Visitors and Veterans

As of today, I have had 99,167 visitors to my little corner of the blogosphere which means I should hit 100,000 along about Wednesday. Yesterday I had 489 visitors. I want to thank each and every one of you that stop by on a regular basis and those who are just discovering Nichevo. I am gratified you all find something you like here. I want you all to keep coming back for my own eclectic mix of news, views and eye candy gathered from around the world. Blogging has been a extremely positive adventure for me allowing me to make friends I would never have met had it not been for these pages. While admittedly not the most well adjusted human around, I have been around a block or two which gives me my own unique perspective on what is going on around the world and in my own corner of it. As those of you who have been long time readers are aware, my big passions are men, classical music, men, the Dallas Cowboys, men, Human Rights , men, politics, and of course more men. I have tried to come to terms with my personal struggles within my blood family for acceptance or at least tolerance as well as convey my joys, fears, angst, gratitude, and personal history in an effort to entertain and inform you all. I must admit a bias towards social liberalism and handsome men which colors the articles I post. But I think you guys have come to realize that already. Never one to shrink from self deprecation or humor as a tool for expressing myself, I find that works for me and apparently you guys enjoy what I post so I will continue in my efforts to entertain and enlighten you to the best of my abilities.

As most of you are aware, I am a Viet Nam Veteran and as such Veteran's affairs concern me greatly. As a survivor of the discriminatory practice of separating gays from the military before the current Don't As, Don't Tell policy, I rabidly support all initiatives to get that stupid law repealed. I am constantly appalled by the lack of support our current troops get from the current occupant of the White House and this article I received in my email this morning just about broke my heart. I too have suffered some effects of PTSD, but not so severe as to become suicidal as so many of my fellow Viet Nam vets have done. But as the article details, the current veterans of George's wars are suffering not only horrendous physical wounds but deep psychological ones that drive 17 veterans a day to suicide while the government denies it has anything to do with their wartime service and sacrifices. This is just one more example of the lip service the asshole in the White House and his cronies give to "Support The Troops". If the asshole really does support the troops, how come almost 25 per cent of the current wars veterans are wandering the streets homeless? Why do current service members feel the only way to escape the horrors being perpetrated upon them is to go AWOL as cited in this article? Why is the VA health care system still broken in light of all the publicity for the sham and shambles it is? I wish I had the answers to these questions, but I fear the asshole does not even care to entertain the questions much less do anything about these situations. I also wonder whether the Democrats will be any better if and when they win the White House. How long must those who have given everything in service to this country suffer the abuses they do at the hands of those responsible for their care and support? It may be a long time before we find the answers to these questions, but first we must get someone to at least listen to the questions before we can hope for the answers. I hope, for the sake of all those suffering, we don't have to wait too long.

I guess I am finished ranting for today so I will leave you with something pleasant to look at. Come back again tomorrow and until that time, Enjoy!