Saturday, October 29, 2011

Housekeeping

I made a few changes to the masthead. Some of my links were to blogs that no longer exist and blogs that I no longer read regularly. When I returned to full time work a few years ago, my time available for reading all the wonderful content in blogtopia decreased dramatically and I gravitated to a few out of idiosyncratic interest rather than any disappointment with any blog's content.

During my absence, some blogs went dormant. Since I don't keep up with those blogs I can't guarantee that they are still current. But I don't want to drop the links. So now they are Legacy Blogs. Just because I am no longer a regular reader doesn't mean they are not worth checking out. I still do occasionally. That's how I know that some are no longer extant.

The changes include a couple of additions. I added a link for Coffee Strong, the GI coffee house outside Fort Lewis here in the great northwest. Also added a link to The Rachel Corrie Chapter 109 of Veterans for Peace. That's our local chapter here in Olympia.

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Friday, October 28, 2011

Coffee Strong

My blogging skills are sufficiently poor that I cannot upload a CBS News story about our local GI coffee house adjacent to Joint Base Lewis McChord. Instead, you must follow the link. It's worth the effort.

The camera quaintly shows the stone and timber gateway to "Camp Lewis", a name as remote to the reality of the third largest military base in US as the gateway is to the high-paranoia, high-security traffic lanes that feed the base daily. Snark aside, the story is positive and accurate.

Toward the end of the first minute the camera slowly pans a sign about veterans benefits counseling. That's what I do on alternate Fridays. Needless to say, I am very pleased to be associated with Coffee Strong

It is indeed a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.

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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

But We Were Fighting for Freedom. Right? Right?!?!

From the diary of Dang Thuy Tram (1942-1970):

25 August 1969

These are harrowing days. Every night the Americans stalk around the hamlet, hide in the rice fields, and then attack a predawn. This morning they surround the hamlet at first light.

I go gown to the shelter, well prepared. Ling in the shelter listening to their shouting and their search above, I feel the full crush of rage and hate pressing down on me.

Sister Thu Huong, who is the village nurse, and her son were wounded in the raid this morning. I used to stay with her. Just last night we sat together and confided our stories and woes until late. It was the first time I'd heard a woman who had born a child out of wedlock confess her pain and mistakes. Her chubby baby, as cute as a European toddler, has two pieces of shrapnel in his lung, near his heart.

I don't know if he will survive.

This is war; it spares no one, not a baby or an old woman, and the most hideous thing about it is the bloodthirsty Americans.

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