JamesSavik

Continuity of Government (COG) First really became a serious concern in the fifties at the height of the Cold War, when everyone with a chemistry set was playing with weapons of mass destruction. This made a whole generation of officers, who made their spurs after the surprise attacks on Pearl Harbor, extremely worried. COG (Continuity of Government) are the contingencies, plans, and facilities to continue government activities and operations after a major attack or large-scale natural disaster. Considerable efforts were made over the years of the Cold War to ensure the continuity of government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was created by an executive order during the Carter administration. It eventually grew to the point of being cabinet-level. Numerous facilities are scattered all over the country in out-of-the-way places. Each agency is responsible for creating and maintaining its Continuity of Operations Plan (COO). There was a happy decade after the fall of the Soviet Union when COG was just a paranoid Cold War era nightmare. Many facilities were shut down or mothballed. Funding was slashed. It took the 9/11 attacks to move COG forward with new funding and legislation. The Department of Homeland Security was established, and the Patriot Act was passed. The United States COG plan is robust, established, and well-funded. Any foreign or domestic enemy who wished to settle accounts with the United States or topple its government altogether must understand that it will take a titanic effort. The United States is dug-in deep in facilities built to withstand nukes. The citizens may be dead in the hundreds of millions, but by God, the IRS will survive to tax the cockroaches.

RAVEs sound like this...

If you smell bad enough, you can mosey right along with the zombie herd. You just have to mosey with a shambling gait and hold your cell phone just right.

Many cats wriggle with excitement before they pounce on... mice, toys, or your ankle. Fuzzy little serial killers.

Karen and Ken and their ilk are making going out to any venue more obnoxious than it's worth.

Karen and Ken partake in their duties with the homeowner's association with all the pettiness and officiousness you might expect.

I use video games for my catharsis. I have a company sized combined arms force with modern equipment: main battle tanks, APCs, gunships and mobile artillery. Such maneuvers should be restricted to cyber-space, as the mess it makes is incredible.

I think every author should try their hand at short stories. By their length, they encourage an economy of words instead of the prolix style of novels where you wander around for a few hundred pages desperately seeking a plot.

Capt. Susan Ivanova: [Sitting on the floor in Medlab, rocking herself back and forth, crying silently and staring at Marcus's body] I said go away! Dr. Stephen Franklin: Susan it's me. You okay? Capt. Susan Ivanova: Damnit Stephen, why the hell did he do it?I didn't want him to, I never, *never* would have asked him to! Dr. Stephen Franklin: I know. [he sits down next to her] I know. Capt. Susan Ivanova: And how the hell did he find out about that machine? Dr. Stephen Franklin: Look, after we gained control of the Alien Healing Device, Sheridan and I decided it was too dangerous to let others know about it, so I coded all my log entries. He must've hacked his way through half a dozen security overrides. Capt. Susan Ivanova: It's typical, he was always pulling crap that like, even I never knew what the hell to do with him. He was the most undisciplined, the most annoying... [glances back at his body] I was just lying there and I was feeling myself letting go of my body. And I remember the last thing I thought was, 'I'm gonna die now'... and it wasn't so bad. And then I heard this voice coming from far away saying 'I love you.' And I thought 'Is this God? Is this God?' I mean, he really did have an English accent just like in all those old movies. And then I felt myself being pulled down, and I got heavy, so heavy, you know, tired, and it was... I forced my eyes open, and there he was next to me. And we were hooked into that damn machine, and I tried to pull it apart, Stephen, I swear to God I tried. I just-I couldn't even move, I couldn't move! [breaks down sobbing] Dr. Stephen Franklin: Look, there was nothing that you could have done, all right? Your system was traumatized. You can't blame yourself. Capt. Susan Ivanova: I don't, I don't, I don't. I just-you know, all my life I've had problems with relationships. You may have noticed. Dr. Stephen Franklin: A little. Capt. Susan Ivanova: You know, the ones I loved always ended up hurting me or leaving me. And the ones who stayed, they had nothing inside. No depth. After awhile I just decided to forget about it. And then, here was Marcus. I knew he'd never hurt me... and I knew that he'd never leave me... and I knew that he loved me. I knew it. I just didn't want to admit it. And he gave so much, and he wanted so little in return. He just wanted a kind word, or a smile and all I ever gave him in two years was grief! It's because I think I saw what I wanted. And I was afraid. Dr. Stephen Franklin: I thought you knew it wasn't going to work out. You were just protecting yourself from being hurt again, that's all. Capt. Susan Ivanova: Maybe, but maybe I should've tried just one more time. I could've done that for him. Now I can't. At least I should have just boffed him once. Dr. Stephen Franklin: 'Boffed'? Did you just say 'boffed'? Capt. Susan Ivanova: [managing a weak smile through her tears] It's the type of thing he would've said. I mean hell, it's not like I was doing anything else. Dr. Stephen Franklin: Well I guess that's one way to deal with unrequited love, huh? Capt. Susan Ivanova: All love is unrequited, Stephen. All of it. [She leans towards Stephen and he gathers her in his arms, both of them now crying softly] From Babylon 5 S4E21 Rising Star

Program Doh Var homer == true; BEGIN While homer==true begin print "DOH!" end; END.

Sad but true. The stupid is strong in the media these days.

May the farce be with you.

My former boss used to have a cat she named Mottle.

Only rookies are exuberant at stupid o'clock in the morning.

Barracks Graffiti Eaten by aliens, gave them cramps. By Interstellar travel, met my gramps. Far in system, let’s just stay. The bars are swank and gay. Tour done, sign me up again Another, if I live, I win Things are better, way out here Just pour me another Altarian beer.

No, his name is Ken. They are often a couple.

Karen is the termagant of this era. Sometimes I wonder if spoiled and entitled can be spread by a virus like the flu or, perhaps, herpes. No Karen, your debit card does grant you authority to make company policy.

Freewill by Rush from Permanent Waves (1980) Lyrics by Neil Pearth There are those who think that life has nothing left to chance A host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance A planet of playthings, we dance on the strings of powers we cannot perceive The stars aren't aligned or the Gods are malign, blame is better to give than receive You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill There are those who think that they were dealt a losing hand The cards were stacked against them they weren't born in Lotus Land All preordained, a prisoner in chains, a victim of venomous fate Kicked in the face, you can pray for a place, in heaven's unearthly estate You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill Each of us, a cell of awareness, imperfect and incomplete Genetic blends with uncertain ends on a fortune hunt that's far too fleet You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill

Love them or hate them, many of the most successful politicians often have orotund oration styles. It’s how they get people excited about the big nothing they will do when they scam their way into office to line their pockets and those of their backers.

Shaving is not the only use of razors. Here are two razors everyone should be familiar with. Occam's Razor Hanlon's Razor Best bookmark these two, kids. There's a test everyday called life.

Fried okra is good, but gumbo is divine.

One of the culinary joys in my part of the south is a complex stew, collectively known as gumbo. Everyone's recipe is a little different, but it is the first, best destiny for okra. It starts with a roux, onions, bell peppers and celery, can then go to chicken and sausage or seafood. Done right, it is spectacular. To do gumbo right, requires Andouille sausage.

Yeah, but that's cheating.

The babysitter is often a boy's first crush, extensively documented by Nifty in some truly cringeworthy stories. 🤒

It takes a solid punch to knock out a bicuspid, but it can be done.