Flouncy

This just caught me as really funny. Video proof at last - Steven Seagal runs like a bitch!

"What is up with the flouncy little arm movements? He looks like a Tyrannosaurus Rex playing the solos on Wipeout."

I know this post isn't exactly revealing greater truths about the world, but it struck me as way funnier than it should have. Have a good turkey day, all you flouncy fools.

Living History Farms Run

This weekend Kimbo and I went to Des Moines for a real nice weekend.

We ate dinner at the Rock Bottom Brewery, which was great. I'm not going to say that it's fine dining, but the food rocked the house. I had a filet with bourbon/Gorgonzola sauce, with a side of white cheddar mashed potatoes. I also washed it down a couple of stouts. It was tasty. Kimbo had a chicken dish with wild mushrooms and rice, washed down with a couple of chards.

We retired to the Marriott for some deep sleep.

The next morning we ate one of those breakfast buffets that most hotels have. I usually get an English muffin with butter, and lots of bacon and coffee. It was fine. We talked to the people near us and they told us about a guy who runs the race in only a loincloth. He's won it before. No shoes either. And he carries a bow and paints his face.

Then we went to the Living History Farms for their super duper cross country race. It was about 7 miles, with hills and obsticles and streams. It's supposed to be a mudstomp in the cold. And it was pretty stinking cold. Oh, did I mention that I was not running the race? Kimbo ran. Brando stood around bundled up in a winter coat drinking coffee. It even started snowing when we were there. Burrr.

And we saw Mr. Loincloth too. And it was true. No shoes. No shirt. No warmth. I actually thought it was pretty awesome. Awesome for someone else.

Years ago the race started with only 40 people. This time there were over 7500 people. So it's not really much of a race anymore, except for the elite group. Now it's more of an athletic social event.

Here's the start.




Here's Kim during the race.


Here is the lead group past the halfway mark.


One of many stream crossings.


Here's a nice steep hill. Can you spot the Kimbo Slice?


Here's Kimbo in the last 100 yards.


And of course, at the end there was a goodie table. They served up some hot apple cider.

Ska Pron

Is your battle pron set to to crappy stripper music?

Try ska for a change. Warthog vs. the Taliban bikers.

Ludacris

Cullen tipped me off to this rapper called Ludacris, who has some lyrics that the police would be very interested in.

The notes are by Culls, but they are so Brandoesque, that I just flat out took 'em.

Worldwide hustlers get that dough (worldwide!? Oh no!)

work that tip, get rid of evidence, move that brick

Keep a D eagle with an extra clip (or magazine...maybe you're just not responsible enough to own a handgun.)

think it ain't so, SUCK A DICK! (sadly, I think it is so.)

Act like I just do rap (please tell me you actually just do rap.)

How you gonna act like I just ain't strapped?

How you gonna act like I don't push lacs? (laxatives?)

Black Eldorado, fifth wheel on BACK!

Ichy finger trigger, man, Luda don't squeeze

With a mac, with a glock I'ma make 'em say please

In the back, on block so the cops they freeze (just behave, would ya?)

And I'm so high, I think I got a nose bleed, you gotta nose bleed? (my judgements so impaired, I think I gotta nose bleed.)

Don't it smell so sweet?

In DECATUR, where they pack that heat

And ROB neighbors in the night creep, creep

I'll see you LATER we'll be in them streets... (don't count on it.)

Conscription is Slavery

I really don't want to violate Godwin's Law, but this crap makes it tough. I did a post two years ago about conscription, and I made my position pretty clear, but I'm the minority.

"I also think there are prices too high to pay to save the United States. Conscription is one of them. Conscription is slavery, and I don't think that any people or nation has a right to save itself at the price of slavery for anyone, no matter what name it is called. We have had the draft for twenty years now; I think this is shameful. If a country can't save itself through the volunteer service of its own free people, then I say: Let the damned thing go down the drain!"

-Robert A. Heinlein: Guest of Honor Speech at the XIXth World Science Fiction Convention, Seattle, 1961


Watch this video and be creeped the hell out. What exactly is this armed force going to do?

233

Happy Birthday. 223 Reasons to Love the Corps.


1. Cpl. Jason Dunham. First Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since Vietnam. If jumping on a grenade to save a buddy isn’t worth the top of the list, nothing is.

2. Civilians have to find time to go to the gym. Marines get paid to go.

3. The National Museum of the Marine Corps. It’s like a Smithsonian of Leatherneck.

4. There’s no such thing as an “ex” Marine.

5. Re-enlistment rates are higher IN the war zone.

6. Stink-proof socks. Well, almost. Systems Command is working on them.

7. Jalapeño cheese.

8. “Every Marine Into the Fight.”

9. Lump-sum re-enlistment bonuses up to $80,000. Many of you would consider doing it for free.

10. New uniforms #1. Pixel-pattern cammies? Yeah, the Corps came up with that.

11. “Doc.”

12. Flexed arm hang is harder than it looks. We tried it.

13. Barracks parties on non-payday weekends.

14. Marine Gunners.

15. The Wounded Warrior Regiment.

16. MarAdmin 266/07: Letting 18-year-old Marines drink on base at this year’s birthday ball...

17. No receipt necessary for travel claim expenses less than $75.

18. The Lance Corporal underground.

19. Fallujah II.

21. Archibald Henderson’s couch, re-upholstered, is still in the Commandant’s living room.

22. “No better friend, no worse enemy.”

23. Typhoons approaching Okinawa often spark islandwide beer runs.

24. Waivers.

25. Gen. James Jones, who followed his tour as commandant with appointment as “supreme intergalactic overlord” (OK, it was Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, but close).

26. 10 rounds from the 500-yard line.

27. Per diem.

28. To civilians, every Marine is recon.

29. Recruiting in Texas is like hunting at the zoo.

30. The “boat cloak.” Because every super hero needs a cape.

31. You can re-enlist in the IRR.

32. The wallet in your sock.

33. Motivating television commercials.

34. The “horseshoe” haircut, gone but not forgotten.

35. The global address list. Find your buddies and send them links to MarineCorps Times.

36. Running cadences that mention napalm and Eskimos.

37. Stories that begin with, “So there I was ...”

38. Modified parade rest.

39. The transformation. Who you are when you join is not nearly as important as who you become.

40. Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis getting a fourth star.

41. If you’ve been on liberty in Twentynine Palms, you’ve been on liberty in Yuma and Barstow, too.

42. Grooming standards. Not only can you not act like a thug, you cannot look like a thug.

43. It’s not the Army.

44. Women in Manhattan have all seen the Fleet Week episode of “Sex and the City.”

45. Combat shotguns.

46. Combat Action Ribbons. IEDs count now, and should have counted all along. Duh.

47. The occasional free beer. Wear your blues into a bar and see what happens.

48. After decades of debate, there remains no resolution on whether sand fleas trump “The Reaper.”

49. The Corps’ doesn’t call its officers, commissioned or not, “petty.”

50. Cpl. Gareth Hawkins, lying on a stretcher after an IED shattered his leg, demanded re-enlistment before medical evacuation. And got it.

51. Whereas Army, Navy and Air Force jokes are funny, Marine jokes are potentially dangerous.

52. The occasional friendly debate. Refer to a Marine staff NCO simply as “Sergeant,” and see what happens.

53. That troublesome “10 percent,” making good Marines look great since 1775.

54. Everyone at a high school reunion is obliged to justify his last 10 years, except the guy wearing alphas.

55. As if ranks that include the words “Master” and “Gunnery” aren’t intimidating enough on their own, the Corps uses them both. At once.

56. Soldiers have Hooah Bars. Marines have Ka-Bars. The second will generally get you the first.

57. The dress code. You can wear your cammies to meet the Commandant or repair a tank.

58. From “Aliens” to “Doom,” the future vision of warfare almost always includes Space Marines.

59. The Corps was formed in a bar.

60. Marines predicted the WWII campaigns in the Pacific years earlier and prepared for the inevitable. So when a Marine says, “Hey, I’ve been thinking…” perhaps you should take notes.

61. Give a Marine some free time, and he’ll rip down your dictator’s statue.

62. If it ain’t raining, we ain’t training.

64. Duty station garden spots: Jacksonville, N.C.; Yuma, Ariz.; Bridgeport, Calif.; Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Yes, we’re kidding.)

65. Making morning PT on time.

66. Recruiters who promise everything EXCEPT a rose garden.

67. Mustangs #1. It’s easier to take crap from a CO who went to boot camp.

69. Gen. Peter Pace, the first Marine Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He left his four-star insignia with his fallen comrades at the Vietnam Wall when he retired. Classy move.

70. The people zapper. Using microwave energy to disperse a crowd sounds like fun. Semper fry, Gunny.

71. Nothing says “Good morning” like a mouthful of Copenhagen and freeze-dried coffee.

72. Nothing says “I love you” like a welcome home sheet hanging on a chain-link fence.

73. Bill Barnes. In June, the former Marine beat the crap out of a 27-year-old pickpocket who tried to make off with his dough. Oh yeah, he’s 72.

74. Leftwich Trophy. Heisman winners only think they know about leaving it all on the field.

75. EOD. If you don’t know why this is on the list , defuse the next IED yourself.

76. Tax-free combat pay. Doing what you signed up for and not having to give Uncle Sam a dime back.

77. Montford Point Marines. The first African-American Marines know a little something about honor, courage and commitment.

78. Front toward enemy. It’s not just a visual reference on a Claymore mine, it’s a Marine Corps way of life.

79. Mustangs #2. You know at least three Marines who drive them. It’s like a Ford dealership exploded on base.

80. Fred Smith, founder of FedEx. Only a former Marine could truly appreciate the value of getting your mail on time.

81. CMC: The tallest member of the Joints Chiefs. OK, so we haven’t actually measured, but he looks the tallest anyway.

82. No more spit shining boots.

83. Chuck Norris was in the Air Force. Steve McQueen was a Marine.

84. The Crucible.

85. 1/9, 2/9 and 3/9. Welcome back, fellas.

86. The FROG uniform. You are now sweat-wickin’ AND flame-lickin’.

88. The M4. More rifles in the fight is generally a win-win.

89. MRAPs. Trucks straight out of Mad Max. We still love a good Humvee, but we loved jeeps, too. Things change.

90. Arty guys who do civil affairs. They blow it up, then they fix it. Circle of life.

91. Service Charlies. They look so good, the Navy’s copying ’em.

92. Fake Marines. No one eats ’em up faster than real Marines.

93. John Lovell. A 71-year-old former Marine is sitting in a Subway restaurant when two armed men try to rob the place. Lovell grabs his .45, kills one and wounds the other. No word on how Lovell’s sandwich fared.

94. 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Six Navy Crosses so far. Six.

95. Staff Sgt. Lawrence Dean II, aka the “BadAss Marine.” He recites a poem. He gets uploaded to YouTube. Thousands get motivated.

96. Gen. James Conway takes over as the new commandant . Among his demands: a new PT uniform, new tattoo regs, a plan to add dress blues to the seabag, a change-up in medals and 22,000 more Marines. Someone’s been thinking about taking over for a while, huh?

97. Body-fat standards. Everyone hates them, until they see a fat Marine.

98. “Jarhead.” Only a former Marine could write a war story about not fighting anyone and make it last for 200 pages, then get Jamie Foxx to star in the movie.

99. The Stumps. The Rock. The Sandbox. Oh, the places you’ll serve.

101. Tattoos #2. Getting a fallen friend’s name tattooed on your other forearm, and knowing the same.

102. The new PT running suit. Sure, the Army had them first, but the Army gets most things first.

103. Marine Expeditionary Units: The cheapest cruise you’ll ever take.

104. Camp Lejeune: The closest interstate and the nearest good shopping mall are both at least an hour away.

105. Camp Pendleton: There are roads and malls, but try affording a house near the main gate.

106. Tattoos #3. Meat tags. Getting your blood type and other info inked on your ribcage isn’t necessarily a bad idea.

107. The Marine Corps is getting bigger. The Navy is getting smaller.

109. 30 days’ paid vacation, plus federal holidays off, is obscene by civilian standards.

110. Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl, the Corps’ first fighter ace. First Marine to fly a helicopter. Two Navy Crosses, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Air Medals. In 1998, the 82-year-old was killed during a home break-in when he jumped in front of a shotgun blast aimed at his longtime wife, Edna.

111. Tattoos #4. Reaction to the new policy: Conway says sleeves are going away, Marines run for the chair. Tattoo parlors never saw so much business.

113. Guaranteed pay raises.

114. Marine Security Guard #1. Duty in the Bahamas.

115. Having a WWII Marine say he’s proud of you

116. Drew Carey used to be in the Marine Corps Reserve. Now, he’s the host of “The Price is Right.”

117. Combatant diver pins. No more of that Navy crap.

118. A Red Stripe is a beer, mon. A Blood Stripe is a symbol of pride.

119. NMCI, if only they would remove the “MC.”

120. You watched “300,” and it reminded you of your unit.

121. The “Det One” .45 pistol. Designed by Marines, for Marines.

122. Combat marksmanship. You are creeping death. And you get graded on it.

123. Never lost six nukes on a plane.

124. CamelBaks. Water tastes like water again.

125. Give a Marine enough free time, and he’ll marry your Bahraini princess.

126. Go to YouTube. Type in “bored Marines.” Enjoy.

127. When the President gets on a helicopter, it’s not called “Army One.”

128. The opposite of the Peace Corps.

129. Camouflage. You can camouflage anything and make it cool.

130. No Fear #1. Marines aren’t scared of anything. Except apricots. And Charms.

131. Combat optics on M16s. Leave the iron sights, just in case.

132. “Combat loss” amnesty for missing gear. It’s like pleading the fifth.

133. Riding a chartered Continental Airlines flight home from the war zone with assault weapons stuffed in all the overhead compartments.

134. In combat, the division band becomes a heavy-machine-gun platoon.

135. What do headaches, broken bones, infectious diseases, missing limbs and hurt feelings all have in common? Motrin. Thanks, Doc.

137. Global instability equals job security.

138. When NMCI goes down, and it will, it’s like having the day off.

139. The honor, privilege and responsibility of leading, mentoring and caring for junior Marines.

140. Gunnery sergeants. Don’t know the answer? Ask the gunny. Need something? Ask the gunny. In trouble? Avoid the gunny.

141. Because Gunny said so.

142. The line to get “tazed” at a military gear expo. Marines will do anything for a free T-shirt.

143. Deployment reunions. Like reliving your wedding night. Sweet!

144. Gig lines. Even in khakis and a polo shirt.

145. Eight-point covers. Even the uniform stands at attention.

146. Marine Security Guards #2. They’re not cute and cuddly, but when they greet you at the hatch, it’s like getting a great big hug from the United States of America, no matter where you are.

147. The Mameluke sword. Distinctive.

148. The NCO sword. Earned, never given.

149. The World Famous Mud Run. Thousands of people pay good money to run through 10 clicks of muck every year at Camp Pendleton.

150. John Philip Sousa. A Marine, the nation’s March King and composer of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Ooh-rah.

151. MRE crackers. Hard as Milk Bones but much tastier. You can almost feel your teeth getting cleaner as you eat ’em.

152. Jane Wayne Day. She’ll never ask about work again.

153. Shirt stays. Or garters. Whatever you call them, they’re a triple whammy, keeping your shirt tucked, your socks up and removing all that unwanted leg hair.

154. The slogans: “The Few, The Proud, The Marines.” “We’re Looking For a Few Good Men,” “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” “Tell that to the Marines.” If they could only purchase the rights to Hallmark’s “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best.”

155. Speaking of slogans, “The Few, The Proud, The Marines” beat out such notables as Nike’s “Just Do It” and Burger King’s “Have It Your Way” for a 2007 spot on the advertising Walk of Fame. Better luck next year, losers.

157. Real duty station garden spots you can go an entire career without being assigned to: Southern California; Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii ; Okinawa, Japan.

158. Rear-party Marines. God bless them. Whatever reason they stay behind injury, impending retirement or being volun-told they are indispensable. They deserve medals for what they have to deal with while a unit is deployed.

159. While field-grade officers are at the company office, company-grade officers are in the field.

160. Colonels who can take a joke.

161. Free flu shots. And smallpox shots and anthrax shots …

162. Former Sgt. Chris Everhart. While camping with his three sons in June 2007, a bear snatched their cooler and made a play for his 6-year-old. Everhart threw an 18-inch log at the bear’s head, cracking its skull before it could attack and killing it instantly. Then, the park ranger gave him a ticket for leaving the cooler where the bear could get it.

163. Standards. The Corps doesn’t lower the bar when recruiting gets tough.

164. Jim Nabors. “Gomer Pyle” becomes an honorary Marine in 2001 and makes Lance Corporal. It takes him six years to pin on corporal. Talk about art imitating life.

165. Vincent D’Onofrio. The other “Private Pyle” is doing pretty well on “Law and Order: Criminal Intent.” He’s still weird, though.

166. If you ambush Capt. Brian Chontosh’s boys, he’s going to take off his Navy Cross and kill you. Then, he’s going to pick up your rifle and kill your buddies. Then, he’s going to pick up your buddy’s rifle and kill your buddy’s buddies. Then, he’s going to pick up a rocket-propelled grenade launcher …

167. Speaking of the Navy Cross, a combat award second only to the Medal of Honor, Marines have earned 15 so far in Iraq, plus one in Afghanistan. Of the six awarded to sailors for those combat zones, five went to SEALs, and one went to a corpsman who exposed himself repeatedly to enemy fire to evacuate and treat wounded Marines. Along with Chontosh, the other recipients include:

168. Gunnery Sgt. Justin D. Lehew.

169. Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Perez.

170. Sgt. Scott C. Montoya.

171. Cpl. Marco A. Martinez.

172. Sgt. Willie L. Copeland.

173. Capt. Brent Morel (posthumous).

174. Sgt. Anthony L. Viggiani.

175. 1st Sgt. Bradley A. Kasal.

176. Cpl. Robert J. Mitchell.

177. Cpl. Dominic Esquibel.

178. Sgt. Jarrett A. Kraft.

179. Cpl. Jeremiah W. Workman.

180. Cpl. Todd Corbin.

181. Sgt. Aubrey L. McDade Jr.

182. Pfc. Christopher Adlesperger (posthumous).

183. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Louis E. Fonseca.

184. Iwo JIMA. Japan might have changed the name to Iwo To, but that doesn’t mean you have to acknowledge it.

185. Col. John Ripley. Received the Navy Cross for the destruction of the Dong Ha bridge in Vietnam. The Corps takes care of its own. In 2002, with Ripley near death, doctors finally found a donated liver for his much-needed transplant. So the Marine Corps sent helicopters and Marines to Philadelphia to retrieve it, and they personally rushed it back to Washington in time to save his life.

186. Marine Corps Times isn’t a version of Navy Times anymore. How many careers get their own newspaper?

188. Gatorade bottles wrapped in green, 100 mph tape so as not to offend the sailors in the room.

189. Camaraderie. Marines will hook you up with their sisters, then punch you in the mouth for doing what they knew would happen the whole time.

190. Ingenuity. MRE bombs, 101 uses for cleaning rods and iPods wired into field radio speakers.

191. Getting off the ship.

192. Getting back on the ship.

193. No beach? No problem. Marines inserted 400 miles into landlocked Afghanistan and created Camp Rhino using CH-53 Sea Stallions. Imagine what you can invade with the Osprey.

194. Cases and cases of bottled water mean never having to stand behind a water bull.

195. Race as a nonissue. It wasn’t always the case, but three black Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps in a row show that the Corps has only one color: green.

196. Every day in the Corps is another reason to celebrate. That’s why they call them working “parties.”

197. Riddick Bowe had what it took to be boxing’s undisputed heavyweight champ. He did not have what it took to be a Marine.

198. The U.S. Army Band is called “Pershing’s Own.” The U.S. Marine Corps Band is called “The President’s Own.”

199. “8th and I.” Ten bucks says you have no idea where the Army chief of staff lives. Commandants don’t hide.

200. MRE “rat boxes.” How grunts trick-or-treat.

201. The poncho liner. It’s a blanket, it’s a tent, it’s a keeper.

202. Combat fit-reps. People say they’re equal to regular fit-reps. People lie.

203. The “E-tool lean.” Sailors don’t know how good they have it.

204. Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno, Medal of Honor recipient. If Marines have a hot line to heaven, Father Capodanno — aka the Grunt Padre — would take the call. His body peppered by shrapnel, his right hand nearly severed, the Navy chaplain and priest crisscrossed a Vietnam battlefield Sept. 4, 1967, to render last rites to his fallen Marines and corpsmen with 3rd Battalion, 5^th Marines, until 27 rounds from an enemy machine gun took his life. Last year, the Vatican declared him a “servant of God.” Next step, sainthood?

206. Amphibious warfare means always being near the beach.

207. No Fear #2. Talk about the AV-8B Harrier’s troubled past all you like, but brave jump jet pilots are flying missions in Iraq.

208. New Uniforms #2. Wash-and-wear combat uniforms mean no more starch, no more dry cleaning.

209. Marine air-ground task force. Nothing like controlling the air and the ground.

210. Slapping an eagle, globe and anchor on the back of your car and knowing it’ll get you out of at least one speeding ticket.

211. The Navy wants to put Marines back on warships. It seems that Tomahawk cruise missiles can’t do everything.

212. Liberty in Thailand.

213. Liberty in Australia.

214. Liberty, well, anywhere.

215. The Navy’s mascot is a goat. The Corps’ mascot is a bulldog. You don’t need Michael Vick to tell you who wins that fight.

216. If you need another occupying land force, you can use the Marine Corps. If you need another rapidly deployable, sea-based, front-door-kicking, air-ground team, you can’t use the Army.

217. 1775 Rum Punch. Four parts dark rum, two parts lime juice, one part pure maple syrup, grenadine to taste.

218. “It’s fun to shoot some people,” said Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis. He says what he thinks.

219. The Beirut Memorial Wall. If you ever forget what you’re fighting for, pay a visit.

221. “Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinburg?

I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down, in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.” Jack Nicholson, “A Few Good Men.”

222. Maj. Meghan McClung, Marine public affairs officer, killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq while escorting media. The PAO is more than just a spokesman.

223. Sgt. Rafael Peralta. Like Dunham, he hugged a grenade to save his buddies in Iraq. No Medal of Honor … yet.

224. Hearing an accidental discharge into the clearing barrel, then waiting for the Lieutenant to walk inside.

225. Call signs like “Spider” and “Assassin,” and these guys were Generals.

226. Call signs like "Donkey Punch", which causes raucous laughter over the battalion net, and then the JAG says that you have to change it.

227. Call signs like "DD-214", stated without the slightest bit of jest.

228. Buttered noodles for breakfast.

229. “Every Marine should look like a Marine. But a Marine looks like a Marine when he’s got a bayonet stuck in the enemy’s chest.” Gen. Robert Magnus, assistant Commandant, discussing body-fat standards.

230. “Infantry” is the easiest job for recruiters to sell.

231. Being the youngest Marine at the ball.

232. Being the oldest Marine at the ball.

233. The Marine Corps appreciates all you do, all you did, and all you ever will do. Happy birthday, Marines! Semper Fi.

Copperheads Unite

This is from the Office of the President-Elect. I know this is the change a lot of folks were looking for.

The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start.

Require.

Yes. Require. Me volunteering for to serve others is A-OK, and I've done it, and it's fulfilling. Being pressed into work by a mandate from the state? Not so much.

This is verbatim. It would be really fun to administer a blistering lecture about what this concept is called. Conscription, Forced servitude, Mandatory unpaid forced labor, or Slavery. It doesn't matter how you dress it up, it's not moral.

Maybe they should refresh themselves with the 13th Amendment of the United States of America.

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Lockstep News

At least they admit it. Is he trying to be funny?



The complete fusion of the Democratic Party and the Privileged Media.

At least political parties don't yet have their own armed forces.

Election and DP

DP is for Deadpool, you filthy-mcfilthertons.

Well, it looks like Obama won the election, so now they can call off their riots that were planned in the event of a McCain victory. The streets now won't run red with blood and we can all live one more day. Danger averted.
-----

I did recently learn about a Marvel character named Deadpool, who is apparently going to be in the Wolverine movie. He is some sort of ninja that washed out of the WeaponX Project and was injected with Wolverine's super-duper healing juice. He's crazy, and only supernerds know who he is.


He likes the MP7s, likes to be snarky and backtalky, and will be played by Ryan Reynolds. Maybe he will act like his potty-mouthed character in Blade3.

Here is some RR, just to give you a taste of what's to come. Maybe the pottymouth isn't quite safe for work (depending on where you work)

Upper Cullen

We drove up to the Chippewa Falls this weekend for a real nice Halloween get-together.

On Friday evening, about an hour after dusk, we were driving by Lancaster WI, and a light in the sky caught my attention. I looked to the south and saw a meteor streaking through the sky. I could see sparks and chunks coming off of it like a magnesium flare. It traveled sort of level, and not drooping like a flare. But it seemed to go a little slower than I thought a meteor should be zipping, and the path took up about a 10 degree swath of the sky, and lasted for about 2 seconds. It was hard to tell the distance, but it seemed to be lower than where the clouds should be. Oh, and here's the real whammy. I saw a smoke trail behind it. I say again. A smoke trail. I turned to my wife, for a second and blurted out some gibberish about "looking over there", and when I looked back the meteor was gone, but the smoke trail hung visible in the night sky for a few fleeting seconds.

I'm guessing it's part of a meteor shower called the Orionids.

Maybe I should have looked in the fields, found the space rock and fashioned a sword from it.


Well, we got up there and had all sorts of fun that is only a big deal to me, but one thing did happen that you might find interesting.

The Compound Bow.

If you haven't shot a real bow in your life, you really should try it. It's amazing how much power there is driving a stick with a knife on the end. I think Cullen said that this was a 65lb bow, and this even seemed powerful. Back in the day, dudes could shoot a 200lb bow. With no let-off at the end. They were holding 200lbs at their ear, which is way freakin' strong. I can see why longbowmen were feared. What's also amazing is how accurate they are. I'm not going to say that it's as good as a rifle, but it's not really a primitive weapon. Here's a video of Cullen shooting.



How much did he miss by? A couple millimeters?

Now watch ole Brando give it a try. I'm a little more wobbly, but I think that's still a kill-shot. Maybe. If I was shooting at 50 yards, I probably would have missed. As a complete novice to bow shooting, I've seen those fancy forearm guards on movies. A modern one looks like such.




Although in movies they seem like some sort of silly prop, or something cool for the actor to wear so they look archer-like, I can tell you from experience that those little suckers serve a purpose. A bow string with 65 lbs of tension, violently snapping across the tender skin of your underarm, will really wake you up in the morning.







Yeeeeouch.

Ripley At The Bridge

Colonel John Ripley passed away yesterday, and now can officially be prayed to. I'm not joking. Marines literally pray to Chesty Puller. (which I find completely awesome.)

He may not actually be Chesty Puller, but he was darn close.


He earned the "Quad Body" distinction for making it through four of the toughest military training programs in the world: the Army Rangers, Marine reconnaissance, Army Airborne and Britain's Royal Marines.

And he received the Navy Cross for his actions at the Dong Ha Bridge in Vietnam. 600 vs. 20,000 he blunted an NVA attack by destroying a bridge while under enemy fire. For over 2 hours he climbed hand over hand, under the bridge, placing charges. He made a dozen odd trips back and forth with small satchels and wiring, ultimately planting over 500 lbs in key locations to destroy the bridge.

Wiki

Ripley's performance that day continues to fascinate. These were not the deeds of a regular man. His bravery was not some gut reaction or counterpunch to a blow struck by an enemy. His actions in that three-hour window – with the world collapsing around him – were deliberate, willful, premeditated. Every ounce of his spiritual and physical fiber was focused on mission accomplishment. Anything less and he surely would have failed. Exhausted prior to the start, when he was finished he was way past empty.

I think I like this quote best.

There is no sports analogy for what Ripley did. It was not like running a three minute mile, bench pressing 700 pounds, or pulling out a come-from-behind Super Bowl upset victory. There were no adoring crowds. What Ripley did was simply impossible. Had he failed while attempting to do it, his peers would have only thought him noble and brave for trying.

Ripley = 100% Badass.


Goodnight Ripley, where ever you are.

Tell us how you really feel

Radio host announces "I want motherf#@&en Joe the Plumber dead."



At first they came for the plumbers... -- Niemoeller