RichC | October 15, 2024
Ever since I was a kid in elementary school and heard about John F. Kennedy’s World War 2 story and then read Robert Donovan‘s book “PT-109: John F. Kennedy in WW II” and movie “PT-109,” I’ve admired what innovated boatbuilders could do with plywood (besides utility trailer sides, I had a plywood dingy when I […]
Category: Books, History, Human Interest, Innovation, Millitary, Movies |
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Tags: andrew higgins, boatbuilding, boats, Dwight D. Eisenhower, john f kennedy, plywood, pt-109, robert donovan, war, ww2
RichC | August 7, 2024
It is nice to interupt the depressing “beat of war drums” in the MiddleEast, the economic and investing news … and ugly election campaign season with a little Farmers Almanac extended long range forecasting. 😊 Looking at September as a whole, we foresee near- to above-average temperatures across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Below-average temperatures are […]
Category: Idioms, Weather |
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Tags: election, farmers almanac, forecast, idiom, investing, war, weather
RichC | July 21, 2024
Have you ever started to read one of those book that you don’t want to put down? Here’s one: Holger Eckhertz published a two volume set from the viewpoint of German soldiers in “D-Day Through German Eyes” in 2016. It is a different perspective than most of us learn and view the events of June […]
Category: Books, History, Millitary |
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Tags: allies, axis, d-day, german, holger eckhertz, nazi, reading, war, ww2
RichC | April 13, 2024
Iran has threatened to retaliate for an attack in Damascus, Syria, that Tehran said was an Israeli airstrike on a diplomatic building. The strike killed several top Iranian military officials, including a senior member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force. According to the WSJ on Friday, “the U.S. rushed warships into position […]
Category: Business, Financial, Music, News, Video-TV |
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Tags: alan jackson, berkshire, foxbusiness, hathaway, investing, iran, israel, jimmy buffett, kiplinger, middle east, varneyco, war, warren buffett, wsj
RichC | October 14, 2023
Like most … but depressingly not all Americans … I’ve been heavy hearted and angry this week after Hamas terrorist slaughtered innocent Israeli civilians (including 27 Americans) and took an estimated 150 hostages back to Gaza. I’m not sure how those who side with Hamas and their backers (Iran) can explain away such horrific murder, but […]
Category: Audio, History, Millitary, News |
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Tags: boston globe, gaza strip, israel, jeff jacoby, maps, megyn kelly, opinion, palestinians, podcast, terrorism, war
RichC | October 10, 2023
Hatred runs deep in the middle-east as many in the Arab world have never accepted the State of Israel … which is probably an understatement. I haven’t posted on the “war” (as declared on Saturday by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) at this point since so much is unknown, but television news coverage is 24/7. […]
Category: News |
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Tags: 9/11, israel, middle-east, terrorism, war, wikipedia, wsj
RichC | October 7, 2023
This past week I started a book titled “The Next Hundred Years’ War” — it grabbed my attention from the ‘Preface’ and captured my attention to the point I could not comfortably put it down. Eran Nitzan, served as Israel’s economic attaché in Washington DC, and began his book with the back and forth conversation […]
Category: Books, Politics |
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Tags: china, eran nitzan, israel, reading, united states, war
RichC | September 13, 2023
A little bit of history told in an entertaining movie format … what could be better? Here’s a Sorbo movie call “Miracle in East Texas“ to be in theaters in October 2023 with a timely release (inflation and energy). The history tie in is the the World War II era story just as we were […]
Category: Energy, History, Movies |
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Tags: map, movie, oil, sorbo, texas, war, ww2
RichC | September 12, 2023
Occasionally when a good book is finished, it leave you wanting it to continue and hoping for more. That is the case with Frank E. Walton’s book “Once They Were Eagles.” It is the second book in the pile that I’m reading focused on the infamous World War II era’s VMF-214 better remembered at the […]
Category: Aviation, Books, History, Millitary |
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Tags: black sheep, Books, corsair, History, pacific, war, ww2
RichC | June 27, 2023
This past weekend I started a new book that I’ve been looking forward to reading since “Saved: A War Reporter’s Mission to Make It Home” was released in March 2023. Benjamin Hall’s book is one I should have purchased in the spring, but since I had a pile of reading to get through, I opted […]
Category: Books, History, Millitary, News |
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Tags: benjamin hall, Books, reading, russia, saved, ukraine, war
RichC | March 26, 2022
The “pain at the pump” is definitely real if you are buying fuel and if you have spend the last decade with gas and diesel at 40+% lower than we are seeing today. That said, in inflation-adjusted dollars, we are still off the highest per barrel prices that we have seen (chart below). Most oil […]
Category: Energy, Financial, History, News |
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Tags: energy, fuel prices, inflation, inversion, oil, recession, russia, ukraine, war, yield curve
RichC | March 2, 2022
I’m not an expert on how the events in Ukraine will impact the world, but I do pay close attention to geopolitical events, the financial markets and the economy … and can’t help but wonder how this will reshape our future. For the past year or so I’ve been grumbling about how the Biden administration’s […]
Category: Energy, Financial |
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Tags: biden, economy, energy, europe, federal reserve, geopolitics, inflation, nato, oil, opec, russia, stagflation, ukraine, war
RichC | February 27, 2022
My son Taylor is a history buff and turned me on to Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcasts. I particularly enjoyed Carlin’s long running Supernova in the East series and commented a couple times previously as it corresponded with quite a few books that I’ve read (and am still reading) detailing World War II and the […]
Category: Books, History |
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Tags: audio, Books, dan carlin, History, podcast, reading, supernova, the end is always near, war
RichC | February 26, 2022
(click photo for actual Flag of Ukraine) Zelensky refuses US offer to evacuate, saying ‘I need ammunition, not a ride’ (CNN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has turned down an offer from the United States of evacuation from the capital city Kyiv, the Ukraine embassy in Britain said Saturday on Twitter. "The fight is here; I […]
Category: News, Photos, Social Media |
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Tags: cnn, flag, freedom, twitter, ukraine, volodymyr zelenshyy, war
RichC | February 24, 2022
Russia, lead by the wicked Vladimir Putin, has invaded and attacked their neighbor on February 24th after massing their military around Ukraine this past year. They started the invasion with missiles and air strikes to all but eliminate Ukraine’s air defenses and are currently crossing borders from all directions with overwhelming military force. For students […]
Category: History, Millitary, News |
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Tags: attack, axiom, biden, churchill, History, invasion, leaders, martin niemoller, peace, prayer, praying, putin, quotes, russia, sanctions, ukraine, war
RichC | February 13, 2022
We’ve never been all that timely in getting Christmas decorations put away after the holidays, but this year we … and by “we” I mean Brenda … has been slower than usual. To be fair, most everything has been packed and put away, but there are a few stragglers still around our house. I’m not […]
Category: Books, Financial, History, Holiday, Humor, Millitary, Personal, Photos |
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Tags: barton biggs, book, brenda, christmas, decorations, house, investing, momc, santa mouse, war, wealth, wisdom, world war 2
RichC | January 21, 2022
The hefty book (1139 pages) that I tried to finish by the end of 2021 is finally done (halfway into January 2022) … so now in that same World War II Pacific vein, I’m starting Martha MacCallum’s “Unknown Valor” this week. I remember hearing about it last year, but never added it to my to-read […]
Category: Books, History, Millitary |
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Tags: book martha maccallum, Books, ebook, History, reading, shattered sword, unknown valor, war, wsj, ww2
RichC | September 11, 2021
The news media has been doing their part this week to remember the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and memorializing the 2977 people killed by 19 radical Islamist terrorists. Twenty years ago, four commercial airliners loaded with unsuspecting passengers were hijacked and the fuel-ladened planes were used as suicide weapons. To […]
Category: History, Idioms, Millitary, News, Politics |
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Tags: 9/11, afghanistan, anniversary, idioms, opinion, Politics, reflection, safety, terror, terrorism, war
RichC | August 31, 2021
Yesterday, Marine General Frank McKenzie announced the U.S. military’s withdrawal from our 20-year war in Afghanistan complete. We entered Afghanistan shortly after September 11, 2001 with a mission to hunt down al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and radical Islamic terrorists, but we spent much of the time fighting the Taliban who gave the safe haven to […]
Category: Millitary, News, Politics |
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Tags: 9/11, afghanistan, bagram, biden, isis-k, kabul, military, Politics, radical islam, sharia, taliban, terrorism, war
RichC | August 22, 2021
As I commented on the utter failure in Afghanistan last week regarding the decision President Biden made in leaving Afghanistan, it is just another “ fail decision” in a short 8 months by this president and his administration (we can’t take much more). The US exit was ill-conceived and poor planned. It was made ignoring […]
Category: Millitary, News, Politics |
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Tags: afghanistan, biden, jihad, Politics, regret, taliban, terrorism, war, weapons, woke
RichC | August 16, 2021
The situation in Afghanistan is not something most of the civilized world wants to see, but within a few days we’ve watched the Taliban rapidly seize control throughout the country ever since President Biden telegraphed accelerating what was left of our military from our bases. Very few politicians have questioned the desire over the past […]
Category: Millitary, News, Politics, Video-TV |
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Tags: afghanistan, airlift, albatross, bbc, disaster, metaphor, military, mp4, nation-building, nytimes, potus, president biden, saigon, taliban, war
RichC | January 9, 2021
As a “very” amateur military history buff who is currently reading the book “I Marched With Patton,” I came away from Frank Sisson’s memoir in thinking about other leaders who earned the respect of their men, but offended others and were seen as abrasive. Accomplishing a goal and “winning” was for the most part their […]
Category: Books, History, Millitary, Politics |
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Tags: biden, Books, communism, diplomacy, History, leadership, macarthur, military, opinion, patton, style, thoughts, trump, war
RichC | October 14, 2020
This past week I finally finished Dan Hampton’s excellent historical World War II book titled “Operation Vengeance” about the operation to kill Isoroku Yamamoto and can finally move on to the book I mentioned in September after reading a WSJ review. Since the “reviewed” book was the third and finally Ian W. Toll’s book in […]
Category: Books, History, Millitary |
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Tags: Books, cats, dan hampton, History, ian w toll, operation vengeance, pacific crucible, pearl harbor, reading, trilogy, war, ww2
RichC | April 18, 2020
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is one of the most celebrated Allied fighter planes of WW II. It continues to have wide-spread aviation enthusiasm to this day … and one look (and listen – volume up!) will have you understanding why it is so admired.
Category: Audio, Aviation, History, Millitary, Video |
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Tags: aircraft, airplanes, allied, aviation, military, mustang, p-51, planes, sound, video, war, world war, ww2
RichC | December 7, 2019
One of the most impactful photos for me on Pearl Harbor Day is one we took while watching the oil still rising to the surface from the USS Arizona while visiting the memorial. It was a solemn visit and moving time for us, decades after the surprise attack by Japan on December 7th 1941. As […]
Category: History, Memories, Misc, Personal, Photos |
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Tags: hawaii, memorial, pearl harbor, remember, roosevelt, uss arizona, war, ww2
RichC | November 11, 2018
The "Bells of Peace" will ring out nationwide from smartphones on the "11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" to mark the centennial of the end of World War I in November 1918 – click for app On the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month … one hundred […]
Category: Cellphone, History, Holiday, Millitary, Software |
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Tags: app, armistice, bells of peace, centennial, honor, military, service, smartphone, veterans day, war, ww I
RichC | August 17, 2018
While monitoring a military history Twitter feed, decided to add this “bomb bay view” photo from the World War II bomber group my father-in-law flew with. He was the navigator for the 394th Bomb Group of Martin Marauder B-26s and flew nearly 50 bombing missions over Germany. They were known as the “Bridge Busters.” (Read […]
Category: Aviation, Books, History, Millitary, Photos |
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Tags: 394th, air force, b-26, bomb, bomber, Books, fred howard, germany, History, military, pdf, war, ww2
RichC | July 23, 2018
This content is restricted.
Category: Memories, Music, Video |
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Tags: folk, idiom, jonathan edwards, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, protest, sunshine, war, youtube
RichC | April 8, 2018
Seeing images of the children in Douma, a town near Damascus Syria dead or struggling to breath not only makes me sick to my stomach, but inflames my anger with a maddening desire for vengeance against the Assad regime. He and his supporters continue the brutal dictatorship against the Syrian people, this time using a […]
Category: News |
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Tags: assad, chemical weapons, children, News, sarin, syria, war
RichC | March 16, 2018
If our remembering the Mỹ Lai Massacre and teaching the history prevents the mass killing of civilians by U.S. soldiers in the future, it is a sober lesson that needs to be taught. One would have hoped we could have learned from a prior military actions, like from the No Gun Ri massacre in Nogeun-ri, […]
Category: History, Millitary |
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Tags: History, massacre, my lai, vietnam, war
RichC | December 7, 2017
We remember December 7th, 1941 to honor those who perished and as a reminder of what lead up to Japan’s 1920’s ambition to dominate the Pacific Basin believing it was their manifest destiny (see series Pearl Harbor – Then and Now on the Defense Media Network). The unprovoked surprise attack on Hawaii in the early […]
Category: History, Millitary, Photos |
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Tags: hawaii, japan, pearl harbor, remembrance, war, ww2
RichC | September 22, 2017
The Ken Burns and Lynn Novick 10 part documentary THE VIETNAM WAR airing each night this past week on PBS has been eye opening even for someone who "thought" they knew their Vietnam history. I’ve read a lot of books over the years and lived through most of the war stateside in real time (to […]
Category: Education, History |
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Tags: documentary, History, ken burns, pbs, series, television, vietnam, war
RichC | August 27, 2017
Category: Education, History, Millitary |
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Tags: civil, History, prageru, slavery, video, war, westpoint, youtube
RichC | December 31, 2016
The last several years MyDesultoryBlog has highlighted "banished words" from the list Lake Superior State University (LSSU), who puts together a list at the beginning of a new year (and probably still will in early January)? This year we’ll end we’ll end 2016 with a couple memorable photos. The first being serious, and second … […]
Category: Blogs, Memories, Photos, Politics |
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Tags: aleppo, clinton, memorable, new year, obama, Photos, war
RichC | December 7, 2016
It has been a few years since our family visited the historic sites at Pearl Harbor … it was very sobering. Why do human beings continue killing each other — it is as senseless today as it was 75 years ago. I would like to think that we are wiser and could agree to inhabit […]
Category: History, Millitary, Video |
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Tags: hawaii, japan, pearl harbor, remembering, war, ww2, youtube
RichC | November 14, 2016
As part of getting a handle on the Amazon S3 costs, it is finally time to move into the 21st century and eliminate the old-school audio player on MyDesultoryBlog. I attempted to go with an HTML5 player a few years ago, but struggled with using it especially with different browsers. A few years later, everything […]
Category: Audio, History |
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Tags: 1938, audio, mp3, orson welles, radio, shortcode, testing, war, wordpress, world
RichC | November 1, 2016
For those who study history and in particular World War II, this map illustrates the human toll on each country around the world. Likely the information is well know, but seeing the losses as a percentage of population suffered outside the United States visually leaves an impression.
Category: History, Millitary |
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Tags: History, map, war, ww II, ww2
RichC | June 6, 2016
Anniversaries are useful moments to pause and reflect. For the anniversary of D-Day — June 6, 1944 — and subsequent campaign in northern France, it is also an opportunity to look at the past in detail and ask how much of what we think we know is true and how much is well-entrenched myth. Not […]
Category: History, Millitary |
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Tags: d-day, dday, History, invasion, war, ww II, ww2
RichC | May 16, 2016
This content is restricted.
Category: Books, History, Music, Politics, Video |
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Tags: 1960s, barry mcguire, love, mp3, Music, peace, rolling stones, war, youngbloods, youtube
RichC | May 13, 2016
Sharing a post as it was written back in August of 2008 then edited with shaming political commentary many times after. It is still as poignant as ever. For me it is worth sharing again not only to remember Captain Ed Freeman, but as a reminder to Americans of those who served our country heroically […]
Category: History, Millitary, Politics |
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Tags: ed freeman, hero, patriot, remember, vietnam, war
RichC | May 1, 2016
I recall thinking a bit more about the barbarism of the Empire of Japan during (and prior) to World War II when I read the book Flyboys by James Bradley a few years back. When it came out in 2003, I remembered thinking about just how tainted public secondary and higher had become in regards […]
Category: Books, History, Millitary |
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Tags: blog, flyboys, george bush, History, japan, war, ww2
RichC | January 31, 2016
Without American boots on the ground, defeating ISIS is not going to happen quickly if at all. After watching the movie “13 Hours” this week (and leaving me angry at our leaders), I pondered the covert activity by the CIA and other nations in the fight. In Libya, it seems that a “mystery sniper” is […]
Category: Millitary, News |
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Tags: isis, sniper, terrorism, war
RichC | May 27, 2015
Brenda and I finally watched the Clint Eastwood directed movie about Navy Seal Chris Kyle titled American Sniper this Memorial Day weekend. It was worth the price of a DVD purchase, although I’m not sure emotionally I’ll want to see it again. The movie left me with gut wrenching sorrow and little solace that the […]
Category: Entertainment, History, Millitary, Movies, Photography |
1 Comment »
Tags: American Sniper, chris kyle, military, movie, navy, seals, war
RichC | May 25, 2015
It’s not Veterans Day. It’s not military appreciation day. Don’t thank me for my service. Please don’t thank me for my service. Here’s how it was outlined in General Orders No. 11, Washington, D.C., May 5, 1868: The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating […]
Category: Holiday |
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Tags: graves, Memorial Day, veterans, war, washington post
RichC | January 25, 2015
I picked up a book, The Rape Of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust Of World War II, published in 1997 and written by the late Iris Chang. I decided to read it after a bit of Twitter sparring with CBJapan1 and his/her “allegation of lying” about the book and movie Unbroken, as well as how America […]
Category: Books, History, Millitary, Social Media |
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Tags: book, china, History, japan, nanking, reading, unbroken, war, ww2
RichC | January 11, 2015
This past week’s killings at the Charlie Hebdo offices needs to be a real eye-opener for those we elect to protect our citizens and nation. What many fear most is that this “radical Islamic terror attack” will be lost into the same hole as many of the previous terror attacks (or “workplace violence” if you […]
Category: Audio, News, Social Media |
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Tags: charlie hebdo, france, krauthammer, paris, radical islam, terrorism, war
RichC | December 7, 2014
And the war with Japan began … To the Congress of the United States: Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that […]
Category: History, Millitary |
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Tags: congress, half-staff, japan, pearl harbor, remember, war, ww2
RichC | December 21, 2013
Archiving a bit of text (Chapter 5 in Miss Your Lovin by Ann Elizabeth Pfau) in researching some WWII Pacific history. See the Gutenberg link above but text saved below. American veterans of the Pacific war still remember Tokyo Rose. She was the most dangerous and seductive of the enemy radio announcers who broadcast propaganda […]
Category: Archive, Books |
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Tags: book, History, japan, pacific, war, ww2
RichC | December 7, 2013
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana Photograph from a Japanese plane of Battleship Row at the beginning of the attack. The explosion in the center is a torpedo strike on the USS Oklahoma. Two attacking Japanese planes can be seen: one over the USS Neosho and […]
Category: History, Politics |
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Tags: pearl harbor, remembrance, war
RichC | April 23, 2012
The U.S. and its allies finalized operations in Iraq last year, but continue to struggle with what victory looks like in another theatre of operation (Afghanistan). The sabers also rattle a bit louder this weekend regarding another possible middle-east war. This weekend Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Benny Gantz was interviewed by the […]
Category: News, Politics |
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Tags: iran, israel, middle-east, nuclear, war, weapons
RichC | November 13, 2011
A long time CBS journalist and 60 Minutes commentator Andy Rooney died this week after an iconic career in both reporting and “curmudgeon” commentary, or at least that’s the word I’ve heard bantered around this week. He commented after his last appearance that he was “lucky” in his career … and having noted that he […]
Category: History, Obituary, Video-TV |
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Tags: 60 minutes, andy rooney, cbs, d-day, History, Obituary, war
RichC | March 22, 2011
Although I’m not a big Don Imus fan, KT McFarland discussed the point that has been bothering me seeing the many uprisings in the middle east. At what point do we restrict our military involvement around the world to our security and national interest … and at what point do we commit our blood and […]
Category: News, Politics, Video-TV |
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Tags: genocide, libya, military, obama, war
RichC | March 21, 2011
The air assault on Libya on Saturday March 19th came as no surprise as the dictator Muammar el-Qaddafi continued to send his hired mercenaries into areas held by the rebels seeking freedom. The motivated, but under equipped rebels, are at a decided disadvantage when it comes to combatting Qaddafi’s military aircraft, tanks and heavy artillery; […]
Category: Archive, Millitary, News |
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Tags: archive, gaddafi, libya, war
RichC | January 10, 2011
My son’s hero, as well as one of America’s WWII heroes, Major Richard ‘Dick’ Winters died this past week after battling Parkinson’s Disease for the past few years. He was 92 and is well respected for his bravery and leadership during World War II. Most of us learned of his service in the book and […]
Category: History, Obituary |
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Tags: band of brothers, dick, hero, History, war, winters, world
RichC | May 21, 2010
By the time this posts to the blog, I should be heading to Washington DC assisting about 50 World War II and Korea veterans on a trip to visit to memorials built in their honor. The three day weekend will be a chance for me to listen to them share their thoughts on serving our […]
Category: History, Millitary, Personal |
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Tags: honor, korea, military, veterans, war, wwii
RichC | April 10, 2010
Wikileaks.org, a news-ish organization organization that publishes anonymous submissions and leaks of sensitive documents operating under the moniker of the “Sunshine Press",” is in the hot seat again with recent Internet based journalism (info from Wikipedia). Their story selection or submission (depending on point of view) shows little attention toward responsible journalism or concern as […]
Category: News, Politics, Video |
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Tags: iraq, military, Politics, war, wikileaks
RichC | November 13, 2009
I enjoyed lunch with a good friend of mine that just returned from the laborious task of going through his mother’s estate. He kept a few antique furniture items and uncomfortably stuffed them in his apartment while trying to figure out just what to do with the balance. While we were standing by our cars, […]
Category: Cellphone, Misc, Personal, Photos |
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Tags: antique, civil, collectible, newspaper, philadelphia inquirer, war
RichC | April 15, 2009
Having lived in the Cleveland area in the 1980s and 1990s and remembering this event, it is puzzling why it has taking so long to deport John Demjanjuk a resident in Seven Hills, Ohio. It is good that we continue to track down war criminals, particularly those taking part in running Nazi death camps, but […]
Category: Books, History, News |
6 Comments »
Tags: book, History, nazi, war, wsj, wwii
RichC | December 7, 2005
It happened a lifetime ago, but “it is a day that will live in infamy.” December 7, 1941 was the day a surprise attack was made against our country by the empire of Japan. We remember this day but unfortunately did not learn the lesson. Most of us were not alive to remember the heart […]
Category: Millitary, Misc |
3 Comments »
Tags: 9/11, national security, pearl harbor, terrorism, war