[mdlug] Retro Computing

[Aaron Kulkis]

Peter Bart wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-12-29 at 21:08 +0300, Aaron Kulkis wrote:
>> Garry Stahl wrote:
>>> OK, the DCG Computer Club AKA Downriver Commodore Group is on it's last
>>> gasp. 
>>>
>>> Anyone interested in Retro Computers, be there or be square.
>>>
>> I'm in Baghdad, but I'll be there in spirit.
>>
> 
> 	Stay safe Aaron, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I'm sure you heard that we lost 3 guys last week to an explosion.. :-(

The only good part (if you can call it that) is that they never
felt a thing.

Amazingly, one occupant (out of 5) in the vehicle suffered only
a cut on the chin requiring about 5 stitches.

The fourth man in the vehicle was a 19-year old from Baghdad, who
worked for us as an interpreter.  His dream was to come to the
U.S. and become a U.S. citizen.  More than any of the other
interpreters, he was viewed as part of the company, not merely
someone helping us.

This interpret was known as Jimmy.  Jimmy had a really outgoing
spirit.  His father encouraged him to come work with us....last
summer, while we were training at Fort Dix, Jimmy was also in the
U.S., being trained by Titan (the interpreter contractor) for
this work.  Jimmy wanted to make Iraq a better place, and do his
part to help rid the country of the foreign jihadists and, frankly,
local criminal gangs who are the source of all the problems
(both groups are afraid of a new government that has any sort of
stability -- despite what the news people say, there is NOT a
civil war here -- merely rival factions who kill innocent
bystanders as gestures of intimidation ... if there was a REAL
civil war here, the rival factions would be shooting at each
other -- but they all fervently avoid combat with actual
belligerents of rival factions....this is more like a giant
drug-gang turf war in and around this city).

For the safety of both themselves, and their families, all of our
interpreters work under aliases (most use English names, some
use sorts of English nickname, such as Tiger or Black Sam).


We just had the memorial service about an hour ago.  Just to
make things interesting, some local idiots with a mortar tube
a couple of miles away decided to throw explosives at us, as
the service was winding down.  Fortunately, their aim was bad
tonight, and the explosions were off the FOB (forward operating
base).  I hope I never again have such an experience...

As most of you know, I was part of a military funeral honors
detail for about 18 months before I was deployed here.  This
was the most difficult service I've been in... I'm glad that
"Jimmy's" family was there, but that is also what made it so
difficult...The funerals in which a mother outlives her son
or daughter are always the most emotional...  Looking into the
eyes of his parents...and since they did not know any English,
not really being able to say anything to them....was, well,
heartbreaking.  All I could do is let them see the tears in
my eyes.


All of thenm were good guys...really good guys.  Fun to be around,
and who you could totally trust, and, I must say, much braver
than I am.