Comments Posted By John McCrarey

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This is gonna hurt…

Euro, I know what you mean. You and Carol are by far my most prolific commenters, and even though neither of you have come to recognize that I am right and you are wrong 😛 I always treasure hearing from you.

It could be worse. I use my real name here and in comments on other blogs. I googled my name a while back and all those comments are floating around as reminders of my tendency to use extreme rhetoric when provoked. Had I known that I was not just speaking on some obscure blog I might have used more discretion in choosing my words. Alas.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/April/2005 @ 9:04 am

Carol,US funding for USFK has not been cut. The shortfall is directly related to what the ROK has declined to contribute. So I believe the burden of the cutbacks is going to fall on the Koreans. A large reduction in force for Korean workers and we won’t be providing some state of the art weapons systems to the ROK as planned.

I specualte (and that’s all it is is my opinion, I do not speak from any actual knowledge of our motivations) is that the Pentagon is sending a message. Worldwide we are asking the countries to pick up a larger share of the cost for deployed troops. If they choose not to do so, we will take measures to reduce our costs that may be unpleasant, but the days of the US paying to defend other nations are coming to an end. I think that is probably a good thing. We ruined the Europeans by giving them a free ride all these years.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 02/April/2005 @ 8:58 am

Social Security: something worse than no reform?

Interesting perspective, Avery. As a early 20 something, you stand to lose or gain the most from the outcome of this debate. I would have thought you would prefer to keep and invest your hard earned dollars rather than have the gov’t suck it up into a bottomless pit where you are unlikely to recoup even a fraction of what you pay in.

At least that’s how I see the issue. Do most of your peers and classmates feel as you do? If so, that is going to make this issue a political landmine.

Thanks for coming by sweetheart. It’s always great to hear from you. Hope you are well.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/March/2005 @ 1:08 pm

Lady

According to the wife I am to avoid temptation by not looking period. I think the potential for encountering a “lady” like this provides all the disincentive I require!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 30/March/2005 @ 9:56 am

What I do

Yeah, I eat that stuff up.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 29/March/2005 @ 11:23 am

My day off

Yeah, your mother definitely spoiled me. Now I am barely able to take care of myself. Hmmm, maybe that was her plan all along….

» Posted By John McCrarey On 27/March/2005 @ 4:47 pm

Iraqi thugs massacre 85 freedom fighters

Yes, I wrote it. Yes it was an attack on the biased coverage of the war by the MSM. If you don’t know why, I can’t explain it to you darling. It should be readily apparent. It’s all about moral equivalence.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 25/March/2005 @ 11:41 am

We should end the suffering

Hey, this post was about Africa, what are you talking about?

» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/March/2005 @ 9:24 pm

Eye candy

I’ve decided they are candles, although I can’t understand candles in the context of the photo. I’m open to alternative suggestions.

And alright, I admit it. Maybe the photo is not newsworthy, but I sure did have alot of fun posting it!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2005 @ 12:42 pm

WooHoo! You win the prize Ashley. I was wondering who would be the first commenter to mention that. I am not sure what she’s holding either. It seems to big to be lipstick, and it can’t be something lewd (believe it or not, the culture here is very conservative, especially towards women).

So, maybe the next commenter will explain it for us.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2005 @ 11:40 am

Now, now Susan. The link leads to a news article that explains it all. She has started her own lipstick company, and her lipstick will be marketed in 67 countries.

I don’t know what’s up with your speakers, but everytime I look at her picture I hear music. Just sayin’. 😀

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2005 @ 11:34 am

Well, it is interesting on all kinds of levels. First I have introduced my readers to an artistic performer who is indicative of musical influences in Korean culture. Also, it might be of interest that this young person has become one of a growing number of Korean entreprenuers. And it also shows how Korea is becoming an increasingly prominent player in the global economy.

And I might have one or two small minded readers who just like looking at beautiful women.

Hey, I aim to please.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2005 @ 10:26 am

The world turned upside down (part 2)

In German politics, yes they represent the conservative side of the spectrum. Which is not to say they are anything like our Republican party, but compared to the German left, the Christian Democrats are indeed “right wing”.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/March/2005 @ 10:13 am

Closer than it should have been

As the great philosopher Rod Stewart said, “Every picture tells a story”. John Kerry is a phony and the American people saw right through his ruse.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/March/2005 @ 11:43 pm

Our French neighbors

Yep, I guess if you define “ballsy” as supporting dicators and tyranny, comparing Bush to Hitler, hating Western values, then the French Canucks are indeed quite ballsy. Did you even look at the link? And you would comment in support of these miscreants?

Carol, Canada relies on our mighty military to defend their wimpy asses. So, yeah a little support in the WOT is not asking too much in my opinion.

But then if you oppose the spread of democracy in the Middle East you are right to oppose BusHitler. I think it is quite clear where our “friends” to the north stand. Your support of them speak volumes about you too I might add.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/March/2005 @ 10:21 am

Canadian, French, who can tell the difference these days? Both have become wimps who won’t pull their own weight on the world stage. I have no respect for either.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/March/2005 @ 11:45 pm

What she said….

Thanks for your support Joe. I had to delete the link. It was so long it screwed up the margins and I didn’t know any other fix.

I did take a look see at the article and it seems to be far from a scientific certainty that starvation is as painless as some would have you think.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 22/March/2005 @ 3:58 pm

Two years in

Actually Euro, you need to reverse that, if I were singing in do-wop group, I’d be the bass man…

» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/March/2005 @ 6:38 am

Well, the Johnny Rebs gave the Yanks all they could handle, but then again, the Rebs were Americans too.

Not to mention kickin’ ass on the great British empire twice.

In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip.
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans.

[Chorus:]
We fired our guns and the British kept a’comin.
There wasn’t nigh as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to runnin’ on
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

We looked down the river and we see’d the British come.
And there must have been a hundred of’em beatin’ on the drum.
They stepped so high and they made the bugles ring.
We stood by our cotton bales and didn’t say a thing.

[Chorus]

Old Hickory said we could take ’em by surprise
If we didn’t fire our muskets ’til we looked ’em in the eye
We held our fire ’til we see’d their faces well.
Then we opened up with squirrel guns and really gave ’em … well

[Chorus]

Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn’t go.
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn’t catch ’em
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.**

We fired our cannon ’til the barrel melted down.
So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.
We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind
And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind.

[Chorus]

Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn’t go.
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn’t catch ’em
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.**
–Johnny Horton

Do I really sound high and mighty? 😛

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2005 @ 11:33 pm

Where I live (politically that is)

Actually, I think your multiple comments confused my Spam Karma into thinking you were a spambot and it moved your comments to my moderation queue. As soon as I discovered that I reinstated the comments.

I will NEVER delete a comment on the basis of disagreeing with me. Otherwise I would have to permanently ban my wife!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/March/2005 @ 4:12 pm

Geez Euro, if I were that cynical I don’t think I’d bother getting out of bed in the morning. I grew up in LA and know about gangs and poverty. I am also fully aware that the USA has many other problems, but I see them as the residual impacts of living in free society. People get to make choices, including bad ones. But I’ll take America warts and all over any other society.

I still owe you a post on Europe and I’ll get to it soon. But I’ll take our economy and the deficits over the death spiral I see taking place amongst the faded powers of Europe.

Imagine a deep baritone voice here:

If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,

From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there’s pride in every American heart,
and it’s time to stand and say:

I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 24/March/2005 @ 6:52 am

Yeah, I hate that I have lost the ability to spell, and the only spell check capability I have is to copy my posts to word, and I was just too lazy to do that this morning. I actually had foreign spelled right then changed it. I hate exceptions to the “i before e except after c” rule!

As to the cost of the war, I find it difficult to quantify the value of freedom and ending oppression and human suffering. Altruism aside, I honestly believe that with the changes in Afghanistan and Iraq (and hopefully soon in Iran, Syria and maybe Saudi Arabia) America’s national security is greatly enhanced. And there is never too high a price to pay for that my friend.

I will grant you that Europe produces some fine wines. I don’t buy products of France, but the Italians do a nice job with Merlot. Beer is good period. I am growing quite fond of the Korean brews (although none are dark), and back home I preferred beer from Holland.

And I’m with Carol, let’s see where your political neighborhood is located. You always play it close to the vest, Euro. So, as they say in poker “I call”.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2005 @ 10:41 am

Euro, I’m probably closer to the middle on most issues, but I trend towards personal freedom and less government intrusion on our lives. I appear more conservative because I strongly support the President’s foriegn policy. And once you come out in support of the war you get pigeon-holded as a right-winger. I have tried to make the point that I have remained true to my liberal beliefs, it is the left who has abandoned those principles.

Anyway, it’s all a matter of degrees. We would probably agree an many issues if we sat down and had a glass of wine and some rational discourse. Give me a call next time you are in the ROK!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 23/March/2005 @ 8:16 am

That is weird Carol. I figured you for a neighbor of Jesse Jackson…

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/March/2005 @ 1:37 pm

Post toasties

Oh that is so cold, Carol.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/March/2005 @ 2:03 pm

Not to worry Ashley, I will be home in July so we will just have to cram a summer’s worth of grilling into two weeks.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 21/March/2005 @ 11:14 am

Rent day

Yes, Susan that $4000. is hiding at the back of the pile. And I had fantasies of keeping the money, but it was about 4.9 million short of my threshold of resistance. No bodyguard, but my realtor did drive me home. We did the transaction right on my dining room table, and sealed the deal with a toast of Merlot.

Carol, this area is very expensive, even for the locals. Obviously, the military housing allowances drive up the price, but the military requires “fair market value” for any rent paid. Part of the problem is that the UN is much more generous than Uncle Sam. There are places I can’t touch for $47,000 a year because the UN has skewed the rents so far upward.

» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/March/2005 @ 1:23 pm

A matter of perspective

Now, now. I was merely commenting on a news article. That is what bloggers do dear. One of my purposes here is to learn about the culture and the people, and I think it interesting that women who are quite attractive don’t see themselves that way. I was not “singing the praises”, merely observing that perceptions among Western and Eastern ideals of beauty are somewhat in conflict. Once again my motivations have been so misunderstood!

But damn, they are a beautiful people aren’t they? 😛

» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/March/2005 @ 12:59 pm

The ranch hand

geez, Carol. Tell the world why don’t you! 😳

» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/March/2005 @ 9:57 pm

At the dentist

I am SO misunderstood!

» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/March/2005 @ 10:44 am