15 November 2006

DOH…!

0806 by Jeff Hess

For those of you out there who got this a long time ago, forgive me. I now understand the principle reason why there is no military solution in Iraq: political parties in Iraq have personal armies. Only by disarming everyone in the nation, other than the police and the standing army, can Iraq find its way to peace.

Think of it this way. Howard Dean and Ken Mehlman don’t get to have personal armies equipped with AK-47s and RPGs roaming around abducting university professors who disagree with their political positions. In Iraq they would. You can’t create a government under those conditions.

And Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, chief of the U.S. Central Command, agrees. Abizaid will be testifying before both the House and the Senate today and he has repeatedly said that until the sectarian militia’s are disarmed, there will be no solution in Iraq.

But disarming the militias is a political decision, not a military one. The militias are maintained by political entities, parties if you will, who are part of the government; threaten their militias and they pull out of the government and it all collapses.

Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.) is right: our troops at this point are simply targets barred from dealing with the root cause of the violence.

There is no win here.

For those of you who want to smack me up against the head, be kind. I’m slow sometimes.

Posted in Operation Iraqi Freedom | 2 Comments »

15 November 2006

FROM MY DAD…

0800 by Jeff Hess

November is a light-blogging month for me as I take part in the National Novel Writing Month and pound out 50,000 words in 30 days. During this time I’m relying on a cache of emails from my dad to help fill in the space so that Have Coffee Will Write doesn’t go dark. I’ll be back full-time on Friday, 1 December. B’shalom, Y’all.

A Baptist Preacher was seated next to a cowboy on a flight to Texas. After the plane took off, the cowboy asked for a whiskey and soda, which was brought and placed before him. The flight attendant then asked the preacher if he would like a drink.

Appalled, the preacher replied, “I’d rather be tied up and taken advantage of by women of ill-repute, than let liquor touch my lips.”

The cowboy then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, “Me too, I didn’t know we had a choice”

Posted in From My Dad | 2 Comments »

15 November 2006

SOCRATES CAFE: THE MORNING AFTER…

0647 by Jeff Hess

Last evening the Cleveland Heights Socrates Cafe group met. We asked: What are the differences among faith, belief and knowledge? For those who could not join us, please use the comments to offer your perspective. And for those of us who did take part, if you’ve had a morning-after revelation, please share it in a comment.

My position was this. There are: things that we know; things that we do not yet know but have working models for; and finally there are things we do not yet know enough about to have models but will at some point in the future. And I have no reason to doubt that at some time in our future we will move everything into the first category.

That will be a sad day because I think that humanity’s drive to understand is one of our greatest attributes. Thankfully that day is way in our future.

In the first category I would place things like Newton’s three Laws of Motion.

In the second category I would place things the structure of the atom.

In the third category I would place things like how the brain functions.

One of the participants made the valid point that even things like Newton’s Laws are not 100 percent. That’s true. But we are safe to live our lives as if they were. I do not need to worry that the gravity laws will change and I’ll pull a Calvin and float off into space.

The only article of faith that I’m willing to accept is the one on which the first principle lies: that I and my reality exist and that everyone else shares that reality in a real way, i.e. when I go to sleep, the world continues to exist.

So, what do you think?

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15 November 2006

FROM MY CHAPBOOK…

0400 by Jeff Hess

My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.

This is a passage I copied from A Charlestonian”s Recollections 1846-1913 by Daniel Elliot Huger Smith.

La basse justice et la moyenne vs. la haute justice. p. 18

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14 November 2006

CUPPAH…

2000 by Jeff Hess

Today Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, releases An Other Cup, his first pop album since the 1979 Back To Earth. Cat Steven’s Catch Bull At Four was the first piece of music I bought — it was an eight-track — as a teenager. I bought the tape for Sitting. I would lie in the dark and listen to the song over and over; searching for where I was on my way to.

Posted in Music | 1 Comment »

14 November 2006

TIME TO SHOVEL THE BLOGPILE…

1600 by Jeff Hess

Because I’m devoting most of my time in November to the Novel In A Month Challenge, I’ve set up 30 items from my blogpile — items I once thought interesting but never blogged about — for everyone to discuss. Next up is Latest Jobs . Scoop, lever, heave, scoop, lever…

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14 November 2006

FROM THE SANDBOX…

1200 by Jeff Hess

From Army Girl: How did I feel when I was in combat? It was scary. I was afraid. I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I didn’t put that out there first. After you go outside the wire so many times you start to feel comfortable or complacent. That will get you killed, and it almost got us killed. So, no more complacency. Every time I’m out, my mind runs through the hundreds of…

Posted in The Sandbox | No Comments »

14 November 2006

FROM MY DAD…

0800 by Jeff Hess

November is a light-blogging month for me as I take part in the National Novel Writing Month and pound out 50,000 words in 30 days. During this time I’m relying on a cache of emails from my dad to help fill in the space so that Have Coffee Will Write doesn’t go dark. I’ll be back full-time on Friday, 1 December. B’shalom, Y’all.

Humans existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters and gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in winter.

The 2 most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into 2 distinct subgroups: Liberals and Conservatives.

Once beer was discovered it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early human ancestors were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That’s how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to Bar-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as “the Conservative movement.”

Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off th e conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q’s and doing the sewing, fetching and hair dressing.! This was the beginning of the Liberal movement. Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as ‘girliemen.’

Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy and group hugs and the concept of democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.

Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.

Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare.

Another interesting revolutionary side note about liberals: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn’t “fair” to make the pitcher also bat.

Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, Marines, athletes and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.

Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to “govern” the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America . They crept in after the Wild West was tame and created a business of trying to get MORE for nothing.

Here ends today’s lesson in world history:

It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to respond to the above and a guilt feeling before simply laughing, denying and forwarding it. A Conservative will be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately.

Posted in From My Dad | No Comments »

14 November 2006

FROM MY CHAPBOOK…

0400 by Jeff Hess

My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.

This is a passage I copied from A Charlestonian”s Recollections 1846-1913 by Daniel Elliot Huger Smith.

Of the negroes on the plantation the most important was the driver, who was a very high dignitary indeed. p. 17

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13 November 2006

TIME TO SHOVEL THE BLOGPILE

1600 by Jeff Hess

Because I’m devoting most of my time in November to the Novel In A Month Challenge, I’ve set up 30 items from my blogpile — items I once thought interesting but never blogged about — for everyone to discuss. Next up is one-minute vacation. Scoop, lever, heave, scoop, lever…

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13 November 2006

FROM THE SANDBOX…

1200 by Jeff Hess

From CAPT Doug Traversa: Today I ended up riding with Lt Col M, which almost never happens. He asked if I was still blogging. Yes, I am. Then he asked why I blogged. Hmmm. Good Question. Of course, from day one I”ve clearly stated for everyone that I wanted to write a book, then get on The Daily Show or The Colbert Report (or both) to plug my book. Doesn’t…

Posted in The Sandbox | No Comments »

13 November 2006

FROM MY DAD…

0800 by Jeff Hess


November is a light-blogging month for me as I take part in the National Novel Writing Month and pound out 50,000 words in 30 days. During this time I’m relying on a cache of emails from my dad to help fill in the space so that Have Coffee Will Write doesn’t go dark. I’ll be back full-time on Friday, 1 December. B’shalom, Y’all.

Posted in From My Dad | No Comments »

13 November 2006

THE WHITE SANDS OF IWO JIMA…

0456 by Jeff Hess

From Keith Knight

Posted in Keith Keef Knight--Think, Knight Life, K Chronicles | 2 Comments »

13 November 2006

FROM MY CHAPBOOK…

0400 by Jeff Hess

My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.

This is a passage I copied from A Charlestonian”s Recollections 1846-1913 by Daniel Elliot Huger Smith.

The assistant overseer was called the “key-keeper.” p. 16

Posted in Chapbook | No Comments »

12 November 2006

MY COMMENTS…

1609 by Jeff Hess

Part of being a good citizen of the blogosphere is visiting, reading and, most importantly, taking the time to leave a comment on other’s blogs. It’s all about the conversation. In the interest of setting an example I’ve decided to link to those blog posts that have compelled me to leave a comment.

1757 Thank a Veteran & Support LAK NJROTC
0127 What The Fuzzy Naval!?

Posted in Comments | No Comments »

12 November 2006

TIME TO SHOVEL THE BLOGPILE…

1600 by Jeff Hess

Because I’m devoting most of my time in November to the Novel In A Month Challenge, I’ve set up 30 items from my blogpile — items I once thought interesting but never blogged about — for everyone to discuss. Next up is Bull Shit!. Scoop, lever, heave, scoop, lever…

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12 November 2006

FROM THE SANDBOX…

1200 by Jeff Hess

From SPC Jami Gibbs: They are eagerly waiting for us when my partner and I arrive at 0900. Soon they will be on their way to visit relatives in our hospital. They wait in a holding tank of sorts; a fenced and barb-wired section just outside the processing area. I am initially intimidated because I notice immediately that there are far too many of them for the two…

Posted in The Sandbox | No Comments »

12 November 2006

FROM MY DAD…

0800 by Jeff Hess


November is a light-blogging month for me as I take part in the National Novel Writing Month and pound out 50,000 words in 30 days. During this time I’m relying on a cache of emails from my dad to help fill in the space so that Have Coffee Will Write doesn’t go dark. I’ll be back full-time on Friday, 1 December. B’shalom, Y’all.

Posted in From My Dad | No Comments »

12 November 2006

FROM MY CHAPBOOK…

0400 by Jeff Hess

My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.

This is a passage I copied from A Charlestonian”s Recollections 1846-1913 by Daniel Elliot Huger Smith.

Rice was shipped down river to toll mills in schooners. The rice was carried on board in baskets tipped into a ten-bushel tub that was “struck,” – leveled with a board – tallied and then tipped into the hold. p. 16

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11 November 2006

TIME TO SHOVEL THE BLOGPILE…

1600 by Jeff Hess

Because I’m devoting most of my time in November to the Novel In A Month Challenge, I’ve set up 30 items from my blogpile — items I once thought interesting but never blogged about — for everyone to discuss. Next up is True stories, told in one sentance.. Scoop, lever, heave, scoop, lever…

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