The Burner Man
By: William M. McCurrach

When you stand back and watch a boiler man
work the burners during a drill or a deployment, the intensity and tension can
build. The heat level in a fire room aboard a naval ship is intense at times,
in warmer climates, it can reach 120 degrees, yet that burner man must sit and
stare at those fires, in case they do go out. He sweats as he stares through
that glass view port, hoping the fires will continue to burn, the front of that
boiler a few feet from his face, the air register flapper valve stands in the
open position and the fuel valve is wide open. On a 1200 pound D-type boiler
six burners can blaze at once. In the background he can hear the pumps and
blowers whine and the steam reducers hiss. He stands under the fluorescent
lights as they stay bright, his feet in his boots hot, and against the metal
deck plates, with diamond shapes in them. His hands and body become a blur of
motion if the boiler fires should go out. His job is to secure the boiler front
as fast as possible, I know I lived it. The call for more steam by the bridge
to feed the engines can come at any time, and he must stand at the ready.
He stares at the burners or he read his manuals of operations and
emergency procedures. He has to know all the reasons a boiler may go out and
why and what to do. Where is the emergency fuel cutout, the upper level man
watches the blowers and pumps and water levels if they go low, emergency
shutdown can commence. The burner man must be ready.  What do you do for high water, low water,
ruptured tube, loss of feed pumps or any other vital equipment.  Ruptured fuel lines , loss of fuel pressure
and so many more. The men on the deck plates must be ready. These Boiler Technicians
are vital to the ships the Navy has, and they are the blood and strength of the
Navy in more ways than one. They are the primary Engineers without whom no
steam-driven ship can move, nor can the Navy fight without.
As a burner goes out this burner man reacts quickly pulling emergency
fuel stops, closing registers and fuel valves and stopping the oil from flowing
into the firebox of the boiler. His body and forehead soaked in sweat as the
heat rises in the fire room, because there is no steam to power the generators
now and the air vents go dead. By the time the burner man finishes and drops
the six burner barrels on the deck plates, his body aches and the sweat
drenches him. Yet, as soon as the reason for the shutdown is found and fixed he
stands ready to do it all again. Yes sailors do complain and yes they get angry
when things go wrong, but, in the end it is the man on the deck plates, that
burner man who makes sure no one dies in a fuel explosion or worse. He makes
sure his ship does not stay dead at sea as a target for an enemy, missile  or
torpedo.
I know this burner man, this man who did this and kept his ships moving
and did the job well. He paid his price in the end, due to a fall down a ladder
of 24 steel rungs. But he survives each day knowing he did what was right, with
6 bad discs that make it hard to sleep at night. And if you see him, walking
through a store or down the street one day, and he is stooped or walking funny,
don’t laugh at him, he is a Disabled Veteran today and proud he served the USA.
The End

The world as a whole has many problems as we all know. We have climate changes, we have weather upheavals, we have hunger, homelessness, and illnesses. So why do people, tend to try to kill each other, when life is far too short in the first place? Good question, would be the answer I would expect from most.

      Sadly, humanity is the only species on the planet that continues to kill themselves off, and not think twice of it. We have killings, murders, wars, and more, and it proves or gets no one any where does it? In the Middle East, countries put up barriers between one another and fight for land still in the modern world. I believe the fighting should end and the people doing the fighting should realize they are really all members of the same family of people. Sadly, this won’t occur in my lifetime, but I think they should begin to look at it in that light at least.

       Historically speaking and factually speaking, too many nationalities actually do come from the same backgrounds and places in history and cultures. But no one wants to admit this and it becomes a great issue to fight wars about. Very sad indeed. Violence as one man said, only begets Violence and it goes on perpetually, until one half either dies off or the other is killed off.

Wars have been fought since the beginning of the world and will always more than likely be with us. But the reasons to fight wars, we should look more closely at and eliminate. Sadly that will never be done either, because mankind in general lets emotions rule them not intelligence.

       Next subject, in my life and family, separations exist between siblings because of past acts and animosities. We fight over who was right as a parent, who was right or to blame for what when wrong when.  Who ignored whom, who wasn’t there to help who when needed and much, much more. I think all families do this, it is a matter of degree and how far one can keep it going that matters in life. I am now 55 going on 56 years old, I have now out lived my real father’s age, and I am closing in on the age of the death of my mother and my step-father who raised me. Yet, animosities, anger, fighting and brutal separations between siblings still exists. I don’t think it will ever disappear or be handled and straightened out by any of us. I think it is so ingrained in us from childhood and since, that it has become an internal part of who each of us are. Is it the same for all families I don’t know, but I do know after so many years of it, we don’t change our ways.

Not too long ago, I ran across a nephew actually I did not know I had. He lives in the south and I came across him on the Internet. He wanted more information on his father, my younger half-brother. I thought about it for a bit before I gave him information and tried to help him learn of his family. I think it made him happy to be included by me, and those of us open enough in my family to accept him. I think, no matter where you may be, no matter who you may be, no matter what your situation or status in life, you always will need a family base from which to start from and everyone wants to know, who their parents are and from which they come and they have that right. So I help where I can and it is all I do.

      

        

      Sometimes, bitching, moaning, ranting and raving is not worth the effort, nor the time to do so.  We do so much complaining at times, everyone tends to tune you out and walk away. It’s a fact of the world so to say, if you complain too much you’re a whiner. But if you don’t complain at all you’re a pushover, and you get run over and slammed about. So there is a thin line between the two isn’t there?

        Well, onward, and upwards as they say. Or as we said in my Navy Days and I am sure they still do today, Haze Grey and Underway.  Life goes on each day and either you’re a part of it or your gone.

       As I listen to my coffee pot, beep at me after it ground the coffee and drip made it, I wonder if the world is ready for 2012 and the economy that is coming to unite us all. It seems slowly but surely we  leveling out in economic levels, and slowly coming to terms with it all.  The only advantage we have over other countries are the resources we have in hand to us.

       America has the resources of the ability to educate its people, the knowledge of its own land and its massive creativity abundant in its people. We must work at expanding our knowledge, our inventiveness, our innovators and expand our abilities to create what other countries and mankind in general needs, or slowly watch our own country fade from glory and existence.

       As to the political world in America and the choices we will be given in the 2012 election, let me remind Americans that, 1) It took the Republicans 8 years to bury us economically, and they will do so again if allowed. 2) The Democrats haven’t dug us out either, so we have very little choices left. 3) The longer we allow congress, both houses to gridlock and standoff against one another, the less we will accomplish and move forward. Sadly it is gonna be up to the American People shortly, to either change what is happening by voting out those causing the gridlock, or to live with it and watch us sink further.

        Now to close this little rant so to say, I give you the following information to consider and think about. A supreme being whether it be a God or otherwise created us all and put us on this planet and blesses us with the time we are here. I give you this to think about after that. Time for humanity is short indeed, and we are placed upon this planet to complete certain missions which we are not fully aware of, that have been programmed into us from birth and the moment of conception. As we complete each mission, through the natural process of our lives, we slowly wear down and once we complete all we are to do in our short lifetimes, we return to the place from which we came. So remember each day that from the moment of birth you are actually slowly dying and do not have limitless time on this planet to do all you want, need or feel you have to do. So live life to the fullest, each and everyday.

 

 

      Steve Job’s death yesterday from cancer is a sad occasion not only for Apple but for the overall computer industry. His vision, innovation, style and salesmanship was beyond normal bounds. His inventiveness brought items of immense popularity and growth for the world. His devices spread words, programs, knowledge and joy. God Rest his soul!. It was indeed a sad ending for a great mind and man.

       Time shall illuminate Steve Jobs, life and his contributions to Society and the World, as a visionary, along the same lines as Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin, and many other greats who gave to the world great gifts, and expanded mankind’s knowledge and joys.

     Next we still find another sad ending, being looked at and investigated. The End of Micheal Jackson, his music and contributions to the world and the music industry. Sadly, in Micheal Jackson’s case he contributed to his own demise and death in my opinion. Now opinions are varied on this matter and many will say I am crazy, but, Micheal made his choices and chose his life. He was 50 years old when he died, he didn’t have to hire a Doctor like Murray to get him drugs and administer them to him, he choose to. He asked for these drugs, requested them and got himself into the addiction that led to his death. Yes, Doctor Murray should have said no, I won’t participate or help you get your drugs, nor will I administer them to you, in any matter means or way. But more than likely Micheal would have found another doctor to do the job, and paid him more to do it. Sadly, the demise of Micheal Jackson only compares to the demise of Steve Jobs in one way, both were very talented, brilliant stars who shined for too short a time on this planet.

 

      Each day I turn on the Television and there is the Trial of Conrad Murray for the Involuntary Manslaughter of MJ.  I wonder, if this were an average american male age 50 who died and did so due to drug usage, would we care so much, or even bother to televised or talk about it all?. Lets face the facts the only reason the case is so public and watched so much is who the victim is. Micheal Jackson had great talent as an entertainer and performer yes, but is it the world’s place to be so deep into his private death?. What right does America or any other country to dig into someone’s private life this deep?.

      As the case against Conrad Murray rages on and on, and people point the finger at one another for the death of Micheal Jackson, we should really step back and point a finger at Micheal Jackson himself. No one pinned him to a bed and forced him to ask for these drugs. He paid a Doctor to administer these drugs to him because he wanted them and was addicted to them and he did nothing to stop it himself. He wanted the drugs he received, he paid Murray to be his administrator of these drugs and to help him get them, it is very, very obvious.

       While Micheal Jackson’s entertainment value as a performer, singer, writer and dancer will always keep him in the minds of the public and history, his demise, will also live on as a reminder to those alive, that with great power and fame comes great responsibility and that includes the responsibility of your own health and welfare. Do not let yourself go and party, do not use drugs and booze, do not abuse your own mind and body like Micheal Jackson did his. His demise is really, his own fault to a great extent, he wanted the drugs, he made an agreement with Conrad Murray to pay him, 150 grand a month to safely administer them to him. So he in the end really paid for his own demise and ultimate death. But as many have said before me, it does not relieve Conrad Murray of his lack of control of the situation, his lack of reasonable care and dedication to his boss, nor does it relieve Conrad Murray of the responsibility of not saying no to Micheal Jackson as a Doctor should have. So, Conrad Murray will more than likely be convicted of the charges against him and the Jackson family will continue to point fingers at others for the Death of Micheal Jackson. In the end though when we all look back at this event and the end of Micheal Jackson, his own worst enemy was himself and he is mostly the one to blame for his own demise. The Jackson’s will never admit or say that publicly, but they too know it, for they tried to intervene and save him more than once. No one can prevent or stop someone from doing what they have their mind-set on to do, Jackson’s demise, was one of his own making in many ways.

      Across the world, countries look to America and it’s people to lead and show the way, to help protect and police them and direct them, but who directs the USA?

      Recently I read an article that said, Obama will not be reelected President in 2012, and to prepare for a Republican takeover of the White House, if so in my opinion Americans might as well start saving large cardboard boxes to live in. Republicans tear down whatever good we have and it has been proven by past Presidents. We need to change things yes, improve the economy yes, create jobs yes and improve living conditions. We don’t need to destroy what is now in effect and beginning to work. Change as other Presidents said takes time and you can’t make changes overnight.

        We need Trade agreements that are fair for the USA. We need jobs created through innovation, determination, and manufacturing not service. America was built and runs best under two circumstances and positions. 1) In times of war Americans come together to protect and over come and the factories we once had chug and grind out the materials and weapons of war quickly. 2) But America runs best on manufacturing of parts, and supplies needed for any industry, and because it is based on a blue-collar world not a white-collar one. Blue Collar people and jobs are the backbone and spine of America’s Economy and strength and we need to return to that as soon as possible. We need to give tax breaks to companies to make them stay here, we need Unions to work with companies to stay here, a sacrifice by America’s workers to industry leaders and those who are blue-collar will only make America stronger in the future.  

      What America needs more than anything now, is a Congress and President who can not only say compromise, but do it!. Both Political parties, and yes even the new Tea Party all need to realize, the American people, and the economy need compromise and togetherness in our government in order to move forward and repair the damage we have.

       Is it wrong for the American People to ask of their own Government and the people they hired and elected as their leaders and legislators to come together for the good of the people and the country and make decisions, compromising all views for the good of the people?. I think it is high time it happens, or soon, we may be all living in cardboard boxes and begging for food for work!. 

        As we feed and help millions around the world, and police other countries and  fight wars we have no business in, we should stop and think of the greatest war we need to fight, The one here at home, of our own people hungry, homeless and jobless. Yes world America Needs Too, and no one helps us, no matter how much we help others. America needs!

     

      America must face its next biggest decision come 2012. Will we be able to recover lost jobs, make new jobs, and move ahead or fall further behind the world. As our economy falters and stalls and stops and starts and people lose jobs, homes, and end up begging for food on the streets and living in cardboard boxes, the cold winter is coming quickly. Many homeless and hungry and out of work Americans now face what many others face in the world, a lack of prosperity and coldness from those who have versus those who have not. Something must be done to return America and its people to it’s once proud stature of glory.

        As 2011 rolls on into the winter months here on the Northeastern half of the country, families are worried how to pay for food, heat,rent and more. The American economy heads closer and closer  to depression thru this era and time of recession. Money, jobs, survival are all about to become a matter for Americans to consider not in the future but today. Democrats want to move us forward in one direction and Republicans in another. Sadly in 2008 the American people made a major mistake in giving the White House to one party and the Congress to the other. It created the worse gridlock in American Political History and now, We the People suffer for our mistake. The economy stagnates, and halts, the people starve and can’t find work, no decision can be made or agreed on and America fails to move forward.

        I will not say vote Democratic, or vote Republican come 2012, I will say, find the candidate and party that will make the economy recover and do it quickly.  The name of the party or the person we elect will only matter if we pick the ones that can make fiscal and economic recovery their number one priority. Jobs, education, health, benefits all need to be addressed and dealt with in Congress and the White House.  Our biggest decision is not whether we kill Obama Care, or change Presidents, it’s how we can elect officials who understand the economy, understand creating jobs, understand extending unemployment and benefits and understand the American People’s need to grow, prosper and live well. You can’t continue to steal from Social Security to finance other programs, you can’t let the trade agreements be one-sided against us, you can’t allow jobs to go overseas. We can’t continue to fight other people’s wars, police other people’s countries and help other countries if we can’t help ourselves.

        America’s next big decision in 2012 is really about saving America and her  people. America’s next big decision in 2012 is really this: Can America afford gridlock in Washington, spending in wars not our own, a Congress and White House, who, refuses to work with one another and no one working to create jobs or fix the economy.  No, so America’s next Big Decision in 2012 is how do we save the Republic and our own country from destruction and financial ruin? This is America’s next Big Decision, find a leader who can see the truth, deal with it and correct it, period!.

      

     As Terry Francona departs as Red Sox Manager in Boston, I stop and think of all the years I have been a Boston Red Sox Fan. I grew up sitting in my parents living room with my step-father watching the Red Sox year after year, do what they did this year, collapse and fade from playoff contention. We would sit there and yell and scream at the television screen or the radio station as we listened and watched when we could. And the ending for my step-fathers whole life was the same the Red Sox never won. My STep-father lived from 1932 to 1990 as a Red Sox fan, each year supporting the team and it’s dreams of winning it all. He never lived to see that happen, sadly. I believe when they did when it twice in the last 8 years he would have been one happy man.

      I lived to see the Red Sox win the World Series, not once but twice now in my lifetime. And I believe Red Sox Nation and all of its fans owe Terry Francona a Thanks for his Managing and Leadership!. Francona brought a winning attitude and style to Boston and worked endlessly while in Boston to win it all.  As The Francona Era in Boston Red Sox History now passes by and he leaves, it would be well to remember for all Red Sox Fans and the owners, Francona did what no Red Sox Manager since 1912 could do, he brought not one but two World Series Titles to Boston. Thanks Terry Francona, Thank you very much, From:  A Die Hard Red Sox Fan!.

      Back in the 1950’s and 1960’s and before then children were made to earn what they got, today they are handed things for doing nothing. They get toys and books and electronic equipment today like it was bubble gum and candy when we grew up. Sadly this is making American children into people who expect the world handed to them.

       Back then when you grew up your parents weren’t afraid to smack ya on the ass or upside the head straighten you out and make you fly straight. Then came the Cosby Kids of the 1980s. Don’t hit you kids, talk to your kids, if you hit your child you can be arrested or your child can divorce you, that’s where and when we went wrong!. The old spare the rod/ spoil the child went out, it should have stayed. The people born before the late 1970s know what it is like to be cuffed upside the head, spanked and made to earn what they have, they value it more.

       Today’s children have computers, electronic video games and consoles, Iphones and text phones and tablets and more. They sit in front of a computer or Television screen staring at them, and being entertained. What ever happened to go outside and play, explore the world, play with your friends in real life?.

      Today, people are computer literate, but have very few social skills. Manners are a thing of the past and rudeness rules. Kids want something now and they get it by hook or by crook, by pressuring their parents into it. Parents use computers and electronic gaming consoles to babysit their children instead of reading to them or playing a game with them. I know working by both parents takes up much of a person’s time, but when you’re a parent you should make time to be with your children and teach them. Not turn them into zombies who watch Television and play Video games and Computer games all day and night!.

      I see too many kids running around with Iphones, laptops,tablets, and Gaming Consoles, who have no idea what a book, or an Erector set is, or a microscope or any board games may be. Ask them to play Scrabble and they can only spell four letter words, why is that?. It is a sad state of affairs and commentary on the state of our American Children. They are slow in learning, grades and levels incomplete, unable to socially communicate properly and lazy, because of all the above. Half of them have never roller skated or ice skated, gone sledding in winter, rode a bike or even know how anymore.

        What ever happened to teaching boys to work for what they want, and the same with girls. What happened to Dad making his sons help fix the house or car, or mom making their daughters clean their homes or do laundry or dishes?. Discipline in the American Society has disappeared and gone south, we need it brought back. The Generational Differences I am speaking of are lack of discipline, control, manners and a lazy attitude of they will give it to me anyway and I deserve it. That my friends is why America is failing, these new generations have no idea what it is to work for something and earn it.

 

     Political Bedlam and outright foolishness are taking over Washington and the Congress in both Houses. Stop the political infighting, partianship and start working together!. As the House and Senate bicker and infight and cause bedlam to rage, and be foolish it is the average american citizen that suffers for it.  When will this bedlam and foolishness stop?

      I don’t care if some don’t approve of President Obama, or they don’t agree with his Healthcare, or tax plans or anything else. I do care if the bedlam and foolishness, takes away our way of life, our ability to havea home, or eat or get medical problems cared for. I do care if you take away Social Security or mess with Medicare.  I do care if you cut unemplyment or don’t work to make jobs! Why is all of it taking so much time to move American towarda  recovery economically and socially? What is wrong?

        Infighting, then fighting between the parties , then the insert of the Tea Party in the middle and their demands. Wake up will ya folks, you have a country to run, not one to fight over. The American Economy and people need the bedlam and bickering and foolishness to stop now!

       I love America, I wa sborn and raised here and served 16 years to protect and defend it. It is my birth place, my home and my life. There is no excuse for the politicians in Washington that we elected to stalemate, boog down, and stop from working, period. If Congress can’t get off it’s ass and find a way to turn the economy around, create jobs and do it without toching Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment and Veteran’s Benefits then they need to go home and find jobs in the public fields of endeavers like all citizens not elected to office. See how fast they would find a way to create jobs if the American People stopped keeping them in  office and made them go work for private companies, and they couldn’t find jobs!