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SARGE IN SYDNEY
We’re currently providing shelter to US Army Sgt. Ivan Butzen, on holidays in Australia following service in Iraq. A nicer young man you could not wish to meet. During his time in Iraq he once went without an alcoholic drink for seven months; this situation has since been remedied. His views from the front (and on The Lord of the Rings) may be found here.
Hope the old mate enjoys the great lifestyle there in Australia and is treated to a good time by all and sundry that he meets
Posted by artful-dodger on 2006 12 05 at 10:33 AM • permalinkThanks, Tim
And please let me know if his plans include a stop in NJ when he’s back stateside.
Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2006 12 05 at 10:35 AM • permalinkDuring his time in Iraq he once went without an alcoholic drink for seven months
Isn’t there a medal for this kind of conspicuous, involuntary teetotalitariansim? I believe it’s the saguaro cactus rampant, on a shield tierced per fess, with the cluster d’ empty shotglasses. Cheers to the Sargeant, and God bless him (and God bless his hospitable Ozzie friends).
How lovely of you, Tim! And how spectaculary lucky of Sgt. Butzen. I’ll bet he’s got some tales for ‘round the campfire, bless his heart.
(As for the alchohol imbalance Tim has remedied, a distinction: Tim does it out of the kindness of his heart. Bingley’s just looking for another excuse…)
Posted by tree hugging sister on 2006 12 05 at 10:41 AM • permalinkYou’ve got a great sense of humor, Sargent. I’ll bet that alone has seen you through more than once. A thousand thanks for your service and enjoy your time Down Under. You’ve probably got one of the best hosts Oz has to offer.
Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 12 05 at 01:48 PM • permalink...drinking the frothy piss of Shaitan?
I hope you didn’t copyright this, Jules, ‘cuz I am so stealing that!
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 12 05 at 01:49 PM • permalinkFirst, poker-playing ringwraiths, then an appearance by the Three Stooges of Medina!
My day is complete.
Posted by Dave Surls on 2006 12 05 at 02:34 PM • permalinkWe visited the old death row about a week ago. It’s a huge room, with a raised concrete platform with two trapdoors under two huge steel half-rings bolted to the ceiling, with a cleat on the wall behind to wrap the rope around. It’s painted over now, but on the wall opposite the traps (about fifty, sixty feet away) was a huge picture of Saddam painted on the wall, so the last thing you’d see before your neck stretched was his grinning mug. The only place in this place where grass grows is the area right behind the death-row cellblock. Wonder why.
“...drinking the frothy piss of Shaitan?”
When I was growing up, there was an old-time German fellow in my neighborhood who once described a particular German white wine as being “like drinking angel piss”. Which is theologically sound, but not something I expect to see on a commercial any time soon.
Posted by Urbs in Horto on 2006 12 05 at 04:36 PM • permalinkPlenty of shelter at my place if Ivan plans on making it to Brisbane.
Posted by Hank Reardon on 2006 12 05 at 05:32 PM • permalinkOn the subject of Iraq, and how Bush stacks up against other Presidents in terms of military action taken and not taken over time, I found these comparisons fascinating.
Great e-mails. You get the impression from our MSM that all those terrorists are acting from reasoned anti-Western motives, perhaps a little misguided but understandable on some level, much like out own socialist agitators. What we don’t often consider is the healthy dose of myth and superstition behind it - above and beyond their religion, even - stemming from no facts whatsoever. This wouldn’t be limited to Arabs - all cultures are barely a step and a half distanced from such medieval fantasy.
Actually, come to think of it, it’s exactly like our socialist agitators.
Have a great stay, Sarge, and God bless for your service.
If you make it to Melbournistan, I’m sure more remedial alcohol could be arranged.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 12 05 at 06:42 PM • permalinkClearly the next time John Kerry speaks to students, he will have to warn them thus:
“You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well and will even be able to have a drink every once in a while. If you don’t, you get stuck in Australia with nothing but warm water to drink.”
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Good stuff, we seem to be getting more and more of these yank service men passing through down here….