The musings & rants of 3 retired military (2 USAF, 1 USN), 1 former WSO, and 1 AF brat. Old AF Sarge, Juvat, Tuna, LUSH, and Beans.
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| Charles James Kirk (October 14, 1993 – September 10, 2025) Source |
So...It's Friday evening, I'm heading into the Master Bathroom to run through my Pre-Bedtime Checklist. The Checklist itself isn't all that long, but it does have some actions on it that forgetting would be problematic.
No, Beans, I'm not going to go into detail, just setting the stage.
With the implementation of the 6 Dog Housing policy, the house has been segregated into three distinct zones. First is the main part of the House. All dogs, and cats if they wish (they haven't yet) may wander about. Second is the master bedroom. All the Black Dogs are allowed, the cats rule there and the new dogs are not allowed. (6 dogs in the bed would force the two humans to move elsewhere). Third section is the Master Bath. Only Cats are allowed as the dogs have a disgusting habit of eating things left behind by the Cats. (I know....EWWWWW!)
Implementation of the latter zone involves an 18 inch high barrier across the entrance. The Black Dogs can't jump it, but the Cats can. Mrs J and I are expected to step over the barrier to enter the Cat Zone. Yes, they rule it, we just shower, dress and a few other things in that area.
In any case, I am about to ready myself and call it a night. I step over the barrier and somehow catch my trailing foot on the barrier. I've got just enough forward momentum that my center of gravity moves forward, while the rest of the body stops. (Picture a jet landing on an AirCraft Carrier)
I now have a large bruise on the left side of my chest and breathing is a tad painful also. So...
I'm a bit cranky.
Which brings me to the stupidest quote stated by someone in the "News" industry in my lifetime, if not the history of Mankind.
“One day, our children’s children will read American history, and can you imagine our reading that James Madison or Thomas Jefferson tried to overthrow the government so they could stay in power? That’s what we’re looking at. We’re looking at American history, and how it will play out is going to be very important.”
The statement was made by Al Sharpton.
YGBSM! Thomas Jefferson WROTE the Declaration of Independence. James Madison had key roles in the political aspects of the revolution and the writing of the Constitution.
So, my blood pressure is up, my side hurts and I decided I hadn't read the Declaration of Independence verbatim in quite a while.
What a wonderful Document! Relevant then, still relevant now.
So, for a specific group's (D) enlightenment about the founding of this country here it is (as is, original spelling and verbiage included. Bold face were things I found still relevant today.)
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
And...Just Because.
Ahhh, Well...Life goes on.
Peace out, y'all!
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| (Source) |
While Sarge and his Muse are taking a little fiction break after his SanDog visit, mine is feeling pretty good despite the train wreck that has been the last 9 months. Monkeys and Footballs come to mind. My Muse bleeds red white and blue and walks proudly, head held high despite the fact that it seems that the nation's deck is stacked against her.
It has been a rather eventful last couple of weeks which I will touch upon, highlighting the fact that despite my frequent negativity with the way our nation is going, there are some hints of sanity that bring me a modicum of optimism.
For the record, Harris has plunged to a 28% approval rating in one recent poll, the lowest in modern history. So perhaps it’s no surprise that Harris is, as CNN said, citing alleged White House sources, being “sidelined.” - Daily Wire
mandate -
So...There I was...* Driving home after the birth of my Granddaughter, MG. Mrs J has stayed behind until MBD gets back on her feet. It's a beautiful fall day, my mind is full of happy thoughts and I'm on TX 21 between Caldwell and Bastrop. Nice drive, roads are well maintained, mostly 4 lanes, not much traffic and scenic small towns along the way.
I do a routine crosscheck of the fluid levels in both the fuel tank and, well, if you must know, my bladder. Both require a bit of adjustment. Not to worry, Buc-ees is but 25 miles away, I can make it.
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| Buc-ee's Bastrop. Relatively inexpensive gas (FJB not helping though), good sandwiches, and Mrs J certified clean restrooms. |
I'm approaching the intersection of TX-21 and US-290 which, even though it has an overpass, also has a stoplight which I can see is red. Tap the brakes to release cruise control. (Needed as the quality of the roads encourages way more MPH's than the signs allow. And, well, Texas Sheriff's like to say hello to speeders.)
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| X marks my spot in the following picture |
In any case, I'm slowing down and get to a situation that looks like this.
The light is now green, the pickup ahead of me has started rolling. And where the white car is on the left is a large 18 wheeler, slowing down as he approaches the intersection. I start to accelerate and am watching the car in front in case he wants to change lanes to turn onto the southbound on ramp towards Houston. I see his brake lights come on and think he's going to turn right.
Nope,
I see motion out of my left peripheral vision, swing my head that way and slam on the brakes. The Truck is running the red light. Fortunately, I'm slow enough that I get stopped, but am in the intersection. I glance up thinking I mis-read the light.
Nope, green.
He makes a left turn on to TX-21 as does his trailing chase car.
And another 18 wheeler with chase car,
And another pair.
And another.
And finally a fifth and chase car.
The light turns red for me as the last Wide Load and chase exit the intersection.
I back up out of the intersection as there are several cars behind them who have the right of way now.
I may have used language that implied relationships with their female parent, that parent's relationship with their father and whether that parent was canine. Yes, I'll say a few Hail Mary's that evening to atone.
There are several passing zones between this intersection and Bastrop, so while quite annoyed, I think I should be able to get around them. I am, however, very grateful for good brakes and an alert guardian angel.
The light turns green, and I quickly catch up to them, as the speed limit is 60, but they were doing 30.
And....
Wait for it....
THEIR lane was the dashed line! Their "wide load" is taking up the whole southwest bound side of the road.
Some of the folks ahead of me were able to use a bit of the passing lane and a bit of the oncoming traffic lane (not when that was occupied of course) and get around them.
Finally 50 minutes later we arrive at the turn to Buc-ees in Bastrop.
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| Yeah, Sarge, I know. I'm supposed to blank out License Plates to protect privacy. I don't like them well enough to waste even one more second of my life protecting them. Sorry, Not Sorry. |
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| Taken later in the week, when I went and retrieved Mrs J. Yes, that trip went much smoother. |
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| La Liberté guidant le peuple Eugène Delacroix* |
“We Mutually Pledge To Each Other Our Lives, Our Fortunes, And Our Sacred Honor.”
"You say you want a revolution? We're all doing what we can."
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| (Source) |
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