Mar 25, 2004: Coining words is fun. A thread recently inspired me to combine another poster's gay juggernaut into: buggernaut. Watch your you-know-what, and hide the kids: with the press playing the fanfare. the buggernaut is coming.

An earlier coinage I'm proud of is the verb to monicate. This can be used anywhere a figurative or literal reference to The Love that Depends on the Meaning of 'Is' fits.

Feb 26, 2004: Nothing special, just noticed that I have posted 24 threads and over 3,200 replies. Is that a lot? I dunno.

April 29, 2003: Hello again. Got back from Afghanistan at about 1230 on Sunday. Despite a day of decompression in Germany, there was nothing comparable to getting back to the greatest country on Earth, from one of the worst.

There are some good people there but they are caught in the coils of an evil culture and an evil religion. It's hard to be optimistic about the long run.

We did some good. It is really something when a farmer stops plowing (with a team of oxen and a wooden plough!) and comes over to thank you -- he hasn't been able to work his fields for years, until we came and drove out the mullah who had stolen his land -- and asks you to thank George W. Bush and Hamid Karzai for him. (If you guys read this, Matiullah says thanks).

I knew my country, my unit, my religion and culture, all were basically good; but when I saw them in action it reinforced that understanding in a way I can't really articulate. Like the regimental crest says, we freed the oppressed (even as our bros were doing the same in Iraq). A lot of the people REALLY appreciate what the US did, and is doing, in their country, and that's a fact you might not read in the press.

There's a lot more needed there, in both military effort and civil assistance. I'll probably be going back sooner or later. Only God knows how it will turn out, but they have a chance now they never did under the Taliban.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

January, 2002: Hello to all. If you have been watching the news, you know that great goings-on are going on. It appears that my days of warming the bench are over and game time is at hand.

You guys and gals keep the Republic tuned up. I will be back.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F