Thanks for doing time/risking your ass in Iraq, Afghanistan and other distant locations while working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Why It Matters
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
If the CIA (est 1947) serves as an advantage to the US, why does the Department of Defense have such a poor record of winning undeclared wars going back to 1949, the year DOD was established?
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
“It promises protection while steadily expanding surveillance, policing, executive discretion and bureaucratic control. It wraps itself in flags. It quotes Scripture. It invokes patriotism. It salutes the troops.”
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.
In the 60s & 70s I never attended a Veterans Day assembly at school.
There were none.
Probably enough veterans around to remove most of the mystique, or maybe those veterans thought it was all just an average thing and did not want to be seen as a separate part of American society, or get head of the line parking spots over at the grocery store. Maybe the concept of Armistice Day had not gone completely extinct.
Growing up in the 60s & 70s- veterans were all around- church, school, Boy Scout leaders, family, the neighborhood, etc. It was all just an average thing. These folks weren’t seen as a separate part of American society.
People weren’t stepping over to say “Thanks for your service” to my Dad- who did time in the Navy in the 50s- but looked just like anyone else out in public.
These guys weren’t lining up for free dinner promotions marketed by major restaurant chains.
As time goes on, the consumer choices we have are becoming more restricted by a combination of government and big business policies, not Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden or the next bad guy DOD will be going after in distant lands:
TV Newspeople Function Like Paid Actors Reading A Script
Even away from USA 250, newspeople avoid asking questions related to decades of undeclared/unwon wars.
State-run media:
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
US jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
What did the founders think of a powerful, centralized federal government and militarized pageantry for public events?
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
If the CIA (est 1947) serves as an advantage to the US, why does the Department of Defense have such a poor record of winning undeclared wars going back to 1949, the year DOD was established?
Macho Swagger
Watch Secretary of War Pete Hegseth takes thrilling fighter jet ride with ‘Top-Gun’ pilots:
As time goes on, the consumer choices we have are becoming more restricted by a combination of government and big business policies, not Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden or the next bad guy DOD will be going after in distant lands:
As time goes on, the consumer choices we have are becoming more restricted by a combination of government and big business policies, not Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden or the next bad guy DOD will be going after in distant lands:
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, it feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars.
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
As time goes on, the consumer choices we have are becoming more restricted by a combination of government and big business policies, not Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden or the next bad guy DOD will be going after in distant lands:
Seattle was a world-class city in the last century. The WWII Generation had a modern society up and running in the 80s and 90s.
Even if we celebrate the best of American culture during the last century, that time is gone now.
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, it feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars.
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
“Nothing in the Constitution gives the federal government authority over
ordinary crimes. In America, crime fighting is the responsibility of state
and local government. But despite the lack of constitutional authorization, federal policymakers continually try to involve themselves in crime fighting.”
The people who founded the country took it past peaceful protest. They did not showcase military troops in camo at public events. They did not confiscate tax money to attack and bully foreign countries.
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
From 2004
“Today, however, the Congress has relinquished its delegated powers, giving the President license to do whatever he and his office determine that they can get away with. Consequentially, the presidential and legislative oaths to the Constitution have just turned into a great photo op on inauguration day.”
“It is a sad and hard realization for a grunt who loves the Marine Corps to admit that the organization is not used in the preservation of liberty, and has not been used toward that end for a very long time.”
Various big companies will remind us that they support veterans and The Troops. Always wonder if any of those companies advocate for less in the way of undeclared/unwon wars. Maybe these big companies are more about expanding their marketing footprint.
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
US jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
What did the founders think of a powerful, centralized federal government and militarized pageantry for public events?
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
Giant federal program celebrates independence from a powerful, central government:
“…hundreds of planes will participate in a “Fourth of July Airshow,” the president said.”
“Those planning to view the fireworks show from the Washington Monument grounds should expect “TSA-style” security, with magnetometers screening guests, according to Tara McLeese, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Washington field office.”
DHS- the folks who can’t keep fentanyl trafficking cartels from moving product into various US communities are keeping the big event safe. Way To Go Team.
Cartels continue to move product into all 50 states.
Has any community anywhere in the US downsized or shut down any local drug task force, or narcotics enforcement team due to the success of Dept. of War strikes on suspected narcoterrorist drug boats, ICE crackdowns and designating cartels as terrorist organizations?
Here at Oak Bay Starfish, our commentary rolls on, no matter who has been elected to office.
A giant agency created to prevent Soviet attacks, with almost unlimited resources to defend N. America in 2021, is unable to keep crank call from going out live during big public relations event.
It is common in various states that open records laws allow the public records request to be submitted in person orally or in writing and that the public records request may be made anonymously.
Public records laws set up an open door policy for people to go and interact in person with government offices and agencies during normal business hours at public offices.
Tyrant Terminator Audits!!! is a favorite channel where he has explained all this over and again in public offices.
We call it camo. Each branch of the US Armed Forces has their own terminology for this style of uniforms. The terminology changes as the decades go by.
Maybe Popeye the Sailor Man (a WWII veteran) had one.
Maybe a member of a motorcycle club had one.
Maybe a gang member had one. Maybe an ex-con had one.
Women never seemed to have one.
Those tattoos meant something.
After while, it seemed that tattoos became so common that they didn’t mean much any more.
I don’t feel better than anyone else. It’s just a preference.
Saturday Night Live
Completely Unrelated
Survivor Band
Several years back, I started the Old Man Blog category. It involves thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
US jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
What did the founders think of a powerful, centralized federal government and militarized pageantry for public events?
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
“Today, however, the Congress has relinquished its delegated powers, giving the President license to do whatever he and his office determine that they can get away with. Consequentially, the presidential and legislative oaths to the Constitution have just turned into a great photo op on inauguration day.”
“It is a sad and hard realization for a grunt who loves the Marine Corps to admit that the organization is not used in the preservation of liberty, and has not been used toward that end for a very long time.”
The Dept. of Defense is the very best at militarized pageantry for pro sports events.
They are able to get the press to play the role of federal public affairs staff as authorities prepare for the Super Bowl.
TV newspeople perform like paid actors reading a script.
NORAD Santa Tracker
Here at Oak Bay Starfish, our commentary rolls on, no matter who has been elected to office.
A giant agency created to prevent Soviet attacks, with almost unlimited resources to defend N. America in 2021, is unable to keep crank call from going out live during big public relations event.
“…found at the homeless encampment known as “The Jungle” in Olympia…”
“The agency described the area as having high rates of violence and community safety concerns. Back in 2023, a woman was found dead at the homeless encampment.”
“A War Horse investigation points to systemic failures before and after the death of Cpl. Drew Mobley, whose suicide was the third in two years at the airfield at Marine Corps Base Quantico”
“About 700 pounds of fireworks were inside the home on Smugglers Cove Road, according to Kolton Kellison, a firefighter with Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue. A “large explosion” shortly after firefighters arrived, threw one “into a truck” and knocked another to the ground, he said.”
“Firework deliveries to her neighbor’s home have drawn Hernandez and her neighbors’ attention in the past. A truck dropped off pallets of fireworks there this time last year, Hernandez said, and she learned on Thursday that four pallets had been dropped off more recently. Another resident on that street, Carol Lewellen, saw a pallet delivered earlier on Wednesday.”
“The Greenbank fire was not the first fireworks-related house fire on Whidbey Island. On June 17, 2025, North Whidbey resident Mark Fakkema was killed in an explosion that destroyed his parents’ Strawberry Point Road home. According to the Island County Sheriff’s Office and a federal ATF investigation, Fakkema had been dismantling commercial-grade fireworks in his kitchen to make his own devices.”
Away From Whidbey
Celebrating freedoms:
The post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, tracking of cell phones, best advances in REAL ID and AI technologies, etc.) appear to have played no role in preventing the crimes described above.
We visited a small town recently. Over city sidewalks were individual banners posted to honor several new high school graduates with name and photo.
A few generations back, people would drop out of high school and lie about their age to go into WWII or maybe they would work on a boat in some part of the maritime or fishing industry. They would go on to have productive lives. Today, just making it to high school graduation is worthy of individual public praise away from graduation ceremonies.
Today, showing up for the US Armed Forces can be “Protecting Our Freedom” and rates public recognition.
You can be recognized as a hero by enlisting. Never mind that the US Armed Forces recognize individuals with personal awards not a bulk form of group identity.
You don’t have to look too far to find comments that refer to the troops as “heroes.”
Some are.
No one who has done time in an average military unit would be comfortable with everyone present being called a hero. Some units would be the exception, but for most people who have done time over the years, calling everyone a hero would have no connection to reality.
Reality, and an honest understanding of why we send The Troops to far away places isn’t what we’re about though.
Reaching for an honest understanding of US foreign policy makes more sense than “Thanks for your service.”
Superstar performers, average workers and slackers. All paid the same. The government says so.
As a new hire, before you demonstrate that you are a reliable, trainable worker, you are already making more than $20.00 per hour. Experience doesn’t matter.
John Stossel
We recently went for a routine checkup at a local clinic. It was our first time there. Several text messages arrived to remind of the appointment. They continued to arrive even after I confirmed. A phone call also arrived to advise of the appointment. I finally entered STOP to be dropped from reminders.
We had first time patient agreement forms to fill out. The lady at the counter was very careful to point out the legal paragraphs required to explain the no show fee.
It is irritating to be reminded as if you have caused or are about to cause a problem for the people who run the office.
Not one, but several signs posted in the office waiting area advised that copay fees must be paid on the date of arrival.
We get the idea that basic adult responsibilities like showing up on time or canceling on time have been a problem in the past.
Above: A meetup with newspeople who ask questions.
