Baptized Catholic, but now consider myself agnostic.

Probably carries that around in his wallet.

Well, I'm probably 4D according to this chart, then.

That old dog Shakespeare continues to prove he was right: methinks the lady doth protest too much.

I appreciate that, Fren. A lot. Thanks.

High probability it does. Nice catch.

This post alone deserves a billion likes. Amen to that.

Thanks for sharing your story, Fren. I remember when I was living in Colorado, watching TV one night, and one of those "you may be entitled to compensation from the Catholic Church" commercials came on. I broke down and whimpered like a baby. I thought I had put that to bed for good, but then Father Greene came back to me in my dreams, that smile and the fucking cigarette smoke. Oh well. I hope you can conquer your demons once and for all. Good luck on your continued journey.

It has indeed been a journey. I think the hardest part for me has been that the Brothers and Friends I lost along the way died for a lie. Of course, when you're having to present Old Glory to grieving family members that's the last thing you think about. They didn't just die overseas - some came back and had to live with it over and over again. I quit going to the VA [not that I ever wanted to go in the first place] because I would see these guys sitting around, broken and defeated, with thousand-yard stares. I would try to give them words of comfort but couldn't really do anything other than that.

Arlington is going to kick my ass if I ever make it up there to visit. Hell, the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery is enough to take one's breath away. I hope they are all resting in peace.

Interesting how Damascus is the oldest continuously occupied city on earth, not that it matters.

I am always thankful that I know enough guys who are still alive, from Vietnam and the Persian Gulf conflicts and Afghanistan, who would have no trouble whatsoever putting this shit to bed. Now, I'm not an alarmist, but we're ready. I agree with another user that anything in America will be localized and not reported on by the MSM.

Just got word that my old ship, the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) will be departing with her battle group tomorrow, heading for the Med. That makes three carrier battle groups. Trump isn't fucking around. Had the same scenario when I was over there in the '80s - the Ike, the Nimitz and the Enterprise were all there. Man, I miss those days, but hope my shipmates are safe on their journey.

I hope that our boys are safe, and they will avenge my friend, Lance Corporal Donnie Vallone, who was blown to bits in Beirut in 1983.

I don't think there will be a civil war either, but to hear people talk in my neck of the woods, they're sure as hell ready for it. What surprises me is that the people I talk to are almost mechanical about it. They're stocked and ready and will take care of things when the time comes.

Something in the back of my noggin can't shake the thought that the power being cut off to Gaza has something to do with the darkness. Perhaps when [or if] it is restored, something may come about from it.

Interesting, I was just checking them today. I forgot how smooth the action is on a Savage Model 11 Trophy Hunter.

I wonder when it all goes down how they are going to handle the treason trial. I know that question has been asked a million times before, so I'm just musing here.

With all this business going on with Menedez, I wonder if he is arrested whether that will determine any future direction, although I don't think he is the first arrest.

Nice synopsis, thanks.

Welcome Home, Brother.

Good questions, and I wish I had more information for you, but I don't.

Here's a link to the story, in case you missed it. https://www.newsmax.com/headline/israel-hamas-american-carrier-strike-force-mediterranean/2023/10/08/id/1137464/

They have enough fuel to stay at sea for up to fifteen years. The only reason they pull into port is for supplies and equipment overhaul, excluding the reactors. Often times they replenish at sea.

Thanks. He would appreciate that too. o7

Thanks for explaining that, catsfive. There were probably people who were unaware of what that is.