The Republic of Texas

by on September 22, 2020 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

The Republic of Texas did not exist until after the Convention of States dealt with the old Federal government. Texas was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the new Federal government, if Texas can be considered truly enthusiastic about any government that is not theirs. They had a great many reasons to want to make certain it did not stray from the mission the Convention gave it, and so made certain to give it their full support. I did not say “undivided support” because they did in fact divide their support. The original resolution admitting Texas into the Union had specifically allowed Texas to form up to five States, a contingency they activated after the Convention of States completed its reconstruction of the Federal government. Then the Five States of Texas signed an official compact with West Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arizona to bring the Republic of Texas into official existence.

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg

by on September 21, 2020 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

We have all known that Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been in failing health for years. I was personally surprised she did not retire when Obama was president and could appoint her successor. But that did not happen. And now we have this.

For the second time in four years, a Supreme Court Justice has died in the middle of a campaign for President. In the very year the election takes place. Yes, that does happen to be one in four years, so in some ways it should not be a surprise. But there are only nine justices, and there have been only nine justices since the 1880s or something like that. At three dead in the last four years, it seems like they are dropping at a rather high rate at the moment.

So right now we have people on the far right saying that “Trump gets to choose, and isn’t that just gloroius.” Then there are people on the far left saying that “Trump can’t be allowed to choose, and if he does we will pack the court to override his tyranny forever!” And everybody else is saying “Oh God, not this again.”

Honestly, it would just be really nice if we can sit down for a day or two, maybe a whole week, and just reflect on the person who died. On what they thought, on what they said, and what they did. I think that would be a better way to memorialize their death than fighting over who is going to sit in their seat before it is properly cold.

Just saying.

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The Martian Affair

by on September 20, 2020 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

“I’ve got your back, John,” Cassie said.

His displays flashed with recommendations and target locks.

“Never doubted it for a second,” Christensen said and sprang back to his feet. He lined the rifle in his right hand up on one enemy quad, waited a moment for the display to flash a target lock, and pulled the trigger. The secondary barrel glowed with electromagnetic energy for an instant before spitting out a single high explosive round that shot across the Martian landscape faster than the speed of sound. The kinetic energy alone was enough to breach the armor of anything but the heaviest enemy tanks. He would have needed a proper armor-piercing warhead to take one of them out, but the unarmored quad and its rider were an entirely different matter. It was akin to beating a piñata with a sledgehammer.

The other quads opened fire and rounds bounced off his armor or sent showers of red Martian dirt into the air all around him.

Christensen rode the recoil and turned away from the exploding quad. He stepped up onto the rim of the small crater, bringing the heavy rifle in his left hand to aim at another target. He pulled that trigger, kinetic energy flashed, and his second target exploded. He rode the recoil once more and brought the first rifle down on a third target. A stream of enemy rounds smashed into it and sparks filled his view. Powerful electromagnetic coils crackled their energy all over the Martian landscape. His display flashed red warning signs as the rifle fried itself to death in his hand.

***

The Martian Affair is available at the following retailers

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple Books

Kobo

Smashwords

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The Martian Affair

by on September 19, 2020 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

Lost in all this chaos having to do with my house, yes I have recently published a new story.

The Martian Affair takes place rather earlier than my other stories, in the near-future hellscape of colonial… oh… wait… I don’t tend to do hellscape dystopias, do I? In the near-future utopia of a united and peaceful Earth, the United Nations have colonized… oh… wait… ahem… I guess I really don’t do that either, do I? Let’s try this one more time.

The Martian Affair takes place in the near-future where the AI Council has colonized the Martian moon of Phobos. And the Chinese have claimed and colonized Phobos. And the Americans have claimed and colonized Phobos. And the Russians are getting ready to claim and colonize Phobos, while using the name its original Russian discovers gave it of course.

Martian space was an interesting place in those days. Then an object entered Martian space, crashed through a Chinese satellite, and impacted the Martian surface. Enter Sergeant John Christensen, United States Marines Corps, of Phobos Habitat. He watched the object arrive with his naked eyes. Then he went to retrieve it. This is his story.

***

The Martian Affair is available at the following retailers

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple Books

Kobo

Smashwords

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The Cost of Living Part Deux

by on September 18, 2020 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

I noted yesterday that the former purchaser of my property in Northern Minnesota has cost me in excess of 10,000 dollars. Totalling the mortgage he should have given me, the taxes, the insurance, and the utility bills he has racked up.

This does not include the 1,500 dollars in lawyer bills. It also does not count the thousands of dollars of damage done to the property. The floor and ceiling of the kitchen will have to be replaced entirely. I’m hoping the beams are good, but I won’t know until the floors come up.

So it would be most easy for me to say that this individual has cost me 20,000 dollars in the last two years. And the total could go higher. He is an expensive squatter. I’m keeping a list and checking it twice, so I can confirm that he is a very naughty little boy when Santa calls for a character reference…

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