The Cost

The Crosses Grow on Anzio

Oh, gather ’round me, comrades,
and listen while I speak;
Of a war, a war, a war —
where hell is six feet deep.

Along the shore, the cannons roar.
Oh how can a soldier sleep?
The going’s slow on Anzio
and hell is six feet deep.

Praise be to God for this captured sod
that’s rich where blood does seep;
With yours and mine, like butchered swine;
and hell is six feet deep.

That death does wait there’s no debate;
no triumph will we reap
The crosses grow on Anzio,
where hell is six feet deep.

~Audie Murphy (age 19).

This, from someone who left school in fifth grade to pick cotton in order to feed his siblings, enlisted in the Army with forged papers (because he was too young), was wounded in battle many times, in the course of a little over a year in theater became the most highly decorated enlisted soldier in US history, and among the honors won through “blood and sweat and toil and tears” was warded the medal of Honor at age 19.

The visceral response to war he penned in response to his experiences speaks to the price all too many have paid, pay today, and will pay in the future to purchase your liberty.

Celebrate Membership in the “World of Odd”

I grew up as an Odd in a family of high-functioning Norms. There was generally about one chance in ten that things that struck me as hilarious would elicit as much as a chickle from my sibs. In their kindest moments, I was the recipient of the iconic “calf-at-a-new-gate” looks from them.

And so even today, I get my own laughs primarily from observing Norms. Primarily pity laughs, but I do find Norms amusing from time to time.

(Yeh, DSM-IV, the latest perversion of the DSM, was written to reclassify my norm, as for most Odds, from “eccentricity” to “disability” when it really just reveals the disabilities of Norms to view reality through a different lens.)

Quick Mini-Tip

Lil mini-tip: So, ya reached for a pencil to mark your cut and. . . where’d the dang thing go?!? Oh, well, either waste time looking for it, or pull a round from one of your speedloaders or mags and mark that board. Simple, right? A nice lil time-saver.
YW.

Passing Shot. . . and a Hit?

You know that phrase in The Ultimate Flame, “I would rather bathe with Hitler than be seen with you*”? Yeh, that’s how the current crop of Dhimmicraps make me feel.
_____________________________

*Cut from recent iterations of the late 1980s version.

Well, Good

Son&Heir’s dog’s skin condition has almost entirely cleared up, so now it’s easier to collect that wonderful skin conditioner: Lab oil. *heh*

Of course, that’s just one issue the vet says is associated with canine lymphoma, but since it’s clearing up so nicely with treatment, and lymph glands are greatly reduced/reducing in size (were swollen to a painful degree), this is probably an “indolent lymphoma” (follicular lymphoma, perhaps?) —much more slowly acting than was first thought. At least his quality of life is at his old normal level: lots of energy, appetite, and. . . attitude (Good Dog 🙂 )

Have to see how the course of the disease and treatments go, but for a 9, almost 10, year old medium sized dog, he is at least able to act younger than his age, and may well meet expectations for a healthy lifespan for his size/breed.

Let hope be not dismayed.

“Consensus Science” Isn’t. Science, That Is

Whenever I see or hear someone refer to “SettledScience®” or “consensus science” I think of the late 19th century when the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) here in the United States expressed concerns about the potential for the end of knowledge. Sadly, this is not a rare phenomenon in science, just a slight twist on the “We know it all; don’t bother us with anything new or contradictory” bent of “SettledScience®.”

Settled science or consensus science ain’t science. Settled science is a classic example of the kind of UNnatural stupidity that causes enormous harm. The most nefarious (and, I fear, widespread) form of stupidity is WILLFUL ignorance, and, due to conceptual and even pre-conceptual bias and the tendency among many to simply confirm their biases with “research,” this nefarious form of stupidity has always ALSO infected science.

In the public square, this frequently translates into “Scientism,” is a cultic adulation of “science” by fanbois who worship at the feet of “SettledScience®,” “scientific consensus” or other anti-scientific belief systems. And yes, the cult is, sadly, VERY widespread in our society.
Most people, let alone “Scientism” cultists, do not have the first clue about the scientific process and if asked about the value of falsification of a hypothesis versus replication and verification of a hypothesis (or any other aspect of the scientific process) would have no response but “Science!”

And unnaturally stupid self-made morons both abound and are the backbone of the electorate. No wonder the Framers sought to curb democratic impulses. Sadly. . . *sigh*

Testament of Freedom

Something to consider as July 4 approaches:


Siedbar: Note the applause between movements by “nekulturni” (those who are uncultured, boorish, exhibiting behavior inappropriate for the context) in the audience. Those who know better save their applause for the end instead of interrupting the performance. *sigh*

On the Record

First, not this well: I personally dislike Donald Trump and would avoid him if I happened across him in public (granted, EXTREMELY unlikely). I have my reasons and they are, perhaps, idiosyncratic.

But, let me be clear. Since I dislike and even disapprove of almost ALL politicians’ character and behavior, I only vote based on their policies and track record supporting those policies in and out of office. Voting based on liking or disliking a politician for personality reasons is an execrably stupid way to vote. It’s a classic ad hominem fallacy – no, not the “internet expert’s” definition, the real thing. So, on the record:

Biden’s record is one of CAUSING rampant inflation from the get go by DELIBERATELY hiking fuel prices, INCITING an immigration crisis, ENABLING a drug crisis (bumbling moron that he is), TURNING A BLIND EYE to a human trafficking crisis, a (INTENTIONALLY?) botched withdrawal from the Middle East, and an EXECRABLY lousy foreign policy regarding the Ukraine war and the problems in Gaza. And those are his ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

The above is quite apart from the fact that I utterly despise everything about Biden. My personal feelings about the scumbag have nothing to do with an honest assessment that he is an utter disaster as a president, even a dirty sock puppet president (which he is).

Trump’s record is that unemployment was at an all-time low, job creation was high, no new war started, energy independence, peace through strength, a fast track to getting a vaccine* for covid, extensive prison reform, education reform, stopping North Korea lobbing missiles over our heads via peaceful means, and strict attention to immigration law which strengthened national sovereignty.

Naturally, Dhimmicraps were adamantly opposed to every solid, beneficial accomplishment of DJT’s administration, and continue to be wittingly and adamantly opposed to ANYTHING that is for the good of the US and its citizens.

*vaccine? Such as it was; admittedly, out of the three choices available in the US as vaccines, one was a real one

BTW, I am thankful that the SCOTUS has gotten its collective head out of its ass recently and killed the absolutely WORST action DJT made while in office, the bumpstock ban, AND that DJT has recognized his error re: the Second Amendment (at least in public comments; we’ll have to see how that pans out in policy)