*******
color/colour – George Bernard Shaw said we’re the only two people ever separated by a common language.
Bullet Points:
** ROK Navy Staffing Concerns (h/t Claudio) I am not an expert on the ROK Navy, but I worked with ROK Squadron 56 (ROK SEALs), which is part of the Navy but organized differently than you’d find on a ship because of its mission. A ROK mindset, which is uniquely theirs, is manifest in this staffing reorganization. It will work if they want it to. I have the utmost respect for the ROK Navy.
** Do women prefer good boys or bad boys? It’s not always what they tell you.
** When I went to SERE (Search Evasion Resistance Education) School, they did not cage us collectively. We were separated and interrogated (h/t Frank)—image right. They go harder on some students than others because of their status. It’s changed somewhat since my experience. For SPECWAR, it’s now a six-week piece of the basic pipeline training you must endure as you endure it all. As instructors would tell you of training, it’s a beach in San Diego. You’re not ready for the real thing if you can’t handle that.
Because of customization, the initial SERE training for Navy pilots and aircrew is a 12-day Code of Conduct course. Maybe HogsbreathSS can discuss the Force Recon/MARSOC program from a USMC perspective.
Today, political officers fill billets to observe and ensure political correctness (see CDRSAL), but I’m not sure how it works regarding the full scope of the activity. Even the reunion a year ago or so that I attended had zampolits present, and we had to go off-campus to talk openly. Even then, people feared that you’d record them. Times have changed.
** ** Housekeeping. I had the most interesting job interview, and I’ve had some doozies. This is separate from the “new job” that I’m working on. I am constrained to share details beyond that at this point. Will I get the job and end up working there? If I do, I’ll let you know. I will have to stop blogging, but life imitates art sometimes.
** Should Fox News be worried? I rarely listen to Fox News, but that is neither here nor there.
** What will happen when human-like robotics can fill men’s needs? (link) No alimony, STDs, just an AI to be nice to you all the time? You think that I jest. They’ll be on-line and available in under a decade for reasonable prices.
** “The difference between genius and stupidity is that stupidity has limits – Einstein.
From the Oil Patch
Domestic operators set another weekly all-time crude production record last week, topping 13.5 million barrels per day. Cumulative production so far has reached an average of just under 13.2 million barrels, more than six percent higher than a year ago.
The Energy Information Administration reported a big drop in US crude inventories. As of October 11, stockpiles dropped to just over 420 million barrels, down 2.2 million from a week ago and five percent below the five-year seasonal average.
The Energy Department took delivery of another million barrels of crude oil at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. SPR stockpiles now total nearly 384 million barrels, down from 618 million three years ago. Since April, the Energy Department has added nearly 20 million barrels at prices twenty to twenty-five dollars cheaper than what we sold them for.
War
Sometimes, soldiers described battles, but more often, they wrote about their daily existence and desire to be at home. Confederate soldier John Sweet of the 9th Tennessee Infantry wrote home to his parents in November 1863 from siege lines overlooking Union troops at Chattanooga, Tennessee:
We have just returned from a trip to East Tenn where we got big amounts of everything to eat, and everything we eat is so good to me as I had been starved out so long on some bread & beef, all that we got while we were here besieging Chattanooga. up there, we got sweet and Irish potatoes, chickens, molasses, wheat bread, and everything good for a poor soldier. Oh, how I wish I could be at home now, for it is late evening. I have had nothing to eat since breakfast, and no telling when we will get rations for our rations are out since we left our ration wagons behind in coming here to this place, for I know you have all had a good & plentiful dinner. I know you will say poor John, but this is only a chapter on military service, which we often read, but I am content and will be more so when we get rations. The independence of the bounty is what I want, and I am willing to suffer for something to eat for many, many days if it will only send me to my dear parents, a full and independent boy.
The enemy still holds their position in Chattanooga, and our lines are drawn up close around it. We are now on the top of Lookout Mountain, overlooking the town. We have a fine view of our entire line and also of theirs. It is said that we can see into five different states from our position. It is very cold up here, as cold as it is where you are in mid-winter. You must excuse this exceedingly bad letter as I have written in great haste. My love to you and all. Write a long letter when you can as I am very anxious to hear from you.
John H. Sweet
Meanwhile, at Buford, Texas, the new home of X Corporation
Electrically powered. Plug in after each use.
Identify the Feature Film/Series
A
Service brings citizenship.
B
C
Vaughn & Yung Engineering Ltd. of Hong Kong built the 150-foot steel-hulled gunboat.
Parting Shot
End
A is Starship Troopers movie is nothing like the book.
B is 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea.
C is The Sand Pebbles
I understand that director Paul Verhoeven didn’t like the book and considered Heinlein to be a fascist.
Unfortunately ‘fascist’, like ‘racist’, have just come to mean I don’t like your views.
Had the name of the range you worked at in a notes section of my computer – then it crashed and burned…love the smell of burnt electronics. I’ll have to resort to the old standby of sticky notes. Would you tell me the name again? Thanks. One of these days I might make it to KC and I’d like to try making a trip. If you have any suggestions for local flavor sights to visit I’ll copy down those as well.
The range where I work.
https://hillsdalerange.org/
I generally work Sundays at the 100 yard portion, though right now I’m taking off while I have my eyes fixed. Cataracts. If you come out doing winter time be sure and call first.
As far as other spots to visit, if you’re into history, there are several museums worth seeing. Steamboat Arabia is one. Another would be the National WWI museum at the Liberty Memorial. Then there’s the Alexander Majors house. Hope to see you one of these days.
Thanks. I’ve been through most of the WWI museum – it’s a two day walkthrough if you do it right. Weston. MO was a nice place to spend the night, eat at a couple of restaurants, and do some shopping. Nowadays – for some reason my body decided I’m back to working nights and, for some odd reason most places are only open during daytime hours when I’m sleeping (with occasional wake times at odd intervals). If it gets back to sleeping nights and up during the day I’d like to stop by.
I had my cataracts taken care of in June and July this past year. You’ll be surprised how BRIGHT and colorful things are again. Just use your eye drops, and do what the Doctor tells you to do, and you’ll be fine.
I had my right eye done last Wednesday and I already see a big difference. I’ve already ditched my glasses, I see better without them now. The left’ll get done in a week and a half and I’m looking forward to getting it done.
Accept a job where you would have to stop blogging?
As I tell my people when they ask “what will we do if you aren’t here?”
Pretend that I’m dead and do what you would do if that was the case.
We will endeavor to persevere, that doesn’t mean we will like it.
Bad boys – when I was living in Nebraska there was a case in Kansas where a gal went to college and met a bad boy. Probably thought “How coooool”. After a while she ended up coming down with a bad case of dead.
Identify the Feature Film/Series:
A. Starship Troopers
B. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
C. The Sand Pebbles
RE: The San Pablo. Richard McKenna was a real China sailor who later on wrote a bunch of great short stories (The Left Handed Monkey Wrench comes to mind) and one tremendous novel and then died much too early. R.I.P. The Naval Institute Press edition is the one to get, if you can find it, because the forward describes the man and his times. Anyone wanting a deeper dive into McKenna’s life should acquire The Sailor’s Homer by Dennis L. Noble, USCG, Ret.
.
If you have to bug out, L-L, we’ll all miss your little corner of the innertubes, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Govern yourself accordingly.
“Govern yourself accordingly.” Spot on….all a man can do, should do. Too many cooks (opinions) and you’re flapping in the breeze with doubt. Think about the news/media…most of it is presented as opinion of that particular presenters perspective, which inherently twists reality to the point a person has no idea of the truth of the matter. No need in listening to intently. Follow your own path.
Took me decades to realize that, and then DO it….
Me too. Striking the balance between being a decent person and too much of an open book thinking the world thought like I did got me into trouble.
Talking without using your mouth could lead to some interesting situations which wouldn’t always be comfortable. Just consider the myriad of thoughts that run through your mind before you say something. Something catches your eye during a casual glance and your mind produces a thought which could be transmitted when you really didn’t want it made public.
I’ve never been to Buford, Texas, but traveled near the area. There’s a lot of open land, it’s close to Interstate 20, there isn’t a large city to offer nothing but confiscatory taxes, and the people that live there aren’t adverse to opportunities for employment. Anyone X brings from California will either be miserable, or thrilled about their good luck. Hopefully they don’t get stupid and try to corrupt the local community with their California failed ideas.
There is nice small city of 100k 1.5 hrs east of the new X location. We winter 15 minutes away from Abeline and enjoy the commerce/ services there. For those employed that can enjoy a smaller town, Sweetwater (10k) has smaller schools, including a community college. The weather is not as humid as Houston or S.A. but it’s still Texas. Hot and windy. I’m confident that those who make the exodus from the land of fruits and nuts will not californicate Mitchell County Texas.
The transport in the photo reminds me of the aircraft used by the robot ” peace keepers” to control the ” citizens ” in Elysium. Could they powered by SMR’s? Hopefully they will be an effective line of defense for our 1A rights and the Buford operations.
j-o-b? say it ain’t so. time to enjoy your grand kids, smell the roses. find somewhere to volunteer if you’re bored, a place you can walk away when you feel like visiting the kids. but you do you, good luck and good fortune either way.
The man never sleeps, I swear. “Never stop learning and earning” taken to heart. Me? Split and stacked a cord and half of wood…fell asleep in my dinner.
Was that job or Job; hope it’s a whale of an opportunity. (I will not apologize for that one; just sniff once and stop breathing)
At worst, perhaps we/your devoted audience could induce Surly and Paul_C and High Executioner Beans et al (the list gets too long and unwieldy) to get together for a stopgap – jobs (usually) don’t last a lifetime
Do women prefer good boys or bad boys?
Males do stupid, reckless activities for the adrenalin rush. Bad boys are the female equivalent.
Bad boys- Gals are the gatekeepers, they get what they market towards and/or demand. The better question (for me that is): Are you a ‘good man’ or a ‘nice guy’ My take? — this and $3 gets you a small burnt Starbucks coffee: The former has true male fortitude and kindness coupled to wisdom, the latter appeases all the time in order to keep the peace (not necessarily a wuss but not a good man). Woman want a good man whereas gals “like” the nice guy until they marry him only to discover they really wanted a good man. Then there’s girls, they want the bad boy (who remains as such, not transcending their learned nature)…until they don’t….often leading to abuse or their demise, as Frank pointed out.
***
Major hat tip for the new “opportunity”…no one is going to pay your mortgage for you…well, unless you vote Harris/Putz, they apparently have enough printed money to do that for certain entitled class members (aka. the bought lazy)…of which you aren’t one so get hosed either way. I’m happy to not be part of that crowd, can’t imagine not being productive and having stuff handed to me that someone else worked for…just plain wrong and unethical, besides fully going against Biblical tenet and requirement.
Another new job LL? Hopefully it’s something interesting like the security team for DT or EM or perhaps fruit mixed drink tester on a beach. But I suspect it’s not, which means lots of air travel, bad hotel beds and poorly made coffee in conference rooms. Good luck and good fortune on your new endeavors.
Does us come with a good retirement plan?
>I will have to stop blogging,
Nonsense. Just do what the cool kids do and blog as “Pierre Delecto” or something.
>I will have to stop blogging
It’s not just the blog I’d miss, it’s the mix of commentary.
X2
X3
Re SERE, we were in wooden boxes in a hole in the ground… sigh… NOT fun. W.C 25 here. Re Starship Troopers, Verhoeven never even READ the book…sigh
Intelligent aliens are far scarier, and intriguing, than the cartoon he came up with. Denise Richards was nice eye candy, before she went cra-cra the Hollywood way.
My dad got to take the USAF survival school that they ran during the Korean War. It was so good/bad/horrid that Congress stepped in and made it easier. Dad said he loved it, as for the most part, it was easy or at least easier than he thought, and he came out weighing 5lbs more than going in. Apparently the years of growing up Cajun taught him that almost anything was edible. He didn’t like the SERE portion, which was what people mostly complained about.
–
To me? Train harder than actual life. Deaths during training truly suck, but, well, it’s better than widespread deaths in real time.
–
As to “Starship Troopers,” I’m still waiting on a decent movie version. Rico, Carl, Carmen and Rico’s parents all being Filipino. Powered mobile armor. Starships that don’t have artificial gravity but get ‘gravity’ by being under constant 1g acceleration. Skinnies, gotta have the Skinnies. And the Bugs. Dammit, the Bugs are an intelligent hive mind that can build starships and travel in space. They do not shit nukes out their asses. And the human ‘sensitives’ were all weird people, not SS officers. Then there are the neo-dogs (intelligent dogs) and their handlers.
–
Avalon Hill’s “Starship Troopers” game did a far better job following the book. And it added non-Mobile Infantry Combat Engineers.
–
ST would lend itself quite well to a mini-series treatment with really good special effects.
If you did a modern interpretation of Starship Troopers it couldn’t have cartoonish elements. Special effects are one thing but there seems to be a trend toward more obvious animation.
The animated series “Roughnecks” was far better and while not perfect it was much closer to the book.
It could be done today, but Hollyweird would never greenlight it. The TV series “The Expanse” was a well-done adaptation of the books, with good special effects. The two elements that bugged me are common to SF movies — the interior spaces of spaceships tend to be vast compared to what a warship would actually look like, and the damned lights inside the helmet shining directly into the actors’ eyes/faces.
The ice mining and water crises didn’t make me happy, either.
You need very near to 100% closed water / air / etc. systems to make the sort
of space civilization shown even vaguely plausible. I had a lot of other quibbles
too, but I’m a nitpicker.
*
Still, very good for a SF TV show.
*
– Kle.
What has and does and will continue to peeve me about sci-fi movies and shows, besides not understanding any laws of physics, is combat range. “Oh, I have a Galaxy Class Star Fleet ship and I’m going to pull up to the enemy at 1km max distance and then miss with most of my shots.” WTF? Seriously, David Weber got it right in his “Honor Harrington” series.
–
Beam weapons, having no atmosphere to spread the beam, have effective ranges of tens of thousands of kilometers, at least. Which means there is going to be some lead time as an object far away will have a miniscule but significant amount of change of position from detecting, targeting, firing and the arrival of said beam. At 1km range? There should be no missing at all. Geez, it’s like the space version of being blasted by a carronade barrage at 50′.
–
Missiles and torpedoes should have ungodly amounts of range. Which means even more lead time. And figuring out if you need to accelerate all at once or accelerate, stop accel and sense/change direction, continue accel or even constant accel with changes in direction following a guide beam or internal target lock.
–
So much wrong with most sci-fi space fighting. Like, oh, say, boarders. How to handle boarders who are not in pressure suits of one form or another? Seal off the area, blow the hatches, let them die.
–
Don’t get me started on having children on a warship.
> What will happen when human-like robotics can fill men’s needs?
.
Men will stop talking or paying attention to women who aren’t trying hard to be reasonable team players, then toxic women won’t reproduce their genes into the next generation. Suppose robots are cheaper than a night of drinking awful beer at the roadside bar. Like U-Haul, the hardware can be shared (with autoclaving between) and the software recording of intake interview and collected details is reloaded with the continuous timeline of interaction with you. Your mother’s name is X, your first kiss was with Y, you like hairstyle Z. Like a woman with an off switch that you hang up in the closet when you want to play with monster trucks. Or worse competition for biowomen, an AI woman who actually shares your interest in monster trucks.
John Sweet’s letter: What proportion of the adult US population in 2024 could write such a letter, do you (y’all) think? In “my” demographic (meaning people with at least one graduate degree, not Chinamen), I’d guess 50-60%. It’s shocking how poorly people write. In some demographics, I’d guess 1 in 50, tops.
—
Here’s a song inspired by another Confederate letter.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DTrkq_41nv0&pp=ygUNUm9yeSBhbmQgam9leQ%3D%3D
Thank you.