Ball Diamond Ball

For our callers abroad, BDB reports that the local dial-in numbers can try to trick you into hanging up by prematurely and erroneously informing you that there are no other callers. Upon your entering the access code, the voice tells you there are no other callers even if there are. Then it asks you for the host code or to just hit #. Do the latter.

US: 515-604-9908

Access Code: [see “BDB Chat” tab above]

International Local Dial-in Numbers Corresponding to 515-604-9908

Albania +355 4 454 1702

Argentina +54 351 569-7183

Australia +61 2 8077 0505

Austria +43 1 2650524

Belgium +32 3 294 11 50

Brazil +55 11 3042-5274

Bulgaria +359 2 495 1701

Cambodia +855 96 696 7824

Chile +56 2 3210 9930

Colombia +57 6 7334210

Costa … Continue reading →

You have duly been upgraded.  The whole place is now accessible toyou.

Side note:  Please post something so we know it all works — and I recommend that everybody (who has never posted)  put up a post, to help validate a couple of things.

Thanks for joining us!

The Korean people have a long and distinguished history. They have battled their various neighbors for many years, suffering invasions from all about. One might think of them as the Balkan Peninsula of the East.

The Korean “War” was started by Stalin, thinking the West was too war-weary to fight and so presenting a perfect opportunity for expansion. Much to his surprise, Truman fought. Much to a lot of Americans’ surprise, America was again at war. In SO many ways Korea is truly “the forgotten war”. We vets of Vietnam were abused by the Left (our current elite leadership). Korean vets were simply forgotten. No one speaks much of the war, of the sacrifices, of the bravery. One of the best battle books, and I am a great … Continue reading →

Don’t believe any of you here give the UN much strength. It is mostly a collection of people who in a proper world would be in jail. Despite this, they get to pontificate and pronounce upon far more righteous people without fear of retribution. Oh to be able to return to the times of, say, 125 years ago – with modern technology. Be some dead uglies lying about.

So imagine my surprise to note all the goings on these last several months. Nikki Haley has totally tossed the way business is done there. No more mumble, mumble, shall we break for lunch.

Look at some of the things she has done. She began by calling out the Russians over the chem attack in Syria. Then there was the … Continue reading →

I won’t mince words.  Minced words suck.  More people may be on the way.  Then again, they may not.  It’s up to them.

One issue with achieving advanced age is the loss of those you know. Today, I learned by sister died after a long series of health issues. She suffered from kidney failure along with severe circulation problems and her health had been failing for the last few years. She was 69.

It leaves my brother and me as the remnants of the family of my youth. My brother had been her caregiver for the last few years, and in many ways I am conflicted as her passing allows him to enjoy the remaining l time he has with more freedom of action.

We are booked on a NYC bound plane Tuesday and expect a few days of familial group process, seeing people and places I have not seen in a … Continue reading →

Four old retired men are walking down a street in Yuma, Arizona. They turn a corner and see a sign that says, “Old Timers Bar – ALL drinks 10 cents.” They look at each other and then go in, thinking this is too good to be true.

The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the room, “Come on in and let me pour one for you! What’ll it be, gentlemen?”

There’s a fully stocked bar, so each of the men orders a martini. In no time the bartender serves up four iced martinis shaken, not stirred and says, “That’ll be 10 cents each, please.”

The four guys stare at the bartender for a moment, then at each other. They can’t believe … Continue reading →

Another Taliban attack has killed at least 140 Afghan soldiers on a base I know very well.  I’m kind of speechless.  I’m agnostic, but my prayers go out to those brothers in arms who died fighting the good fight.  I have eaten in the chow hall where many of them were killed, tramped the dusty road where dozens of them were blown up, met with counterparts next door to the base mosque where they were gunned down.

The US no longer operates on that base.  The Afghans have no choice.

Yes.  It has burnt for years, and now the mere rabble may have had enough.  I cannot wait for the results of this election, I hope it will be LePen, and I don’t know much about her.  But she has all the right enemies.

There are some who come unhinged when LePen pulls ahead, but who explain away murderous Islamic terrorism with a creepy facility.  The only shade that she (I mean, uh, some people) can throw at the most recent attack on Paris is to suggest that ISIS is only killing Parisians in order to provoke the French to vote for LePen.  This will enrage Muslims to attack the French.

Deep thought.  Well, deep something anyway.

… Continue reading →

I found this story heartening in the midst of watching  Antifa punks play at street thuggery in the US.

This family reacted with strength, helping others and getting under cover with real villains pouring fire into innocents on the street.

“I was very proud of how my wife and three boys reacted. They were urgent, but not panicked. There are people panicking everywhere. One lady with a baby fell down, and my son helped her up. Then another lady fell down and hit her head, and I helped her up,” he notes

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/21/exclusive-american-eyewitness-account-of-paris-terrorist-attack/

Good on ya.

… Continue reading →