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.

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. 

Glen Hirose

Jack,

So shouid we include the British instead?  

​   

Jack Mallory

Sorry, Glen, not following. What are we including the Brits in?

BTW: when was the last time somebody said to you, "Hey a great new British restaurant just opened! Let's go for dinner?"

Glen Hirose

Jack,

After World War II—from 1945 to 1946—was a brief but important conflict that grew out of the British occupation landing at Saigon to receive the surrender of Japanese forces.

Authentic British food

I have been interested in food and cooking since I was a kid. 

My Mum always made it a point to make her four kids homemade meals using the freshest ingredients.  Here I use all my Mum's recipes, I make this food the same way she made it, from scratch, in our kitchen at home in England. I will always insist on using the finest freshest ingredients in crafting these homemade meals and I hope it shows on your plate. 

I want you to get your meal hot and we will serve it to you the minute its been cooked.

If you don’t see your favorite British food on the menu please ask for it. Maybe I want it too! 

Your comments and suggestions are always appreciated here. Enjoy the Food and Drink and thanks for visiting with us.

- Mike Stone, owner

Jack Mallory

OK, that's what I thought you meant about the Brits. Most folks are unaware of their little part in the transition from Japanese to French control at the end of WWII. Only lasted a couple of months--British troops briefly installed in southern Indochina, almost entirely Saigon, to control things until the Japanese troops could be disarmed (in September 1945--Chicom troops controlled the north). The British general pretty quickly turned things over to the French legionaires they released from Japanese internment, armed them with the weapons the US had given the Brits, then shipped more French troops into Indochina and beat feet out of town--they, of course, still had India to deal with!

The Vietnamese don't even include this as a separate part of the war against the French--no mention of it in the War Remnants Museum or any of the other history museum we visited. Just a hiccup on their way to independence. The British were among the most of the rest of the world that opposed the US war in Vietnam; I think that may be one reason their part at the end of WWII has been elided. 

One of the few truly "British" meals we ate in London. Sunday Roast, a decent enough roast of beef. Did fish and chips once, but otherwise stayed with the great variety of foods of other ethnicities. 

Jerry Morgan

Our 4th of July celebrations are more civilian and family related for a purpose and that was to be different from our more militaristic foes in the world.  Countries such as Russia, China N. Korea and some countries in the middle east love to rattle their rockets on their holiday.  We chose to avoid that and now Trump wants to be one of the rocket rattlers.  My rocket is bigger than your rocket except for Russia of course.  Theirs are bigger.

Nora lets drop the premise of man causing climate change.  We do know that greenhouse gases are causing climate change regardless of the source of those gases.  We also know how to reduce those gases.  The Paris accord gets all the countries of the world on the same page for reducing greenhouse gases.  Since the greenhouse gases from the North American continent are some of the highest in the world doesn't it make sense for the USA to attempt to mitigate a greater portion of the gases being released in this area of the world.  Our contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases should (wouldn't you think) be greater than a country that has a lower greenhouse gas footprint?  Let's not get into a pissing contest over this international problem.  Remember what was said in the Independence day movie.  This is an attack on mankind and we need to address it as a world issue.  Just like health care and other issues the Paris Accord may not be a perfect solution but you really can't complain or make changes if you ain't sittin at the table.  If we were only involved in perfect solutions or solutions that only benefited us then we shouldn't be in any international agreement because none are perfect.  Trump only wants deals that he gets more from than the other guy.  Sounds like a used car salesman to me rather than a President. 

Sorry I would comment more on the numerous posts here but I just had an emergency surgery and only feel up to commenting on some of the posts that I am passionate about.

More later y'all

Jerry Morgan

Jack my son agrees with the SundayRoast Yorkshire Pudding I believe braised roast, lots of gravy, root vegetables and some kind of cabbage family veges as well.

Jack Mallory

Welcome back, Jerry, hope you are recovering. Don’t eat the cabbage. 

**************

Better a protester taking a knee against police brutality than the Chief Executive of the United States who supports it. 

Jack Mallory

 More of the 15 minutes of fame Andy Warhol says we each get:

. . . . . . . (material elided)

. . . more elided . . .

Entire article here: http://www.unionleader.com/Vets-surprised-by-the-power-and-tragedy-of-Vietnam-War-film

The times they have a-changed, as Bobby D. sez. This from a newspaper that, at the time, would have been somewhere to the right of Fox News. Whole article worth a read to see the opinions of other local Vietnam vets. 

Jack Mallory

I think my disinterest in sports generally has been evident over the last couple of years. But So-Called has done the almost impossible. I'm tempted to start watching NFL football as a statement in support of those who are willing to take an unpopular action to express their opinion on a very serious issue.

The players' actions are far more acceptable than those of a President who responds to an American citizen he disagrees with by referring to his mother as a “bitch,” and urges that employers fire those whose political expressions he dislikes.

I took an oath, twice, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States—not a song, not a flag, but the Constitution. Trump took a similar oath. I honored mine. 

*********

Sorry no new pix. Just finished three, all-day training sessions for facilitating Troy to Baghdad readings of Odyssey by vets. Here’s a shot from last week:

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Yay! Looking forward to talking sports with you, Jack! Lesson one: today's mantra -- repeat after me: "HAIL!!" & "Cousins da man!"

Then high-five your best friend & roll on the ground with your dog! 

Glen Hirose

I think this pretty much sums up Derek Carr's Sunday night experience.

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Love it, Glen! Great weekend for football. Anybody catch that amazing PSU game Saturday night? What a finish! 

Stephen Hatchett

Right on, Jack!   It was really damned good to hear, see, and FEEL what happened across the NFL yesterday.  In Hitler's Gernany you could be fired, jailed, or worse for dis-respecting the Nazi banners and flag.  A great many Americans and allies suffered and died to get rid of that accursed, hate-filled, scumbag (I will not dis his mother.).  Let's try to honor them and their unity of high purpose every day. 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

...which is exactly why I stand for our flag & fly it at my house: "to honor Americans, their allies & their unity of high purpose every day".  

If Trump had not missed yet another opportunity to unite us, the point of "taking a knee" might have had more clarity. Now, it's lost in the black abyss of party politics. 

Jack Mallory

Glen--I have managed to put any temptation to spend Sunday night watching sports behind me, Satan. Not watching sports is like getting to live  an extra X number of years, having that amount of extra time to spend on other things. An 18-hour committment to Burns and Novick over two weeks pretty much eats up any extra time I've got.

****************

I don't begin to get it, Stephen. The President of the United States (I still cringe, writing that) labels a mother "a bitch" because he's offended by something her son has done to legally and peacefully express himself.

And the people who voted for him, who support him, seem to shrug their shoulders and ignore it, at best, or cheer in delight. Have these people no sense of decency, of appropriate behavior? If their child called someone's mom a bitch would they ignore it, or chuckle? Or cheer? Why am I afraid they would? Why ignore the man who represents them to the world when he behaves like an ass?

Some of the guys in my vets group this morning said that they support the athletes' right to express themselves, but think the venue is a poor tactical choice. None of them called the athlete's moms bitches, and several of them thought Trump's expression was truly revolting. 

Jack Mallory

There's a flag flying outside the White House. I wish its resident showed any sense of honor, unity, and high moral purpose, but I'm afraid the flag isn't a marker of that. 

**************

If Trump spoke Spanish (there's an image as ludicrous as Trump in a kayak) he'd know the way to insult someone while avoiding calling their mom a bitch. "Tu madre sera santa, pero vos sos hijo de puta."

********************

Is Trump watching Episode 7 of the Vietnam War history, tonight? A man with as little integrity as he himself has, being elected President. And, as the documentary reminds us, we now know that Nixon's election was facilitated by his secret involvement with the head of a foreign power. 

Johnson referred to this, privately, as treason. Seems an honest description. How's the investigation of possible Trump campaign collusion with the Russian government coming, I wonder? 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

With a mere two episodes of Burns/Novick's production under my belt, I am struggling with the prospect of so many more episodes yet to come. The first episode was a much needed recap of the history leading up to the war. I had not realized the role Truman played. Five Presidents' involvements!

After the second episode tonight, we are drained, heartbroken, angry, sad. We head slowly to our comfy bed in our comfy home, speechless, robotic. One of the saddest moments for me, in tonight's portion, was Kennedy's quote (shortly after the coup), about not being able to pull our troops out of Vietnam because if he did he could not be re-elected. Friggin' politics. It seems to be the villain in every piece of human history. 

Lastly, here's another flick recommendation to pass along: "Viceroy's House". Based on the true story of Lord Louis Mountbatten's interim time in India (about 1947) & his monumental decision to enact "partition" which created East & West Pakistan (for the Muslims) & allowed India to be home to the Hindu. Believing it would be less chaotic & less violent for these warring factions to make this upheaval quickly, he inadvertently creates the largest refugee crisis ever recorded. Resulting also in a million deaths. Incidentally, Mountbatten is played quite handily by Hugh Bonneville (of Downton Abbey fame). Two thumbs up! 

Nori 'the nag' will sign off by asking everyone yet again to remember those in Puerto Rico with whatever one can spare. It's obviously an ongoing misery & should not be forgotten. 

Jerry Morgan

So tell me it ain't so Batman.  Let me get this straight.  There are some fine fellows over there protecting their statues of "Confederate heroes"  with semi-automatic versions of M-16's (hey they have right to carry permits) and it's ok to fly Confederate flags over government buildings and have patriotic folks to paint confederate flags on their houses, cars, bodies and to wave them at sporting events. That's to be a Merican to be honored.  It's ok to publicly and at times at sporting events to display the symbols of your true beliefs as long as you stand for the National Anthem and the American flag.  Why is it ok for the cheer squads of some of our prestigious schools of higher learning to wave Confederate flags on the sidelines during the anthem ceremony?  Are they the sons and daughters of a bitch.  To most people calling my momma a bitch will get you in a fight quicker than most words and for a good reason.  Ah but the Trumpster in keeping with his willingness to call large fit testosterone dripping men  their mommas are garden implements shows he is a man of great courage.  Oh wait a minute he wasn't standing in front of these folks but using a majority white gathering of his worshippers to make this statement.  Gosh that took cahones.  So who said Dump was a dunce?  He knows when to pick his fights.  Also shows he is not suicidal. 

So why in this country is exercising your right of Free Speech to bring attention to a real injustice deemed Un-American?  When is a good time to do it?  When no one is listening.  Tell that to our Founding Fathers.  If there was a British soccer match going on I bet GW, TJ and BF would be taking a knee.  Are you only un-patriotic if I disagree with your cause?  Tell me which would you rather see a football player disrespecting the flag for a moment before a game or a president that disrespects the flag each and every day from the time he gets up until the time he shuts up. 

As Bob Dylan sang oh the times they are a changing.

How about his disregard for players safety?  Dump says the emphasis on reducing violence in football is ruining the game.  He would rather see participants dying rather than protecting the players.  Besides it might get rid of some of those rich people ot color protesters from the game he loves but has never played (daddy wouldn't let him play way too dangerous for a future Dump)  So sad

So why is the SoCalled even spending time on this instead of NK, PR or oh yeah Lock Them Up.

Could it be that Dump is trying to distract attention from the announcement of others (Ahem family members) use of private servers to conduct government business.  Ohhh say can you see any jailtime for the E's.  Mail crooks that is.  Where is the refrain for those other criminals that are just as guilty/innocent as HRC?  No tweets, no rallies nothing but silence.  Shouldn't this be a major topic of discussion an opportunity to tweet his silly little okole off for the Dump?  He should reconcile with Sessions and lead a duet in the No. 1 chartbuster chant of Lock Them Up.

Ok so maybe we can understand that he isn't being real vocal about the email fiasco but what about Puerto Rico.  Trump used the hurricanes for the photo op in Houston and Florida (he was quick to jump on that) what is different with Puerto Rico?  He is on record as blaming the plight that the people of Puerto Rico find themselves in on themselves.  He has stated that being in financial hardship and owing a lot of money to Wall Street makes their situation worse then it could have been if they had only invested more appropriately.  Really.  Does he even know the history of PR?  How the pharmecutical companies pulled out of PR in the 80's leaving the country with an unemployment rate twice as high as the mainland at over 18%.  Here is an article on the real story about the PR economy and why the country remains so poor. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/04/heres-why-puerto-ricos-broke.html 

So we should drag our feet providing aid because the PR is a poor country even though the people are just as American as any of us.  Check the military records.  You will find a statistically larger portion of the PR population fighting for America than other areas of this country.  Flying to Alabama and New Jersey rather go to Puerto Rico where his presence would show the President's "compassion"?  I know what compassion.  Is plain disgusting. 

Finally, something he is talking way too childishly about is North Korea.  Rocket Man really?  I was waiting for my wife next to a pre-school the other day and heard a conversation along the lines of Dump vs Un.  Dump to Un...give me back that bulldozer.  Un to Dump...noooooo booboo head you take my bulldozer I will flatten your head.  Dump...get out of my sandbox.  Un shrieking nooooooo my sandbox.  Funny thing is one was a haole the other an asian kid.

Dump needs to get outta the sandbox.

Nori why should I care about the PR even though I have lived, worked and know people there if Dump doesn't care?  It might be considered dissing the country if I don't follow the lead of the Dump.

Stephen Hatchett

Jack, you get it just fine. So-called .. simply cannot get it. Every day he reveals the depth, and intransigence, of his ignorance. 

In the face of "this is how it's always been"  civil Obedience does not cut it.  Civil DISobedience can. You've got to smuggle the slaves north, drown out the speaker with shouts of "Votes for Women!", sit at the lunchcounter, block the bridge, block the highway, sit at the front of the bus, lock yourself to something, lie down in front of a troop train, or take a knee during the anthem.  You have to draw attention to the things that must change and so appeal to people who think for themselves enough that they can change their minds.