"AP, WASHINGTON - Behind the Pentagon's closed doors, U.S. military leaders told President Bush Wednesday they are worried about the Iraq war's mounting strain on troops and their families. But they indicated they would go along with a brief halt in pulling out troops this summer.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff did say senior commanders in Iraq should make more frequent assessments of security conditions, an idea that appeared aimed at increasing pressure for more rapid troop reductions.

The chiefs' concern is that U.S. forces are being worn thin, compromising the Pentagon's ability to handle crises elsewhere in the world."

Okay, isn't that Admiral Fallon was saying. So, whose next to go? Place your bets.....

 

One of my friends thought that, to be fair, I should mention that I have some sort of weird approachability/competence thing going on.

For example, although the adult movie videographers will approach me in CVS, so will older people, who need help reading things. And although crazed Nazi scientists will talk to me on the street (more about that in a minute), so will people needing directions. I mean, they will pass up many others, and literally get in my way to ask me for directions. Of course, generally speaking, I can help people out, but why I don't know.

I'd like to believe it's because I'm generally smiling or in good mood, polite to people, etc. Who knows for sure though.

But, just for a few of the other crazies to give the idea...

I'm in the park one day having lunch with my friends. Usually a few homeless crazies around, but generally they don't bother anyone. We're sitting their talking, when this crazy homeless guy, goes past about 10 people, and fixates right on me. I'm not even facing his direction, and comes and gets right up in my face and starts going on about it being his birthday. Why me?? Who knows -- my friends were like it was like no one else even existed. Anyway, I finally had to stand up, get in his face and tell him to back the fuck off -- and it shocked him enough, he did back off and we all got the hell out there.

On the way home one day, stuck in traffic, i.e., not moving, because 19 people injured, 8 killed, 3 life-flights flying in rotation, etc. I'm minding my own business listening to a podcast of "Real Time with Bill Maher," and I was laughing my ass off. Guy in the car next to me, gets out, comes over to my car and tries to give me his phone number. Are you kidding me? Yeah right. I'm gonna go out with some guy in a white box van that gave me his telephone number on the Beltway. What am I a moron? Does it say moron on my forehead?

One day, I'm sitting at my desk working. Minding my own business. Get a phone call -- and the party on the other ends starts same some very obscene things. I hang up, thinking maybe I was mistaken. Phone rings again. Answer it -- saying the same obscene things. Who was it -- my mortgage loan officer for my new condo -- making obscene phone calls to me. Why I ask you? Of course, I reported him, got a new loan officer, and -- strangely enough -- my mortgage loan application just sailed through!

Oh, there are more stories to tell. I'll get back to them later on. For now, I should probably go back to work.
 

I get so tired of people telling me, in a quiet little whisper, that my cats are like my children. Are you fucking kidding me? Do I look like a moron. Sure I love my cats and I take good care of them. But, you can't leave your kids alone for three days with plenty of cat food, water and cat boxes without someone calling CPS. Or can you? But that's a whole 'nother subject for a whole 'nother day.