Guard Dog

The Gulf Ware does not, in any way compare to what has happened since 9-11. All we did was push an overmatched enemy out of a Kuwait. We didn't follow that up with an invasion and never ending occupation of a fractured country where everyone hates each other almost as much as they hate you. So while the combat operations part of it are certainly comparative, not that I saw much of that, the two experiences don't really compare over all. But I think they were referring to the military experience in general. And considering I received a college education mostly paid for by that experience, and the value of what I learned and did while in, it was definitely positive. I found that twitter feed. Most of the reply (70-30 my my estimate from just scrolling) were more positive than negative. The links ktchong provided were all negative. And you have to remember he (ktchong) has his own axe to grind.

OK... one more:

Bill Buckner passed away today

My experience was largely positive. Things sound bad when only the negative things are repeated. And there are folks who only want to hear the negative things.

Went to a memorial service at the West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery this morning. Didn't really want to but the whole VFW chapter was there so I thought I should. Just got home. Spending the rest of the day smoking jerky, drinking iced tea and catching the Marlins/Nats game on the radio.

Watched "The Outlaw King" on NetFlix. It was pretty good. A lot of events were skipped or glossed over but as far as historical accuracy it was pretty good for a movie. There was a little bit of creative license but I guess that is to be expected. Stephen Dillane was Edward I. Whaddya know! Stannis finally became King!

That DID actually happen though. Whether or not what was done was illegal is a different question. As far as ethical... well that is not something either tribe of rats munch concerns themselves with. @James I was more thinking 10, 20 years down the road rather than 2020.

I thought this was a pretty good read about people "recovering" and leaving hate groups and what made them decide to do it. The short answer is this: Be nice to everyone you meet. Be generous and friendly even when you don't have to be. Even when you don't want to be. Viktor Frankel once wrote that there are only two races, the decent and the indecent. Be the former always. You never know who it might have an impact on. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2019-05-11/cure-for-hate-former-skinheads

When it comes to politics it is smart to remember all things are cyclical. The biggest error is to assume how things are now is how they will always be. Ktchong is right, they time will come when some people regret changing their state to a popular vote system. Especially if those electoral votes would have tipped the election to "their" Rat Tribe candidate and instead went to the "other" Rat Tribe candidate.

I'd rather drink with Mark Anthony. I bet that guy could have a good time.

Turns out there was an alternate ending that was never filmed. It didn't change things is a big way, but did flesh out Danereys magical ride from hero to dragon Hitler a little more. Jorah Mormont survives the battle of Winterfell and becomes one of the heroes of the North. During the after party he's hanging out with the rest and not with Dany which, as you all saw, pisses her off. Some girls like to be the center of attention. After he also advises her to wait and not attack (how about not splitting your force when you're already outnumbered???) That makes her even madder after she ignores everyone's advice and Rhaegal gets killed. He joins the Tyrion - Varys discussion but refuses to go along, tell her about it. Then has to talk her out of killing all of them and Jon too. She tells him what she is going to do to Kings Landing. Afterwards he has a conversation with Jon after Tyrion does and agrees with what he's going to do. The rest plays out the same. He is sent to the Nights Watch with Jon. Also they have a conversation with Tormund at the wall that the Nights Watch will protect the wildlings north of the wall too. Or some such. When Jon goes north with them he tells Mormont he's not coming back. Now, while that does help out Dany's story a little it sounds out of character for Mormont. But there was a lot of that going around. Probably better they didn't go that way.

Actually she did that herself. Hard to say if Octavian would have executed her or not. But whatever he did she wasn't going to like it.

I am not against it because a church is a voluntary association. You can come and go as you please. If the church tells you "thou shalt not do this" you can go right ahead and do it anyway. The government on the other hand has guns, cops, an utter lack of forbearance and a rather twisted view of what it's role in your life ought to be.

I just took a truck load of hampers full of veggies from the garden to the farmer's market in Covington. I've got $174 burning a hole in my pocket now. But now I have to can or freeze everything I didn't sell. Busy, busy.

Well, it's been 24 Hours Hurl and no takers. Our asking price might be too steep. So, hey Brit's forget the scones. We'll take just the hat and half glass of beer and you can have Pence for free. Call it a sweetener.

Folks, I think Alabama has become schizophrenic. Just days after essentially banning abortion they did something good: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/445388-alabama-votes-to-end-marriage-licenses?fbclid=IwAR0ZaTBhi_HXyxmXXsbMiHIFEO6BxUGUdKLmqR_0DApisUD87oBTeI0sB8c Alabama has ended the requirement for marriage licenses. Any couple who wants to be married needs only to file an affidavit with the court or county office. This was apparently done because licenses for gay couples were being held up intentionally. Ironically, if every state had just done this from the get-go Obgerfell never even needed to be a thing. It rubs me the wrong way that consenting adults need to supplicate themselves before the goddamned government and beg their permission to get married (in the form of a license). So, kudos to Alabama on that. But don't gloat, you're only one for two this week.

Putting Imperator Rome down for a while. If you play as a major power you can't lose. As a city state or minor power you can't win. But my real complaint with it is all the names of places, tech, visuals, etc are Roman no matter what culture type you play. That is pretty lazy. It's actually not a bad game, just not a complete one. Let's see what gets added in the upcoming DLCs.

Baldur's Gate series. Icewind Dale to a lesser extent. I've played them to death. In fact I'm sick of them. But there was never been one since I was so into. Edit: Oh and Master of Orion II.

OK, I'm done with Sanderson. I see no point in reading any more of that series. It's not that it's bad, it's unoriginal. I think some of Kaladin's lines were later cut and pasted into his WoT books for Mat Cauthon. Good fantasy writing is rare IMO and stands out when you find it. This ain't it.

Why settle for the knock off version. If the Brits would like we can let them have the real thing at a very reasonable price. Say, a half a pint of Bass, a plate of day old scones (one bite taken out) and a hat that may or may not have belonged to Winston Churchill. So... what do you say Great Britain? Do we have a deal?

Now reading: Half way through. This happened in my lifetime but I knew nothing about what really happened. Also reading: I finally caved in to peer pressure, here and elsewhere. I usually hate fantasy but I don't hate this one... yet. Still on guard for the cliche parade though.

I'm afraid my knowledge is 30 years out of date now. But the Naval Academy & West Point had the same entry level requirements as OCS and Enlisted Basic Training/Boot Camp. They were not terribly stringent at entry level. The big things were height/weight/BMI. As long as you hit those numbers physical fitness will come on it's own. I can't imagine it's terribly different now. The Air Force was very different in almost every way to the Army, and Navy/Marine Corps. I'm afraid I have no clue about that one. I can't imagine it would be too far off. For the Navy it was 10 push ups, 50 sit ups and a 1.5 mile run in 15 min (I think, not sure on the time but I am sure on the distance) The Marines it was 3 pull ups, 50 sit ups, and a 3 mile run in 27 minutes. The military does an exceptionally good job at turning people of average or below average physical fitness into well above average people. The service academies even more so I'd think.

In a move that is surprising no one Theresa May is stepping down. This Brexit thing is a hot mess. Joining the EU is like buying a timeshare. You don't know how much it's going to cost, you don't know when it's going to end, you have no clear ability to get out of it, if you do try to leave is pisses off everyone else in the ownership pool. Nuts to these kinds of entanglements.