Hello world!

I am still in Utica, New York. The foothills to the Adirondacks.

It is cold here! Well, cold to me. About 60 degrees by day. I assume low 50s by night.

The locals are warm.

My body has changed since I began living full time in Key West. The blood does thin! I feel cooler weather more. I walk around saying it is cold. Everyone looks at me strangely.

I was with my friend Peter yesterday. He was wearing a tee shirt and jeans. I had on long pants. And a shirt, sweat shirt and leather jacket.

I bought Bob Woodward’s new book Obama’s Wars to read on the plane.

The book came out last week. Read it! A frightening revelation!

When Eisenhower retired from the Presidency, he warned of the industrial military complex. Beware he said.

Things have gone beyond the makers of guns, tanks and planes. Woodward’s book suggests that we must be concerned with the military itself today.

I am only half way through the book. One thing is clear, however. The generals are toying with the President. They have their own agenda. They forget he is the ultimate boss. It is their way.

I am concerned.

I have always been with the military.

You will recall, both via this blog and my radio show, that I have commented several times regarding a professional army. The United States presently has one. They are noble warriors. Nevertheless I fear a professional army. The time can come and may come when a general or generals might seek to take power in this country.

Don’t say it cannot happen. If it can, it may. It will. Peter’s Law, Murphy’s Law or something.

Just like the banana republics of Central America and Africa.

I do not see the danger as a today thing. Although we do live in troubled times. It is something to be concerned about and on guard against.

Woodward has done the correct thing with his book. He has exposed the infection. Hopefully it will not turn into a cancer.

After such solemn comments, I still say…..enjoy your day!

13 comments on “

  1. Lou,

    Your concerns about a military takeover is the reason why the 2nd Amendment was created. The right to bear arms is a good insurance policy.

  2. Anonymous – Insurance policy?? Get real. The 1st's just fine if today's military were toting flint locks. Go ahead and train your deer rifle on an M-1 Abrams Tank and fire away! Good luck with that.

    Great points Lou. To that end, The Viet Nam war was nothing more than a weapons proving ground for the military and its corporate sponsors who had become somewhat stale and bored. Was Iraq anything more than that? The only people who benefited from Iraq were those who manufacture bombs and bullets. Sound familiar to the early 1970's?

    On another note, what the hell are you doing back in Utica? I hope your father is well, he's a fine man and surely passed his fine traits on to his son. Unfortunately for the Petrone men and many who know them all, that goodness skipped a generation. Your son is a real piece of crap. Everyone knows Andrea can be a bit of wretch but simply being rude at times doesn't warrant the sickening levels of adultery that boy has committed against her.

    Sorry, but I've read your blog for about a year now and felt the need to comment this morning. Why? Two things that make my blood boil, the republican military establishment and stories such as yours where gluttons like your son tear good family businesses into shreds as they live beyond their abilities.

    Be well Lou, Lord knows you deserve the prosperity of good living.

  3. Hi Lou, greetings from the UK. The book sounds good, will look out for it. (Hope you bought it from Borders!) Have a great time in Utica, your dad sounds amazing.

  4. Hi Lou, greetings from the UK. The book sounds good, will look out for it. (Hope you bought it from Borders!) Have a great time in Utica, your dad sounds amazing.

  5. Hi Lou, greetings from the UK. The book sounds good, will look out for it. (Hope you bought it from Borders!) Have a great time in Utica, your dad sounds amazing.

  6. Hi Lou:

    If you are on Coumadin for the heart as I am than your blood IS actually thinner!

    A valid and sobering point concerning the military. My Father-in-Law was held as a POW in China for 3 years in the Korean Conflict, thanks to the Chinese counter-offensive. He never spoke much but he did say that the Army had basically left them without ammunition and equipment for political reasons. Needless to say they were overrun on the Yalu River. He was not big on Chinese anything or the military industrial complex.

    History is a harsh teacher and the lessons of the past are often lost here in America. The fact that a military coup could happen here is real given the right economic and social chaos. Let's hope that scenario never comes true.

    A great blog Lou, and at times, more thought provoking than just tales of bars, bocce and sunshine. Though, don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading about that as well.

  7. The mililtary does a great service for our guys and gals in uniform – they have a career, benefits for themselves and family, housing, and when they retire a nice pension depending on rank and years of service (stay 20 years minimum, stay 30 years great!). I should know – I am married to a retired officer who retired at 20 then went into the GS ranks and retired at 20 (double dipped!) and now works as a consultant where after 15 (with this company) is fully vested and can retire or as we say 'triple dip". So not just one, not just two, but three pensions! So work the system, do as you are told, gather knowledge and you will win at the game. And never, ever volunteer yourself. Play the game smart and you won't get hurt. Plus medical benefits for life, retirement, even burial so why not? Work for govt. and take what they give you – it is your right.

  8. M-1 Abrams Tank?? You mean if we only have our guns we can't hold our own?? Tell that to the people in Afghanistan who have fought off the Russian and U.S. Army for 3 decades.

    You want a society oppressed by the military who isn't armed…take a look at Cuba, North Korea, etc.

    And then add to that that the U.S. military is made up of us. Do you really think the military will fight hard against their family members?

    Being armed IS an insurance policy against tyranny.

  9. Ditto – this poster never served. The idiots of the world who think they know so much are the same idiots who bash the military at every opportunity. I pity them. They are the prime reason why cousins should never marry.

  10. Crap is crap. You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your relatives. Or people who post anonymous on your blog.

  11. " And never, ever volunteer yourself ".. I've always heard that and never payed any attention to it.. I've just recently come to realize the truth of that statement.. No good deed goes unpunished.. I'm a slow learner I guess..

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