A “FEW WORDS” ABOUT ADVERSITIES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHOICES

Reportedly, the World population now exceeds 8 billion people.

And in spite of all the politically rooted Bull Shi# and power-craving propaganda to the contrary . . . they will never all have “the same” opportunities and experience “the same” adversities . . . nor will they all make “the same” choices, or all have “the same” aims.

And while none will likely ever be in total control of “what happens to or for them” . . . many if not most will nonetheless have “some measure of influence” over how they “respond” to the happenings throughout their respective gift-of-life journeys.

A “measure of influence” of course not only conditioned in no small way by their respective mental and physical abilities, unique life circumstances, etc., but also by their personal attitudes and aims.

As evidenced, for example, by the following “few words” about Johnny ‘Joey’ Jones; Gene Hackman; James Garner, and ‘JD’ Vance. Not perfect human beings, nor otherwise herein intended or inferred role models of any nature or aim. Just a snapshot of some adversities, opportunities, and choices entailed in the gift-of-life journey of four “examples” from an untold billions of humankind.

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(1.)  Johnny ‘Joey’ Jones (07/21/1986 - ): Presently a regular FOX News Contributor; host of multiple shows on FOX Nation tackling important issues impacting America; sits on the boards of nonprofits and volunteers his time speaking out for veterans; etc.

Johnny 'Joey' Jones . . . was born and raised in Dalton, Georgia; first in his family to graduate high school; after high school, worked as a forklift operator and took a few classes at Dalton State College; joined Marine Corps at age 18; served eight years including two combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq; became an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) technician; on 6 August 2010, was deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan, and while in process of destroying explosive devices, stepped on a hidden Improvised explosive device (IED), losing both his legs above the knees and injuring both wrists and right forearm; underwent multiple surgeries and physical therapies after being installed with prosthetic legs; gradually recovered; retired from Marines in 2012; finished college from Georgetown University in liberal studies and social and public policy in 2014; and participated in the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs; etc.

(2.)   Gene Hackman (Eugene Allen Hackman (01/30/1930 - ): A retired American actor, with career spanning more than six decades; recipient of two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Silver Bear; etc.

Gene Hackman . . . was born in San Bernardino, California; Pennsylvania Dutch, English, and Scottish ancestry. Family moved frequently, finally settling in Danville, Illinois, where they lived in home of his English-born maternal grandmother, and where his father operated printing press for a local newspaper. At age 10, Hackman decided he wanted to become an actor. Parents divorced when he was 13 and his father subsequently left the family. Hackman lived briefly in Storm Lake, Iowa, spent his sophomore year at Storm Lake High School, left home at age 16 and lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps; served four and a half years as a field-radio operator; was stationed in China (Qingdao and later in Shanghai). When Communist Revolution conquered the mainland in 1949, he was assigned to Hawaii and Japan. Following his discharge in 1951, moved to New York City and had several jobs. His mother died in 1962 as result of fire she accidentally started while smoking. He began a study of journalism and television production at the University of Illinois under the G.I. Bill, and later moved back to California; and in 1956 began pursuing an acting career.

(3.)   James Garner (James Scott Garner [né Bumgarner] (04/07/1928 – 07/19/2014): Was an American actor; played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films; received an Academy Award nomination; and starred in several television series, including popular roles such as Bret Maverick in the ABC 1950s Western series Maverick and as Jim Rockford in the NBC 1970s private detective show, The Rockford Files; etc.

James Garner . . . was born James Scott Bumgarner in 1928 in Denver (part of Norman), Oklahoma; Methodist family; father part German ancestry and mother half Cherokee; mother died five years after his birth; family ran a general store at Denver; after mother's death, Garner and his brothers sent to live with relatives. Attended Wilson Elementary School, Norman Junior High and Norman High School; reunited with family in 1934 when his father remarried, first of several times. Had volatile relationship with one of his stepmothers, Wilma, who beat Garner and his two brothers; stepmother also punished him by forcing him to wear a dress in public; when he was 14 years old, fought with her, knocking her down and choking her to keep her from retaliating against him physically. She left family and never returned. His brother Jack later commented, "She was a damn no-good woman". According to Garner, "I managed to steer pretty clear of it... I was doing all of it, but I never really got caught. I was a bad boy, but I just, you know, they never caught me at it." Garner loved his last stepmother, Grace, whom he called "Mama Grace", and he felt she was more of a mother to him than anyone else had been. Shortly after Garner's father's marriage to Wilma broke up, his father moved to Los Angeles, leaving Garner and his brothers in Norman. After working several jobs he disliked, joined U.S. Merchant Marines at age 16 near the end of World War II; liked the work and his shipmates, but had chronic seasickness and only lasted a year. Followed his father to Los Angeles in 1945, attending Hollywood High while helping his dad lay carpet. Next five years were back and forth between California and Oklahoma, during which Garner worked in chick hatcheries and the oil fields, as a truck driver and grocery clerk, and even as a swim trunks model for Jantzen. After World War II, Garner joined his father in Los Angeles and enrolled at Hollywood High School, where was voted most popular student. A high school gym teacher recommended him for job modeling Jantzen bathing suits, paying $25 an hour, but, he hated modeling and soon quit and returned to Norman. There he played football and basketball at Norman High School and competed on the track and golf teams, and dropped out in his senior year. In a 1976 Good Housekeeping magazine interview, he admitted, "I was a terrible student and I never actually graduated from high school, but I got my diploma in the Army." Garner enlisted in the California Army National Guard, serving his first 7 months in California; was deployed to Korea during the Korean War, and spent 14 months as a rifleman in the 5th Regimental Combat Team, then part of the 24th Infantry Division. Was wounded twice: in the face and hand by fragmentation from a mortar round, and in the buttocks by friendly fire from U.S. fighter jets as he dove into a foxhole. Garner received the Purple Heart in Korea for his initial wounding. Also qualified for a second Purple Heart (for which he was eligible, since he was hit by friendly fire which "was released with the full intent of inflicting damage or destroying enemy troops or equipment"), but did not actually receive it until 1983, 32 years after the event. Reflecting on his military service, Garner recalled: "Do I have fond memories? I guess if you get together with some buddies it’s fond. But it really wasn’t. It was cold and hard. I was one of the lucky ones."

(4.)  James David "JD" Vance (08/02/1984): An American politician; author; Marine veteran; graduate of Yale Law School; junior United States senator from Ohio since 2023; member of the Republican Party and its nominee for vice president in the 2024 United States presidential election.

James David "JD" Vance . . . was born James Donald Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, to Beverly Carol (née Vance; born 1961) and Donald Ray Bowman (1959–2023); of Scots-Irish descent; parents divorced when he was a toddler. After being adopted by his mother's third husband, Bob Hamel, his mother changed his name to James David Hamel to remove his father's name but used the name of one of her brothers to preserve his nickname, JD. Vance has written that his childhood was marked by poverty and abuse, and that his mother struggled with drug addiction. Vance and his sister Lindsey were raised primarily by his maternal grandparents, James (1929–1997) and Bonnie Vance (née Blanton; 1933–2005), whom they called "Papaw" and "Mamaw". His grandparents on both sides moved to Ohio from Kentucky's Appalachia. After graduating from Middletown High School in 2003, Vance enlisted and completed a total of four years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, including six months as a military journalist in a non-combative role in Iraq in late 2005. Using the G.I. Bill, Vance attended Ohio State University from September 2007 to August 2009, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and philosophy; finished his undergraduate studies in less than two years; during his first year in college, he worked for Republican state senator Bob Schuler. After graduating from Ohio State, attended Yale Law School, beginning in the fall of 2010, on a nearly full-ride scholarship for his first year; became close friends during Yale's orientation with Jamil Jivani, a future Conservative member of Canadian parliament; during his first year, Professor Amy Chua, author of 2011 book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, persuaded him to begin writing his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. Vance was an editor of The Yale Law Journal and graduated in 2013 with a Juris Doctor degree. In 2010 and 2011, he wrote for David Frum's "FrumForum" website under the name J. D. Hamel. Although Hillbilly Elegy implies Vance adopted his grandparents' surname of Vance upon his marriage in 2014, the name change actually occurred in April 2013, as he was about to graduate from Yale. After graduating law school, worked for Republican Senator John Cornyn; spent a year as a law clerk for Judge David Bunning of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky; then worked at the law firm Sidley Austin, beginning a brief career as a corporate lawyer. After practicing law for slightly under two years, moved to San Francisco to work in the technology industry as a venture capitalist, and between 2016 and 2017, served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.