Days in the life of Grey

Nomadic Lifestyle

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:30:11 GMT

I intend to spend at least one year on the road. I'm going to purchase a Travel Trailer, customize it to meet my needs, and visit throughout the year, all this nation's monuments and parks that I think are really worth visiting. At the same time, since my tow vehicle is specially built to tolerate severe abuse I intend to freely explore most of our country's Off Road Vehicle trails. I'll start a fresh blog just for my adventures with tons of pictures, I will even detail the construction of my Trailer and Vehicle so anyone who wants ideas can easily see what works for me.

I'm going to look for something between 27 and 32 feet, BUMPER pull ((actually a frame integrated weight distributing hitch)).

Year doesn't matter much since most of the design of the vehicle will go into it's sustainability. Thus it will receive a bonded commercial white rubber roof, solar panels, lightweight gel cell storage batteries, A 4,000 watt inverter generator customized to allow NON-engine powered inverter operation from the storage battery source. I intend to use LED lighting, a digital thermostat, additional insulation, weatherstripping, double paned glass, custom 100 pound belly mounted propane tank with skid plate and remote refill. Roof mounted solar water heater with remote tilt ((same with solar panels)). As for the truck, the truck will get a MUCH larger sturdier battery, the biggest oil, transmission and power steering coolers I can find, an oversized radiator, electric fans, remote start, a 12 volt umbilical to the trailer ot recharge the batteries as redundant source, this also could be wired to umbilical the truck should the electrical system fail at a bad time.

Other things would be a complement of cordless tools, hand tools, my portable MIG welder, grinders and so on. Spare tires, patch kits, fiberglass repair kits, extra trailer axle bearings and brake parts. To reduce the load on the truck's drivetrain I'm going to purchase a gear vendors over/underdrive to supplement the transmission and reduce peak torque loads. I'll also carry a storage tank of fuel, the in bed 91 gallon tank will work fine. Based on some stats, the 39 gallon stock tank and an additional 91 gallons means more than 1400 miles range with a medium load ((the trailer)).

Last but not least, I also intend to bring my ammunition, weapons, survival kits, first aid kits, combat effective clothing and supplies, my computers, wireless range extender for cellular phones as well as wifi and broadcast 3G networks. I'll work the odd job as well as boondock versus pay for campground spots most of the time, Not withstanding, Second Life will supplement my income and I intend to maintain it by at least weekly finding a broadband wifi source to log in and conduct business.

I feel that in the economic turmoil this is actually an effective and thrifty lifestyle if conducted by someone who is extremely adaptable and can make the most out of very little.

Just my ramblings from a paranoid survivalist.

Lonely

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:23:25 GMT

Yes I get lonely. I'm lonely right now, I want to go home, that pretty much sums it up.

On another note...I got the new Metallica Album...uhmmm...I think if I died listening to it I'd be immensely happy...

Somewhat melancholy...I just feel bland, weakened by months of daily grind...I dunno, something.

I figure it's because I've been here longer than most without a break. I'm not too worried about it though, because I'm just gonna spend leave packing up all my shit to go back to Wisconsin. I'm not staying there, but I'll be there for a few months at least. Ahhh well...laters...nothin really important to write about so till next time.

Slow Motion Crash

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:12:31 GMT

Yanno you've done it, rubbernecked a car accident. Everyone has, but what you don't see is the event itself.

These days 6 billion people are witnessing the slowest crash of all time. It's public knowledge our economy is faltering. That's nothing new. What nobody is told is how bad it actually is and who is involved. Eventually it'll come out by force if necessary, and when it does every last man woman and child will be forced to choose between fear and freedom.

Right this second, corporations and government are holding hands in an effort to make you afraid. Afraid of terrorism, afraid of disasters, afraid of themselves. What you don't understand is that when your buying your insurances, protecting your families and watching CNN, all your doing is playing their game.

Right this second a government official can check your email without telling you. And guess what? It's your fault. Right now someone could be logging your IMs without your permission and it's "legal". Right now your letting your government add cameras and microphones to every streetcorner, your letting them track you on your cellphone, letting them use your cellphone to track someone else they suspect your traveling with.

OnStar, the company who provides a very effective and useful service for General Motors customers has been secretly solicited by the government 120,970 times. Yes...that number grows every day.

And now, homeland security asked to expand its budget for a watchdog computer system to monitor international telecommunications traffic inbound and outbound from the US. That's NOT EVEN LEGAL...I mean ok, we have a Patriot act, which despite its unconstitutional status seems to be effective for spying on our own people. But we aren't authorized to spy on you talking to someone from Australia, in fact if the australian found out your government was spying on HIS computer his government could take action against ours.

But all this is in the name of the war on terror right? I mean it's obviously to protect us.

No. No it's not in fact it'd designed to protect an asset. A system, actually only about 70 individuals who have been profiting from us since the early 1900s in one form or another (or the family of the originals). It all started with one important event.

The Federal Reserve Bank&Trust. See back in the 1910s Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan and a few choice corporate types were looking to secure the future of their assets. The tested the economic strength by faking a crisis and pulling their stocks from the market in a single day. Of course the obvious happened, a panic struck everyone. Seeing the result, These same people offered a solution to this problem. The federal reserve. Which solely would regulate interest rates and the strength of the US Dollar.

Their first order of business was to replace the Dollar itself. Originally and since the birth of our nation until 1921 Any paper or coin was redeemable in gold at ANY bank. By replacing the redeemability of the dollar with "Legal Tender" it licensed them to print money in quantities they could regulate without holding whatever they printed in gold reserves. According to the federal reserve they hold only about .7 percent of the nation's reserve in actual gold. Most of the gold they do have is actually gold from other countries, turned in so they could play in our markets...funny aint it?

We've had some problems since the 90s, therefore strangely enough we went to war. I hate to break it to everyone, but Osama Bin Laden didn't plan, nor was he behind the "attack" on September 11th. We haven't found him because he has agreed to be our Martyr in exchange for permanent asylum in our own country. Nearly everything is fabricated, the insurgency in Iraq is NOT what everyone thinks it is, at best it is sporatic and little more than college age kids filled with ideas looking for a violent and showmanship way of expressing their beliefs and ideals. Afghanistan is different, unfortunatly bordering Pakistan has left us smack in the middle of drug and weapons trade interception, so the fighting there gets a little more serious than it does in Iraq.

The problems are rooted so deep we cannot possibly escape what will happen within the next 36 months.

So far in this crash we've experienced the real estate market face plant, the bankrupcy of nearly two dozen multi-billion dollar financial institutions, none of which are included with the ones tied to the federal reserve. General Motors announced earlier this year that if they don't turn a profit in 2009 they will go bankrupt. Ford already made a statement a few weeks ago speaking for much the same. Demand for Oil in the US has dropped by almost 65 percent throughout the summer months. This was NOT expected and suddenly oil is less than 100 dollars a barrel...a first in almost 2 years.

Chronologically it looks grim. Things were pretty low coming out of the 90s, then we went to war, two years later when that wasn't fixing things, the real estate market crashed. Interest rates were lowered sharply. There was a one year recovery, then early this year, american oil prospected in Iraq, against OPECs warning. But apparently we werent gonna get that oil, China's bid for oil sealed a deal for almost half of Iraq's oil production. Then without warning Merrill Lynch crashed and decided to pull the plug, having been bought out since. Fannie Mae, crashed and was bought out by a FOREIGN governement. Now in the final years it's worse than ever.

There is nothing to pull us out of an innevitible depression. This depression will be so severe, mostly because we are in the midst of the computer age. For the first time almost every aspect of our economy is built on things we can live without, and once we have to, nothing can bring it back. But this is exactly what Rockefeller and Morgan want. They want to be the ones who say "we can help". That's the whole point to get every last american to wholeheartedly buy in. To sell them their businesses, their property, buy their bonds, their stocks, work at their offices, plants, sites. Corporate america at it's finest. They want to be able to buy and sell the american family without so much as a moment's notice. They want to profit off our stupidity and fear, and right now were about a half step from letting that very thing happen.

This is NOT what our forefathers had in mind. Washington and Franklin would be rolling in their grave if they only knew what these people were up to. It's a dangerous game. Trade your freedom for safety. A manufactured safety that is no better than the freedom you gave up to have it. In fact it costs you everything. These people don't give a fuck if your aunt is dying of cancer, or if your kid has leukemia, they wont do a damn thing for them if it has no profit. If you can't afford it, they will die, there will be no compassion, no charity, nothing. If your late on your house payment there will be no going down to the bank and explaining the situation, maybe working out a lower interest loan to refinance a lower payment. No. There will be no free television, you think commercials are bad now? Every single program will have product placement, every single host bought and paid for by corporate america, every viewpoint exactly what they want you to hear. It's already like this in more ways than your aware. IT MUST BE STOPPED.

We have a choice, nobody can take what is rightfully yours, your freedom was bought and paid for in blood. I have paid in blood, my grandfather paid in blood, his father paid in blood, his brother paid for freedom with his life. My best friend paid for your freedom with his life, you can't imagine how many people made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure you would never ever ever have to give up your freedom and now...now you want to give it up of your own accord. ARE YOU MAD!!!!!!!!!!If you tell me right now your free, your lying. Or you don't even know your lying. But that time will come when you trade your freedom for a shell, a protective box of safety.

You've paid for it already. You let your government take a loan out in your name. You pay interest on that loan every single year. It's called Income Tax and it's unconstitutional because you get paid a wage NOT income, you get paid a WAGE to perform a SERVICE. Nothing more, and it's not taxable. The law that says you must pay income tax on your wages doesn't exist, never has never will, and they IRS itself is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Every federal tax ever concocted is unconstitutional, since there are amendments that ratify every authorized method of taxing and who gets taxed and where the money goes. The government must tell you what they spent your taxed money on if you ask...yet they don't.

You've given up your right to privacy in every single aspect of your life...willingly. It's called the Patriot Act, and it means the governement has an open door to every piece of information they can gather on anyone residing in America. Your cellular calls, text messages, your Onstar equipped car, every single cell phone purchased since 2002 has a built in tracking system that can relay your exact position down to 30 feet. And the government can track it without your permission even if you tell the phone company you want it disabled. The government can and does look at the contents of your computer, your emails, your voice mails, offline IMs. They look at what you buy, where you buy it, when, with what card or check.
AND GUESS WHAT? IT'S COMPLETELY UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

I will tell you all what I believe, I believe in the constitution of the united states of america, it is probably the most important document in the history of humanity. It is the unconditional symbol of everything that is free. I swore into the united states army under that document, swearing my own life to uphold it's value.

I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

What's the first thing there? I will defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. People I implore you we all have a common domestic enemy of the constitution and something needs to be done about it, by ALL OF US. I can't stand alone. I can't stand even with few, many...most. I can only stand with everyone. These men must pay for the damage they have done, we must have our constitution back period.

If we can't have that, there are other methods to accomplish these goals, I can't tell you this won't be without blood, I can't tell you our way of life will continue, but I made an oath on my life that we will all be free and I meant it.

You want to do something, have skills you think might be useful, know something worth hearing? Email me, don't include anything damning to yourself please. Grey@blackoperations.biz

More MPG

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:57:26 GMT

That's the economics these days, cars and trucks, and performance parts that increase mileage ratings.

What if I told you I could get a bone stock veggie powered 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel get 30+ mpg. What if I could get it's gasoline powered counterpart to get 25mpg? A corvette getting 45mpg? Is it impossible? Certainly not.

Alright a couple things I plan. First A hybrid assistance drive system. Obviously to propel a full size pickup truck retrofitting an electric motor capable of similar outputs of a diesel is nearly impossible without removal of the engine. However I believe that a custom made 100 Horsepower permanent magnet motor located between the engine and transmission can do just that, functioning in drive and recovery modes. Powered by Lithium batteries located strategically along the framerails on both sides.

Secondly is a heat recovery system located in place of the stock exhaust. This system will recover the wasted heat energy and drive a turbine fed by high pressure R134a refrigerant at around 900 psi and then recycled back through the system. Basically it would work exactly the opposite of an air conditioner, except instead of transferring heat, it would transfer heat into mechanical energy. This system would continously recharge the batteries, allowing the engine to reduce it's load as necessary or even shut off.

The engine itself will have an air clutch system the same based from modern big rigs allowing shifting without clutching, Effectively a smart computer would control when the engine isnt needed and shut it off while disconnecting it from the transmission.

Lastly the engine would remain as it is now, a veggie oil burner, currently its a two stage system, the engine starts on diesel, and once warm switches to veggie oil. Everything would be controlled by a program so as to eliminate any possible error from the driver.

Effectively it would be possible to get more than 45 MPG in a full size truck, 80-100MPG in a mid sized sedan, and on today's hybrids more than 200MPG.

It's really not that expensive, I plan to use msotly off the shelf parts, fabricate an existing high volume refrigerant system to work with the diesel exhaust. I also plan to modify the engine slightly to cleanly burn the veggie oil by using a very mild computer controlled propane injection. It will increase the efficiency of the burn at high load conditions.

All in all, the truck's weight would increase about 650-700 lbs, it's horsepower potential would go from 315HP stock to 415 assisted. In even the worst conditions where the engine's load is continuous and light, such as low speed country driving or even in very cold weather it would still produce a high electric current. Based on the Temperature Delta and a formula of Btu per hour of the exhaust system, at idle in subzero temperatures the system could still produce more than 2500 Watt/hours of power, at wide open throttle where im sure absolute potential for energy bleed is reached, I estimate being able to transfer around 45,000 Watt/hours of heat energy into the turbine. That equates to an energy recovery of almost 60 horsepower...for free.

I would use r134a over water because of it's ability to rapidly change states and produce enourmous pressures needed to spin a conventional small diameter steam turbine. Ahh but this is all engineer speak. I'm just thinkin about what I wanna do once my gig in the army is over. Laters people.

Equal Oppurtunity is BULLSHIT!

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:54:41 GMT

In the army we have EO, or equal oppurtunity, meaning you will not be denied anything because or your age, gender, race, or anything else of substance that sets you apart from someone else who was not denied.

A good example.

Today I find out there will be no promotions for eligiable personnel in the Army who are stop lossed or within 12 months of their ETS date UNTIL such time as they reenlist.

This means that even if you have the points, even if your promotable, you will not find your name on the promotions lists simply because your time is almost up or because the government FORCED you to stay in the army you CANNOT be promoted any further.

This is a tactic to entice people to reenlist, but what it has done is develop a deep seeded hatred for the army and our government who is supposed to ensure fair treatment of its soldiers.

I WOULD BE PROMOTED ALREADY IF IT WASN"T FOR THIS DAMN REGULATION. I'M ON THE LIST. I HAVE POINTS TO BE PROMOTED. YET FOR SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVEN'T MADE THAT LIST... FUCKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!

Let's review what I've been forced to endure.

The army has used a backdoor draft to retain me in the army beyond my enlistment terms. By almost a year now.

The army has refused to promote me because they stop lossed me to retain me in the army. Since I'm obviously worthless and not worth promotion you might as well LET ME GO HOME. No guy, not how it works sorry.

But it get's better, who does this apply to? Initially the army said they had 45,000 stop lossed soldiers. Now suddenly that number is 122,000. Most of the stop lossed numbers are within their primary zones for promotion to either sergeant or staff sergeant. For a while now since approximately April it has been policy to NOT send any specialist to the board who is "getting out" despite excellent service records. Same goes for NCOs.

So what all this says is people who reenlist get the opportunity to be promoted to the next rank when people who don't will not get that opportunity. I smell Equal Opportunity violations all over that. Someone is gonna lose their job for that. There are 122,000 pissed off soldiers already, then you factor in the 70,000 or so that could and deserve to go to the board, can even GO to the board, could be eligible but NEVER get promoted because personnel says no promotions for people getting out or stop lossed.

I've been deployed more times than I preffered. In a unit that has fucked me out of my own life, in an organization that rather than give me a simple thank you for your service would tell me I'm not good enough to move up to the next rank. Maybe if I was promoted...if I saw a future in this organization I woulda stayed...

Heat...

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:02:30 GMT

For those that wonder how hot it gets in Iraq, yesterday at approximately 1040 AM it was 112 degrees. Fair nuff? It's hot here, yes sometimes you walk around baghdad in this heat in full kit and everyone looks at you like your insane for wearing all that stuff. Iraqi's think we take medication to lower our body temperature. For the most part downtime is spent in damn good AC, humvees have notoriously bad AC so do some of the MRAPs and such. It's alright because it's still cooler than outside and cooler than it'd be inside the truck without AC even with windows open (not that you'd EVER do that).

It's so hot that if you leave a water bottle in the sun after an hour it is hot enough to burn your tongue if you drink it. It's so hot that just touching metal in sunlight can burn you, it is possible to set a piece of metal out in the sun and grill meat on it. But this year has been the coolest year on record in Iraq so who knows...I believe it hit 131 the other day...

Could you make a difference.

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:55:55 GMT

If you think vengeance is something reserved for god, then maybe you shouldn't read this.

I'm a believer in what is right, I believe everyone has the right to live until they do something to forfeit that right. So what is that "something". Well, it's a little different for most people but the rules are all the same. Violence resulting in death, child abuse, fraud...and not the "I write bad checks" the real fraud, impersonating a life, someone else, lying for the sake of benefit, living something that isn't yours.

I'll tell you my simple beliefs, something that I will kill to protect, and have in the past. Violation of the sacred...thou shalt not rape. Violent crime that takes away one's personal security destroys confidence, forces them to look behind them even in their own home...that's worth killing. Killing for reasons other than food or defense of self or another... you better believe thats worth taking a life. Those are my rules.

Does society agree with me, sure they do, but we as a people cant let something be cut and dry. A pedophile walks the streets in search of prey, a murderer, getting educated in prison on your tax money...no way in hell is it fair.

Eventually we have to look at ourselves and wonder what is acceptable. I can tell you what isn't. Hypothetically you can reason with the following situations. I won't say if it really happened for the sake of public reading, but if it did would you follow through.

A few years ago, I had a friend raped by her boyfriend, a known drunk and quite obnoxious. He raped her at knife point at two in the morning. Raped her in her own home, took away any shred of security that gives, took away her dignity and respect for men as a whole. Damaged for life no doubt. I responded to her cell phone call. I ripped him away from her, I told her to sit in my car while I took care of things. I let him believe he was the superior being, and then in one instant moment he realized just how insignificant and pathetic he really was. It could've went two ways, I could have knocked him out, called the police, in which case he'd be charged with first offense first degree rape, go to jail "reform" and be back on the streets in a few years, sometimes as little as 18 months depending on the crowding in the prison system. He may have been charged with a violent crime sure, but he will fail to register as a sex offender and there wont be anybody to stop that, his parole officer may check on him once a year, if ever. But then, thats IF you call the police. Things are in your hands right then and there, you can be vengeance, you can punish. But do you have the right? Do you have the right to take that mans life, squeeze it from his very neck, watch him die, face to face, show him is unimportant and utter failure of life as you strip it from his body. I'll let you guess exactly what I did.

A while back, and I mean waaaay back, a good ten years now, back in high school. Over a hundred people witnessed the beating of an innocent kid that resulted in a seven day hospital stay. The kid had enough of being picked on but he wasnt prepared for the outcome of standing up for himself. He was beaten badly. The worst of it, the offenders were never charged. Parents too hooked up. And nobody there thought to point those guys out and say "hey, we saw it, they did it to him". I saw it...I did something about it. I was stabbed twice over it, I did what needed doing, I took away the superiority, the aura of being on top. No rightful alpha treats their pack in that manner. Therefore he was not a rightful alpha. I beat those three within an inch of their life, in the very spot they beat him. Three on one, I let blood splatter on the walls, the floor, the bathroom door, I bounced their heads off the water fountain...it was a moment I think nobody in my home town will ever forget. Two were expelled, the other home schooled, not one person pointed a finger at me, I didn't need to be thanked, I did what everyone was thinking should be done.

Four years ago I arrived at Fort Polk, decided to visit a friend in Baton Rouge. I had never been to Baton Rouge nor did I know it's level of poverty in the area I was driving through. I stopped for gas and was approached by a hooded male brandishing a knife. Immediately and calmly I opened my door, pulled the tucked Sig Sauer pistol from it's hiding place and pointed it directly at the would be aggressor. He held up his hands and stopped moving. I told him to place the knife in the trash and turn around. At this point I could've called police or let him go. Instead I assessed the reason. Nobody robs for no reason, given the area I assumed it was most likely for drugs. I was right, I found a crack pipe made from a christmas tree light bulb and a few tiny rocks of crack. Jail wouldn't do any good, but maybe I could postpone the innevitable. Taking something from the movie Fight Club I told him to get in the car I'd drive him home, he couldn't have been more than 18 years old. I struck up a conversation, which was easier than I figured it would be. He told me a brief history on how he got hooked on crack, stealing it from his mother and smoking with friends. I told him I was going to give him a chance. I told him I am in the army, and it would do him some good to join himself if he was old enough, which it turned out he was about to be. I told him that stuff would kill him and if it didn't I would. I stopped the Blazer right there on Florida Ave, 9000 block and pointed the gun right at his temple, pulled that hammer back and told him if I ever saw, heard or suspected he was anythign but clean and employed I wouldn't even HESITATE to pull the trigger, I told him right there, pissing on my passenger seat from fear that if he thought the world hated him that I was is fucking savior and that I would surely see him to his grave if he mistepped, that if he succeeded he would be doing himself the ultimate favor, he would save himself from death, because either I would be death or the drug would.

As of earlier this year he is serving his third year in the army as an xray technician in Fort Campbell Kentucky. He had to go through basic twice...but he did it. Never EVER assume things are what they seem. I'm not saying it's in your power to change everyone, but every once in a while people just need a nudge. Humans stray from their goals if they don't have the willpower to pursue them despite the shortcomings life can throw at us.

But can you?

Can you change anything in someone else's life?

I sure as hell hope so, it's what I was born to do, I am a protector, I am a guide I am your first line defense against anything that can hurt you. I can say that, I can tell you I will die to protect you, I will die for what I believe is right, I will give everything I have to make someone else better. Money means nothing, it helps me live but it's not required. If you think your alone your wrong.

I want you to do one thing this week. I want you to pick something and give them something they need that you have or can provide, prefferably a stranger, a single mother, disabled vet, someone who obviously deserves more than they have. Do it, don't question it, don't second guess yourself by saying was it enough, you did it thats all that will matter.

Pulling the wool over our eyes.

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:36:21 GMT

I'd like to bring up some history today. It started with a discussion about Osama Bin Laden. Specifically why if 27 million people are "actively" looking for him with a $55 million dollar bounty from the government and a private contractor offering $175 million cash for his live capture...has NOBODY in SEVEN FUCKING YEARS found him? I'm here to tell you I can find him, but I'd bet anything my own government would kill me for it.

You see, he's a cash cow, having him at large gives us an excuse to spend an enourmous amount of money.

Now for the history lesson. Not all is completely accurate so don't quote anything, just ask youself who you really trust.

During world war two Ford motor company supplied vehicles to the German army, IBM (then a different name) built war planes IN GERMANY. Then IBM even had the balls to sue the american government for destruction of property when we blew those factories up in bombing runs...the worst part, they won the lawsuit.

Oppenheimer was a brilliant physicist, no doubt about that. But he was a madman, he dedicated his life to taking human lives consciously. When it became unprofitable to work for the germans after completion of the V2 rocket program he stole russian documents and offered them in trade for asylum in the united states where he was then offered a job. This time to produce a nuclear weapon, resulted in at that time the most terrible 5 seconds in world history. Supposedly he commited suicide, lots of textbooks say otherwise but people he worked with and others who knew him suggested strongly that he cracked after the hiroshima and nagasaki bombings and at some point took his own life.

Henry Ford Jr. not only was never charged with war crimes, the documents and tax forms were sealed in classified records until the amendment to the freedom of information act in which it was learned Ford had knowingly supplied german armies throughout the war, increasing production after 1941 to aid in the Nazi war machine.

KBR...that company rings a bell for millions of people. It's Dick Cheney's brainchild actually. You see it started shortly after the Korean war when the US army decided they werent gonna have anything to do with logistics, it was too time consuming for their forces. BIG FUCKING MISTAKE. Vietnam...cost the american people more than 113 billion dollars (in 1960s/70s) funding for private companies. Desert Storm, the 90 hour war. KBR made more than 3 billion dollars in 90 days yet somehow posted a net loss for the quarter.

So what does KBR do?

They drive semi in Iraq, Supervise cooking food, cleaning, sanitation, housing, all kinds of things. Normal practice is to hire third country nationals, import them and depending on the pay structure pay them as little as 2.25 an hour to as much as 10.00 hour.

KBR pays its truck drivers between 90-110K USD a year to drive truck in iraq, the military pays KBR more than twice that for the same manpower. Alternatively the army pays the average army truck driver just 47K USD a year in theater and trust me their jobs are considerably more stressed than KBR.

KBR pays its Construction workers on the FOB often 140K USD a year to be carpenters, electricians, ironworkers, all jobs available in the military. Again KBR itself gets paid nearly twice that for the manpower, they have strict hours, work only 5 maybe six days a week (with overtime) and usually NEVER leave the safety of the fob. Again te army has these jobs in which they pay 45-50K a year depending on your rank while deployed in theater.

You see, your money is spent paying a company to do something the army should be doing. It's safe to say the army spends more than 8 times the money for the same manpower that could come from soldiers. Alternatively they could pay a soldier more and maybe keep him willingly employed. No soldier wants to drive truck in the army when KBR pays 3 times as much.

It gets worse when you think about how much our government pays to IMPORT fuel, ammunition, supplies, water, food, medical equipment. It's all top dollar stuff, often costing more than the C5 galaxy it rides in.

They say General Petraus saved the american economy. He did, for about 5 years, sorry guys, funs over, now it's time to collect on those IOUs.

Lets get real people, things are bad and it's our own fault for buying shit we never needed. It's our own laziness, it's the McDonalds, the Walmart, Ford and GM for producing hundreds of convienence features, it's your parents fault for buying formula instead of breastfeeding, for setting you in front of a tv instead of going to the park.

It's your fault for driving to the store around the corner instead of walking, for buying water instead of drinking tap water, your fault for buying meat instead of raising the cow. You just dont understand that all this shit is stuff we dont need, what im doing now, typing this so that you can read it. I dont need this computer, nor do you need one.

Do yourself a favor, when your done with this think about all the shit you dont need RIGHT NOW and unplug it.
Every morning open your window and let fresh air in. Every evening enjoy a sunset, MOW YOUR OWN LAWN. Think about all this, think about what you've wasted between the time you woke up and the time you read this statement.

Soda cans?
Electricity?
Gas?

This shit isn't gonna last much longer so quit wasting it. Would you leave your computer on at night if it cost a dollar an hour to run it? I bet you wouldn't even bother reading this. Would you still drive to the corner store if gas cost 15 bucks a gallon? Do you realize that just starting your car costs a quarter? Everytime you open your fridge its a dime. Every single time you forget to turn off your computer before bed it's costing you a dollar. Leaving your TV plugged in when your not using it can cost 50 cents a day, as well as another quarter for every appliance plugged in but not in use. The average adult bicycle costs less than a tank of gas for an average american truck, I'm just saying. Every single minute you spend in a shower without a water miser showerhead costs you a quarter. Shop for groceries once a week or every other week? Realize that your spending money in fuel, in time and not getting the best deals in quantity versus price. What looks better 400 a month or 250 every two weeks? Everytime you use a microwave rather than cook its almost certain you wasted a dollar on that meal.

Think about it, you are your own problem, you whine gas is expensive, yet most of us drive cars and trucks that do not meet federal standards for low impact vehicles. Most of us drive to work alone, most of us commute only a few miles to work, the duration that uses the most fuel. Most of us grocery shop the same night we get paid, every week or every other week. Most of us eat fast food MORE than 4 times a month. Most of us can go days without eating a vegetable. Only 8 percent of americans have gardens. Only 10 percent of american families have ONE car. Of all the reasons to own a motorcycle, less than 5 percent of the qualifying reasons to own one, people actually have one for those reasons. 70 percent of all americans drive with underinflated tires causing up to double the tire wear and half the fuel mileage. Only one in four women know how to check the oil. Only 1 percent of american homes at least partially operate off renewable energy.

DO YOU NEED AN IPOD? NO.
DO YOU NEED HOTPOCKETS? NO.
DO YOU NEED GOURMET COFFEE? NO.
DO YOU NEED DESIGNER CLOTHES NO.

Get real. At present rate of consumption two things will happen, one of which is staring at us RIGHT NOW. GLOBAL financial collapse and/or Petroleum crisis on an epic scale.

Yanno what, live in your own little world, or try to regain at least a little bit of independence...up to you.

Been a good long while...sorry bout that.

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:41:13 GMT

Hmm...where do I go with this.

Yea I do have a pretty big gripe, people like to take me for granted. Nobody seems to realize that after a long mission I STILL go on SL to deal with whatever business needs tending to.

For instance, My scripter, whom did good to produce an MBITR, needs to repackage it so we can release it. This should've happened yesterday, but it didn't, whatever not a big deal.

But it took sending some nasty offlines to get some critical updates out for DCS, now with CCS getting a new mandatory API its gonna be a bitch. Regardless life goes on. Point is sooner or later I'm not gonna be around, it's a fact as I transition back to civilian life whatever I choose to do the time I put into it will be greater than what I can do with SL, and with SL being a fringe consumer service I can't rely on it's income. Think about it, with gas prices soaring who in their right mind would buy one of my guns over some gas in the tank?

At first this all worked to my benefit, as people stayed home more and more that money was poured into SL and still is, but now with the economy collapsing the way it is, I'm afraid my income won't even pay for the sims I own by years end. Now we all know diversity is key and with the help of my crew I hope to make that a better reality. Avatars especially. I intend to focus sharply on lara croft, metal gear solid, ubisoft products and team fortress 2 avatars. I recently acquired permission to reference Rainbow Six in products we produce.

On another note some people have been with me for years, aka more than two, they've grown accustomed to doing things the old way. That's all well and good but today we have to me able to shift focus on a moment's notice. If that means some products need rebuilding then so be it.

Right now I have a REALLY long list

Mk19
AWP
Punisher Colts
M60E3
P90
Mk23
M2
G36E
G3A3

But thats really the beginning...the above is just what needs rebuilding and retexturing.

We need to update nearly EVERYTHING with CCS api, DCS api and no shit there is still some of our stuff deserving of PC api that doesnt have it.

But that's ok...really.

Who am I kidding it's is NOT ok, fucking fix it or I'll fix you. No arguements, work 8 a day until the damn guns are updated so we can fucking work on new stuff. EVERYBODY.

Gah...incompetence like a motherfucker.

I have no problem shutting down black ops selling in world content and walking away. I'm not the one who depends on SL income, but if you think it's cool to sleep in every day while I go out on missions, to come back and find NOTHING done day after day after day, then maybe you should be let go, since obviously you can't be bothered to do what you signed on to do. Bite the hand that feeds, really.

I put out a notice of what needs to be released and when, There should be zero hand holding to get it done, in fact all I really need to do is run through the API usage since I know whats fair for the role play elements.

Chop Chop people.

I've lost 70 percent of my income to incompetence. NO MORE!

Ubuntu Linux

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:31:56 GMT

Bye Bye Vista, well almost.

While Vista still resides in my laptop as a dual boot option the default is Linux. The advantages are greater when your laptop is a heavy hitter in the hardware department. You can control greater aspects of your hardware to reduce power consumption. I can't believe I didn't switch sooner, no crashes, no buggy programs, many of the things I use now still work.

Suppose people are wondering about what the hell I've been up to. How about nothing important or productive. No really, SL is more productive for me than say...deployments to Iraq.

Speaking of SL, changes coming soon...lots and lots of changes, and no I'm not selling Black Ops.

Inspirations

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:53:02 GMT

I sit here and write this with the this in mind. I am not unfortunate, I am NOT deprived or anything else to consider me as such.

Give an Iraqi kid a soccer ball and make them happy for weeks. A simple nine dollar ball...thats it. Arrest an inurgent or two and free an entire neighborhood from fear. Fear that would otherwise lock them in their homes. Afraid that they would get caught in the crossfire.

Let's be realistic. It could be so much worse than you can imagine. What would it be like if you dressed your kids in flak vests for school? What if they got in an armored school bus?

But lets not even think that far. What would it be like for you if you had that nagging feeling in you head that the last pile of trash you saw on the side of the road could have been an IED? Or that guy sitting on the bench might have a cell phone waiting to do the dirty deed. It never occurs to us in America how bad it COULD be. That life comes and goes at an exponential rate outside the U.S.

WE worry about anything less than a 5 star crash test rating in our minivans, they worry about getting hit by an IED meant for us. I think about that and realize that all we are trying to do is make it better, and in no small account, it is getting better. Years ago it was so much worse. Now there is finally jobs, homes, water, power. Not everywhere, and not consistently...but it's better.

I will fight for this, I will fight for those who deserve better. It's not about me being an american, a US soldier in a foreign country. I don't play favorites, if I did, I'd be more inclined to help an iraqi than an american kid, at least the iraqi will appreciate the effort, the american will probably spit on me for it.

I know very few support us anymore. But would you turn a blind eye to what happened with the nazis? They killed millions yanno, and we responded in kind by plunging MILLIONS of US FORCES into europe to stomp out evil. This time, it's different,but not different at all. Those kids and adults in a majority needed our help. The kurds in the north suffered more than a 100,000 deaths in the decade before out occupation, yet you can turn a blind eye? Maye not youbut someone you know not only doesnt care, but freely voices an opinion on the subject of something they know not a damn thing about.

Spit in my face metaphorically or not, to me I don't give a shit what you think. I get to see what I'm doing every single day. Smiles and waves as we pass by in armored humvees, they know we are there to help. They know it is getting better, and THAT is the generation that matters. Because even after we leave the kids will remember us.

Im happy without any homeland support I don't care if everybody wanted us to go home, I have a job to do right here and now and I damn will do it.

If it was me...

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:55:17 GMT

12 month deployements. PLEASE PASS THAT BILL!!!

Anywho. I have a newfound appreciation for R134A, to chemical compound aka refrigerant in A/C systems found in most things today. I recharged my truck's A/C after a horribly difficult mission with barely working A/C...WORLD OF A DIFFERENCE.

And I digress. I have SL news, there is a new store, Mav built it, I will be on SL semi-regularly starting tommorow. So that means if your my employee and I haven't seen or heard from you in a while, it might be a good idea to check in.

I'm gonna be doing housekeeping, clearing out massive stocks of inventory, I'll be working on the crossbow, and a few other things. I plan to review current inventory and scripts, talk to some of the key individuals on the various systems we partake in, and have a round table discussion about the next step.

Business in SL in evolutionary. I am not a slacker and I plan to also custom build vendors for my stores that immerse the users in their shopping. Being able to talk to the vendor might even be a possibility with a simple logic system.

Also on the blocks, an in depth review of prices, with reductions across the board, possible package deals with assault rifle/pistol combinations.

I have two new uniforms that I need to get out, nothing overtly awesome just some stuff ive been doing.

Things to expect in the near future, once again the armory island combat expo, we'll be there. I also plan to partake in some media interviews. I don't think anyone will mind.

The socom M4 is going to get a refreshing build and texture refinement, as well as a hud refinement.

One of the most important things is the integration of a gift card system. We'd like to incorporate a multi-merchant gift card system, so if you read this, or read the notice I will send tommorow, I plan to involved at least three vendors or unrelated things in a unified gift card system.

I think that is the next logical step.

Also, revisions to the affiliate vendors are coming, I am planning an entirely different vendor style, and might even make it mod.

That's the plan for a few months out, but expect tons more I didn't mention in the immediate future.

Ray of hope.

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 16:13:17 GMT

So my internet bill is something like 400USD a month and I'm never here to use it so it's a big giant waste.

But the good news is that they are running wire for internet in the building ((im deployed in iraq so you know)) and it's only gonna be 60 a month, which is WAAAAAAY better.

Anyhow, they told us about a week and they should be going live with the new system. Hope I no longer have to make regular trips up to the roof to clean off the LNA of my satellite dish very soon, and I can stop paying enourmous bills.

So yea good news for a change. Ohh and btw... Today marks day 122 in Iraq.

Misrepresentation of your ability to take everything for granted.

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:32:23 GMT

We learn early on in our military career the price to pay can be the ultimate. The brutality of it is that it is usually a lesser price, something that nobody ever wishes on.

Here's my take on things. No matter what happens, this country needs to respect those who've lost parts of themselves mentally or physically, or both because of the service to our great country. You think for one second they'd have it any other way your wrong. Pity is not what is needed. RESPECT, no side-long glances or sneers, hushed words or pointing, that man with the prosthetic pumping gas in front of you? Ever think that the only reason you even drive, or have the privilege is because of his part in representing, not just protecting the country we live in.

I say this because a bad thing has happened to someone quite close but I'm quite sure he doesn't want your pity. Respect the job he has done and continue to believe in his abilities even though he struggles. He has a long road ahead but first and foremost he is alive and will see his family again.

I think what I'm getting at is don't let this "war" turn into vietnam, guys are gonna come home injured or worse and we cannot ever turn a blind eye to it. These people want to coexist with being held up. Don't treat them like a kid, they are a for the most part far to proud and honorable to take a hand out, they'll fill out an application for a job, they'll work overtime, raise they're family and more. All we have to do is remember WHAT it was that they did. It's not up to us why we fight and where, but we do it because it's not about us, it's not about them, it's for everyone's right to exist freely.

I am still alive...

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:10:13 GMT

Yanno, you don't realize how bad you have it until you spend a few days at a different base, camp liberty to be exact where everyone is all smiles and grins, clean and not smelly. Nobody has to go on convoys, pull guard or do anything except their job. Bunch of bastards.

Anyhow, they've been good about letting everyone have fun and enjoy themselves but to me it's just depressing as hell to know that people take way too much for granted. Yet here I am getting shot at and blown up, on the road sucking down caffeine to keep my eyes open...what a life.

I shouldn't feel like this but I do, ohh well, I've got JJO cranked and I'm at least relaxing.

I guess now is a great time to tell all of you a little more about me.

I am a wolf. No questions involved, I look through and feel everything detached from human nature. I have instincts that are so hard to control sometimes that I inflict injury on myself to stay grounded. I can smell and hear better, see in near total darnkness, but I pay the price of incredible metabolism that allows me to heal at a rate that is nearly considered medically impossible.

I'm aging. Joints hurt, hair is losing color, wrinkles are forming, I looks like an athletic type but the signs of a 35 year old are there yet my body is only mid twenties. How often people ask me what I am capable of, how far can I push my limits without breaking anything or hurting myself. I am honostly as frail as you are, I'm only as strong as my framework, after that, bad things happen for sure.

Some people suggest that because I never stop it's tearing my body to pieces. I sleep 2 hours average a night, I can't sleep any more than that. I work 16-20 hours a day every single day. Even when I'm not deployed I work 12 hours and then jump on SL until 1 or 2 in the morning. Not the life to live but I don't know how to stop, how to let things go.

Alot of things stress me out, I am gonna burn out and now important people are telling me my mind is breaking down despite my push forward. Things have not been well in the last few weeks but I manage. I am certain my mental strength will never lead me to do something stupid, but people tend to scare me when they tell me about that guy. You know, the guy who worked his or her ass off, stayed quiet, never disobeyed anyone and then suddenly they put a 5.56 in their skull one night while in the bathroom...happened once already so I know they aren't bullshitting.

I'm rambling. Grey isn't feeling well lately, I can't explain it since I don't know what's wrong. Though I can tell you they are planning to send me on R&R considerably earlier.

I'll write again when I have something significant to write.

Shame on us...one hand waves while the other does?

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:11:43 GMT

I've got a rant everyone. Here's the skinny, gas prices are soaring, emissions are strict, and car makers are scrambling for more fuel efficiency.

Wow.

Alright so here's the skinny, I "still" own a 1990 Chevrolet Beretta with a 3.1 Liter V6, its a 5 speed manual and not a lightweight for a smaller car.

Let's do the math, my car, hereforward car X gets about 33mpg, though honostly if the tires were better and it didn't sit as much it'd get 35. This is avrage...not well, doesn't matter.

Anyhow. Before I deployed I was planning on getting rid of the blazer for a while, it's beat up, but amazingly enough without a catylitic converter and conventional equipment gets about 20mpg average...4 above EPA estimated, with oversized tires, regearing, high performance parts, heavyass winch and recovery gear, and lets not forget the bad alignment. I digress

Ok, so I'm at the dealership, looking at cars and SUVs...nothing really catching my eye at all. I did notice the blazen EPA estimated fuel economy figures, cavaliers, cobalts and the smaller buicks were estimated in the 20s, lows and highs. WTF? these cars are in the weight class of the Beretta, and some are lighter.

Not withstanding that the effeciency of todays engines is better overall, producing more power for less displacement. So what's the excuse? Why does a 1987 Oldsmobile with a carburated 307 V8 get better mileage than a 2002 buick park avenue? With an ultra efficient V6?

Really wanna know?

Emissions.

See back in the late 80s and early 90s, up to about 1996, cars were required only to have a "passive" catylitic converter. That means the cat was in the exhaust stream and that was that. Catylitic converters work based on their temperature, higher is better.

Before 1996 a car's emissions were based off usually one oxygen sensor, which monitored the fuel/air ratio to keep efficiency as high as possible. Thus less fuel was used.

Now, emissions are so strict that the only way for it to work properly is to dump fuel into the catylitic converter to force it to heat up as fast as possible, using up to a quarter gallon of fuel otherwised unnecessary.

But this only applies to city driving, because on the highway, everything is at temperature, so why in the hell is my 1990 Beretta 3.1 V6, with more than 300,000 miles ((ohh yea, i now have a 3.4L engine, forgot about that)) getting almost 10 mpg better than a comparable car, with a V6?

Do you really wanna know?

You see, back in the day, in 1990 computers in cars were programmed to run lean on the highway, if the car was between 60-85 percent throttle, above 50mph, and at operating temperature it ran in a lean condition using as little fuel with as much advance in timing as possible.

Today, that doesn't happen, it was noted that running a car in that condition created excessive NO2 tailpipe emissions due to such a high burn temperature.

But it gets better, ohh yes.

Figure that cars are 25 percent less efficient at the same weight as they were in 1990. Simple fact, sorry GM, your Green campaign is borked. So what happened? Well, when you use more fuel demand goes up, sure emissions laws mean tailpipes put out about half the emissions they did in 1990, but, becausewe are refining more fuel, investing in construction of more complicated emissions sensors, catylitic converters numbering 2 or 3 per car, and complicated fuel delivery, we've essentialy increased emission output to A. manufacture the car to spec and B. refine the oil which causes emissions all on its own, just to make up for that 25 percent incease in fuel usuage, not to mention the increase in emissions to transport that oil internationally.

Well well, thank the governement for screwing up a good thing. But there are things you can do. No doubt you can buy an older car, or have your car's computer reprogrammed. But the latter is probably illegal, so unless you can create a fuel map on your own and program your own car or truck, kinda SOL.

Yanno what, screw em all, buy a diesel, cannot possible go wrong when your running around in a Jetta getting 51mpg, or a 3/4 ton truck getting better mileage than your mother's monte carlo.

What makes the goverment believe that increasing overall consumption decreases pollution, it all has to start somewhere.

Give me your thoughts. I don't expect anyone to follow all of my rambling or understand how it all works in a car, but ask yourself why the car you owned in high school got pretty good mileage but your nice newer car, finds you at the pump every friday evenin...

Ohh yea

SL...yea I'm kinda upset about SL, i got on briefly noted some things, glad I dumpd stonehaven, honostly. I've got other projects to head, and guns to ge built, stand by for more info ;)

Best Radio Station EVER!

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:45:04 GMT

Yea you heard me. 94.1 WJJO! Why you ask? Go to www.wjjo.com and click listen now, simple as that. That is for the most part the kind of music I listen to.

Now that I plugged my favorite radio station ever, I wanna talk about some other stuff.

First I've been here in Iraq for 63 days. Doesn't seem long, and really it isn't, but time is flying when your so busy. It beats doing gate guard, or god forbid...chow hall guard...

Second I got a care package from someone on Second Life, no names here, but they requested my mailing address and it was someone I trusted with it, besides they couldn't send me anything bad that wouldn't get denied. I know that person reads this journal so let me start with a thank you. I dunno who told you I love those goldfish snacks but sending me a Sams Club sized box was awesome. And you didn't need to send all the stuff you did, but I'll put it to good use.

For those who'd like to send me stuff, you'll have to ask me for the address.

Cannot send me any porn, perishable food, anti-government anything, nothing huge, and certainly don't attempt to send me a sex toy...

You must have a valid return address, NOT a p.o. box, people try that sometimes, and the recipient never gets their mail. See soldier mail gets verified before it goes to Iraq, because we have to be careful of the stuff we get. Ohh yea, make sure your name is on it too.
The box must either be brown unlabeled, or a USPS shipping box.

Ok knowing that, if you still wanna send me stuff... I like snack food, 4x4 and gun magazines, also like supernatural related books, music on a CD-R ((mp3 format, most kinds of music including classical))

Just try to remember your sending stuff to a 25 year old, not a 45 year old ;)

If you REALLY want to send something to me personal, like a good luck charm, make note, no crosses of any kind, not a single holy symbol, I have what I need, I'm not needing anything more.

Ohh and I'm not looking for a relationship so don't even ask or believe that it's ok to suggest something. It's rather sad I even have to say that, who the hell wants anything to do with someone in a hostile country knowing they can't come home for another year.

Anyhow if you still wanna send me something...say so I'll find it sooner or later and respond.

The shit I deal with...Part 2

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:04:29 GMT

I cannot even express how angry I was to come rushing out of the shower a few mornings ago to hide under a bunker partially naked with a towel and flip flops on...fast forward half an hour finish my shower...which coincidentally is the last shower I'll get from this fob for a while.

We have a water shortage, during the rainy season...nice.

But it gets better, apparently some group of total geniuses decided it'd be a good idea to hijack our supply truck for the PX, basically means nothing gets restocked this month...dude..seriously.

So just when everything starts stacking up against all of us here, it gets better, apparently because of a recent rocket attack on the FOB, there are now 3 of the original 5 generators, so everyday, for 3-5 hours random at that, the power is off. I'm not done, I wish I was, but no. So I go to the PX not too long ago, hoping they would have batteries for my Wii-motes... yea FU&^ no. I'm so happy...soooo verryyyy veryyyy happy.

Anyone wanna send this wolf some batteries, I swear to you its not for some sex toy, I just wanna play Twilight Princess until my eyes bleed...

Your Reward.

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:11:58 GMT

Christianity teaches us that no matter what we do, it is forgivable. More specifically that there is a heaven and hell, and life is just a journey to something better.

WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT???

Are you trying to tell me that your willing to sloth your way through life just so you can weasel your way into this so called heaven???

How about the old saying... heaven on earth. Anyone ever heard of that? Yea some did I'm sure. To me, life is a plausible heaven, if not for you the people you have influenced. I like to believe I have made a very real impact on people's lives. I've done all kinds of things, from simple donations to charity to giving food and water who need it far more than I do.

You ever get in a minor fender bender at somewhere such as walmart...where you COULD turn them in to your insurance but those car seats...low budget looking car and a crying mother speak otherwise? I've been there. I let her go, after all it's just a vehicle, it still gets me from point a to b, simple enough for me. Even people on SL, I listen even though I'm just another AV on a computer program, I like to believe real people with real feelings exist behind the virtual walls.

How about what I'm doing now, now I give suckers and mini nerf footballs to Iraqi kids, they cost me only a few cents each and it lights up their eyes. It is NOT the kids fault, it never is, yet they still suffer the consequences of adult actions, and that is not fair. Don't believe everything your told, we are doing alot of good here, we aren't a bunch of cowboys.

How about back home. You look out for yourself right? Buy those snacks and sodas, watch your cable tv sit on your internet and then go to work and complain about your life? What about the 19 year old couple doing their best to raise a child? There are teenagers out there every single day who step up to the plate when their mother doesn't, or their father isn't there, when their little brother or sister need them more than anything else in the world, they do what it takes...and at the end of a long night still get to school the next morning.

You don't think about it much because most people choose not to see it. I know it. I see it all the time, all around us, young weary people who make the choice between ramen and hot dogs for dinner. Is it fair? Well you tell me, are you comfortable with what you have...do you want more now that you've heard this, gluttony is a deadly sin you know, taking more than your fair share, your doing nothing but depraving people who really need what you have.

I'll tell you what I did. I knew someone who was having trouble staying afloat, single mom, one kid, one on the way, father bailed. I have money, I have what I need, and then some, so I took her grocery shopping, we bought more food, cleaning supplies and diapers than she can possibly store in the shelves of her kitchen cabinets and pantry. Then I fixed her computer, changed the oil and belt on her car, made sure everything was safe in it, since her kid(s) rode in it, and I left. You can turn a hopeless situation for someone into a bright day in just a few moments.

Are you a gamestop customer? I bet you trade games if you are, knowing you only get a fraction of the cost you paid for the game. Why not give the game to a kid? Just give it away, would it hurt you that much? Probably not. Why not give up that XBOX or PS2? Do you need to keep it if you have the latest from each maker???

I don't care what or how you do it, just remember a couple things about life, if you live life like you can't possibly make a difference in the grand scheme of things, then truly you never will, the biggest thing you'll ever do in life is die. None of this shit is for you, it's for everyone else. Selfishness gets you nowhere and nothing but loneliness. Your not here to help yourself. Your here for your spouse, for your kids, your grandkids, and if you live to see it, your great-grandkids. Your here to be a good friend, to be trustworthy, helpful and in a pinch, your just here to be there. So go ahead, find yourself in church every now and then, where those nice church clothes, drive your semi-expensive car with the leather interior and power everything. Go out to eat after church, because that's what church going america does. OR you could think a little ahead of yourself, live within the means, and do what any god could ever ask of you. Help your brothers and sisters in need, it really isn't gonna hurt you to give a helping hand, and many things qualify as help.

Take it with a grain of salt.

On the subject of fossil fuels.

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:58:11 GMT

I've decided when I get home I'm trading my truck in. It's gasoline powered and I am in the market for a 12 valve cummins diesel powered dodge. I want an early year 98.

I have plans to go off grid when I get out of the army.

Off grid is a term for people who remove their dependency on fuel, water, and electricity.

This doesn't mean I have to go without, quite the contrary.
I can process biodiesel which runs better than petro diesel in my vehicles totally off the grid.
An ethanol still, lye, and supply of Waste Vegetable Oil, and failing that, most medium viscocity oils fro animals or plants would suffice.

Failing any of that, diesel will run on anything resembling a fuel from veggie oil to waste engine oil, kerosene, jet fuel, aged low octane gasoline, mixes of all of the above, and some diesel engines can tolerate mixes of gasoline.

Anyhow, none of that is important. I have a plan.

Our government is spinning it's wheels everyone knows it, everyone knows that if we don't do something soon it's gonna spell trouble for our economy, and in a country based off consumption at a rate beyond our income, it's rather barbaric to believe we will survive intact. Good luck to all of you with your gas guzzling SUVs and rising fuel prices. I'm going straight for the alternatives. I own a motorcycle, I have the means to convert one of my vehicle to diesel power, and I plan in the near future to buy a diesel truck. UNtil absolutely necessary I will simple manufacture biodiesel conventionally at roughly 70 cents a gallon. Good luck to all of you.

As far as electricity, wind generators, solar power, and backup biodiesel fed generators will suffice for years to come. I might even go so far as to use large batteries to store reserve power, heat water via solar power and generate heat via heat pump.

My future.

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:24:55 GMT

Alot of people ask me what I plan to do after the army. Everyone does, hell today the retention people told me all about the various benefits and bonuses the army is offering for reenlistment. Which brings me to this post. Yes...a RANT!

For those who have no real options in life the army is a great starting point, but don't let it be your only point. For me the army afforded me time to get educated, take care of things I was lacking on and give me a stepping stone for the next big thing. Now they offered me 30 grand to stay in. Sure it's alot of money, but lets be real. I make shit for pay. and that 30 grand is for another 6 years. That'll put me at 32 years old...yea, by then it's too late to start anew.

30 grand is only 5 grand extra a year on top of a deficit of almost 18 grand for the particular job I do. So I still make an additional 13 grand on the outside. Hmmm. Then there is benefits.

They throw out things like health care, dental, one month paid vacation a year...etc.

My health care? You mean the time they fucked up my back or the time they screwed up my knee "attempting" to fix it. OR how about the time I had to go to the hospital because I was misdiagnosed for an allergic reaction being nothing more than flu symptoms??? That's healthcare people.

Dental??? The hack dentists that made my gums bleed...sure, or how about the one filling ive ever needed falling out a week later while i was eating dinner. Yea, great benefit.

That month paid vacation? They don't tell you there isn't much choice on when you can take that vacation, and if all your ducks aren't in a row, your not going out of state. Hell sometimes, you buy the plane tickets, everything is good and then they move the dates and your stuck without a refund, and out of money to get new tickets...yea.

Benefits my ass.

So someone is probably thinking theres got to be some good. Well sure. For instance. There's a 225 USD a month adjustment during deployment to live on a FOB that receives the most mortars and rockets every month. Or maybve the save pay...250 USD a month to be away from home. How about my base pay? Yea we wont go there, but if I had spent 6 years in a shop, id be getting paid quite a bit more than this.

Ohh and retirement benefits...they dont exist UNLESS you serve 20 years in the army. Even then, if you retire at 20 years, you get approx 13,800 USD a year...live on it, go ahead.

Let's not forget the army's insistance on running every day on road surfaces, the very thing they say NOT to do for your joints. How about the very barbaric measurements of fitness by doing push ups, sit ups and running all in timed events. Or maybe gaining rank by standing in front of senior NCOs in your dress uniform and reciting blind creeds and answering as best you can questions found in a study guide, questions that have little measure of your actual ability to perform your new duties should they actually reccomend your promotion, or maybe the barbaric method of promotion selection, a system of points based on majority your civilian and correspondence education. SO while you might be book smart you don't have to know jack SHIT about your job to be in charge.

And it shows, everywhere I look its long time lower enlisted mechanics who consistantly outperform and upstage their own leadership in knowledge and ability. Able to perform tasks that go above and beyond the abilities of their leadership. I am one of few, I know that, and it shows in my work. These days I don't get nitty gritty often, since I'm out there outside the wire and almost always doing things above and beyond the call of my job it shows what my work ethic is like.

Does any of this mean I'll get promoted. NOPE. In fact I've been passed over due to attitude problems. One incident in particular involved a safety violation. Someone of some rank was using my wrecker to lift something and was in great danger of the lifted item falling on him due to the method he used to pick it up. Rather than rant or suggest or explain, I yanked him out from under showed him the strain on the part he attached to, set it down, redid the attachment and lifted it back up, all so the guy could see the proper way, somehow in all that...I'm in need of a better attitude...dude..seriously.

So what's the plan...

Get out. That's my plan. I'll work in SL for a while and probably look into starting my own shop, maybe hire one or two full timers. It's all an open book, and I'd like to keep my options open. So if anyone has issues with my future remaining an open book with no plans set in stone...be damned to the lot of you. To the rest, life is a journey, take a ride.

Thinking ahead.

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:06:05 GMT

I can tell you this.

I'm gonna jump right in, keep up with my thought process if you can.

Do you have a generator?
Do you have a supply of mild or moderate antibiotics and a good first aid kit?
Do you have enough fuel in reserve to either power your generator for a month?
DO you have enough fuel to drive 1500 miles?
Do you have a gun...a GOOD gun not some hi-point 9mm...?
Do you have enough ammo?
Does your home have heavy bolted doors and tamper resistant windows?
Do you have more than a month's supply and food?
Batteries?
A secure place to store everything that locks and is NOT easy to get into?
Do you have an alternate means of radio contact?
Do you have a month's worth of water, drinking water.
Money...not cash...money, barter items, things that hold value when money loses it's value?
Alternate means of power should the gen fail...such as a medium 500-750 watt power inverter?

These are some basics everyone should maintain. Think about it. Lets go back a couple years. I remember the night of September 11th 2001...does anyone else? Remember the gas station lines, how about the grocery store? Yea I remember waiting three hours to get gas at a price I shit you not of 5.99 a gallon. The actual price back then was about $1.44 for regular.

Round two happened during Katrina, I live about 80 miles from the coast in Louisiana, at least when im not deployed. This time I was smart enough to stock up, I had no generator but I had a truck and 40 extra gallons of gas and a big fat 1500 watt power inverter. Everything went pretty smoothly, since i was quite a distance from NOLA. Now Rita was much worse, it was near a direct hit. Fuel was non existent one day after. I rode my motorcycle ((yes i have one of those too...)) close to 100 miles with gas cans to get fuel. It was bad, no it was worse than bad, I basically slipped in line, swiped my card and pumped the tanks on the bike and the gas cans full. Got home and played it out by riding the motorcycle everywhere i needed to go, grocery shopping, and many other things happened by riding the motorcycle. I also stole gas twice.

I decided my lack of preparedness was gonna get fixed right then and there. I saw how New Orleans was. You could not walk the streets without being robbed blind...period. When things get bad and order is lost...you are ON YOUR OWN.

So let me tell you how paranoid Grey is.

Let's start with the list.

Let's start with the locations, of which I have two. I have a location...leased in louisiana, where my vehicles are currently located, well 2 of the 4.

Location 1 in Louisiana.

I've got a full garage full of tools and parts. An entire compliment of lumber, metal, welding supplies, welders, chop saw, plasma cutter, air compressor, even a 11,000 watt diesel generator the 100 percent duty kind that lasts a very long time. Both the Dodge Ram and the Blazer are there, they both have full tanks, 4x4, heavy duty suspensions, light protective modifications and full compliments of repair kits, jumper packs, spare tires, of full size.
I have about 220 gallons of fuel, 100 in diesel. I also have the ability to manufacture biodiesel at this location the processor is transportable. I have about 450 pounds in nonperishable food that will still be good when I get back from Iraq. There is a FULL EMT box as well as a first aid kit located in each vehicle. Now I also have a camping stove, about a dozen propane bottles, and a lantern which can run on diesel OR gasoline. Plenty of candles too. Aside from the obvious in home items I have 25 5 gallon water jugs, the kind for a water cooler, because I have one of those too. Besides all this I have guns, there are guns in the vehicles, a gun in the garage, and guns locked up. I also have a stockpile of ammunition. Aside from that I also have a crossbow, a bow, knives, and other sharp objects ;).

Location 2

Basically a cottage location with detached garage/storage shed.

This location has enough fuel to supply me for a full year at normal working capacity. Over 1,000 gallons of fuel, secured in a buried storage tank I buried last year, we use the fuel every year and replenish it as needed. There is a full 2500 gallon above ground propane tank. There is a 1500 gallon above ground diesel tank. All of this is full. There are no deliveries to this location and the electric meter is on a pole located almost 2,000 meters from the house, out of site of the house, so most people don't even know it exists. My grandpa liked it that way. I am a capable hunter, therefor I don't worry too much about fresh food, although there is a few months worth of food at the house, though it might be stale it is still edible. I have plenty of medical supplies, to include antibiotics I've acquired from faking illnesses every now and then. ((thinkin im just a LITTLE paranoid...)) I also have a working car and the motorcycle is at the site. There are spare parts and some tools there. I have a generator there, however if I was serious about the location I'd be bringing the diesel Gen with me. I also constructed a biodiesel processor. I learned recently how to process biodiesel from animal fat, it is not as lengthy a process as I anticipated. There is food, fuel, water, power, and medical supplies there.

Let's face the facts. If the world ever goes to shit, and some argue it is already, my ability to survive versus yours is probably exponential. I am a trained soldier, I can handle a variety of weaponry, I am intelligent, capable of getting myself out of thick situations should I need to. I can fix almost anything, and improvise what cannot be fixed. I take the time to learn new things that might be important. I drive survivable vehicles, that can take serious punishment and still drive. They also have high carrying capacities. I also have an arsenal with plenty of ammo.

I agree to my own paranoia I know I've got it bad.

Well I tell you what, you need to take a long hard look at yourself.
Think. How long do you think petro is gonna last? How long do you think food will be affordable, medical? How about technology, the stock market. We all hinge on our delicate economy that is in serious trouble right now.

Oil is over 100 USD a barrel.
Microsoft is the most valuable company in the world, however their tangible assets is only .5 percent of their net worth.
It costs 49,500 USD on average to get your appendix removed.
It is estimated that our stock market exchange has overinflated the actual worth of our economy by nearly ten fold. How long until they realize their folly???
The last great depression happened during peace time. In an economy still based off agriculture. WWII got us out of what wouldve been deep shit.

Now it's different, technology drives us. What's gonna happen when people cant afford to buy ipods and computers? No games, DVDs, movies, music... It's not gonna be pretty...and don't forget the basics. WE ARE AT WAR. OIL PRICES ARE TOO HIGH. Say goodbye to it all if it happens again, which it will. We have lived outside our means for 25 years. This is the result. Let's hope it goes down this way and not with another attack on our homeland.

Take some thought into this, and try not to get caught with your pants down...

From bad to worse to deplorable.

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:50:24 GMT

Look, I don't know what kinda living conditions any of you have. For instance my house, the one back in the states, is quite nice, I like it everything works and its clean. Moved to a room here at FOB Loyalty, originally not too bad, 4 of us not bad, but very small. Then moved to another 4 man room slightly larger and no double bunks. Not bad. Then I moved to a 5 man room, same size some double bunks and it has a strange smell. Then they want me to move in the basement, 7 other people, all smelly. I really don't have a better descriptive but some people need to learn to take care of themselves, nuff said. The room itself is smaller than the first 4 person room i was in, and there are 8 people... fuck this shit, yet people with ONE MORE rank than I have have a room same size all to themselves. Funny.

The Holidays...Iraq style.

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:50:55 GMT

Imagine this. Your eating xmas dinner in a dining facility when suddenly, a not so far off boom...followed by another not so far off boom, and one even closer than that. While your eating the only memorable meal you'll have for the rest of the year.

I haven't been home for xmas in a couple years so I guess truly im not missing anything, and hell why would it matter. I don't really understand the point of spending paychecks on buying shit for people who will only throw the "shit" away by summertime, or it'll spend 20 years in the rafters of their garage. Everything anyone tries to get me for this forsaken corporate holiday I already have...or...don't want. Usually its clothes, tools, gift certificates, food ((best bet when shopping for me)) or some dvds or similar. I remember getting an mp3 player one year, which wasn't bad at all, i was able to put about 100 songs on it and that worked great for my first deployment.

I guess when you think about the situation most american soldiers deployed abroad, and how they feel through the holidays, it really is a dark time for our psyche. Unhealthy at best and usually bears the hallmark of the most number of suicides for the year. There are things anyone who reads this can do.

Do some research, there are organizations dedicated to making care packages for soldiers. Packages with snacks, cards, little bits of home to remind them where they came from and what to look forward to. This war is unlike any other, the media is so involved in everything they can sway the thoughts of the american people in seconds. Soldiers are quickly becoming forgotten. The things we look forward to the most is chow and mail. I love getting mail myself, but I rarely get it. I have people I talk to regularly on the internet and I have other things like a microphone, webcam, all the tools to keep in contact. But mail is by far the traditional and most sought out way for a soldier to feel the friendship or love, or just that someone out there gave enough of a shit about him or her to send them something, to take time out of their lives to make his or her life just a little bit better.

So think about it, your already on the internet reading this, cruise the websites and google hits to find out how you can help, if you want to be impersonal, send a couple bucks to a charity that is dedicated to making care packages for soldiers without families. There ARE soldiers out there who have no families, no parents, no grandparents, no wife, no kids, no brothers or sisters. Yea it's sad but you can see why they do what they do, its comrades, friends or brothers in arms. Think about it...thats all I'm sayin.

Still here.

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:50:29 GMT

Yea, still here, still alive. It's been interesting thus far to see how retarded some people act in the face of danger. Human instinct for self preservation is hilarious at best, and deplorable at its worst. I guess I don't scare easily anymore, but some of the guys, those who've never been mortared on their way to chow or seen an IED they freak out, but it makes it bad when they have some rank. I say that because there are new guys watching, and it's not good when they see your fear. Never show your fear, it's bad for business. Your more likely to stay alive when if your keepig your cool in the face of danger everyone else tends to keep their cool also, focusing on how steadfast you are despite whats going on around you.

Suppose life in general is like that, water under the bridge, etc etc... anyhow, laters