The fuckin soffets

In the annals of military history there are many great Generals. U.S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Patton, come to mind. Then there are those who you may not have heard of. Generals like Ambrose Burnside, George McClellan, Joseph Johnston. The reason you may not of heard of these guys is well..they kind of sucked at their jobs. This article is about one in particular George Brinton McClellan. Graduate of West Point with an unmistakable air of professionalism about about him McClellan came to Washington at a time when all seemed lost. The Union Army of the Potomac had been routed at Bull Run and had straggled into Washington afterwards confused and demoralized. The General the pressed dubbed the 'Young Napoleon,' at first seemed to do everything right organizing the units into neat camps around Washington and drilling and training the men all day. McClellan inspired loyalty in pride in his troops. As historian Shelby Foote noted 'His specialty was preparing troops for battle. McClellan trained that army, whatever that army did in its later years was due to the training McClellan gave them in that first year.' Yet as summer turned to fall and later winter Abe Lincoln and his cabinet began to wonder why McClellan, now in command of 100,000 men, did not move this mighty host against the Confederates. When pressed McClellan would come up with a host of excuses, he didn't have enough men, he was ill, they weren't prepared. As Secretary of war Edwin Stanton observed 'If he had a million men he would swear the enemy had two million, and cry in the mud and ask for three.' Finally in the spring of 1862 McClellan launched what became known as the Peninsula campaign, moving his might host up the York/James peninsula in an attempt to move on Richmond. Even though McClellan outnumbered Lee, Lee kept up the offensive. After seven days of fighting in which the Union army won all but one of the engagements McClellan retreated to Harrisons landing. One officer suggested the General was motivated by 'Cowardice or treason.' And as one observer noted he had been 'He was simply out-Generaled.' Lee had read McClellan cautious nature and had taken the offensive from the start. Whilst McClellan preferred a defensive strategy. Many historians have argued where this apparent lack of will to fight came from. I think one of the factors is he simply didn't have the stomach for it. Writing to his wife Mary Ellen he wrote 'I grow tired of the sickening sight of the battlefield with its mangled limbs and poor suffering wounded. Victory had no glory for me when purchased at such cost.' True the battlefield is a sobering place. But your'e a goddamn General for chirst sake! Thats me saying as a line cook that I don't like doing multiple slips at one time, its part of your fucking job. After the peninsula campaign McClellan eventually faced Lee again at Antietam in Maryland where he was able to push Lee back into Virginia after his invasion of Maryland. Finally after Antietam and McClellan lack of follow up Lincoln ended up firing him. It took a long time for hold honest Abe to find a General who had what it takes to take on Bobby Lee but he finally found one in Ulysses S. Grant probably the exact opposite of McClellan, quiet, unpretentious, not found of military displays or parades. If I were old Abe I could have fired him long before.

This station is now the ultimate power in the universe.

Women are fuckin' nuts. Forgive me if I now go on a tirade but I speak the truth. As anyone who has been through an intense breakup or divorce can testify to women can turn on you. In a second, a blink of an eye. It can go from being all roses and good times to 'fuck you I don't want anything to do with you.' It can baffle you sometimes. I am continually baffled by it. I was watching this documentary on the history channel about this outlaw motorcycle gang and their ways and manners. And one member was talking about how basically they treat their women like property but that women still always want to be with them. This is what baffles us normal non-abusing, cheating folk. I was talking to a girl at my work who was wondering why this one guy was with this girl saying 'I've been with guys who have hit me, who have cheated on me why can't I get someone like him.' We too wonder why you keep going with those assholes, it remains a great mystery. One that most likely will not be solved anytime soon. I don't understand I don't get it. My good friend Katrina Bell once said that women are 'cruel, vicious, creatures.' And I think it rings true. Its just never said amidst the whole 'Girls are sugar and spice and everything nice.' Its an intense thing having a girlfriend, doing right. As hard as having a normal friend plus the whole sex thing. Someday i'll figure it out.

After midnight, we gonna let it all hang down.

'That sucked.' Those were my words or something of that nature after my first day of Kindergarten according to my Mom. Not that I don't remember an experience that would merit such a response. And that feeling pretty much sums up my experience in later years in school. I was always singled out for being 'different.' I was put in special ed programs for years taught by people that were well intentioned but it was obvious that funds were lacking. And I never felt like I learned anything. Beyond basic aspects of interacting with people of my own age group. But in terms of learning and gaining new knowledge it was few and far between. And I've always had something of a complex because of it. I see some people my sister for example who seem to be able to do the academic thing so well and excel at it. But I just don't feel it. I feel like school totally takes everything that is fun and good about reading and learning new things and makes it horrible. As I have grown older whenever I meet an older person they always ask me 'are you in school?' and I never know what to say. You say 'no.' I suppose they think you are some kind of a slacker. Sometimes I feel like saying 'You know what? I've had ten plus years of school and I did not enjoy it.' Maybe i'm insane, full of shit, its hard to say. But I never liked it. I remember in third grade I had this one special ed teacher who was well intentioned but had the worst breath. Like liver and onions type of deal. And she would always get really close to you when she talked which just exascerbated the problem. But I just never fit in never felt like part of the crowd.