Sarah Palin Resigns....The Media goes bonkers and 40 years ago this week.

The 4th of July weekend in west central Ohio varied from cool sunshine on Friday, with afternoon rains and drizzle on Saturday(the 4th) and back to more sunshine with nice breezes for yesterday to wrap up the weekend.

Sam was off to Pittsburgh, Hal was home on Friday night and Saturday morning before returning to the Dayton area. I finished off my string of 46 baseball games in 34 days(out of a possible 36 days) since June 1st. Now things will slow down, at least hardball wise. I've got some American Legion games to do, and help out in a couple of Pony League tournaments, which I do once a summer, and then wrap things up the final weekend(July 31 through August 2nd) with some Little League work at the local Celina Tournament. Have not done the little league thing in about 10 years, will in interesting to see how my legs and back hold up after doing 3 double headers in 3 nights with my legs being lowered to calling balls and strikes on kids 5 feet or less tall.

Anyhow, some days off until this Thursday, so I can get at the paint and some other yard work. Maybe, now that I'm not facing games each night, I can get off my procrastination highway and do something besides baseball and beer drinking...although the beer drinking won't be completely given up on.

Sarah Palin says...."I'm outta here"____

Friday afternoon Sarah Palin, the hero of the true Conservative movement, and the Anti Christ of the Left Wing Loons, in and out of the press, announced she was stepping down as Governor of Alaska on July 26th, she was not going to run again. Immediately the press, left wing and other wise, began to question her motives. Was she going on a speaking tour, planning her early run for President in 2012, running from scandal? Just what was/were her motives?

I say, anything that can drive the left wing bonkers, with rumors, gnashing of teeth, and shrill squawks, is good enough for me. Personally I hope she sticks around and begins to build a new or within an old(Constitution, Conservative etc) Political Party that believes in less Government, killing terrorists, and that Barack Obama is one evil son of a bitch, that is out to destroy the Republic.

Go Sarah, and tell the Media to "Stuff It" no matter what your plans are, some of us have your back, while the Country Club GOP types and the loony left tries to stick a knife in it. It will be interesting to see what the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh have to say about her stepping down, both have been fans since before she ran for VP on that disaster called The John McCain Campaign.

Early July 1969____my tour at Nha Trang begins___After stepping out of the C-130 Hercules on the metal runway next to the control tower and terminal at Nha Trang Air Base, I walked towards a desk staffed by a A1C(Airman First Class, same as me at that time). Showing him my orders, he pointed me towards base police. Not that far away, so I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and walked back out into the hot and humid afternoon sun....it had rained earlier in the day, and Nha Trang at this point, reminded me of my old home in Venice, Florida....July's that were hot, humid, and with rain mixed in...and I was to find out that Nha Trang, like Venice, would be sitting on a beach, on this beach was on the South China Sea, not the Gulf of Mexico.

I walked into Base Police and eventually was greeted by a Buck Sgt(3 stripper) named Clarence Wilson...we chatted and Wilson told me that I had been assigned to Law Enforcement and would be working "A" Shift...that being Day Time Law Enforcement patrols and guard and gate shacks, wearing the infamous Blue Helmet or piss pot as well called them. That worked for me...never had worked LE, and would not again after I left Nha Trang, I was destined for Security for over 3 years of my almost 4 year hitch in Uncle Sam's Air Force. Since I had screwed off my final months back at Dover AFB, Delaware. I was assigned to Wilson for my "training"...which of course would be training in name only....basically reading a few books, pamphlets, with questions and answers intact, and heading off to the Firing Range, located off base and north of Nha Trang City, to learn how to shoot the various weapons we were assigned to carry.

For the next couple of days I would be assigned to get my "Jungle Gear"..that being camouflage uniforms, olive greens with black letters, patches and name tags, Jungle Boots, and get settled into my barracks assignment. I would be placed on the lower floor of the 2 story concrete barracks, right across the street from the base theater and not far from Base Police.....I don't remember much about my first few days "On Duty" but I did get to know a collection of folks that their names and faces remain a part of my life until this very day....That part of the story next.

Back Later>>>>

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Photos-(1) What next for Sarah Palin?(2) Me on a South China Sea beach at Nha Trang, South Vietnam, photo dated 6 July 1969...40 years ago today. Notice I still have my stateside fatigues, the new Jungle Outfit had not yet been returned from the "tailors"(3) Duffel Bag like the type we carried during my Air Force years(4) A Huey lands on Nha Trang's metal out runway...although the main landing areas were concrete, the out areas and the areas near the terminal were made from "breathing metals" with holes to allow drainage.