Act of Valor - from a different perspective

Yes, I know I'm way behind the curve here, but sometimes I have to chew on a thought for a while before I'm ready to spit it out... and I've been chewing on several reviews of this movie, plus my own thoughts on it. I've read close to a dozen reviews, and most of them were from folks who either served or married into the military, or grew up as military brats. I am none of the above. My dad and older brother both served, so I was raised to respect the military, but I was never exposed to the life directly. Thus, a different perspective.

Others have remarked on the acting skills or lack thereof, the gun-handling skills, the cool toys... er... gear, the Hollywoodized tarted-up effects, the action sequences, the "OMG, Propaganda!", the errors or deviations from "the way it's really done", the plot or lack thereof, the awesomeness of "shooting tangos in the face", etc. Yeah, I noticed that (or some of it), and to everything but the cool and the awesome, I say, "yeah, so what?". The cool and the awesome I appreciate. But what really grabbed me was the real.

1. These are men. Intelligent, competent, able men, comfortable in their own skins, doing a difficult and dangerous job, and doing it well, with no fuss. Not pretty boys. Not metrosexuals. And not swaggering, arrogant Hollywood-version "manly men". Real Men. One of the criticisms I read was that we don't see the "characters'" back stories. Horse hockey. Back stories are for "becoming" stories: coming-of-age or becoming-the-hero tales. These guys aren't "becoming" anything, they ARE. Likewise, there's none of the angst or soul-searching that Hollywood likes so well because the angsty ones and soul-searchers never made it through the SEAL training.

These men love their families, their fellow team members, their fellow man and their country, deeply, whole-heartedly and unapologetically. There's a campfire scene early on in which the SEALs are told to make sure their family life is in order before they leave, because once they're on the mission, they can't be distracted by whatever's going on back home. The subtext of the following and later scenes implies that they have all done so - that they have done all they can to see that their families are well and taken care of. These men aren't just dedicated to being the best warriors they can be; they're dedicated, period. We need more of them.
The campfire scene also speaks to the lack of back stories or cut-aways to what's happening at home: this movie is about being present, fully, in the moment. It's good advice for the audience as well... leave everything else outside the theater and just be present in the moment.

2. The women are women. Intelligent, competent, able, women, comfortable in their own skins, doing a difficult job, and doing it well, with no fuss. This is mostly in the subtext, so Hollywood probably missed it. A couple of women are in on the action, but I'm speaking of the wives, who have the difficult job of loving and supporting a warrior, and "holding down the fort" while he's off to war. If man hath no greater love than that he lay down his life for... whomever, then woman hath no greater love than that she give her love and support to a man who would do so, knowing what the price might be. It takes a strong woman to watch her man go to war, knowing that he might not come back, and moreover, to do so as calmly and resolutely as he goes, to give him comfort in the sure and certain knowledge that she will take care of the homefront in his absence. It takes a strong woman to be proud of her husband and support what he stood for, even as she grieves his death, and to teach her children to be proud of their father and the path he chose, even though that path took him away from them. We need more women like that.

This is not to say that either the SEALs in this movie or their wives are perfect; they're not. They're human. I'm sure they all have their flaws, and plenty of less-than-stellar moments... moments that Hollywood would love to showcase, to drag them down to the level of the rest of us. But those moments aren't the ones that matter. As a favorite song of mine goes, "we are the choices that we make when the chips are down". This movie is about the moments that matter, the choices that heroes (and their wives) make when it's time to step up.

3. I don't watch war movies, usually; they're not my thing. I wanted to see this movie mostly to say "in your face, Hollywood!" I hoped (and still do) that it makes a crap-ton of money at the box office and another crap-ton in DVD sales, and I was willing to put my money where my hopes are. I wasn't expecting to like it. And I certainly wasn't expecting to walk away from it asking myself the question "Am I living my life in such a way as to be worthy of the price they pay for it?"

Act of Valor

GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

The Hollywood and media elite hate this movie. Mainly because it shows the men and women who are willing to bravely put their lives on the line to protect us and our way of life. Hollywood is more than happy to exploit war movies if it shows the US Military as an aggressor stomping on the little people who just want to be free or depicts soldiers as blood thirsty nut jobs who are unstable and just looking for an excuse to kill. This movie will not win any Academy Awards, Emmy's, Golden Globes or other accolades. About the best revenge would be if this movie makes a metric crap ton of money at the box office. That would be fantastic if the people show that they are willing to support such a movie and will do so with their pocket books.


What the hell happened to Hollywood? There was a time when big actors put their career on hold to serve, studios made pictures showing what our forces REALLY did not what the goobers now imagine they think these brave men and women really do.

I will also say, take tissues with you. If you do not cry at the end of this movie, you have no soul. I have been on the receiving end. I have been forward air control for flyovers multiple times, see the header photo. Each and every time it brings home that people are willing to go into harms way to protect us and our way of life and they are willing to risk all for us. You know, that means that Occutard goobers can have to right to peaceably assemble and show how much of a bunch of retards they are. Or that Hollywood has the right to make movies that shit all over the brave souls who have died to insure they have the right to say what they want even if they are wrong.

Enough ranting for now.

GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

Take a friend or two.

Quote of the Century - Greg Hamilton

I have met and trained with Greg and John and the rest of the crew at InSights. Good Guys All! In this case, Greg hits one not just out of the park but out of the county.

Ok facebook friends we have to get some shit straight.

If you are an atheist then the Koran is fiction, if you are Christian it's either fiction or worse, the work or Satan, if Jewish well I don't know, you probably think something like the Christian, and if Muslim, ....oh yeah I don't have Muslim friends.... Well whatever you believe, unless you are Muslim the koran is NOT holy or sacred, it is a FALSE book, about a FALSE religion, by a FALSE prophet of a FALSE god. Everybody have that straight?

We publicly fund shit like "Piss Christ" and the same Americans who protest to protect it are mad about a fucking Koran?

Today should officially be "go buy a Koran, put it on the barbecue, and cook some fucking pork chops and bacon with it" day.

It's called a fucking war, if you don't like it feel free to castrate yourself and all the males in your genetic line, convert to Islam, and let the savages breed with your women.

Oh, one more thing, unless you are a follower of Islam quit calling that boy-buggering pedophile Mohammad a damn prophet! Wether you are atheist, Christian or Jewish he CAN'T be a prophet. He is either a wack-job like L.Ron who made some shit up or he is the minion of the Devil.

Rant not even close to being off.

Todays Special Guest & Random Aircraft Sighting

Today's visitor would be the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Much hoopla for his arrival for something on campus. Not really sure what but interesting arrival none the less.

Something I found interesting was after his formal arrival and reception, while the vehicles were already loaded and waiting for him, he took the time out to get out and greet each of the Ross Volunteers Honor Guard that greeted him. That right there is a sure sign of class and distinction in my book.
And his ride would be a .MIL version of the Gulfstream G5.

Book Bomb Callout (Bracken Sends)

Matt Bracken (Author of the Enemies series of books) is going to release the first book "Enemies Foreign and Domestic on the Amazon for Kindle FREE section in seven days or so. He is wanting to get a movement going to spike the downloads of this book. So, for the half dozen regulars who read this, stop by and keep up with Matt and when it happens, download the book. After all, first it is a good read, second it's FREE. Read it then see if you want to maybe support the author by actually buying the books. I highly recommend them.

Idiot Gun Owner of the Day

The BMW driver who brought their car in for service last.

My boss just got back to the tunnel after taking his car in for service and informed me that evidently loaner cars from BMW now come with a free gun. He got in the loaner assigned to him and opened the center console to put stuff away and there was a loaded revolver sitting there. He went back inside to tell the service counter folks and their reaction was, "Oh Mrs. Soandso must have forgot her gun." Now first it is interesting that there was no panic and the staff handled it without freaking out. Second, that they knew who it was that left the gun in the loner car is a bit scary to me.


Second honorable mention to this was one of the lead stories on the news this morning was that a moron filling his car up with gas at a local station was, "rearranging items in his back seat when a gun there went off striking him in the leg." The police spokeslady said it was unknown if the gun was legal or the legal status of the owner if he was allowed to have one. Boy did that get my blood pressure up to start the day. It wasn't until later in the story that more details or actually the lack of details came out. She also stated that the owner was unaware that the gun was in a condition to go off when he was rearranging things. He evidently drove himself or had a friend drive him to the ER where police were called. Now, that last bit calls everything into question about this story. Was he really at the gas station and the gun loose in the back seat or was he involved in something nefarious when he got hisself shot? That makes the legality of the persons possession of a firearm more of a question. However, they didn't know if the gun was legal? What, did it cross the border in search of work in El Norte?

Oh what a wicked web.........

So, the Iola TX VFD has some financial issues with some of their leadership. Nothing new there. I know. Now, the folks who called in the county to investigate have been booted from their positions in the department and the husband of one of the three charged and brother in law of the old chief who was charged and is a convicted cattle thief himself, has been elected to be the new asst chief of the department? WTF?! I know who is not getting a donation from us. Thank goodness there are neighboring departments who are all too willing to come in and help when there are fires because I certainly do not trust the department leadership with my safety or money. Unfortunately, I can't stop the ESD money that the county collects from going to them. I will have to have a chat with the board members of the ESD Board and see if they are at least trustworthy as they once were or if they are part of the in crowd doing these financial misdeeds.

What's wrong with this picture?

Every well-bred petty crook knows that the small, concealable guns go on the far left of the place setting. ;-)

Overheard in Pantry

This morning while in the pantry I overheard the news story about the homicide rate in N.O. and the ability or lack there of for the police to handle the local everyday issues and the influx of people for Mardi Gras. misbeHaven was just walking down the hall getting ready to leave for the day.

misbeHaven: Did he just say Mardi Gras will be held on Tuesday this year?

Me: I am pretty sure he did.

misbeHaven: But it's on Tuesday Every year.

Me: Well, factually there is nothing wrong with his statement. It will be on Tuesday this year.

misbeHaven: ..........!?!?!!

Is it just me?

Constantly, when rain has come through our area it misses our ranch and pours just down the road from us. Kinda like it is doing right now. Getting 20MPH winds with 37MPH gusts but no rain while the surrounding area is pelted.
You see that big white hole? We're pretty much centered in it.

UPDATE: Average windspeed 26MPH, latest gust 40MPH!

Gunowner cars being "Tagged"

My uncles brothers cousins nephews sisters best friends next door neighbor was there. NO REALLY it has to be true!

There are wild stories floating all through the intratubes and by e-mails about cars being tagged at local gun shops and shooting ranges and national competitions where criminals then follow the car and break into it at another time to steal their guns. The worst of which is a story at a shotgun nationals match in San Antonio Texas about peoples tires being tagged with little red dots. Problem is, it is all bunk! THe marks people are pointing to are used by manufacturers to indicate thick beads on the tires and are there from the day the tires are released into the wilds. The story goes on to say it must be true because even teh local PD came out and talked to the folks at the match about it. Problem is that it never happened.

http://www.nssa-nsca.org/index.php/2012/01/nsc-response-to-rumors-about-gun-thefts/

Follow the link above for the true dope on it. I have received the story in three different forms from 8 different people so far. The latest being form a Denver gun store and a comment from a Gunsite instructor making it true. Well, it isn't.

Please, let's stop this before it get's more out of hand than it already is.

NASA Image of the Day

Great photo of where I work. This is one of the many projects we do with NASA. Fortunately it is public domain so we can talk about it. Most of the stuff we do and especially the really cool stuff is not allowed outside the building so we can't share. It's fun when something comes up that we can share.

Canton PD AssHat firing

Remember the Canton PD officer (and I use the term officer in only that he was wearing a uniform) that threatened a CHL and harassed the guy as well as the other two people during a traffic stop? He has finally been fired. It is about time. Now they just need to file multiple charges of assault and abuse under color of law charges and things will be right with the world.

Metric Conundrum

So riddle me this, Metric tool sets come with 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive sockets. WHY? I thought metric was all cool and shit. And don't embarrass yourself saying it is for the American market. I used to work for a German company working on European equipment with tool kits built and bought in Europe for the European market.

Just curious.

Moronic Parents and their clueless children

Sorry but this is just stupid. A father gives his 17YO daughter a gun "for protection" with no training and tells her to carry it. Breaking several laws as well as being stupid. She drops her purse at Starbucks and the gun goes off. Probably had something in the purse that landed on the hammer when it hit the floor. At least I hope so, if it was because she was carrying it cocked then she and dad really need to get their collective asses handed to them. What kind of idiocy is this? pro or anti rights doesn't matter in this case because what they did was just wrong and stupid.