"Immature Poppy Pod" photo by John Bonanno, July 2009

Observations On Veteran's Day

Here's a message to cable channels with a high definition feed: I will not watch your programming if you distort or stretch the picture in any way to fill the screen of a 16:9 TV.

It's being reported today that Major Hasan never submitted a formal request to leave the military. But he did submit an informal but very emphatic request on the 5th of November. Under the UCMJ Hasan may face the death penalty. Don't count on it. There has been no military execution since 1961. The President must approve all military executions.

They're digging in Bates City (a perfect name for a crime scene), Missouri for evidence after five men ( a 77 year old father and his four sons) were arrested for various sex crimes against children. The charges include giving an 11 year old girl an abortion, forcing children to have sex with dogs, rape, sodomy, and possibly worse. There may be bodies. But the victims say the perps told them to write down their bad experiences and bury them in jars and the bad memories would go away. I hope they find the jars. Oh yeah, this was a multi-generational Mohler family tradition. (LINK)

It happens every now and then. Another idiot went to his high school reunion as a Marine in uniform wearing military decorations he didn't earn. 39 year old Steven Burton of Palm Springs, California arrived wearing a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and, get this, the highest honor the Department of the Navy bestows, the Navy Cross. Very impressive, very ballsy. Unfortunately for Stevie, a female Navy Commander attending the gala event smelled a rat and had her picture taken with him and then sent it to the FBI. They determined that Steve had never served in any branch of the military. I almost feel sorry for such a pathetic creature. His life must really be empty. He could do as much as a year in a federal penitentiary. Well, he'll have some stories to tell at his next high school reunion. (facts from the Marine Times) (LINK)

Oh, by the way, North and South Korea are at each other's throats again and are at high alert.

Germany has sentenced Alexander Wiens to life in prison with no possibility of parole for stabbing (sixteen times) a pregnant Egyptian woman, Marwa Sherbini in a Dresden courtroom last July. She died at the defamation trial of Wiens who had called her a "terrorist" and "Islamist" for wearing a head covering in a children's playground. Needless to say, German/Egyptian relations are at a nadir. The Dresden Orchestra has canceled a visit to Egypt. If you have a German name I wouldn't recommend a trip to the pyramids right now. (thanks for the details to the BBC)

The President of the World Bank is worried about the faster than expected recovery in Asia. I don't get it either.

An 11 year old Boston kid, Jigme Wangchuk, (sounds like a hockey player) has been declared the reincarnation of His Holiness the Second Galwa Lorepa, a lama who died in 1250 in Tibet. His parents have given up their Boston restaurant and moved back to the old country which would be in the old Himalayan town of Darjeeling. The lad will reside in the Drukpa Sangag Choeling Monastery and be trained to perform his duties as Rinpoche. I hope he's a Red Sox fan. Spin a few wheels for them and chant a few prayers towards Fenway, son, er Master. (LINK)

My friend Vyzygoth pointed out that John Allen Muhammad was executed yesterday at 9:11PM. It must be a coincidence. Ah, I can barely recall those weird tales of the shooters from the old days of 2002. Yeah, something about a homeless drifter who had the money to do a lot of traveling to the Caribbean, buy some nice weaponry, support a "foster" son, and whatnot. He died proclaiming his innocence.