Author Archives: Jim

The desert Navy

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Jim

I started my Navy career in Albuquerque, New Mexico. People do a doubletake when I tell them that. When I graduated from Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, the Navy apparently had a bunch of shore billets to fill.  A … Continue reading →

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Where are the responsible Muslims (and Christians)?

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Jim

When radical Muslims commit acts of terrorism or mayhem, we are assured that the Jihadists do not represent the billions of moderate, law-abiding Muslims around the world. I am sure these folks exist, but can’t help wondering why we hear … Continue reading →

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A flying fish story

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Jim

Flying fish were a common sight when my Navy ship was in the South China Sea. The fish don’t fly so much as glide:  They propel themselves out of the water to escape predators, spread wing-like dorsal fins and glide … Continue reading →

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The next round of class warfare

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Jim

We’re hearing a lot of complaints from the punditry about class warfare in the current presidential campaign. Get used to it. We’ll be seeing a lot more class warfare in the next few years. John Edwards started it in 2004 … Continue reading →

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Psychological warfare

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Jim

Another sea story… My two cruises to Vietnam on a Navy minesweeper consisted of uneventful coastal patrol, boarding and searching fishing junks as part of Operation Market Time to prevent the North Vietnamese from shipping arms and supplies to the … Continue reading →

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Health care reform 2.0

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Jim

Okay, the Supreme Court upheld ObamaCare, sort of, and health care reform is back on the political front burner. That’s a good thing. The first attempt at fixing the health care system was bound to turn out like the first … Continue reading →

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Political wisecracks I cannot resist

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Jim

Why do the politicians who oppose government regulation of business want the government to regulate marriage and pregnancy? I never thought much of President George W. Bush. Didn’t vote for him. Now I’m starting to like the guy. I guess … Continue reading →

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Keeping up appearances

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Jim

Another in my series of sea stories that are mostly true. Tradition is important in the Navy, from uniforms to shipboard protocol. The design of the double-breasted dress blue officers’ uniform has not changed significantly in a century or so. … Continue reading →

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Democracy in Wisconsin

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Jim

Reaction to the recall election in Wisconsin will be reverberating for a while. For the record, my roots are on both sides of the controversy. My father was a union organizer in the 1930s. I worked in corporate public relations … Continue reading →

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God save the Queen (and her grandkids, too)

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Jim

At the risk of visualizing the Founding Fathers rotating in their hallowed graves, I’ve been enjoying the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth. Just as everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, even the most patriotic Americans can get sentimental when … Continue reading →

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