A Patriot's Act ... or One Cukoo Flew Over the Rest

With all the discussion going on around me about Leaks and Leakers and the like i though perhaps some of my dedicated readership would like to know my thoughts on the subject especially considering that i used to have something to do with SCI Clearances and the like in a previous life ....

so without further blandishment here goes:

i well remember the day i was "let in" on a new classified project which required a special beiefing in addition to my clearance level. I can still remember the words of the Major giving me the briefing as he had me sign the authorization paperwork.

"Unauthorized disclosure of the information you are about to receive may result in the death of you or another person or persons. Do you understand this warning?"

Did i understand it? OH YEAH!!!!!

evan after all these years i still understand it. which brings me to the part of all this i DONT understand. People who leak things that in their mind they feel are wrong or illegal or just might be illegal are leaking to the WRONG people. Every time i hear one of these people called "patriots" or "heros" because they had the guts to spill their guts to a news reporter it makes me MAD. Dont get me wrong if its illegal someone should tell but there is a mechanism (especially in the government) for doing just that in a legal way .... its called the appropriate House or Senate
CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE .... what is so difficult about calling up the CHAIRMAN of the Intelligence Oversight Committee and telling him your concerns (mind you HE has clearance to hear it while your REPORTER contact does not) and the legal method for handling it will be intact.

ANY person having knowledge of classified information who leask it to an unauthorized individual may very well be causing death, extreme hardship, severe bodily harm or many other not so good consequences to totally innocent persons. IN MY BOOK YOU CAN NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER call such a person who would willingly violate their oath in such a manner a hero or patriot.

REAL HEROS and PATRIOTS can and lots of times do DISAGREE with how things are done, and with you and your opinions but they NEVER NEVER NEVER violate the trust and their sworn word of honor ...

A little bit of Mambo #5 ...

or ... Potpourri vs Con-pourri

First off let me just say that "The Geek Files" has completed its first full year of publication -- My sincere thanks to all of my devoted readership and even those non-devoted ones for your continued support of this grand adventure into web-publication.

and now on to the important stuff....

This Thanksgiving the entertainment world lost Pat Morita ... better known to my generation as both Arnold on television's "Happy Days" and also Mister Myagi from the "Karate Kid" movie trilogy.

For me the quintessential quote has to be that in the scene of KK1 where Daniel is standing in the bow of the boat trying to learn balance but at the same time continually asking when do i learn _____. The reply given i believe would be one that EVERYONE should learn, know and live ...

"First learn balance, then learn next thing."

If we as humans (and i preach this especially to myself) could only learn balance in living without worrying about what's next or rushing off to do a thousand other different things all at once i think we might be better able to deal with the stresses of life. Just a thought....

On a more personal note .... let me offer congratulations to the entire UMHS football program for their outstanding achievements this year and especially a big HIGH-FIVE to the star senior fullback/linebacker ... CHRISTOPHER RULLER ... keep track of those newspaper clippings my good friend and relish the memories -- just dont forget that past successes do not ensure future success they only help make future ones seem accessible and obtainable. The hard work needed to ensure success NEVER stops .... Congratulations on a GREAT season NAVI.

and on a final note for this BLOG edition ... i must return to my first blog entry and again say with great pride and passion ... a HUGE THANK YOU to all the members of this country's ARMED FORCES .... wherever you are and whatever you do whatever branch of service you are in, as a humble veteran I AM and WILL ALWAYS BE proud to call you a brother in arms ... a hero ... a patriot ...

"The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in [this] crisis, shrink from the service of their country. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered. But he who stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." -- Thomas Paine, 1776.

Thank you again one and all for your readership and support. God Bless Us, as Tiny Tim was wont to say .... EVERYONE.