Did pretty good. 9 and 4 for the week, 68 and 61 for the season so far.

Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day.

I want to remember all of the people in my life that have been in the military, especially those who I served with.

Guys, keep the faith and the beer cold until we meet again.

This is one of my favorite songs, and I recently stumbled across this rendition.

It’s been a few days, and a lot of the facts about what happened are starting to come out. Now that the dust has settled a bit and the rumors aren’t flying as thick, here are some of my thoughts:

1. Shout out to the civilian police officer who left a position of safety to run to the sound of gunfire and save unknown numbers of lives. Thank the Lord she and her comrades responded when they did and captured the mutant alive.

2. Many thanks and prayers for the soldiers, police, and EMS workers who surged to assist those who were wounded. Heck, I heard that the base hospital had to turn people away because they were overwhelmed by people wanting to give blood.

3. A lot of people, including people that I respect, have expressed the opinion that said mutant did this because of his Muslim faith. I’m not so sure. This guy seems to have been unhinged for quite a while, and his religion seems to be how he’s chosen to express his personal crazy. This guy would have been wrong in the head if he’d been a lilly-white Baptist, instead of a devout Muslim child of Palestinian immigrants. I won’t comment on whether or not his faith contributed to any violent tendencies, because I’m not qualified to do so. And for the love of God, no one should be tarring all Muslims with the brush that this bastard dipped in blood.

4. To the DOD official who decided at least a generation ago that soldiers didn’t have the personal responsibility to have personal weapons on post, I hope you’re proud of yourself. The moron who directed that people on military bases can’t have knives longer than something Victorinox would put out and certainly can’t have firearms of any kind on their persons or in their homes while on-post contributed to this. There’s an old saw that an armed society is a polite society. It’s also a safer society. If this mutant had suspected that at least some of his victims could have been armed at least as well as he was, maybe he just might have put the gun in his own mouth after giving away all of his worldly possessions and passing out copies of the Koran. These men and women are trusted with automatic weapons, high explosives, and incendiaries when they’re deployed. Why can’t they be trusted to conceal carry on-post? If DOD wants to require extra training on-post like they do with motorcycles, so be it. Don’t muzzle our sheepdogs just because they’re not in a combat zone.

5. To the mutant himself, I’m so very glad that you survived your little rampage. I’m so sorry that your little martyr operation didn’t work out entirely to plan. I’m glad to hear that your health is improving in the hospital. I want you to live long enough to go to trial. I hope that the Army is smart enough to try this in a military court and that you are found guilty by a court of brother officers and are sentenced to hang by your neck until you are dead. You benefited from an education paid for by the military, and had a pretty safe job at Walter Reed afterward. I’m sorry you were upset by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but if you felt that badly, then resign your commission and repay the government the cost of your education. Or refuse to deploy when ordered, take the court martial like a man, and make a decent political statement. You are a coward, a nutjob, and a terrorist. I hope your injuries cause you untreated pain for the rest of your pitiful life.

6. To the wounded and the families of the dead, I offer up my thoughts and prayers. No one deserves to go through what you are suffering right now. I pray that the Lord holds you in the cup of His hand and leads you through this horrifying time of your lives.

Guess what won’ start again? That’s right, my 2006 Dodge Crap-mobile.

Same symptoms. This is the 3rd starter that I’ve had trouble with on this thing, and I’m officially done messing with it.

It’s parked until I can get the cash to just have it towed to the dealer and have them figure out what’s wrong with it.

Until then I’m driving the truck. It’s 5 years older, gets almost as good in gas mileage, and has a better sound system. And the starter works!!!!

OK, we’re over halfway in the regular season.

Washington and Atlanta – Washington – They’re due, and I’m a starry eyed optimist.
Arizona and Chicago – Arizona
Houston and Indiana – Tough one. Indy has a great season so far, but Houston is on a roll. Indy
Miami and New England – Miami
Green Bay at Tampa Bay – Green Bay
Kansas City at Jacksonville – Jacksonville
Baltimore at Cinci – Cinci
Carolina at New Orleans – New Orleans
Detroit at Seattle – Seattle
San Diego at New York Giants – Giants
Tennessee at San Fransisco – Tennessee
Dallas at Philadelphia – This is a coming together of some very big suck. I hope it’s a tie, and the coaches of both teams code on the 50 yard line. I’ll say that Dallas will take this one, but I hope both teams choke.
Pittsburgh at Denver – Pittsburgh

OK, I was 6 and 7 this week.

In total, I have 59 correct picks so far this year.

However, I have to revise the number of incorrect picks I’ve had.

I forgot to take into account the bye weeks that have kicked in for the past few weeks, and I’ve been calculating based on 16 games a week, instead of the reduced number.

In week 4, 5, and 6, there 14 games, and in week 7, there were 13.

So, I have 9 more bad picks in my tally than I actually earned.

So, my total bad picks number is 57 (59 – 9 + 7).

So my score for the year is 59 and 57. Still a bit over .500, but only because I can’t pay attention to the schedules.

This weeks are coming soon.

Hat Tip to Fail Blog!

Not going to comment too much on the shooting down at Fort Hood except for this:

1. The shooting apparently occured at the Soldier’s Readiness Facility. The SRF is the place where troops leave and come home. It’s the last place they see their normal life and the first place they see it again.

2. Normally, soldiers on a post like Fort Hood are unarmed. Even if they have a carry permit, they don’t carry while on-duty. Ammunition is only given out to MP’s on duty or at a training range. So the only armed person in this shooting was the shooter and the MP’s.

3. My thoughts and prayers go out to the dead, wounded, and families.

More to come as details come to light.

Girlie Bear and I got drawn to hunt at Fort Knox later this month. She is totally stoked. Good thing about going out a bit earlier is that it tends to be a bit warmer.

We didn’t get the area I wanted, but no part of Fort Knox isn’t fun to hunt.

We are happy to announce a 75% mark down on a matched set of nice older British people.

The Somali pirates who kidnapped a British couple and were demanding $7 million for their release have hinted that they may free them for $165,000.

Like Bette Midler in “Ruthless People”, they’ve been put on sale. Must be great for their self esteem.