Gunfighter: A Modern Warrior's Life

Washington In Bloom

If you live in the Washington, DC area, this time of year is particularly beautiful. Many people all over the country, indeed, all over the world know about the beautiful cherry trees that line the tidal basin, adjacent to the Thomas Jefferson memorial.  For many people, the Cherry Blossom festival  has become a major tourist attraction, but did you know that the cherry trees aren't the only blooming trees in our nation's capital?

At this time of year, not only are cherry trees bursting with color, the many Dogwoods and other blossoming trees that are all over Washington, are also adding some welcome color to the city.

As pretty as the display of color in the city is, I'd like to tell you about the cherry blossoms in particular.

On Friday, in the middle of what was to become an exceptionally irritating day, I took some time for myself (otherwise known as lunch time) to go and see the cherry blossoms, and have a few minutes of peace and beauty (yeah, I care about that stuff).  It turned out to be a great thing.  Of course, dealing with what we call "Cherry Blossom Gridlock" could have been an additional irritant, but the truth is that I am never particularly bothered by tourists.  I am always pleased at the number of people that come to Washington to visit... I am particularly cheered when I hear parents telling their young children about the various monuments and the history of some of the buildings where our government functions.  Anyway, after driving around the basin, I parked my car next to the Jefferson Memorial (I was driving a patrol car) and walked among the hushed crowd. 

People from all over the world walked among those beautiful trees took pictures of them, and pictures of themselves with them... other people would volunteer to take group photos so that the picture-taker wouldn't be left out.  Others walked quietly without cameras and gave directions to various places to those who were from out of town. 

While I was there, the people had an additional bit of excitement as Marine One  flew low over the basin en route to a White House landing... some actually applauded.

Have I ever told you how much I love this city?

 

Book Review: Rollback, by Robert J. Sawyer

I just finished reading this book a couple of weeks ago, and wrote the review the following day.  I apologize for not posting it... I've been a bit distracted.

I have read several novels by award winning Canadian Science Fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer, and I have been impressed by all of them.... this one being no different.

In this novel, scientist Sarah Halifax is not just another geek in a white lab coat.  She is a well-known scientist who, "back" in 2009, had deciphered the first message from an alien civilization at Sigma Draconis, a star system almost nineteen light years away from Earth. Thirty-eight years later, the response to Earth's reply is received, but it is encrypted.

The eyes of the world are on Sarah... can she decrypt the current message?  Maybe she can, but by this time Sarah is well into her 80's.  Will she live long enough to break the code?

Along comes billionaire Cody McGavin who believes that Sarah is vital to decoding the message and opening a dialog between earth and the aliens... but at her age she can't do much... or can she?  By this time, the year is 2048 and medical technologies have advanced a bit from Sarah's younger years, and physical rejuvenation processes are now available, but only to the super rich.  Fortunately for Sarah, and her husband Don, McGavin is the epitome of super-rich.

In this novel, Sawyer doesn't just tell us an good story.  Sure, he entertains us, but he also makes us think about the moral and ethical questions that always arise when great forward leaps are made in science.

One of the best things about this book is that you don't have to be a geeked out science fiction guy, like me, to enjoy it.

Trust me, you'll love it.

GF

What Are You Reading?

I haven't talked about books in a while, so I thought I would ask you what you have been reading lately. 

So... give!  What are you reading?  What have you read, recently?  Steamy romances?, Mysteries?, Thrillers?, Science Fiction?  Gunfighter wants to know (mainly so I can see if there is anything that sounds really good to me, so I can put it on my "to read" list)!

I just started reading a book that was a gift from Mrs Gunfighter, called "The Perils of Peace - America's Struggle for Survival After Yorktown"

In October of 1781, the army of Major General Cornwallis surrendered to the combined Franco-American armies at Yorktown, Virginia, but the Revolutionary war wasn't quite over yet.  The British still maintained a garrison of 13,000 men in New York City, and still had units in the field from Canada to Savannah, Georgia.  On the American side, the army had no money to pay neither the soldiers or the officers, and was near collapse.

Across the Atlantic, King George III wasn't convinced that Cornwallis' defeat meant the end, and declared that he wouldn't yield his dominions in America, and in France, our Diplomats weren't getting along with our only European ally.

This book is about how Washington held his army together while Diplomats, Kings, and Politicians hammered out the finality of American independence.

So far it has been really great... it makes it very clear that the cookie-cutter version of the history of the American Revolution that most of us learned in high school isn't exactly accurate.

An(other) Interview With Your Host

At the beginning of February, Your Correspondent interviewed the Blogger known to most of you as Gunfighter, I thought I would catch up with this guy again and talk to him some more.  Not really because he is that interesting, really... I just wanted another ride in that boss Crown Victoria he drives.

YC:  Good morning

GF: Hi howzitgoin'?

YC:  Good.  Good.

GF: Great... what do you want to talk about today?

YC:  Oh, just some random stuff.  I would like to create a better picture of you for the people that read your blog.

GF: Well, I don't know if I am that interesting, but go ahead.

YC:  Thanks... and again, I've gotta say, the car is quite cool.

GF: Dude it's just a car with an unusual paint job.

YC:  Can I drive? 

GF: Uh... no.

YC:  OK, well... Let's talk about your Internet handle:  Gunfighter.  Where'd that come from?

GF: You already know this story, don't you?

YC:  Yeah, but you have a few new readers since you changed blog platforms, don't you?

GF: One or two... to tell you the truth, some of my readers have fallen away, but I suppose thats life, eh?  ****NOTE**** That was a throw-away comment... I wasn't trying to guilt-trip anyone

YC:  So... the name?

GF: Right.  Well, First I thought that I should blog anonymously, or use a pseudonym... then I thought, screw it... go with something cool.  Something descriptive.  I'm a professional tactical firearms instructor, which translates as gunfighting in plain speech.

YC:  What do you mean?

GF: I mean that I teach people how to fight with guns.  The best, and least personally costly ways to put multiple bullet holes in the bad guys, without being perforated yourself.  Get it?

YC:  Wow.  Sounds interesting.

GF: It can be. In fact, one of my students was the lead agent for a MAJOR arrest that you probably heard about on the news in the last couple of days, if you live in the DC area.  She didn't have to shoot anyone, but I am very proud of her accomplishment.

YC:  So you use guns alot... does the thought of shooting people bother you?

GF: Not really... you have to be fairly stable, psychologically, to do this stuff... to do it right, anyway.

YC:  OK, cool.  So why did you change the name of your blog from The View From Here to Life of A Modern Warrior?

GF: Well, when I changed blog platforms, I thought some other changes were necessary... particularly the name.  I wanted the name to be more reflective of the content.  I'm a modern warrior... meaning that fighting is my business.  Other people are historians, and dentists, and lawyers, web designers, teachers, etc... they are trained to do what they do as professionals.  People seek out their services.  Well, what I do is no different.... well, it IS different, but you know what I mean, right?   I am a paid, professional fighting man.  We never talk about this in our society, but there is the truth of it... I have been learning my trade since I was seventeen.  Anyway, the blog isn't just about my job, it's about my life.

YC:  Wow.  Long answer...

GF: Sorry.  What else would you like to know?

YC:  Do you have a favorite on American Idol or Dancing with The Stars yet?

GF: I have to tell you, I think that this is the dullest American Idol group ever.  I'd like to punch that David Archuletta kid in the face... he irritates me.  As far as DWTS is concerned... I love me some Cheryl Burke, but, the guy she is dancing with hasn't got a chance... I suspect that it will be one of the women who wins this year.  I am in Marissa Jarret-Winokour's corner... we chubby folk have to stick together.

YC:  Speaking of chubby folk, how's the knee?

GF: Not as good as I'd like it to be, actually.  I'm afraid that knee replacement is probably closer than I had hoped.  I am trying to get used to the fact that I will never be as active as I was... hopefully, this won't wreck my career.

YC:  What'll you do if it does?

GF: Write.  Work At Wal-Mart.  Maybe go to the seminary.

YC:  The seminary?  Really?

GF: Yes, really.

YC:  I thought you enjoyed a cocktail from time to time?

GF: Dude, I'm a Lutheran, not a Baptist.

YC:  Fair enough, how is Sunday School progressing?

GF: It's great, actually... we are about to do a program that introduces the elementary school-aged kids about the history of the church.  It's gonna be VERY cool.

YC:  Can we talk politics for a moment?

GF: Sure.

YC:  You are a Democrat, right?

GF: Through and through.

YC:  An Obama man...

GF: Hell yeah! (pumps fist into the top of the squad car)

YC:  I've heard it said that if Senator Clinton is the eventual nominee, that you wouldn't vote for her, is that true?

GF: It is.

YC:  That doesn't sound like a through and through Democrat to me.

GF: It does to me... anyone who willingly went along on Mr Bush's caravan into Iraq isn't worthy of my vote.  I AM a through and through Democrat... but not a yellow-dog Democrat.  I won't vote for her just because she has a D next to her name... she has to earn my vote, and nothing that she can say or do would allow me to trust her not to throw away our soldiers lives, just so she can look strong.

YC:  Wow.  You really mean that, don't you?

GF: F***kin' A!

YC:  So... how're the kids?

GF: They are fine.  SoccerGirl starts practice for the new soccer season tomorrow.  Fast Pitch is doing well in her second semester.  She is planning on pledging a sorority next semester.

YC:  cool

GF: Yeah, I guess... I didn't go to college, so I don't know much about fraternities or sororites.

YC:  Anything else new with you?

GF: No, not really... apart from the great HBO miniseries on John Adams.  It's fantastic.  If you haven't been watching, you'd better start.

YC:  OK... well, I gotta go, so thanks for the ride and for the interview.

GF: No worries, pal.  Let's do this again soon.

Blogging For Voter Justice

As the title of today's post suggests, I am going to talk about justice.  Justice for voters.  Justice for Americans.

For many people, when you speak of justice, they have notions of fair trials, due process, adherence to laws and the Constitution.  In this instance I am going to talk about something a little different.  Today, I am going to discuss mathematics and it's potential for political injustice.

Most Americans of my own political bent...meaning Democrats or independents who are leaning towards the Democrats in this election cycle, are beginning to tire of the fight between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama for the Presidential nomination of the Democratic party.   I count myself among them.

Many of you know that my first choice for the Democratic nomination was Representative Dennis Kucinich.  Representative Kucinich's core policy postions closely match my own concerns, and I would have gladly voted for him, given the chance, but guess what, friends?  The math went against Mr Kucinich, and he is no longer in the race.  Indeed, the math also went against Senators Biden & Dodd, a Governor Richardson, who are likewise, no longer in the race.

What does any of this have to do with math?  Simply this:  if you get more votes, you win more races, and the various candidates get winnowed down to the one that ends up with the nomination... but you knew that already, didn't you?  Of course you did, because you are rational intelligent human beings.

I wish all people were as rational as you, gentle reader.  There are those, abroad in the land, for whom mathematical facts are a bit more elusive.  One of those people is Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.  You see, when the facts of math go against a candidate, they usually, in a fair amount of time, figure out the improbability of success, and have the grace to back out of a race.  Not so with the junior Senator from New York. 

Sure, you know the math... HRC cannot win the the nomination of the Democratic party, even were she to Win EVERY primary race left before the Democratic convention with at least 60 percentage of the vote.

Did you get that?  Even if HRC wins every race with a 60% vote (which she has only done three times), she still loses.   Why is she still in the race then?  Well, thats a good question... let's look at a few possible answers.  Mrs Clinton is still in the race because she can still when if a few things happen:

1.  Barack Obama gets hit by a meteor.

2.  Barack Obama is kidnapped by aliens

3.  Barack Obama gets to the convention and says "Just kidding, I really didn't want to be President after all!"

4.  The Clintons muscle enough super-delegates to give her a victory.

A few of those scenarios are unlikely, but the likliest of all has the most dangerous implications.  In the fourth scenario, we see a large group of party activists deciding to thwart the votes of the party... actually handing the nomination to a person that didn't win it.  What do you think the likely outcome of such a scenario would be?

Shall I tell you the likely outcome?  It'll look something like this:

Millions of voters, furious that their votes were ignored, will be moved to stay home on election day... or worse, vote for the oppostion candidate out of spite, and John McCain becomes President.  Millions of voters furious that their legal, legitimate votes were disregarded, will abandon the Democratic party, and fracture it forever.

Don't think it can happen?  Watch... I'll speak more on this in the summer.

Because of the math of this race, it is prudent at this time that Senator Clinton suspend her candidacy.  No one could fault her for quitting now.  She has fought a game fight, and shown a resilliency that does her great honor and credit (even if her campaign conduct does not), but the time has come to face the math, if not the music. 

To remain is an act of hubris of the worst sort.

You Want Cute?

Taken at church yesterday while soccergirl was serving as acolyte.

If that kid was any sweeter, It would be a felony.

Tell me THIS isn't cute.  I dare you... and remember, I have guns.

But... wait, this isn't just cute, no, it's cute AND Holy! (beat that!)

and if this one isn't enough... try this one!

A certain someone that I know was thrilled with her Easter dress... to the point that she didn't really want to take it off yesterday. 

Grandparents have been emailed, and a new photo album will be filled and dashed off to various points north.

You know You're Getting Old When...

...You spend thirty minutes looking for the magnetic card-key that allows you access to your workplace, only to find that it has been hanging around your neck the whole time.

Happy Easter

5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him".

Matthew 28:5-7 (New International Version)

Christ Is Risen!

Happy Easter.

GF

 

I'm Still Here

I haven't been shipped off to Guantanamo, yet... but I am having a little rest  in Williamsburg with my family.

In related news, the lovely Devra is here with her family... I think that they are staying in the hotel next to ours.

GF

Lies, and More Lies

In the latter part of 2002, and through the first part of March of 2003, President George W. Bush and  his claque of war-mongering neo-cons and fellow travelers, aided by craven, weak, lick-spittle members of the House of Representatives and Senate, conspired to send our soldiers to war.  I say conspired because that is accurate. 

The vile repugnant scum (which includes any Democrat that turned a blind eye for whatever reason) that sent our soldiers to war told the American people that the United States needed to invade Iraq in order to prevent the development of "weapons of mass destruction" (known as CBRN - Chemical, Biological Nuclear, Radiological - in the military parlance).  They told the American people that Iraq had been attempting to buy key components for making nuclear weapons... The President of the United States made that claim on national television... even when he knew that it wasn't true.

Even when he knew it wasn't true.

So, as if that wasn't enough, President Bush, Vice President "I'll-shoot-you-in-the-face" Cheney, and others in the administration of evil, began to discuss the Iraq-911 connection, and the Iraq- Al Qaeda connections.  Our leaders told us these things were true... but they weren't.  Oh, it wasn't bad intelligence, no.  It was a collection of lies.

Lies.

The President of the United States lied to you, to me, to your children and to posterity.

No... not a lie about getting a series of sexual favors from someone who wasn't his wife.

No... not a lie meant to cover up some sort of personal failure or even criminal activity.

These lies were going to plunge our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines into a war that would cost nearly a million lives (and counting), most of which would be civilian casualties.  These lies have wrecked our country's economy.  These lies have so deeply divided the citizens of this country, to the point where who knows if we can recover.

Oh, but the liars weren't finished yet.  They continued to lie.

Once the invasion had taken place, and the Iraqi army destroyed (oh, it wasn't destroyed, was it?  They melted away with their guns, took off their uniforms, and got ready for the "insurgency") .  We were told that Iraq had been "liberated".

Once no CBRN weapons were found, they told us that the invasion was about deposing Saddam Hussein... since he hadn't been captured right away.  Once we captured Saddam, we were told that our troops would be there "Until The Job Gets Done"... only, The President, The Secretary of Defense, and their people wouldn't tell us for many months exactly WHAT THE "JOB" WAS.

So, after blundering along, the insurgency begins in earnest, and with violence mounting against our soldiers and Iraqi civilians, the Vice President told us that the insurgency was in it's "last throes" (June, 2005).  A month where 77 Americans were killed in Iraq.

Then they told us it was to stabilize Iraq.  Yeah, to stabilize Iraq.  Anybody seeing any stability there?  No?  I don't see it, either... but hey, what do I know?

Then they told us that it was all about the war on terror.... as we are really (well some people really are) stupid enough to believe that you can fight terrorists with conventional military forces.  It doesn't work that way, folks.  Besides, the people we are fighting in Iraq are Jihadis... not terrorists in the common understanding.

As a veteran of eight years of active duty service, I am appalled at the casual use waste, with which the leadership of our government has used misused our troops.

As a father, I am sickened by the fact that my youngest child will likely be in high school before this is finished.

As a taxpayer, I am beyond furious that our leadership has mired us in a war that has destroyed our economy.

No one in America is safer because of this action.

No one in any middle eastern country... including Iraq, is any safer because of it, either.

I'm sick of it, aren't you?

Please join me in opposition to this war.  If you are wondering what you might do about it, I suggest that you start by finding out how your Congressional representatives voted on George Bush's permission slip for war.  If you believe that your representative was wrong on his or her vote.  Elect someone else.  Support an opposition candidate... and for God's good sake, please don't support ANY Presidential candidate, of whatever party (yes, that's you, Hillary) who had a part in it, for shame.

Stand up and be counted.  Now.