Randy | December 27, 2017
If you live in my neck of the woods, a lot of you lost electric power Christmas afternoon, and some will still be waiting for it until some time tonight. If you lack more “natural” means of heating your dwelling, things have gotten a bit cold, and the usual mid-season burnout has turned into quite […]
Randy | December 26, 2017
Culturally, the hospitality aspects of festivities prevailing at this time of year exist in a maelstrom of ill considered and contradictory drives. Year after year, many will attempt to answer seasonal motivations to visit people who sometimes live at a great remove and may be reached at no small peril to life and limb, even […]
Randy | December 25, 2017
The best of everything from us to all of you who matter. The rest we’ll fall upon without mercy in a snow storm before Spring, as I’ve promised the Dogs. Anyway, whether you’re on our naughty or nice list, you know who you are. Yet glorious day, the Solstice comes With casting off of dooms! […]
Randy | December 24, 2017
Someone most of us here have enjoyed the benefit of “knowing” since our childhood embarks on another perilous journey tonight, and few have every paused to consider the strategic, tactical, and logistical realities of a Grand Mission that, done half-assed, could end up being Nick’s last ride. He’s been at this a while so it […]
Randy | December 23, 2017
In the early morning hours of 17 January 1994, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks knocked out power to much of the city of Los Angeles, California, plunging at nightfall some of the most light polluted portions of the globe into a deeper darkness than most of its denizens had ever known existed. Named […]
Randy | November 26, 2017
In its ascension, the organization known to the west as ISIS successfully branded itself an unstoppable juggernaut, defiance of which promised a terrible retribution that included such horrors as having your immolation or decapitation broadcast to the world in surprisingly professional “official” releases. Take a nasty looking knife and cut a bound man’s head off […]
Randy | November 19, 2017
In the waning months of 1941, and notwithstanding Hilter’s postponement of Operation Sea Lion in September of 1940, Britain was facing a continued threat of German invasion. In Europe and most every other bit of contested ground, as well as on the high seas, Allied forces were losing to the Axis on every front. Desperate […]
Randy | November 15, 2017
To optimize battlefield effectiveness, the Soldier is trained to rely on his issue weapons, and of those, the rifle is Queen. An excellent example of this philosophy is the United States Marine Corps which states as an absolute that every Marine is a Rifleman, first, foremost, and always, notwithstanding operational specialty, and requires all of […]
Randy | November 5, 2017
Comedy set against the decidedly unfunny backdrop of war isn’t anything new. To name a few examples, we have comedy in all its hues appearing in films like Kelly’s Heroes (WWII), Inglorious Basterds (WWII), Catch 22 (WWII), and MASH (Korean War). On television we have the examples of Hogan’s Heroes (WWII), McHale’s Navy (WSWII), MASH […]
Randy | November 4, 2017
In lofty halls, forked tongues entwine the words of conflict, At once invoking the name of War whilst insisting the Soldiery Stand upon the field for reasons otherwise. That a Soldier exists as the bloody finality of his Nation’s tolerance is forgotten. ~ Take the Fight to the Enemy ~ In a world at war, […]