Too much entropy these days

We have now lost *two* curmudgeons. Blogger Rob "Acidman" Smith and SF publisher Jim Baen. This is to cease immediately. Curmudgeons take years to mature and develop to their full potential, like a prickly bonsai. We need curmudgeons and can't afford to lose them so young. Like cats (and now Rob will haunt me for comparing him to a cat ...) they do not care what kind of high opinion you have of yourself. Curmudgeons have exacting standards. Curmudgeons have much up with which they will not put. And in a world infested with creeping, jelly-spined fear of appearing judgemental, we desperately need more curmudgeons.

David Drake has an insightful obit of Jim Baen here. (I actually had a book get all the way to Jim. He declined it, but there was no hint of "why did you kill trees to perpetrate this atrocity" and with a curmudgeon you know there would be if deserved, so I don't take it personally. On the contrary, I was pleased as punch it got so far.)

And I hope y'all know there's gonna be a web-wake for Rob today at 4pm Eastern. At Gut Rumbles, natch. Ladies, paint yer toenails!

Heart of DarknessSunshine

Received word from the Sekrit Chickenhawk Squawkbox that there would be a moonbat swarm outside Ft. Lewis yesterday, the occasion being a) celebrating the idiocy of Lt. Watada suddenly discovering the army fights narsty wars and b) the departure of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry division for Iraq, and according to moonbat belief nothing says "I support the troops" like attempting to hang a big black sign about how many soldiers and Marines have died on the base fence. So, like dutiful Chickenhawks Barb and I headed down to make sure the troops got some real support -- plus, get in some moonbat teasing.

The scene, shortly after arrival. Real supporters on the end of the bridge, moonbats center. We allowed them to speak their piece on the bridge -- fair's fair. We, on the other hand, made sure the troops saw us going in and out of Ft. Lewis. Because, like, we support them. For real.

(The glowing object in the sky remained the entire time we were there. Highly suspicious. Clearly a result of global warming. Or maybe something experimental got loose. McChord AFB is just up the road, after all.)

If you want to meet several fine, upstanding MPs at short notice, try hanging a stupid protest sign on the base fence.

One brave soul donned camoflauge to pass undetected among the moonbats. The second picture shows her blending in with her environment. (Sign reads "Bush sank the Titanic")

Logistics and supply are an important part of any operation, which is why we made sure to stop by Walt Gaya's bakery for provisions. Cookies were provided to hungry supporters. Moonbats looked on wistfully, but were roundly ignored.

(And in case you were curious, the sentiments expressed by those in uniform concerning Lt. Watada's little tantrum were NOT sympathetic. At all.) Let's see, what else ... we were visited by some splendid State Troopers, who had to explain to the enthusiastic moonbats that no, they couldn't hand out pamphlets to motorists on state onramps. Other than that, and Signage Guy, everyone was pretty well-behaved.

UPDATE: Barb has her AAR up now!

QuickSnarks

• Bumpersticker seen and approved: "Stop Global Whining"
• My Electrician's motto: "Working Without Shorts Since 1970"
• Marine Musicians (aka the Hadji Girl Kerfuffle). Maybe it's just me, but when I think "marines" I think of The Small Wars manual and not Excruciatingly Correct Behavior. But then, I am often told I have a warped outlook on life.
• Dan Rather loses to Katie Couric. Yowch. That's gonna leave a mark. Even us dethspikkkable conservatives wouldn't kick him in the groin like that. Kick him out the door, yes; laugh at him in public, yes; but this is just cruel. They'd better hope he doesn't start muttering about red staplers, is all.

Snarkatron goes to the movies

X-men: The Last Stand
rating: 1 Soggy Stale Donut

I was really looking forward to this movie. I had read X-Men comics in college, loved the first two movies and how they stayed true to the source. Wow. Guess they had enough of that nonsense. And while they were at it, why bother with things like character motivation, flaws and quirks (which give them that elusive quantity known as "depth" or, in other words, makes them "non-boring"), internal logic, and a plot. It was painful to watch, like a loved one with Alzheimer's.

The only things that worked for me were the bridge-moving, effects-wise, and Jean Grey. For the rest I experienced deep compassion and pity for the admittedly very competent actors forced to speak the atrocious dialog. Snarkatron does not wish to boast in an unseemly fashion, but she is quite confident she could do a better job upside down in a grimy bus station, with a raging head cold. That's how bad it was. They actually used the line"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Overdone, guys. Try thinking up something, you know, original? Something that doesn't date from the 17th century? And that hasn't been quoted a billion times since?

The sad thing is if they make another movie I'll probably watch it just for Wolverine (yum!) but I'll wait for the DVD and turn the sound off so my brain doesn't try to chew its way out of my ears. Bleah.

Tianaman

Remember.

Until every single member of the Communist leadership scrubs every single stone of Tianaman Square, on their knees. Until the tanks that crushed the students to bloody shreds are melted down for their memorial.

Remember.

Furry Freeloaders, Redux

It appears that the raccoon family in my chimney is relocating -- I don't know if the kids got too large, or they didn't appreciate all the home improvement noises I made recently, but on two occasions now I have been treated to the sight of Mom, squalling cub clamped firmly in her mouth, descending the camellia. Headfirst. Amazing agility they have. From the size of the cubs I suspect the chimney was getting kinda crowded lately. That's what happens when you feed kids.

Now I just have to get that chimney fixed before anybody ELSE moves in ...