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Definitions

Here are a few phrases that I think need better definition:

 

Catholic KP – Working in the kitchen during a Lenten fish fry, or volunteering to work in the lunch room at your son’s Catholic school.

Catholic Kosher – Going to a Lenten fish fry when you are really craving a rare steak.

Self Control – 1. Not strangling your co-worker for sitting in their cube and chewing with their mouth open for an hour each day starting at 1:13.  2.  Not strangling your co-worker when you learn that they made a significant error in a work request that will require you to have to ask your boss to talk to his boss so that you can fix it, on the last work day before you implement.

Stroke of Genius – That moment at your desk when you forget the awesome idea you had for a story while you were driving this morning.

Traffic – The phenomenon whereby I lose all my stored-up stress by screaming at other drivers, while getting all new stress to replace it.

Personal Fitness Plan – The lie I tell myself every morning when I walk up a flight of steps to get more ‘exercise’.

Canoodle – That thing the governor of New Jersey does to Democrats, be they from Chicago or Manhattan.

 

 

by daddybear71 on February 26, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in silliness, Thought for the day, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 26, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/26/definitions-2/

Escort Duty – On Sale Now!

Escort Duty went live on Amazon this morning.  I’d like to thank everyone who pre-ordered.  Having that dump of sales on the first day it’s generally available helps a lot in rankings, which can lead to more sales, which in turn leads to more coffee and ammunition, which leads to a happier writer, which leads to more books.

If you’d like a signed hard-copy, send me an email at daddybear@daddybearsden.com.  The cost is the same as Amazon, $10, and I’ll cover shipping.

Escort Duty is a bit of a grab bag of stories, like I said in the announcement of the pre-order. There is fantasy, religion, suspense, and spoof.  I hope there’s something in there for everyone to enjoy.

I can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts on this one, both here and on Amazon.

 

by daddybear71 on February 26, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in book, Escort Duty, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 26, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/26/escort-duty-on-sale-now/

100 Years On – Verdun

On the morning of February 21, 1916, German forces attacked the French fortress at Verdun.  The German plan seems to be to have been to maximize French casualties by occupying territory their enemy would have to retake.  While German soldiers sat behind fortifications, the French would impale themselves on the German lines and artillery.  General Falkenhayn, the German high commander, planned to make the French forces “bleed to death.”  He was very nearly successful.

From February to December, two and a half million men in 130 divisions tore at each other over forts, hills, and ridges around Verdun.  Up to one million of them were either killed, captured, or wounded.

In the end, Verdun petered out and was over in December, 1916, with little change to the front lines.  However, the massive casualties and futility of the effort contributed to demoralization on the French side, which would have grave consequences later.  For the Germans, the loss of men and supplies would never be made up.

by daddybear71 on February 24, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in 100 Years On, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 24, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/24/100-years-on-verdun/

Musings

  • I was thinking about the election the other day, and it occurred to me that this is probably the last time that a member of the post-World War II Baby Boom will have a decent chance of winning the presidency.
  • The best thing I can say about a movie is that it ages well.  Boo watched Raiders of the Lost Ark tonight for the first time, and we both enjoyed it, even after 35 years.
  • The pre-order for Escort Duty is going well.  For a while there, it was #36  on the Amazon short story sales list.  Of course, #34 was titled “Light His Fire: Paranormal BBW Dragon Shifter Mail-Order Bride Romance”, so my ego didn’t have much time to inflate.
  • I love living in the Ohio Valley.  There’s nothing better for seasonal allergies and arthritis than having to sweep snow off the walk on a Sunday and wearing a tee shirt with the windows open a week later.
  • I took Boo and Irish Woman out for lunch today after a Cub Scout meeting.  Boo has finally hit the age where the kids menu just isn’t cutting it.  My little man, who has precisely zero extraneous body fat, ate an adult lunch, half a basket of tortilla chips, and was eyeing my lunch hungrily.  Guess we’re going into a growth spurt.
  • Dear vendor – If the simple solution to my problem is to read a piece of documentation that is not available to anyone outside your company, then maybe you should make that documentation available to those outside your company.
by daddybear71 on February 20, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in Thought for the day, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 20, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/20/musings-180/

Please Help Out If You Can

From John Richardson, we learn about a bad situation for Paul Lathrop, host of the Polite Society Podcast:

Paul is being accused of making “terroristic” threats. Many of you are aware that that is one of the latest ploys used by ambitious prosecutors all over the nation. In addition, they included “Possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony”. Of course the “felony” is the trumped up charge of making terroristic threats. I find that to be a self-referencing, catch 22 type of charge.

A lot of people have gotten good information from Polite Society over the years, and I hope that this gets taken care of quickly and cleanly for Mr. Lathrop.  In the meantime, his family could use help with bail and attorney’s fees.  See John’s post for a link to donate.

by daddybear71 on February 17, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in Guns, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 17, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/17/please-help-out-if-you-can/

Escort Duty Pre-Order

My latest collection of stories, Escort Duty, is up for pre-order.  You can find snippets here, here, and here.

UPDATE – Oops, found another snippet here.

This collection runs a gamut of subjects.  The book begins with a short novella from the Minivandians universe.  Next are short stories that deal with action, religion, and  intrigue.  The book finishes with a sort-of action/thriller novella that has been ruminating around in my brain for quite a while.

Hard copy will be available soon, and I’m enrolling the book in Kindle On-line Lending Library and Kindle Unlimited, so subscribers can read it that way if they want to.

Hope you all enjoy it, and no matter what, please leave an honest review on Amazon.

by daddybear71 on February 16, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in book, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 16, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/16/escort-duty-pre-order/

Back to the Barricades

I noted, as I imagine most of you did, the sad passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia the other day.  President Reagan appointed Justice Scalia to the federal bench in 1982, then to the Supreme Court in 1986.  Since then, he has been a staunch conservative voice on the Court.  I can’t say that I agreed with him at all times, but he always forced those who opposed him to think, and was responsible for several landmark rulings in the past few decades.  We are lessened by his absence.

I’d like to say that the passing of such a great man gives us an occasion to pause in our attempt to rip out each other’s throats and to come together as a nation to honor him.

Unfortunately, I can’t.

We are left with two bad choices.  Either President Obama appoints another Supreme Court Justice, upsetting what little balance there is on that body, or we go for over a year without a 9th Justice.

The President has the power to nominate whomever he wishes.  The Senate, however, has the power to either reject that nomination or to not even bring it to a vote.  Squabbling on whose power is of greater importance and how unprecedented it is for a Senate to swear off any Supreme Court nominations until after an election streaks across the news, and the rest of us are here in the middle wondering where we go from here.

So, it’s time to get in touch with our political servants once again, and it’s time to start paying attention to the presidential election.

If you believe that President Obama should nominate someone soon, and the Senate should vote on that nomination with all due speed, reach out to your Senator and tell them.

If you believe that the Senate is justified in refusing to bring up any Supreme Court nominees until after the election, reach out to your Senator and tell them.

Either way, we all need to tell our servants our wishes, or they will go off on their own and make an even bigger mess of things.

 

by daddybear71 on February 15, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in Politics, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 15, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/15/back-to-the-barricades/

Today’s Earworm

by daddybear71 on February 7, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in Earworm, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 7, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/07/todays-earworm-697/

Restaurant Review – Jasmine Szechuan

Jasmine Szechuan is a small, family-oriented restaurant located in the Louisville suburb of Middletown.  It features good food and service and good value for your dollar.

Our family favorites at Jasmine are the peanut-butter chicken (it’s worth convincing them to make this usually sweet dish “extra spicy”), the General Tso’s chicken (again, ask for “extra spicy”), and the sizzling black-pepper beef.  Their won-ton soup is excellent, either as a starter or as the main meal with a larger portion.  This is my “Chicken Soup for the Soul” when I’m not feeling well.  Their spring rolls are tasty, as are the chicken on a stick and the coconut shrimp.

Seating at Jasmine is somewhat limited, so there is occasionally a small wait to get seated, especially for large groups or during peak times.  The dining area is clean, neat, and nicely decorated.  The restaurant has a small bar, so a selection of beers, wines, and liquors are available to enjoy with your meal.  The restaurant shares a parking lot with several other businesses, so you may find yourself walking a little to get to the door.

We have never had bad service at Jasmine’s, and the staff is almost always friendly and helpful.

Takeout for our family of four normally comes to about $40.00, which is about par for the course in this market.  Lunch for Irish Woman and me came to $20 before we left a tip.

If you’re on the east end of Louisville and need to take your family or a small group out for dinner, this would make an excellent selection.

by daddybear71 on February 5, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in Review, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 5, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/05/restaurant-review-jasmine-szechuan/

Thought for the Day

Am I the only one that thinks Hillary Clinton could enhance her image with African American and female voters by changing her name to “Hillary XX”?

by daddybear71 on February 3, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in Politics, Thought for the day, Uncategorized

Posted by daddybear71 on February 3, 2016

https://daddybearsden.com/2016/02/03/thought-for-the-day-230/

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