Posted on Apr 27, 2021
Nigerian president calls on US to relocate Africa Command headquarters
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F@ck Nigeria. They deserve to have an insurgency. In the Southern region of Nigeria the government polluted the seas and the land for oil. The locals get no oil revenue. The locals can’t fish or farm. That’s why an insurgency started.
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COL (Join to see)
Here's a funny thing Ken... I secretly admire and respect you. You remind me of a younger me...ironically a "me" before someone older and wiser pointed out the following... "you are the smartest and most passionate person I know, but you don't always have to kill everyone to show your intelligence".
You have rarely posted anything that I disagreed with in content, sometimes just in style/delivery/context. Again, I admit, I am the pot calling the kettle black (or however that stupid expression goes) so it is very ironic.
So I actually was going to write you the following, since it seems the internet blows things way out of proportion and emotions (and computer keys) tend to lead our brains. So like you, I have deep ties to the Philippines, but unlike you, I would never argue with you about that, for obvious reasons (my Pinay better half and family that raised me have taught me well). So for example, if someone posted, Duterte said to US SECDEF, why don't you guys move USPACOM to somewhere in Asia instead of let's say, Poland, and then I reply, "F$ck, Philipines..." and start ranting on about Duterte (all of them true points) and his abuses and then bring up the Marcos dynasty and... IMO, that seems a bit out of context and irrelevant to what we were talking about. Also, I'm not going to get into a debate with someone who has direct lineage, roots, upbringing, and knowledge of the country and its history. I might know a lot about the Philippines, but I'm not arguing with an aware "native".
Again, I am a fan of yours, and as someone who was known for being overly brash and unnecessarily confrontational, I have wondered if perhaps you can see the delivery of your opinions may sometimes offend. I'm not going to mention posts, but I personally have learned to put out there things that are relevant and not with the intent to push buttons unnecessarily or be brash or any of the social media internet things people do for reaction or simply 'cos they don't give a f$ck.
So my friend. Everything you could ever want to know about me is posted right here for the public to see including my AOC. And because of what I do in the civilian world, Google has taken a slight interest in me, so...
I am sorry you no longer think I am cool, but I still admire the insights and knowledge you share.
You have rarely posted anything that I disagreed with in content, sometimes just in style/delivery/context. Again, I admit, I am the pot calling the kettle black (or however that stupid expression goes) so it is very ironic.
So I actually was going to write you the following, since it seems the internet blows things way out of proportion and emotions (and computer keys) tend to lead our brains. So like you, I have deep ties to the Philippines, but unlike you, I would never argue with you about that, for obvious reasons (my Pinay better half and family that raised me have taught me well). So for example, if someone posted, Duterte said to US SECDEF, why don't you guys move USPACOM to somewhere in Asia instead of let's say, Poland, and then I reply, "F$ck, Philipines..." and start ranting on about Duterte (all of them true points) and his abuses and then bring up the Marcos dynasty and... IMO, that seems a bit out of context and irrelevant to what we were talking about. Also, I'm not going to get into a debate with someone who has direct lineage, roots, upbringing, and knowledge of the country and its history. I might know a lot about the Philippines, but I'm not arguing with an aware "native".
Again, I am a fan of yours, and as someone who was known for being overly brash and unnecessarily confrontational, I have wondered if perhaps you can see the delivery of your opinions may sometimes offend. I'm not going to mention posts, but I personally have learned to put out there things that are relevant and not with the intent to push buttons unnecessarily or be brash or any of the social media internet things people do for reaction or simply 'cos they don't give a f$ck.
So my friend. Everything you could ever want to know about me is posted right here for the public to see including my AOC. And because of what I do in the civilian world, Google has taken a slight interest in me, so...
I am sorry you no longer think I am cool, but I still admire the insights and knowledge you share.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
COL (Join to see) - Lets agree to disagree and start over. Likewise I like your posts. There is no point beating a dead horse. Have an excellent day. Are you Filipino?
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MAJ Ken Landgren
COL (Join to see) - My friends who I grew up in the PI, well we are scattered across the country and use FB to communicate. I don't know why I have written several short stories about growing up in the PI, but I have nevertheless. In this process I realized I had experienced many things my friends did not. The epiphany I had was my father loved to travel and explore. He was unique. I rue that I never did say how f@cking cool he was. A few of my friends requested I write a book, but that investment would entail too much energy and time. I compromised and I am writing a memoir to include several short stories about the PI. I am taking my time. There is no point stressing myself. Enclosed is a short story.
THE SMALL ISLAND
I recall at the age of ten going on a cruise and visiting several islands and cities with my father. We went to Zamboanga, Mindanao, Cebu City, and Palawan. I thought the culture in Mindanao was interesting because it is significantly inhabited by Muslims. I don’t know why but my father and I visited a penal colony in Mindanao. A penal colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners to separate them from the general population. It looked like a bunch of skinny men sitting or standing around in a large yard. I liked Cebu City. It is very developed and clean. I was very impressed.
We made our way to Palawan Island off the Southwest coast off the Philippines. Palawan is 260 miles long and is 24 miles wide. Palawan is home to several indigenous groups. There is a dark side to the history of that large island. In WWII, the Japanese Army occupied Palawan. Near the end of the war at Puerto Princessa, the capital of Palawan, the Japanese, under the command of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, forced 150 Allied prisoners of war into ditches and covered them gasoline and set them on fire. Those who tried to escape were shot. After the war General Yamashita was tried and convicted of war crimes and hanged. It was said there existed no evidence the General ordered savage acts, but he bore the responsibility of his Army’s conduct as the commander. When Japan formally surrendered many American Soldiers and Marines refused to allow Japanese Soldiers to surrender alive due to the atrocities they carried out in the war.
From Palawan we rode a sea faring dugout canoe for an hour. The sun was bright and hot. The salty air splashed from the bow of the canoe as we skimmed over the small waves. The splashes from the cool water was a welcome respite to the heat and left salt on our skin as it evaporated. I was lost in time as we passed islands of pink, white, and black beaches surrounded by the bluest clear water in the world. I marveled how nature could design a process to create those magnificent colored beaches. Our destination was a small tropical island with pure white sand that reflected into our eyes. It was unprotected by the brilliant sun and covered with a bevy of coconut trees like a random plantation, and the warm winds made the palm fronds flutter gently. It was pristine, it was a beautiful speck in the Sulu Sea. We were alone. The island portrayed infinite and timeless beauty.
We snorkeled. The island was surrounded by a kaleidoscope of bright tropical fish meandering in water that was clear as air. They swam randomly around over, under, and around us. Tabletop coral, like giant mushrooms, welcomed us. I had the opportunity to see a large bed of giant clams. The clams were a couple feet wide. They were open, revealing purple flesh in the middle with a white outer shell. The island had a deep and large sunken hole several meters from the beach. Perhaps it was a 100 feet deep. It was dark and deep enough to hide a small sunken ship at the bottom while sharks swam overhead of the ship. I floated above the deep dark hole and felt uncomfortable suspended in the water while I looked down at the numerous sharks swimming above the ship below me. I assumed maybe it was sunk in WWII? What did I know? If it were not for the ship, I could easily think no human had laid eyes the island. I will always remember the exploration of the small island the with crystal clarity with my father.
THE SMALL ISLAND
I recall at the age of ten going on a cruise and visiting several islands and cities with my father. We went to Zamboanga, Mindanao, Cebu City, and Palawan. I thought the culture in Mindanao was interesting because it is significantly inhabited by Muslims. I don’t know why but my father and I visited a penal colony in Mindanao. A penal colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners to separate them from the general population. It looked like a bunch of skinny men sitting or standing around in a large yard. I liked Cebu City. It is very developed and clean. I was very impressed.
We made our way to Palawan Island off the Southwest coast off the Philippines. Palawan is 260 miles long and is 24 miles wide. Palawan is home to several indigenous groups. There is a dark side to the history of that large island. In WWII, the Japanese Army occupied Palawan. Near the end of the war at Puerto Princessa, the capital of Palawan, the Japanese, under the command of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, forced 150 Allied prisoners of war into ditches and covered them gasoline and set them on fire. Those who tried to escape were shot. After the war General Yamashita was tried and convicted of war crimes and hanged. It was said there existed no evidence the General ordered savage acts, but he bore the responsibility of his Army’s conduct as the commander. When Japan formally surrendered many American Soldiers and Marines refused to allow Japanese Soldiers to surrender alive due to the atrocities they carried out in the war.
From Palawan we rode a sea faring dugout canoe for an hour. The sun was bright and hot. The salty air splashed from the bow of the canoe as we skimmed over the small waves. The splashes from the cool water was a welcome respite to the heat and left salt on our skin as it evaporated. I was lost in time as we passed islands of pink, white, and black beaches surrounded by the bluest clear water in the world. I marveled how nature could design a process to create those magnificent colored beaches. Our destination was a small tropical island with pure white sand that reflected into our eyes. It was unprotected by the brilliant sun and covered with a bevy of coconut trees like a random plantation, and the warm winds made the palm fronds flutter gently. It was pristine, it was a beautiful speck in the Sulu Sea. We were alone. The island portrayed infinite and timeless beauty.
We snorkeled. The island was surrounded by a kaleidoscope of bright tropical fish meandering in water that was clear as air. They swam randomly around over, under, and around us. Tabletop coral, like giant mushrooms, welcomed us. I had the opportunity to see a large bed of giant clams. The clams were a couple feet wide. They were open, revealing purple flesh in the middle with a white outer shell. The island had a deep and large sunken hole several meters from the beach. Perhaps it was a 100 feet deep. It was dark and deep enough to hide a small sunken ship at the bottom while sharks swam overhead of the ship. I floated above the deep dark hole and felt uncomfortable suspended in the water while I looked down at the numerous sharks swimming above the ship below me. I assumed maybe it was sunk in WWII? What did I know? If it were not for the ship, I could easily think no human had laid eyes the island. I will always remember the exploration of the small island the with crystal clarity with my father.
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