G’Mornin’, all. At just one cup per day, I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but that cup is too small for even me. Nice picture of the coffee being poured into the cup, though.
The grandkids arrive tomorrow to celebrate Wifeofazlib’s birthday, so a good time will be had by all. I wish the same for your weekends.
ghostsniperSeptember 20, 2024, 9:20 AM
shot glass
ghostsniperSeptember 20, 2024, 9:05 AM
whiskey bottle
brand new car
oak tree you’re in my way
Starting to sober up yet?
You know dam good and well you don’t have any where near enough ammo and shootin irons.
And, unless you can shoot 2 guns at the same time while backpacking a thousand rounds and running backwards full speed, you better get some local grunts on board.
DTSeptember 21, 2024, 4:39 PM
Cheaper to buy ammo in 500 or 1000 round lots. While we still can.
John A. FlemingSeptember 20, 2024, 11:31 AM
Re: that laser attack on the Trump attendees at Tucson. Not surprising at all. Tucson has always been the left-side hive in Arizona. A nice place to live, much nicer than Phoenix, but its politics … ugh. And then there’s the University of Arizona, a rabid progressive hive within the hive, with its world-renowned Optical Sciences Department. I’m sure nobody would notice or mind if a Class 3b or Class 4 infrared laser went missing for a few days. Probably was a Class 4, the operator would want to be many hundreds of feet away, wouldn’t want to get caught by the incompetent USSS. And lasers are a favorite of the antifa and black block and bamn folks, if you’re going up against those guys you better have laser filter goggles in your kit because those aholes will lase you first to disable and disorient and blind you before they administer the righteous beat-down you so richly deserve you filthy magat.
And I’m sure all the Fedbois and Fibbies are just right on this. Umm, no, they are proud members of the progressive cult, they are just going to sit this one out and take the L. Trump had it coming, daring to show his face in Tucson, and the magat folks that support him need to be punished. No, all the law enforcement organs Fed/State/County/City don’t want to investigate this, they are all proud progressive every man-jack one of them, it’s way too much work and they might uncover something they’d rather not the people know about, as it might reflect badly on their cult. They are all perfectly cool with it if somebody takes out Trump, Sgt. Schultzes all of them.
And so it goes. If you’re not-a-progressive of note and you’re holding an outdoor event, you better expect snipers and now infrared lasers. It’s on like donkey kong now, their dogs of war have slipped the leash. Time to start wearing plates, be behind ballistic glass, with laser detectors. Defense only works for a while, at some point you have to exit your defenses and take it to the adversaries.
ghostsniperSeptember 20, 2024, 2:49 PM
A young woman goes to step onto the bus but realizes her short and tight little skirt doesn’t give her the flexibility to lift her foot to the stair.
So she reaches back to unzip it a little to give her more room.
She still can’t reach the step, embarrassed, she gives the bus driver a little smile, then reaches back again.
Again, she can’t reach the step, more embarrassed, she reaches back a third time to loosen her skirt a bit more.
With that, Jausche behind her gives her a push on her tush and she’s on the bus.
She turns around to scold Jausche and says “How dare you touch my butt! We don’t know each other!”
Jausche responds, “Madam after you unzipped my fly three times I figured we were friends!”
John A. FlemingSeptember 20, 2024, 5:08 PM
I think I’m seeing something. There have been three attacks on Trump now (two kinetic, one optical). This is unprecedented. The people spewing eliminationist talk, let’s call them get rid of Trump by any means, grotbam’s. The grotbams have clear confirmation that eliminationist talk works!!! The grotbams are not suffering any consequences, personally or politically or commercially. The attacks are not hurting their electoral chances, if the public polls are to be believed.
All the incentives are there, and there aren’t any downsides, to ramp up the eliminationist talk. And they are doing so. Get those wanna-be assassin’s fannies off their couches and get them out there. Convince them that they will be heroes, and that not all men’s hands will be turned against them. It’s clear now that the USSS is leaving exploitable holes everywhere T goes. The Fibbies are distracted and standing themselves down, they wanna see T gone also. Get it done, you guys! Tempus fugit!
Attacks closer to the election will create more chaos. A successful attack will create maximum chaos. The grotbams believe that in chaos there is strength and they will win. No matter who the assassin is, the media will go insane screech lying that it’s not a leftie but a righty insurrectionist, T and V brought this on themselves, a vote for the hoe is the safe vote “to end this destructive conflict and bring Order to the [American Republic].
At this point I’d say just about anything’s possible from these deranged idiot criminals.
Kinda pisses me off, here I am in my “golden years” and I have to spend them in a code red manner.
When the hammer finally falls it’ll be unholy.
DTSeptember 21, 2024, 4:46 PM
I feel for those in deep blue urban areas (did I repeat myself?) … but not much – maybe not at all come to think on it. The dogs of hell will be unleashed in those areas first giving the rest of us notice that the good times are over. It’s going to be bad enough if Trump wins and takes office; it’ll be a magnitude worse if Trump is killed.
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Say it now; come the time, no one may feel like celebrating.
Casey KlahnSeptember 21, 2024, 6:52 AM
The first in person voting took place in Virginy yesterday. Trump voters came out in droves; hariis, not so much. What if Trump rolls Kam in VA like an oiled coconut? If Trump wins VA, it’s game over electorally.
Fingers crossed – prayers go up. Now, watch the epic tide of cheating and subterfuge begin as demons begin their efforts to overturn a Trump lead in VA. If Trump’s team is on the ball (How many military veterans have they got? Military veterans have a certain mindset where we will go to the ropes before going down)…if they’re on the ball they’ll be lawyered up and media savvy. Any and all cheating at the poll counting will be litigated, fumigated, media-rated, and exposed to light.
I believe this is the lifestyle we will be dealing with very shortly–if it hasn’t already started.
John A. FlemingSeptember 22, 2024, 1:06 AM
It’s my understanding that part of the reason for the apartment complex takeovers by the illegals is to create no-go zones where they can stash their stuff, including firearms. You may be right Anne, the proggros have imported a bandit culture and will soon manifest here. It’s going to be difficult to get rid of the bandits, they’re here now and they are ensconcing themselves.
John A. FlemingSeptember 22, 2024, 1:00 AM
Our local community service organization recently had a 2025 planning meeting, choosing our goals and activities. Now we have to start making reservations and plopping down money to secure them. And then I come read the comments here, including my own, which are somewhat apocalyptic. Welcome to surrealville.
We act like the world will go on just as it always has, and there will not be a black swan discontinuity or singularity that negates all our plans and schedules. We have to, or we won’t get those reservations and we will contribute to the discontinuity. Which is to say, it’s a big and rich country, there’s a lot of ruin in it, and a lot of built-up momentum. Chances are, 2025 will come out mostly ok at our local level. At night in our quiet rooms and offices we worry about the risks, and in the bright light of day we have confidence that come what may we will still be able to carry on just as we always have.
I have a family get-together in mid-November. It will be interesting to see if the left side of the family can put aside their penchant to discuss politics and just focus on family matters and celebrations. When in a cult, the members don’t have much else to talk about beyond the cult boundaries. I am somewhat reluctant to go, cuz I really don’t want to hear about what the cult has to say about anything, and there’s enough of them that they think the cult is who we are. If the family is to go on, the younger members need to hear it from us olders that it will be ok and we all will go on and on.
AnneSeptember 22, 2024, 10:39 AM
I have just come across an article that says that people (media hacks) are suggesting (implanting) the idea that the assassination attempts on Trump are created by Trump’s staff to change the election results–to make him look good! Geez Louise–when do they stop?
DTSeptember 22, 2024, 3:28 PM
Not until they’re 6 ft under. But they’ll keep voting.
DTSeptember 22, 2024, 3:30 PM
Not until they’re 6ft under. But they’ll keep voting.
AnneSeptember 22, 2024, 10:59 AM
Family–oh boy. When we married (1982) the only people in my DH’s family were his older generation, i.e. Aunt and Uncle’s generation. She was president of the R women’s club and he was a little more libertarian. Later we met some of their children (school teachers with M.Ed degrees). Years later my Dh’s family– their children’s children and their children’s children’s children. ALL–each and every one are either Government employees or school teachers with M.Ed. degrees! Their all encompassing love for their “uncle”(my DH) extends to the point where they have not invited us to any event for 14 years! That is because both myself and my DD are independent business women, and because I have spoken out about the corruption in universities. OMG! how those federally supported females and school teachers hate me! I don’t remember every saying anything to or about any one of them, but I did commit one grave error in their eyes: back in the early 1980’s I helped his aunt hold onto the family farm when the government environmentalists were trying to take it over! Yes, sir–I did tell the local college representative NO–ABSOLUTELY NO, when he offered my DH a lifelong, full-time, full boat, faculty position, IF he would give up his portion of the family farm and get her to donate the family farm to the university!
Forty years later all of those good Democrats sit on their share of the farm and gloat about how lovely it is and how much they love having it in the family! Yeah, baby, they even have put it into a Trust fund that preserves it forever for their kids only–Another nonsensical irony is this: the farm was from HER side of the family. Her DH–the libertarian–who I loved dearly married into the family. This is not a community property state so guess what? Rather than give credit to the Republican woman who stood her ground and saved that farm–this generation has put a sign on the gate that names the farm after HIM! Please, please don’t ask me to go to a family gathering with this group!
DTSeptember 22, 2024, 4:15 PM
I never realized how far left many of those I grew up with and have called friends had gone. Two topics always came up: how could I be so despicable as to favor Trump, and how could I argue against “climate change”.
I had one friend (wife of my now-deceased friend) go to the point of calling me one day and laying a drunken rampage on me for not supporting the Damned. Later, she sent an insulting Christmas card such as I’ve never heard of before. I kept the card so that I could remind myself my memory wasn’t misleading me. That was the end of that 25 year friendship. I have no doubt she’s an enthusiastic Harris supporter.
Another – now a HS “social studies” teacher (the Constitution is a living document subject to change and interpretation based on the present political climate) – would constantly badger me about Trump, the Constitution, and how wrong I was about “climate” (even though I was a scientist in the field for a major organization). I got tired of every conversation becoming a lecture I strongly disagreed with. I’d known him since 9th grade.
One – a gay friend from college (I’m not, not that it matters) who was very upset with me for suggesting that not disparaging gays may be a good thing – because his feeling (and his partner’s and friends) favored segregation – but only one way. Gays could go anywhere but gays should have their own “safe spaces” where straights aren’t allowed. What the hell, Randy? In college, we had similar political views and could argue and agree on most things. He was once editor of a major national computing magazine back in the 80s/90s. (journalist?)
I have been indirectly threatened by so-called friends for my stances. Some of these people I have known since childhood – 50 years or more now [60? How is that possible? 🙂 ]. Back then – even into the early 2000s, we could agree and disagree on many topics and no one got upset. Now? Things changed when that fag from Kenya (deliberately not politically-correct) was put in office. [Winston Churchill is as American as that POS: American mother, foreign father. Though I think Winston knew who his real father was. And the whore isn’t even that much American – neither parent was American and she was raised in Canada. How is she even on the ticket?]
Others have stated similar opinions to me to the point where it was better to just cut off communication, place these people in the dust bin of history, and go on with my life. I can get stress from many sources; I don’t need “friends” to add to it. I’ve moved far from where I was raised and didn’t see most of these people all that often anymore anyway.
Ah, well. But I still miss them.
Luckily, direct family is not a problem. I think I have a brother that votes D … but he never really confirms it – for all I know, he’s pulling our legs. There’s an unspoken agreement with the cousins who feel D-ish that keeps politics out of family gatherings and we have a good time together.
Sorry: Rant time. It’s rant or shoot and it isn’t time for shooting yet. It is what it is and there’s nothing any of us at this level can do to change anything.
ghostsniperSeptember 22, 2024, 5:43 PM
Rants encouraged, all the time.
And anytime is shooting time.
Maybe it has to do with how you carry yourself?
Between getting married in 1984 and then starting my architecture biz in 1986, by say 1987 I just didn’t have time for friends any more. Coincidently, when the friends stopped coming around I also stopped being broke all the time. Funny that.
Since then, most friendships have been results of business relationships. “You can make a friend from a business relationship but you can never have a business relationship with a friend.”, said some famous wealthy dood a long time ago. And so it has been ever since. My best friends are my wife of 40 years and my mutt Shannon of 10 years.
My 2nd tier of friends (very few people) have all been acquired and fostered by way of my intense independent, and conservative attitude in all things.
My immediate fambly scattered across the country when my dad died in 1980 and all interaction since has been sporadic and infrequent. And most have died. Out of 7 of us in 1979, dad, mom, me, 4 bro’s and sis’s, all are dead but me and my oldest (2 years younger than me) sister and we don’t interact much and I haven’t seen her since the late 90’s.
So as you can see, there are several levels of magnitude of space between myself and any version of the criminal, communist bent that we banter about. I tend to place all forms of insanity in one big ol’ box and it stays way out on the outskirts of the county. Any closer and I can get trigger happy pretty quick. I don’t do well around abnormalities and things that can’t be reasoned with. I don’t expect to change.
AnneSeptember 22, 2024, 4:23 PM
“I never realized how far left many of those I grew up with and have called friends had gone.” Thanks for supporting my efforts DT! They seem so nice and polite–middle upper middle class. But, OMG! what they are thinking is in sync with the Communist party leadership in China!
ghostsniperSeptember 23, 2024, 3:57 AM
Isn’t this comforting to know?
=====================
U.S. Navy’s First Submarine Purpose-Built for Mixed Gender Use Is Now in Active Service
23 Sep 2024
Like most other units of the military, submariners have almost always been men. Unlike many of the other military units, the ones that conduct missions under the sea were a bit slower to adopt change, and only this month launched their first-ever submarine meant for mixed gender use.
On an official level, the Navy didn’t allow women to serve on submarines until 2010. Even if it’s been 14 years since then, none of the undersea platforms in use had the amenities to cater to the needs of women, even if as of 2023 there were 609 of them assigned to these kinds of ships.
The USS New Jersey (SSN 796), however, has all it takes to accommodate both genders (stuff like separate sleeping and showering, lower overhead valves, steps for bunk beds, and stacked laundry machines). The Virginia-class submarine, in the works for the past eight years, was officially commissioned in mid-September during a ceremony held at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey.
We knew the submarine was coming for a long time now, and we knew how it’s going to be called since 2015, when the Navy settled to christen it New Jersey. That makes it the third Navy ship to wear the name, after the Iowa-class battleship BB-62 that fought in the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and the BB-16 battleship from the beginning of last century.
The submarine is described by its members as the most complex platform of its kind on the planet, but also the fastest ever made. Just to give you an idea of what that means, consider the fact the sub is capable of reaching a top speed of 25 knots (29 mph/46 kph), which for such a vessel is quite a lot.
Power for the machine comes from a S9G nuclear reactor made by General Electric. It stands 377 feet long (115 meters) long and sports a 34-foot (ten meters) beam. A total of 135 Navy sailors of both genders can climb inside and go on missions.
Speaking of missions, the Virginia-class has been purpose-made to act as a multi-mission platform that in Navy speak are described as “sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.”
The sub can conduct warfare against other submarines, surface ships, can strike faraway targets, can aid special operation forces, and it is the ideal place from where intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) activities can be conducted.
The sub-surface USS New Jersey is packed to the teeth with weapons, including the mighty Tomahawk cruise missiles America’s enemies dread.
The Navy did not specify at the time of the commissioning where the sub will be deployed during its first official mission.
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
Gerard Van der Leun
G’Mornin’, all. At just one cup per day, I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but that cup is too small for even me. Nice picture of the coffee being poured into the cup, though.
The grandkids arrive tomorrow to celebrate Wifeofazlib’s birthday, so a good time will be had by all. I wish the same for your weekends.
shot glass
whiskey bottle
brand new car
oak tree you’re in my way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5se2jKQMoV0
More Than 1-In-4 Democrats Think US Would Be Better If Trump Had Been Killed
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/party-joy-more-1-4-democrats-think-us-would-be-better-if-trump-had-been-killed
Starting to sober up yet?
You know dam good and well you don’t have any where near enough ammo and shootin irons.
And, unless you can shoot 2 guns at the same time while backpacking a thousand rounds and running backwards full speed, you better get some local grunts on board.
Cheaper to buy ammo in 500 or 1000 round lots. While we still can.
Re: that laser attack on the Trump attendees at Tucson. Not surprising at all. Tucson has always been the left-side hive in Arizona. A nice place to live, much nicer than Phoenix, but its politics … ugh. And then there’s the University of Arizona, a rabid progressive hive within the hive, with its world-renowned Optical Sciences Department. I’m sure nobody would notice or mind if a Class 3b or Class 4 infrared laser went missing for a few days. Probably was a Class 4, the operator would want to be many hundreds of feet away, wouldn’t want to get caught by the incompetent USSS. And lasers are a favorite of the antifa and black block and bamn folks, if you’re going up against those guys you better have laser filter goggles in your kit because those aholes will lase you first to disable and disorient and blind you before they administer the righteous beat-down you so richly deserve you filthy magat.
And I’m sure all the Fedbois and Fibbies are just right on this. Umm, no, they are proud members of the progressive cult, they are just going to sit this one out and take the L. Trump had it coming, daring to show his face in Tucson, and the magat folks that support him need to be punished. No, all the law enforcement organs Fed/State/County/City don’t want to investigate this, they are all proud progressive every man-jack one of them, it’s way too much work and they might uncover something they’d rather not the people know about, as it might reflect badly on their cult. They are all perfectly cool with it if somebody takes out Trump, Sgt. Schultzes all of them.
And so it goes. If you’re not-a-progressive of note and you’re holding an outdoor event, you better expect snipers and now infrared lasers. It’s on like donkey kong now, their dogs of war have slipped the leash. Time to start wearing plates, be behind ballistic glass, with laser detectors. Defense only works for a while, at some point you have to exit your defenses and take it to the adversaries.
A young woman goes to step onto the bus but realizes her short and tight little skirt doesn’t give her the flexibility to lift her foot to the stair.
So she reaches back to unzip it a little to give her more room.
She still can’t reach the step, embarrassed, she gives the bus driver a little smile, then reaches back again.
Again, she can’t reach the step, more embarrassed, she reaches back a third time to loosen her skirt a bit more.
With that, Jausche behind her gives her a push on her tush and she’s on the bus.
She turns around to scold Jausche and says “How dare you touch my butt! We don’t know each other!”
Jausche responds, “Madam after you unzipped my fly three times I figured we were friends!”
I think I’m seeing something. There have been three attacks on Trump now (two kinetic, one optical). This is unprecedented. The people spewing eliminationist talk, let’s call them get rid of Trump by any means, grotbam’s. The grotbams have clear confirmation that eliminationist talk works!!! The grotbams are not suffering any consequences, personally or politically or commercially. The attacks are not hurting their electoral chances, if the public polls are to be believed.
All the incentives are there, and there aren’t any downsides, to ramp up the eliminationist talk. And they are doing so. Get those wanna-be assassin’s fannies off their couches and get them out there. Convince them that they will be heroes, and that not all men’s hands will be turned against them. It’s clear now that the USSS is leaving exploitable holes everywhere T goes. The Fibbies are distracted and standing themselves down, they wanna see T gone also. Get it done, you guys! Tempus fugit!
Attacks closer to the election will create more chaos. A successful attack will create maximum chaos. The grotbams believe that in chaos there is strength and they will win. No matter who the assassin is, the media will go insane screech lying that it’s not a leftie but a righty insurrectionist, T and V brought this on themselves, a vote for the hoe is the safe vote “to end this destructive conflict and bring Order to the [American Republic].
Watch for it, get ready, it’s coming, their tongues are unleashed. We may see some shite go down that hasn’t happened since 1860-1865. Or hasn’t happened ever in the history of the republic. [They] are close now, so close to achieving [their] goal. All they have to do is reach out and touch T, and the [republic] will fall.
At this point I’d say just about anything’s possible from these deranged idiot criminals.
Kinda pisses me off, here I am in my “golden years” and I have to spend them in a code red manner.
When the hammer finally falls it’ll be unholy.
I feel for those in deep blue urban areas (did I repeat myself?) … but not much – maybe not at all come to think on it. The dogs of hell will be unleashed in those areas first giving the rest of us notice that the good times are over. It’s going to be bad enough if Trump wins and takes office; it’ll be a magnitude worse if Trump is killed.
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Say it now; come the time, no one may feel like celebrating.
The first in person voting took place in Virginy yesterday. Trump voters came out in droves; hariis, not so much. What if Trump rolls Kam in VA like an oiled coconut? If Trump wins VA, it’s game over electorally.
Fingers crossed – prayers go up. Now, watch the epic tide of cheating and subterfuge begin as demons begin their efforts to overturn a Trump lead in VA. If Trump’s team is on the ball (How many military veterans have they got? Military veterans have a certain mindset where we will go to the ropes before going down)…if they’re on the ball they’ll be lawyered up and media savvy. Any and all cheating at the poll counting will be litigated, fumigated, media-rated, and exposed to light.
Amen.
I have not seen this story at American media sites, but the Australians have covered it for us.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-21/sinaloa-cartel-violence-death-toll-rises-over-50/104380756
I believe this is the lifestyle we will be dealing with very shortly–if it hasn’t already started.
It’s my understanding that part of the reason for the apartment complex takeovers by the illegals is to create no-go zones where they can stash their stuff, including firearms. You may be right Anne, the proggros have imported a bandit culture and will soon manifest here. It’s going to be difficult to get rid of the bandits, they’re here now and they are ensconcing themselves.
Our local community service organization recently had a 2025 planning meeting, choosing our goals and activities. Now we have to start making reservations and plopping down money to secure them. And then I come read the comments here, including my own, which are somewhat apocalyptic. Welcome to surrealville.
We act like the world will go on just as it always has, and there will not be a black swan discontinuity or singularity that negates all our plans and schedules. We have to, or we won’t get those reservations and we will contribute to the discontinuity. Which is to say, it’s a big and rich country, there’s a lot of ruin in it, and a lot of built-up momentum. Chances are, 2025 will come out mostly ok at our local level. At night in our quiet rooms and offices we worry about the risks, and in the bright light of day we have confidence that come what may we will still be able to carry on just as we always have.
I have a family get-together in mid-November. It will be interesting to see if the left side of the family can put aside their penchant to discuss politics and just focus on family matters and celebrations. When in a cult, the members don’t have much else to talk about beyond the cult boundaries. I am somewhat reluctant to go, cuz I really don’t want to hear about what the cult has to say about anything, and there’s enough of them that they think the cult is who we are. If the family is to go on, the younger members need to hear it from us olders that it will be ok and we all will go on and on.
I have just come across an article that says that people (media hacks) are suggesting (implanting) the idea that the assassination attempts on Trump are created by Trump’s staff to change the election results–to make him look good! Geez Louise–when do they stop?
Not until they’re 6 ft under. But they’ll keep voting.
Not until they’re 6ft under. But they’ll keep voting.
Family–oh boy. When we married (1982) the only people in my DH’s family were his older generation, i.e. Aunt and Uncle’s generation. She was president of the R women’s club and he was a little more libertarian. Later we met some of their children (school teachers with M.Ed degrees). Years later my Dh’s family– their children’s children and their children’s children’s children. ALL–each and every one are either Government employees or school teachers with M.Ed. degrees! Their all encompassing love for their “uncle”(my DH) extends to the point where they have not invited us to any event for 14 years! That is because both myself and my DD are independent business women, and because I have spoken out about the corruption in universities. OMG! how those federally supported females and school teachers hate me! I don’t remember every saying anything to or about any one of them, but I did commit one grave error in their eyes: back in the early 1980’s I helped his aunt hold onto the family farm when the government environmentalists were trying to take it over! Yes, sir–I did tell the local college representative NO–ABSOLUTELY NO, when he offered my DH a lifelong, full-time, full boat, faculty position, IF he would give up his portion of the family farm and get her to donate the family farm to the university!
Forty years later all of those good Democrats sit on their share of the farm and gloat about how lovely it is and how much they love having it in the family! Yeah, baby, they even have put it into a Trust fund that preserves it forever for their kids only–Another nonsensical irony is this: the farm was from HER side of the family. Her DH–the libertarian–who I loved dearly married into the family. This is not a community property state so guess what? Rather than give credit to the Republican woman who stood her ground and saved that farm–this generation has put a sign on the gate that names the farm after HIM! Please, please don’t ask me to go to a family gathering with this group!
I never realized how far left many of those I grew up with and have called friends had gone. Two topics always came up: how could I be so despicable as to favor Trump, and how could I argue against “climate change”.
I had one friend (wife of my now-deceased friend) go to the point of calling me one day and laying a drunken rampage on me for not supporting the Damned. Later, she sent an insulting Christmas card such as I’ve never heard of before. I kept the card so that I could remind myself my memory wasn’t misleading me. That was the end of that 25 year friendship. I have no doubt she’s an enthusiastic Harris supporter.
Another – now a HS “social studies” teacher (the Constitution is a living document subject to change and interpretation based on the present political climate) – would constantly badger me about Trump, the Constitution, and how wrong I was about “climate” (even though I was a scientist in the field for a major organization). I got tired of every conversation becoming a lecture I strongly disagreed with. I’d known him since 9th grade.
One – a gay friend from college (I’m not, not that it matters) who was very upset with me for suggesting that not disparaging gays may be a good thing – because his feeling (and his partner’s and friends) favored segregation – but only one way. Gays could go anywhere but gays should have their own “safe spaces” where straights aren’t allowed. What the hell, Randy? In college, we had similar political views and could argue and agree on most things. He was once editor of a major national computing magazine back in the 80s/90s. (journalist?)
I have been indirectly threatened by so-called friends for my stances. Some of these people I have known since childhood – 50 years or more now [60? How is that possible? 🙂 ]. Back then – even into the early 2000s, we could agree and disagree on many topics and no one got upset. Now? Things changed when that fag from Kenya (deliberately not politically-correct) was put in office. [Winston Churchill is as American as that POS: American mother, foreign father. Though I think Winston knew who his real father was. And the whore isn’t even that much American – neither parent was American and she was raised in Canada. How is she even on the ticket?]
Others have stated similar opinions to me to the point where it was better to just cut off communication, place these people in the dust bin of history, and go on with my life. I can get stress from many sources; I don’t need “friends” to add to it. I’ve moved far from where I was raised and didn’t see most of these people all that often anymore anyway.
Ah, well. But I still miss them.
Luckily, direct family is not a problem. I think I have a brother that votes D … but he never really confirms it – for all I know, he’s pulling our legs. There’s an unspoken agreement with the cousins who feel D-ish that keeps politics out of family gatherings and we have a good time together.
Sorry: Rant time. It’s rant or shoot and it isn’t time for shooting yet. It is what it is and there’s nothing any of us at this level can do to change anything.
Rants encouraged, all the time.
And anytime is shooting time.
Maybe it has to do with how you carry yourself?
Between getting married in 1984 and then starting my architecture biz in 1986, by say 1987 I just didn’t have time for friends any more. Coincidently, when the friends stopped coming around I also stopped being broke all the time. Funny that.
Since then, most friendships have been results of business relationships. “You can make a friend from a business relationship but you can never have a business relationship with a friend.”, said some famous wealthy dood a long time ago. And so it has been ever since. My best friends are my wife of 40 years and my mutt Shannon of 10 years.
My 2nd tier of friends (very few people) have all been acquired and fostered by way of my intense independent, and conservative attitude in all things.
My immediate fambly scattered across the country when my dad died in 1980 and all interaction since has been sporadic and infrequent. And most have died. Out of 7 of us in 1979, dad, mom, me, 4 bro’s and sis’s, all are dead but me and my oldest (2 years younger than me) sister and we don’t interact much and I haven’t seen her since the late 90’s.
So as you can see, there are several levels of magnitude of space between myself and any version of the criminal, communist bent that we banter about. I tend to place all forms of insanity in one big ol’ box and it stays way out on the outskirts of the county. Any closer and I can get trigger happy pretty quick. I don’t do well around abnormalities and things that can’t be reasoned with. I don’t expect to change.
“I never realized how far left many of those I grew up with and have called friends had gone.” Thanks for supporting my efforts DT! They seem so nice and polite–middle upper middle class. But, OMG! what they are thinking is in sync with the Communist party leadership in China!
Isn’t this comforting to know?
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U.S. Navy’s First Submarine Purpose-Built for Mixed Gender Use Is Now in Active Service
23 Sep 2024
Like most other units of the military, submariners have almost always been men. Unlike many of the other military units, the ones that conduct missions under the sea were a bit slower to adopt change, and only this month launched their first-ever submarine meant for mixed gender use.
On an official level, the Navy didn’t allow women to serve on submarines until 2010. Even if it’s been 14 years since then, none of the undersea platforms in use had the amenities to cater to the needs of women, even if as of 2023 there were 609 of them assigned to these kinds of ships.
The USS New Jersey (SSN 796), however, has all it takes to accommodate both genders (stuff like separate sleeping and showering, lower overhead valves, steps for bunk beds, and stacked laundry machines). The Virginia-class submarine, in the works for the past eight years, was officially commissioned in mid-September during a ceremony held at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey.
We knew the submarine was coming for a long time now, and we knew how it’s going to be called since 2015, when the Navy settled to christen it New Jersey. That makes it the third Navy ship to wear the name, after the Iowa-class battleship BB-62 that fought in the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and the BB-16 battleship from the beginning of last century.
The submarine is described by its members as the most complex platform of its kind on the planet, but also the fastest ever made. Just to give you an idea of what that means, consider the fact the sub is capable of reaching a top speed of 25 knots (29 mph/46 kph), which for such a vessel is quite a lot.
Power for the machine comes from a S9G nuclear reactor made by General Electric. It stands 377 feet long (115 meters) long and sports a 34-foot (ten meters) beam. A total of 135 Navy sailors of both genders can climb inside and go on missions.
Speaking of missions, the Virginia-class has been purpose-made to act as a multi-mission platform that in Navy speak are described as “sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.”
The sub can conduct warfare against other submarines, surface ships, can strike faraway targets, can aid special operation forces, and it is the ideal place from where intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) activities can be conducted.
The sub-surface USS New Jersey is packed to the teeth with weapons, including the mighty Tomahawk cruise missiles America’s enemies dread.
The Navy did not specify at the time of the commissioning where the sub will be deployed during its first official mission.
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/us-navy-s-first-submarine-purpose-built-for-mixed-gender-use-is-now-in-active-service-240196.html