01/31/23

Oddities in the Southern Muse

So, a chap and I are comparing notes on relative college experiences. He went to some placed called Harvard, supposedly a school of some note, but I cannot personally vouch for it.

I tell him I went to Virginia Military Institute, a place founded on 11 November 1839 in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia — an idyllic slice of Southern charm — at the height of the Vietnam War.

VMI men ran World War II in the person of General of the Armies George Catlett Marshall, the man Churchill gave the most credit for winning World War II calling him the Architect of Victory.

Stonewall Jackson taught there and Rob’t E Lee is buried on the edge of the campus in Lee Chapel. In the Wave of Wokeness that has swamped the land, Stonewall has gone MIA.

VMI men and, now, women, have fought with distinction in every American war since 1839. We are a handy bunch to have around when the feathers hit the fan.

Continue reading →

01/30/23

Germany Goes To War – Tanks For The Ammunition

Recently, Germany played the reluctant, virginial, arranged marriage, trembling bridesmaid on the eve of her wedding being coy about slipping out of her knickers and approving the transfer of Leopard tanks to Ukraine from other countries as well as from Germany.

If you buy a Leopard, unlike if you buy a BMW or a Mercedes, the Germans must approve any subsequent transfer. Seems a bit silly, but you play them the way they lay.

After prolonged sweaty foreplay and heavy breathing, and extracting a promise the Americans would send their lovely Abrams tanks to the deb ball, Germany finally drew its skirt over its head and delivered the permission and one hopes the Leopards are soon running free and wild incinerating Orc tanks. Continue reading →

01/19/23

The HP Technology Noose

So, I have an HP printer (still under warranty), nice little wireless unit that constantly requires reconnecting to the Internet, but I can handle this.

 

Yesterday, it stops working and gives me a differing set of messages and colored lights. If you get a solid amber light, the baby doesn’t work.

So, I work my magic that in the past has cracked the code and it doesn’t work.

I do it five times and finally admit defeat and call HP Support to the rescue. Takes a few minutes to present my bonafides, the serial number of the machine, the PIN, and other data.

Then I tell them the story.

Continue reading →

01/19/23

Russia Admits Defeat In Ukraine?

Dmitry Medvedev, former President of Russia and Putin stooge of long standing, made an odd admission yesterday.

Dimi said that Russia would use nukes if they were to lose the war in Ukraine.

It is hard to read this any other way than an admission of future defeat for Russia.

Medvedev, who used to be a “liberal” interested in bringing Russia kicking and screaming into the modern world and developing healthy relations with Europe and the US, has become the designated spokesman for Russia’s persistent threats of nuclear obliteration.

It was Dimi who threatened Finland and Sweden there would be huuuuuuge consequences if they joined NATO. Yawn.

He is Putin’s best boy, so the message has to be seriously considered, but the words say something entirely different. The Russians are preparing themselves for defeat.

Dimi and Vlad in an intimate moment discussing murdering innocent civilians in Ukraine.

What’s odd about this, Big Red Car?

Continue reading →

01/18/23

The Path To Wisdom

Too late in life, we acquire wisdom when it is sometimes beyond our ability to deploy though we will appreciate it greatly.

Here is a traditional litany of how wisdom is conveyed upon us:

Wisdom is the product of the application of sound judgement over a protracted period of time.

Sound judgment is the product of pertinent experience over a long time.

Pertinent experience is the product of blinding instants of bad judgement.

Continue reading →

01/12/23

Success? You Want Success? — THERE WILL BE A PRICE

I have two conversations wrestling in my head.

Convo #1 – a young man, an impressive, guileful young man full of potential who said something close to: “I am looking for something to do for six months or so that I can immerse myself in and make a lot of money.”

Convo #2 – a salty, seasoned, scarred, wise septuagenarian who said: “It takes about ten years to become an overnight success and there is always a price.”

This got me thinking about some things which in no particular order I share with you, dear readers.

The Nature of Success Continue reading →

01/8/23

Palantir And Artificial Intelligence (?) Go To War In Ukraine

On New Years Day the Ukrainians struck a school in Makiivka the Russians used to house up to 500 soldiers. It was well behind the FEBA (forward edge of the battle area, the line of contact).

From Russian sources — meaning these are Russia’s numbers — the four projectile HIMARS attack resulted in substantial Russian casualties: 90 KIA and 300 WIA. I suspect they are greater.

How did the Ukrainians do this, Big Red Car?

Well, the answer is a tour de force on how a much smaller, scrappy nation can fight a much larger nation by using technology to create a meaningful advantage.

There is a distinct possibility the Ukrainians will emerge from this conflict as a tech war super power.

Palantir – who is Palantir?

File:Palantir Technologies logo.svg - Wikimedia Commons

Continue reading →

01/4/23

Why Republicans Cannot Govern – They Are Traitors To Themselves

Comes now the Republican party after missing the Big Red Wave and failing to control the Senate whilst eking out a pathetic majority in the House of Boobs.

The Republicans in the House cannot find a horse to get across the finish line as Congressman McCarthy fails in his fifth attempt to garner sufficient votes to become Speaker.

[Congressman McCarthy — pssst – it isn’t working, dude. Do the right thing. Find a sword and fall on it.] Continue reading →