Dave Ives's Blog, page 2

Why did I join the Air Force?

I’m doing this thing even if it’s illegal … My road to becoming an air force medic started back in New Hampshire when I visited an armed forces recruiting office one day after finishing work. I got the idea to go there from a co-worker. Only a few years older than me, I looked up […]

The Military and the “F” word

Fraternization … what did you think I meant? In my book “Yanks in the Outback: A story of Woomera, South Australia, the Joint Defense Facility Nurrugar and the First Gulf War,” I tackle the subject of Fraternization. A touchy subject in the military. At least it used to be when I was in many years […]

I wasn’t born in Alice Springs but I got here as soon as I could

Here’s the story that goes with my tag line … How do you go from growing up in a log cabin in the back woods of New Hampshire to the Central Australian outback?  It’s a long story. I like to say, “I wasn’t born in Alice Springs but I got here as soon as I […]

How do you build financial muscle mass?

Hint: You gotta lift the weights …  Want to build financial muscle mass? Want to become financially fit? Then let me tell you the secret … you gotta lift the weights.  To get a feel for what I’m talking about, check out this ridiculous situation … Which guy gets strong? A scrawny guy walks up to a physical […]

Top 12 Reasons to read ’12 Rules for Life’ by Jordan Peterson

Pick your favorite reason then read the book. There are probably hundreds of good reasons to read Jordan Peterson’s book ‘12 Rules for Life,’ but you only need one. I’ve come up with twelve of them. I figure 12 rules, 12 reasons, nice parallel. You can pick your favorite from my list or come up […]

The Green New Deal: How much will it cost? And, my top 5 reasons to like it.

Before sharing my top 5 reasons to like the Green New Deal, I want to discuss the cost of this proposal. There’s seems to be some confusion, not sure why … The exact cost of the ‘Green New Deal’ is known. It’s not a mystery. It’s not complicated, no need for higher order differential equations, […]

What is the Failure Bonus?

Aren’t the best stories the ones that deal with massive failure?  The stories where the hero has to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles and setbacks? Why is it we tend to be fascinated by the struggle, by the journey?  Why is it we sometimes feel the final victory isn’t as sweet as the struggle?  The final […]

Where does fascism belong on the political spectrum?

Fascism. Now that’s a word that gets attention.  It evokes strong emotions.  It causes people to “show their teeth.”  It’s not a word used in polite conversation. Yet, I hear the term tossed around a lot these days, as if a hot potato, as if a hand grenade with the pin pulled.  Nobody wants to […]

What place do you call home?

What place do you call home?  Just asking ’cause I have a new video where I go on and on about the place that I call home.  It’s where I live.  I’ve been living here a long time. Where is that?  A place called Alice Springs.  Right in the middle of Australia. I wrote this […]

Hawaii false missile attack warning … how’s that work?

The false missile attack warning message sent out recently in Hawaii caused a big kerfuffle. As it should. But the question on everyone’s mind is, “How could this happen?” Well, I’ll state upfront, I don’t know. I wasn’t there, I don’t know their procedures, I’m not familiar with their training program. Then why am I […]