The Confederation of Dixie

by on June 1, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

Norfolk remained the largest and most capable naval base in the world when the Second Great Depression began. That left it in a unique position when the Convention of States reorganized the Federal government. Most of the United States Navy’s larger ships maintained their loyalty to the new Federal government, but the Norfolk yards and harbor had split for Virginia. The Navy needed a home port, and Norfolk was still the best place for that. And Norfolk needed ships to maintain or it would have to shut down much of its capacity. They came to an agreeable compromise in the end. The Commonwealth of Virginia agreed to lease much of Norfolk to the United States Navy for a small yearly fee, and that relationship remained in practice throughout the centuries that followed. Its importance waned after the construction of Yosemite Yards, but the story was not over. When Yosemite fell, the Navy returned to Norfolk in force, and it became one of the arsenals of freedom that sent ships out again and again to face the Shang and their allies.

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In Flanders fields

by on May 31, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In Flanders fields – by John McCrae

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Memorial Weekend

by on May 30, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

A politician that shall remain nameless here wished that we “enjoy the long weekend” with a big smile. First off, not all of us work in fields that do take time off for this weekend. Secondly, I’m not one to “enjoy” a weekend where we remember all who died in service. This is a grim weekend, where we remember those who made our present world possible. Who died in defense of it. Now some of us do get to have fun this weekend, to get together with family, and enjoy our time together. But many go into fields of crosses and flags to be together with family. Never forget those who lay in those fields.

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Breached

by on May 29, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

I have worked in computers almost what feels like my entire life. I tweak computers, I upgrade them, and I maintain them. Part of this is because I’ve been too poor to afford paying other people to do it. But in all my life, I’ve always worked on and fixed the computers in my house. I’ve self-taught myself on everything, and I’ve set up the best and most secure computer networks I can. They just got breached. One computer. Human error. The breach happened and the computer got turned off the moment it was discovered. The good news? No major data loss. I’m a paranoid packrat when it comes to data. And no financial loss either. Fraud protection is fast on the ball. And now I’m running a DOD-style hash and slash and nuke routine all over both hard drives before I reinstall the OS from scratch. Yippee ki-yay.

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Cancer

by on May 28, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

So, Cancer can be a pain in the backside. No, Mom is not doing badly. Her bloodwork is still shining bright in fact, as the drugs do their targeted best to kill the cancer in both her blood and her bone marrow. But it is a tiring time for all. Mom has been getting really bad migraines after each treatment. They don’t last long, with a good long sleep being enough to make them go away, but she is more tired than usual and does tend to take a lot more naps right now. Of course that is the body seeking to heal itself. Still, the last three days have been long and hard. Another treatment, followed by several blood draws in the days since to make certain her blood is going crazy. As noted, everything is clean and working well. But these doctors are ready for anything. It is the nature of taking a drug that is still in trials. They know it works, but they also know that some people don’t react well. So far, Mom has been reacting well. I hope that continues.

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