Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone from the Land of Livermushes.  God bless us every one.

'Out There' Is Over There

As I mentioned a few days ago, my outdoor adventuring efforts now reside in a new home.  For the title of that, I wanted to give some homage to this site.  Introducing Livermush Untamed & Out There.

I apologize that today's post there delivers such depressing news, but it is what it is.  We appreciate your prayers.

That effort will include very little, if any, of the political rantings that it seems I've found myself gravitationally drawn to here.  And hopefully, both endeavors should benefit from the separation.  Please swing by over there and let me know what you think.

-Jeff

Doesn't Belong

12/06-

I was just reading some of Lori Heine's blog post on David Horowitz' NewsReal Blog (h/t Bubba), and I've been following the public debate over DADT between the military brass, the Pentagon, and Congress.  Plus, I've read the sources that I've come to trust most regarding anything to do with the US Armed Forces: the very astute preachings over at BLACKFIVE, where I subscribe more toward Grim's sentiments, than Uncle Jimbo's.  That's unusual, because I'm almost always in agreement with the Uncle.

On the other hand, I do seem to always agree with Miss Coulter, who helps to remind us that there are reasonable limits to the concept of "tolerance."  Miss Ann submits:

We've heard 1 billion times about the Army translator who just wanted to serve his country, but was cashiered because of whom he loved.

I'll see your Army translator and raise you one Bradley Manning. According to Bradley's online chats, he was in "an awkward place" both "emotionally and psychologically." So in a snit, he betrayed his country by orchestrating the greatest leak of classified intelligence in U.S. history.

Isn't that in the Army Code of Conduct? You must follow orders at all times. Exceptions will be made for servicemen in an awkward place. Now, who wants a hug? Waitress! Three more apple-tinis!"

Lori Heine would have you subscribe to the notion that gays in the military are only dangerous in that "well, they have guns."  Combat soldiers have guns, dipshit...not your Army translators.  If they'd have all been armed at Ft. Hood, I'll bet Maj. Hassan (terrorist, muslim) would have either A) not killed as many real soldiers or B) never hatched such a scheme in the first place.

And the point Ann Coulter makes is that a soldier's duty exists regardless of his/her frame of mind.  A person's fitness to serve takes into account (or certainly should) the general state of that person's mind, and anyone whose sexuality is that screwed up so as to prefer that which is unnatural, ought to at least raise some skepticism on the fitness report, much like any Army Major who spends his free time hanging with sharia-loving disciples of that reknowned pedophile Mohammed.

Let me remind you, homosexuality is a perversion, and no less of one than beastiality, necrophilia, or pedophilia.  If you and I are repulsed at that behavior, it's safe to assume that most soldiers (and sailors and airmen) are similarly disgusted.  If you aren't repulsed, fine.  But don't go around making up labels like "homophobia" to make me feel guilty for my intolerance.  And don't ascribe terms like that to a soldier's level of tolerance or lack thereof.

12/09-

I'd delayed publishing this to let it stew a bit...

This morning, I read another essay by Ann Coulter on the subject.  Just as I had been thinking (that's the way it goes--I'm busy thinking it, and she says it), there's no reason we shouldn't just dedicate a special branch of the military just for those pillow-biters who "want to serve their country."  I put the quotation marks around the previous phrase because I don't believe for a minute that they're serving anything other than their own whimsy.

I was unaware that today's military employs "sensitivity training facillitators" or why such should ever, ever be necessary.  It's the Marine Corps, you dipshits, fuck a bunch of sensitivity.

Again, Miss Coulter:

Why can't the Army and Marines have their own rules? Why does everything have to be the same? Whatever happened to "diversity"?

Maybe we could have an all-gay service! They'd be allowed to wear camouflage neckerchiefs (a la Paul Lynde) and camo capri pants. To avoid any sexual harassment claims, they'd have to have their own barrack, which we could outfit with a dance club, a cosmo bar and a counseling center called "The Awkward Place." Their band would mostly play show tunes, and soldiers captured by the enemy would be taught to reveal only their name, rank and seasonal color analysis ("I am Private First Class Jeffrey Smith and I'm a 'winter.'")

They wouldn't be allowed in combat, however, for the same reason women aren't –- it takes them too long to get ready.

If you were a soldier, you'd strive to be the best soldier in the best outfit, and there would be no place for weakness in your squad.  A little bit of cowardice or distraction puts everyone at risk, and you'd be right (as it should be within your rights) to employ some considered discrimination.  A soldier's life is too big a price to pay for social engineering.

Splitting

In an effort to be more organized, blog-wise, I am planning on taking the "Outdoors" portion and branching it into a stand-alone effort.  I have several reasons for thinking this a good idea, but chief among them is that currently, posting every thought here on the ST&L leaves any reader with an "It's Wednesday at the Mickey Mouse Club, Anything Can Happen Day" everyday kinda expectations.  That can have its benefits, but can get tiresome, too.

And hopefully, branching off would help direct more clarity of focus, plus drive me to maintain higher standards of productivity, continuity, and quality.

I just recently had been trying to use the "page create" function to add a second page to this one, towards that purpose.  But, there wasn't a way to whittle out sidebar elements (that's what happened to the Atlas poll) on one page without losing it on the other.

I'll be playing around with templates to see what I like, and something new should be forthcoming within a week or two...

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Sporting World Update

This just in:

James Harrison, linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has been fined by the NFL another $25,000.  It turns out that the Steelers' opposing QB for this coming weekend, Baltimore's Joe Flacco, called the League office to complain that Harrison "might be thinking about looking at him funny."

Sources close to the aforementioned League office also quoted many other quarterbacks as having said, "Waaa, mommy, he touched me too!"

Pansies.

Seriously, I was watching the Carolina Panthers game last Sunday.  One of the Panthers D-linemen was flagged for a "blow to the head" against the Ravens' QB and within about 30 minutes (real-time) I saw Tyler Brayton give Jon Beason a celebratory whack upside the head which was infinitely more "violent."

As Jack Lambert famously said, "If they didn't come to play football, put a dress on 'em."