Army suicides at highest rate in 3 decades
For the past 12 months I’ve been doing a HEAVY amount of research in hoping to get some grant money for a book on the massive veterans crisis our country wants to deny. I have at least 200 other statistics as scary as this one.
Earlier today the Associated Press reported
“Suicides among Army troops soared again last year and are at a nearly three-decade high, senior defense officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.
At least 128 soldiers killed themselves in 2008, said two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the data has not been formally released.”
The problems veterans face are so varied, so layered and so complex.
And this… this is just the end result. Trust me when I tell you, the Army is under-reporting suicide numbers even now. The shitmire is big on this one. Look up the Bilmer report from the Kennedy School of Gov/t. Over 50% of Persian Gulf war veterans needed at least some medical attention. At our current rate, with almost 2 million having served in Iraq and Afghanistan, we will have over 300,000 returning veterans with some form of PTSD. Another 300,000 will suffer from TBI (traumatic brain injury).
If I don’t get a grant by the end of the Spring, I’m just going completely independent with this book, and I’ll spit it out by the summer. America is in for the kind of shitstorm so massive, our public can only deal with it through denial. The World War II veterans are the last ones the country took care of. And through that early version of the GI Bill the US produced what it’s historians name “the Greatest Generation”. No GI Bill = No Kurt Vonnegut, Frank McCourt, etc…
Instead our generation is being coerced and misled by its own government. Its most ardent and patriotic fighters are denied adequate training or equipment in the theater of war, and denied growth, grattitude and respect on their return.
Honestly, I have many, many policy differences with our current president, the Big O. But he has come out with very intelligent solutions for the veterans crisis. I really hope he follows through as president. (I’d also really favor a reparations bill)
One Love, One Struggle,
–Reverend Manny and the Twilight Empire
Aw, poor baby. No new corporate jets for Citigroup? Gee, shucks…
So you know how Citibank is biting the dust big time because of greed-based, irresponsible decision-making? And you know how we, yes you and me the taxpayer, are shelling out our cash to save this business?
Well as it turns out, the geniuses over at Citibank decided that they need to buy A NEW CORPORATE JET FOR THEMSELVES with our money.
Wow. Even for the soulless wretches in banking this is a new low. (think about it, if we got rid of bankers and lawyers, how the hell would rich people shelter their plunder from us?)
But, as the Financial Times reports, it seems Obama’s new ppls in the Treasury Department are knocking some heads.
“The US financial sector’s new political masters began exerting their influence on Tuesday as Citigroup was forced to scrap the purchase of a $50m executive jet that was seen as a misuse of money at a time when the bank is reliant on public support.
Only a day earlier, Citi had insisted it would complete the acquisition of the aircraft. But it backed down after officials acting for Tim Geithner, the new Treasury secretary, expressed strong opposition to the move.”
Aw… poor Citigroup. Did umz not get the corporate jet?
Imagine that, wanting something you can’t have. For me and you, it’s healthcare, retirement or a college education. For bankers… it’s a jet.
Here’s hoping Obama’s team stays on top of their stuff.
One Love,
–Reverend Manny and the Twilight Empire
Bill Kristol fired from the New York Times
Big shout out to The Daily Beast, and Scott Horton, for writing this up (thanks AG for the link).
Today was Bill Kristol’s last day as a columnist for the New York Times
“The New York Times’ decision not to renew Bill Kristol’s opinion column was because of the conservative writer’s sloppiness and uneven quality, according to a reliable source with first-hand knowledge of the decision.”
A little-discussed fact in pundit circles, Litl’ Bill Kristol was a huge proponent of Sarah Palin as a VP choice. It seems like a coke-brained decision in retrospect, but at the early break, he pushed for her hard.
Here’s a November 21st Alternet piece describing Kristol’s defense of his choice of Palin. Here’s another truly astounding moment, as Kristol compares Palin to FDR.
So here’s what I’m thinking. I know the dumbass Limo “Liberals” that run things over at the Times are too slow to think of this.. but– part of me wants to believe that hiring Kristol as a columnist (knowing full well what a goddamn loon he is) the NYtimes gave voice to one of the most self-destructive voices ever to hatch out of the Grand ol’ Party.
“What, you’d like some rope to hang your party with, Mr. Kristol. Here ya go, sir. Do your best, you little attention whore.”
Ha! If only…
One Love, One Struggle,
–Reverend Manny and the Twilight Empire
What would Alaric do? JawClenching realities in the post Apocalyptic Third Millenium CE
It’s awfully bright in here, no? Hm… you know, we’ve been through some crap together… all of us. Whether its your late mortgage or shit-for-brains high school teacher. Whether you’re stuck in the meatgrinder or are pushed by empathy into action. Whether you’re sick of how stupid or how unlike you the people on your TV are. If you have an ounce of pride in Ideal America, you’ve probably been on red alert for the last 8 years. Thank you. Out here in the netroots, we represent some sort of bizzare bastard baby, beaten like a stray dog by the DLC, — used like prom date condom…
Fuck it, though, for this one moment, Inaugaration day, let’s turn off the lights. Get good and proper mentally. Get your heart shakra, zen, prayer state, introspection, krishna consciousness and basic nothingness in order. Get chemd up. Eat a fungus. Don’t. Pray. Eat some acid. Ignore me. Whatever. Let’s just all take a deep breath. phoooom. smoke em if you got em, shoot em if you’ve lined em up, and let’s take a journey together… through the last 8 years.
Here’s Mr. Olbermann’s version.
You’re still alive!! Let’s all make shirts that say “I survived Bush’s Tax Cut, Imperialist Regime, Deadly Mismanagement, and Economic Catastrophe.. and all I cut was this lousy fucking t-shirt” (<-shout out to AG).
Let’s move on. Here’s a more layered look from the lefty journalist with the most Awesome Name Ever: Alexander Cockburn …. HHAHHA… heehee… awesome guy, though. Yup that’s Cock burn. It’s pronounced (co-burn).
(You can find it here at counterpunch)
“I’ve always been a fan of George Bush, on the simple grounds that the American empire needs taking down several notches and George Jr has been the right man for the job. It was always odd to listen to liberals and leftists howling about Bush’s poor showing, how he’d reduced America’s standing in the family of nations. Did the Goths fret at the manifest weakness of the Emperor Honorius and lament the lack of a robust or intelligent Roman commander?”
Cockburn really hammers it in. He rams the point home and I reccomend you pop open that chianti and get your Cockburn on.
Or don’t.
But the last 8 years have sucked ass.
I like Olbermann’s timeline approach. In just about 8 minutes he made me feel like I hadn’t done nearly enough to defend my rights or freedoms from these powergoons. Cockburn’s piece on the other hand offers more perspective on the situation. Combined with the Olbermann vid I now feel like like a latent goose-stepper. What the hell, man? Where the fuck have we been? Shit, I wrote letters, emails, articles,… I protested… but this? 8 years of this shit… We really should get t-shirts (just playing… how about healthcare instead?)
In terms of perspective, though, there’s only one person I go to who I know can provide more with more BPS (Bushisms Per Second) than anyone on the planet… yes my friends…. here’s Laura Bush… A proto-Palin in the vein of a Gerry Ford, Ronald Reagan lemon party (JFGI). We should find out what she thinks about something REALLY BIG? the Economy? hmmmm…. that’s pretty big… how about the WAR?
Ok, ready? Here’s the biggest load of shit caught on camera this year. Listen carefully as Laura Bush claims that, in terms of who has suffeed the most, NO ONE has suffered more than her and her husband. Yes that’s right. NO ONE has suffered more than her and George Walker Bush.
Open your mouth, cuz HERE COMES THE BIG LOAD!!!
Wow! How does that taste? That tastes pretty bad to me. For example. I think the veteran below has had a far shittier time than you, Ms. Bush.
According to Bill (and the Rand Corporation, and The Kennedy School) hundreds of thousands of veterans are currently untreated for PTSD and TBI, with thousands and thousands more to come…. Hm, Ms. Bush… I would say, THOSE people have had a harder time than you.
How about the Iraqis?
I think maybe the Iraqi refugees (just about a fifth of all Iraqis at this point) and orphans may have had it worse than you, Mrs. Bush.
I would say some of the THESE PEOPLE are having a shitty day…
And lemme add some of the younger ones on this compilation look a little pissed.
++++++++++++
The last 8 years have been shit. Our rate of sponsorship for murder is at an all-time high. Even for a large country we have a bad soul. Our karma is twisted. The only thing more awful than Bush winning and dragging us all further into the shitmire, was the fact that we didn’t shut down this country to keep him from doing it.
So here we stand. Me propped up on this rundown chair, pattering away at my old tattered laptop. You perhaps in front of another computer or mobile device. Until me and you actively engage in keeping our government honest, beneficial and efficient, we have no right to complain about it being otherwise.
So let’s keep the next 8 years very interesting for President O. With the advent and proliferation of vast networks of communication, there is no reason why we can’t keep the powergoons on their toes. Hell we could probably set up our own open-source political parties and healthcare systems if we really put our minds to it. I’ve even heard mention of publicly launched satelites to offer free cellular and internet service to anyone on the planet. Think of what we could do.
And let’s measure the steps to get there.
Left foot, right food. Left foot, right foot. Left foot…
One Love, One Hooe,
–Reverend Manny and the Twilight Empire
PS. here’s some excellent “FareWell Ya Bum” Videos from BlueBlogging
PPS. Shout out to Izl217, Steve B, Carmine F, Cannaver, N Johnson, JoDru, PolitickyBitch (Nunya), Tallulah Bankhead, Sk, Ko, SirP, Azarath, Vladude and Pizon for being a source of strength during a difficult time. Shout to PolitickyBitch, TallulahBankhead, Writechic, Jonestown, Dandelion Salad, Dave Lindorff, CounterPunch, Shahrazad and the many other bloggers and blog collectives that have kept me in touch with the outside world through their efforts. One Love.
PPPS. and one more time for the road…. BUCK FUSH… and BUCK FUSH hard!
