Argghhh!

Just some general thoughts on Thursdays shooting and things I've seen or heard or read...It wasn't near as long after as I expected, but, as always, when there is a mass shooting that receives mass publicity, somebody always follows up. At work, a television was on CNN who was reporting on the shooting and pointing to the Ft. Hood massacre with a subtitle of "Blood Thirsty Society?"Uh...no more than any other societies and a much less than many. The title did have my eyebrows shooting...

...and the reaction of media elites and the usual suspects in think tankery and academia, who dare not note any connection between Major Hasan's religious preferences and his possible motivations for his actions, and who abjure we knuckle-dragging rednecks from doing the same -I agree, to a point. To a point that Timothy McVeigh's actions didn't mean that Catholics are to blame for what McVeigh did.Or that evangelicals are to blame for what Scott Roeder did - oh, wait, Ellen Goodman says...

The Medal lives up to the daily average of circa 12 with 11 awards for deeds on this day in history. The Medal got a slow start, not unusual since 19th Century wars tended to slow down as winter approached - but once the Medal starts, it gets rolling during the Phillipine Insurrection and doesn't slow down until Vietnam, with stops in WWI and WWII along the way.Philippine Insurrection, two Medals for the same fight. GALT, STERLING A.Rank and organization: Artificer, Company F, 36th Infantry,...

Yanno, this post.Where we said if the balls are white, it's... snowy.Well, we have to add to that. If you can't *see* the balls... really snowy....

...a whatziss!With cat hair for scale. You may commence....

This past November, when SWWBO and I were cruising the Caribbean, our much beloved Daughter-in-Law Ashely and Prodigal Grandson Miles Castle-sat, providing security and critter care. Part of providing security is being able to man the ramparts with the giant scattergun should the Zombie Apocalypse start. So here, Miles is going through crew drill training and familiarizing himself with the position sketch, ably supervised by his Grand-Mother-Dog, Sergeant Kiki. Given the assininity of present day...

As the caption that came with the pic says, "I don't care how much of a badass you think you are or what kind of artillery you're carrying, when you see a little cute puppy you squat down and pet it." Damn straight. Puppies are part of our tribe.