Has anyone noticed that most of Papa’s memories involve history? For this current message I go back to my college days. Not the down on State Street days. I’m talking about actual classes of education. I was not immune. World War Two was the seminal memory of my youth. Much of my world outlook stems from my knowledge of the first fifty years of the 20th century. The 1950’s was an era of the Red Scare. Commies might be everywhere. I recall a few “duck and cover” drills at school. (There actually was chewing gum under those desks.) Chants of “Joe Must Go” were directed at my home state’s senator. I was a 9 year old passenger in a car on 76th street when the radio news informed of the Rosenberg executions. I was very much aware of my geopolitical surroundings. Isn’t everyone?

So, by the time I got to college I knew everything about everything; as will you at some point after you reach puberty. To ward off the commies of the Soviet Union, President Eisenhower developed a policy of “mutually assured destruction.” (MAD) The Soviets and communisim were very much on the march after the war. To stop their advance at the “Iron Curtain” NATO was created. One advantage of MAD was it allowed for smaller military forces since an A-Bomb could be the price to pay for misbehavior. Nuclear weapons probably did have a positive impact on Soviet or US temper tandrums. Kept the Soviets in the box. Ending the world has a sobering effect.

But, some folks can’t let well enough alone. Usually it is someone with do-gooder sentiments. Blow up the whole world just because a cause of war exits? There must be some other way to blow off a little steam. Like they used to do in the rational days of Napoleon. What was needed was good old fashioned, limited wars. Let’s call them “brush fire wars”.

The country can’t change overnight. Popular support for something new was needed. How about a book? Called “Red Alert”. (1958) Assume no actual cause for war. Assume no actual order to start a nuclear attack is given. Maybe a mistake that sends a bomber on a mission and the bomber can’t be recalled when the mistake is revealed. The world blows up by mistake. We can’t have that kind of insanity.

Papa, even in those days, wasn’t the brightest but it was never clear to me why brush fire wars would stop a mistaken use of nukes. But, what did I know? In short order brush fire wars erupted. For my generation, that small war that needed a “flexible response” was Vietnam. Thus, at college, I remember the professor drolling over the concept of JFK’s flexible response policy. It was much more civilized to continue the centuries old tradition of killing in conventional wars than risk a huge meltdown. (Even if it doesn’t happen?)

On this subject and particularly the 1958 book I recommend a1964 movie: “Dr. Stranglove”. (How to learn to stop worrying and love the bomb.) It is in black and white photography. In a similar vein, But on the serious side there was a 1962 book followed by a 1964 movie, “Fail Safe”. Dr. Stranglove is more fun.

Well, he did it. War in Europe. Takes a special kind of dictator. The news outlets describe old Vlad as a Pariah. Papa and his ilk are more likely to use the word Doofus. Monsters deserve the more serious names of comdenation by talking heads. But, sometimes humor or satire are also appropriate. Sitting stoic on a stark stage while lying about Ukraine is a humorous vision. Vald pledges to rush into Ukraine and de-Nazify Ukraine by removing its Jewish President. Probably kill him if the Russians troops can get their hands on him. That would really make the anti-Nazi point.

For poking fun at the worst of the worst I recommend the 1940 movie “The Great Dictator”. It was filmed in black and white. I apologize to my grandkids with an aversion to such cinematography. But, it makes its point with sledge hammer clarity. The movie was made even before Papa’s time. However, with any sense of twentieth century history, you will understand its humor. Skewers old Adolph good.

Have faith in liberty. No matter how many Nuts Jobs (Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Mao, Castro and a sprinkling of other Poohbahs) spring up, civilization seems to advance towards peace and prosperity. It’ll always be a struggle. Thugs/bullies usually only respond to strength. Too often that solution runs smack into a desire of too many to go along to get along. Some folks are way too fearful of setting red lights and even get skittish about yellow lights. Dictators love green lights and may look to exploit yellow ones. The major problem with weakness in the face of bullies is that delay in standing up makes everything more costly once the bully is confronted. We shall see but for now the people of Ukraine are bearing the brunt.

A recent news telecast depicted a helicopter crash near a beach in Florida. Quite a dramatic vision. The crash itself is sad and not something I bring up without sympathy for loss. However, the incident brings to mind experiences concerning helicopters that I wish to share. Papa is no engineer but the ability of airplanes to fly made sense mainly because they have wings. Conversely, I acquired a belief that it was hard for helicopters to actually fly. No wings.

However, fly they do. I was never comfortable riding in one. Part of the reason for my failure to embrace flight in a giant egg beater stems from a portion of my work in Vietnam. Some of my work involved reviewing various investigations. The military does a ton of investigations; including aircraft accidents. I’d review with an eye towards how thorough a job had been done and if there were any unanswered questions etc. One item regarding helicopters stuck in my mind. I’d receive a readout about the number of aircraft lost. In combat or from accidents. The actual numbers are no longer retained in my vice-like brain but what was especially significant to me at the time was that helicopters lost to accident versus to combat was at least 2 1/2 times greater. Perhaps those Cong guys were bad shots but I doubt if that created the ratio gap.

On the few occasions when I had to fly away from the safety of our base, I was often fortunate to be able to pick and choose my routing. I had some flexibility about date and times. I remember going to aviation offices and looking for pilots of upcoming trips with photos of family on the desk. In a few of my investigative reviews I’d read about what is best described as an element of risk taking by pilots. Helicopters can auto-rotate to safe landings at times. I remember one where the pilot rotated down with the airfield in sight and he was teased for doing so. Then, of course, there was another that experienced similar engine problems but crashed trying to get to base to avoid being teased. I can recall a few other “accidents” caused by sheer stupidity.

Once, near or at the border with Cambodia in the Delta region I had no choice of pilots. Off we were to go from a landing zone surrounded on three sides by tall (really tall) trees. The crew’s radio chatter seemed excited about whether the pilot would try to clear the tall (very, very tall to my eyes) trees on the flight out. A perfectly cleared fourth direction of course was not used. Everyone was excited to see if the helicopter would make it except Papa. I saw the tip top of those damn trees as amounting to a non-combat loss to pad the statistical imbalance.

DON’T EVER LET OTHERS DEFINE YOU.

This is one of those never, ever things. Everything about you is constructed inside out. Starting with family there are plenty of resources for your mind to use/emulate as you go about the task of defining yourself. You are the architect. Your identity, persoanlity, character, morality, spirit and conscience are singular. Third parties are observers. What they might think or believe about you from such observations are strictly theirs, not yours.

STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES BUT NAMES WILL NEVER HURT ME!

I first heard this bromide about 72 years ago at the time of my solo venture out into the world of bullies. i.e. my first day of school. I was just bright enough to know that I could shrug off being called “four eyes” because I wore glasses. That part of the equation I got. It was the broken bones picture that got my attention. Knuckle raps into the upper arm or losing a prized possession to older toughs who “borrowed” it eventually became the worse damage I had to endure. It was hard to adhere to the belief in “the bigger they are the harder they fall” philosophy. Or, the reassurance that bullies are no bigger/better than you because “they put their pants on one leg at a time.” (Easy for an adult to say.)

I don’t mean to put a “Farkus” from Christmas Story spin to the past that minimizes its threatening aspect. However, my encounters with bullies pale in relation to presnt day bullies; especially those on social media. I’m not sure my old brain understands the social part of on-line bullys. Secret, mean spirited cowards taking potshots at other humans seems like a media platform that has no redeeming social value. The easy answer is to stay away from silliness. In the old days the knuckle rapper had to get where you saw the whites of their eyes. Yet, I understand many young people wish to spend hours per day on a device interacting with strangers. If you do so, and someone tries to get under your skin, that is where and when the OTHERS DON”T DEFINE YOU rule comes into play. Delete all as so much water off a duck’s back. Bullies aren’t worth a warm cup of spit. You are a valued person onto yourself.