Guard Dog

I finally watched the Red Wedding episode of GOT this morning. No surprises since I've read the books several times but man... seeing it is just a shock to the system.

I think I am done with big, long, 6-14 book sagas that cannot help but drag at some point. If a writer can't wrap his story up in 1-3 book he needs to rethink his story! Think about the greatest works of fiction you've ever read, the stories that really made you think, were any of them a meter high when stacked? Didn't think so.

Once I finish paying some bills, returning some e-mails and checking in with you folks I'm going to pour a stiff drink, Knob Creek with a splash of ginger ale, and then I'm going to sit on the porch, watch the rain and think about what a great week this has been!

Taking Washington in itself would not have achieved a decisive military victory for the south. Although the capital was the supposed objective the real mission behind the invasion was to pull the union forces out of northern Virginia and lure them to attack Lee's army on favorable ground. The southern government had no illusions about their prospects of winning a long war with the Union. Their best hope was to crush the Army of the Potomac on northern soil which would have left the Union states with nothing but militia to defend itself outside of the second army assembling in New York and Grants army in the west. The idea was to offer peace in exchange for recognition once the union army was defeated. Lee marched north on the west side of the Blue Ridge, Hooker marched north with the Union troops on the east side and they came together at Gettysburg. In truth the entire engagement was decided on the first day when John Buford arrived in the town with the 2nd Federal Cavalry. He realized Lee would arrive before Hooker and occupy the strategic hills around the town. He deployed his cavalry as dismounted infantry and held the confederates off for a full day allowing the union army to arrive first and take the hills despite being outnumbered 10 to 1. He died later from complications of wounds taken that day. I always wondered if he ever knew his decision probably changed the course of history and saved the country?

One of my favorite figures from the Confederacy, James Longstreet, wrote in his memoir From Manassas to Approtimax that the south should have freed the slaves before firing on Ft. Sumter. I believe the majority of the men who took up arms for the south, especially the professional soldiers who left the Union army to fight for their home state armies did so not out of dedication to slavery but loyalty to their homes. You have to understand that prior to the civil war there was no strong national identity. People identified themselves as citizens of their state rather than as Americans. That changed in the years following the war. Lee was Lincolns first choice to command the Union army even though he was only a colonel at the time but he refused to take up arms against Virginia. Only the wealthy landed gentry actually owns slaves but they are of course the power behind the politicians. The thing is the institution was doomed at any rate. If Lee had won at Gettysburg the war would have ended in an armistice with the south as a new nation. But Great Britain and most of the other nations of Europe would not have dealt with a country that practiced slavery so economic pressures would have done what the war would not have if they won. Since the south lacked any kind of industrial base it would have been left behind in the industrial revolution and since it was a weak union to begin with it would have collapsed with the states breaking away to form their own nations within 100 years or so. Some people think there might have been reunification with the north at some point but I doubt that. War makes for bad blood. But even if slavery had ended after the war you have to figure the cause of civil rights would have been set back by years.

Yeah that's pretty much my understanding of history too.

I have a lady friend coming over for dinner tonight... and hopefully breakfast tomorrow!

That's why I suggested him to you Though I haven't read that one. What Scifi had you been reading up until now? Lately, not much. I'm not a big fan of the genre in any way. But I've read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and the first six Dune books. I loved HHGTG but the Dune books started brilliant and got progressively worse and really he should have stopped at #3. I won't even get into what his son has churned out. I read all of John Scalzi's "Old Mans War" series and found them to be mediocre. Halderman's Forever War was a little better. Some of Larry Nivens books were just ok, others... I have no interest in the new stuff like Hunger Games and I think it's geared more to kids anyway. And I won't even touch the cartloads of franchise dreck of star wars and star trek books. And holy crap are there a lot of them. I've read one of China Melivlle's books, don't even remember which one, it really did not make an impression on me, something about pirates on floating city. I read Slaughterhouse 5 and Flowers for Algernon in college and loved them. I've read a lot of HG Wells & Bradbury as a kid and enjoyed it. I ordered this: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/philip-k-****-collection-philip-k-****/1101304598?ean=9781598530490 and started with book one, story one The Man in the High Castle. I'm halfway through it and really into it.

Now reading The Man in the High Castle by Phillip ****. I was wrong when I said there was no good sci fi.., this one is good

Orogun you are such a pessimist!

I learned a little Japanese when I was stationed in Okinawa. I found it really hard to comprehend since there really was no common ground with the latin based languages. But most folks were so happy you were making an effort to learn they would help you. The folks in Okinawa were really nice. Not so much in the home islands.

Gorth is right! Most folks who wave the St. Andrews Cross flag (the stars & bars that are most commonly referred to as the "rebel" flag) would not know the real thing if you rolled it up and thwaped them with it. I had a conversation once with someone who said they were just flying it to honor history. I said that's great, why don't you be historical then and fly the real thing? On that note, most folks seem to agree that the stars and bars are somewhat divisive and it has certainly been waved by some genuinely nasty folks like the KKK, but if you saw someone flying one of the actual flags of the CSA (there were four of them) would you consider that racist or divisive? I would not and I'd buy the honoring history argument in that case. I have mixed feelings on the civil war. I have often made the argument that slavery was just the catalyst for the secession and conflict and the war was not fought over slavery so much as states rights and the role of the federal government and the sovereignty of the states. And that is certainly true. In fact it is the underlying principle in ALL US politics even today. However, the more I have read and learned over the years I'm finding that position harder and harder to defend. Especially since slavery is mentioned numerous times in the CS Constitution. I think now if was a good cause (states rights) fought by great men to defend an atrocity. And that latter lessens the former in a big way. And that is sad. Personally I wish I could go back to 1787 and talk to the folks at the convention in Philadelphia and give them a little insight into what was to come. Outlaw slavery right from the get go. You have to wonder what the world would have been like then. What would have changed. Come to that we used to have an alternate history thread. We ought to do that again.

Is there any sci-fi out there that doesn't suck?

I was supposed to be having dinner with someone I met last week. I might be in trouble because I really like this one. She's my dogs new vet. I felt a little foolish asking her out, sort of like that guy in the Garfield comic that only takes him to the vet so he can hit on her. But she said yes! Then cancelled on me. Oh well. I am undeterred! At least for one more attempt. then I'll be deterred.

Speaking as a vet I am absolutely 100% opposed to any kind of compulsory service or draft. Being in the military is not easy. It is a hard life (although I learned after about two years in it is only as hard as you make it on yourself). To serve well, to succeed in it you have to want to be there. And we should only want the ones who want to be there. The infantry is the most difficult job in the service. It takes someone with quick wits as well as good physical condition to do that job. I was not in that MOS myself but like every other Marine I went through the first phase of the SOI after boot camp and of course had training every week the whole time in. Since draftees ended up almost exclusively in the infantry we would do our military and our nation a serious disservice by filling out it's ranks with people who are just "putting in their time". Past history has proven that out. Granted if we were ever engaged in something on the scale of WWII that changes everything but outside of that... bad idea.

Today I'm doing some work around the house then watching the Indianapolis 500. Hopefully either Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, or Simona Di Silvestro will win. I'd watch the Rays/Yankees game but I'm just disgusted with them right now.

Rodney blew his fifth save last night and the Rays have lost all five. Last night he choked on a two run lead to the bottom of the Yankees order. Enough is just enough. I realize there is nobody (and I mean nobody) to replace him with and the Rays don't trade for veterans as a rule but... f**k the season is starting to get away from them. I think they should waive Farnsworth, bring up Chris Archer, send Hernandez to the pen and make Rodney a regular reliever then go with closer-by-committee based on lefty/righty matchups. Something HAS to give here.

Now THAT"S a great story. I don't want to bring you down Ros but it would have been a better one if you'd convinced all three to come home with you!

In no particular order: Bob Marley - Legend Led Zeppelin - 1990 Box set (Yes I know but I'm counting this as one) Johnny Cash - The Legend of Johnny Cash The Doors - LA Woman & Strange Days (consider them tied) The Beatles - Abbey Road Tesla - Five Man Acoustic Jam Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon The Who - Who's Next U2 - The Joshua Tree The Eagles - Hotel California Van Halen - 5150

Good luck with both Enoch. Going home tomorrow. It's been a long week. No more road trips until June.

Wals wins! Nobody is topping this one!

Damn you Tigranes for hooking me on this! But I am getting better at it. http://www.geoguessr.com/?v=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

I'm in Lincoln Nebraska tonight. I love this town.

We get Warthog in South Africa, its similar to Boar but not as aggressive or big. What specific animals are you allowed to hunt in the state that you live? You can hunt whitetail deer in season, you three tags per season and one has to be a female. Unless you bow hunt, then you get five. You can hunt squirrel & rabbit in season. There is a very limited bear hunt, tags are hard to get. You can also hunt wild turkey in season (or you can go to the bar anytime ). Hogs & Coyotes you can hunt anytime with a license with no limit because they are considered a pest. I don't because 1) I don't care for the taste of these wild hogs 2) I don't eat coyotes so I don't want to shoot them. As long as they leave me and my dogs alone. It's never been a problem though, they only thing they have ever attacked are my grill & garbage cans. I put locks on the cans and chained the grill to one of the porch supports. Problem solved.