Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Military Suicides? Down from 325 to 300. What are the Psyches doing Wrong?

Recent news articles reveal an army sergeant, a woman shot herself at a Virginia post. She had 14 years in with the US Army, serving valiantly, decorated with meritorious badges throughout her career. She wound up in what amounts to "Personnel."
    The article described her as 'enraged.' (I would be too if I had to work there.) Poorly written and terribly researched, the reporting gives us no in-depth emotional background on the woman, her duty to our country and certainly the lack of help from the psychiatry available (or not) at the post.
    Listen up, 300 suicides! What ARE the military counselors doing?? Who is listening and conducting therapy? What is going on in those sessions? For three years I conducted group therapy sessions here in Tucson for  oa civilian agency and lost zero patients. I had to slam a half dozen of folks into a mental health hospital for a fear they might off themselves, but in the end, they all survived. I personally disarmed three with guns, and engaged in triage for a half dozen nights - all teetering on the dangerous edge of instability and managed, successfully.
    Anyone as critical as the Sergeant needed primarily to be listened to. She needed to be heard. Again, with base restriction of no guns allowed, she still managed to bring her own pistol to work, so good luck with the silly Clinton anti-gun restrictions, they are ineffective. We know the talking (and sometimes) the pharmacological cure does work.
   And, I surmise some or all of the above are NOT working at BASE Psychiatry.
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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Now Legal - Guns in Schools

Argyle, Texas has just announced that 'some' teachers may be armed this fall season, as parents parade their children back into their School District public system.                                                  
At long last, the endless debate appears to be over, Guns are now in public school. Texas has broken the debate, armed teachers after training them in the use of handguns, and installed them in place in time for the fall semester.
Only time will tell of the effectiveness of the test run. After a period of time, we will be able to judge the protective edge this school system has against others around Texas, and the rest of the country.
    To be sure, detractors will swarm. Irrationality will reign supreme, but in the end, the protection of our most precious resource, our nation's children is tantamount to our best efforts.
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Sunday, August 24, 2014

"When God Created Fathers"

(with apologies to the late, great Erma Bombeck)

     When God created fathers, he started with tall frames, I am told, way higher than little kids. And they angel complained..." that's not fair. These little rug rats, so close to the ground, this guy has to stoop so close to play marbles, pick them up, tuck them in, change their diapers, sit and hold them when they cry!! It's just not fair, these guys are BIG!"
     And God said, " it'll be alright. It will give his kids someone to look up to. Some they can feel safe with, someone who will come home to each night, knowing Daddy's home. Guys will grow so attached to hearing that."
     The angel still pecked away, " look at those hands - huge!! Big and puffy, way too big to help little girls!! How's he gonna help them with paws like that?"
      " It will work out fine, " God said, " hands will be big enough to hold all the stuff in their little pockets when they come home, yet big enough to hold their tiny faces in his hands when he wants to kiss them good night. And, I imagine he's going to do that alot."
      Yeah, another angel chimed in, but this guy's got no lap, the little girl is gonna fall right thru to the floor. God thought for a second and replied, " sure, but those broad shoulders can lift her up high and carry her all the way home, pull her on a sled through the snow and best of all hold her stead on a bike while she learns how to ride.

The O.K.Corral in Tombstone

I am shocked! I just reviewed their web site and I am horrified. First let me say that I speak from the position of not just a lover of history, west devotee of southwestern history and all things wrapped around the Earp Family and the OK Corral - BUT, I was in the one hundredth anniversary GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL in the OK Corral on October 26, 1981, dressed as one of the cow boys.
     I am a published author and have written and published extensively about that period of time, and about that gunfighter family, and that gunfight. I speak with some experience.
     I personally knew and befriended Earp Historian Glenn G Boyer who was not only an author and historian on the subject, but personally knew the family. He knew where Wyatt's guns are. He passed away last year.
     I digress. I haven't looked at Tombstone in over three years, and after reviewing the web site today, am shocked.
     The OK Corral looks nothing like the original OK Corral. It looks like the OK Garage. Millionaires with no particular mission in life, retired with nothing to do except screw up sacred historical relics.
     The web site? Turn your kid lose with a 35 mm SLR auto lens and he's bound to get about the same product, minus any sense of depth, composition or feeling of what the hell he's shooting. For Tombstone, the town to dumb to die, the kid who shot these pictures trying to depict the toughest gunfight of good over evil forever depicted in a huge grocery cart full of movies, books, paintings and such, he might as well been photographing fruit.
    Oh, and he mis-spelled Coral. Oh Well. so much for the old worst.
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Thursday, August 21, 2014

African Nations -- Starving People -- Our Generosity -- When will it end

It hit me during the Ebola crisis today, how easy it is to spread over there. I heard one African doctor say the worst conditions in America are normal there. Not to beat a dead horse, but why? We and other civilized nations have been pouring people money, food, clothing, missionaries, Oprah Winfrey, comedians, educators into dirt poor African countries for as long as I can remember (73 years) and still as the Bible says, the poor will be with us.
     BUT, pictures of DIRT poor Africans haunt our screens of bone weary mothers and children knawing on roots in a dry river bed  as they are prey to other savage tribes in the "dark continent" and yet will are still conditioned to pour our aid into such places.
     My question: what of their governments? What of the ceaseless foreign aid? How much money does our government give and where does it go? Where is 60 minutes with their prying cameras? I fear OUR present governmental administration may not want too many prying eyes delving that deep into the end of the tracks as far as the foreign aid train goes.
     If we are funneling Billion$$ to African Countrie$, how much, how often, to whom and how is it spent? Why are the poor souls still so desperately hungry, run over by their own people, and not taken care of by what appears to be their own corrupt government?
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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

American Gun Rights VS. ISIS coming to America - Beware Yon Cassius

So, you think you have a friend in government, do you? Beware the government that fears your guns. Quick reviews of history shows the governments that disarm their citizens will show you who rules in fear and who in freedom. Obama has quietly been moving to quench the supply of guns and ammo into the market but, frustrated by the free market place. Guns sales are still up. Women are the fastest growing market segment for pistols. 
     As of today, there are more guns than Americans. 
     The lunatic fringe in ISIS those wonderful folks from the 11th Century have the idea they're coming here to lop off our heads with swords, have not yet learned history from the Japanese. 
     Fellow Americans: - ARM YOURSELVES. When the minimalist authorities decry our very Constitution, it is up to us to protect home and hearth. The First Amendment protects the Second Amendment, which protects all the rest. 
     If ISIS, comes here and I believe they will try, then we MAY have to meet them in the streets. If we do, Ferguson, Missouri may be a block party by comparison. 
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Friday, August 15, 2014