This subject comes up from time to time, and especially when the leaders in question have dubious or non-existent military backgrounds  - such as the last three presidents.  So for discussion:

For the record, I still favor civilian control of the military. It's the system we have and it works reasonably well most of the time. But I think you ( Read more... )

Having worked for way too long on DHS contracts, I feel I have a little latitude here to speak my mind.  Of course, since I had this blog while I worked for DHS, I suspect someone there reads it, so I'll probably end up on the No-Fly List.

Since this is in the news a lot, I looked up the the requirements for TSA Screeners.  TSA employs the worst ( Read more... )

Because I know a lot of you were worried about what happened to the Guinness I opened the other day and its fizz-thingy didn't go off...

I put it in a glass, covered it and put it in the refrigerator.  So:

Guinness Marinated Chicken

Ingredients

12oz Tragically flat bottle of Guinness Stout
1/8 - 1/4c Worcestershire Sauce
1/2t Salt
1/2t Fresh ground black ( Read more... )

I want to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving, but my smoker is kinda cruddy.  It's my own fault.  I left ashes in the tray, they got wet and with the cover on...well.

So I bought Easy-Off Grill Cleaner - BBQ.  I didn't actually read the entire label at the store because, a.) I am a guy, and b.) I wanted grill cleaner and it does in fact say "Grill ( Read more... )

So, someone I went to high school with who I thought nominally was my friend has stated publicly that, as a member of the military, my attitude towards my Commander-in-Chief "borders on Sedition and Treason", and then issued some thinly-veiled threat along those lines.

Normally these things wouldn't bother me, but this one does for some reason.  ( Read more... )

The first time in forty years the Congressional Medal of Honor has been awarded to a living recipient.

Join with me in saluting a living hero; Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta.

The Official Citation:

Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta

United States Army

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the ( Read more... )

I was just thinking about the following quote from a Robert A. Heinlein book:

"I do not understand objections to `cruel and unusual' punishment. While a judge should be benevolent in purpose, his awards should cause the criminal to suffer, else there is no punishment -- and pain is the basic mechanism built into us by millions of years of ( Read more... )

The Cthulhu kit is finished.  I'm pretty pleased with the results.  I liked the idea of a reddish-oxide base.  I used a gloss black undercoat with black, red oxide and antique copper highlights for the base.  Comments are always welcome!


( Read more... )

Or at least he's breathing heavy...

Anyway, primary painting is done!  A kit like this is all about layers.  This one is mostly inks.  A base coat of Payne's Gray, then lots and lots of green, blue, yellow and red inks.  Some Baltic Green highlights, more inks, and on and on.  I was trying to keep to a slightly slimy, rubbery marine look to the ( Read more... )

Sorry about the delays in getting back to this kit.  Here's the Cthulhu kit prepped and primed and ready to paint.  Build-up was very straight-forward.  The resin used in this kit is fairly flexible and a little forgiving.  In the previous entry you might notice the kit comes with guide pins already on the parts.  The holes needed drilled to ( Read more... )