April 16, 2022

Why it’s the right thing to Hate Putin and All Russians       

Putin’s unprovoked attack and invasion of Ukraine, a white European nation has left me feeling enraged and helpless.

Enraged because the invasion is morally corrupt and helpless because all I can do is donate money to those who are helping both physically with their bodies and efforts alongside the Ukraine nation.

Every image I see of dead civilians, men, women and children, makes me want to Kill Putin and any Russian on the planet, they deserve death. Putin is a liar, a manipulator and a murderer of his own people and now the Ukrainians, he is The Face of Evil in our world.

While I am safe here in Florida, I see people with their homes destroyed, their lives in jeopardy and their nation being shelled city by city, block by block, dead unburied bodies littering the landscape. All I can do is seethe and wish death to him and his soldiers and his entire nation.

And why is this? Because Putin is a dictator who has a fantasy of some mythical Russian Empire that would stretch from The British Isles to the Pacific Ocean, and every nation and people in between. It’s a complete pipe dream, it will never happen unless the West and specifically The United Sates acts NOW to stop Putin in his tracks. He is a historically typical dictator, self centered and self absorbed, delusional, no one to counter him and a mass killer. His only goal is to stay in power with any means possible. He is no friend to the Russian people, he is dooming them to decades of isolation and declining living standards, a pariah state.

     

A

Russia has historically been a defensive nation, not one that attempted to subjugate those peoples outside its borders. Their success in WW2 was only a defensive, backs against the wall response to Hitler. They had no choice but to engage the Germans or be annihilated. Their success came from a total effort by their people to arm themselves and stop the Nazis; but without the help of the USA they would’ve failed and the stupidity of Hitler, the amateur strategist. If the Germans had pushed all their entire three armies to Moscow in 1941, they would’ve won. They should’ve, they could have, but they failed. The German army in 1941 was the best in the world, maybe the best ever assembled, battle tested and confident, they should have begun in March 1941 not late June, pushed on to Moscow, ignored other goals and wrecked Moscow and captured Stalin and his cadres , Stalin was shell shocked and almost incapable of action, then the US stepped in and helped him from the verge of catastrophe. The Russians lost several million soldiers either dead, wounded or captured, plus massive civilian deaths. This remarkable turn of affairs I believe is the basis of Putin’s thinking, we can do it again. Like we did in WW2, but actually no they can’t.  Another lesson Putin knows is that enormous civilian deaths in war, either Russian or others is acceptable, they do not value life like we do.

But here’s the kicker, the Russian army is crap, untrained, no capable tactical leadership on the field and a disjointed strategy. They have been soundly beaten by the Ukrainians to date.

Now lets look at what the West has done or not done to aid the Ukraine or stop the Russians, actually we know little, we know some defensive weapons are shipped and being supplied, but no planes, few tanks, very little weapons like  radar, artillery or any offensive weapons, but  average citizens like me know very little real facts, but we do know this: ITS NOT ENOUGH!!

Joe Biden is a nice guy, well intentioned but not a leader people can rally around, he lacks charisma and intent. Is he using Roosevelt’s strategy of letting others do the dying while we watch the outcome. Roosevelt was a calculating elitist, he knew the Russians in WW2 had no choice but to fight and die, but we do have a choice. I believe politics plays a big part in his decision making but c’mon man, give Ukraine what they need to kill Russians. As an example, four squadrons of A 10’s would’ve decimated his stalled columns of trucks and tanks. Destroyed them completely. Unfortunately, Putin is playing Biden and the West and they will not stand up.

A majority of Americans want Russia stopped, why is Biden dithering? Where is a Kennedy or an Eisenhower when the world needs strong leadership?

Putin needs to die and along with him a large number of Russians too, I want to see Russian cities turned to rubble.

The West has a great opportunity to stop Russia and make them what they really are, a third rate power. ACT NOW! Biden.

The 1971 movie SHAFT and the 1970’s

I watched Shaft last night, the 1971 original one with Richard Roundtree. I really like the movie, and Roundtree, but what I really liked was the exhibition of black life in NYC in the 1970’s and overall the tenor of the 1970’s.

I came of age in the 1960’s, the counterculture hippie generation of which I was definitely a part, loved all of it. Lived the life in Laguna Beach, which was a central part of the Hippie beach lifestyle. The 1970’s was when the hip culture era people had to find work, get jobs and make a living while still retaining their lifestyle and hipness.

The movie itself is a violent thriller, pitting the black criminal Bumpy against the Italian Mob, who kidnaps Bumpy’s sweet daughter to get him to negotiate over gambling turf. Shaft is the good guy, though a violent man himself to rescue the girl with the help of and old friend who is a Black Radical and some of his gang. They get the girl, wipe out the Italians and so on.

But what I really liked was the characters in the movie and the life at the time. People were individuals, not clones who wont step out, like today. Today is all about money, and for blacks its all about athletes and musicians who’ve made millions selling music to whoever.  Drugs hadn’t really hit the black community and ruined it like the 80’s and 90’s. People were real, in dress, manner and lifestyle.

Lets look at Shaft’s apartment. Two story, book cases, hi fi, nice couches, very upscale; for the era, pretty damn nice! Plus his clothes, wool turtlenecks, wool slacks, hip long leather coats. At the time, it was stylish; Hip and stylish.  It was real, the sets, people, dress and language was real.

Now compare this to modern times. There is this musician named Drake, never heard one of his songs, only know of him since he has court side seats at Raptors games. He just built a huge mansion In Toronto. The design is stunning, it even has a basketball court inside, NBA size. The interior is fabulous, he has great taste. But who buys all his songs, blacks, whites, young, middle aged, poor or successful? I have no clue, and I don’t care, just so he can make tens of millions for just being some type of rapper or whatever he is. Its all about money today, nothing else.

I liked the movie and the era. It was about people who were individuals and unique in their own way.

This is a letter I sent to Andrew Sorkin, a host in the morning CNBC show

Subject: Trump Tariffs

Message: Mr. Sorkin, I watch your show participation as I much as time allows on CNBC. Love the show!

I want to give you my experience as a Chinese based manufacturer, importer and distributor of mosaic tiles. We are a small business, but our group of companies have been in business 25+ years and Ive been doing business in China for 19 years.
I am married to a Chinese, we live in Florida and do business nationwide. (www.bellacasatilecollection.com, www.glasstilehome.com). 100% of what we import is Chinese goods that I design and my wife’s Chinese company makes. We have beautiful designs that sell well. We are cost efficient and give our customers high quality at affordable prices.

The Trump tariffs have hurt us and our businesses; we absorbed the initial additional 10% tariff, DIDNT PASS IT ON, BUT our overall duty rate now 14.9%, but an additional 15%, making our overall duty 29.4% will hurt us , our customers,and the American consumer. I dont think we can pass this on . If I eat it, I will have marginal profitability.

As to Jim Cramers non stop stupid and uninformed comments as to switching manufacturing to some tiny country with no infrastructure is flat out absurd. I cant believe how classless and clueless he is!! ITS NOT REALISTIC OR DOABLE. Ive been all over Asia, I know it well, my investment there is more than $8-10 Million.
Im not excusing the Chinese, they are miscalculating, but I am one example of a very experienced business man who knows whats what in China, and has backed it up with hard dollars. This situation is not academic, no one wants to pay or pass on these onerous costs.
Please try to bring this up. ITS REAL, most of these people on your show treat it as an academic exercise. Unfortunately its not.
Thank you

I watch MSNBC each morning (this is Thursday January 24, 2019) to get a read on the market. The Dow was up 43 points pre market, then Wilbur Ross, our tone deaf Commerce Secretary came on and said two things that are remarkable . Note that he is a billionaire.

The first was that the China trade negotiations are “miles and miles away….”. Immediately the pre-market dropped 30 points, a swing of 70 points in a few minutes. Then he went on to say things like companies are leaving China to go to Vietnam and other small nations to manufacture their goods. NOT true at all. Ive been manufacturing in China 20 years, and to try to move our production to a small Communist country with hardly any infrastructure is absurd. It will not fly for me and most US based companies and importers.

The Second was even worse, after Andrew told him that furloughed government workers are having to go to food banks and homeless shelters to obtain food for their families, his reply was this, and I quote: “they can get loans from banks and credit unions”. Really Mr Ross?My experience is low wage employees cannot easily obtain loans. Banks lend to those who have assets and are credit worthy. Its basically a fantasy and the fact that he even said this shows how out of touch he and the Trump administration really is regarding the effect of the shutdown. Its pathetic and lacks basic humanitarian empathy.

What can we do to help, if our government wont?

The Trump trade war with China is in full battle mode.  Today’s news where the US has asked Canada to detain a female executive from Huawei , has now escalated this to a new and more dangerous level. The Chinese will see this as an inflammatory escalation that is personally punitive to one of their citizens, its akin to China arresting the head of China Ford, we would be outraged and up in arms. Why is the question? I’ll answer at the end of this post.

Let me fill you in a bit on my part of this, albeit small as it is.

I have been importing from China for twenty years, my wife is Chinese, we have invested several million dollars  in China over the last 15 years supporting our own factories. We are mosaic tile manufacturers, importers and distributors, we are a vertically integrated company with three branches and separate companies.  We own multiple real estate properties in China, I’ve lived there at times up to a few months, I have traveled extensively throughout the country, I have numerous friends, acquaintances and associates there, for the most part I like China and the Chinese people.  My business relationship with China is good, the same for thousands of other US based companies who import from China. The Chinese are a stable source of production with good infrastructure.

We import our designs form China every month or so. At end of the year, we bring in a lot of shipments so to be prepared for the stopgap of China New Year. We have to be fully stocked til April at least.

Since the additional  tariffs kicked in, in September, our normal duty has risen form 4.8% to 14.8%, this means we will pay an extra $40,000 (for duty only)  or so in November and December alone. For us, this is a lot of money, money out of our pocket.  Money that could be used for other things, or as profit to us. It is also a cost that we may have to pass onto our customers, as of now we will absorb this cost, but if the tariffs increase to 25%, making our total duty 29.8%, I will definitely have to increase the price of our goods to compensate. Thousands of other companies will also face this decision, and most will do the same. INCREASE PRICES ACROSS THE BOARD.  20% of all goods sold in America come from China, $440 Billion dollars worth,70% of all tile products are imported and many of them common everyday items most Americans will purchase.

We cannot manufacture in the US do to the lack of glass tile resources here , lack of certain stone materials, and the labor differential.  It would take an item I wholesale from $8-12 and push it up to $20-50 or more, and then making the retail price more than $40-80.00/ sheet of tile, unaffordable to most at best, making people stop buying at worst. Its not feasible at all!

Now I get that the Trump administration feels somehow that China is guilty of not stopping intellectual property theft, dumping, and blocking access for certain exports. I too believe that China must open up and stop theft, but these two world economies are too intertwined to fight a trade war, both sides lose, but the US consumer loses more.

Further, Trump is an empty vessel , and his head is being filled up with a New Cold War thinking from some of these anti communist ideologues  he has in his administration.  To them China is now like Russia in the 1950-1960’s era. “They are The Enemy!” I don’t think they are like the Russians, who are our enemy but this is why this trade war escalation has taken on more impetus. They want to STOP China in their tracks, and maybe they are hoping for regime change, which will not happen. What will happen is that it will hurt both countries and may become something worse, like a real war; detaining this woman executive is a worrisome and a bad move that will harden the Chinese further.

Its hurting me now, and will hurt way more industries and people in the near future if this doesn’t become a negotiated settlement.

 

Today is November 3, 2018. The sixth year to the day that my son was taken from us.
I spent last night and today thinking of that day, sitting in His room, touching His clothes, His pictures, all His mementos that are here with me. I am attaching the the LAST TWO pictures I took of him that Saturday in WLV.
That November 3rd, 2012 was a sunny, cool, blue sky day. It was Saturday. He was coming over to help me with some minor thing on one of the cars. Sand asked him to stay and have some lunch, this was about 12 -1:00 PM. He was always genuinely grateful for anything but it was just sandwiches. He rode his bike all over everywhere, that ultra fast Hayabusa, which he had fallen in love with. A superior race bike. He did have great skills. He just loved being on that bike.
Our relationship had changed to parent and young adult. He was coming along just fine. We had a solid and mutual respect relationship, but he was still My BOY. My Baby Boy. THE CH!
I had great faith in Him.
I found out later that the previous Thursday he took it out and rode about 200 miles through the canyons in Santa Clarita and at one point had touched 175 MPH+ I could only see part of the speedo reading, on the video from his helmet cam, and I only saw/ found this out later.
He vaguely mentioned that he had taken a long ride but of course he wouldn’t have told me the details or the speed!!He knew I would get super pissed but at same time admire his courage.
We went outside and I took a few I phone pics of Him on the bike.
He vaguely mentioned that he had taken a long ride but of course he wouldn’t have told me the details or the speed!! He knew I would’ve flipped out!!! (I rode bikes for 35 years, had a few accidents and I know the real danger of bikes. I was young and crazy at one time too!) But I never had a bike that was 0-60 in 2.53 seconds, or the top speed that was 194MPH.
I looked at My Son, I was proud of Him always. I Liked where he was at and where he was going in His life.
I told him like any parent to always be careful, it’s not YOU, it’s all the other people on the roads who mostly cannot drive at all Period!!
He started his motor, we said goodbye and that was the LAST TIME I SAW MY SON ALIVE. The very last time!!
Then a little while later one his friends called me and said he thinks, thinks CH was in an accident, on Westlake Blvd, right by the house. I quickly jumped in a car, and rode down WL Blvd and saw my son’s bike in pieces! Broken debris strewn all over the road.
A large number of police were there and I tried to run over to get close to the scene, but one guy grabbed me and pulled me away, at that point I stared to come apart, I started to cry and felt sick and jumpy all over. A Large wave of real fear came over me immediately.
I rushed to Los Robles and sat waiting for news while some lame dipshit woman kept smiling and telling us to wait. Our whole family was there and a group of Christian’s close buddies. No news for about two whole hours; I was thinking he had probably broken some bones or what not, and I was just waiting. THEN, then …THE NEWS that killed me!! I left that horrible place crying and choking, sobbing uncontrollably!
For the next week, I was trying to hope something would happen and My Boy would come back. I was depressed and suicidal. Christian meant and means to me more than anything in my Life and always will.
It’s the same feeling today, I am not trying to be self serving but I LOST MY SON. This is my November 3, 2018.

My Favorable Sayings

I have compiled this list over the years, some are the words of others,

some are original.

I am saving these for myself, my sons and their eventual sons.

 

A Motto to Live by……..

Be cheerful

Lessen sorrow and give hope

Be brave

Put aside your own feelings

Never give up!

Clara Barton  1865

U.S. Civil War Heroine

 

Never doubt that GOD exists, HE is the source of life and hope

 

GOD is life.

St. Thomas Aquinas

 

My life is dedicated to my Beloved Son CHRISTIAN ALEXANDER EITELBACH

Born May 27, 1993 Departed  November 3, 2012

 

 

Walk the Walk, don’t Talk the Talk!

American phrase

 

People say things happen for a reason. I don’t care about any reasons, some things should never happen.

 

Marquise Lee USC

 

THE BOSS
THE COWBOY
THE BEST FRIEND
THE TOP OF THE PODIUM
THE CHIEF
THE LOVE
THE HAPPINESS
THE COOLEST MOTHERF*CKER EVER

Friend of Christian Eitelbach 11/3/12

 

Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten

Chairman of the Board

Leitz GMBH

 

 

Common sense is not so common

Voltaire 1764

 

Surely GOD would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day!! NO NO!,  man was made for immortality.

 

Abraham Lincoln

 

On hiring the right people: Loyalty, integrity, character, work ethic and intelligence.

Robert Kraft Patriots Owner

 

Beauty is a cruel mistress.

Russian guy in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla

 

 

A timid person is frightened before danger, a coward during the time,

and a courageous person afterward

John Paul Richter

German Author(1763-1827)

 

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

 

If one man can do it, any man can

 

A loser is one who fails to try

 

Many are called but few are Chosen

The Bible

 

Don’t confuse activity with results

Alex Eitelbach 1988

 

A conceited man cannot abide failure so he turns away from any area where he may fail.

Gerald Seymour 1989

 

What would you attempt if you knew you couldn’t fail

 

Do not be afraid……..

Pope John Paul II

Combo Therapy

Medical

Psychological

Physical

Spiritual

 

Process experience to learn a new perspective

 

Contacts=sales

 

Focus on possibilities, not problems

 

Aggression masks fear

 

Don’t give up just because it becomes difficult

 

Respect yourself first

 

A good invention is a simple solution to a complex problem

 

The goal of life is to live!

 

The successful man does what he doesn’t want to do—-and does it well

 

Talent

Preparedness

Focus

Execution

 

Dream the impossible

 

Live life one day at a time

 

Know yourself!

 

Life is an at risk proposition

 

Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.

Thomas Edison 1901

 

It ain’t bragging………..if you can do it.

Dizzy Dean 1933

 

Never have so many owed so few for so much……

Winston Churchill 1941

 

The organized person is the successful person.

 

Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Steve Jobs 1956  -2011

An amateur imitates, a professional steals

Benjamin Franklin 1769

 

Trust your company.                                                                                                                                                                                                Dale Boles

 

My Son Christian was one of the nicest, caring, loving and fearless humans I will ever know

William A. Eitelbach 2012

 

 

 

I finally got tired of Apple’s pop ups to do a software update on my Iphone 6S and decided to finally do the software upgrade, WOW! what a mistake. Let me explain my experience and what I had to do over two Saturdays; a lot of  time spent.

I’m in international business, I use my phone for calls, texts, emails, WeChat , news,  financial info on stocks and the  market  and sports. I don’t dwell on minor and to me insignificant software improvements on my device. The 6S is fine for my needs, I’ll get a new model when I feel its appropriate. I can afford whatever the cost.

I did the upgrade and then when someone called me, the ringtone was a default, I looked in sounds, my custom ringtone was there, I selected it, and nothing, it wouldn’t use this tone, huh? I looked online at forums on this topic and hundreds had the same issue. My immediate thinking is this: when the engineers and architects of a new software platform design an upgrade, don’t they test it at all? If hundreds complain online then that means hundreds of thousands of users have the same problem. I mean,  why don’t they test  it first??!!! A design is only good if it works for the end user.

I called ATT a week ago on Saturday  and they didn’t know why, they got me to Apple support right away, which I do appreciate. I spoke to the tech and he went through various trials and still no ringtone. He then told me to do a full reset and this made my phone go back to original default settings which was more of a time consuming mess. I then was transferred to a senior technician at Apple and he was helpful but still didn’t resolve.

A week went by so again  I tried the same route on a second Saturday afternoon again. The girl I spoke to at ATT actually had the same issue on her personal phone as did her sister. She was polite and helpful but said this was an Apple issue. I decided that I would just buy a new ringtone and did. I paid and then reset my device and lo and behold . NO RINGTONE.

I opened Itunes and the new purchased song was there along with all my purchased and downloaded music but in Tones, there was nothing at all. I then called back ATT and again I was transferred to Apple. I have to interject that both companies service was prompt and they did try to resolve. I finally lucked out because the person I spoke to really was going to solve this one way or the other. We worked together for more than one and a half hours. Here’s the how the solution evolved.

He tried various ways to get the purchase songs back into Tones, nothing was working. He then attempted to save the ringtone in a shortened file, I don’t recall what it was , but after  a long series of attempts, while he took control on my computer and my device. He ended up creating a new file in another format, saving it and then transferring somehow to Itunes and then to the device.  He did accomplish the task of getting the new ringtone back into my Iphone, and it worked.  This guy was terrific!! This was two Saturdays time , and  a total of 5 people and 3 hours of calls. Unbelievable really!!!.

I now have a tone that works. Was it worth all the hassle?, in hindsight yes, but who else would do this? And how would they get the right person at Apple. I did  and am thankful but really?

I thank Apple and ATT for employing service technicians and phone support individuals who care and really try to help their customers. I have been with ATT twenty years at least, 5 lines, and from Apple have purchased at  least  10 Iphones, (some of our family have the 7 and 8 Iphones, so I’m the only on with an older device) and many  computers and tablets.

As to Apple, in summary, test what you design so you don’t have tons of unhappy and disgruntled customers who have to experience a time consuming ordeal like mine.

Consumers: Don’t do an upgrade if you find out later its only for the very latest devices. Read reviews first then act if others say it works.

Thank you

I can’t believe it actually, but this year, 2017, I will turn 70! SEVENTY!! It’s blowing my mind. Seventy is not 40, 50 or 60, its OLD!! It’s my new reality.  I own and run a successful company, my health is pretty good, vascular and physiologically really good, normal blood pressure, resting pulse rate of 56,  low cholesterol and other things like that, 6′ 3″ and 210 lbs. Ride a Cannondale road racing bike 80 + miles per week, lift weights, eat right, drink not too much 12 year old scotch, and have sired four children, the youngest is only 2!!  ; and except for my back and both hips which I am developing arthritis in, so bending down is a huge chore, I am OK. People say to me:” you look 55 or so”, I Work out still 5 days a week but I AM OLD.

In 1965 I had just graduated from High School and was on the way to the new UC Irvine Campus, one of the first 400 ever to attend that university.

Thinking a lot of my youth and lately I have been reading a number of books on The Vietnam War (see bibliography notes) and the young Americans who served there. I now have a very deep appreciation of what they went through and how they felt. They are our heroes from my generation.  They fought, killed, were wounded physically and emotionally,   died and were deprived of all basic things daily, that all Americans take for granted , for months at a time; shit food, no showers, facing an unseen enemy who could pop up out of spider holes or treelines at any time, trip wires with land mines,  sleeping in foxholes wet or dry , carving paths through dense jungle in 100 degree heat and 90% humidity, facing real mortal danger at almost every minute, driven by some commissioned officers who cared little for them and cared a lot for “kill ratios”,  and fought an enemy in his homeland who could endure what Americans consider unendurable. Tactics that put them in areas as “bait” where the enemy congregated and an ever-changing disjointed strategy that was ineffective and cost lives constantly and needlessly. In war front line troops are expendable assets.  The involvement of US troops in Vietnam was a mistake and cost the lives of 58,000 + US citizens and millions of Vietnamese, I admire their effort and sacrifice.

I only personally knew a few who served in Vietnam, no one I was really close to in high school or college went or wanted to go, and here is my story.

For me the country of Vietnam, which I vaguely knew was somewhere in Asia, and the Vietnam War were a distant land and conflict that I had zero interest in going there or joining any military branch. I didn’t know zilch about this deal and wasn’t worried about Communism unless they invaded our shores. To me this was a trumped up deal instigated by old men who had some geo political ideas that didn’t concern me.

Let me say this, I didn’t want to go for personal reasons, I didn’t want to be killed or kill, and for the reason is that it was a waste of people and resources for no foreseeable conclusion. I think history has borne this theory out. It had nothing to do with the United States and it was a no win situation. Plus we didn’t conduct the war to win, you can’t one day want the people of Vietnam to be your friend then the next day bomb their homes and kill their men.  The overall political and military policy was never clear.

In 1966-68 I was living in Balboa Island in Newport Beach and then from 1969 on I was living in Laguna Beach CA and living the hipster life: girls, dope, cars, surfing, school and basketball and volleyball. The beach life in Orange County was as good as it gets when you’re white, 18 and free.  It was heaven and the entire area was turned on!

 

I never seriously thought about the war, or what was going on there and who was actually fighting on the American side, the Marines and the US Army. Who was stupid enough to go there except some lifer hard ons and people who bought the patriotism line they were shelling out? I know some wanted to go for the thrill and the adventure, but most had no choice they were draftees.

To me, if you had a brain, this was to be avoided at all costs! But I also knew if you were in a top university like the University of California, and you maintained a passing grade average you automatically got a 2 S deferment. I also was vaguely aware that those of draft age and who were not in school would get draft notices and had to report for their physical and from there to the army.  Who were these young men of my age group? I didn’t know and didn’t care.  I did find out later that these young men, aged 17-20 or so, were disaffected, didn’t like or want to go to college, were patriots or were seeking adventures away from home.  I knew the average American youth was 6″ taller and 60 pounds heavier than any small Asian guy. How could we not lose?  Anyway it didn’t concern me for a long while til 1970.

In 1970  I was married, went to school full time completing my undergraduate degree in psychology, worked 35+ hours a week at the  science lab, but was bored with school and then they started to peck away at those in college who had 2S deferments.  The public became aware that most of those who were drafted were young men not in college and were from the bottom strata of society. Their parents voted and these people thought the whole deal was unfair. They were right!

The first harbingers of the “draft college students” movement came in the form of the draft test. I don’t recall what it was about, but I do recall sitting in the student lecture hall, which held around 400 people, on a Saturday morning and listening to some army bureaucrat talk about the test.  It was like listening to some nincompoop teacher in junior high. Irvine was chock full of very smart people, people who didn’t like the war or those who represented the government.  After a fifteen minute monologue, the guy asked “were there any questions?”  Me being the stone wiseass I always was, I raised my hand, stood up and then said: “could you please repeat this again, but slowly?” At first there was just a stunned silence, then a few chuckles, and then seconds later everyone was laughing so hard the room echoed with the volume of glee.  Needless to say the officials there were not laughing.

After that came the Draft Lottery. Once again, don’t recall this but if your name starting with the First letter of your last name came up, in a certain order, like the top 50, you would go on a list of those to be drafted.  I think mine came up 2 or something.  That made me think.

At this point in time I was bored with school, my wife and I were light years apart intellectually, we were too young to be married and I just don’t like things hanging over my head that I need to deal with, I always deal with problems. I also don’t like anyone telling me what to do, I have lived my life on my own terms successfully since i was 16, and this is part of my life philosophy.   So i dropped out of school for one quarter and then soon got my draft physical notice.

I spoke to my dad and he said , “Don’t worry, you’re so smart that when they test you and find out you have a genius IQ, which I did have, they will make you an officer immediately, then he said, “you’re tall (6′ 3″) you’ll make a good target”.  Hmmmm! Not so funny.

I now thought , screw it, I’ll deal with it, it can’t be that bad and go in the army  and  I’ll do my best.  I decided that my life was my life and I could overcome my fears.  I didn’t know anything really, but a few things about myself.  I wasn’t brave, my only brave actions centered around riding my motorcycle at very  high speed in the back roads of Irvine while high on LSD, I could shot a pistol well with either hand, but I wasn’t a hunter, and I was an athlete and in great shape, and I could deal with situations.

My friends all thought I was nuts to drop out of school, but Irvine told me I could get back in anytime, I was actually one of the first 400 ever admitted to Irvine so I was a semi special case.

I got the notice to take my physical at a building in downtown LA at 8:00 AM. I worried about this as the date approached but I had to do it. I wasn’t like some who were going to Canada, I tried the conscientious objector route but after meeting with an attorney she said it wasn’t going to fly, I hardly ever went to Mass.  I knew they tested your urine, so I didn’t do drugs for a while.

The day came and I arrived for my draft physical. It was a dreary winter day and I had hardly ever been in downtown LA; it’s a crappy place and still is. I went in, presented my draft card and California driver’s license and then was told to strip down to underwear and shoes. There were several hundred other young men in the arrival area. They started the physical in a line and you went to various stations and did what you were told to do.

I looked around me, I was no Adonis but I am 6′ 3″ and weighed bout 190 lbs. I was an athlete, and had been since I was 7 years old, played sports all through my youth and into college. I was used to being in locker rooms with other male athletes. Most of the other people in the room were bags of skin, skinny or fat but definitely not jocks. They mostly had flaccid bodies!   I was astounded; I had never been in a regular PE class in my life. These were not my peers! I started to feel a bit confident.

Then when they were drawing blood some guy passed out, and everyone just froze, but not me! I wanted to get this over with so I jumped ahead of everyone in front of me and then got my blood drawn and then was almost at the head of the line. Heart checked out fine, then the doctor took my blood pressure he said it was borderline high. I was amped up about this whole deal and I guess it made it jump up, who knows, he said it’s was too high for my age group and then it was over for the day. I left and drove back to Laguna Beach.

A month or two later I got my draft card back stamped 1Y, it meant I was eligible if things got rough but not 1A, so i didn’t get called up.

That’s my story, I dealt with the problem and it worked out fine for me, several years later the war was winding down and I was home free. I didn’t really ponder it much; I did what I had to do and was free to pursue my life on my terms.

I am sure that some vets who may read this will think I was a shirker and maybe a coward, and from them I would accept this criticism.

Did I regret not going to Vietnam to fight for our country? NO WAY!; but I do admire those who went and fought this war.

 

 

Bibliography:

Fields of Fire: James Webb

Rumor of War: Philip Caputo

Charlie Company: Peter Goldman and Tony Fuller

Everything We Had: Al Santoli

 

Five Reasons Trump will Fail
> 1) LACK OF STAMINA.

The pace of the office of the President is beyond the scope and capacity of most people to fathom or deal with on a daily basis. The sheer volume of issues and people who want the attention of the President is nonstop and detailed down to 10-15 minute increments. Every day, plus nights and weekends. You can’t just ignore them or go off for a round of golf.

Mr. Trump is used to running a large and varied international business with underlings who will follow his directives precisely.  His schedule is his schedule, he doesn’t need anyone to arrange it or tell him when he has to do whatever. This will not be the case in Washington. I doubt he will have the stamina necessary to have this arranged daily schedule for 365 days and 4 years. He has shown in the past to be impatient and capricious, and not one who has a steady emotional demeanor. The issues he will be presented with and the decisions he will have to make, large and small would wear anyone down, but Mr. Trump more so than our current President.

I doubt he will have the stamina for this office.
> 2) Lack of the experience to understand how the government actually works and functions.

As an outsider in the process of government Mr. Trump brings zero knowledge or experience to the process of governing. He can’t just say to an agency head, do this. He can’t just tell Congress pass this law, or repeal that law. He has no staff or inside group familiar with the federal government. Jimmy Carter is a case in point, an outsider from a small state who relied on his Georgia cronies and look what happened to his term in office.

Our government has three branches, as President he is only one spoke. There are also the multitude of agencies and the army of long time bureaucrats who have seen Presidents come and go. Only when attention is actually focused on one of them like the Bureau of Veteran Affairs in last two years, will someone go, or something might change. They resist change. They define inertia.

The President has limited ability to make wholesale changes, does Mr. Trump understand this? He always portrays himself as the ultimate deal maker. But you just don’t just sit down with the head of Nation X and chat for a few hours and then it’s done! Nope, doesn’t work that way, the change if any is slow, will he grasp this aspect?

It’s a give and take process but many will resist any changes to their interests or their specific area of responsibility.

Also, just because you appoint someone to some cabinet position, doesn’t necessarily mean they will do what you want them to do. Then there is the time factor, time tends to wear down and erode initiative.

The process of government is slow, time consuming and tends to delay or deflate initiative of Mr. Trump’s campaign promises and desires.
> 3) Inability to Delegate

Mr. Trump, if he is anything, is his own man, this we know to be true. Who will he trust beneath him to carry out how his own directives?  Who will he appoint to important cabinet positions, to lead federal agencies like Justice and HS, that don’t already carry their own baggage and their own self interest above his?

He’s already talking to a cuckoo like Giuliani, whose term as Mayor of NYC during 9-11 has worn off eons ago.

He has his family but I don’t see his sons and daughters in cabinet positions. Will it just be him and his wife and children making all the decisions for our nation? Like Trump Tower except in the Oval office? Eating popcorn and watching the NFL while trying to hammer out policy directives?

Further he is a narcissist with  a massive ego, he is  a self made man who has amassed an enviable world class real estate portfolio, and like most self made men in America, a firm belief in his intellectual powers and his” gut instincts”.

I sincerely doubt he will trust few if any people, especially people he doesn’t already know. It’s just not his style or in his nature to delegate. If he does they will be people already close to him, like his son in law?

Loyalty to the Trump Brand is his credo, not experience or acumen in the national arena.
> 4) Capricious off the cuff decision making

His campaign was well documented for his many aggressive, undignified and hurtful comments and his capricious off the cuff remarks. He seems a person who likes invective and confrontation. When confronted with the myriad responsibilities of the office, how will he perform? Per character as we have seen, or in a more controlled mode. The President must be cool under fire, not reactive.

Trump is 70, does he have the capacity and perspective to act as a Chief Executive of the entire nation or will he revert to form?
> 5) The fractious Congressional members

Congress is composed of two separate legislative bodies, the 100 member Senate and the 435 member House of Representatives, both now under Republican control, not a super majority.

The Senate tends to have a more controlled approach to matters in hand, since they are in for six year terms but the House is comprised of many members elected from small districts in low population’s 

states. These members, especially what the media has termed the Republican Tea Party activists will want radical reform of many laws and federal agencies that have say on many areas like banking, the environment, security,  trade and immigration.

Some of these people act and think that this is 1850 when the US population was 95% white people and maybe 20 million total populations. They are venal, small time poseurs who are a threat to the nation long term. Remember Sarah Palin?

They all have agendas that they will try to force him to act on immediately. How will he deal with them? ; As partners or as adversaries?

They will help him or thwart him according to their whims and two dimensional view of the nation and a in a broader sense the world body politic.  These people and people like them formed the basis of pre WWII Germany; Fanatics unleashed who are not afraid to suspend civil liberties. They most resemble the characters in Orwell’s 1984.

Will Mr. Trump grow into his role as Commander in Chief or will he burn out, blunder through four years in Washington or effect real change in America.

We feel not.