At long last the return of the Crazed American

I know all of the legions of readers (all three of you) have clamored for the return of my pithy commentary on modern America. There have been a few reasons for my tardiness and lack of posting-ness...
1) I am actually quite tired of Modern America and our inability to think independently. Lies are too easily believed. Untruths are uttered, and if it is in keeping with the political thought of a reader/ listener/ watcher - they take it as the literal breath of G-d.
2) Apparently the death of Anna Nicole Smith is more important than the impending war with:
Iran
Venezuela
Mexico
China
Russia
North Korea
Only in America could a public's opinion and sense of priority be so- WAIT - Did you see what Britney did to her hair and that papparrazi's car?!?! Oh, my gawd!
3) I am damn tired of celebrities in general. I for one haven't seen a single of the best picture nominees. Although I do want to see the Departed and Letters from Iwo Jima, I chose not to see the two in theatres. My reasons for denying the movie companies my hard earned ticket dollars:
a) I am a father and a devoted husband. "I don't have the luxury" of time.
b) I am a skier and even thought the mountains that I live in haven't been blessed with the greatest amount of snow, I do have 44 days on mountain!
c) The Departed is a Scorcese flick, I want to be able to press pause and rewind.
d) The Letters from Iwo Jima is the Battle of Iwo Jima told from the perspective of the Imperial Japanese Army. Being the Crazed American, and having majored in the European Theatre of WWII in college, I know enough about the military forces of Imperial Japan, to recognize that they were nasty motherfu--ers with no regard for decency or human life. Had I seen the movie in the theatre, I would have been that hateful jackass (who had been clapping every time a Japanese defender shuffled off his mortal coil, whether it be by flame thrower, small arms, or the liberal application of Marine artillery and Naval gunfire) in the front who stood up and shouted: "Hooray! Why the hell didn't you just all get together and do the ritual suicide circle jerk in 1930, and saved everybody a shitload of trouble and grief, especially the Chinese, and given my Grandfather back the latter half of his 1945, so he could have present for the birth of my mother?! Dying for the Emperor hurts, don't it General?" - right as Kuribayashi stabbed himself in the gut. Now I can do that in the comfort of my own home.
5) I have determined there is a very short list of people or things that I am willing to fight and die for. Odd's are if you know the true identity of the Crazed American, you're on the list. Other things:
a) The United States of America
b) Children
c) really good barbecue - Southern Georgia Style
6) The older I get the more tenuous I realize that every thing is - how little holds us all together - how grateful we all should be for all we have. We live in the greatest country in the world, and I sincerely hope we do not go and FUBAR the whole shebang because of our own pitiful shortsightedness. I, for one vow to connect more with those who mean so much to me, I have been far too self contained as of late.
7) Battlestar Galactica better do something to get itself back on some sort of story telling track. Lost a lot of steam when Starbuck and Adama the younger started locking lips - don't get me wrong - the tension was cool in the earlier seasons, but once they crossed the line in the missing year... At the same time killing Starbuck off, or making her character more minor is a big mistake, in my opinion (which with $5.00 won't buy you a caramel macchiato at Starbucks, hehe). It'd be like having a re-imagined Star Trek Movie and killing off Spock. The Crazed American like his Starbucks (Benedict or Sackhoff) to be messed up, but functional, and he definitely is a fan of Spock, and Mr. Nimoy. I didn't see the last episode and, I don't really care that I missed it all that much. I want and intelligent sci-fi serial. I also have a hell of a good idea for the next Star Trek TV series, and let me tell you the first Episode starts with a little on screen text: "Historian's note: That abomination that was Enterprise - there was an NX-01 called the Enterprise, her Captain and crew were as depicted, they just had none of the alien contact that was depicted, save for the Vulcans." I mean what's the point of having a Star Trek Series if you decide to throw out what is already accepted cannon?
8) A friend of mine wants to start a commune (at least he did a while back). I think I might have found some land...
9) Weathermen are useless. Climatologists are useless. I do not believe that humans are currently capable of stopping global warming for one reason: there are too damned many of us now. Not to mention, no human being is going to let his child freeze to death. Also, I live in a very cold area, and if I went outside right now in shirtsleeves, I'd be dead in an hour. It's that cold. Global warming adherents, for the love of Christ every time I'm about to say OK, you might have a point, I hear a story about someone being attacked or censured for speaking out about the consensus. The Crazed American believes to the extent of armed conflict the sanctity of the right of free Speech and Thought, especially when it comes to Scientific Speech and Thought. If we do not allow dissenting voices to be heard, especially in the Scientific community and rule by consensus (Who the Fuck came up with that brilliant Idea? Al Gore?) then we are doomed to condemn someone who may be right, no ton the "right" side of the majority. Also, weathermen can't tell me accurately what the weather is going to be in 20 minutes, much less that fifty years from now. Also climatologists cannot accurately tell me if the temperature is going to fluctuate 1/7th of a degree in 5, 10, or 20 years. If they could, they'd make a lot of money 5 years ago telling ski resorts when to surge their snowmaking capacity, or when to expect a bad hurricane season - and be right. Last time I checked this hurricane season was rather tame...
Alright that's enough for my foray back into the game. I'll try harder to keep up with it this time.
Out,
Crazed American

Over 20 now

I think I might have lost count of how many days I have put on my skis and gone down the mighty hill!

22 or 23...

My stress level is nonexistent, save for a lack of snow (I am not going to blame this on global warming - last year broke some records 'round these parts), and an upcoming family reunion that I am really looking forward to. Sibling of the Crazed American and Sibling's Significant Other, Aunts and Uncles and Cousins of Crazed American will be in attendance. I may have to post pictures - with carefully placed blurring to obscure the identities of those involved.

The Crazed American's oldest friend has announced that he is now spoken for. I knew something was up when I heard the despondent wailing of 18-30 yr old women in Florida last week. Huzzah!

The Crazed American is quite stoked about getting to go to another wedding. Sweet! Warning – liver on standby!

Crazed American, out.

3

It's not even Turkey Day yet, and I already have three days (albeit just a few runs per) on the mountain.

I will not complain about skiing on or near Thanksgiving.

The rocks make you pay attention to your line.

I'd have four days on mountiain, if only this !#$% plumber would show up.

Hooray.

The elections are over! The American People have spoken. I may not be doing cartwheels over what they have to say…

The Democrats are in charge! The economy will soon be reported as the best ever (although nothing will have changed from where it is now), Islamo-Nazi's will stop hating us, Lions will lie down with lambs, the sun will shine on sweet smelling rainbows, and ML Soccer will become the most popular professional sporting events in the land! (OK I went too far witht he last one)

Government will still be SNAFU (In the truest sense). That's the way our Founding Fathers designed it (man, I hope they knew their shit - they've had a pretty good track record)!

Will our new Democrat Overlords distinguish themselves with their leadership in the next two years? Or will we see bitter recriminations, revenge and jockeying for position for ’08?

I will wait to see. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

I was going to blog about firing Ken Melman from the reigns of the RNC. They beat me to it.

I will now try to keep a running tally of Bush Loyalists that have been thrown under the bus:

Don Rumsfeld (Can we keep him on just to do the briefings?)
Ken Melman (Happened on your watch, buddy)

Soon to be thrown:
John Bolton (I still wish someone could show me exactly – and specifically what he’s done wrong in the past)

Next: Dick Cheney? (To be replaced by a certain Senator from AZ who REALLY wants to be President?)

Dear Democrats,

More restrictive gun control legislation is silly, and a good way to loose big in '08.
(BTW- I'd vote for Nancy Pelosi LONG before I'd vote for Hillary Clinton.)

Sincerely,

Single Issue Crazed American


Also-

I would like to state for the fact that 1) America is still (and will be for the foreseeable future) the greatest bunch of people on the face of the planet
2) to all 3rd world countries: please notice yet another in a long line of peaceful transfer of power over the next few months…

***Next Topic***
In all seriousness - Happy Birthday, Leathernecks! May the Corps continue it's proud tradion for at least another 231 years! I'll give a mighty ex-Army HUAH and a loud "Thank You" to the good ol' USMC! Go have a good party!

Loyal readers (all two of you), if you know any Marines, or relatives of, wish them a happy birthday. I had my daughter wish her teacher (whose son is a newly-minted leatherneck) a "Happy Birthay Marine Corps!", brought tears to the teacher's eyes, then to mine...

***Next Topic***
Ski season starts next week. Screw keeping a tally of the Republican Martyrdom, I shall dedicate my time to keeping a tally of my days on Mountain… That guarantees a better return…

Broken floodgates

Wow, just one post and a flood of things come to mind...

Voting - If I was in charge, I'd increase taxes for every adult American by $200.
Then I'd give a tax credit for $200.00 for proof of voter registration and voting.
Bye-bye national debt.

NASA - many kudos to NASA and Director Mike Griffin for deciding to send a mission to Hubble. My earlier post on NASA still stands, however...

The Honorable Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is a clown and an arrogant idiot. Bill Clinton may have "loathed" (his word) the American Military, but he at least had the brains not to publicize his opinion, and (for the most part) acted the part of Commander in Chief.

Certain mountain towns I know of have enough swimming pools.

The US Army should adopt the HK416 (www.hkdefense.us/corporate/media/pdf/416revised4-5-05.pdf )

While on that rant - since HK has made the SA80 (British Rifle) and the M16 (HK416) into decent weapons, anyone think that they might be able to come up with a fix to the Mini-14? I'm thinking a piston instead of direct gas, a beefier barrel (I do NOT need a Bayonet lug, btw) and a better Magazine (or an adatper that'll take NATO STANAG 20/30 rounders). I do want another Mini-14, but the accuracy of them accuracy are a bit of a liability, and if that little gas port gets fouled, overpressure in a Mini-14 is not fun (blown case, shrapnel, etc). Anyone got a line to HK?

Bad Blogger

I've been busier than the proverbial "one legged man in an ass kicking contest"

'tis tough getting the ol' mountain redoubt prepped for the oncoming winter.

Tomorrow: At the least all Americans who have the responsibility / right - should get out and vote - regardless of party - your voice needs to be heard.

that being said :

My only political commentary is from a Democrat, whose works I like a great deal:

Orson Scott Card (if you don't know who he is - read Ender's Game)

Read it here:
http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2006-10-29-1.html

Rembember if you don't vote, you are not allowed to bitch about politics, with out having yourself branded as a clown or "ass-hat".

Vote dammit!

I have been a bad Blogger

I have been a bad Blogger. I haven’t posted in weeks!

Apologies to the multitudes clamoring to hear me opine on things big and small.

I do have one person to blame – at least for the past three days of not posting: Max Brooks.

Yes, Max Brooks, son of Mel “Its good to be king” Brooks. (High Anxiety is still one of the funniest movies ever made – but I digress)

I don’t think it’s just because I’m sleep deprived (again, his fault), but I am of the mind that Max Brooks is one of the best authors on the planet. He follows the first FUNDAMENTAL rule of good fiction (science fiction or otherwise): he creates a world with it’s own rules and laws, and then peoples it and has those people live in that world realistically according to the rules and laws. Soon after posting my own little treatise on combating the legions of the undead, a friend of mine pointed me in the direction of two works.

The great: The Zombie Survival Guide

http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/zombiesurvivalguide/

and the truly excellent: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/worldwarz/

I read The Zombie Survival Guide in two days.

I read the first 200 pages of World War Z Last night. Max Brooks has the ability to create characters in a quick, limited time and they really jump off the page and you feel for them. He’s able to create emotional attachement in just a few pages. Not to mention, depictions of the Battle of Yonkers is outstanding. Huzzah!

Highly recommended for anyone who has:
1) Ever been entertained by a zombie movie
2) More importantly: ever been entertained by good, believable fiction

My hats off to you, Mr. Brooks. I hope Brad Pitt’s production company, Plan B, (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816711/) does two things:
1) gets World War Z right (by that I mean treating it seriously – it’s an allegory for a great many things in our modern world)
2) Pays you a LOT of money

Please read these books. Halloween is around the corner. They are riveting. The first is quite funny. The second is gripping, serious fiction.

But don’t blame me if you fall behind in your blogging…

What!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

If the following is true:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/26/wchina226.xml

I am going to be quite upset.

Attacking American assets (Satellites) in neutral territory (Earth Orbit).

At the least this should be considered piracy. At the most it should be considered an act of war.

Incremental attacks. If our administration is complicit in the knowledge of this, and we aren't at least threatening to blow their satellites out of the sky, might just embolden our friends to the east.

Why do we put up with these incremental attacks?

The Islamic Republic of Iran

President Ahmadinejad spent the last two paragraphs of his speech calling for the arrival of the "perfect human".

I'm not an expert in Islamic end times and prophecy, but ain't there a WHOLE lot of bad things that are supposed to happen first? My limited expierence in religion makes me think that the end times are not the happiest for people who do not believe in the "true way" - take your pick. Westerners, Americans, and all non-believers (no matter the polictical cant) automatically qualify for the e-ticket to Iblis (Arabic demon, if I'm not mistaken?).

The man is not a "nut-job". He is nothing less than a brilliant, articulate, educated and devout scholar, who is obviously determined to set the stage for the return of the 12th Imam or Mahdi (again, I refer you to the last two paragraphs of his recent address to the UN General Assembly). That simply makes him categorically dangerous to all of us in the "Western World" (that means you, atheistic communists in North Korea, Cuba and China). When he is done with us, he will come after you. Says so in the Koran.

Prove me wrong.

Citgo

I'd like all of you out there in Cyberspace to keep in mind, no matter what your opinions of President Bush, it is not at all cool for Mr. Hugo Chavez to come to the UN - in New York City and call our President names.

Hugo Chavez thinks that President Bush is the root of all evil, yet is incapable of not selling us a VAST quantity of oil on a daily basis.

I invite everyone to look into who owns Citgo Gasoline.

I, for one will not be buying ANYTHING from a Citgo Filling station, or the attached convenience store.

I'll help Sr. Chavez reduce his reliance on American dollars.

I do agree with Sr. Chavez that perhaps it is time the UN moves on from New York.