YARDDOG AND THE WALL STREET BAIL OUT

So tell me how I am suppose to trust an administration that took us into a needless war and a place we should not be and now support a Wall Street bail out ???

YARDDOG LISTENS TO THE DEBATES

Listening to tonight's presidential debates reinforced one thing: I would never vote for Senator John McCain. He brings with him a bankrupt view of life that is deeply rooted in a past that while it may be enormously important to my personal history, has little or not value to confront the times in which we live. So I can not vote for a person who so clearly defines him by it nor could I support a Republican party what so discredits the poor, the outcast and those left behind is "there" version of America.

The challenge for Mr. Obama is: is there anything you do for individuals and the day-to-day issues we deal with. No where in tonight's debate did I sense an understanding of our daily worries - ones about lack of health care, investments that are now totally worthless and retirement package that is long gone to Wall Street greed. Tell me, how will you do to help me, not with platitudes of the past but our lives in the next four years?

DAVID LETTERMEN AND MCCAIN ...

And then there is this from the late talk show host, David Letterman:



The question I have is what in the world is going on? How could anyone look closely at Gov. Palin and honestly think that she could be the Vice President of this county? No one running for President should ...

VIETNAM, A FRIEND AND LIFE..

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother" Wm. Shakespeare
Just once in a while it happens like this, not all the time; thank God.

Like others of my generation I continue to be deeply effected by the Vietnam War; from the bloody, riot streets of Berkeley, to friends who hid in my home from the FBI, to counseling conscientious objectors and others who were mostly just afraid.

The seed of all of my actions then, and the way my life has turn to a large extent was born in the death PFC Richard R. Irwin Jr., “who died in the service of his country on October 9th, 1967 in Quang Tin Province. The cause of death was listed as Small Arms/AW. At the time of his death Richard was 20 years of age. He was from Arcadia, California. Richard is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 27E, Line 80.”

It happened near a mountain called Nui Vu; Rick, the platoon's radio man, followed his lieutenant into the dense, wet jungle and fell into an enemy position. Rick carried the radio on his back that all Platoon Leaders depended upon. But that radio had a three foot antenna and was a beacon for the bad guys who knew immediately that an officer was nearby.

Never forgetting that, one Sunday in May of 2000 I left the following message on the Vietnam Memorial Virtual Wall website: "Sunglasses, roses and long life to a Hero: I knew Rick when I was in High School. He went off to Vietnam like others in our class did. We had no idea what it was all about. You were serving your country like our dad did. I have gone to his grave site (Rose Hills, Whittier California) for years to remember him and to remember other friends who died in the war.”

Now forty years from that day in a Vietnamese jungle I received this email:

Hi Frank,
I am Dick Arnold of the 35th Regiment Association. I served with Rick and knew him well; we came in-country about the same time. Very friendly and a bit of a character---really liked his beer as I recall. At the time of his death he was the radio man for our Platoon Leader, Lt Wm Bray, who died with Rick. It was a very big fight by Vietnam standards; we lost 11 men with several wounded including myself.

Just wanted to make you aware of all this and say thanks for remembering one of our guys. You for sure got it right in your post when you said none of us knew much about Vietnam--we were just doing our duty like our fathers before. Right you are Frank; but in my maturity I think maybe that was not all bad...
Kindest Regards,
Dick

Some time ago when I finally ran my fingers tips across Panel 27E, Line 80, I just started to cry. I figure I always will when I am there, or at Rose Hills with my sunglasses on or when I think about war. There just is no reason on earth why a 20 something surfer friend from high school had to die in a far away place. For any war; not any time. Never.


"He really liked his beer." Yeah, we both did...

GAY, SPORTS, MITCHAM AND NBC

The answer to the question about why the Australian gold metal winner was not a "story" on NBC's and other newspaper coverage of the platform diving event is because sports in general is very homophobic as are the directors, writers, producers, cameramen and commentators.

If a news agency does not cover gay stories with the same integrity as they do “straight” ones or they cover one without the other, than something else is at point then just “not being able to cover every story,” as the NBC spokesperson has said.

News services around the world knew that gold medalist Mathew Mitcham was gay; he has been on the front page of every gay publication worldwide; and it is reported that Mr. Mitcham would tell "anyone that would listen" in Beijing that he is gay. Now he is the first openly gay man to win such a prize.

That leaves NBC's reason for not covering his heartfelt story to either sloppy journalism or homophobia. The 20 year old Mitcham’s victories in life and in sport are in every way news of the first degree -- the best kind. So I defer to homophobia being the reason and suggest that a general boycott of NBC by its gay friendly sponsors should be the response.

If you are interested in telling NBC your thoughts email them at nbcsports@nbcuni.com .