Sunday, January 20, 2013
Take me out to the ball game..Stan Musial, Earl Weaver
The passing of Stan Musial and Earl Weaver reminds us of a time of no ESPN1, 2 or 3, no news scrolls at the bottom of the TV screen, no twitter or facebook, no night baseball at Wrigley, no steroids, no wildcard playoffs....and days of doubleheaders, Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek's NBC's Saturday Game of the Week, Howard Cosell's ABC Monday Night Baseball, TOPPS baseball cards, real grass playing fields, the feel of a new Rawlings glove, Curt Gowdy, the smell of an old ballpark, playing catch, tee-ball, Colt and Pony League, Ray Fosse and the 70's Oakland Athletics, Johnny Bench and the Big Red Machine, Ernie Banks and let's play two, the Cubbies and Jack Brickhouse, Jack Buck and Mike Shannon, AM radio....and dreams. Oh, how great it was!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Forgive me Father(U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) for I have sinned...
What if.
Here we are again, listening to a celebrity apologize for their indiscretions. Lance Armstrong is no different from those in the past where they find that denial or cover up is the easiest way to overcome or hide their lies.
Richard Nixon - what if he wouldn't have slushed funds to John Dean to cover up Watergate. How would've this country been changed?
It's not the crime or indiscretion that gets you so to speak, its the cover up. We've yet to learn the lessons from Watergate.
What if Pete Rose would've admitting gambling straightaway?
What if Bill Clinton would've saved the country from his embarrassment?
Well, "If, If's and And's were Pots and Pans, the world would be a kitchen!"
Sports, Politics, Movie/TV stars, celebrities and the like. While adultery and affairs are no one's business, when you become part of the celebrity spin that we so love to twirl, it becomes everyones business. It comes with the territory. Sure there's a degree of privacy at stake here, but when a celebrity feeds off the adulation's of others, that privacy gets chipped away. It's been often said, would love the money, just wouldn't want the fame.
What if Lance, when given the opportunity to speak the truth and he's had plenty of chances, would've done just that, spoke the truth? He duped us all. One could argue he's no different than Bernie Madoff. They both conned us. One monetarily, the other through inspiration.
I've not read Lance's book, It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. This past month I found myself selling it on the cheap at a used book store. Fittingly - - cheap. We can expect Lance to write another book, I wonder what the title will be? "It's Not About the Truth" ? That book would be far more interesting than a book of lies.
One could argue that his foundation has done alot of good and I don't disagree. Battling back from cancer is truly inspirational, but that inspiration now has been tainted.
Truly, yes, connecting that word with Lance Armstrong is difficult, however, he truly has no one to answer to but the God he worships and just importantly, the person he sees in the mirror each day.
Who's to blame here? Lance and his controlling cover up of the truth? Or society? Society where we so pedestal our athletes, politicians, actors and actresses? Should we really be surprised at all the questionable activities of these people after we, ourselves, have lifted them up? There are human. And human kind has been lying since the apple was plucked from the tree.
What happened to focusing on those that truly, (there's that word again) affect our lives - - parents, grandparents, children, teachers, friends, neighbors, ministers and priests. Those people that have a direct impact on our lives.
Who's at fault? Us for thinking that celebrities are free of fault and failure? Perhaps, but one thing is certain - - - -
Denial just ain't a river in Egypt and Lance canoed that river for a decade!
Here we are again, listening to a celebrity apologize for their indiscretions. Lance Armstrong is no different from those in the past where they find that denial or cover up is the easiest way to overcome or hide their lies.
Richard Nixon - what if he wouldn't have slushed funds to John Dean to cover up Watergate. How would've this country been changed?
It's not the crime or indiscretion that gets you so to speak, its the cover up. We've yet to learn the lessons from Watergate.
What if Pete Rose would've admitting gambling straightaway?
What if Bill Clinton would've saved the country from his embarrassment?
Well, "If, If's and And's were Pots and Pans, the world would be a kitchen!"
Sports, Politics, Movie/TV stars, celebrities and the like. While adultery and affairs are no one's business, when you become part of the celebrity spin that we so love to twirl, it becomes everyones business. It comes with the territory. Sure there's a degree of privacy at stake here, but when a celebrity feeds off the adulation's of others, that privacy gets chipped away. It's been often said, would love the money, just wouldn't want the fame.
What if Lance, when given the opportunity to speak the truth and he's had plenty of chances, would've done just that, spoke the truth? He duped us all. One could argue he's no different than Bernie Madoff. They both conned us. One monetarily, the other through inspiration.
I've not read Lance's book, It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. This past month I found myself selling it on the cheap at a used book store. Fittingly - - cheap. We can expect Lance to write another book, I wonder what the title will be? "It's Not About the Truth" ? That book would be far more interesting than a book of lies.
One could argue that his foundation has done alot of good and I don't disagree. Battling back from cancer is truly inspirational, but that inspiration now has been tainted.
Truly, yes, connecting that word with Lance Armstrong is difficult, however, he truly has no one to answer to but the God he worships and just importantly, the person he sees in the mirror each day.
Who's to blame here? Lance and his controlling cover up of the truth? Or society? Society where we so pedestal our athletes, politicians, actors and actresses? Should we really be surprised at all the questionable activities of these people after we, ourselves, have lifted them up? There are human. And human kind has been lying since the apple was plucked from the tree.
What happened to focusing on those that truly, (there's that word again) affect our lives - - parents, grandparents, children, teachers, friends, neighbors, ministers and priests. Those people that have a direct impact on our lives.
Who's at fault? Us for thinking that celebrities are free of fault and failure? Perhaps, but one thing is certain - - - -
Denial just ain't a river in Egypt and Lance canoed that river for a decade!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Long May You Run...in 2013
I'm not a runner. Flat out, I rarely do it. That's not to say I don't run to the supermarket, bookstore, bathroom or refrigerator. Not necessarily in that order.
Trains and cars and several guitars. All run. Trains run on coal, electricity or steam, cars run on gasoline or in this case ethanol and guitars run on the strum or pluck of ones fingers.
Neil Young's memoir, Waging Heavy Peace, speaks to all three.
Young is philosophical on his idealistic view of life, always tinkering with new things. A revealing look at his life intertwined with his inspired invention to that helped save the Lionel train company, his ethanol powered car which is taken years to create ( it being destroyed by fire doesn't help) and the many guitars that he used to create classics such as "Old Man", " Heart of Gold" and "Harvest Moon".
Then there's Young's approach to the purity of music and his desire to un-digitize the music that's created today. Not to revert back to vinyl, reel to reel, cassette or 8 track, but to recapture the sound of how music was once made - analogically.
Long may you run. The title of a song made famous by Neil Young. We all have our challenges in life, Mr. Young is no exception. But instead of giving up or giving in, he decided to give. Give of himself to make a better life for his disabled child. Mr. Young is not only a gifted musician but a very inventive human being.
As we start a new year with feelings of hope, we'll also face our own set of challenges along the way. Neil Young's life is not only interesting, inventive and spiritual, it's inspiring as well.
So, Long May You Run during 2013 and may your new year be fruitful and full of joy and peace.
Trains and cars and several guitars. All run. Trains run on coal, electricity or steam, cars run on gasoline or in this case ethanol and guitars run on the strum or pluck of ones fingers.
Neil Young's memoir, Waging Heavy Peace, speaks to all three.
Young is philosophical on his idealistic view of life, always tinkering with new things. A revealing look at his life intertwined with his inspired invention to that helped save the Lionel train company, his ethanol powered car which is taken years to create ( it being destroyed by fire doesn't help) and the many guitars that he used to create classics such as "Old Man", " Heart of Gold" and "Harvest Moon".
Then there's Young's approach to the purity of music and his desire to un-digitize the music that's created today. Not to revert back to vinyl, reel to reel, cassette or 8 track, but to recapture the sound of how music was once made - analogically.
Long may you run. The title of a song made famous by Neil Young. We all have our challenges in life, Mr. Young is no exception. But instead of giving up or giving in, he decided to give. Give of himself to make a better life for his disabled child. Mr. Young is not only a gifted musician but a very inventive human being.
As we start a new year with feelings of hope, we'll also face our own set of challenges along the way. Neil Young's life is not only interesting, inventive and spiritual, it's inspiring as well.
So, Long May You Run during 2013 and may your new year be fruitful and full of joy and peace.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Christmas music traditions
The year was 1962 and the popularity of vinyl albums and recordings was in full swing. Practically anything that could be, was recorded either on reel to reel or vinyl, which included an array of Christmas music.
The first such recording can be traced back to the early 1900's. Since then everyone from Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole to Weird Al Yankovic to the Chipmunks and the Partridge Family have recorded yuletide favorites.
And in 1962, an established charactor actor best known for portraying Western characters, released his own Christmas album.
Fast forward a few years or so and in a supermarket in suburban Chicago, a young mother strolls through the aisles with her toddler son carefully placed in a grocery cart, his tiny legs kicking away through the little holes by the handle bar basket nearest her.
At the time, little did they both know that the album purchased would remain in their family for what now is approaching 50 years. A Christmas tradition that spans many miles and many states.
Walter Brennan, who holds a record three oscars for best supporting actor and who's acted along side such greats as John Wayne and Henry Fonda, recorded Twas The Night Before Christmas...Back Home. It's become a tradition in my family ever since that stroll in the supermarket. (thanks to technology, it's now on CD as part of a double album.)
Traditional songs such as White Christmas, Silent Night and O Come All Ye Faithful are included along with originals, Henry Had a Merry Christmas and Old Time Christmas Stories, each performed with a choir (as the backdrop) while Walter spins yarns and tales using that recognizable twang of a voice.
Here are four of my favorites:
White Christmas
(I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to know. Where the tree top glistened and children listened to hear sleigh bells in the snow...in the snow.)
Snow means the north wind blowin' cold
Another log on the fire to keep out the chill
Snow means stayin' indoors for the old
And for the young, sleighin' on the hill
Snow means that the mail won't come from town
And the pond will freeze over enough to skate
Snow means I'll finally get around to shovelin' a path to the gate
Snow means a Merry Christmas morning
So let that ol' north wind blow
Another log on the fire will keep us all warm
I sure like to see it snow
So may your days be merry and bright
And may all, may all your Christmas' be white.
Silent Night
(Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm All is bright. Round yon virgin, Mother and Child, Holy infant so tender and mild...)
Seems to me around Christmas
Alot of folks change
Maybe they're a whole lot nicer to one another.
Some of them speak, why I never figured, they'd know'd my name
Cause up til now, well they, they just never bothered.
Yesterday, I seen a banker give money to a hobo
That fella was probably hungry without no place to stay.
But that banker got more then him out of that money, you know.
He got alot more than what he gave.
So, at this time of year, I guess
Folks are reminded of, of love, faith and hope
I guess it kinda takes Christmas sometimes
To, to bring out the best in folks.
(Silent Night, Holy Night)
A Farmer's Christmas Prayer
Yea know Lord it's been a while since I've talked with ya
I've been so gawl dern busy with the crops and all
Well I guess I just forgot to take time out
But I ain't a-forgetten that good crop of corn
Ya done give us this year
Eh, and that little heifer ya brought us
Is, is growing like a weed, yes sir.
Without that crop Lord, I guess I'd have to do without that new plow
And Ma would n't have that Sunday dress she's so proud of now.
Oh, I guess we wouldn't have alotta things Lord, if it wasnt' for you.
And that new Church in the valley, Lord,
Well, its about the finest thing that you could ever do
The town's mighty proud of it. We're all gonna be there on Christmas day too.
Oh, you know Billy's going to make it home from the Army for Christmas this year, Lord
We all wanna thank you for that, 'cause we sure do miss em.
It seems like just yesterday, we was buyin' him Christmas toys
He'd be running all over the house ( laughter) makin' alot of noise.
Ya know, Ma and me, we laugh about that every now and then.
Oh it's going to be good to have him home again.
Well, Lord, I suppose I've used up about all my time
And there must be alot of others a-waiting in line
I reckon during this time of year
Lots of people are waiting to share their Christmas cheer
So don't you worry none about us Lord
Cause me and my family, is going to have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
(Amen)
Old Time Christmas Stories
(Let me hear an old time Christmas story to bring back memories, cause Ma is gone and the kids are grown and now there's only me)
If it's about decoratin' the Christmas tree, I still wanna listen
Or hangin' a stockin' by the fireplace, just makes my old heart glisten'
The story about boy who got a pony
Or a girl who got a little doll
Them old stories on Christmas eve, eh, they suit me best of all.
I like those stories around Chrismas time
Of the sleigh rides and the snow
And the story of the Three Wise Men
I'm sure you all know
And we can never forget about ol' Santa Claus
And all the things he's done
Eh those ol' time Christmas stories
I love 'em, everyone
And then there's Mary and Joseph in the Manger
The story I'm sure you remember
And the baby born on Christmas Day
The twenty fifth of December
Yea I like to turn the pages back
To my childhood days of fun
Cause the ol' time Christmas Stories
Eh, I love 'em everyone
(Tell me another Christmas story of happy days gone by, cause Ma is gone and the kids are grown..)
And now there's only me.
My old time Christmas story about buying that record was just shared with me. All these years I hadn't known and now that I do makes it ever more special.
So as you spend your Christmas eve shopping or any day for that matter, what may seem as an innocent purchase or gift, could be come a lasting memory or family tradition that will last a life time.
Merry Christmas!
The first such recording can be traced back to the early 1900's. Since then everyone from Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole to Weird Al Yankovic to the Chipmunks and the Partridge Family have recorded yuletide favorites.
And in 1962, an established charactor actor best known for portraying Western characters, released his own Christmas album.
Fast forward a few years or so and in a supermarket in suburban Chicago, a young mother strolls through the aisles with her toddler son carefully placed in a grocery cart, his tiny legs kicking away through the little holes by the handle bar basket nearest her.
At the time, little did they both know that the album purchased would remain in their family for what now is approaching 50 years. A Christmas tradition that spans many miles and many states.
Walter Brennan, who holds a record three oscars for best supporting actor and who's acted along side such greats as John Wayne and Henry Fonda, recorded Twas The Night Before Christmas...Back Home. It's become a tradition in my family ever since that stroll in the supermarket. (thanks to technology, it's now on CD as part of a double album.)
Here are four of my favorites:
White Christmas
(I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to know. Where the tree top glistened and children listened to hear sleigh bells in the snow...in the snow.)
Snow means the north wind blowin' cold
Another log on the fire to keep out the chill
Snow means stayin' indoors for the old
And for the young, sleighin' on the hill
Snow means that the mail won't come from town
And the pond will freeze over enough to skate
Snow means I'll finally get around to shovelin' a path to the gate
Snow means a Merry Christmas morning
So let that ol' north wind blow
Another log on the fire will keep us all warm
I sure like to see it snow
So may your days be merry and bright
And may all, may all your Christmas' be white.
Silent Night
(Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm All is bright. Round yon virgin, Mother and Child, Holy infant so tender and mild...)
Seems to me around Christmas
Alot of folks change
Maybe they're a whole lot nicer to one another.
Some of them speak, why I never figured, they'd know'd my name
Cause up til now, well they, they just never bothered.
Yesterday, I seen a banker give money to a hobo
That fella was probably hungry without no place to stay.
But that banker got more then him out of that money, you know.
He got alot more than what he gave.
So, at this time of year, I guess
Folks are reminded of, of love, faith and hope
I guess it kinda takes Christmas sometimes
To, to bring out the best in folks.
(Silent Night, Holy Night)
A Farmer's Christmas Prayer
Yea know Lord it's been a while since I've talked with ya
I've been so gawl dern busy with the crops and all
Well I guess I just forgot to take time out
But I ain't a-forgetten that good crop of corn
Ya done give us this year
Eh, and that little heifer ya brought us
Is, is growing like a weed, yes sir.
Without that crop Lord, I guess I'd have to do without that new plow
And Ma would n't have that Sunday dress she's so proud of now.
Oh, I guess we wouldn't have alotta things Lord, if it wasnt' for you.
And that new Church in the valley, Lord,
Well, its about the finest thing that you could ever do
The town's mighty proud of it. We're all gonna be there on Christmas day too.
Oh, you know Billy's going to make it home from the Army for Christmas this year, Lord
We all wanna thank you for that, 'cause we sure do miss em.
It seems like just yesterday, we was buyin' him Christmas toys
He'd be running all over the house ( laughter) makin' alot of noise.
Ya know, Ma and me, we laugh about that every now and then.
Oh it's going to be good to have him home again.
Well, Lord, I suppose I've used up about all my time
And there must be alot of others a-waiting in line
I reckon during this time of year
Lots of people are waiting to share their Christmas cheer
So don't you worry none about us Lord
Cause me and my family, is going to have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
(Amen)
Old Time Christmas Stories
(Let me hear an old time Christmas story to bring back memories, cause Ma is gone and the kids are grown and now there's only me)
If it's about decoratin' the Christmas tree, I still wanna listen
Or hangin' a stockin' by the fireplace, just makes my old heart glisten'
The story about boy who got a pony
Or a girl who got a little doll
Them old stories on Christmas eve, eh, they suit me best of all.
I like those stories around Chrismas time
Of the sleigh rides and the snow
And the story of the Three Wise Men
I'm sure you all know
And we can never forget about ol' Santa Claus
And all the things he's done
Eh those ol' time Christmas stories
I love 'em, everyone
And then there's Mary and Joseph in the Manger
The story I'm sure you remember
And the baby born on Christmas Day
The twenty fifth of December
Yea I like to turn the pages back
To my childhood days of fun
Cause the ol' time Christmas Stories
Eh, I love 'em everyone
(Tell me another Christmas story of happy days gone by, cause Ma is gone and the kids are grown..)
And now there's only me.
My old time Christmas story about buying that record was just shared with me. All these years I hadn't known and now that I do makes it ever more special.
So as you spend your Christmas eve shopping or any day for that matter, what may seem as an innocent purchase or gift, could be come a lasting memory or family tradition that will last a life time.
Merry Christmas!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Come on Rise Up...
To a sell out crowd on Sunday night at St. Paul MN's Xcel Center, Bruce Springsteen gave every reason for the crowd to rise up out of their chairs, sing and applaude.
Polar opposite of Dylan on Wednesday, The Boss engaged with the crowd including acknowledging 88 year young woman who's seen Bruce many times and then having a young girl sing along up on stage.
From the first note struck to the fading of the last lyric of his "Born to Run", Bruce put on a non-stop, voice belting, fist pumping, heart beating, tear flowing, foot stomping concert that may be the best ever seen.
Although, he let the crowd carry him from a mid floor stage to the main stage(literally) and never missing a note, Bruce carried us. Carried us through a memorable performance of songs including some new ( Wrecking Ball) and old ( Rosalita) and even requested tunes like " Saving Up", a song on the first album of Clarence "Big Man" Clemons, his long time saxophone player who passed away last year. Pounding out classics such as " Spirit in the Night", "Darlington County" "Bad Lands" and "Thunder Road", The Boss didn't disappoint.
"My City of Ruins" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" may have left no dry eye in the place. The crowd drew quiet during the poetic City and Bruce gave a warm sentimental photo tribute to the Big Man during 10th avenue.
Some may disagree with his politics, there was little of that, and not interested in his music at all. But in these days of digitally manufactured music, Springsteen reminds us that great old fashioned Rock n Roll continues to rise up!
Polar opposite of Dylan on Wednesday, The Boss engaged with the crowd including acknowledging 88 year young woman who's seen Bruce many times and then having a young girl sing along up on stage.
From the first note struck to the fading of the last lyric of his "Born to Run", Bruce put on a non-stop, voice belting, fist pumping, heart beating, tear flowing, foot stomping concert that may be the best ever seen.
Although, he let the crowd carry him from a mid floor stage to the main stage(literally) and never missing a note, Bruce carried us. Carried us through a memorable performance of songs including some new ( Wrecking Ball) and old ( Rosalita) and even requested tunes like " Saving Up", a song on the first album of Clarence "Big Man" Clemons, his long time saxophone player who passed away last year. Pounding out classics such as " Spirit in the Night", "Darlington County" "Bad Lands" and "Thunder Road", The Boss didn't disappoint.
"My City of Ruins" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" may have left no dry eye in the place. The crowd drew quiet during the poetic City and Bruce gave a warm sentimental photo tribute to the Big Man during 10th avenue.
Some may disagree with his politics, there was little of that, and not interested in his music at all. But in these days of digitally manufactured music, Springsteen reminds us that great old fashioned Rock n Roll continues to rise up!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
What was that Mr. Dylan?
In an arena suited for 20,000 people, Bob Dylan would've best performed his gig last night in a 5,000 seat theater instead.
I wasn't sure if I was at a speak easy back in the 20's or in the Artist's Quarter ( a small jazz club )down the street from the Xcel center.
Dylan being Dylan can do what he wants and that's exactly what he did. Never engaging the crowd, played mostly at the piano, jazzing up his songs, leaving the crowd sitting in their seats wondering What is this?
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame didn't help this snoozer of a show either, playing a little blue grass and some slow smokey riffs as an opener to Zimmerman.
Knopfler played "So Far Away" giving the audience a prelude to the rest of the night....
Wishing we were so far away from the arena, staying at home and listening to the traditional sentimental clarity of Dylan's poetry through digital or CD or even an album. At least we wouldn't have needed subtitles to understand him.
Rating: 2.5 Guitar picks out of 5.
I wasn't sure if I was at a speak easy back in the 20's or in the Artist's Quarter ( a small jazz club )down the street from the Xcel center.
Dylan being Dylan can do what he wants and that's exactly what he did. Never engaging the crowd, played mostly at the piano, jazzing up his songs, leaving the crowd sitting in their seats wondering What is this?
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame didn't help this snoozer of a show either, playing a little blue grass and some slow smokey riffs as an opener to Zimmerman.
Knopfler played "So Far Away" giving the audience a prelude to the rest of the night....
Wishing we were so far away from the arena, staying at home and listening to the traditional sentimental clarity of Dylan's poetry through digital or CD or even an album. At least we wouldn't have needed subtitles to understand him.
Rating: 2.5 Guitar picks out of 5.
Friday, September 14, 2012
UBL? Yes, UBL!
They say life isn't easy. We're handed stuff that makes us wonder, how am I ever going to overcome this? It seems as though there are no easy days.
Life as a Navy Seal seems the same but in a different way. Train, train, train and train and this is no ordinary training, wait, wait, wait and no deployment or mission may ever occur. But then word comes. Dedication to a purpose so much so you leave family and friends behind. Secret. Operations and deployment so secret you're unable to communicate with parents, wives, friends for extended periods of time.
UBL? Yes UBL. UBL stands for Usama Bin Laden( the spelling used by the CIA) and the mission, Operation Geronimo/Neptune Spear was on.
Under the pseudonym Mark Owen( who has been revealed as Matt Bissonette), along with Kevin Maurer tells of the SEAL operations and missions including the assassination of Osama Bin Laden in the controversial book, No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden released just last week. Pentagon officials state that the book wasn't vetted through the normal process leading to the controversy and but now have recently said punishment is unlikely. Many don't agree. A non-disclosure agreement was signed and now violated by Bissonette. Some say the brotherhood and secrecy of the SEAL and its mission have been compromised.
Boots were on the ground and just over 30 minutes, Osama Bin Laden was body bagged. Not sure what information is confidential or credible, but Owen details training as a SEAL, various missions including the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from Somalian pirates, to the mysterious deployment for a mission who's purpose was yet to be given.
30 minutes. Owen and the SEALS put you in fatigues and NVG's, ( Night Vision Glasses) fly you to Pakistan, crash a helicopter, hot foot you through the compound, "clearing" rooms one floor at a time until you're on level three.
And there he stood...
UBL.
(63rd book read this year)
Life as a Navy Seal seems the same but in a different way. Train, train, train and train and this is no ordinary training, wait, wait, wait and no deployment or mission may ever occur. But then word comes. Dedication to a purpose so much so you leave family and friends behind. Secret. Operations and deployment so secret you're unable to communicate with parents, wives, friends for extended periods of time.
UBL? Yes UBL. UBL stands for Usama Bin Laden( the spelling used by the CIA) and the mission, Operation Geronimo/Neptune Spear was on.
Under the pseudonym Mark Owen( who has been revealed as Matt Bissonette), along with Kevin Maurer tells of the SEAL operations and missions including the assassination of Osama Bin Laden in the controversial book, No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden released just last week. Pentagon officials state that the book wasn't vetted through the normal process leading to the controversy and but now have recently said punishment is unlikely. Many don't agree. A non-disclosure agreement was signed and now violated by Bissonette. Some say the brotherhood and secrecy of the SEAL and its mission have been compromised.
30 minutes. Owen and the SEALS put you in fatigues and NVG's, ( Night Vision Glasses) fly you to Pakistan, crash a helicopter, hot foot you through the compound, "clearing" rooms one floor at a time until you're on level three.
And there he stood...
UBL.
(63rd book read this year)
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