Blinded Eyes Fail to See

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Let us take a look back after the election of 2008 and see if there is in fact any thing new under the sun?

1-24-2009

With the campaign over and the new president in office I wonder how different things will be in America and in the world. Running on a campaign of change, with echoes of Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy I trust that he will do the right things for the right reasons and go further than either of these two previous role model presidents.

Americans want to identify with President Barack Obama and see this country change, change for the better. The economy is at its all time low, the lowest since the great depression. Wall Street has been shook at the core. The government bailout of huge financial institutions, as well as many other corporations who hope to get on the gravy train, are yet to be funded. In fact, where will this funding come from? Who is holding the proverbial bag? The amount is so vast that many Americans simply ignore it hoping it will simply go away.

Congress is pressing the new president to make those funds available, when some of those same congressmen are the totally responsible for the financial crisis we are in. When will Americans wake up and demand an accounting from them?

The war in Iraq is seen as a mistake, yet many Americans do not realize that we are on the verge of the greatest trials to befall America. Trials that will make the twin towers barely a memory. It’s obvious that the terrorists will test this new president. It will be a test of America. War is not the answer, yet failing to prepare for war is not an option. War in it’s self is a two edged sword, it feeds the industrial complex, while depleting the very lives it is trying to save.

The American media coverage of the election was decisively stacked against the incumbent president. It was responsible for the perception that the democratic candidate would be so much better. I believe that several factors were responsible for the republican loss. Over confidence, underestimating the fact that America would do just about anything to put a democrat in the White House.

When the democratic victory came, many Americans could not handle it. It is a testimony to our culture, and the overwhelming desire to get God out of America that brought out the worst in America. When a people who do not respect themselves, publically display outrageous disrespect for the outgoing president, they shame us all.

Now let’s talk about change in America.

Change for change sake is not change. Unless something is broke, don’t fix it. When you’re not part of the solution you’re part of the problem. These sayings should cause people to stop and take a second look at what needs to be changed, really!

Granted, America needs a better way to handle health care, but don’t go down the same path as Canada or France. We have the expertise right here in America with new ideas that can overhaul our current system and become an example for other nations to follow.

America needs to overhaul our social security system so that our children and our grandchildren, and their grandchildren will not be left out. No grandchild left behind!

The American political system needs serious reform. Since when has being a “public servant” ceased to exist? When we send our representative to state or national service, it should be for the good of the people in that legislative district. The longer one is in political office, the more power is given and as another saying goes, “Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely”. The Bible calls “The Love of Money is the Root of All Evil”. We see that is true even today.

Gone are the days of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. Today it’s “Give Me, Give Me, and Give Me”. When are we as a people going to wake up? Go back and read the fairy tale of “The Pied Piper”. They wanted change too.

Do we really want the government into our daily lives? Do we want someone coming around and telling us that because we have 2 cars, we must give one to someone who has chosen not to work, but to live off government subsistence? Do we want government to tell us what we can watch on TV? Or limit us on how many of ANYTHING we can have? Next it could be how many children we can have, before the government steps in to force abortions.

We really don’t know how far this could go. All we have to do is to look around at other countries who have tried Communism, Marxism or dictatorial styles of government. Read in recent newspaper articles about the wave of genocide in the Congo. Families and soldiers are running for their lives to get away from the rebel forces making changes. – I am the Real Truckmaster

Exploring Thailand – My Way

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I first went to Thailand as an 18 year old GI in February 1968. It was then that I developed a heart for the Thai people. They are friendly, extremely tolerant and forgiving as I began learning some of the customs and courtesies of these wonderful people.

I’ve had the opportunity to return to Thailand several times over the years, once by myself and that could have been a disaster, but wasn’t. Mostly it’s with my Thai wife of 48 years, and now that my kids and all my grandkids have been back, we are usually accompanied by friends who often haven’t gotten back home for quite a while. Each visit is an adventure. I make new friends, lookup old acquaintances (many of whom have passed on).

Let me tell you about Mr. Taipoosa (as I called him) was the tailor who came out to our small army camp at Khon Kaen. He would take orders for shirts, walking suits, or other clothing. He did his measurements, and then come back with the finished product. Normally they were made of Thai silk. His business took a direct hit when our unit left in 1970.

Over the years I managed to locate his shop, still in the same spot in downtown Khon Kaen. It is no longer a tailor shop, but a Kodak Camera shop. He had to reinvent his business and turned to developing film and printing photographs.

Normally when I’m in Khon Kaen I’d head downtown during the mid-morning hours and stop in to visit. Sometimes he was out of the country on business, other times he would be sitting behind his desk reading the newspaper. On one trip his wife (who still runs the shop) informed me that he had died. It was a shock and a wakeup call, knowing that we will all die one day. Today we are in the digital age and the shop can download photos from phones, cameras and flash drives; print and reproduce documents; and for a time was a center piece for foreign tourists (his English was good) who would frequently stop in asking for directions.

I enjoy walking around the downtown area, into the small shops and into the marketplace (talot) where you can find virtually anything and bargain for a good price, as bartering is the custom of Thai vendors.

Very rarely do I venture into the touristy areas, but some of the new indoor and outdoor malls are a place to meet some friendly people and come across some unusual (in American society) items for sale.

I call this exploring Thailand – My Way!

I have travelled north to the city of Chiang Mai, wandered thru a Hmong village looking for souvenirs, some of which can be pretty frightening, like a human skull (real or not, I didn’t ask). We went to a snake farm but nobody would venture out of the van. We stopped downtown at a factory that makes bamboo and silk umbrellas and fans. Interesting to see the process first hand and made by hand.

I’ve been to the city of Kanchanaburi where we walked across the River Kwai, on an old but still active railroad bridge, and sailed up the river on a boat, visited caves, museums and two foreign cemeteries where Japanese Prisoners of War (World War II) were buried.

One of the things I’ve done is rent a car and drive from Khon Kaen north to Nong Khai. After walking thru the sidewalk market and having fresh fish for lunch, we headed eastward along the Mekong River thru Nakon Phanom (NKP) and all the way to the town of Mukdahan, then returning via Sakon Nakhon and Kalasin, arriving back in Khon Kaen around 12 hours later.

I’ve driven on roads that turned into mere footpaths; other roads that ended in a cow pasture with a creek running thru it. I’ve driven thru Roi Et and Surin to the Sisaket Zoo near the Cambodian border (where the temple dispute continues today), then up to Ubon to visit friends who moved to Thailand back in 2002 or 2003.

I’ve been literally across Thailand, except to the very south around the Phuket area.

Until recently I’ve always returned to Khon Kaen where the people are always friendly. The last couple of years I’ve taken to the town of Cha Am, south of Bangkok and a bit north of Hua Hin. It’s a touristy town, lots of hotels on the beach. I haven’t come across any other American’s yet, mostly European Expats living the good life.

The Thai people are ingenious about what they do. They can spend hours on very tedious and time consuming labor projects that yield small profit (if any). They will build fireworks that dazzle the eye. The food is always fresh and extremely spicy. I like to begin with a cup of coffee and fried bread (Potango) and the perfect ending of a hot day is with a cup of Thai Ice Coffee (Oleang).

Thailand is a country full of contrasts. Workers in the rice field; fishermen in the water with nets; vendors with “street food” are the best. I see the westernization of Thailand with 7-11 stores literally on every corner. In Cha Am along a 1 mile stretch of the beach I counted more than 12 such stores.

Almost gone are the “Samlars” man powered bicycle taxi’s in many cities, they have been replaced by “Tuk Tuk” Diesel powered 3 wheel taxi’s, and there is talk about going to electric taxi’s to replace the modern version of the Thai “rickshaw”.

Motor scooters are abundant and often the only mode of transportation a family can afford. They are used to transport entire families of (4 or 5, or more) on a single trip. Scooters have been adapted to serve as delivery vehicles for all types of food, adaptable with a variety of specialty carts and you have the means for mobile service vehicles.

Traveling long distances, you have the choice of flying for mere pennies on the dollar (Baht). Maybe a tour van is your style? They are air-conditioned and even have refrigerators and televisions onboard. One can take an express bus that stops at designated rest areas, but the air conditioned environment inside the bus can be relaxing. I simply like to drive, whether it’s a rented vehicle or a family car. You have the freedom to make detours along the way and spend a bit longer exploring Thailand.

Sense my first time in Thailand I’ve noticed changes in the roads. Back then most were two lane roads with traffic going each way. Now they have become freeways of 2 – 4 lanes each way on a divided highway.

It’s been said that the difference between sightseeing as a tourist and connecting with the people of Thailand has to do with getting out and exploring your surroundings. Meet someone, have a meal with them. Get to know them and let them get to know you. It will warm your heart and bless your soul.

Thailand the Land of Smiles – I am the Real Truckmaster.

My Colonoscopy

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When people reach 50 years of age they are encouraged to have their colon checked for cancer. This procedure is called a colonoscopy. I contacted a local clinic that specializes in these procedures and scheduled an appointment.

I received an instruction sheet that specified a number of products to be purchased at my local Walgreen’s drug store. These items are referred to as “the stuff” and consist of laxative pills and a colon cleansing mixture that is used in Gatorade, plus a lemon tasting liquid that is like a volcano in a bottle.

The day before the procedure there are certain steps that are to be done. Things like mixing the Gatorade and the cleansing mixture and placing it in the refrigerator to chill. That evening one must take the laxative pills and drink the lemon tasting liquid before going to bed.

At 0500 the morning of the procedure one begins the regiment of taking one glass every 15 minutes until the entire 64 ounces of the Gatorade mixture is consumed (approximately 2 hours). The instructions state that one must plan on staying home and near the bathroom due to the sudden, explosive emission of bodily fluids will occur (this is normal). What they don’t tell you is that the entire contents of your body will pass before you and go down the drain.

After a couple of hours there is nothing left in your stomach or your colon, and it’s time to go to the clinic. My procedure was scheduled for 1230 pm and I had to check in one hour prior to do the paperwork. There were forms in white and forms in blue, possibly other colors, but I don’t remember much except one or more of the forms indicated consent for an emergency CPR procedure if necessary. Possibly there were non-disclosure and non-liability clauses should the procedure not go according to plan.

Then a nurse took me back to the staging room where she instructed me to get buck naked and put the hospital gown on with the opening in the rear (where mine is). She was kind enough to let me keep my socks on, although I thought it was a modesty issue. She said to place my clothes in the special bag, and get on the bed and cover with the blanket. It was a warm blanket, and the socks kept my feet from getting cold.

After she returned with the IV stuff and the needle, she proceeded to question me on my prescription medication, making sure that I had stopped the proper medications prior to this procedure. Then she attempted to pressure the vein in my right hand to pop up, and used several karate chop style moves on my defenseless hand. She explained that after the procedure I would feel bloated and puffed up due to the amount of air that would be pumped into my colon to inflate it. She said I would have to pass this gas in order to relieve the pressure. She then succeeded in getting the IV stuff in the vein and told me to wait as someone would be in shortly when the doctor was ready for me. She gave me a cord with a red button to press in case I needed assistance to the bathroom, although I knew it would be fruitless to summon anyone should a reoccurrence of the explosive nature occur.

Then a nurse came in and wheeled me to the procedure room and began explaining what medications would be used, and cautioning me that I would have a temporary memory loss, leaving me with no recollection of the procedure. He would wait do the doctor could talk to me first.

The doctor was nice and began explaining to me about the procedure, how it worked and what the results would show. Afterwards, he would give me a verbal recap and let me know if any abnormality was found. The nurse had me turn over on my left side and pull my knees up to the kneeling position. As he began the medication I attempted to focus on the electrical outlet on the wall, but it was too fast for me.

I opened my eyes and my son-in-law Mike was in the recovery room waiting for me to wake up. A nurse brought me a drink of apple juice. The doctor came in and explained that everything was fine and normal for someone of my age.

I vaguely remember the ride home or getting into bed. About 3 hours later I awoke with the realization that I hadn’t eaten anything for 2 days, and was extremely hungry.

The next morning the nurse called to check on me. He asked if there was anything I wanted to pass on to the doctor, or any way they could improve the quality of service. I told him that everything was fine, but if they wanted to replace the air with laughing gas, it would allow everyone in the room to share this humorous and often embarrassing passing of the gas.

That’s about all I remember of this procedure called a colonoscopy. – I am the Real Truckmaster.

The Emergency Room

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I read a funny story someone posted about an emergency room and riding a horse and for those who know me, I mean really know me, you got to be thinking what in the world is he going to write about horses or emergency rooms?

Well I probably could write a bit on both, as my brothers can back me up on the farm at Wilder, Idaho when we kids all climbed on the horse and started riding thru the neighborhood. Actually we left the house, went a few feet over to the country road and the horse began to trot and into a gallop with us all hanging on for dear life. Suddenly the horse decided to stop.

Not us, we continued on for probably 5 feet past the horse, and we all landed on the road in front of the horse. We were not seriously hurt except I landed chin first and ended up with quite a bruised and purple chin that lasted for a while. Sorry no emergency room on that one.

Yet I’ve been in the emergency room several times.

While in uniform while running along a loading dock trying to catch the attention of the driver of a truck I ran full steam into a steel headboard of a semitrailer. Yup I came to an immediate and complete stop. It was a hard landing which knocked the air right out of my sails.

After catching my breath and feeling pain in my chest I continued to work the rest of the day, but later that night I ended up in the emergency room.

The doctor examined my chest, had x-rays taken which showed no fractured ribs, but a partially collapsed lung. He had to get my lungs inflated again, so he handed me what amounted to a paper bag and said blow into it. He didn’t tell me about the hole in the bottom and while in a lot of extreme pain I never could blow up that bag. It worked on my lungs and he gave me a temporary profile exempting me from physical training for a week. By then I was back to normal (my normal) and none the worse for wear.

Another time I was all decked out in military gear, pistol belt, load bearing equipment, canteen, flashlight, etc. All the stuff we needed as we prepared to finish loading our equipment for a field exercise the following morning.

As I walked thru the motor pool, headed into the maintenance shop I didn’t notice the patch of ice and became airborne for a short time. (It’s been said that skydiving without a parachute won’t kill you, it’s the sudden stop), well I felt that sudden stop as my lower back came down right on top of my canteen.

Here I went to the nearby aid station and the physician’s assistant (PA) said I’m just trying to get out of going to the field exercise. Thru clenched teeth I told him I am going to the field because I’m the platoon sergeant and have no intention of anyone not going especially me.

After retiring from military service I have been to the emergency room several times. Once for trying to open something with a pocketknife and that’s not a smart idea in the first place. (Give a truck driver a task and he’ll getter dun, with anything at hand). My middle finger was the recipient of knife wound and the corpsman at the Air Force hospital did a fantastic job of stitching it up and wrapping it neatly with this white hospital dressing.

My driving on the way home was somewhat hindered by my middle finger pointing up at the ceiling and everyone began to think I was from California and without hesitation would return my salute.

I ended up pulling over and undressing my wound, putting a bandage over the stitches and continuing on home without further incident.

Don’t even ask me about the motorcycle accident, ok? Alright I was riding my trusty old 1983 Honda Magna 750cc motorcycle, headed out for a little Colorado day trip and I believe it was a Saturday morning, headed over to a well known coffee shop to meet up with a couple of friends.

I never made it.

I was riding in town when I spotted what looked like a road construction sign ahead and traffic had stopped. I had just passed a side street, so I attempted to turn around slowly, hit the curb and jammed the throttle at the same time. The bike went up on the curb, came back down (remember it’s the stop that gets you) on top of my left leg.

So I’m all decked out in leather jacket, chaps, boots and gloves. All the protection you need right, right?

Now I’m lying on the ground with this 500 lb or more motorcycle still running, but laying on top of me. A minivan stops and a lady asked do you need help? I had to think about that for what a second before answering YES!

Two women got out of the van, and a gentleman came out of an office nearby and they managed to get the bike off of me. Phew that was close. I thanked them and as I reached up to push the kickstand down with my left leg, it didn’t work right. In fact there was so much pain.

They called 911 and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene, also a city cop came. He wrote up an accident report as a single vehicle accident. The ambulance came and the paramedics said they were going to CUT OFF MY NEW CHAPS and BOOT!

I told them to hold on nobody’s going to cut nothing. I reached for the zippers on either side and the chaps were loose. They looked at the bandaging over my left femoral artery on the leg and decided to leave the boot on until the surgeon had a look at it. That was fine with me.

They asked where I wanted them to take me and I told them a local military hospital because I’m retired military. I listened to their radio conversation, “This is XYZ ambulance, we’ve got a motorcycle trauma patient we’re bringing your way.” The response “Don’t bring him here we’re not prepared for that”.

So I was diverted to a local civilian hospital here in town where the ER people were great. They started cleaning up around the leg, but looked at that boot and the bandaging and said, the surgeon’s going to have to take that off, I’m not!

Well they x-rayed my leg and found the main leg bone was busted and I was going to have a titanium or plutonium or some kind of metal rod inserted into the leg. It would support the leg healing but would not be coming out. The operation went well and I had to go back in for an adjustment (loosening and re-positioning of a screw).

While waiting to check in the guy in front of me had also been in a motorcycle accident. He was in a wheelchair and was fitted with a halo contraption to keep his head and neck still. It was at that moment I decided I didn’t want to end up going thru that kind of trauma, and put my motorcycle up for sale. Yes I kind of got that emergency room thing down pat. – I am the Real Truckmaster

The Heart Attack

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I just read a post from a FB friend Wayne Jones who recently went thru a heart attack, the angioplasty and is back home and it got me to thinking about my time in the hospital.

My tale of woe happened just 3 days before my 49^th birthday way back in 1998, when I walked into my wife’s home salon clutching my chest. One look at me and we were off to Peterson AFB (2 minutes away), thru the gate and over to the USAF hospital.

As we parked and began to get out of the car we spotted this huge sign over the ER entry way, “NO EMERGENCY ROOM” (they had been recently downgraded to a clinic).

I was helped inside by a gentleman on crutches and my wife.

As we went thru the doorway he hollered “This man’s having a heart attack”! (That’s what I managed to tell him on the way in.)

From out of nowhere (or everywhere) there were doctors, nurses and corpsmen all over me, getting me on a gurney, checking my pulse, asking lots of questions and then one of them got on the phone and CALLED 911. Like What?

Why would a hospital call 911? Aren’t they the subject matter experts in this kind of thing?

My wife’s primary doctor was there, asking me if I had high blood pressure. I told him no, my wife has high blood pressure, somebody keep an eye on her!

The doctor began giving me some little tablets (Nitro) which didn’t do a thing.

Soon an ambulance arrived (hence the 911 call) and I was whisked away at given more of those little tablets, nothing.

We made it to a local hospital where a cardiac doctor was scrubbed and waiting for me.

We went up the elevator and into the operating room. I was awake as they ran the angioplasty thingy thru the artery and up to the blockage and inserted a stint. Offhand I don’t remember the numbers but they were something like 99% on one side, I’m not sure about the other side, although I could go into my records to see the actual numbers.

Well once that stint was in place, the pain stopped. (Good now I can go home), not so fast said the doctor. She wanted to keep me in for a night or two to insure I was safe to leave.

It’s probably a good thing too because I went into the ICU and early that evening I wanted something to eat, but all the nurse could come up with was an apple. It tasted real good, but probably an hour or so I exploded with apple sauce, apple parts and apple bits all over my ICU suite. I’m sure the nurses on duty weren’t pleased with their new patient.

I finally settled down to sleep and awoke with a sort of wet, sticky feeling somewhere near my nether regions. So I pressed that red button and a sort of irritated nurse popped in and asked if I needed something? Well yes that’s why I pressed the button (I said to myself).

I asked if I was supposed to be wet and sticky, and as she pulled away the sheet she sort of almost panicked. She climbed on the bed and shouted that she needed help over here. I could see she was applying pressure to the femoral artery (where the angioplasty had been inserted). It seems that the tourniquet had come loose and I had begun to bleed out, so I was glad that I was still in the hospital.

They moved me into a recovery room the next day and night, plenty of time for my family to come visit. One of my two grandkids at the time was about 4 years old, asked me if the doctor took out my heart. I told him YES, papa has no heart. Then told him no everything was ok.

Surprise, surprise my mom and dad drove up from Boise, Idaho. I was surprised because they couldn’t handle the altitude at 6000 feet, and their visits were really infrequent.

At that time I worked at a teleconference company and I had my mom drive me over to the company so I could let them know I would be out of work for a couple of weeks – doctor’s orders.

When I walked into the call center my supervisor saw me and asked why I was there? I told her something like don’t you have me on a call this hour? Not funny. Anyway I told her about the doctor’s orders and she said she knew already.

It seems one of my daughters called and told her I quit, then told her I had a heart attack and would be out for a couple of weeks (Nice daughter huh?)

Well as you can probably tell I survived and didn’t lose my Wilson sense of humor, thank goodness or the next 19 years would have been a bust. – I am the Real Truckmaster

A Memory from Thailand

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I’ve told this story a number of times. In late 1968 I was supporting a 33^rd Platoon (Refer) convoy hauling refrigerated goods to the 809^th Engineer Battalion at Camp Raum Chit Chai outside of Sakon Nakhon, last leg of the 300 mile trip out of Camp Friendship in Korat. I was a SP4 driver with the 569^th Transportation Company out of Khon Kaen and filling in for a broke truck, this was my first time pulling a refer trailer.

We made it there without incident, and delivered our refrigerated cargo to places like the mess hall and the Officers and NCO open mess and after fueling up were released in what we called an infiltration convoy (single empty trucks) headed south, back to Camp Khon Kaen, some 170 miles south.

When we drove, it was strip down to t-shirts and stow our helmets and other gear under the passenger seat until we arrived back at the base. The drive from Raum Chit Chai to Sakon Nakhon was over a rather bumpy and dusty road with not much other traffic.

What surprised me were the three vehicles (two trucks with a jeep in the middle) I came upon them were traveling rather slowly (probably at the recommended speed of 37 mph) and I had been a bit faster as I approached from behind. I checked the road ahead and saw no oncoming traffic, so I simply went around those vehicles and continued on my way, until I looked in my rearview mirrors and saw the blinking red light of a Military Police vehicle, and he was coming after me.

I pulled over and jumped out of the vehicle. The MP was rather upset that I had passed him and the other vehicles, even though there was no oncoming traffic. He had me shut down the engine on the M52A2 5-ton tractor and lock it up on the side of the road.

He instructed me to get into the back seat of the M151A2 which had a Thai prisoner headed for the local Thai Police station in Sakon Nakhon. After we dropped him off, I didn’t know what he had done.

As we proceeded back to Raum Chit Chai I was somewhere down in the mullygrubs of self pity. I was taken to the Provost Marshals Office and told to sit on a bench in front of the huge MP desk. I was for a time lost in thought, until I began reading the names on the AWOL board behind the desk. One name in particular (don’t remember the full name), but it was a PFC Wilson who was AWOL from a unit in Vietnam.

I looked down and remembered that I was still wearing my T-Shirt stenciled PFC WILSON, it was a shirt that I didn’t get changed over after being promoted. My fatigue shirt with my SP4 rank was in the cab of the truck, under the seat. I hadn’t even been allowed to grab it. So my immediate thought they’re going to send me to VIETNAM, thinking I’m the AWOL soldier?

They must have realized I wasn’t that guy, so they gave me a DR (Delinquency Report) for speeding and reckless driving which would go to my company commander back at Khon Kaen later that day. I was hand receipted to the convoy commander, who would have someone else drive my truck back, and I had to ride with him.

This was one of the longest rides I’d ever taken. Our battalion policy (as I understood it) was anyone who received a DR for speeding would be automatically busted down a rank (company Article 15) and I knew for a fact that Captain Frank Durazzo was strict and followed the book, which he would promptly throw at me shortly! My squad leader had spoke to me about possibly going to the 519^th Transportation Battalion’s NCO academy at Phanom Sarakham sometime in the future, so I guess that was off the table now?

Once we got back to Khon Kaen we lined up for fuel as we entered the motor pool. I told the convoy commander I would wait for him in the orderly room, and proceeded to face my punishment with the company commander.

I was apprehensive and it must have shown on my face, because the first person I ran into was the second platoon leader, my platoon leader 1LT Steven Koons. He asked what happened, and I told him the whole story of screwing up and being hand receipted to the convoy commander, who was to hand me over to the company commander for punishment.

Little did I know that the company commander was away for the monthly commander’s call, and LT Koons was the acting company commander and asked where was the convoy commander and I told him getting fuel. He asked if I’d learned anything from this incident and I told him I learned not to speed.

Shortly the convoy commander came over looking for me. LT Koons tore into him for not maintaining physical control over someone he was never to have let out of his sight. Chewed him out good and told him to get his convoy together and not delay in getting off the base and back to Korat.

After he dismissed this SP5 convoy commander, he turned his attention to me and I knew I was in big trouble. He looked sternly at me and said consider yourself to have been verbally counseled (as he tore up the DR), then dismissed me. Phew!

It turns out that in January 1968 I was promoted to SP5 and never looked back.

Following Thailand ended up making a career out of Army transportation and there were two people who influenced me and shaped my leadership style, one was Staff Sergeant Jerry Nienhouse and the other was LT Steven Koons.

Jerry Neinhouse passed away I believe in 2001, but Steve Koons has been a lifelong example and a good friend over the years.

There are good leaders and there are bad leaders, Colonel you sir are the best of the best and I salute you! – I am the Real Truckmaster

Sewing Seeds of Doubt

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Did anybody watch the hearings with Attorney General Jeff Sessions?

What I saw was somewhat comical in a way, because the republicans were asking about whether or not a special counsel should be appointed to investigate the Uranium One fiasco and short changing AG Sessions on time enough to hear his full answer. They kept cutting him off in mid sentence.

The democrats on the other hand were asking if President Trump ever asked or required his “pledge of loyalty”. What a dumb and stupid question. They went on to ask a hypothetically if that question were ever asked by the President would he say yes?

Still another dumb and stupid question, because if you’ve ever watched the old TV series called “The West Wing” you might recall President Bartlett’s Chief of Staff telling each of the White House Staff that they “Served at the pleasure of the president”. Meaning they were replaceable, but their undivided loyalty was most important for the job they had to do.

I hated and loved that series. I hated that the president in the series was a democrat, while the policies and stances he held were purely republican values. I loved the “inside look” at the workings of the West Wing of the White House. Great series, good actors and some became politically active because of the role they played or the values they held personally.

So back to the hearings, the democratic congressmen and women who wanted to hear those words come out of AG Sessions mouth were sorely disappointed as he said the question never came up in any of his meetings with the President.

Even I know that every cabinet level appointment serves at the pleasure of the President of the United States! They are replaceable and need no reason or justification by the President for him to say “You’re Fired”.

Too bad the American people can’t see thru the smoke and mirror tricks of the liberal democrats and tell them at the poles “You’re Fired”.

Then to hear Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell say that the President called him from Vietnam and they discussed the possibility of saving the Arkansas Senate seat by sending Jeff Sessions back to Arkansas to fill his former seat? An A – B conversation (as my kids used to say) that should have gone between the President and the AG, went to C – the Senate Majority Leader? That’s hilarious!

Almost as funny as the democratic best hope for 2020 is Joe Biden? Ha Ha Ha! Now that’s funny! – I am the Real Truckmaster

President Trump – African-Americans

That is basically the running theme of the main stream media who continue to go after President Trump for his twitter post wondering if any of the UCLA freshmen players will think to say “Thank You” after he intervened during his recent trip to China by asking President Xi Jinping to help resolve this before it became an international incident.

It’s now been two weeks since three young UCLA freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill were arrested in Hanzhou, China on Tuesday, November 7^th, after they were caught on surveillance video shoplifting from three stores next to the hotel where their team was staying during their opening season game against Georgia Tech.

President Trump has publically thanked Chinese President Xi for securing the release of the UCLA freshmen and tweeted Wednesday morning, “Do you think the three UCLA basketball players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail!”

LiAngelo’s father, LaVar Ball who was in China with the team made this statement that in part said, “Everybody making it a big deal; it ain’t that big of a deal.”

Ball has since been picked up by the media refusing to acknowledge President Trump for making it possible for his son and the other two players to be able to come home from China.

On Wednesday afternoon, after all three freshmen were back on US soil at a packed press conference from the UCLA Pauley Pavilion publically thanked the president and the U.S. government for their help in getting them home.

UCLA has suspended the three freshmen indefinitely.

In response to LaVar Ball’s statements, the President Trump took to Twitter with this “Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal, I should have left them in jail!”

It is reported that the president even suggested on twitter that maybe he should have left them in jail until his next trip to China so that they would understand the seriousness of their offense.

Some have even said, and I agree that maybe LaVar Ball would have benefited by spending time in a Chinese prison too.

Contrary to what is being taught in present day America, criminal behavior is not acceptable. If you’ve ever ventured outside the United States, the world is a very different place. Imprisonment, torture and death are common place. There are no “country club” cells, no TVs, workout areas, no libraries.

Life in a Chinese prison would be many people in common area cells, food comes in a bucket, showers are none, toilets are a hole or bucket in the corner of the room.

So LaVar Ball it is a big deal; it is public humiliation, intimidation, and the law of the jungle inside a Chinese prison.

I normally don’t watch main stream media or much of Fox news but last night on a new show, the host had two African-American gentlemen, one elderly conservative, the other a young liberal.

I only watched a portion of it but I could see that

When the liberal spoke he blamed Trump for only attacking African-American males like the UCLA freshmen, then he brought up the taking a knee crowd of Kapernick.

When the conservative began speaking, he was interrupted by the liberal and had to be stopped by the host. The conservative stated it was black-on-black crime and black lives didn’t really matter to those who kill other blacks.

The liberal went on to say Trump’s use of Twitter was something no other president had done before him and it was wrong of him to use Twitter.

I had to laugh and change the channel because of the absurd logic (or lack of it) of the liberal left.

It is not seen as wrong to kill, steal or destroy when liberals do it, but it’s an offense to blacks for the president to use twitter in a manner that would bring shame on the wrong doers?

I watch as President Trump highlights his agenda and accomplishments on TV, the news media and on Twitter and how hard the liberal left (Democrats and Republicans) go after him with a vengeance for his use of Twitter.

I would rather see our government come together in support of the American people by eliminating laws, rules and regulations that hinder the American spirit and stifle the growth and economy of America, than simply go after President Trump because he uses Twitter.

And the media’s latest politicizing the death of Charles Manson by comparing his and the presidents use of words to get people to follow them? Come on now, use some common sense or at least follow it thru logically.

I firmly believe that God has placed Donald Trump as President of the United States for such a time as this, not the savior of the world, but as an instrument that God can use to bring about order out of chaos in America.

There is so much negativity out there and what we see around us is a world that is imploding upon its self.

Imagine a world without God.

It would be a world without good.

God is good – all the time.

People need to believe in God again.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in America.

We must make it a time of thankfulness for what God has done, not for ourselves but for everyone.

We have life, family, friends, food and opportunity – to help others.

God doesn’t need people, people need God.

God made a way through his son Jesus where mankind can find their way back to God.

John 3:16, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten son Jesus that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – I am the Real Truckmaster

Main Stream Media Fueling Allegations

al franken

There still seems to be a lot of media bias concerning President Donald Trump and Judge Roy Moore versus the Democratic “Sexually Active Abusers” who are abandoning their posts left and right, well left and left anyway.

What I heard this morning was the author of a recent article, who basically said the Democrats are predominately women who don’t sexually abuse and are cleaning up the party of guys who do, not like President Trump and Roy Moore who are given a pass by the Republican party because of who they are (more or less what she was implying).

Well I, for one have had enough.

Not all sexual abusers are Sexual Predators, but all Sexual Predators ARE Sexual Abusers; Sexual Abusers and Sexual Predators need to be tried and convicted in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.

Sexual Predators often stalk women or men in order to dominate and control their prey, exercising Absolute Sexual Power.

Remember the saying Absolute Power corrupts absolutely. It is no different for Sexual Predators.

The spin being done by the MSM – Fake News networks is trying to take the air out of the sail of President Trump by equating him to a sexual predator. Not true.

There is no person walking around on the face of the earth that is or ever has been perfect (except Jesus). When some unscrupulous individual “leaked” the video of the “grabbing” video, the media was all over it. There were no allegations, just reactions by a bunch of Hollywood elites who act as if they had never heard that kind of talk before. That was what it was, talk or “locker room talk” as the president put it.

President Trump did not deny saying it, but admitted that he said it and was sorry for saying it. That should have been the end of the story, but not so, the Hollywood elites decided to make a public spectacle by demonstrating “outrage” and quite frankly embarrassing behavior, to say the least.

Why were they not vocalizing Harvey Weinstein? Al Franken? Or vocalizing about any of the other Sexual Predators in Congress? Where was their “outrage” then? Where are the demonstrations and voter “outrage” over putting these people in office in the first place?

As for Judge Roy Moore’s accusers, there were what, 9 women who recited the “same” story about him? Were they all from 39 years ago? Claiming that everyone knew about him back then when he was in the district attorney’s office?

If true, how in the world did Roy Moore ever get elected or appointed as a Judge? Why was he not prosecuted in a court of law by any of his accusers? Have these women all recanted their stories because of their embellishments or did they just realize they made a huge mistake? For the most part these women were either paid or unpaid liars. Maybe that’s why there were no charges presented by anyone for prosecution? Maybe there were no charges because there was no Sexual Abuse? Roy Moore adamantly denies all of these as false allegations and politically motivated.

It is now up to the voters to decide what is true or just conjecture and outright falsehoods.

Unless an allegation is based on factual evidence of substance no prosecutor will impanel a grand jury, or bring a case to trial before a judge and jury (watch Law and Order). However when warranted, charges should be filed and violator or the false accuser should be brought to justice.

In the cases of the Democrats in Congress who are stepping down because they don’t want to go thru a congressional investigation or hearing, not because they are innocent, but have admitted they did it! Their stepping down has nothing to do with the Democratic Party women leaders or co-legislators cleaning out the closet, so to speak.

Fueled by the media that when allegations surface have been too quick to jump to conclusions without journalistic investigation and even slower to admit mistakes in reporting.

I think there is an alternative hidden agenda lurking somewhere just below the surface? – I am the Real Truckmaster

Be Careful What You Ask For

Calex 2017

My heart goes out to all the people of Southern California who are affected by the fires. I pray that everyone moves quickly out of the danger areas and into safety. I do have one nagging question.

What about the so called “sanctuary state” signed into law by Gov. Brown? I know the people of California are not stupid, but it appears the state legislators have left common sense at the seat of government, once they arrive at Sacramento?

If I was president and wanted to flex my political muscles, I would simply deny all aid and assistance to the California governmental leaders and let them figure out how to press their first responders into service without federal aid, until this “sanctuary state” status is revoked.

In fact I would like to see all the celebrities who play first responders on the movies and TV, let them go to work in their “roles” only in real life and get in there and “save” California, especially the ones so vocal on disrespecting the president and his supporters.

As president I would have ordered ALL federal agencies out of the state of California within 30 days of that proclamation being signed into law by the governor. That would include military facilities, postal facilities, DEA, FBI, Federal Judges, everything and everyone gone. Void all leasing contracts on lands, buildings and leaving everything up for grabs (maybe Disney could expand to several former military bases).

I know it seems ridiculous doesn’t it? Well so does becoming a sanctuary city or state, it’s ridiculous.

I hope the people of California understand that our president doesn’t think or act the way their politicians have acted. In fact I suspect that federal resources were deployed BEFORE being officially asked by Governor Brown.

I don’t know that California hasn’t had a governor worth his salt since Ronald Reagan?

With elections coming up I would hope that the people of California would remove ALL the “California Swamp Attractions” and replace them with real people, people who will place the “Public” back in Public Service.

Contrary to what is blaring out of TV sets across America, President Donald J. Trump is not just another politician.

He is in fact the first “Un-Politician” we’ve had for president in a long, long time.

So instead of lambasting Donald Trump because you are acting on misinformation from the FN MSM, take a look at what’s happening when a president puts America First into practice.

Look at the economy, jobs, immigration, world attention, and many other things that are positively happening to “Make America Great Again”. It’s time to make politics as usual a thing of the past. Be careful what you ask for.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Politics = power with absolute power the end game. – I am The Real Truckmaster