We soon join the ranks of many nations who retreated from Afghanistan--Our failing empire, economy and society has few advantages but the halt of these useless, draining, stupid foreign wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is one of them. This is the prime indicator as to the status of our society, devoid of all spin and propaganda---when our fat, old, rich guys in power stop sending poor young men and women to die overseas, the only reason can be is that we are truly done for and our national situation is way worse than we are led to believe.....

The recently acquired Ranger Hoodie jacket is working beyond expectations---an excellent investment and it now has the Bug Stompers patch on it---I've re-battery'd my Suunto digital watch and equipped it with a rubber face protector--we received a big trailer of compost for the homestead gardens---I am re-acclimatizing to the daily protocols of work---the newest Tat is 10 days healing, but still ugly--it's the nature of the beast. Absorbing information on the Boer war of 1899 as a reference to what might be our/my future....and I actually have been working on my art-----my failures include: Not starting my walking with a rucksack program this past week---too busy at work---and not being able to start my cigarette reduction program------------too stressful at work....these two projects are now my upcoming priorities.

Do I really have to comment on this endorsement?

This week's DVD review is the just released 2011 THE THING.

This film is an SF Otaku's dream---what happened at the Antarctic Norwegian base leading into John Carpenter's movie 1982 classic...THE THING starts out. I usually hate movies where the alien takes on human form..I consider it a cheesy cop-out for both the writer and the the director of any SF film...but the new THING puts a unique spin on this concept whereas, if you ask your fellow scientist the wrong question or even look at them as if they might be an Alien---a big, bad ass alien bursts out their human body and chases you around the facility until it catches you....a not nice thing to have happen.....excellent special effects and a good job of depicting the hardy Norwegians rounds things out.....believe me it's not Oscar material...but damn good on the couch, with your feet up, and a Pizza.

Reading Winston Churchill's book on the Anglo-Boer war has created a focus for me on the Boer resistance during this conflict. I have ordered two additional books the Boer Commando 1876-1902 pictured above and God does not forget: the story of a Boer war Commando--below.

Osprey's, Boer Commando, is a small reference volume focused on the equipment and practices utilized by this civilian military force.

God does not Forget...by Deneys Reitz is a first person account of a young commando who fought through the last phase of the war against the English Empire 1899-1903.

My interest in this particularly strange and now considered, ancient, conflict focuses on the Boer resistance, their Commando, equipment and protocols--- this force, made up of citizen farmers, fight the English Empire to a standstill at it's height of power, but was in fact an Anarchistic Army completely lacking the form and substance of the standard European army of that time period. The Commando was bonded together by religion, hatred of international corporations attempting to steal their nation from under them and the Nash Equilibrium --Winston Churchill quotes one of the Boer Commando's who captured him as stating that the:

"Boer fought to live, not to die the way the English do."

This was a cooperative army--with both the problems and advantages that lie within that concept-- but it was COOPERATIVE and existed for a purpose the British could not understand.

I am studying this conflict and the extreme societal opposites involved because it has struck me that an independent, anarchistic, force such as the Boer Commando can arise naturally...such a cooperative force can operate, and can succeed. The study of "how it worked" is extremely important to me in what we face today---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo_Boer_War

I found the pistol I have been searching for at a local gun show this past Saturday.

I purchased a STAR model S---(slightly larger than the model D mentioned in previous postings but very acceptable)---.380 caliber, semi-automatic, single action pistol, in very good condition...I've obtained a holster, spare magazine and new grips as part of the rebuild project. This particular pistol is about 41 years old. The Star S is all steel, very thin, easy to carry and fulfills my particularly obtuse, everyday carry requirements. I currently have the pistol disassembled for cleaning. I will cold blue the exterior finish, install new white-faux Ivory plastic grips and when completed, post photographs of the finished product. Bringing back to life an old pistol such as this is a fulfilling project to me--weapons are ageless if maintained or restored properly---below is a stock photo of the Star model S with a small folding knife just to reference the size of this pistol... one of it's main advantages....I am very happy and hard at work on this geezer self defense pistol project....very enjoyable......

http://star-firearms.com/firearms/guns/s/index.shtml

"Trust everybody, but cut the cards."

Finley Peter Dunne