The message forum is an ongoing dialogue between classmates. There are no items, topics, subtopics, etc.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Message" button to add your entry to the forum.

Jack Mallory

Trump wants the world to know that his button is bigger than Kim Jong Un's button. 

Robert Hall

Jack Mallory

Draft-Dodger in Chief now screws immigrant enlistees along with transgendered troops.  

Paula McIntire (Eaton)

Thank you Joanie for the update on Elena. I was really worried about her situation. I knew she had said she was going to a shelter, with her dog, but hose got filled up veruy quickly. John F. and most everyone seem to have gotten off pretty lucky, although many I know are still without power. I have a lot of college sorority sisters living in Fl. too, and they are all  fine. Now, let's pray Jose', and these other new storms pass everyone by. Jim and I are heading back to our favorite little all inclusive resort in Jamaica on Sept. 27th, and I do hope all will be fine. We will be celebrating his birthday there, as well as my 47th year in the travel business on Oct 1st. They are almost our second family. Jamaica was not touched by Irma, but one never knows. We have had gorgeous weather when have been going in the Fall,  the past few years, but this year might be another story. They do rarely get hit, but I had better not jinx us. 

All My Best,

Paula

Jack Mallory

Premiers tonight. 

Glen Hirose

Jack,

Thanks for reminding me, I plan to record the entire series. All of Ken Burns films have been epochs.

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Ditto to Glen's words. Looking forward to a stimulating back-&-forth when the time is right. 

Glen, if we can't beat the Rams, we can't beat anybody. 

IOW, go Nats! 😎

Joanie Bender (Grosfeld)

Nora Skinker (Morton)

🏈👍

Jack Mallory

Good, short review of Vietnamese history last night, with important focus on the importance of nationalism vs. communism from the early 20th Century. Could have used more on the centuries of conflict between Vietnam and China to clarify that Vietnam was a natural, Yugoslavia-like potential ally for us in Asia. 

***********

Glen Hirose

Nori,

I'm surprised we beat the Rams, but even more so that we've found a running game.  There are 6 out of 7 tough games ahead of us; I hope Cousins finds his game soon.

At least the Nats salvaged 1 game from the Dodgers. I still have confidence in Dusty's leadership, and apparently so do the players. 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

I agree, Glen. Cousins is a better QB than he's shown so far this season. Does he look like a deer in the headlights to you? Does to me. Headgame? 

Bottom line: this is a MUST year for Dusty & the boys. 

Jack, funny you showcased fog. Awoke to thinking I was in Maine on Saturday, as we literally could not see out our windows. Made me recall waking aboard sailboats to mornings in Maine, when we couldn't see the bow from the cockpit for the pea soup. At times we had to tie up to a buoy until it lifted, for fear of a tug or something ramming us. Hearing the engine sounds close by & blinded, too, makes for lots of unease. You experience dense fog like that in NH often? Eerily silent, isn't it? Love those photos. 

Glen Hirose

Jack!

It only weighs 26 lbs., and it's foldable! Whata Hoot!

Nori,

I think Cousins and his new receivers ( it really hurts to lose 3 veteran WR) need a bit more time to get on the same page.  Lets hope it happens by next week against the Raiders.

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Very cool kayak! But no drink holder? 

Jack Mallory

My 'yak weighs only 5 lbs more than that, Glen, but better those 5 lbs than "urethane skin" when I'm dragging it over granite!

***********

3 hours into it. Very impressed by the Vietnamese presence, so rare in most treatments of the war. So far, seems honest and even-handed. And with each episode, the justifications for the war and the deaths of millions seem weaker and weaker. 

Jerry Morgan

So do you believe me now.  Hurricanes lining up.  Can't wait for one to clear before the next one hits.  Even Trump's administration is starting to re-consider the Paris Accords.  Hit me over the head with a baseball bat. 

Interior secretary recommends shrinking our National Monuments.  According to a report in Yahoo, the secretary will shrink some and no longer protect others from mining, logging and development.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/interior-secretary-recommends-shrinking-6-070848671.html.  The Trump administration is selling off our treasures.  How can we survive four years of this. 

I watched the first episode of the Viet Nam documentary and it immediately took me back to that time.  As a youngster I read a book on the Battle for Dien Bien Phu  The arrogance of the French, the North's supply methods and who the hell builds your camp in the basin of the valley and not secure the highlands.  Viet Nam isn't it ironic how history repeats itself?  However, I have a conflict on tonight's episode as two of my favorite shows are back to back tonight.  Can't miss the finals of ANW or an episode of Midnight Texas.  Maybe I can get a replay on the VN show or get it on demand but I hope not to miss it entirely.

Jack Mallory

Jerry--the Burns series can be streamed, 24/7, on the PBS web site. You can watch all you want, whenever you want! I'm trying not to binge-watch; it's not like a mystery--we know how it ends. 

Vets in my group were fascinated by the intro show. Like most Americans, they have little idea of the history of Vietnam, their attempts to petition for autonomy/independence after WWI, and to get support for independence from the US after WWII. The footage of the Viet Minh hand-hauling artillery up the mountains above Dien Bien Phu demonstrates their will to victory, which is how they repeatedly defeated the Chinese, then the French, then us. 

I think another teaching point in the series is the duplicity of multiple American presidents and their administrations in their secret belief in the futility of the war while driving us further and further into it for political purposes. Lessons to be drawn concerning our current wars? 

An interesting article on the making of the series. I'm hoping for an entire book on the topic! 
https://apple.news/Adz-vPkQdQV-Oo3crbeSZRA

I wonder if Nora's nuclear engineer friend owns property and/or lives on the Texas, Louisiana, or southern east coast? We haven't heard anything from him recently.  

Perhaps folks who reject the science behind global warming, sea level rise, increasing hurricane strength, should be advised to just disbelieve the water lapping at their windows, winds tearing at their rooves. 

Glen Hirose

Jack,

I'm sure you meant the Japanese; right?  As for the invisible kayak practical issues aside; it's all about the "Cool".

Jack Mallory

Glenn--"Japanese?" Where did I mean Japanese? The Vietnamese repeatedly drove Chinese invaders out , several times ove the  centuries before French occupation, and last fought the Chinese in 1979. The Viet Minh fought the Japanese, but were unable to drive them out prior to the end of WWII. Or am I not understanding what you're referring to?

It is a cool looking kayak, but I'm more into dry than style!

**********

Looks like Donny is having some issues with the size of his hands again, needs to do a little compensating:

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Again (yawn), the info from "Nora's friend" argued not the point that climate change/global warming existed, but debated how compelling the proof may or may not be, regarding human behaviors' contributions to it (them).  Too, it was my understanding from actually listening to Trump's words, that there were practical reasons why the US should choose to opt out of the Paris Accord. Since then, I saw that members have, indeed, coughed up more of what they have owed to the alliance. That said, there certainly may be a rejuggling of opinions, as a result of this season of storms. With that in mind, you needn't have pointed out such a sad & obvious circumstance to continue to make your political views known, Jack. I think it's pretty clear by now. 

As to the constant gnashing of teeth about "size" of this or that: if a big, fat parade of strength signals anything at all to NK, bring it!! Certainly nothing else has worked. 

Jack Mallory

Every day of the year, in a few or in lots of places in the world, people are impacted by climate change. Can we not speak of the necessity to act on this at all, ever, or only when Americans aren't affected?

No one believes that the North Korean leadership is unaware of the magnitude of difference between their military power and ours. I suspect Trump's desire to wave his really long cannons around, or show off his really big rockets, has more to do with distracting attention from his failed domestic agenda (and enhancing his own self image) than with telling the North Koreans something they don't already know. And just a couple of hours ago he threatened to kill 25 million of them. Hope that makes him feel better; not sure it moves us towards a peaceful resolution.

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Not sure either. But a good old fashioned, international & domestic show of flag-waving patriotism isn't such a bad thing, is it? Particularly in today's political environment? Maybe it's healthy for younger citizens to experience a bit of what we grew up with. No? 

What good points were made in his UN speech today? Any? None? 

Jack Mallory

To the degree that our generation grew up with military parades, flag-waving patriotism, and a respect--or worship--of military force, they encouraged our initial, unquestioning march into Vietnam. Burns and Novick are making this clear. 

But what the hey! Vietnam was only several hundred thousand or so dead civilians. Now we're talking 25 MILLION people! Having a president who issues threats like this makes a man proud to be an American! "Every heart beats true 'neath the red, white, and blue . . ." 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Unfortunately, tough talk, threatening talk, shows of military might may be the only language our enemies understand. A loftier way to handle other bullies? Do tell. 

Jack Mallory

Just finished watching Burns/Novick episode 3. At about a third of the way through the series, it looks like nothing especially new in terms of historical facts (some interesting factoids I hadn't been aware of) or radical differences in historical interpretation from what's been published in the last couple of decades. 

This segment covers the earliest (1965) heavy fighting between American troops and NVA/VC main force units. I don't think anyone, regardless of their position on the rightness/wrongness of the war, can complain about the respect the series shows to the fighters on both sides. This may be a chance for American and Vietnamese veterans both (the documentary is being shown in Vietnam, either dubbed or with subtitles), to see the others as humans with the same experiences. We have a lot in common with each other than we don't share with those, on either side, who didn't fight.