Sweet. Awaiting photos. Go forth, play, dine, drink, and shoot!

don't say shoot in NOLA.

Thanks to the vagaries of the welfare system of the state of Florida the Girl's baby no longer qualifies for subsidized daycare. Today she was at home. Normally this would mean I would not be able to sleep after work as the Girl had a house to clean but luckily (this is how we define luck in Florida right now) grandpa lost his job and was able to babysit...

In an attempt to relieve some of the girls stress over money (I don't really stress much anymore, after one woman takes it all you pretty much learn to do without or go crazy) I started looking for jobs I would be able to apply for post grad. Geography covers a pretty wide field so I am looking to tailor my education to work I want to be doing in places I want to live. Came across a couple of interesting ones, including a contractor hiring for something called "Human Terrain Analyst". A few bits from the job description,

quote:

The Human Terrain System (HTS) is an Army program designed to embed socio-cultural experts with tactical commanders to integrate socio-cultural understanding into the military decision-making process. Human Terrain Teams help military commanders reduce the amount of lethal force used, with a corresponding reduction in military and civilian casualties. Allowing the commander to make decisions that will increase the security of the area, allow other organizations (local and international) to more effectively provide aid and restore the infrastructure, ensure that US efforts are culturally sensitive, promote economic development, and help the local population more effectively communicate their needs to US and Coalition forces. HTS teams act as advisers to Army Brigades and Marine Corps Regiments. The teams will not engage in combat missions, nor does it collect intelligence. Team will analyze data from a variety of sources operating in theatre (e.g. conventional military patrols, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, civil affairs units, special forces). Candidate will undergo a 4-month training program at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, including orientation to the military/deployment environment, in-depth country briefings, and multi-disciplinary social science concepts and methods. The actual deployment lasts from 6 to 9 months.

February 2010 Mythaxis is now available.

Also the Mythaxis Blog, which cunningly incorporates the Magazine index with a private obsession of my own.

And, as ever, please remember to send me your scribblings and daubings, for the next issue.

By the way, the Mythaxis forum, one of the least active forums (fora?) in the history of forums, succumbed to a swamping from some morons advertising a poker gaming site. It was, moreover, so packed with all that crap that it blew my filestore quota on the ISP (400 meg!). It would have been so hard to revive that I ditched it. But there's always comments on the blog if you want to say something.
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: gil,

quote:

Originally posted by editengine:

quote:

The Human Terrain System (HTS) is an Army program designed to embed socio-cultural experts with tactical commanders to integrate socio-cultural understanding into the military decision-making process. Human Terrain Teams help military commanders reduce the amount of lethal force used, with a corresponding reduction in military and civilian casualties. Allowing the commander to make decisions that will increase the security of the area, allow other organizations (local and international) to more effectively provide aid and restore the infrastructure, ensure that US efforts are culturally sensitive, promote economic development, and help the local population more effectively communicate their needs to US and Coalition forces. HTS teams act as advisers to Army Brigades and Marine Corps Regiments. The teams will not engage in combat missions, nor does it collect intelligence. Team will analyze data from a variety of sources operating in theatre (e.g. conventional military patrols, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, civil affairs units, special forces). Candidate will undergo a 4-month training program at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, including orientation to the military/deployment environment, in-depth country briefings, and multi-disciplinary social science concepts and methods. The actual deployment lasts from 6 to 9 months.

So you'll be studying under David Kilcullen?

You'll probably be in combat, if you make it. Can't be any worse than being on the door at a gay nightclub in Tampa on a Friday night, then.

quote:

David Kilcullen

Had to google it but it seems that you may be right.


Interesting position though, were I single.

I keep meaning to get his book on small wars. He's mildly famous for saying to a reporter that the decision to invade Iraq was "fucking stupid."

Might be even more like your old job, if DADT gets repealed.

lol, funny thing was while working the gay bars I saw tons of military IDs walking in the door. Had a lot of the guys tell me that basically it was already phased out and as long as you didn't wear a gay pride pin on your uniform you were safe.

I'm wondering exactly what the problem is with gays in the military.

I mean, casualty rates would go down...because they'd never leave their comrade's behind...BA-DUM TISH.

quote:

Originally posted by Gromit:
I figure they called them ¨Desire´ because by the time they arrive, you have a serious longing for one.

A lovely afternoon. There may even be some pics in due course!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Glad you are all enjoying NOLA. If envious.

quote:

Originally posted by gil:
February 2010 Mythaxis is now available.

Also the Mythaxis Blog, which cunningly incorporates the Magazine index with a private obsession of my own.

And, as ever, please remember to send me your scribblings and daubings, for the next issue.

By the way, the Mythaxis forum, one of the least active forums (fora?) in the history of forums, succumbed to a swamping from some morons advertising a poker gaming site. It was, moreover, so packed with all that crap that it blew my filestore quota on the ISP (400 meg!). It would have been so hard to revive that I ditched it. But there's always comments on the blog if you want to say something.
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Although I have no talent in writing, I enjoy the hell out of reading your mythaxix zine. Great stuff, gil, thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by shake:

Although I have no talent in writing, I enjoy the hell out of reading your mythaxis zine. Great stuff, gil, thanks.

I am gratified by your appreciation. Thanks, shake

Man, almost makes me want to start writing again. Almost.

quote:

Originally posted by lithos:
I'm wondering exactly what the problem is with gays in the military.

I mean, casualty rates would go down...because they'd never leave their comrade's behind...BA-DUM TISH.

Don't tell that to the Spartans!

Those 300 abs of steel are not for leaping Oberhau cuts and parries.

quote:

Originally posted by gil:
February 2010 Mythaxis is now available.

Also the Mythaxis Blog, which cunningly incorporates the Magazine index with a private obsession of my own.

And, as ever, please remember to send me your scribblings and daubings, for the next issue.

By the way, the Mythaxis forum, one of the least active forums (fora?) in the history of forums, succumbed to a swamping from some morons advertising a poker gaming site. It was, moreover, so packed with all that crap that it blew my filestore quota on the ISP (400 meg!). It would have been so hard to revive that I ditched it. But there's always comments on the blog if you want to say something.
__________________

Looks great Gil, and thanks for making the heading image for my story, it definitely jibes.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TwiliteMinotaur,

just realized that i missed my 7 year board-day...7 years, 880 posts...about 20,000 behind some others who joined up around the same time...

Happy boardday

I was charged 100QR to enter Qatar. The customs woman asked to see my credit card and I expected it was some other verification thing... then she sticks it into a handheld POS terminal and indicates that I should punch in my code. I feel exploited.

Missed my board day too. As usual!

You´re in good company - I missed my boardday too.

Cute. Mom is singing with Tony Bennett, "The Thought of You" from her netflix Tony Bennet dvd.

So I love the way that people track relationship son facebook.

in a relationship

it's complicated

single

you can track friends relationships in a predictable arc if you keep your eye on it and learn from what they choose to share, or not share with the world. So an old friend of mine is completing a three year relationship with a guy that cheated on her. A lot. Of and on I have known her for 10 years or so. Beautiful girl, she is one of the few that made me really wish I was single back when my marriage was really going well I thought. Graceful and smart, she wound up moving in with a guy that was anything but. I liked him too, at first. He put on a good honest vibe. However shortly after they moved in together I broke up with the girl I was seeing. In the course of this I got a number for a rockabilly chick that was cute, if you like red lips and lot of tattoos that is, and it turns out she knew him. She mentioned that to which I replied that I was an old friend of his girl. That stopped her cold. He had been texting her asking when they could get together. I asked how long ago, thinking maybe it had been prior to him getting together with my friend. No luck, it had been that very day. When she asked me what the girl was like I started with 'slender and blond' and that just made it worse, because she was neither. So I left it alone, although I know she must have told him I had ratted him out because a few weeks later he brought it up and asked that I not tell the girlfirend that he was trying to make things work with. I bought that. I don't know why. Then, months later another friend, fresh off her divorce and out looking around, hooked up with him. I inferred this from the story I heard about her causing a scene on the street in his car when they fought and she refused to get out of his car. A friend had to help drag/coax her out of it. But I still did nothing, not wanting to get involved and be blamed and all that. Finally he told her he was leaving and moving across the state with another woman. This was also a girl he had introduced me to while he was dating my friend, although he indicated the relationship was platonic. It wasn't of course. That was obvious to us in the way they stood together. Still I avoided the subject. She changed from "in a relationship" to "It's complicated". When I sent her a message that I thought she was better off without him she froze me out. I left it alone. One night I ran into him at a club. I was drunk, so was he. I asked if he was back with her he said they were working it out. I remarked that she must not know about all the other women. He agreed she did not. I thought about what to do next. I told him I thought it was his business and he agreed. He was waiting, I think, to see if I thought I could take him and in the state I was in it was doubtful. So I let it go, I mean who am I to judge for one thing and what good would come of me telling her at this point, she had to know already after all.

Last week she went from "it's complicated" to "single". Her oblique posts about it have a finalistic quality to them. I hope this is the end. I don't know what I will say when I see her again, probably nothing. Why at this point?