Overheard

I met a WW2 veteran, and I asked him: How did you deal with having to load up on benzedrine to keep going in the daytime, and then pop a sleeping pill to get a few hours of sleep so you could start the whole thing over the next day? How did guys face up to having a bad head cold, and then going up to 30,000 feet in their B-17 where they knew their ears would blow out? How could fliers over Japan leave their parachutes behind because they knew they'd be executed almost immediately when they hit the ground?

He answered, "None of that was as bad as it was during the Depression. In the service, we had steak and ice cream once in a while. The folks back home had mostly nothing. We had to do what we did so we could all have something at the end of it."

The greatest generation.

More Shit Coming

From Twitter account Mueller She Wrote:

SECVA Doug Collins Just Emailed Veterans

It's about as full of shit as you'd expect

Allison Gill, Feb 06, 2025

If you didn’t know already, I’m a former federal civil servant, and a disabled Veteran. A long time ago, I signed up to receive emails from the Department of Veterans Affairs so I could stay informed about all the amazing programs VA has to help those of us who served. Last night, this pile of bullshit landed in my inbox. It’s a message from Doug Collins - Trump’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I’ll translate as we go along in case you don’t speak asshole.

It is my life’s honor to serve America’s Veterans as secretary of Veterans Affairs, and I thank President Donald J. Trump as well as the U.S. Senate for their confidence in me.

A confirmation vote of 77 in the senate doesn’t inspire confidence, and the only confidence Trump has in you is that you’re so incompetent that you’ll run VA into the ground so he has an opportunity to privatize it.

When President Trump offered me this job, he gave me simple instructions: take great care of America’s Veterans. Here is how we’re going to accomplish the task the president has set out for us:

Yes, I’m sure Donald told you to take great care of Veterans. It was probably more like “I don’t understand why anyone would join the military. What a bunch of suckers. Keep those amputees away from me.”

We’re going to deliver timely access to care and benefits for every eligible Veteran, family member, caregiver and survivor.

Notice the word “eligible”. What Doug means here is “We’re going to severely limit who is eligible for benefits and take away health care for most of you.”

We’re going to put Veterans at the center of everything VA does, focusing relentlessly on customer service and convenience.

First of all, the VA has been practicing patient-centered care for a long time - but the part that concerns me here is “customer service and convenience.” That’s what private businesses do. VA focus should be on health outcomes and wellness.

We’re going to challenge the status quo in order to find new and better ways of helping VA beneficiaries.

This straight up means privatization. They’re going to close clinics and send veterans to their private doctor friends through United Healthcare, Triwest, Healthnet, and the like. This will cost taxpayers more money, cause longer wait times (they’re throwing 10 million new people into the already crowded and shitty private health system), and this will cost lives - veteran and civilian. All in the name of making themselves and their rich corporate health CEO buddies richer. Then all the money they save on VA clinics and benefits will go towards tax cuts for themselves.

We’re going to celebrate the vast majority of VA employees who do a great job every day and hold employees accountable when they fall short of the mission.

What Doug is saying here is that he’s going to fire people who don’t pledge loyalty to Trump. Ask me how I know. Donald hates that civil servants are entitled to due process and protection not afforded at-will private employees. So he intends to move the majority of career civil servants to political appointed positions so he can dismiss them without recourse.

We’re going to provide Veterans with the health care choices they have earned while maintaining and improving VA’s direct health care capabilities.

“Choice” means privatization. Same as “school choice”. I do not believe Doug when he says he will maintain and improve direct care, and I’ll be surprised if he does.

And we’re going to do a better job reaching Veterans at risk of homelessness or suicide – especially those who have had no contact with VA

That’s virtually impossible to do now since veteran homelessness grants are frozen, you’ve called remote workers to return to the office under threat of dismissal and most of the Veteran crisis line workers are remote, and you’ve scrapped all programs and research on how to reach marginalized veterans under your bullshit DEI purge - but sure. We believe you, Doug.

My commitment to my fellow servicemembers and Veterans will serve as my compass for the way ahead, and I am honored to be working with the men and women of VA to accomplish our noble and vital mission.

Together, we will strengthen VA so it works better for America’s heroes. Let’s get to work.

Not every veteran or VA employee (30% of which are Veterans) identifies as a man or a woman, so Doug doesn’t think that every person who served or who serves veterans counts. Only cisgender heterosexual white binary people who put on the uniform are part of Doug’s “noble” mission.

I’m sorry to all the veterans who had to read this garbage in their inbox this morning. If it means anything, I want you to know that I see you even if our new Secretary doesn’t, and that your service matters: not only veterans who served, but the incredible federal workers at VA who are committed to serving our veterans.

The PACT Act

Senate Republicans actively blocked a piece of good legislation that would bring some relief to veterans.

(See post: Get it Straight)

Jon Stewart goes after 'em - "Senator Toomey won't sit down with this man - because he is a fucking coward."

Today's Today

the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

They Didn't Know

he lay there

under the sun

dried blood on his lips.

the heat was oppressive.

his clothes were dusty,

dark blotches on them.

i could see the ants

moving,

entering him

exiting him.

how i hate this place.

how i hate the people

who're responsible

for all this unbelievable madness.

how i hate myself

for volunteering to be here.

i watched the ants

crawling over the body.

i wanted to hate them too

but they didn't know

and the hating

had to stop somewhere.

--Kyle Schlicher, USMC 05-15-1968

Today's Today

"I will not change my mind."

--

"Then you will die stupid."

(Dr Who - The Zygon Inversion)

Mike Prysner - 2009

John Kerry - 1971

MLK - timeless

Kill For Peace - The Fugs - 1966

Everlast - 2009

Today's Today

"We wear our widow's weeds like nuns, and perpetuate war by exalting its sacrifice."

And while we're at it, let's all be sure to ask 45* about that little incident from a coupla years ago, when he was so very actively trying to "help our brave beautiful veterans."

AP (11-08-2019):

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to pay $2 million to an array of charities as a fine for misusing his own charitable foundation to further his political and business interests.

New York state Judge Saliann Scarpulla imposed the penalty after the president admitted to a series of abuses outlined in a lawsuit brought against him last year by the New York attorney general’s office.

Among other things, Trump acknowledged in a legal filing that he allowed his presidential campaign staff to coordinate with the Trump Foundation in holding a fundraiser for veterans during the run-up to the 2016 Iowa caucuses. The event was designed “to further Mr. Trump’s political campaign,” Scarpulla said.

He pimps a worthy cause to raise money for the veterans, but instead of giving over the full amount, he puts a big chunk of the money in his own pockets - which is consistent with his pattern of self-dealing, and why he and his kids are now barred from being involved in charitable organizations.

Anyway -

This is a day for remembering the fallen
The lost
Those who won't grow old with us.
And yet they're still right here
Forever young
Forever by our sides
And will remain for as long as we don't forget their names
I raise my glass to them

'Bout Fuckin' Time

Better late than never, I reckon.

Here's a man who was trained as an Army engineer - one of the guys who can clear mine fields and build bridges and make sure the airplanes can land and take off so everybody gets the beans and the bullets and the bandaids they need - but was deemed no more valuable than to spend his time doing laundry for three white officers.

AP - New Orleans:

A man considered to be the nation's oldest living World War II veteran was serenaded and showered with kisses during a celebration of his 110th birthday at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Lawrence Brooks was born Sept. 12, 1909, and served in the predominantly African American 91st Engineer Battalion stationed in New Guinea and then the Philippines. He was a servant to three white officers and his daily routine included cleaning their sheets and uniforms and shining their shoes.

There's something seriously wrong with this country. Sometimes we get around to doing something to make up for it, but it seems like those efforts are few and far between, and they don't come along at all unless something or someone kinda forces the issue.

Happy birthday, Mr Brooks. You've deserved a lot better than what we've delivered for you.

Some of us will keep trying.

Today's Today

The eleventh month, on the eleventh day, at the eleventh hour.

The end of the war to end all wars - part 1.

45* Punks Out - Again

Water-soluble hair products don't stand up to the rain very well, so yesterday, "POTUS" just couldn't take a chance that he might look bad.

Guess what, Mr Trump - you look really bad.

Max Boot:

On Saturday afternoon, the president was scheduled to attend a ceremony at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, where 2,289 U.S. soldiers are buried — a small part of the 116,000 Americans who gave the last full measure of devotion during World War I. It was the sort of solemn occasion that U.S. presidents have considered an integral part of their duty at least since the Gettysburg Address. But Trump couldn’t be bothered.

There's no honor and no courage in that tiny little man at all.

Today's Today

It's not just about the shitty things the other guys do to our kids.

And it's not just about the shitty things our kids do to the other guys.

In the end, it's mostly about the shitty things that happen inside all of those kids because of what we teach them to do to each other in a war.

Today's Today

Armistice - at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month

Today's Tweet

Need some fake news? Look no further than your nearest Self-servative Media outlet.

BTW - what this jagoff has done is illegal. And it's a federal rap. (Stolen Valor Act 2013)

And wouldn't it be nice if somebody charged DumFux News with being an accessory? Yeah but - you know - 1st Amendment. Dammit.

Fox anchor on 'Navy Seal' extolling Trump: "God bless John Garofalo"
Fox correction: “All Garofalo’s claims untrue" https://t.co/uoJDvu9lUn

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) October 20, 2017

Ad

This one dropped this morning.

.@realDonaldTrump, we’re debuting this ad on @Morning_Joe, and taking it to other morning shows you watch, too! pic.twitter.com/LVINhUenaV

— VoteVets (@votevets) February 6, 2017

@VoteVets

votevets.org

Today's Today

Jack Leroy Tueller

On the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour

Every year for 98 years now. We can always hope.

The Blue Falcon

Go ahead - tell any one of these tigers she's wrong.  I'll hold her coat while she fucks you up - I just wanna watch.

BTW - Blue Falcon

Today's Tweet

Guy traumatized by a microphone suggests PTSD victims lack strength.https://t.co/aKSJ8mBGch

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) October 3, 2016

To be charitable, I'm pretty sure Trump wasn't really saying PTSD sufferers are weak - he was (prob'ly) trying to say that some veterans get hung up and they don't handle it as well as others.  

But given Trump's monumental Empathy Deficit which he articulates in practically no uncertain terms on a regular basis, there's no real reason to feel charitable towards him, or to give the guy any leeway at all.  He's made his bones by attacking everybody's perceived weakness; every little mis-step; every time anybody leaves even the tiniest opening, in order to set himself up as the Superior Being by contrast.  At this point, even if Trump is somehow being unfairly maligned, so-the-fuck-what?  This is just Karma working the way Karma is supposed to work.

Payback's a motherfucker, motherfucker.

Jesus knows you're a dick, Mr Trump

Trae Crowder

Today's Tweet

@aquintinilla
Compassion for service disabled #Veteran
is treatment
and support;
NOT punishment. pic.twitter.com/yukdSHtvHs

— Amphitrite Plays (@Pamela_O_Plays) April 24, 2016

Month 11, Day 11, Hour 11

Barely A Start

So that's 1 down and only 1,499,999 (veterans living in poverty) to go.

Our veterans would be a lot better off it we'd just stop making so many of them, and if we'd stop acting like spoiled children when it comes to paying what we owe.