Qarmat Ali Vets Ribbon

Hey Mainstream Media

Hey Mainstream Media
That Picture You just had to take could be Al Qaeda's next recruiting poster!!

16 February, 2011

America..Wake up Sweetheart..Your Freedoms Were Stolen While You Were Asleep Last Night!






Think that the title of this blog entry is far-fetched... Think Again!! In a series called Conspiracy Theory, former Governor Jesse Ventura brings to light some interesting stuff. I was not thinking I was going to be persuaded too much by this series of 3 videos. The videos themselves were eye opening, but what hooked me is it got me going to Government websites to research what was being said...And in most cases, I was able to find documentation that proved what he was talking about. Rather than me go on and on about this. Watch the 3 videos..They are riveting!! He actually confronts a Senator who Co-Sponsored the bill for the FEMA facilities..Which happen to under the supervision of Homeland Security? Whats up with that?... Anyway you will laugh at the dumb ass senator when he gives his answer..nothing short of Ludicrous!!

Not to be confused with the Rapper Ludacris who has a hell of a lot more intelligence!! Do not get me wrong!! I love my country, but do not trust my government. Once you watch the 3 videos, please go to read about the Executive Order That Mr. Ventura mentions I found it at the Official White House Site. HOLY SHIT THE BED MARGARET!! Another part Jesse mentions is that Senators are signing off on other senators bills for favors to their own Party or to gain something for their district. But too many shady deals will sink America. This brings up my case for term limits for congress.. career politicians in my opinion are ripe for corruption and before they get tempted...BOOT THEM OUT!!

Now..I know you are thinking That I am an absolute Nutter for even looking at this conspiracy...BUT, stranger things have happened and the pieces are there, just the right person would have to put them in the right places at the right times and folks...we could lose it all. This is all happening right out in the open, but you do not know about it, Hitler came to power in a legitimate fashion, but once he got there..well, we all know what happened next. I am not saying Mr. Obama is Hitler...One never knows who might end up president in the event of assassination(s)?

I do know this, It appears that Homeland Security has way too much Authority and needs to have it's wings clipped back a little. They seem to be running amok and this is what scares me. There is a plethora of information out there, just do a Google Search for REX 84 and start from there. Keep an open mind..as some of the folks who write about this kind of stuff are NUTS. Mainly look for government sources...they do not seem to be hiding it.

07 February, 2011

Don't Let Your Alligator Mouth Write Checks That Your Hummingbird Ass Can't Cash


If you Voted Republican for Change...This is how your brain must feel now!!







(Newser) – Well, that was fast. Republicans are already backpedaling on a number of provisions of their “Pledge to America,” including promises to cut spending and reform Congressional rules. The GOP had railed against Democrats’ strong-arm legislative tactics, pledging to send all bills through a full committee process and to “let any lawmaker—Democrat or Republican—offer amendments.” Yet with its very first act—health care reform repeal—it will break both pledges, Politico reports.

Republicans also haven’t put the constitutional citations they promised on any early bills, though they say they may add them later when the bill hits the floor. The GOP has also ditched a promise to publicly reveal who attends committee meetings, something that could be used against reps who play hooky. Oh, and that pledge to cut $100 billion in spending in the first year? They’ve admitted that’s not actually feasible, the AP reports, thanks to the vagaries of the budget cycle.
(Read the entire article at the highlighted link at beginning)

When a political entity has to come at you with a gimmick such as the Republicans did, with their "Pledge to America" I knew we were screwed. After reading through the document, any sensible person could come to only one conclusion... The Republicans wanted their license to steal renewed!! They wanted less supervision and oversight to make it easier to get their hand in the cookie jar. They preached...Bipartisan workmanship is what we will do to restore the people's faith in the government. Then November 3rd after the election Republican Senator Mitch McConnell announces that the only way the Republicans see they are going to get any thing done is to get a Republican President elected in 2012?

Excuse me..that is not bipartisan workmanship.. That to me is the usual Asshole Vs. Asshole politics and the average citizen be damned. So why make all these promises to America for transparency, like a list of who attends votes and committee meetings and such? Because it can come back and bite them on the butt, it sounds good on paper, but they do not really want to do it for you. THEY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO WORK THAT HARD, look at what they have done to keep the Bush tax Cuts for the wealthiest...they sold America down the river to keep their money, but were going to let people who had no job and had ran out of unemployment benefits starve..Right before the holiday season.... That takes some gall to do that to your fellow countrymen.

Thank You Mr. Obama for compromising with these Opportunistic Jackals and not allowing Americans to starve during the holiday and winter season..especially the way the winter has turned out. Folks..there is no doubt that America needs to be repaired..but it doesn't happen overnight. We being a society used to instant gratification do not have the will nor the staying power to get the job done anymore and that is really sad..How will America realize it's true potential in the future if we think this way?.

I will leave you with thought...what happens when you drink too much tea?..........You run to the bathroom and it goes right through you..Hopefully the Tea party and the Republicans can be flushed through our system in 2012...We have set a term limit on the office of president... maybe it is time to limit congress persons to 8 years so we do not have these folks get so entrenched that they stagnate our political system. People shed skin everyday to expose healthy new skin it's a natural process...Just something to think about!!

17 September, 2010

Kurt Schrader For Congress (5th) District November 2010






My Fellow Vets from 1/162, With election time fast approaching, it is time to think about who has your back when it comes to our needs as disabled vets and Human beings in general. I usually do not get on a political soap box, I prefer to let my pen do my talking on election day. These last few years I have learned some hard lessons regarding the political party I once was affiliated with. For those of you who remember me from our trip to the big catbox, I had grey hair and you guys called me old man and gramps and stuff like that. That I thought was great, because even though in some cases I was twice your guys ages, you still accepted me.
Now, to show you how old I am... I voted Republican since Reagan, Does that tell you how long I had been drinking the Republican Kool-aid?... Now, I bought off on the Iraq mission like we all did and now I come home from that mission with some problems.

I tried going to my local State Representative Kevin Cameron who is a Republican and his office would not even return my phone calls. As a matter of fact Republicans in general take the road that it is ok for you to be exposed to a chemical that will kill you years down the road even though a contractor working for the government was in charge of the site and let it happen unnecessarily... I guess that way you die sooner and they do not have to pay out so much on your worthless soul. I believe the Iraqi People needed help, but did we go there to help them, or ourselves to their oil? I am beginning to think the latter. The reason I say this is because the first priority was to get the oil flowing, not stabilization of the country. Saddam was not leaving and the U.S. wanted that Iraqi Oil on the global market, so we had to go kick him out.

Now the Republicans complain about the cost of having to foot the cost of healthcare for disabled combat veterans..If they would stop making them unnecessarily, this would not be an issue. Look at all the time , money, equipment and most importantly the human cost. Hell look at Vietnam and the thousands lost there, those men and women did everything their country asked of them and more. Just think of the waste of American Resources there...How many potential Congressmen and Women and or President's, scholars, scientists and just plain good people who could be making America a better place today but never got the chance...God bless them for serving their country. That's the human Cost I am talking about...The part the Republicans refuse to acknowledge.

I myself am voting for Kurt Schrader for my Congressional District here in Oregon (5th) He worked hard to make sure that us Oregon veterans are getting help with jobs when we come back from deployment and help with reintegration into civilian life and also for soldiers to be immediately notified if they have been exposed to dangerous chemicals. Do not get me wrong, I am all for a balanced budget and fiscal responsibility, but is losing over 4000 lives in Iraq for no clear objective fiscal responsibility?... Think, along with that gasoline we are putting in our cars, does it also contain some of the blood of our servicemen and women? Yes, I even did a commercial for him, and I did it because I believe in him and I meant every word I said!! I do not want to tell you how to vote...but to think about who has your best interests at heart before you vote!!
Kurt Schrader is committed to us Veterans and he has my vote!! :D
Here is the Link to the commercial

02 August, 2010

Contract Negotiation 101...Use a Gun!




The following is an attempt to manipulate facts uncovered by Julie Sullivan of the Oregonian. My Response to this editorial is below.

This was written on KBR's web site by Mark S. Williams,


Editorial Response
to Hexavalent Chromium Suit Against KBR
by Oregon National Guard Goes Forward"
By Mark S. Williams, President, KBR Infrastructure, Government and Power

Many of the statements and assertions in Ms. Sullivan's article are incorrect and KBR would like to set the record straight on a few of the issues raised.

The medical evidence provided by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine (USACHPPM) directly disputes the plaintiffs' allegations in the Oregon National Guard lawsuit. The USACHPPM evidence establishes that the symptoms alleged are not consistent with long-term exposure to hexavalent chromium. This may explain why plaintiffs and their contingency-fee lawyers thus far have refused to provide evidence of the amount and duration of their alleged exposure to hexavalent chromium, refused to detail the injuries each plaintiff claims was caused by the unproven exposure, and refused to provide any scientifically reliable evidence showing that such unproven exposure actually causes the injuries alleged.

KBR is entitled to defend itself against plaintiffs' unproven, incorrect and baseless allegations.

The article goes beyond the lawsuit and mischaracterizes KBR's work in Iraq as "synonymous for poor performance: serving spoiled food, using contaminated water and burning trash in pits." We suggest that Ms. Sullivan check the facts. The U.S. military consistently and officially has given KBR's work "good" to "excellent" award ratings for our work that includes food, water and trash service. These high ratings are on record and directly dispute the article's inaccurate commentary about KBR's work.

Based in part on KBR's track record of high-quality performance, the U.S. military earlier this month notified KBR that it will continue to provide life support services to U.S. bases in Iraq under the current contract, LOGCAP III. While Ms. Sullivan's article incorrectly called this a "no-bid" award (LOGCAP III was competitively awarded to KBR in December 2001), in fact, this continuation results from the Army's decision to cancel the solicitation of Basic Life Support (BLS) services under LOGCAP IV, in which two other contractors participated. In addition to KBR's proven work history, the Army also based its decision on input from military commanders in Iraq and the projected costs savings of the LOGCAP III extension.

Under the LOGCAP III contract, KBR employees have served more than one billion meals, delivered approximately 440 million pounds of mail, produced nearly 23 billion gallons of water, issued more than 8 billion gallons of fuel, hosted more than 170 million patrons at MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) facilities, logged more than 701 million miles transporting supplies and equipment for the military, and laundered 78 million bundles of laundry all in an effort to support U.S. troops as they carry out important and dangerous missions.

KBR is proud of its work in Iraq and is honored that the U.S. military repeatedly has chosen KBR to perform the important work of supporting U.S. troops overseas. KBR remains committed to providing the U.S. military with the high-quality service for which we have consistently have been recognized. The company also remains committed to conducting its business with transparency and integrity. For the article to suggest otherwise is inaccurate, and is a disservice to the more than 50,000 employees who work in Iraq at great sacrifice to themselves and their families.

As KBR's LOGCAP III work progresses, we look forward to a continued fact-based dialogue when issues are raised.


MY RESPONSE!!

While the Logcap III may have been awarded competitively, the RIO contract was not, and that is the "No Bid Contract" Julie Sullivan is referring to... RIO is Restore Iraqi Oil. As I sit here looking at a copy of the contract itself, it says on the front page...Dated February 28 2003 at 7:23 pm and was considered "Secret", but since has become "Unclassified"

SUBJECT: "Justification and Approval for Other Than Full And Open Competition For The Execution Of The Contingency Support Plan"

I Have Approved The Enclosed J&A for Other Than Full And Open Competition for Execution of the Contingency Support Plan for Repair and Continuity of Operations of The Iraqi Oil Infrastructure. I am Returning The J&A For Implementation"

This was signed by Claude M. Bolton Jr.
Assistant Secretary Of The Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology

YES INDEEDY FEED THE NEEDY!! There it is there in black and white. I just wish there was a way to post the PDF form of the contract on here so everyone could read it for themselves. So...Mr. Williams just from reading the front cover sheet, you didn't win that contract..America got it crammed down their throats or up the exhaust pipe!!

Oh, if you visit my favorite blogger Ms Sparky Tell her Larry sent you!!
You can read the RIO Documents HERE

Now, lets talk about my experiences with KBR. I sent my laundry in to be cleaned ONE time and then never again. My Uniform came back smelling worse than when I sent it in to be washed. It smelled like someone had wiped a Camel's ass with it!! After that I bought soap at the PX trailer and 2 plastic tubs and washed my own clothes.

My friends called me "Vanilla Hadji Laundry Service" And as far as the few KBR workers I came in contact with, I found that the TCN's were usually more friendly than the American workers, especially some of the rude ones at Qarmat Ali I was supposed to protect with my life.

I will say the Food was good at the chow tents in most places. Now lets talk about your comments about our refusal to provide proof of our injuries. Your arrogant attorneys who come to Oregon and do not even have the courtesy to stand when addressing a Federal Magistrate had asked for a "Lone Pine Order" which was "DENIED" by the Federal Magistrate.
Here...I will even make it easy and put you up a link so you can look it up.



So, see Mr. Williams There are two sides to every story and yes you talk about facts..but be careful which ones you neglect. And you have to play by the rules, but I guess KBR is above the rules. Especially seeing how since KBR was given the RIO Contract NO BID!! and then came back and demanded total immunity or they wouldn't do the job. Tsk Tsk Tsk and you call yourselves Americans.

23 July, 2010

To The V.A.... "We Won't Get Fooled Again"




Today I would like to write about the V.A. and their decision to add a subsection to the Gulf War registry for environmental issues such as Sodium Dichromate. Now, That is all good and everything, but what about our brother veterans from Vietnam who got Agent Orange and other crap dumped on them. When I joined The service in 1982, they were still giving out this bug repellent that they had used in Vietnam, and anything plastic it came in contact with...it literally melted. Yeah, those guys literally had to use it or get eaten by some big ass bugs, not much of a choice huh.

Now, I know alot of Vietnam Vets have a dislike for current vets, even saying, they "Chose to fight" and "They knew what they were getting into" so they got what they deserved. And the reason they give these type of opinions is because we were not drafted. I am sorry guys, I was born during the very early part of your war and had nothing to do with you being drafted. I am truly sorry for that, but what has been done cannot be undone and we need to work together.

I know what alot of you people are thinking, this guy is a whiner. I had no problem doing my job as an infantryman. And yes, while bullets and bombs will kill you, at least it happens pretty quick and you are not left to suffer. Then you do not come home and procreate and your offspring look like their DNA was strained through a tube sock. This all happens because some cheap Contractor S.O.B. uses the cheapest materials available to get the job done and Humanity be damned.

To the Gulf War I vets, these poor men and women have been jerked around so many times it is crazy. The V.A. never seems like it can settle on what if anything they can do for them.

Now, I have been to the Portland V.A. Hospital for the Gulf War Registry Screening, this was March 24th 2010 and saw Dr. Grebenow. Before hand they had sent me a large packet of paper to fill out regarding my exposure and my symptoms. I took considerable time filling it out with great detail and took it with me to my appointment. Now I was NOT AT ALL IMPRESSED!! with this Dr. or the exam, it appeared to be an appeasement process so us veterans would shut up. The reason I say this, is because he never once looked at all the paper work I filled out. He then would ask me questions, and instead of letting me answer them, he would finish my answers his way. What the hell was the point of driving 110 miles round trip for nothing? Now, I am not trying to be mean or anything, but this needs to change!!

Then at the end of the appointment, he asked me "What do you know about Sodium Dichromate?" kinda as if to find out with what type of B.S. answers he was going to be able to get away with telling me. So I told him "I know it's a corrosion fighter"
to which he replied "we do not have any data on short term exposure to Sodium Dichromate... At least someone was finally being honest!!

I really want to be of service to my fellow veterans, but it is really hard to travel for long distances for me because my bones and joints ache all the time and my left eye is real sensitive to too much sunlight.

So to the V.A. if you read this, I am willing to help, but you must put forth a earnest effort to help all veterans and Educate your Doctors and Staff, they are there to help veterans, if they do not like their job, maybe they need to look elsewhere. And please, if you are going to make us fill out a whole bunch of paperwork for a exam, have the doctor go over it with us during the exam. I listed all my symptoms on that damn paper packet, but we did not even talk about half of them.

Better yet, I think I am going to start showing up to my appointments with a micro tape recorder and a sign hanging around my neck saying "This Appointment may be recorded for quality assurance purposes"

Let's talk about the V.A.'s claim process.. It has done a 180 degree from what I can tell. V.A. Training letter 10-03 lays it all out and has straightened alot of stuff out. And I gotta give Mr. Shinseki MAJOR props for that!! YOU ROCK!!

19 July, 2010

The Pillars Of Justice? Yeah Right








Those of you that have read my blog know that I have become disenfranchised with the Republican Party and know that it will be a frozen day in you know where before they earn another vote from me. Now, take a look at the top picture on this particular blog. Abraham Lincoln in 1864 warned this country of the growing cancer called big business and we have chosen to ignore it. It now permeates every facet of our lives!! While Sitting in court listening to KBR lawyers argue about why us former soldiers should not have our day in court, I began to realize that even the court system is pretty much on auto pilot, save for a few judges who have the Intestinal Fortitude to listen to cases based on their own merit.

Some judges are not even willing to listen at much length before giving in to big business on some of these cases. I mean some of the cases that KBR was spouting were from when Moses was a Cub Scout!! Are they really applicable to the complex way society is today? If your case is going to be decided by somebody's case who might have been similar, even though 50 years prior, what is the point!! Why then do we need judges today who we pay large salaries to?, we could have law clerks look up cases in the books that are similar to yours and decide them that way.

Or, we can do things the right way and ALL Americans should get their day in court! The excuse "That's the way we always have done it" is crap... It doesn't mean it is right or fair. I am thinking that the reason that lady Justice is blindfolded and has a set of scales, she does not care what you look like, but whether or not your wallet is fat!! The fatter and heavier your wallet, makes you more equal and I guess the reason for the sword is for us indigent folks who cannot afford justice..She just smites us with it. Big Corporations seem to be the biggest abusers of the court system and behind them are the Republican Party purporting to be looking after your best interests.

I am thinking that KBR means Killed By Republicans!!

13 July, 2010

Fantasy Island.. It truly exists!!




Well, I attended U.S. District Court in Portland OR. Yesterday, relating to the motion to dismiss filed by KBR. Now, I have seen pictures of KBR's Attorneys on their Mckenna firm website and I am sorry, but it is looking like these Sodium Dichromate and other cases are sucking the life right out of them. Kinda like the Sodium Dichromate has sucked the life right out of me. Money isn't everything and it wont give you your health back..remember that!!

But I guess a whole lot of money can buy you a firm of attorneys willing to try every trick in the book (legally) to get their client off the hook. When Judge Papak came in, I was surprised that KBR's Attorneys chose to remain seated while they made their oral arguments. Their main attorney Mr. Biagini went on and on and on citing cases that should be taken into consideration regarding their motion to dismiss this case.

I thought he was going to deplete all the oxygen in the room as several people started to nod off from boredom. He did make a few valid points, however they were lost in his repeated attempts to school the judge on case law and at times even shaking his finger at Judge Papak like a parent scolding a misbehaving child in a condescending fashion.

When the Attorney for the Guardsmen Mr. Sugerman made his presentation, he stood and was very courteous and directly to the point. He did not waste the court's time and was respectful of the Judge. Now I had heard that KBR's legal team acted arrogant, and after watching this episode..I kinda agree. If this case is allowed to go forward..I cannot wait to do my part to set the record straight on what happened at Qarmat Ali during those days in 2003 in Iraq, because KBR isn't telling anyone the whole story.

If nothing else comes of this, I hope and pray that American taxpayers do not ever find themselves held hostage like this again. This whole situation reminds me of the lyrics of a favorite Heavy Metal Band Sacred Reich, the song is called

THE AMERICAN WAY

Truth and honor faith and pride all convictions surely died honesties
time has passed time for lies is here at last truth is false I'm so fed up
how did we come to be so fucked? hate fear pain death all our country
has got left

Talk to children hear them say daddy left again today brother steals and
mommy lies future lost before their eyes the sun was lost behind the
clouds they rapped it up and blacked it out acid rain fell today it came
and washed our hopes away

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

Don't look past your t.v. all of us are what you see a looking glass into
our lives what we watch is what we buy priorities are out of whack
who is next to stab our back doesn't it make you mad to have lost all that
we've had

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

Doesn't it fill you with disgust that there's no one left to trust is this
happening is this real my body numb I cannot feel are you happy are you
sad are emotions a thing of the past I have no tears I cannot cry no one
mourns for a world that's died

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

(Sacred Reich- American Way 1990)