You Can't Silence Us

Failing Empire

The Commandant of the Marine Corps has announced a new plan where some Marine Corps recruits won’t have to attend boot camp. He claims that some positions don’t require Marines to, well, be Marines. So much for “every Marine is a rifleman.”

The rapid rise in importance of the cyber domain, for instance, has challenged us to find creative ways to quickly build critical skills at mid-career and senior levels. Unless we find a means to quickly infuse expertise into the force – at the right ranks – I am concerned that advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, among other fields where the speed of technological change is exponential, will force us into a reactive posture.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger

When he says it, he claims that cyber warfare is the reason. When I hear it, I think this means each unit will have an assigned “gender studies specialist” or some other political officer assigned to it.

He also wrote that Marines no longer on active duty who now have “critical career experience” should be able to return to service at a higher rank.

“I can envision a Marine who left active duty as a captain or corporal rejoining our ranks as a lieutenant colonel or gunnery sergeant, respectively, after spending 5-7 years working in a cyber or IT field where the service currently lacks capacity,” Berger wrote. “With the right education and experience, that same corporal might also be eligible to return as a mid-grade or senior officer.”

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger

So a person can sign up for 3 years, leave as an E-4, then 5 to 7 years later return as an E7? What about those who stayed? Are they gonna be stuck without promotion because the ones returning are taking up billets? For those who don’t know, a person who enters the service as a brand new O-1 (Second Lieutenant) officer takes a minimum of ten years to be promoted to O-5 (Major).

Sorry, but this destroys the entire idea of the Marines. I say this as one of your Navy brothers: Anyone who serves from this day forward won’t have my respect.

On the other hand, it isn’t like the US Navy is doing much better. Navy ships are becoming rust buckets that are filled with unqualified personnel, which is why they can’t seem to stop colliding with everything that gets near them.

This is the same thing I noted when we talked about this fat ass from Meal Team 6:

Our military is a shell of its former power. If we engage in combat with any near peer adversary, we are going to get our asses kicked.

People who have read this post: 1,002
By Divemedic, ago

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday where family and friends gather to appreciate each other’s company and be thankful for their good fortune. While I will be working today and can’t gather with my friends and family, I can still reflect on my good fortunes.

I am thankful that I am relatively healthy, in a decent financial position, and that I have a wonderful, loving woman by my side.

I hope that this day finds each of you who read this blog in similarly happy circumstances.

People who have read this post: 528
By Divemedic, ago

Oil

The price of oil one year ago today was $42 per barrel. As of today, oil is selling at $82.50, and is expected to hit $100 per barrel within the next three months. Oil hasn’t been over $100 a barrel since July of 2014.

Let’s go Brandon.

People who have read this post: 410
By Divemedic, ago

SARNET

There is a radio repeater network that allows you to send radio traffic from your UHF HAM radio to the entire state of Florida. Send a radio message to any of these microwave nodes, and it will be instantly retransmitted by every one of them, to nearly every corner of the state.

The system is monitored by every EOC in the state, so it is a way to call for help in an emergency.

People who have read this post: 483
By Divemedic, ago

More on Shortages

Winn Dixie, a southern grocery chain that is headquartered in Florida with stores in five southern states, is joining Publix in limiting the purchase of certain items. Items with purchase limits are:

  • Turkeys
  • Canned cranberry sauce
  • Canned pie filling
  • Jarred gravy
  • Cream cheese
  • Bacon
  • Canola and vegetable oil
  • Paper napkins
  • Disposable cups
  • Cutlery and plates
  • Toilet paper
  • Rolled sausage
  • Sports drinks
  • Refrigerated pet food
  • Canned cat food

The shortages are being blamed on a surge of post-recession spending by U.S. households flush with cash from stimulus checks, booming stock markets, and enlarged home equity along with supply chain issues. The key part of this is “flush with cash” because the government is putting too much cash into the economy: in other words, inflation.

People are taking that money and preparing for what they know is coming. Things continue to worsen.

People who have read this post: 712
By Divemedic, ago

Pedo gonna Pedo

In a comment to a recent post, a pedo stopped by and left this comment:

MINOR ATTRACTED PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. PEDOSEXUALITY IS REAL

LOVE IS LOVE

My first inclination was to do one of two things: either delete the comment, or publish the poster’s details (including the GeoLocation of his IP address. However, I don’t like using the ban hammer or the delete button. Instead, let me formulate my thoughtful reply and post it here.

I think that being attracted to minors falls into one of two categories. The first is a person who is attracted to someone that is post pubescent. That is, the people who are attracted to people in the 16 and up age range. This is a fairly widespread and common attraction. This is the reason why so many people found Brittney Spears attractive back in 200, when she first appeared on the pop music scene.

We see this all of the time with the popularity of the “schoolgirl” outfits that many women wear.

Since the target of their affection has all of the physical attributes of a full grown adult, the only thing separating them from full grown adults is the fact that they have poor decision making skills. That may or may not be part of the attraction, I wouldn’t know.

This is a dilemma faced by many a high school teacher. I know, I was one, and I can tell you that many of those 16 and 17 year olds are indistinguishable from 20 and 25 year old women, with some being quite attractive. Teens are all impulse and hormones, and have rather poor decision making skills. That is why they can’t consent to a number of things like contracts, intercourse, and other complicated decisions.

The thing is, you as the adult are the one who must act like the adult. Even though a teen is a victim of their raging hormones, you are supposed to be the adult here and remember that they are off limits.

One of the problems that I have with state laws concerning minors in this age group is there is no defense permitted by law if the adult involved has a legitimate reason to believe the minor is not a minor. I have blogged about this in the past.

That particular case involved a 13 year old who appeared older than what she was. She had a social media page indicating that she was a 19 year old divorcee. She engaged in a sexual relationship with a 20 year old man. Once he realized her age, he contacted and notified her parents. They called the cops, and he was jailed. The worst part of the story? This was the second time that she had done the same exact thing.

The second type of person who is attracted to minors are the people who are attracted to pre pubescent children. I have nothing but contempt for anyone who would even consider a sexual relationship with a 9 year old child.

When he was growing up, my son had a circle of friends. Let’s call one of them “Brad.” As they grew older, many of this circle married, some had children. Since they had been friends since they were 11 years old or so, Brad was welcome as a babysitter. Brad got married, his girlfriend got pregnant. They got married. All was well. Until police caught him distributing child porn, and some of the kids in the pictures were the children he was babysitting. Some as young as 3 years old.

He is currently doing time in Coleman Federal Prison. If I remember correctly, he is serving 20 years.

I have no sympathy for people who would prey on children. None. As an adult, we are supposed to protect those who cannot protect themselves, not use them as our sexual playthings. I have nothing but contempt for this sort of person.

People who have read this post: 541
By Divemedic, ago

One life doesn’t always = another

Restorative justice is a belief that as long as the victim is somehow made whole, the crime never really happened. If a person steals something, as long as that person reimburses the victim for the value of what was stolen, there is no further punishment. The underlying theory is that all people are basically good, and as long as they are treated with love and respect, they will always seek to do what is right.

And it’s complete bullshit. That is why the Restorative Justice ADA released the man who, two days later, would go on to kill by driving his car into a Christmas Parade.

Let me ask: How will those people whose children were run over and killed be made whole?

The people who believe it are largely people who have never met a real criminal. They have never met a person who was truly evil. Instead, they believe that all people are equal. A serial rapist is the same as a 17 year old lifeguard. That is also why they don’t believe in self defense. Whether it is the lifeguard or the serial rapist is killed, as far as they are concerned a death is a death.

Well, my life matters. The life of my loved ones matter. I will defend them.

People who have read this post: 816
By Divemedic, ago