Happy Halloweeny!

Look at these two nerdbuckets.......HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEN!!

Georgia On My Mind

Columbus Georgia to be exact; home of the Army's Fort Benning.

I was watching a PBS documentary named School of Assasins that investigated what goes on at The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC or WHINSEC), formerly called School of the Americas.

Originally based in Panama before moving to Fort Benning, WHINSEC trains troops from Latin American countries. They take courses in areas such as combat, leadership and human rights. I think the last one you will find particularly ironic as numerous human rights violations and murders. It's some scary shit, and it gets even scarier when you realize our tax dollars have paid for it all, including the recently completed 30 million dollar renovation or their headquarters.

There is a lot of information out there on the school and the controversary surrounding it. I encourage you to learn more. This is your country. This is your business. This is happening in your very own backyard!

A couple good places to start:

Wikipedia Article on the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation

School of the Americas Watch

Nothin To See Here...

I have no idea why I feel the need to post my thoughts on the internet in the form of this blog. Why don't I just get a journal? [If anyone happens upon this, they are going to replace 'journal' with 'therapist'.] The answer is: I don't know. I just feel drawn to do it this way.

Anywho, despite my public airing here, the chances anyone is going to read this are really slim.

I haven't told everyone I know about this, nor did I look into any ways to promote my web-enabled existence on other sites. I am not going to probably have thousands of profile views or comments to my posts. In fact, the more likely outcome is that I can just ramble away largely unnoticed in this vast sea of bloggers.

I kinda like that.

It sort of reminds me of those movie booths in an adult store. Yeah you want some privacy but obviously you are a gamer for taking a chance on being seen publicly too, or you would be a housebound masterbaster.

By the way, one time I saw a line for those little rooms. As I walked in the door, straight ahead there were like 4 or 5 dudes lined up with their backs against the wall, waiting for other dudes to finish roughing up their suspects so they could hop in themselves. I thought that was funny -- and brave in it's own sad, pervy way. But I digress....

I guess my point is that the notion that no one is probably going to read my blog motivates me to be more honest and uncensored. It also makes me feel more brave, and..........okay, sad and semi-pervy too.

Good times.

The Women Of Hope Project

Having started a not-for-profit of my own has never distracted me from a lot of other great causes out there, so I am going to post from time to time about some of my favorites.

Here is one: The Women of Hope Project

WOHP is an organization by women for women to restore hope and dignity to women who have been oppressed and denied personal freedom, health, opportunity, and respect. We hope to create a sisterhood to encourage and provide resources to help these women recover from the traumatic devastation of 23 years of war.

The women of the Women of Hope Project will be the back that these women stand on to rise above the ashes.

Their vision is to provide resources to restore hope and dignity and encourage opportunities for self-sufficiency to Afghan women and their families. Our projects provide training programs and resources supporting daily food and food security needs, economic development opportunities, and vocational and business training.

They are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in need of all sorts of support from tax deductable monetary donations, to items they can use in their programs.

Betsy Beamon, the founder is an incredible woman. She and I got to know each other at the beginning of the year when our project started reaching out to hers. We have not only purchased items from them to give as gifts, we have donated toys, toiletries, shoes and clothing as well.

Please visit their site [you can click on the link at the top of this post (in orange) or the logo] to learn more about what they do, what they need, and how you can help!

Huffy Baby Flopsweat

If you cracked me open right now like one of those German nesting dolls, I think you would find this punky little baby waiting in there to punch you with that balled up fist. Why? Quite simply: I failed. As you can tell by my inner brat, I am taking it really well.

I started a nonprofit to support deployed military last year and now I am faced with most probably having to dissolve it. We just can't take on any more debt, and I failed to effectively fund raise [my Kryptonite] from the get-go.

So, here I am......looking at debt and failure and feeling like a giant flopsweat.

Yes, I know I am supposed to view this as an opportunity for growth, see the lessons in the stumble and pull myself back up and try again.............no!

I am not there yet. For now, I am just going to sit here and sulk with my inner mental, baby arm cocked and ready for a swift right hook to the next person who tells me this is no big deal -- I did enough.

That is all best saved for everyone who ignored me when I tried to tell them how important this is, and how much these brave Americans need to be remembered and supported while they are serving us -- in a goddamned war!

Yep, I am definitely not there yet.