I have completed my 1st anniversary as a member of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI) and I now feel semi-competent to share my thoughts on the benefits of this and similar organizations.

The stated purpose for the existence of the USSVI is:

 ”To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments. Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States Government.”

It is an active duty and veterans group that is comprised of United States Submarine Sailors! They were, and are, members of the elite fighting force of the United States Navy. They are all QUALIFIED IN SUBMARINES. That does not mean that we, as a group, were simply assigned to submarines. That means that we have completed a rigorous qualification/certification program to ensure that we are familiar with the submarine from one end to the other. My original qualification card is here (large download – 4.61MB) and you will notice that it covers all the major ships systems from one end of the sub to the other. For each signature it typically means that I was able to draw the system, including major valves and switches, and physically identify the location of components by touching them. It means that I was able to explain how it worked under normal situations and what to do in emergency situations. It means that I had to demonstrate practical knowledge of what to do if “this valve springs a leak”, “that switch is fried in the closed position”, “take a molecule of sea water and walk through the ships systems to light my bunk light or make oxygen to breath.” It means that every other man on that crew could completely entrust his life to me while we were hundreds of feet below the surface. It means that I am part of an elite fighting force that during WWII comprised about 1.5% of the U.S. fighting ships and sank 30% of the Japanese navy and was responsible for 60% of it’s merchant ship losses.

Personally, I served during the cold war and made strategic deterrent patrols whose function was to remain undetected in the large ocean. Should the enemies of the United States take out all the silos and bombers (which are easy to pinpoint via satellite) there would still be the submarines hidden in the vast oceans with the exact location know ONLY by the crew themselves. This ensured that if this nation were destroyed by a first strike the enemy could also be annihilated. Mutually assured destruction, was the philosophy that said, “You attack us, we all lose.”

As I have met with these submarine comrades at monthly potluck’s/meetings I have grown a much deeper appreciation for those who have gone before me. The hardships they have endured; the sacrifices they have made; and the ground they have paved to make it better for all those that are were come after; has been stimulating for me. But, by far one of the most memorable experiences have been the stories that these heroes have to share. 95% were separated from the Navy before I was even out of high school and a significant number completed their qualifications on submarines before WWII was over. To hear the recollections of life in a time I can only imagine puts some color on what and why I have what I do today.

Every opportunity you have to sit down with an “old-timer” and talk about days gone by is an investment that pays many times over. Don’t miss out.

This date marks the crystal anniversary of my employment with a not-so-small player in the U.S. corporate world.

It did not start out that way. About 10½ years ago I was sold as an asset to my current employer. In the process my time of service was grandfathered in. Funny thing is that even with 4½ years actual time, I am higher on the list in seniority than most within the corporation of several thousand employees.

The great group of people that I work closely with have the same or lesser “real-time” seniority than I and a few have greater time in the pond, VERY few can say they have celebrated a crystal anniversary here.

BTW, the crystal is the 15th, at least in marriages.

There seem to be several recent studies in which increased cognitive ability is directly related to intense aerobics.

One study is posted on ClinicalTrials.gov. The basic study conditions are:

Recent studies have shown the encouraging effects of fitness training on human cognition, and brain structure and function. Such effects are of great interest both for what may they tell us about the nature of cognitive and brain aging and also for their public health implications.

One hundred forty sedentary older adults will be recruited for this study. Participants will be randomized to an aerobic exercise intervention group, or to a stretching and toning control group. Aerobic exercise sessions will be conducted three times a week for one year, beginning at a light to moderate intensity level over the first two months and progressing to a moderate to high level for the remainder of the year. The control group will meet on the same basis as the intervention group, and will participate in an organized program of stretching, limbering, and toning for the whole body that is specially designed for individuals 60 years of age and older.

About seven months ago I embarked on an exercise routine after several decades of sedentariness. It will be interesting to see if I obtain a side benefit from my new routine and become more mentally fit.

USA Today reports that the U.S. Governments budget deficit is better than the White House projected in February. Hurray!

But let me see, since the recession and tax cuts of 2001 each year has ended on a net deficit:

• 2002 = -$158 billion
• 2003 = -$378 billion
• 2004 = -$413 billion
• 2005 = -$318 billion
• 2006 = -$260 billion
• 2007 = -$205 billion

Let’s see that’s only -$1.732 trillian in 6 years. As you can see from the chart, the US has had more deficit years than surplus years in the last 47 years.

Now here’s the problem – even during the Clinton years, which saw the greatest surplus on record (as well as the greatest corporate scandals), the surplus did not reflect the true financial condition of the United States of America. For every deficit year the money to keep the government running had to come from somewhere. Someone has to “pay” the deficit. Guess what? We all do. The government takes out a loan and promises to repay that nasty old deficit some other day.

According to the U.S. National Debt Clock, as of July 11, 2007 @ 11:04am PDT the United States owes $8,876,680,328,676.86 and counting. Remember, as with any loan there’s interest. You can bet someone is living quite well off that interest! At a meager 1% per year the interest comes to $243,196,721.00 per day! I could live quite comfortably off this interest!!

Now here’s something to think about. During the best financial year of the Clinton presidency there was a surplus of $236 billion. If the U.S. could sustain this surplus for 38 years we could be debt free. Now that’s a sad thought, the government only needs 38 years of surpluses.

But just imagine what we, as a country, could do if we could erase this debt no longer make these interest payments. Taxes would decease, the government could provide more and everyone wins.

Who says we aren’t born with a nature that tries to manipulate the world to our benefit?

Whether lying about raiding the biscuit tin or denying they broke a toy, all children try to mislead their parents at some time. Yet it now appears that babies learn to deceive from a far younger age than anyone previously suspected.

Behavioural experts have found that infants begin to lie from as young as six months. Simple fibs help to train them for more complex deceptions in later life.

Until now, psychologists had thought the developing brains were not capable of the difficult art of lying until four years old.
Following studies of more than 50 children and interviews with parents, Dr Vasudevi Reddy, of the University of Portsmouth’s psychology department, says she has identified seven categories of deception used between six months and three-years-old.

Infants quickly learnt that using tactics such as fake crying and pretend laughing could win them attention. By eight months, more difficult deceptions became apparent, such as concealing forbidden activities or trying to distract parents’ attention.

By the age of two, toddlers could use far more devious techniques, such as bluffing when threatened with a punishment.
Dr Reddy said: “Fake crying is one of the earliest forms of deception to emerge, and infants use it to get attention even though nothing is wrong. You can tell, as they will then pause while they wait to hear if their mother is responding, before crying again.

“It demonstrates they’re clearly able to distinguish that what they are doing will have an effect. This is essentially all adults do when they tell lies, except in adults it becomes more morally loaded.”

She added: “Later it becomes more sophisticated by saying, ‘I don’t care’ when threatened with a punishment – when they clearly do.”

Dr Reddy thinks children use early fibs to discover what kinds of lie work in certain situations, and also learn the negative consequences of lying too much.
Telegraph.co.uk – July 1, 2007

As I explore returning to school to increase my knowledge I ponder the end result. Will the effort of balancing school around an already busy life really pay off? The answer to that question is based on another question. Where am I headed?

If I know where I’m headed, I’ll know how to get there. The basic problem is that I am open to many options. I don’t have the single-mindedness to direct me to pursue one goal. There are so many things that would be good and fun to do. But I guess the one that my mind is constantly drawn toward is “Dave’s Dream”.

The problem I have with pursuing this dream is that it is huge, it’s a lot more than a career change. It’s absolutely beyond my understanding how to get there. The only answer is to look up, I know that – so why don’t I hear an answer to my question of these past 7 years?

W3XK is widely regarded as the oldest television station in the United States, and possibly the entire world. July 2nd, 1928 was the first air date of this now defunct television station that broadcast in the Washington, D.C. area.

Who could have know that 79 years later that this ubiquitous device could influence our thoughts and actions? Our view of politicians and world condition or the mind-numbing entertainment we are fed is greatly greatly influenced, if not guided by this invention.

Here is a unique fact that I discovered in my 10 minute whirlwind research of the boob tube. Charles Jenkins, operator of this television station, was also the first to air a television commercial. He was fined by the government for doing so, a practice that was discontinued, unfortunately, as the medium matured.

Oh that the government would have stood its ground.