Frightening and Sobering Reality Sixty Five Years Ago, Still True Today

On May 8th 1945, the war in Europe officially ended. Hitler had committed suicide a week earlier in his bunker in Berlin as the Soviets fought only blocks away in the streets above. Such a solitary and pathetic ending seems anti-climactic for the man that threatened the freedom and security of the entire world less than a decade earlier and is responsible for the deaths of over 50 million people. He almost wiped the country of Germany off the map, as well as it's people whom blindly followed him to the end. Just how close the Nazi party was to actually WINNING World War Two is a chilling reality that stares historians and those aware in the face in the new century.

The basic truth is that Hitler cost himself the war in his impatient rush to invade Europe and his benevolent, arrogant need to control his armies, instead of his far more intelligent generals. He ignored all warnings and wishes from his military staff, which had he heeded their calls the world would most certainly be a frighteningly different place today. "Had it not been for Hitler, they probably would have won it..." said a war veteran in the documentary piece below.

Taking a chilling look back at what could have been in an even worse case scenario, we reveal the truth. Military tacticians and historians continually state that had the Nazi's waited five more years to begin the war, they would have had that much more time to strenghten their military and gauge their adversaries. Had the Germans not stopped bombing the British airfields in favor of bombing London, they would have destroyed the RAF and been able to invade England. With his armies racing across central Russia and closing in Moscow in the fall of 1942, he made a fateful decision. Instead of taking Moscow and most certainly mortally wounding the Russians, he decides to go for Stalingrad in the South. As a result, the Germans get bogged down trying to beseige the city and lose two million soldiers as winter sets in. It's the beginning of the end in the East. On the morning of June 6, 1944 more fateful mistakes befell the Nazi's. Hitler held his massive panzer divisions in the rear and near Calais, far North of Normady and unable to attack. Furthermore, he was not awakened for hours after the attack, thus costing the German's the ability to throw the attack back into the sea.

These are simply a few of the hideous military mistakes made by history's most hideous ideology. In reality, Hitler and the Nazi's could have left the United States alone to defend itself on it's own shores from both Germany and Japan.

As the son of a World War Two veteran, this clip is incredibly moving to me:

I Saw The Writing on the Wall

So last night I went out with some friends and had a damn good time. They were going to an Uncle Kracker concert, and since I'm not a fan I wasn't going to go. Since one of them photographs shows for the venue, he could get us in free. While at dinner downtown, they convinced me to go. I'm glad I did, because one of the opening bands won my heart. They are Rehab, from Georgia. They are a large, interracial band that covers a wide range of sound. They have three guitarists, a lead singer, vocalist, drummer and a guy working a turntable and keyboard.

They seem to follow the trend started by Linkin Park, and they do a damn good job at it. They played songs ranging from a rap battle to something resambling Blues Traveller and a hard-rock jam session with some crunchy guitars. Their talent and versatility impressed me, as well as their no BS approach. They tour nationally, but still have the raw sense of a band not being restrained in what they say by a national label.

Here's a sample of their work, I really dig the sound.

Flint and Detroit

An article in the Flint Journal gives some insight on hoow Michigan's two fastest shrinking cities are dealing with the issue of having too much abandoned housing and land. Both cities are taking different stances on the issue and dealing with it in their own way, both with good and bad sides.

The bottom line is you can't have it the way it was anymore, we've gone past the point of no return. We have to reinvent those cities, and that means some very hard, long and drastic changes both geographical and psychological.

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/03/tale_of_two_shrinking_cities_f.html

The Michigan Weather Game

So it's officially time for the weather game in Michigan. Spring is great, but early, early spring sucks. Mother nature pulls out a lot of rope-a-dopes and bait-and-switches.

This whole week in Michigan it's been in the upper 30's and 40's with clear, sunny skies. For early March (still winter in MI) that's really amazing! One might think we're in for an outstanding spring this year, but we've all seen this movie. It starts out too good to be true; and it always is. What will happen come April is anyone's guess, but I'd put my money on several weeks of rollercoaster-like weather entertainment.

Opening week of April will cause havok on spring break travelers, airport delays will be the order of the day, for days. It will start out with copious amounts of rain, several inches of the wet stuff in two or three days. No, it won't be a warm rain, rather cold and blowing. Right on the heels of that beauty will be our usual spring snowstorm. Look for anywhere from 4-10" of snow, mixed in with intermmitent freezing rain as the cold front keeps fluctuating.

By now you'd think we've paid our dues for our March fun right? Oh no, this is Michigan. Buckle up big boy. More torrential downpours will follow our snowfall. Temperatures in the 50's and even more rain upon what we had gotten only a week earlier will compound the spring flooding problem on the Grand River. Poor Abrigador Trail will once again be swollowed whole along with the several dozen residences on it's watery path. There will be more flood-plain anguish further down river on the Grand on our way to the lakeshore. Once scenic river-front properties will find themsevles in the middle of the ever-expanding and rising currents. You'd think people (or at the very least insurance companies) would learn.

Finally, the lashing begins to subside as the month wears on. By now we are so weather-beaten we feel further from summer than we did in March. Sure enough though, as it always does, May will greet us with a fantastic start to another spectacular Pure Michigan summer.

We have to pay the toll to get out summer kicks here in the mitten state, but in the end the results are well worth the price. We're almost there friends, don't give up now!

Child Directs Air Traffic at New York JFK!

Now, I'm all for take your kid to work day and what not and getting your kid familiar with the job you do. This however is another story, an air traffic controller at New York's JFK International Airport allowed a child to make multiple interactions with planes, including flight instructions.

http://www.gadling.com/2010/03/03/plane-answers-jfk-kid-controller-incident-and-a-smoking-757/

Blue Dream

I found this little work of art while mindlessly surfing Youtube this afternoon and thought it really captured part of the essence and wonder that flying gives those of us who are actually in-tune enough to understand what a momentus accomplishment it really is. It's pretty cool, just give it a whirl and I think you'll enjoy it.

March

Have I ever fallen off the wagon with this thing lately or what?

Had a great weekend starting off with a low-key Friday night at home. Saturday entailed a good cardio workout and then heading downtown for RailJam with Travis, Eric, Amanda and Lora. Great time had by all, until I started to feel like crap at the end of the night at the Intersection. Left early and grabbed a cab home. I hate being a fun-wrecker but I think Ritz Koney got to me in a bad way.

I really like the concept of Railjam and I'm glad to have seen such a large and boisterous crowd present. The event took place in The B.O.B.'s parking lot and was definitly a close-quarters event. They had a band stand erected, as well as several vendors including a large beer tent with a great selection of beers and mixed drinks. They have a VIP deck, and a normal grandstand for spectators, but plenty of room for people to just stand around and watch. Also included was a large video screen for replays for those with less-than-ideal vantage points.

Sunday I lazed around before heading to Dan's to watch the US-Canada Gold Medal game. Great times, even though the hated Crosby scored the game winner for Canada. Stupid little....okay I'll stop. So here we are, one day of work down and four to go! Well, actually 3 to go. I've got a really, really easy day ahead of me Friday which will be a pleasure entering the weekend.

What next? Well, I've really been digging a weekend trip lately and I've been pricing everything from airfare to Amtrak to get out for a couple days! I'm a travel freak, and I wish I had more money to do it more often. If you've got some airline award tickets laying around you're willing to donate, let me know!

Small goal for March, keep up with this thing!

Peace kiddo's!