Monthly Archives: July 2024

Comfort Food

Posted in Fast Food, Food by

I’ve heard the term frequently, but I can’t say I knew what it means, although I guess I did have a vague idea just from context. When I decided to reply to this prompt, I decided to look it up. They had a lot of examples, most of which I must admit presses my button.

One of the examples was chicken pot pie, which I really like, for sure. However, I prefer just chicken pie. Let me explain. There used to be a few restaurants called Three Sisters and they had the best chicken pie. Then, naturally the restaurant went out of business. That is not fair. That is not right. They should have given their recipe to another restaurant… or me.

It also reminds me of. the time I was going through the line at Kentucky Fried line, I spoke to myself, “I could make a meal off mashed potatoes and gravy.” Suddenly, from behind me, I heard a woman voice her agreement. “So can I.” I didn’t know anyone was eavesdropping on my private conversation. It was alright. I looked back and saw her smiling. I love it when I can make a person smile or laugh, even when I don’t mean to. Still love mashed potatoes. I’d just about have them with every meal.

I discovered fried rice when I was stationed in Japan. My wife doesn’t like it so I don’t get much chance to eat it. Maybe it’s a good thing. I would really put away a bunch of it. That and egg rolls.

Love roast beef when it is done right. Arby’s does not do it right. Used to like Denver’s. There was one a couple of miles from here as well as four or five in Memphis. I guess they have all disappeared. That seems to be the case. I find a restaurant I like and then they go away. I have found others that have roast beef but not nearly as good.

When I was stationed at MCAS, El Toro, the PX had a restaurant the served thinly sliced roast on two slices of bread with mashed potatoes and gravy over it. I am sure they are responsible for the 5 or 10 extra pounds I carried around at the time. Incidentally, I am not the only one that ate it. They had a huge following.

I guess, right near the top, has to be pizza. There’s just nothing like a pizza with pepperoni and pineapples all over it. The trick of course is, I have to order extra pineapples. My wife steels them off the instant I look away. I also like the pizza with the works on it, but I don’t get a chance for it that much. My wife doesn’t like it.

Daily writing prompt
What’s your go-to comfort food?
View all responses

We aren’t all sixth-graders

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Honest, I don’t remember exactly when it was, but it seems it was before I went into the Marines that I heard on the TV that commercials are designed for six-graders. Most people don’t like more complex things explained to them. So, if you hope to sell your product, you make sure the commercials are simple and don’t require a PhD to understand, even if your target sales is for PhDs.

I guess, in a way, we as commercial watchers are lazy. We really don’t want our minds taxed after working hard all day. On the other hand, maybe the PhDs are too smart too buy products they don’t need, especially the overpriced ones.

I suppose it does have one other side effect. It might actually make it so the commercials aren’t as expensive. After all, isn’t it all about that important bottom line?

I have taken writing tests before. I don’t know if they still have them, but according to the tests, I write at about sixth grade level. Now isn’t that convenient. My readers do not need to strain their brains in order to understand what I have to say. I guess I could say that it is convenient to be less intelligent.

Thing is, (Shouldn’t use those words so much. I’ve been trying to break myself of that.) I was considering what I heard way back then and associated it with something I heard yesterday. If it works better to write commercials for 6th graders, maybe it is good to write political ads for 6th graders.

I got to thinking, is this a good thing. Do we really want the politicians to talk to us as if we are all sixth graders? Yet it would appear It’s common practice. Reagan was known as the great communicator. Maybe it was because his ads didn’t require so much thought. As the guy said, “Keep it simple stupid.”

Just so there are no misunderstandings. it’s not my words. I did not mean to imply that my readers are stupid. However, the saying has been altered to a short abbreviation, KISS.

It is something of a disadvantage for Republicans. The dems make a simple statement that sounds good and it takes hours for us Republicans to explain why the statement isn’t true. For instance, the dems say how nice it is to tax the rich and provide for the poor. Sounds good. Doesn’t work. Never did. And yet we spend hours and hours explaining why and the general public still can’t understand it.

The same thing can be said of many things the dems try to tell us is good, open borders, weak military, and de-funding the police. (Hint: Since de-funding police, crime has sky rocketed. Since the border was opened, fentanyl has gone from about 50 thousand deaths a year to about 150 thousand a year. Tell me how that worked out, but it sounded good didn’t it. In a way, that is perhaps one of the most expensive decisions Old Joe made. It cost us more lives than Vietnam, both sides. It is why I don’t call him president. He will answer to God for all those deaths.)

It is why I don’t like what the dems are doing. It is especially why I don’t like the methods and the means of Old Joe.

At one time, Democrats and Republicans tried to maintained a closed border, a strong defense and strong law enforcement. Since Obama, not so much. Since Old Joe, even worse.

Then again, if they can successfully treat their followers as 6th graders, what can we expect.

Would They Help? Would They Try

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These days I wonder if NATO is not much more than an idealistic thought. As the title of the post suggests, If China were to attack the US, would the rest of NATO come to our aid? As I considered it, I wonder if it would do any good if they even tried.

If the US and Russia climb in the ring and started exchanging blows, what do you suppose the rest of the world would do? Do you think the UN would do much more than sit on their hands? Could they actually reason with Putin? For that matter, would they try to convince him that it’s the wrong thing to do?

It is a scary thought. However, I do believe we need to consider it. It very likely would not happen. However, if it did happen, it would be a little late to consider then.

Baseball

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In my youth, I was always in search of others to play the game. Then too, I played organized ball until I was 12. Since then, I occasionally played. Twice, softball in a church league. Nowadays, I would have trouble chasing a fly ball, though I might still be able to swing a bat.

After a few years in the Marines, I took up ping pong and I got good at it. I still think I can give many a run for their money. Just is, I can’t find a place or many opponents. The problem is that it is a difficult game to play outdoors, unless it is a very calm day.

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite game (card, board, video, etc.)? Why?
View all responses

I Don’t Write for Profit

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I’m not a the common blogger. I say things I think need to be said. I do not write to gain money. On the contrary, it costs me over a hundred a year. I don’t seek any money from my readers. If someone did want to send me money, I don’t know as they can.

As I said before, I do welcome tasteful comments.

However, I do not pay for this sight so that others can financially gain from it. When I see comments that are, in effect ads, I will not allow them. You want to advertise, have it, but get your own site. Not only will I disallow them, but I will remove them as soon as I see them.

Oddly, I have noticed a few of them. As far as I know, no one saw them but me. They displayed to me as possible spam. When I saw them, I deleted them.

I find it distasteful and a breach of etiquette to use my site for your profit.

The Split Democrats

Posted in Abuse of Power, AOC, Biden, Bribes, Communism, Controllers, Crime, Deceit, Elections, FOC, Going Green, Growing Old, Immigration, law enforcement, Nadler, Pelosi, Planned Parenthood, Politcal Opinion, Priorities, unbelievable, Unions by

Old Joe has managed to do something I thought was impossible. He has split the party. Part of the party is standing behind him, ready to lie and deceive for him. The other half is busy trying to figure out how to throw the man off the Democrat ticket. While, at the same time, trying to figure out with whom to replace him.

This, of course, while the individuals try to maintain and increase their individual and collective political power.

I guess all the while, it is all triggered by power. Many who are closely associated with Old Joe don’t want him to go down in flames. The rest, who have finally seen the handwriting on the wall, realize that if they have any hopes of maintaining the power are ready toss Old Joe overboard in hopes of saving the ship.

(Is that what they call a mixed metaphor? Either way, I am sure you know what I mean.)

Can We Survive the McClellan Effect

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Others may have used the term, but as far as I know, I am the first to coin the term McClellan effect. Just what is the effect and why is it? When the south took up arms and attacked the north in their effort to begin their own nation, General George B. McClellan managed to somewhat fight back the attack. However, he did not take advantage of situation. Eventually, Abe Lincoln fired him. That is history. Most fifth or sixth graders in a good school system knows this.

For this reason, I feel he is best suited to name the effect after. McClellan was considered a good leader by many, until he had to lead. Some folks claim that the civil war would not have lasted as long and the loss of life would not have been so great if Lincoln dismissed him earlier. It turned out, McClellan was more politician than soldier. He preferred his recognition to doing his job. He totally enjoyed moving in the political people in Washington but he knew not how to fight a war.

He was a good peacetime general, but when the cannon fire started, his lack of skill could be easily seen by, well by a sixth grader.

I have no idea why it is, but during peace time, we turn the military over to the McClellans. It is why I call it the McClellan effect. Even during the short WW I, the leadership changed drastically. Eisenhower started WW II as a colonel. He climbed the rung pretty fast, to the point of heading all allied forces in Europe. How many generals of the McClellan type did he pass on the way up. Most likely as he passed them, they asked what that was that passed so fast.

Not all of the good generals made it to the top. They made a movie about him. If you get the chance, you need to see it, “The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell.” They tossed him out of the Army for having the nerve to suggest that planes can destroy even the biggest battleship. That angered a bunch of Navy admirals, even though everything he said was totally right. I don’t know how many of those admirals were honored but the B-25 was named in honor of Gen. Mitchell, the plane used by Doolittle in the raid over Tokyo.

Billy Mitchell was one of those generals who could not survive the politics of peacetime while the admirals did. I wonder just how many men died because of that.

Now, we are in a quasi peace time. It is an environment in which only the political generals survive. it makes me wonder just how many Billy Mitchells we have lost. If I were appointed sec. of Defense, the first thing I would do would be to fire all four and three star generals. From where I sit, none of them are any better leaders than I was. They do know how to say, “Yes sir,” to Old Joe though. And now our armed forces are degrading to far worse than when Reagan became president. Then again, I guess they can’t be totally guilty when you consider what they have for a commander in general.

The problem is, should we ever suffer another Pearl Harbor, would we be able to overcome the McClellan effect long enough to get the good generals in a place where they will do us any good. We might not have months. We might not have days. We might not even have hours.

Romance in the Workplace

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Many do not understand the reason for rules concerning romances in the workplace. Many understand them but prefer to ignore them. Then too, many businesses have no rules concerning such things. Those larger businesses that have no such rules likely will… as the results of a romance in the workplace.

The truth of the matter is, romances in the workplace frequently do work well, maybe 70% of the time. Where the problem is, is the other 30%. Let’s say that a real looker works two cubicles down from you and you see her in the elevator every day. She smiles and the next thing you know, your dating. Next thing you know, you ask her to marry you and she says yes.

Sounds like things are going to work out really well. Then, one day, you get a new boss, who is also her boss. Then one day, she’s no longer interested in you but rather the new boss. (after all he does make more money) So, now how are you going to feel having to work with the one you almost married and the one that took her from you.

Some people handle such things one way. Some handle it the other. There is frequently anger. There is sometimes violence. Now you are starting to realize why most large companies don’t like romances in the work place. It is very easy for the triangles to form, which can cause real problems. Personally, if I were the one in charge of the three of above in the imaginary triangle, they’d all be looking for another position. No leader, no manager wants to deal with such things if they don’t have to.

The problems can pop up in all sorts of ways. Let’s reverse the above. Maybe the woman takes up with her boss and then the boss takes up with another woman. In this day and age, maybe he leaves her for a man. On the other hand, what if a boss takes up with a woman, and she gets all the preferences. She gets the better tasks and the better marks. You do the harder work and she gets the privileges.

The real problem is that even if there is a perception of such a thing, the gossip goes around the office and before you know it and the position of the leader is badly compromised. I’m sure it is not restricted to offices. I am sure it happens in colleges and even in churches. Yes. That’s a fact, love triangles do form in churches and it can result in churches splintering into pieces. I have seen it.0

Now. As bad as all this might be, where the problem can get really bad is in the military. They can form for the same reasons and in the same way. They can have similar results as well. There is one big difference, well maybe three. No one can just quit. No one can just fire the people at fault. And finally, it can happen right in the middle of a shooting battle. The little problem has just made a life and death situation become worse.

We in the US have something of an advantage. We truly have such a big superior armed forces, we can deal with such things and still fight the war. Imagine if you will, a battle where we have a superior enemy force. Do you really want to be a captain in charge of a riffle company, about 200 soldiers, and one of these triangles pops up when you are and your men are struggling to stay alive. If you are a woman, do you want to put your complaint on hold until after the battle or do you risk lives and bring it to the notice of your commanding officer at once.

In some places, military life can be similar to civilian life. All the branches do have offices that are run similar to civilian offices. I have no problems with women in those environments. However, they don’t belong in foxholes, especially in the same foxhole as me. Moreover, they do not belong on ships. The captain of that ship does not need any distractions, even in peacetime. Certainly, he doesn’t need any love triangles. Moreover, the captain does have one more thing to deal with. Perhaps 300 men in the presence of 3 or 4 women.

Regardless, if it will cause problems, during a war it is the wrong time to find out. It can become a very deadly experiment. Romance on a cruise ship might be great. Not so much on a destroyer or aircraft carrier.

Age vs Age

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We need to be careful. The dems are trying to control the wordology again. Every time Biden or his bunch try to defend him, they say that he is not too old. It is something of a sideways swipe implying that Trump, too, is too old.

We need to make sure they don’t frame the election as age vs age, but rather issues and abilities. As long as we keep it mostly on the issues and abilities, Trump will win. If the dems start making it about age, maybe not.

It Won’t Make Much Difference

Posted in Abuse of Power, Biden, Deceit, Kamala Harris, Politcal Opinion by

The secret is out. For more than 3 years, Kamala has been telling whoppers about how fit Bidden is. It is the worst kept secret this nation has never had. She has been looking right into the camera and telling lie after lie to the American people knowing that no one believed her.

A decade ago, if someone did that, their political career would be over. Indeed, she’d have a difficult time doing anything. I mean, when she applies for a position, next to the honesty question, she’d have to check, not so much.

Two decades ago, she would have simply been told, no need applying.

Now, things are different. Now she has been seen as a loyal soldier, not the the USA, but for Democrat party.

So, even with all the lies, she just might become president. Nowadays, all the dishonesty might actually work for her. The only folks that will hold it against her are the Republicans. The dems won’t care. It is even possible that they will respect her more for taking all the arrows for the party.

I know it sounds unbelievable. But 20 years ago, would you have believed a man who has a hard time remembering his own name, would be elected president. As a young man, I would have never thought that lies and deceit would help qualify a person for presidency. Only goes to prove that I can be wrong.