Overheard in the locker room...

  You know the place where men have to go to be manly... cause the women aren't following them there, except in Europe and on sitcoms about fake people. The women don't really want to know what is going on as conversation there. They do just think that men shouldn't be left alone too long without female supervision.

  Conversations are about work, how it was in the old days, how it is now. What kind of workout are you doing, how is the program, and how are you now - mostly about health issues. Some stories and thoughts about the military, money, bankers and politicians in general.

  So at the YMCA I have a better idea of the State of the Union than the President, since he is surrounded by other people that don't know, are afraid to speak out, or are afraid to tell him or us the truth they know so well. Doesn't matter, the government has never been small enough to fix anything.

 

New Weapons, new challenges... time is running... on...

So I have a Sergeant's Halberd, and being the kind of guy I am, I need to know how to use it.. it wasn't being used as a weapon as much as a symbol of authority by the 17th Century, and by the 19th Century, it was cast off by modern military in favor of more bullets and cannonballs, since muskets had bayonets and you could always carry a knife, axe, tomahawk or shovel for killing when the ammunition ran out or the powder wasn't dry. Yep, a symbol of authority. Still, since George Washington's Marblehead boatmen would use boarding pikes instead of muskets with bayonets, and one of his generals did an important night attack with unloaded bayoneted muskets - the idea that a halberd wasn't dangerous wasn't in anyone's mind.

The 1783 Advice to The Officers of the British Army, 6th edition, Chap. XIV "To the Sergeant" As by your appointment to the halbert, you are probably at the summit of your preferment (unless you have a pretty wife, sister, or daughter). you may now begin to take a little ease, and relax from that rigid discipline you observed, when corporal. Into whatever company you are admitted, you must be careful to impress every one with an idea of your own consequence, and to make people believe, that the sergeants are the only useful and intelligent men in the corps.
  I suspect that the comments about Sergeants, Corporals and Privates are humorous with intent.

  In the manual of arms for the British Army, and Baron Von Steuben's drill manual of the American Revolution period, include the espontoon for officers and the halberd for sergeants. The best depiction of the British Regiment in line order with a Sergeant with a halberd was in the great battle on Revolution, with Donald Sutherland as the British Army Sergeant? But like one can't trust cinema for realism with firearms, edged weapons and such are a very lost art. So although you may watch repeatedly battles from the periods of pikes and two handed swords - you aren't going to become enlightened by them.

  When the original Swiss Guard were hired for the Vatican and the Pope, they probably practiced with the halberd, but they have gone to guns for real, and tradition for parades. I am sure there are some guards that do practice and learn, but it would be an after duty hobby, maybe? Since these really are edged and pointy weapons, the folks at 'pretend' medieval faires and such are blunted and sheathed and often tied safe with safety lines of bright colors - cause they are sure some fool will hack and slash someone by accident and the law suits would follow the first aid fun.

  Friday as I goofed off from my normal YMCA workout I noted in the yard clean up, that the back woods is growing wild (no one is in charge and there are many trees and bushes that need my attention with the halberd and the two handed sword. One of my favorite Musashi stories, famed Japanese master swordsman, was about his examining a cut flower from another master swordsman and sending a cut flower in return - clearly demonstrating their own skills in making the stroke and understanding the other's message.

  Weapons control begins with a foundation, and balance, and drill, drill, drill -- and question, reflect and drill, drill, drill. Mastery will only be achieved when the student has control of self, then the form, then the weapon, then the situation.... and it is best never to need more than the control of self - but, drill, drill, drill.

Words do matter and maybe the White House it correct...

Terrorists are trying to make me afraid, very afraid. So much so that I will change my life to protect myself from their attempts to destroy my loves. But then, isn't the media participating? Doesn't the media say that only professionals are prepared to protect those things of value and my loves... if they thought my loves were worth protecting anyway.

So the White House doesn't want me, or anyone else to say that a commissioned officer attacking at Fort Hood, was not a Jihadist nor a Terrorist, but just a disgruntled employee.... yeah, right.

What I think they all are - are demon possessed humans - led astray by other Satanic followers that are distorting the Koran... which I haven't time to study, since I am still fully engaged in Bible study, have years to go on that one.

So, say a prayer asking for intervention, to cast the demons out into the swine herd to drown, and shoot straight killing the poor infected person, hopefully on their way to Heaven with a clean soul.

A jihad is a war of defense of  Islam, but like all GOOD reasons for some kind of action, it will be abused by political leaders for their own purposes. A Crusade is to take up the cross (Christianity) to defend against those wanting to attack that religion -- historically the people out to convert the world to Islam, or against the NAZIs in WWII. The idea of Israel as a nation is only worrisome to the Arabs, because as a democracy with capitalism and religious tolerance (read almost secular government) it demonstrates what is possible to oppressed masses of Asia, Africa and the world - if they don't continue tribalism, racism, communism (where some are more equal than others) and religious prosecution of minority faiths.

Now, terrorists don't make me afraid. Big ugly guys don't make me afraid, and a whole bunch of other things don't scare me much. When I think I should worry I find cover, or take appropriate action to save myself and all that I love. What does worry me more is an incompetent government, stupid people trying to rule my choices, and all those folks standing around getting it on video for Youtube, Facebook and the evening news instead of helping to fix the problem that is, not the one they feel is happening.

You want a free education, go to the public library and read. All ages, all kinds -- read and learn, the government will provide a test, if you pass it will give you a certificate. That is cost effective, have fun, the libraries rock!

Being left behind...

  So as I am watching the football games, which cost big money to sponsor (or get one's ad upon) I am noticing little ap games being offered. For free! Excuse me while I smile since I don't have a platform.

  I think I need to go find a store that sells what I want. A tactical game, by turn game but only against the computer, I can conquer the computers, humans are more difficult. Especially since real humans need supplies, the electronic ones remind me of the old westerns where the six guns blazed and the cartridge loops on the belts were always full. But I can't decide what platform I should go for, and I am not a joystick jockey, I have no appreciation for jerking and such, I am wanting to put the correct troops into the fray in sync with the battle flow. Any advice would be appreciated.

  So many important things to do, but only a demonstration at Olympia for this week. Well, time to head for the YMCA, the Zumba instructor will be dancing soon...

Coming up for air..

Been swimming in an alternate author's universe, lovely gift of a Barnes and Noble gift card for my birthday, and having tons of time. I ran off and purchased print books that I can't put down.... lovely. Not hardly enough excitement and violence in my life, I go from fighting with the Black Prince, to with the Sissies, to Bob Lee Swagger, to an embedded intelligence in a dead alien lifeless form trying to get back to a working body...

I should go off to the YMCA, the range, the movies, the backyard to rake and maybe even meet some humanity along the way... but adventure calls. Thank you, Mom, for showing me the way to leave home.

New Year, anything new?

  I am reading Crisis of Empire: Britain and America in the Eighteenth Century, by Jeremy Black an Englishman. Very well done look at the subject from a world viewpoint. In our self-centered approach, it should only be important if America is the big player - the movement of populations, clashes of commerce and culture, the struggles for dominance in Europe - the need for controllable labor - supplied by poor folks, slaves and indentured servants, the assumption that nobles and wealth mean superiority - and the swimming against the currents.  All fascinating stuff. Especially when comparing and contrasting to today - it is the same with different names for the why.

  Started on taxes today, sigh. Don't have enough paperwork yet but I have one. I also have a new improved income number - increase of 1 percent or 1.7 percent or none. So the tithe check has changed. I am still happy that gasoline prices have come down, although Sunday Morning wants me to worry about fracking in public near Teddy Roosevelt's Ranch. Get real, if you are a trust baby and think that you know what is best for the world, go to fix Africa and then return to make America truly perfect.

  Fixing my world, I am the tall guy that opens the curtains in the bedroom (and closes them, come to think on it). No one else is reaching that high. Need to write more checks and get them in the mail after church today, there is a combined service - which means it is given in two languages. The cultural orientation will be that New Year is an opportunity to celebrate again, and be even more generous. I am of the opinion that more time in Sunday School study and stirring sermons in our native tongues would be better - but I am not in charge. Converting American Protestants to Korean Wannabes isn't going to happen, but the Korean elders need the sound of salvation and success in their own language - they understand it better than English.

  So in the last week, I have exercised, virtuously and virtually, 117.4 miles, in 10 hours and forty-two minutes, for a calorie burn of 11,209, in six sessions (one per day - resting on Sunday).  My question then becomes why am I such a fat old man, but it doesn't need an answer from me - I am the fellow that eats, and I can open all the doors to opportunity in this home.

  Saw my grandchildren on Skype.com, and laugh at knowing once one has conquered self and the local world - I have run out of time to really enjoy it - so I will take it as I can. In the end they will do well, but not because of any PROGRAM from several government agencies love of them. Mostly because they have parents, and community that do love them. The government is more problem than solution to competent people, so sad. I could say that the competent people would like the government to control those less able than themselves - but I would be repeating what I have been reading about why the King of England was a great thing, or the Khan, or the Tsar, or the Pope --- someone has to do it. Control the unwashed masses.

   Don't you ever wonder why if most of the humans in your country are not as intelligent as you are, nor as capable, why they have any vote that counts the same as your own? Maybe that is why those special elite folks will use every advantage to maintain position on top of the heap.... they are afraid, very afraid.

Don't cross the streams... something very bad will happen...

"And speaking of guns.....I have no problem with private gun ownership as long as it's regulated. Guns have great killing potential. That being the case, I feel if you want a gun, you should first show that you are capable of hitting what you aim at, 2nd show that you know the basic rules of gun safety and 3rd pass recurring BG checks for criminal and mental health red flags that might appear. If you want to own guns, carry insurance against "accidents". Pretty simple." commentor from Facebook.

Ah, the shrill voice of sanity. Since I have met all his artificial requirements, and he hasn't - I get to carry a gun and he doesn't. In his reality. In mine, he may carry a firearm, a machine gun, a submachine gun, an anti-tank weapon, an explosive device, explosives, fuses and detonators, own a tank or a fighter aircraft with weapons, a submarine with torpedoes  - he may have anything he wants, because we refused the government to LORD it over us folks with good intentions.  

If you replaced gun with any of the other rights and then tried to regulate it like he did, no one would be happy.

Regulation and restrictions law enforcement oversight and periodic inspections have yet to stop traffic deaths - but they do keep trying. For some reason, unknown to people, what fails with transportation is going to be perfected with gun control? 

I had drifted somewhere in the universe where unions aren't an arm of the Democratic Party, the organized crime control of workers, and more stuff to slow the economy down.... and left a comment or two - and was immediately attacked like whatever I say had little merit. Now I understand why my brother gets attacked by my Facebook friends - he sound exactly like the ENEMY, as I do when I commented on his comment on that post... 

I am sure the fellow that designs his gun control hasn't implemented it for criminals already regulated from firearms that seem to find them everywhere. He also gives Hollywood and News anchors a pass on breaking laws about firearms all the time. But then I am also sure the person spouting nonsense was not a gun owner. I also am not a Democrat, Union member, and know more about the world than those I seem to have just crossed streams with....

A New Year's Resolution - quit playing with ugly, stupid and definitely harmful folks - they will hurt the world, with all their good intentions to cage me up where I can be fed, and photographed and made fun of.