D-Day’s-75th-WW2-Significance-Bob Davis Podcast 838

Highly Significant

I think World War Two might have been the most significant historic event in more than the last two hundred years. These days people don’t think or talk much about the second world war, but we’re living in the world created by it. Learn more in D-Day’s-75th-WW2-Significance-Bob Davis Podcast 838.

Father’s and Grandfather’s War

Like most kids growing up in the 70’s World War 2 was our father’s war. Our grandfather’s war.

Certainly World War 2 was historic. Almost every American family has stories from that war. Family members who served. Army Air Force, Marines, Army and Navy or Coast Guard. The stories fade a little more every year, as our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers, mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers fade too. Inevitably, the significance of that war gets lost in time.

When Everything Changed

What’s most noteworthy is the structure of the world today is the result of World War 2. Especially relevant to this podcast is this. The world that preceded the start of the war in 1939 is gone. The life Americans knew before the war, was obliterated by it. Learn more in D-Day’s-75th-WW2-Significance-Bob Davis Podcast 838.

Governments Run Amok

When I was growing up we’d go to the army surplus store in Hammond, Indiana. We’d pick through the boots, jackets, and tanker goggles. Whenever we could we watched all the black and white movies. ‘The Longest Day‘, ‘The Sands of Iwo Jima‘, ‘They Were Expendable‘ and many others. Those movies miss or gloss over mistakes governments made that got us into that war.

Gold Star Windows Up and Down the Block

I am old enough to remember the faded gold stars in the windows of the old ladies on the block, who’s sons never came home. Some were from the Korean and Vietnam wars, but many were still there from World War 2. They were the most faded.

How Could They Have Survived Omaha Beach?

In addition I am lucky enough to have been to Normandy, and of course, Omaha Beach. I have two takeaways. That hill is close to the water and very steep, and I wonder how anyone could have survived crawling up under fire the morning of June 6th, 1944.

They Didn’t Talk About It…They Did It

In conclusion we don’t think about the war that changed the world. Forever.

These days there’s a lot of talk about making the world a better place.

Those who fought that war, actually did.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

D-Day’s-75th-WW2-Significance-Bob Davis Podcast 838

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Podcast 429

Politics as Sport. Millions of people watched the most recent Republican debate on CNBC this week, and everyone is talking about how the candidates ‘really gave it to the moderators’. The moderators had it coming, but was this a surprise? Do you mean say the media is biased? Really? How shocking if true, right? Meanwhile this week a US Destroyer sailed past man-made islands claimed by China provoking quite a response. While the US should challenge Chinese ‘ownership’ of these islands this is just the kind of incident that creates foreign policy crises seemingly ‘out of nowhere’. To add insult to injury House Republicans this week voted to increase federal spending by 50 billion dollars in 2016 and something like 30 billion in 2017. (Editor’s Note: Republicans were shocked and dismayed in the 1970’s when President Carter’s budget deficit hit 45 billion.) Talk about the GOP betrayal of their voters? No, let’s talk about media bias, again. Republican and Democrat candidates running for their party’s nomination to run for president – technically not running for president yet – continue to play to the biases and fears of their most vociferous supporters, as part of a sick and dangerous symbiosis between media, pollsters, and politicians. People watch to see who will be ‘thrown off the island last’. Indeed, politics is being covered not as sports as covered, but is in fact a sport in itself. Why not talk about video games and fantasy football at the debates? The election is already a fantasy football league or video game, or reality TV show, anyway. With most people getting their news in shards from social media, google searches, You Tube and other sources like this, the story about three deep space objects hiding behind the moon is perceived with the same credibility as the story of US Special Forces and Navy Helicopters being deployed to Syria, where they may be as likely to get into combat with Russians and Chinese troops as they are to fight ISIS. We’re ‘Cruisin For A Bruisin’ in the United States if this is how we expect to elect the next President, and subsequently run the country. Don’t forget to join The Bob Davis Podcasts and Jason Lewis for a live podcast Saturday, Halloween at 11:00 AM in Lakeville, Minnesota at the Main Street Cafe. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul. (Editor’s Note: I refer to Russia Today, which is a propaganda outlet for the Russian Government as Russia Times. It’s RT or Russia Today.)

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Podcast 381

Norfolk Naval Base. The Big East Road Trip continues from Western Virginia, to the Atlantic Coast. Virginia Beach, and the Naval Base at Norfolk where a relative is flying helicopters. Life on the base is different from civilian life in many ways. Most significantly, everyone has a job and a place in the big machine. As everyone does their job, it all comes together somewhere downstream. It’s also apparent there are clear rank divisions in the armed forces, with various perks and rituals. While some may covet the residence of an Admiral, few covet the weight of the responsibility higher officers have, or of what it takes to reach high rank. Odd, considering the debate we’re currently having in this country about inequality, with the implication that government has to step in and ‘equalize’ things. There’s no such attempt in the Navy that I can see, and no stigma with being enlisted or in the lower ranks of officers. Again, everyone’s job is important in the overall process. That doesn’t mean everyone is happy. It just gives a person visited a sense of purpose everywhere you look on the base. Besides, I got to sit in a helicopter! On the political front, it looks like Congress will make another attempt next week to pass the Pacific Trade Authority the President wants. Democrats usually oppose free trade measures because they think it hurts American jobs. Republicans generally support free trade because they think it helps the overall US Economy. The main problem with this bill is no citizen of the US has been able to see and review the bill to get an idea of what is at stake. Moreover, this bill grants authority to a president that has demonstrated a willingness to push the envelope on the constitution, to get what he wants. Already republican representatives are adding amendments to keep the President from committing the US to Climate Change regimes congress should vote on. While some might decry it as a talking point, the question of what this president is willing to commit the United States to and what his intentions are, should be on the table. Maybe it would be better to wait until the next President is elected to pass this authorization. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul. (Editor’s Note: By the way, my next Mobile Podcast Command Unit is definitely going to be a Seahawk.)

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