Get Me OUTSIDE!

This is why I don't like treadmills in the spare bedroom, garage, working out at health clubs or other forms of indoor exercise,  other than they are boring, boring, boring, wall mounted TV or not. I don't care if Oprah has Michelle Obama, Tom Cruise, David Letterman, Ellen, Donald Trump and Tiger Woods on the same show! (wouldn't that be a show?), indoor workouts just don't work for me, even if I have a window to look out of.

If you ever wondered why your new year's resolution to exercise and lose weight lost it's momentum after only a few weeks here is a clue:

Hello! It's winter out there, cold, rainy, gloomy, etc. Your brain wants to be doing something outdoors, walking, hiking, just about anything as long as it's outside while your body cringes at the thought. Some refer to exercising outdoors as eco-therapy, or green exercise, although I think that word green is overused. Did you know for example that the color green balances the nervous system and is supposed to have a calm, soothing, effect?

When there isn't a whole lot of green around during winter where you live it can be tough to get motivated, much less stay that way until spring. But don't despair, just by seeking the natural world you can reap the benefits of re-connecting with the environment – a reduction in anger and stress levels only to mention a couple. Take the dog for a walk, bundle up and breathe the fresh air.

A Dog Fit For The Pentagon

We need more marines like this in Washington to sort out the mess we have gotten ourselves into in the middle east. Posted with the greatest respect for the Marine Corps and our Armed Forces this picture signifies the kind of message that we at home are tired of all the BS from our government and want these wars to end.

Our country has gone to the dogs and maybe they can do a better job!

Image: my chocolate lab Duke by: Pets In Uniform

Trained specifically to fight the kind of war the terrorists understand, that of the cut-their-heads-off, suicide bombing, no-holds-barred, back-stabbing killer mindset. D.I. wannabe Chucky is just the fella we need to help train would-be marines to give those dirtbags the kind of fighter they understand, and FEAR.  No politicians can contain them, no military command can censor them and once launched, never recalled. This is a no-mercy kind of guy, a pure killer of the sort that will that convince those people – we finally mean business!

From Slimy Civilian To D.I.

Originally designed as a "combat doll" small enough to infiltrate enemy positions and sever the Achilles tendons of the enemy while they slept,  Chucky grew from doll-size proportions to human dimensions, almost overnight. Chucky, yes marines, that Chucky now wants to be one of us. Not only that, but hold on to your piss cutters, he wants to train marines as a D.I.!

This is your chance Parris Island to live up to that bad-assed reputation your recruits are always crowing about because, Chucky is sick of Hollywood types, and MCRD San Diego is too close to that bunch of sissies. But he might not wait for an invitation from the commandant, rumor has it he is planning on starting his own outfit.

Who better than Chucky to strike fear into the cold hearts of the Taliban, Iraqui's and other terrorist scum, a man who has no fear, and no morals when it comes to rooting out and destroying terrorists and their supporters. D.I. Sgt Chucky – can't you just imagine it?

Which lucky platoon will have the honor of graduating the first Sgt. Chucky recruits should he be accepted into the green machine?

Beware all enemies who cross his path – Osama Bin Laden, listen up maggot face, you are directly in his cross-hairs.

When one marine says another is gung-ho he is not being very nice but the corps never has taken the trouble to correct the public impression, that among marines, gung-ho is synonymous with espirit de corps. The marines haven't taken the trouble to straighten out the Chinese on the matter, either. The Chinese still think that gung-ho means "work together."

If memory serves me correctly it went something like this:

Once upon a time a congressmen complimented the United States Marine Corps at a hearing of the House ppropriations sub-committee on defense and, as always when someone says a kind word about them, it was a sad day for marines everywhere. The Marine Corps never loses in a battle and it never wins on a compliment.

This slightly over-indulged looking congressman looked around the room at marine officers dressed in olive green uniforms and said, "I would think that you would show up here in dress blues. As a matter of fact, I would expect marines to wear dress blues anyplace they appear in public ALL THE TIME!  Marines are a gung-ho outfit-at least everyone says you are – you should dress the part."

Such backhanded compliments usually do not dismay the marines, especially when they come from congressmen. If they want to offset a backhanded compliment with a graceful one, smoothly delivered, they will crank up the good old M1A publicity machine and turn out their own compliment. But on this day, for some reason, the congressman was adamant.

One marine officer steps forward, a general, fruit salad across his puffy chest, named Chesty something or other and
patiently explains to the congressman;

That dress blue uniforms are issued free, to marines on special duty, such as the band, guard detachments and on
recruiting duty. Any marine can buy dress blues out of his own pocket but not many do, partly because the high
collars are choking and the heavy blues are uncomfortable to wear in warm weather, or even a warm saloon. I think
that if the marines are allowed to maintain their independence in the matter there will be very little increase in
the wearing of dress blues, except possibly when a new marine goes home on his first leave and wants to impress his
mommy, or his Congressman.

Semper Fi

At a secret military installation far from the poisoned water of Camp Lejeune, Sgt. Chucky has begun work creating a new kind of combat marine. One that will strike total horror into the cold hearts of terrorist leaders everywhere, just by his appearance. He's lean, he's mean and he's a one-man, hard to kill, fighting and training machine.

Sgt. Chucky brings his special skills with hatchet and chain-saw to the already outstanding close combat skills of marines. His outfit, Chucky's Raiders, is a strictly all-volunteer force which is limited to those marine types who possess no fear of being mutilated in combat – they are already so ugly that their faces alone send shock waves of terror through their opponents.

Here is a rare shot of Sgt Chucky's assistant, former Marine, Lcpl. Bob "Pretty Boy" Donner, yes, those Donners, all glammed up for liberty in downtown Falujah. These are the kinds of men Chucky's Raiders needs to recruit that, along with our regular marines, will put a stop to all the Washington BS, get these people under control and get our troops HOME!

Promoting terror among your enemies is not a terrorist exclusive, Sgt. Chucky's slaughter squads will attest to that. Bob here is one of the better looking of us. We have yet to find a girl for him.  Go figure.

Sgt. Chucky's Recruiting Video – Calling the Few, The Proud and the SCARY!

Click here to view the embedded video.

What do you expect from the media, sex sells and so does death. The Google Blog says this: "The fact the Associated Press chose to publish graphic and disturbing photographs of a young Marine killed in Afghanistan against the wishes of both the father of the Marine and the Secretary of Defense of The United States is not only appalling, and completely unconscionable it is without compassion and consideration to the effects it might have on the this man’s family. Privacy should be respected."

I agree with that statement, America does not need a refresher on the ravages of war, we have had enough of it with our last "TV War" in Vietnam.

Lance Corporal Joshua "Bernie" Bernard is our Marine of the Month with a photo as we would like to remember him.

This does not mean that the book represents in any way what Fox News and other media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal would have you believe. They have single-handedly managed to spin a simple VA handbook into a ridiculous little drama designed to inflame opinion against the health care initiatives proposed by our president. We can thank Sarah Palin for her little "death panels" speech but I wonder if she is willing to disclose what special interest group decided to use what little popularity she had left by luring her out of Alaska's Governors mansion and into the sleazy world of well-paid-for opinion. And to think I used to admire her! Marines and others of the Armed Forces of America, must be careful to use their heads to get at the truth of this debate and be aware that special interest groups now buy some American's opinion the way folks used to buy a used car.

The customer interested in buying a used car wants honest answers to their questions about the car's history in order to make the best deal possible but the sales person can't be trusted. He or she has an agenda where it's only about them. To heck with the customer, all they can think about is how much commission they can make on a sale or if I sell this clunker the boss will promote me, same thing goes for these rich special interests groups, insurance companies and the like who will do anything to convince you that their opinion is the "truth" or is "best for the country."

There doesn't seem to be any right or wrong in this country any more, only how deep your pockets are so that you can sway opinion to your cause. A lawyer doesn't care about truth, guilt or innocence, if you have enough money you can buy a legal loophole or technical error and get away with almost anything. And just as a savvy car buyer will get to the truth and make the best deal they can for themselves – a person can learn to recognize when they are being manipulated by the media or special interest groups – but it takes a little digging – something called work, and some people nowadays would rather believe the worst than try to get to the bottom of an issue – simply because they are lazy.  

Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd. – Bertrand Russell

This great quote says a lot about human nature and how some Americans like to follow what they believe to be true regardless of the truth. I found it on a website called Battle of the Bilge, a blog by the Military Officers Association of America that debunks military and VA related rumors, untruths and downright lies. On their blog you can get the truth on subjects like the one in our headline – if you care to read it.

This latest one, "VA Death Book" is typical of the kinds of tripe you see in the news and on the web about how our current president wants all those "hopeless" vets out there to "pull the plug" when that's not the real story at all. I could write volumes about those who would leap at these kinds of opportunities (Fox News is only one) to make President Obama look like a modern day Jack Kevorkian but then I would appear to be a ranter, which I am not. I am a vet, one of those guys who will have to make hard choices about the quality of my remaining life.

Living Wills Are Not Death Books

The truth of the matter is that vets need to make choices, whether severely incapacitated or not. And making the right choice is not made any easier when you have media like Fox News and groups such as Dying With Dignity spinning a VA pamphlet called, Your Life, Your Choices, a guide to helping veterans with life choices and living wills, into something resembling a Nazi death camp journal. It makes for a much more dramatic story for people to discuss at cocktail parties, especially when they know only part of the story. Fox News has succeeded in inflaming the public against this effort to help veterans, much to the dismay of the VA, who despite many stories to the contrary, continues to work hard for veterans care.

I am a former Marine, disabled Vietnam vet and holder of the Combat Action Ribbon. I have seen the look on men's faces, men who are critically wounded and do not want to live to be a burden to their families, men with no arms, legs, nor any real chance at a productive life. This pamphlet was made for men like this who do not want to be resuscitated should they lapse into a coma or experience a stroke as a result of their injuries – nothing more. We all want to live – but not at the expense of our families and loved ones quality of life.

The reason we served in the first place is because we unselfishly put the defense of our country and the cause of freedom above that of our very own lives, why would we do anything less for our families? We knew the sacrifices we might have to make. The VA provides assistance with hard decisions pertaining to quality of life, by providing family counseling, living wills and other health-care issues for veterans. I don't see any of these so-called critics coming up with anything better for the veteran, do you? All I hear is name calling and half truths.

I can say from personal experience that the VA has been a life-saver for me. After suffering the effects of Agent Orange, PTSD and now toxic poisoning from the water supply of a military base I onced served at. So I am pretty sure I know where I am going to end up in my 80's (if I am lucky enough to live that long). I know that at some point in my future I will have to make some hard choices. For now the VA has assisted me with a living will, one that specifically states "do not resuscitate" and thanks to that VA pamphlet and honest information I understood what needed to be done.

My experience with the VA has always been positive and I encourage all marines and other former members of our armed forces to examine carefully the agenda's of those (like Fox News) who would take a harmless pamphlet and turn it into something that stirs controversy and a cause for their BS – before forming an opinion.

If you want to read about the other side of the story, those who thought the pamphlet helpful and not at all what it is being portrayed you can find some heavy duty comments here – but be warned – It does NOT suggest that veterans die to save money, it does NOT encourage suicide, it does NOT ask vets to "hurry up and die."

What it DOES do, according to ethicist s, legal and medical experts (those with cooler heads) is provide a reasonable attempt to help veterans plan for the end of their lives. What it DOES do is ask that veterans think about whether, for example, life would be worth living in a wheelchair or nursing home – something ALL vets should consider regardless of their condition. What it DOES do is to get veterans to think about their place in life. Unfortunately, the media does NOT support anything less than the controversy that they create themselves (media frenzy) by labeling our administration with catchy phrases like "death panels" and "death books" when critics are after anything BUT the truth.

Critics of the current administration and the VA must stir the pot for their cheap carnival acts such as the smarmy Megyn Kelly and Jonah Goldberg of Fox News. Watch the video closely for half truths, severe eyebrow lifting, negative voice inflection and much drama. I only post it here to demonstrate how baised they really are and how they do everything they can except attempt to get to the truth.

This is just plain mis-reporting, where are the vets on this issue? Where are the supporters of this issue that will publicly say that the VA pamphlet was revised and brought back to help veterans, not to ask them to kill themselves to save us taxpayers money or to save their families from financial ruin? Truth does not sell newspapers or get people to tune in to a particular TV station, where numbers dictate ad revenues. Why tell the boring truth when you can spin it into a drama worthy of an Emmy?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Low-Carb regimens that follow similar paths to those of the Atkins and South Beach Diets can be diets that include animal fat and  protein. Or they can be vegetable and fruit inclusive. The problem is that most people don't know how to eat well and do what it takes to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

People tend to go to extremes, carbs should be limited just like fats. If you eat too much of anything, you're headed for a fall.

American Diabetes Association  

Care, Cure Commitment

And, while low-fat, high-carb diets are often recommended by doctors who treat diabetes, my feeling is that we have to minimize our carb consumption, especially the bad carbs (sugar) found in processed foods (empty, useless calories) and continue to promote the "good" carbs found in fruits and vegetables.

It then becomes a question of finding your carb "threshold" the fine line between weight stabilization and weight gain.