Comments by Bobby Tony | Eastern NC Now

There is a title limit. Its 150 characters, the only part on BCN that forces me into being a minimalist. I'm worried about there being a limit on the number of articles in any given time frame.

Commented: Tuesday, March 28th, 2017 @ 1:57 pm By: Bobby Tony

TMc,
You are welcome, that is how I got it.

Commented: Monday, March 27th, 2017 @ 10:49 am By: Bobby Tony

The first pass of this article contained a couple of factual errors. The FISA court is used only for foreign nationals and not US Citizens. I left out the "NOT" in my description. My short point is that the FISA court is not really a protection for US Citizens as it is easily circumvented.

Commented: Sunday, March 26th, 2017 @ 8:37 am By: Bobby Tony

I realize that I often get too deep in the weeds with these articles, but I like to immerse myself in the events to gain a further understanding on the influences that spawn such an impressive career. Rolling Stone had a short article by Robbie Robertson as a tribut to Chuck Berry. You can copy and past this into your browser and it should bring up the article.

rollingstone.com/music/news/robbie-robertson-remembers-original-guitar-god-chuck-berry-w473182

Here is the picture that accompanied the aritlce which I think was taken a couple of year ago.

Commented: Thursday, March 23rd, 2017 @ 7:59 pm By: Bobby Tony

Alex, thanks for the examination of the rules of the Senate. I was wondering if you ran across the 'Nuclear Option Rule." Your Mr. Wikipedia tells me that:



If the option (choice, selection, decision, possibility, opportunity, route, preference, alternative) is used for the appointment (selection, choice, choosing, elevation, upgrade) of Neil Gorsuch to the supreme court, We all know that it will be blamed( ascribed, credited, attributed, assigned, attributed) on Nixon and not the former Senator Harry Reid.

I have also been wondering whatever happened to the "My Good Friend" clause. It appears to have been surgically removed by Dr. Harry Reid; AKA "Dirty Harry, Dingy Harry, or Pinky Reid"

Commented: Thursday, March 23rd, 2017 @ 4:38 am By: Bobby Tony

Yes, he has all the musical talent in the family.

Commented: Sunday, March 19th, 2017 @ 8:40 pm By: Bobby Tony

I agree 100%, as long as it is not destructive like brick laying or some other intensive work.

The truth be told, I don't have arthritis yet. I only get the soreness with the change of weather from dry to damp or hot to cold. However, my dad had a bad case of it and it ran in his family. It got to the point that he could no longer hold a cup of coffee. I bought him a few Plastic Beer Stein that was large enough for him to grab. When I made his morning coffee after mom passed away, I would kid him with 'Hey old man get you claws around this.' I have always suspected that I would eventually have the same problem, but dad's did not get bad until he was well into his eighties. He still played the guitar until his mid-eighties as shown in this YouTube clip of him and my brother Jim. Jim is five years older than me and so far has not had a problem with Cousin Arthur.

beaufortcountynow.com

That is one of the reasons I returned to guitar playing was an attempt to keep my fingers limber. That also is a reason for my attempt at writing. as the keyboard work serves the same purpose.

Commented: Sunday, March 19th, 2017 @ 7:52 pm By: Bobby Tony

Here is a picture of the Little Martin. Anyone want to bet that it will not survive the day at the Flea Market?

Commented: Sunday, March 19th, 2017 @ 9:53 am By: Bobby Tony

After reviewing the documentary referenced in the article, I had to admit that my excuse for not being able to play the Riff in Johnny B. Goode because of my arthritis has officially been debunked. Keith Richards seems unaffected by his medical malady. So does Willie Nelson. Keith is 73, Willie is 83, Chuck was 90. I thought I had several good excuses:

1: Arthritis
2: Bad Guitar
3: Hard Living

What common thread do all these guys have that allows them to keep Rocking? Could it be booze, broads and drugs? Naw!!!!

And to think I gave up that for the sake of my health. I guess I will still try to find a suitable excuse now.

CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR A LARGER VIEW

Research has shown that playing the guitar does not cause Arthritis.

"Although there has been some speculation in the media that his playing may have contributed to the development of his arthritis, there’s no evidence that playing any instrument wears joints out quickly. Musicians get arthritis, just like the rest of us." www.ronankavanagh.ie/musicians-health/learning-from-keith-richards-fingers-why-musicians-get-sore/

Can I blame it all on the RUSSIANS?

Commented: Sunday, March 19th, 2017 @ 8:13 am By: Bobby Tony

Alex, Thanks. Maybe you can do an article on the slang as well as the Murphy's law of Helicopters for us ground pounders. The only Slang I ever heard there was the "Loose Jesus Nut."

One of the other jokes I heard was told by a buddy who transferred from Infantry to Door-Gunner. It went something like this:

A Huey practicing autorotations during a military night training exercise had a problem and landed on the tail rotor, separating the tail boom. Fortunately, it wound up on its skids, sliding down the runway doing 360s in a brilliant shower of sparks. As the copter passed the tower, the following exchange was overheard: Tower: “Sir, do you need any assistance?” Cobra: “I don’t know, tower. We ain’t done crashin’ yet!”

Another example of God's Lunatics and their Brass Balls and the calm demeanor that they all seemed to possess..

Commented: Thursday, March 16th, 2017 @ 10:29 am By: Bobby Tony

We must be getting old, Here is the link for the CRM114. Still a great movie.

en.wikipedia.org(fictional_device)

Commented: Thursday, March 16th, 2017 @ 9:54 am By: Bobby Tony

Thanks Alex for the primer. There is no greater tribute to you guys than Joe's speech. It still gives me chills to hear it again all these year later. I encourage the reader to listen to the speech link above.

Below from an abbreviated chapter in my Battle Diary:

I had numerous occasions to participate in the Medivac or Medevac (I never knew the correct spelling) as and RTO, Litter Bearer, and finally as a Squad Leader. By the grace of God, I never rode in one of those Huey's with a Big Red Cross on the front.

Early in my tour on April 4, 1968, we loaded our wounded comrade Ozzy Osborne on a chopper after a fierce battle in the heavy jungle around Dau Tieng, Vietnam. We were working with a Mech Unit from the 199th Infantry. Fortunately, there was a rice paddy outside the battle area. As we left the paddy, I turned and took a quick picture of the chopper. I was using slide film. I mailed the film home and I never saw it until after my tour.

The years were not kind to the film and I did not scan the picture until after my retirement in 2004. I have often thought about having the slides professionally cleaned and reproduced, but I always feared wading back into the Abyss again.

I did make an effort to clean up the image with my limited Photoshop skills when I started writing my Battle Diary of that horrific day. I decided that the picture is best left somewhat as it was when taken. It reflects the quick over the shoulder look.

It was not until many years later that I noticed the blooming flowers at the bottom of the frame. They perfectly illustrate the contradiction of combat. It was not until several days later that we learned that Ozzy did not survive his wounds.

Here is that image from my Battle Diary.



Thanks again for the post.

You did good. WELCOME HOME YOU CRAZY LUNATIC

Commented: Wednesday, March 15th, 2017 @ 9:03 am By: Bobby Tony

If all else fails, here is the summary.

youtu.be

Commented: Monday, March 13th, 2017 @ 6:16 pm By: Bobby Tony

It is funny how certain books create a foundation for living. That is why education is too important to be left to the government and tenured professors.

Three of the most influential books in my early years are obvious from my current political bent. Atlas Shrugged, Brave New World and 1984. I cannot say that I was then or even now a devout follower of humanist, pacifist, democratic socialism or objectivism as the authors were. Nevertheless, there was something about their basic thesis that fit my iconoclastic personality. (Excerpt from Grandpa's Dairies: My most influential books.)

Commented: Monday, March 13th, 2017 @ 2:05 pm By: Bobby Tony

First a seeing eye dog, and now a horse. Someone please stop that man.

Commented: Monday, March 13th, 2017 @ 11:28 am By: Bobby Tony

Stan, I agree with both you and Chuck. I prefer to call it anticipating rather than second-guessing the man. While this is not a parlor game, it has all the drama of a reality show, which may or may not be a good way to govern, but it sure gets more people involved. I enjoy trying to figure out what his next move is going to be.

I understand that I am being extremely redundant here, but here again, President Trump has given the road map for how he makes deals. He ask for the Moon and Stars, and never back down or telegraphs what he is willing to give up until the final moment. He never negotiates with himself. In the final analysis, he will usually settle for something less than what he started with or he will walk away from the 'DEAL.' I have no doubt that he will walk away from the Medical bill if it does not meet with what he alone knows is his final line. If he does this he will blame both the Republicans and Democrats as unwilling to work. It will most likely come with the admonition that it is part of the swamp he has been trying to drain. He asks for the Moon and Stars but will most likely settle for either the Moon and a Star or two.

His constituency is not congress, the press or anyone in Washington. It is the people who elected him and his seems to be willing to walk away rather than make compromises that will dislodge his base.

"My style of Deal -making is quite simple and straightforward," he writes. "I aim very high, and then I just keep pushing and pushing to get what I'm after. Sometimes I settle for less than I sought, but in most cases I still end up with what I want."

Commented: Friday, March 10th, 2017 @ 8:37 am By: Bobby Tony

Here is the link to Alex's previous article referenced below. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one whose thoughts occasionally come around full circle. My biggest concern is that I may repeat the same idea with a different conclusion. It is hard to maintain an imaginary persona and still be consistent.

beaufortcountynow.com

Commented: Sunday, March 5th, 2017 @ 11:49 am By: Bobby Tony