European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 9, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Observation sin synch with the cheating trend Joseph Owen columnist world leaders signed away the cold War in Paris last month ending years of bickering that once seemed Likely to incinerate the planet. Elsewhere the Kuwait crisis threatened to unleash a War that could kill millions and topple several governments. Meanwhile the emerging adolescents at our family a supper table grappled with another Crit a ical Issue of our time gee Whiz Milli Vanilli really did no to sing All those songs. This revelation unsettled our no. 2 son 11, the households Only owner operator of a certified artificial Milli Vanilli recording. He was just starting to develop a condescending attitude toward new kids on the Block fans thinking he had discovered something More sophisticated when a wham a the scandal broke. Worldly son no. 1,13, a Phil Collins fan made snide references to his brother a gullibility Over Riding a decade of parental lectures on charitable behaviour toward ones siblings. In the Days that followed we were treated to stories about the Milli Vanilli lip sync martyrs returning their grammy award whimpering about How their manager had misused them and assert ing that they really Are in Case you weren to aware singers in their very own right. The manager struck Back disparaging the the pairs claims to Talent and introducing a Bunch of other folks As the real voices behind the hits. They will go on tour very soon we arc assured. They will adopt a new name. They will be very Success fut. A a a. To which i respond get out of my face get off my radio and get out of my life. My Mother used to Tell me about a local radio station character Back in the 1940s in Maine. He called himself smiling Ernie. My Uncle Paul then the size of a fire hydrant loved the Guy. One Day Young Paul was walking by the open door of a Saloon and he heard smiling Ernie a voice. This time it Wasny to coming from a radio it was Ernie himself or at least what was left of him after a solid afternoon of draining glasses. Paul went inside and asked him for an autograph. Hardly smiling Ernie forced his gaze to penetrate the film of stupefaction that had settled Over him kid Why she bugging me get lost kid he said exhaling the Heady stench of self administered toxins. Paul trudged Home. He walked into his room and Tore up radio schedules posters and any other mementos that had anything to do with Ernie later Paul became a teacher and a sports coach and for All i know set a Fine example for children that sort of disillusionment is an unavoidable. Part of growing up i suppose. But the age of mass communications has added a card to the con Many a deck. Exposed phonies done to Slink out of town in disgrace. In fact they rarely show compunction at All. Instead they become Well paid talk show guests. They hire pc pie to ghost write their autobiographies. And in Many cases like everyone associated with the Milti Vanilli hoopla they carry on with their original activities As if the exposed Sham were acceptable behaviour. Disgraced Canadian track Star Ben Johnson stripped of an olympic Gold medal in 1988 after testing positive for steroid use expects to Cam $ 1 million next year in a single race in Stairi. Former Short term East German communist party Boss Egon Kronz recently published his memoirs trying to convince us that he had advocated personal freedoms for his country All along. President Bush now sanctimonious by slam dunking iraqi aggression slithered into the Oval office in 1989 after a Campaign of character assassination and tax pledges he knew he keep. The ranks of a Pulican and democratic office holders arc full of people who use similarly unscrupulous tactics to get elected. Will Jimmy a sins of the flesh Swaggart and Leona a Only Little people pay taxes Helmsley be touting their life stories soon inquiring minds want to know these charlatans Are Able to pull off their chicanery because we let them do it. We Reward this deceit whenever we fail to make informed choices about what we buy read watch and hear. Like crows drawn to anything that sparkles we watch fascinated As the convince cd ballplayer Steps up to the plate the senator wins re a Lection despite the rank fumes of scandal that Drift behind him and Milli Vanilli whoever they arc sell 5 or 6 million copies of their next album. And until we climb wearily out of our reclining chairs Brush the potato Chip crumbs from our collective laps and do something about it we will deserve what we get. Feedback in what ways do you think the military could save More Money staff Spencer 13 the chemical co Baum order Germany have More military people work civilian jobs. We have a lot of civilians working at the commissary military could run that. There Are a lot of civilians ache Hospital. Staff sgt Doug Barker assigned to 7100th Supply so Lindsey air station Wiesbaden Germany its _ very expensive bringing families Over Here so they could save Money that Way but they must have the families Here to keep up morale sgt Oscar Peterson military traffic management come Felixstowe England they need to do More research at All Levels before going ahead with purchases. They should focus research on the user to make sure it is something that can and will fit the requirements spec. Clyde Williams 2nd in 68th army div Baum older Germany Field duties and exercises Are not always necessary. They re very costly. 1 a believe in training but some of the Field duties _ Are outrageous especially for Long periods of time. Spec. Martha Cazares military transportation management come Felixstowe England the military should reduce recruiting efforts. They r spend a lot of Money doing that and yet they want to make the Force smaller compiled by stars and stripes staff december 9.1990 sunday to plus r Page 3
