I’m shopping (12th August) and as I approach the checkout the small items I’m holding in my right hand fall to the floor. Confused I try and pick them up and can’t. My right hand and arm have disconnected from the drive-train.
Doctor..XRays..Osteoarthritis in the neck from a thousand cold bivouacs..pinched nerves…Neurologist referral to confirm..go home..get used to it.
I accept the news and drive 600 kms to a wedding where I am billed to play ‘Marie’s Wedding’ on the bagpipes.
I can’t. My right hand is still in neutral.
I drive further up to Carnarvon Gorge and work for a week helping a local boy?s college run a camp for teenage boys.
My right hand is now re-connected to the drive train but the clutch is slipping.
Drive back 1200 kms.
I arrive at the local Veterans Affairs Hospital for my specialist appointment with an Associate Professor who destroys my erroneously based confidence by bypassing all ‘Osteoarthritis’ type questions and going straight to ‘Stroke’ type questions.
My blood runs cold. Driving 2,500 km after a Transient Ischemic Attack, aka a mini stroke, is not conducive to longevity and worse, could have damaged my beloved V8 Discovery.
Two weeks of every test known to man and machines tell their human operators that I have an 80% blockage in my left Carotid artery and something had better be done about it.
Quickly.
Three hours after confirmation I’m talking to two specialist surgeons and they’re describing how they are going to slit my throat and fix the problem.
Three days later I’m on the operating table and five days after surgery I am at home writing this post and working on some funny one-liners to handle the ‘Jesus! What?s that scar” type exclamations when I venture back into polite society. I currently look like a reject from a B-Grade Frankenstein movie.
And if my little story isn’t the greatest ever reflection on the standards of the Australian Veterans ‘Repair and Maintenance’ program then I don’t know what is.
Being the left carotid artery, my right (wing) brain was under threat but I’m happy, deliriously so in fact, to announce all is in order.
But as I drift off to sleep each night when there are no books, computers or conversations to distract me, I shudder and have trouble engaging my ‘fantasy-drive’ that for years has lifted me from low nights and rocky days.
It’s a long fall from where I’ve been but as my first Platoon Sergeant used to say “Keep moving soldier, I’ll tell you when you?re tired”.
Should be my old cocky self in a day or two and by then it should be two out of three for us right wingers. Bush will be orating poorly while leading well and my world will be in order.
I picked up
this link from
Tram Town and reproduce it here for all petrol head readers.
It links to a story of hot rod powered by a Patton tank engine, an AV-1790-5B and it’s 1792 cu. in. It has overhead cams and Hemi heads. Since it was designed to move a tank, it puts out 810 hp and makes 1560 ft.-lb. of torque. The engine is 6 foot long
Worth the read.
The war is the War against Terror with Iraq being the current theatre. Let’s not confuse the battle in Iraq with the much broader War against Terror.
Most left wing commentators are confused on this issue, but I am buoyed to note that Tim Dunlop finally accepts pre-emptive strikes on foreign sovereign soil as a valid strategy, albeit
his post is couched in anti-US terms.
Having had some experience in war and being an avid reader of history I am possibly more aware than Tim that war is not all black and white and above all
no plan survives contact with the enemy.
Sure it would have been great to have captured and killed Bin Laden and Abu Massub al-Zarqawi, the current heavy in Iraq, but the head is not the only part of the body and daily killing of terrorists still serves the purpose and goes part way to meet the aim.
Hitler was never captured and killed but never-the-less his war machine was defeated and so it can be the case in this war.
One of Tim’s links under
allowed to escape from Tora Bora does critisize US decisions and it certainly could be seen that they were mistakes. However, I have long held the view that if absent from the planning meetings and thus not aware of all of the considerations, then critics need to need to temper their criticisms with the rider. “It is my opinion only and I am not aware of all of the facts”.
Todays Australian has an article by Scott McConnell:
Betrayal of the Right and in the dead wood edition there is a highlighted quote.
Bush’s international policies have been based on the hopelessly naive (and unconservative) belief that foreign peoples are eager to be liberated by the US armies
Who is it I wonder that is so
hopelessly naive? That statement is so radical that I have never heard it put forward before. Scott McConnell must have something going for him as he is the editor of a main stream conservative publication but I feel the only reason he has been quoted is to give a Bush bashing piece a run for balance.
Bush’s policies have been based on nothing of the sort. They are based on a threat analysis that points a long finger at the middle East as a recruiting source for sadists who respond to TV recruiting ads run on Al Jazeera. You know, those ads depicting decapitation. The area is the source of insane religious zealots that, in blind and illiterate fury, live to rid the world of infidels.
A democratic Iraq will give all but the looney left a warm inner glow and a feeling of increased security but it is not the ultimate aim of the war. It is only a subsidiary aim towards control of the Islamic terrorist hordes.
It is clearly not a case of
We are doing this for you but
we are doing this for the free world and when it comes to fruition, you will be, coincidently, better off
Well, at least we now have the anti-war mob insisting that attacking Iraq was the way to go. With that fact established maybe we can get on with defeating the terrorists there and elsewhere.
In the absence of any historical evidence of a perfectly run war, I can assure you the winner is the guy who makes less mistakes. Perfect is for armchair warriors and 20:20 hindsight.
The war is the War against Terror with Iraq being the current theatre. Let’s not confuse the battle in Iraq with the much broader War against Terror.Most left wing commentators are confused on this issue, but I am buoyed to note that Tim Dunlop finally accepts pre-emptive strikes on foreign sovereign soil as a valid strategy, albeit
his post is couched in anti-US terms.Having had some experience in war and being an avid reader of history I am possibly more aware than Tim that war is not all black and white and above all
no plan survives contact with the enemy. Sure it would have been great to have captured and killed Bin Laden and Abu Massub al-Zarqawi, the current heavy in Iraq, but the head is not the only part of the body and daily killing of terrorists still serves the purpose and goes part way to meet the aim.Hitler was never captured and killed but never-the-less his war machine was defeated and so it can be the case in this war.One of Tim’s links under
allowed to escape from Tora Bora does critisize US decisions and it certainly could be seen that they were mistakes. However, I have long held the view that if absent from the planning meetings and thus not aware of all of the considerations, then critics need to need to temper their criticisms with the rider. “It is my opinion only and I am not aware of all of the facts”. Todays Australian has an article by Scott McConnell:
Betrayal of the Right and in the dead wood edition there is a highlighted quote.
Bush’s international policies have been based on the hopelessly naive (and unconservative) belief that foreign peoples are eager to be liberated by the US armies
. Who is it I wonder that is so
hopelessly naive? That statement is so radical that I have never heard it put forward before. Scott McConnell must have something going for him as he is the editor of a main stream conservative publication but I feel the only reason he has been quoted is to give a Bush bashing piece a run for balance.Bush’s policies have been based on nothing of the sort. They are based on a threat analysis that points a long finger at the middle East as a recruiting source for sadists who respond to TV recruiting ads run on Al Jazeera. You know, those ads depicting decapitation. The area is the source of insane religious zealots that, in blind and illiterate fury, live to rid the world of infidels.A democratic Iraq will give all but the looney left a warm inner glow and a feeling of increased security but it is not the ultimate aim of the war. It is only a subsidiary aim towards control of the Islamic terrorist hordes.It is clearly not a case of
We are doing this for you but
we are doing this for the free world and when it comes to fruition, you will be, coincidently, better offWell, at least we now have the anti-war mob insisting that attacking Iraq was the way to go. With that fact established maybe we can get on with defeating the terrorists there and elsewhere.In the absence of any historical evidence of a perfectly run war, I can assure you the winner is the guy who makes less mistakes. Perfect is for armchair warriors and 20:20 hindsight
My eldest son has suggested I stop talking about it and do it. That is, go back to Vietnam and face my demons. So sometime this southern summer, most probably December, myself, my wife, my son and his fiance are heading off to look at Vietnam, Ancor Wat, Thailand and whatever inbetween.
I served in Thailand during the war and look forward to visiting again. Maybe have a Singah beer at the old Asia Hotel where I lived for several months and generally play the tourist that I wasn’t in 1972.
Vietnam though, will be a trip of discovery. Everything old will be new again. Different eyes, different experience. No fear. No having to fit your entire life in a 36 hour leave pass in Vungtau because your days may be numbered
Man, they were pretty heavy leave passes. You haven’t partied unless you’ve done so thinking for tomorrow we die!. Lends strength for party games, allows for consumption of huge amounts of alcohols which in turn makes you taller, stronger, wittier and able to beat the provost at any game they call.
What I want from my readership is useful advice on Vietnam today. I know some of my peers from all those years ago live in Phuouc Tuy province today. I know some of my readers are from Vietnam. I know others are vets and may have travelled there lately.
I need contacts. I want to meet our old enemy – the soldiers, not the communist party stooges – and have a chat and a beer with them. I’d particularly like to meet Vietnamese veterans who served in C2 D445 Battalion.
The last time we met, in August 1970, I didn’t get a chance to say hullo. They fired and killed a mate of mine and then ran. On reflection it most probably wasn’t the time and place for a chat – it was time for death and I was looking to create some. Maybe I did – we found plenty of blood trails but no bodies. C2 D445 Vets are the only ones who would know.
Love to meet them.
I’m a different man now. Have a beer, a chat, swap stories and photos of wives and kids.
Civilized now.
Help me readers – leave some meaningful advice.
My eldest son has suggested I stop talking about it and do it. That is, go back to Vietnam and face my demons. So sometime this southern summer, most probably December, myself, my wife, my son and his fiance are heading off to look at Vietnam, Ancor Wat, Thailand and whatever inbetween. I served in Thailand during the war and look forward to visiting again. Maybe have a Singah beer at the old Asia Hotel where I lived for several months and generally play the tourist that I wasn’t in 1972.Vietnam though, will be a trip of discovery. Everything old will be new again. Different eyes, different experience. No fear. No having to fit your entire life in a 36 hour leave pass in Vungtau because your days may be numbered. Man, they were pretty heavy leave passes. You haven’t partied unless you’ve done so thinking for tomorrow we die!. Lends strength for party games, allows for consumption of huge amounts of alcohols which in turn makes you taller, stronger, wittier and able to beat the provost at any game they call. What I want from my readership is useful advice on Vietnam today. I know some of my peers from all those years ago live in Phuouc Tuy province today. I know some of my readers are from Vietnam. I know others are vets and may have travelled there lately.I need contacts. I want to meet our old enemy – the soldiers, not the communist party stooges – and have a chat and a beer with them. I’d particularly like to meet Vietnamese veterans who served in C2 D445 Battalion.The last time we met, in August 1970, I didn’t get a chance to say hullo. They fired and killed a mate of mine and then ran. On reflection it most probably wasn’t the time and place for a chat – it was time for death and I was looking to create some. Maybe I did – we found plenty of blood trails but no bodies. C2 D445 Vets are the only ones who would know. Love to meet them.I’m a different man now. Have a beer, a chat, swap stories and photos of wives and kids. Civilized now.Help me readers – leave some meaningful advice.
Got this link from a Viet Vet in the US. Stolen Valor may have been pulled from the networks but Fahrenheit 911 has been screened most everywhere in the world. I think this is grossly unfair so click on the link below to view it
See how Conservatives, the right wing and us Vets view Kerry.
See Stolen Valor
here Plays best on Real One but OK on others
Put some time aside – it’s 40 odd minutes.
Be a discerning reader now and go over to Chrenkhoff and read the
Good news from Afghanistan Pt V.
It’s a long read but it has to be to counter the remaining facilities of the western media either ignoring Afghanistan completely, or only reporting negative events.
Go visit the
Currency Lad as well as he explains why Chrenkhoff has gone from just another blogger to being quoted in full in the Wall Street Journal.
Currency Lad does it better than me and I’m running short of time.
Norman McGreevy writes to the
Australian and nails it.
Landslide alert
19 October 2004
“PROGRESSIVE” pundits, journalists and most of academia long ago concluded that George W. Bush is the biggest liar ever to make president and should, without delay, be ejected from the White House.
Hollywood’s left-leaning entertainers and assorted rock acts have screeched loud and long in their campaigns against the dumb “end of democracy as we know it” Bush presidency.
John Kerry comprehensively wiped the floor with Bush in all three of their debates. Then a poll involving ten “quality newspapers” around the world, showed people would much prefer John Kerry to be the next US president.
And now, not unexpectedly, The New York Times has delivered their own ringing endorsement of Senator John Kerry for president. All of this encouraging evidence appears to be pointing towards a Republican landslide.
Norman McGreevy
Malvern East, Vic
Couldn’t agree more.
AN
Australian journalist held captive by Iraqi insurgents for less than 24 hours over the weekend has been released unharmed.
John Martinkus, a veteran freelancer who was compiling a report for SBS’s Dateline program, was seized outside his Baghdad hotel about 5pm on Saturday Australian time (10am Baghdad time).
My guess is that after some questioning it became apparent to the terrorists that John Martinkus was on their side so they they released him to continue his work as one of the anti-coalition/pro-terrorist journalists.
As an aside in this article from
stopthewar.com journalists quote the ‘country mile’ when they say
News of Mr Martinkus’s kidnapping came as a car bomb exploded near the Australian embassy in Baghdad, killing seven people, and as Mr Downer confirmed the government had rejected a United Nations approach for Australian troops to help protect UN officials in Iraq.
near the Australian embassy turns out to be half a kilometer from the Embassy which in CBD terms could be the next suburb. Still, maybe it looks better or worse, depending on your viewpoint, if Australia is seen as being the target.
Drawing a long bow, methinks.
Facebook
Twitter
