This is just clean and fun.

Enjoy!

Yes, I've had quite enough of this anniversary. I'm living it. trust me I know.

I hope that any of you who have just discovered this occasional column enjoy. For those who come here looking for something random, I think I've just the thing for you today. Ever wonder what would happen if a guy with rythmn decided to do his own thing with solo bass flute? neither did I... but had I, I still wouldn't have expected Greg Patillo! This guy's truly amazing!!!

and even more amazing...

Resocialization is such a pretty word

By

the Spec2re

Sgt., U.S. Army

Colorado Technical University

Sociology

SOC205-0803A-13

Instructor

..name removed..

30^th of July, 2008

Resocialization. It sounds gentle and subtle. Resocialization. Maybe we need a Government Bureau of Resocialization. Don’t you think? This is defined as “the process of learning new attitudes and norms required for a new social role.” (dictionary.com, 2006)

Study Resocialization, and you will find that it is simply social conditioning. The Nazis used the core techniques to redesign the entire social atmosphere and culture of Germany in the 1930’s. They did it the Classic way: By raising the kids in the way that they needed them to be.

Modern times wouldn’t do that, would it? Try again: If any group fails to encourage a level of peer pressure, then that group fails. Now, the Germans are using this very effectively to train the new generations to be socially conscious and helpful to fellow man from the get-go in their own kindergartens. The older children (Kindergarten lasts from ages 2-6) get to sponsor the younger children in the ways to behave, the fun toys that are available, and when the routine activities occur. The sense of responsibility of one’s self in encouraged, and the older kids are rewarded by the friendship of the younger kids as they successfully teach new games and activities in the new environment. (Personal communication with Janine Gray nee Gareis, 2007).

The military uses a series of methods to teach new recruits to be excellent soldiers and efficient killing machines. Identity is reft from the new recruits by herding them naked into showers, shaving them bald, and then dressing them all alike. Mass punishment from the new aggressive role models ensures that the group looks at each other to ensure uniformity. Then in the stress of physically accomplishing more work than each had ever had the chance to in their former life, each are taught the action of accurately firing weapons into silhouette targets on split second recognition of general shape. (Grossman, 2000)

As you can see, these methods are classic conditioning, operant conditioning and role modeling. (Grossman, 2000) The U.S. Army has had to learn to make the troops more efficient, and to do their job. That is, after all the job of a military: create superior weapons in order to win wars.

The main factors which could cause failure in these efforts are currently being applied to the military. The organization has had to remove a certain level of physical contact from the ranks, in order to make the military at large, more television friendly. The obvious result of this will be to create a Corp of initiates who, upon rising through the ranks, will tremble to apply needed force to conquer enemies both foreign and domestic, who truly threaten the integrity of the nation which we call home.

Dictionary.com (2006) Resocialization

Retrieved July 30^th, 2008 from the Dictionary.com homepage

Web site: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/resocialization

Grossman, D. LTC. (RET), (2000) Trained to kill

Retrieved July 30^th, 2008 from the Killology research group homepage.

Web site: http://www.killology.com/art_trained_methods.htm

I'm sure that we all can agree that we have skewed memories of childhood. We all remember things larger, better, worse, and forever when compared to the reality of the situation. This is just for perspective.

This morning, we have enjoyed an idyllic provincial and perfect weekend beginning. I remember 2 things that have long been favorite family rituals from my youngest days. Some of my favorite Saturday mornings included my old man making waffles. Other favorite moments include quiet moments sponsored by my mother and our old turntable playing J.S. Strauss waltzes. I had put a playlist on the Winamp which started with some accapella, and ended with der Koenigswalzer, Tales from the Vienna Woods, and the Beautiful Blue Danube. The Blue Danube ended just minutes after we had finished breakfast.

I had timed it out approximately, but it had worked better than I had hoped. What a beautiful way to properly begin the weekend. Now we're off to visit a friend or two. We hope that you enjoy your weekend too!