Appalachian Patria

Appalachian Intellectual. To me that means plain thinking. I am A Non Commissioned Officer in the Army Reserves. Let me say...My views expressed here are mine and not those of The U.S. Army, Army Reserve or my fellow brethren in The National Guard. This is entirely Sua Sponte. This is My Thinking. I'm single and in my mid 30's. Politicaly, I'm a Libertarian. (Again, Sua Sponte.I do not represent the Libertarian Party.)I love my native Appalachia, Rock n Roll and...I love God.

Name:
Location: Brevard, North Caroilina

I started blogging for two reasons. I was concerned about the changes to the area I live in, Southern Appalachia and I was about to go to the war. I was in Iraq in 06 and 07 and now Kuwait in 11 and 12. Blogging was a means of documenting my experiences and hoping it would help gain clarity. I don't feel that way about it any more. It's said people write blogs because they are frustrated, that's why people read them too. That makes us sound apocalyptic. Are we? Let it be said, what I say here is of my own thinking. This is entirely Sua Sponte and not an official representation of the U.S. Military or the U.S. Government as a whole.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Words, Politicians and Animals


Heading up to a "Hot Spot", Pisgah Game Lands, Transylvania County NC,

The word Pisgah comes from the Bible. I may stand to be corrected, but, that is where Moses was shown the Promise Land. The eastern side of the Balsams is the Pisgah National Forest, Mt. Pisgah is a part of that range.

Why does the Radio DJ follow up a really cool Ramones Tune with a lame 311 song?(Sorry Amy)

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
I'm no fan of Alaska's Senator Stevens. I'm no longer a fan of Sen. McCain either. However; both men have done something good over the last few day's. As any US Citizen that reads/hears/watches the News knows there has been a hoopla over the issue of torture. Sen. McCain pushed for a Law banning the use of torture by the CIA, it has passed the House. Though some Laws already apply to it, it's a "Moral Victory"...Before you start calling me a weak minded pacifist, understand that there are three levels of War, from top to bottom, Moral, Mental and Physical(Read Sun Tzu or investigate Col. John Boyd's theory's) Moral is the most powerful one. Doing the "Right Thing" speaks volumes. It's been recently said(in one of several peices that I have read) that "Perception is everything in 4GW". Having the Moral High Ground will make you freinds, gain respect of your peers and cast shadows over your enemies...All without you actually doing something to them. As Warfare elvoves(it is Darwinian in nature) you will see a return to Chivallary. So, no, this is not a hollow gesture or useless compounding Law...Unlike Gun Control Laws.
Seanator Stevens is known for Pork. He used one of his Pork Tricks to place drilling in ANWR. He placed it on the Defense Budget, citing that it is a Defense Issue..."That this Nation not be subject to the whims of other Countries for energy", a close quote to what I remember. His action made it very damaging for someone to vote against the Bill because it was for Defense and Katrina releif. Now, the Senate has blocked it. This is actually something useful(I'll explain), that makes you wonder why they don't block the useless Pork in other appropreations. Hmm.
Fighting over ANWR is senseless. We've all heard the slogans.."No Blood For Oil"...."The War In Iraq Is So That Oil Companies Can Be Rich"...All stemmed from the Left. The Author of Imperial Hubriswarned us of our Energy Issues. By the way that is a Book the Left loves to mention, yet, must never crack the cover of. Our Oil consumption is a part of our Enemy's Issue/Propaganda Complex. Beyond a doubt, Oil is our Achilles' Heel. Three further readings by Robert Hirsch, [1] [2] [3] may interest you on the subject of World Oil Production.(IE. no new discoveries of Oil since the 1960's). We cannot operate without Oil, until we find something to replace it...However long that may be. Someone decided to actually do something about it, even if he may be motivated by pouring Money into his State, the Man is right.
Lower Oil prices would be good for our Economy. Countries go to War Economicaly, Spiritually and Physacally. A stronger Economy is part of surviving on our own terms. Here we had a chance to have not only our own source of Oil, but, to play against our Enemy's Propaganda. A chance to strengthen our position. A chance to place us on the Moral High Ground. In my personal opinion, we've been cheated.

Hot Spots and Honey Holes
A "Hot Spot" is a good place to Hunt Deer. A "Honey Hole" is a great place to Hunt Deer. I didn't get a Deer this year. All I saw were Does and then nothing on Doe Day. Thanksgiving Morning right at 0900 I had a Doe walk in on me. She stayed with me for half an hour before catching my scent or seeing me one. Then a couple of minutes after 1000, my Hunting Partner shot. It was a nice 6 Point Buck with big scratches down his neck from fighting. It was tough to get it out of the woods, it had gone down an embankment at about a 70 degree angle for 40 or so feet.
The next day we were Hunting higher up on that mountain. Both of us in a Ground Bllind in different locations. At 0930 thought I heard him shoot back off to my rear. He heard it and thought that it was me that shot. I turned on the Radio and never heard from him. Later at about 1040 I heard something to my right rear, wich had a slope I couldnt see down. It sound almost like a Man. When a Buck drags his right leg it will sound close to a Man going through the woods. Whatever it was could have easily crossed the crest of the ridge behind me and I would have never saw it. I had litle choice. I knew whatever it was it was just out of eye sight. I slowly stood, turning as I shouldered my Rifle and saw the Deer. It was about 20 feet away. I thought it to be a Doe, but, watched it through my Scope to make sure there were no Spikes. It was a Doe. She turned her head away and I eased back down in position. I hoped she would bring a Buck in, but, she left after 10 more minutes. A little bit later my Partner came over asking where my Deer was at and me asking him the same.
Last night he called me. There's an old Mountain Preacher that hunts that too. That was his shot that we confused for each others. The Buck he shot was a 10 Pointer with a 20 Inch Spread. It was following the Doe that I saw. Does will hang around after a Shot. She then went along the ridge in my direction. If that Preacher hadn't been there...Don't cha know it coulda been me.

Look at that date. The 18th. That's how long it's taken me to type all of this.

Well, you Happy Heathens, Merry Christmas
Appalachian Intellectual





5 Comments:

Blogger Matt Menendez said...

ironically, the longer we keep the price of oil low, the less incentives for developing alternate technologies. and while its theoretically possible for us to store enough for a couple days' worth, the market is global, and there's little or nothing we can do to actually reduce the costs. that's not to say we shouldn't keep using it or anything, but i wonder how the current strength of our economy weighs against the risks we incur, as the world's technology leader keeps its gas prices far below standards for the first world (not to mention too low to account for the externality costs on roads, air, etc).

that said, my computer doesn't work on solar panels yet, and it breaks my heart when they mountaintop wv. i'd still like to see the top .001% tax bracket get their tax cut shifted to energy research. a new technology would sure make things interesting for those great allies of ours in saudi arabia.

nice pictures, btw. makes me miss home. and thanks for your service. happy holidays.

9:04 PM  
Blogger Matt Menendez said...

btw, re: the post at the bottom of the page. drive by truckers = america's best band. frickin' isbel is insane.

9:07 PM  
Blogger Lee Ann said...

Hot spot! Wow, I just learned something new ;)
Have a very Merry Christmas!

11:21 AM  
Blogger Hill Billy Rave said...

First, Merry Christmas Matty. It's estimated that drilling in ANWR would increase Oil Production by 20%. Now, I know they taught you more than to read, write and Rout23 in West Virginia. Increased supply decreases prices. That would also decrease our importation of Oil, would it not?
As for alternate technologies there is a Power Plant where they try to burn coal through Jet Engines in hopes of making it a more efficient operation. It's Government funded and has been ging on since the Carter years. The last I heard they still havn't figured it out. I suspect becuase someone would lose their funding on their pet project. See, my point is Energy Efficiency is only lip service inside the Belt Way. Everythig inside the Belt Way is lip service. As for anyone coiming up with an alternative, how long can we wait?
Damn skippy on the Truckers!
Merry Christmas a second time Lee Ann. Does learning something new mean your going to take up Deer Hunting?
A 20 inch spread is from tip to tip on the top tines of the Bucks Antlers. Literaly, his rack(Stop thinking that) was 20 inches wide. Does this mean a "following"? Are you'l "Followers"? Mery Christmas Murf, with a great big cyber hug. Hey! 6 Letters!

3:04 PM  
Blogger Three Score and Ten or more said...

I never have though much about the Senator from Alaska, but I spent some time in the company of civilian employees of the army over the holidays and sure got my ear full there. The attachment of the ANWAR stuff (And I believe they should have tapped ANWAR ten or fifteen years ago) to the military appropriations bill, and it subsequently ending back in committee has raised hell with everyone who works for the army. I sure hope it hasn't affected the army in the same way, or pretty soon they'll be sending in individual requests for bullets (as they are doing for rolls of toilet paper on in-country bases.)

10:17 PM  

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