Guard Dog

Whelp, we've gotten to the bottom of this one. It's all Obama's fault that a virus no one ever heard of while he was in office is spreading unchecked across the globe: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-condemns-cdc-lack-coronavirus-testing-blames-obama-n1157671 Where would be be without the leadership of Donald J Trump? No... seriously...

The US Army is offering to pay off student loans for officer/recruits who enlist for infantry. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/12/army-offers-repay-soldiers-college-loans-if-they-go-infantry.html The US Marine Corps is getting leaner... and meaner: https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/03/12/marine-corps-has-to-get-smaller-to-get-better-commandant-says/ I was a little surprised to hear the Commandant describe 186k Marines as too big. I left the service in 1993 and it was around 240k IIRC. It was a very different Corps then. We were still armed, organized, and training for a potential WWIII. Every exercise we did was large unit tactics. Platoon and Company sized actions are the norm now. Back then the thinking was "what good can one company do against an entire Russian Motorized Rifle Regiment"? You have to change with the times. A slide rule can still be used to help with your math homework, but it ain't the best tool any more.

Your outdoor weather is only getting warmer too. Besides... I thought you guys LOVED the cold!

It's nice. I never get tired of it. I live out in the sticks and the entire northern border of my property is a Wildlife Management Area. My nearest neighbor is far enough away I can't see their house. And there are no street lights out here so at night the stars are all visible. No light pollution at all.

Well, no sports. That means I've got nothing to do tonight now. I'm in no mood for TV or radio or music anyway. This is a good night sit in my rocking chair, look up at the stars and drink one or two more than I should. Between the owls. whipporwills, and if I'm lucky, coyotes there will be plenty to listen to tonight.

Sorry to hear that. I know how you feel. sometimes I think I spend more time missing dogs who have passed on than focusing on the ones here now.

Sit, stay forever: Americans willing to pay top dollar to keep old dogs alive There is little I would not do for my pups. Up to a point. No treatment puts years back on the calendar. When Tommy was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma he was 13 years old. Even if he survived the treatment and disease (both long shots) nothing will change the fact that as a large dog his body was breaking down. If I were in my 70's and diagnosed with cancer I doubt every much I'd even consent to treatment beyond pain management. If it's not that it's the next thing that comes up. But when Sunny was diagnosed with Cushings she was only 9 (give or take, Not really sure how old she is). There is a cost vs reward calculation that has to be made. And it's not a financial cost, although that might be a consideration. It's a cost the pet has to pay. If the treatment returns them to full health it's a no-brainer to me. But if it only extends a poor quality of life (and that is a judgement call you have to make) it's kinder to let them go. It's a hell of a thing isn't it? You love them more than your own life. They trust you with theirs. And you will someday have to decide when that ends.

File this under "BS Receptivity" (told you I was stealing that) https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2020/03/iran-and-russian-media-push-bioweapon-conspiracies-amid-covid19-outbreak/163669/ If COVID-19 is an escaped bio-weapon it is an extremely low grade one. I'm no expert on that kind of thing but I expect a bio-weapon will be more like the hemorrhagic fever they talked about on The Americans.

I took the day off work today. I had a meeting in Dyersburg for a business venture I'm starting. Went to lunch at Applebees. While enjoying my Strawberry & Avocado salad and unsweetened iced tea I ordered a new book on my Kindle and started reading: It's been on my to-do list for a long time. Never saw the movie adaptation. Don't expect I ever will.

BS Receptivity. I am so stealing that!

You two trapped in a house with her sounds like a steel cage death match.

Yesterday Sanders trotted out that tired old line "real socialism has never been tried" during a townhall on Fox News. If the fake kind has caused all the f----d upness it has I shudder to think what the real kind might do. Not that he is advocating "real" socialism rather than socialism-lite. He says all the right things about not wanting violence and authoritarianism but after decades of fawning praise of violent and authoritarian governments it's hard to believe he doesn't get a little wood imagining firing squads and secret police. Even if he knows it can never happen. Anyway, after tonight he'd done. That goose is cooked for good an all. Only a Superdelegate intervention can save him. And everyone already knows THAT will never happen. Heck they were lining up to submarine him if he did get the delegates. So he's done. Unless he runs as an Indy. I doubt he would do that. But it would be really entertaining if he did. So I wonder what the young fanatics and assorted useful idiots who follow him will do now? Will they get behind Biden? Probably should but somehow I doubt they will. Interesting days ahead. A Biden Admin would not be too terrible. As long as he assembles a decent staff and cabinet and stays out of their way. Of course I said the same thing about Trump. That didn't work out so well did it?

Looks like Joe Biden is having a good night. He's won Mississippi, they are calling Missouri for him and he he's ahead in Michigan.

Pig born with "human" face: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/mutant-piglet-born-human-face-21666664 OK seriously guys, don't have sex with your livestock!

Ta dum tah… Amentep ladies and gentlemen. He'll be here all week!

So, let's see here. Over the last few days: The stock market has crashed Bond yields have crashed People are being locked up without being arrested. Yeah, yeah, "quarantined" whatever. There are shortages of drugs There are shortages of medical supplies There are shortages of toilet paper, bottled water, non-perishable food There is an actual black market for hand soap and sanitizer where a $2 bottle sells for $100. That one really surprises me! The medical system is overwhelmed and can't take care of everyone Don't you guys see what happening here? This is a Bernie Sanders test run! This is Beta version Bernie! A preview of coming attractions! Oh c'mon... that was funny! I see you out there frowning at your laptop/phone screen.

Now reading

Fist off, the library thing... this is Tennessee, don't take it seriously. It won't pass. There is a lot of stupid s--t that gets tossed against the wall around here.

True enough! If you want to buy in now might be the time.

Apparently Trump is blaming the media for the stock market spiral today. I had no idea the media owned so much stock! "Remember everyone when the market opens sell sell sell!"

No, Vo-Tech schools are not equipped to train Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, etc. But spending four months and $400 learning about Pre Renaissance European literature (example) will not make any of those better in their field. And requiring them to do so strikes me as a pointless money grab.

That's how you end up like this:

People sign things they don't read and don't understand. How can this be fixed? I have no suggestions. They are, by definition, adults. Otherwise the contract is already void. On the subject of higher education I think an excellent way to lower the costs for students is to eliminate the "liberal arts" aspects of undergrad study. Of the 128 credits I earned for my BSEE about 30 of them, at $78 per credit hour not counting books and misc had nothing to do with my field of study. State Universities should take a page from Trade and Vocational schools on that count. Never happen of course for several reasons. The mistaken notion that a well rounded education is important... in case you get on Jeopardy some day. Also state universities are in the business of selling credit hours. They won't be happy selling fewer.

We had a saying in the Marine Corps. USMC = U Signed the Motherf'n Contract. Edit: Besides, if an education is required to know not to sign something you don't understand we're in trouble. And if you do understand it don't be surprised when everything the contract says will happen, happens. v

We have that too. It's called a Truth in Lending Disclosure. When you sign a loan or on monthly credit card statements, etc. there is a break down of exact costs, interest rate, amortization schedule, etc. Basically everything the consumer needs to make an informed decision. We even have a 72 hour right of rescission where you can even back out before the 72 hours is over if you choose to do so. The problem is, especially with the interest only mortgages from a few years ago is folks didn't READ what they were signing. You can't fix that.