One year ago today: January 11, 2018, she's not so good.
Five years ago today: January 11, 2014, my average critic.
Nine years ago today: January 11, 2010, a certain quota.
Random years ago today: January 11, 2007, run by crooks.
I got in two hours of reading in the morning, a recount of the WWII American campaign in the Pacific. “Eagle Against The Sun” is an excellent work, accurate even where it doesn’t need to be. The best description of that war still comes from Admiral Yamamoto, who warned against attacking the Americas. The Japanese army was weak in logistics, where the Americans had so much material most of their early battles seem won by committing enough blunders. When the Japs did fight, it was with pre-1900 concepts of heroism, often staging costly frontal attacks.
He never visited the front, relying on obsequious staff officers. It was a brutal fight though inhospitable jungle north of Port Moresby, a place few people have heard of before or since. There are very few accounts written about the battle, in which the Japanese resorted to cannibalism. Jungle battles were often determined by who ran out of ammunition last. Read this 561 page book only if you have an interest in such matters.
At times it is a revealing insight into American military bungling that exists to this day, the major component of which is inter-service rivalry. In the Yankee military mindset, glory equals more funding. As for post traumatic whatever, there is one overall explanation: they are mainly volunteers. I’ve never agreed with the concept of weekend soldier, or soldiering as an alternative to a low-paying job. For those who can’t find it, Port Moresby is the only anchorage on the south side of the big island, near the lower right-hand corner.
1930s GPS?
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.
I got four hours in on the front bedroom. It will be habitable in a day or two, but without any fancy trim or moldings. We’re talking full functionality, though. Remote control A/C, ceiling fans, computer nook, and cleared views of the front yard and vacant church yard. The soundproofing, for all that extra effort, I have to rate as a failure. It does deaden kitchen sounds, but you can even tell when the radio is playing. It helps but does not alleviate the noise. It seemed to work in the back room, but I see now that is due to it being more isolated from the living area, plus having the nearly constant hum of a fan or the A/C. The effectiveness of the Faraday cage remains untested. But I will say that I learned a lot and at least got around to trying these things.
In my growing collection of DVDs, I found “The Stepford Wives”. Didn’t I hear about this book when I was a kid? Supposed to be a naughty tale of adultery. Few things interest me less, so I never read the book. In fact, with few exceptions, post-marital sex is not something I’d pay to see. But the jacket on this DVD implies it is a comedy horror story. I’ll let you know, time permitting.
ADDENDUM
I must have burned thousands of calories, yet by day’s end, no measurable weight loss.
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