***
I did note Mr. Sowell [Thomas Sowell's 80th birthday, June 30], but nobody knew who I was talking about. Again. I believe I called some of them 'undereducated' afterwards.
Rumor's going around that we may stop at Wake Island on the way back. That would be extremely cool. Most of the military history fans aboard are pushing for this, and I think the Captain really wants to go as well, so it may actually happen. I find it curious that we don't have enough money to stop in Malaysia, but we can still go to Wake Island ... but, as I'd much rather go to Wake than Lumut, Malaysia (again), I won't say anything. Wake Island has clean water and archeological relics. Airplanes and such. I really hope we go there. I like drawing WWII wrecks.
Tonight there's supposed to be a 4th of July affair at the Terror Club. Cash bar and food. Apparently the fireworks will be set off by the locals, and will be 'so close you can feel the embers.' Not sure about this, as being set on fire is not on my list of fun and interesting things to do. We shall see. I do like loud noises, and it's okay if they set a tree on fire. Just not me. Preferably not the cash bar, either.
In other news, I am pushing strongly to become gunner on my 25mm mount, as the current gunner is going to A-school in a few months. This seems to be working, as I am actually going to be a gunner and he is not. The main issue seems to be whether or not the gun will be too big for me [Seaman Anoreth is 5'1", under 110 lbs.]. The recoil from it can be felt all over the ship. I still want to shoot. The GM3s and GM1 want me to as well, so if The New Chief says it's okay.. (The Old Chief was fine with it, but he's gone now, so it doesn't matter.)
I've read all the books I got at the Singapore NEX (we're at a Navy base, which, despite being overseas and in an unimportant place, is still bigger than the CG base in Seattle.) I got a book with griffins, which was actually pretty good, and a Star Wars. I've fallen behind on the plots in the Star Wars books, so it's hard to figure out what's going on in it. Anyway, now I'm back to reading other people's back issues of 'American Rifleman.' Some of the guns I'd really like to have. Mostly handguns. I've heard there's a new Steven Brust novel out [the one with lawyers, which I mentioned a few days ago ... do I know her tastes or what?], and also one from a sci-fi series called 'Larklight', which are hilarious. I'll have to poke around and see if I can find them.
We watched 'Fantastic Mr. Fox', which was a pretty good movie. Then we watched 'Ice Age 3', which was even stupider than 1 and 2. Although I liked the first one. In any case, they need to come up with some new jokes. I had 'Lawrence of Arabia,' but nobody wanted to see that. Nobody wanted to watch Bond movies, either, although I and several other people were pushing for one. Now all there is to watch is baseball, which I'm tired of. Not as tired as say, basketball. Actually, I'm sick of watching sports in general. And hearing about sports. When you go on watch at 2:30 AM and people are still up watching soccer, something's definitely wrong with them. Soccer is for Europeans.
Sigh. In my midwestern elementary school my favorite game was soccer. But nobody played it much; everything was basketball, baseball, and of course (American) football. And hockey (ice, not grass).
But somehow I think Anoreth is right: soccer doesn't fit American culture the way football (We Are a Team with Differentiated Capabilities!) and baseball (The Lone Challenger against The System) do.
Basketball and ice hockey... I don't know.
Ratboy says it's fun.
He and his fellow hooligans friends dressed him in a heavy canvas coat, tucked his hair up in a watch cap, doused him down with Axe (a rather flammable deodorant) set him alight and had him run into through and out of the mall.
He says Richard Pryor is right: when you are on fire people DO get the heck out of the way...
LOL.
I’ve wondered, what were we sending a Coast Guard vessel overseas for anyway?
Not that I begrudge the crew the trip . . .
Just curious if OThuga wanted it out of the way so it couldn’t defend our coasts . . .
Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men too -- great enough to give fame to a great age. It does not often happen to a nation to raise, at one time, such a number of truly great men. The point from which I am compelled to view them is not, certainly the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration. They were statesmen, patriots and heroes, and for the good they did, and the principles they contended for, I will unite with you to honor their memory.
They loved their country better than their own private interests; and, though this is not the highest form of human excellence, all will concede that it is a rare virtue, and that when it is exhibited, it ought to command respect. He who will, intelligently, lay down his life for his country, is a man whom it is not in human nature to despise. Your fathers staked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, on the cause of their country. In their admiration of liberty, they lost sight of all other interests.
They were peace men; but they preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage. They were quiet men; but they did not shrink from agitating against oppression. They showed forbearance; but that they knew its limits. They believed in order; but not in the order of tyranny. With them, nothing was "settled" that was not right. With them, justice, liberty and humanity were "final;" not slavery and oppression. You may well cherish the memory of such men. They were great in their day and generation. Their solid manhood stands out the more as we contrast it with these degenerate times.
How circumspect, exact and proportionate were all their movements! How unlike the politicians of an hour! Their statesmanship looked beyond the passing moment, and stretched away in strength into the distant future. They seized upon eternal principles, and set a glorious example in their defence. Mark them!
— Frederick Douglas, July 5th, 1852
Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York
And, if that whets your appetite, you might indulge your senses with a reading of this magnificent oratory; a soaring eulogy of President Lincoln delivered by Statesman Luiz Augusto Rebello Da Silva in the Chamber of Peers of the Portuguese Parliament on August 12th, 1865.
All very fitting as we commemorate not only the rise of this nation, but the stature of those who initiated, and sustained the labor through its most perilous hours.
Anoreth is certainly getting around!
I have lived cin both Singapora and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The waters there are amongst the most clear in the world.
Anoreth is certainly getting around!
I have lived cin both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The waters there are amongst the most clear in the world.