This wonderful and funny story makes me wonder if anyone goes through a serious background check today. It's hard to believe there is with some of the nut cakes in office. For readers out here, there's a lot more history like this in Robert Reich's book "Locked in the Cabinet," it really is a great read.
Great question, Susan. I've been wondering the same for years. It seems that lower-level "operatives" get far deeper vetting than even the President. At a minimum, there should be background and psychological checks, and polygraphs. The polygraphs should be done on live TV, too.
No. actually there are many police officers that I am completely shocked by , passed any background investigation. Are they really doing the best they can? All they had to do was have a microphone in the common or bathroom areas during the police Academy.
Too many of the police and sheriffs have been recruited by these QANON type groups. The scary part is how this went down at the capital! These are criminals in our forces. Who will remove them? It needs to be done.
What a fright to hear the tunnel rat story. I’ve been to those tunnels and saw the barbaric devices they used to capture. I had a hard time shaking off what I saw as a tourist. Everyone should be required to visit these and the nearby museum. There would be far fewer wars.
In terms of your book. Opinions of conservatives have zero relevance anymore but look how they mob rule things. Land of the free….unless you tell naked truths.
The only vetting system they have is the candidate be an idiot who goes along with anything they want, even if it is evil, and has not a whit of humanity or ethics or a conscience. Just a completely loyal greed head with their hand out.
I was called up for the draft in 1966. Since I was born with bi-lateral club foot (both feet) and had a file an inch thick documenting the 7 years of operations, crutches, and braces I suffered through as an infinity, toddler, and then elementary age child I was told by the local draft board that I would be declared 4F. I went through the physical and received my 1A designation a week or so later! You were lucky they didn’t make you stand on a box when they measured you.
Well, I never had to go through draft induction. But I was told by a Cal counselor not to waste my time applying for law school because with my personality and porcupine tongue no reputable law firm would hire a woman like me.
The top flight law firms got along without me. I got busted a time or two for participating in anti-war demonstrations, aiding and abetting Black Panthers, etc. I had a rock band living in my house so I heard all the bands free. I worked for Ramparts investigating ripoff corporations and the JFK murder. I worked as a fisheries biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service, researching the effects of crude oil on marine food chains. I worked as the executive director of the California Committee on Pesticides and Toxics. I worked as an investigative journalist, busting the federal Bureau of Reclamation for selling non-existent water in order to pay off their loan. I wrote a novel. I took a master's degree in Public Policy at UC Berkeley I worked at EPA writing report to Congress on tax impacts of the Superfund law (zero). I worked at California Public Utilities Commission busting utilities that rip off the public. I married a sweet good man and retired from the PUC. I took up nature and wildlife photography and earned some awards (https;//mttamalpaisphotos.com). I kept writing. My husband and I together didn't have enough $$ to buy a house in our community so we fled to Massachusetts in August of this year. Still persisiting.
Don't ever stop, Martha . your kind of work is never wasted; you just can't see that your efforts did as much as you wanted it to. But future generations will benefit from your work. And presently, you help citizens keep the faith. Thank you.
Delightful telling of your personal history vetting. So thankful you could serve your country in better ways than to be a tunnel rat. You continue to serve as a gift to your students and the rest of us old cronies from the 60's who benefit from your wisdom.
That's how a cabinet pick should be done, experience over loyalty, if you know what I mean, or is it quality over quanty? I do like how diverse Biden's cabinet is, women, a few people of color, and others.
Since I have a checkered past from following my older sister on her adventures, I have records for horse stealing (actually I was sent in to repossess a horse taken from my sister's friend. I got a load of buckshot in my butt. Police were surprised at the ER that criminal was 11-year old girl), being at a cock fight, assaulting police with deadly weapon (a car during driving lesson - my step-mother helpfully told the officer that she'd told me to do it - meaning she'd told me to pull towards me & push up while shifting gears), protesting against Nixon at UT Billy Graham Event, & being stripped to panties after being in powder room where friend's suicide by 45 (only after medical examiner allowed what was left of her body to be removed, was the gun found). No records for riding horseback naked across golf course, drag racing, or getting help for friends who'd over-dosed. No records of 5 times state troopers pulled weapons & pointed the at me during Vietnam protests - one chambered a round when I turned my back to walk to my car (I'm alive only because one of campus police knew my father).
I would have thought that with your history with B&H and B obviously picking you, this would have played out in a more personal way! In any case, I'm here to talk to you about turning down that bowl of mush when so many children have nothing to eat, you bratty, spoiled, kid, you! And about that tree! And another thing ...
I was always fascinated with the Russian literature, history and language. After studying Russian at Holborn Institute of law and languages in London, I came back home with the realization America is the best country on the planet, and I still feel this way. A government intelligence agency asked me to write my autobiography and send it to them. I did, in three forms of poetic verse. I never heard back. But I really wanted to work for the Army since I could finish off my studies at their language school in Monterey. I never heard from them either but several years on, my dad let the cat out of the bag. The army had come to ask my parents if it would be OK if I was in espionage. I take it the answer was "no." I'm now working on a Ph.D in linguistics which is probably safer.
This wonderful and funny story makes me wonder if anyone goes through a serious background check today. It's hard to believe there is with some of the nut cakes in office. For readers out here, there's a lot more history like this in Robert Reich's book "Locked in the Cabinet," it really is a great read.
The Devil’s Chessboard is another good book to read.
Sounds like one I should pick up.
Great question, Susan. I've been wondering the same for years. It seems that lower-level "operatives" get far deeper vetting than even the President. At a minimum, there should be background and psychological checks, and polygraphs. The polygraphs should be done on live TV, too.
I hope someone will prove me wrong about the level of vetting that higher ups get.
No. actually there are many police officers that I am completely shocked by , passed any background investigation. Are they really doing the best they can? All they had to do was have a microphone in the common or bathroom areas during the police Academy.
Too many of the police and sheriffs have been recruited by these QANON type groups. The scary part is how this went down at the capital! These are criminals in our forces. Who will remove them? It needs to be done.
Thank you for sharing. I am so thankful your talents were not wasted on being a tunnel rat.
Nobody should be a tunnel rat, except , of course, a rat.
Or a tunnel :P
What a fright to hear the tunnel rat story. I’ve been to those tunnels and saw the barbaric devices they used to capture. I had a hard time shaking off what I saw as a tourist. Everyone should be required to visit these and the nearby museum. There would be far fewer wars.
In terms of your book. Opinions of conservatives have zero relevance anymore but look how they mob rule things. Land of the free….unless you tell naked truths.
The only vetting system they have is the candidate be an idiot who goes along with anything they want, even if it is evil, and has not a whit of humanity or ethics or a conscience. Just a completely loyal greed head with their hand out.
Couldn’t have said it better!
I was called up for the draft in 1966. Since I was born with bi-lateral club foot (both feet) and had a file an inch thick documenting the 7 years of operations, crutches, and braces I suffered through as an infinity, toddler, and then elementary age child I was told by the local draft board that I would be declared 4F. I went through the physical and received my 1A designation a week or so later! You were lucky they didn’t make you stand on a box when they measured you.
If only you'd had "heel spurs"...
Well, I never had to go through draft induction. But I was told by a Cal counselor not to waste my time applying for law school because with my personality and porcupine tongue no reputable law firm would hire a woman like me.
And what happened?
The top flight law firms got along without me. I got busted a time or two for participating in anti-war demonstrations, aiding and abetting Black Panthers, etc. I had a rock band living in my house so I heard all the bands free. I worked for Ramparts investigating ripoff corporations and the JFK murder. I worked as a fisheries biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service, researching the effects of crude oil on marine food chains. I worked as the executive director of the California Committee on Pesticides and Toxics. I worked as an investigative journalist, busting the federal Bureau of Reclamation for selling non-existent water in order to pay off their loan. I wrote a novel. I took a master's degree in Public Policy at UC Berkeley I worked at EPA writing report to Congress on tax impacts of the Superfund law (zero). I worked at California Public Utilities Commission busting utilities that rip off the public. I married a sweet good man and retired from the PUC. I took up nature and wildlife photography and earned some awards (https;//mttamalpaisphotos.com). I kept writing. My husband and I together didn't have enough $$ to buy a house in our community so we fled to Massachusetts in August of this year. Still persisiting.
as the jesuits say . better to light one candle than to curse the darkness
Don't ever stop, Martha . your kind of work is never wasted; you just can't see that your efforts did as much as you wanted it to. But future generations will benefit from your work. And presently, you help citizens keep the faith. Thank you.
I left CA so I could buy an affordable house in TN near the Smokies. It’s much more affordable.
Good for you!!
Welcome to MA! It has good healthcare and some progressives. Some rural areas that are nice. Lots of schools, educated people, and farmers.
You were quite the busy bee! Well done!
You are an amazing person! Wow!
Delightful telling of your personal history vetting. So thankful you could serve your country in better ways than to be a tunnel rat. You continue to serve as a gift to your students and the rest of us old cronies from the 60's who benefit from your wisdom.
That's how a cabinet pick should be done, experience over loyalty, if you know what I mean, or is it quality over quanty? I do like how diverse Biden's cabinet is, women, a few people of color, and others.
It’s the most diverse in US history. We have to give credit where it is due.
Well done. Multiple volumes of conservative criticism is definitely something to be proud of.
As always, a masterful thread of humor.
Since I have a checkered past from following my older sister on her adventures, I have records for horse stealing (actually I was sent in to repossess a horse taken from my sister's friend. I got a load of buckshot in my butt. Police were surprised at the ER that criminal was 11-year old girl), being at a cock fight, assaulting police with deadly weapon (a car during driving lesson - my step-mother helpfully told the officer that she'd told me to do it - meaning she'd told me to pull towards me & push up while shifting gears), protesting against Nixon at UT Billy Graham Event, & being stripped to panties after being in powder room where friend's suicide by 45 (only after medical examiner allowed what was left of her body to be removed, was the gun found). No records for riding horseback naked across golf course, drag racing, or getting help for friends who'd over-dosed. No records of 5 times state troopers pulled weapons & pointed the at me during Vietnam protests - one chambered a round when I turned my back to walk to my car (I'm alive only because one of campus police knew my father).
How much did Volume 2 weigh?
😄😄
I would have thought that with your history with B&H and B obviously picking you, this would have played out in a more personal way! In any case, I'm here to talk to you about turning down that bowl of mush when so many children have nothing to eat, you bratty, spoiled, kid, you! And about that tree! And another thing ...
Thanks for the laughs . I needed them as it was a long ugly day today
Thoroughly enjoyed this telling. Thank you for sharing.
I was always fascinated with the Russian literature, history and language. After studying Russian at Holborn Institute of law and languages in London, I came back home with the realization America is the best country on the planet, and I still feel this way. A government intelligence agency asked me to write my autobiography and send it to them. I did, in three forms of poetic verse. I never heard back. But I really wanted to work for the Army since I could finish off my studies at their language school in Monterey. I never heard from them either but several years on, my dad let the cat out of the bag. The army had come to ask my parents if it would be OK if I was in espionage. I take it the answer was "no." I'm now working on a Ph.D in linguistics which is probably safer.
Wow, Carol! How would you have liked that?
I wish more elected officials had the ability to understand the issues and what should be done to fix them as you do.