the Russians are running what appears to be a reasoned, well thought out foreign policy.  Taken at face value (which is all we have thanks to very woeful American intelligence gathering), President Putin is marking a staged withdrawal of some of his combat forces in Syria.   His goals for the mission have been met, now he will pull out just enough of his forces to allow the Syrians government to stand on it's own two feet and begin opressing the hell out of opposition groups and hopefully battling ISIS, or at least coming to a standstill and not let them expand anymore. 

Contrast this with American foreign policy, which is, to put it mildly, confusing and inept.  Libya is a wreck, as is our support of factions in Syria.  Iraq is a mess, Afghanistan a failure.  The past 30 years of American Foreign policy has been ill advised, at best.  That outlook does not look to change dramatically anytime soon. 

America always gets the government it deserves.  Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump.
One of those people will be president barring martial law or a coup d'etat.

When I look into the crystal ball, I'm not sure what I'm seeing.  What I am seeing is not good.  More surveillance, less freedoms, more authoritarian rule.  The oligarchy is tightening the grip.  The economy, or what's left of it after 8 years of "RECOVERY" is a shell of it's former self.  

I am concerned, friends.  There's a storm coming.

Crazed American, out.