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otherles
15 August 2009 @ 11:13 am
(Author’s note: This would be the replacement of what was the original original first chapter of THE CONCEPT OF WAR. The original first chapter will be shoved back to Chapter Two. I'm also thinking of changing the title of the novel to THE OTHER SWORD.)


I was at my station on the auxiliary bridge of the flagship of the Vengeance Fleet when she reentered normal space at about thirteen hundred thousand kilometers above the north pole of the planet Chiron, the world also commonly known as Centaurus Prime.  

I was born here and I grew up here. It was once my home. Now it was just a collection of targets.

My mother, who was virtually a saint, was constantly exasperated by the fact that I would rather climb trees and read old encyclopedias than to go play with the very expensive dolls that I was given. Or that I would not share the interests held by other girls of my age and social standing.

My father, on the other hand, was delighted. Even though I would never be the son he always wanted, he would still take pride in teaching me the usually  masculine skills of shooting and hunting.

One night in camp, before his political career ascended out of control, while we sat around the fire, he said something to me.

“In the Empire of Persia,” he said, “on ancient Earth, the sons of the Great King were sent out to live with the minor chiefs at the edge of the empire. The young princes were to not have soft beds, nor were they to have  rich clothing, or fine food and wine. They were not  to be taught obscure doctrines, or to have servants -- especially female ones -- or to have money. Each young prince was to be taught to ride, to shoot straight, and to speak the truth.”

For a moment, Father looked up into the night sky, It was a true night. The binary companion of our sun was on the opposite side of the system at the time. His eyes then dropped back to me, and he spoke again.

“When the young prince reached his eighteenth year he was sent back to the Imperial court. There he would be quickly brought up to speed by his elders on the other aspects of princely conduct.”

I remember pondering for a moment before I replied.

“But we’re not a monarchy.” I said. “Sovereign authority is vested in the people... at least in theory.”

Father smiled.

“And even if an ordinary citizen was able to tolerate such a program,” I continued, “there just aren’t enough minor chiefs to go around.”

“Yes.” He said with a bit of a chuckle. He then asked me a question.

“Since sovereign authority rests with the citizen, how do you know that he knows how to use it?”




 
 
otherles
01 August 2009 @ 10:38 am
(Author’s note: The viewpoint character is Lexie Redfield, a female lieutenant in the Ursa Major Confederation Navy. This would be the beginning of Chapter 11 of what was the original outline of THE CONCEPT OF WAR.)


The flagship of the Vance Relief Force was under repair in spacedock when I saw her for the first time from the co-pilot’s seat of the cutter.

She was the second unit of the Alpha Class of battlecruisers. The crews repairing the minor damage from her baptism of fire were barely perceivable in their color coded EVA suits and work pods as they moved over and worked on the three hundred meter long black arrowhead of her hull.

The form of her hull followed her function as a warship. What appeared to my eye to be rivets, short spikes, and slightly elevated squares on her hull were the mounts of the smaller weapons and the arrays of her sensors. The port and starboard edges of her hull were each interrupted by five launchers for her  heavy missiles. At the aft point of both edges was the mount of a compact particle accelerator weapon. At the point of her arrowhead was the muzzle of her spinal mount weapon.   

The chameleon surface of her hull was at the default setting. To my naked eye she appeared to be a deep black. To a sensor that scanned the full electromagnetic spectrum she would blend in with the background of interstellar space. The exception to the default setting of the surface were the panels that displayed the insignia, the four-pointed star within a circle of the UMCN, the pennant number, zero two, and the name of the ship.   

Her name was Ayn Rand.

There was a loud and extended debate. Was it proper to name a capital ship, an instrument of force, after the archapostle of reason?


 
 
otherles
19 July 2009 @ 06:20 pm
This is the first 300 words of a novel that I'm writing. The working title is THE CONCEPT OF WAR.


Chapter One
The Garden of the Two Suns

The majordomo announced my arrival at the party.

“Miss Lexie Redfield! The First Daughter!”

First Daughter isn’t really a proper title. It was more a label stuck on me by the media when my dad inherited the office of President of Alpha Centauri after the accidental death of his predecessor.  The Presidential Protective Service isn’t so parsimonious about performing maintenance on the presidential grav-vehicles nowadays.
   
The party was a reception held in the English garden of the presidential residence for the newly arrived Ambassador-Plenipotentiary of the Confederation of Ursa Major.  Given the reputation for violence of the Freyani, as the citizens of the Confederation are generally called, one has to wonder if attending such a party is such a good idea.

There’s sketch comedy program originating on Eos Prime, a member world of the Confederation, which once took a shot at that reputation. On one episode there was a sketch in which a Freyani diplomat gets stuck in an argument with an old school academic socialist.  After laying out the arguments against Socialism, and having those arguments basically ignored by the socialist, the fictional Freyani diplomat raises one final point.

“You know,” said the fictional diplomat, “you wouldn’t be such an enthusiastic supporter of Socialism if you saw it from the victim’s point of view.”

“There are no victim’s under Socialism.” responds the socialist.

“Actually there are.” The fictional diplomat replies. “And from their point of view Socialism looks likes this.”

And the fictional diplomat draws a Soviet-era Makarov pistol from a concealed holster and shoots the socialist in the head. After the socialist falls dead, an assistant to the fictional diplomat speaks up.

“You know, sir,” said the assistant, “violence is not a substitute for an argument.”

“I wasn’t arguing.” Replied the fictional diplomat.

Many Freyani, especially the inhabitants of Freya Prime, apparently found this sketch to be uproariously funny.

 
 
otherles
03 July 2009 @ 04:27 am
President Barack Obama will send American forces to Honduras to restore former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by force, or will use American civil and military resources to support a third party invasion (by the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua) to do the same.

(For a short explanation of what's going on down there I will refer you to Neil Boortz's article on the situation.)

Some people may object to this prediction. They insist on believing that we are now living in a new age of peace, love, and happy chocolates. And that under the rule of our new political messiah a military intervention in the internal affairs of another nation is now a thing of the past. I wouldn't be surprised if those same people still believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and Barbara Streisand.

My answer to such infantile objections is this, to the those who uphold the moral and legal primacy of the parasite, POWER IS LIFE. Thus any obstacle to absolute power is essentially seen as toxic to would-be absolute ruler.

The President of Honduras attempted to violate the Honduran Constitution and refused to obey an order of the Honduran Supreme Court. As a result he was removed from office in accordance to Honduran law. What the armed forces of Honduras did is in no way, morally or legally, distinguishable from that of a police officer or sheriff enforcing an order issued by a local judge.

Think of it as a constitutional republic in action.

But to the neolithic god-kings and their mobs of worshipers the exercise of the actual rule of law is an abomination. It sets an example to the people of other nations (and I'm looking at YOU my fellow Americans) for how to properly deal with would be dictators. (Of course I also favor the application of one round to the head in the old Soviet style, just to be damned sure.) To the tyrannophiles this is a crime that must be punished.

So don't be surprised if we hear that American troops are being sent to Honduras in order to "restore" democracy.

What are your questions on this block of instruction?
_
 
 
otherles
19 April 2009 @ 12:46 pm
Today is the sixteenth anniversary of the Waco Massacre.

There is a clear reason I will never vote for a Democrat and will also always hold those who do in utter contempt.

 
 
otherles
28 January 2009 @ 08:18 pm
While at work today I started thinking about what it would be like if Battlestar Galactica were done in the style of South Park. Or if South Park were set on a ship of the Colonial refugee fleet. (On the SS South Park, of course.)

Kenny is obviously a Cylon.

Cartman's Mom should be a Cylon too. Which would make things a bit interesting whenever Cartman accuses Kyle of being a Cylon.


 
 
otherles
21 January 2009 @ 05:04 pm
Another episode of the Memoirs of Allen Keller is up on MOPU.

I'm working on the inauguration speech of President John March.


 
 
otherles
08 January 2009 @ 01:47 am
I'm thinking of doing The Memoirs of Allen Keller as a full novel like John Ringo's THE LAST CENTURION.
 
 
 
otherles
30 December 2008 @ 07:21 pm
From the Unpublished Memoirs of Allen Keller. Part of the background of my private Traveller universe.


 
 
otherles
25 December 2008 @ 01:51 am

I think this is a reply to something posted by the sysop of the local (now dead) Objectivist BBS.

Chuck, let's get one point clear.

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NO LIBERTARIAN, NOT EVEN MURRAY N. ROTHBARD AND HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS, HAS EVER ADVOCATED OR DEFENDED ANY ALLEGED RIGHT TO COMMIT HOMICIDE BY ANY MEANS INCLUDING "POISON" THROUGH THE INITIATION OF FORCE OR FRAUD.

As for the self destructive little twits who die through their own misuse of man made objects such as drugs or firearms:

1. I am not an altruist.

2. Artifacts are not moral agents, firearms and drugs have no impact on anyone except through the definite action of a definite individual. Only the individual using or misusing the object can be held accountable.

3. I am not an altruist.

4. The first step to the correction of an error is the recognition and acceptance of the fact that one has made an error. No mind--no matter how corrupted or depraved--can be forced. "A gun is not an argument."

5. I am not an altruist.

6. There is no comment six.

7. I am not an altruist.

8. The individual is the owner of his own life, he is solely responsible for his own well being and consequences of his own
actions.

9. I am not an altruist.

10. If someone does not want to live, there is nothing you or I can do to stop him. The only right or obligation I have is to protect my life, liberty, and property from being violated by the suicidal person. (A task I can and would delegate to a real government.)

11. I am not an altruist.

12. Caveat Emptor.

13. I am not an altruist.

     "American politicians denounce foreign 'drug lords' for exporting certain mind altering substances to the United States. However, these substances--for example, cocaine or heroin--are correctly identified for what they are: Americans who want to buy them know what they are getting; no one is forced to expose himself unknowing or against his will to the potentially harmful effects of these substances. In short, every American can easily protect himself from the risk of such foreign substances by simply avoiding them."
                          --Dr. Thomas Szasz
_
 
 
 
otherles
19 December 2008 @ 09:01 pm
I was goinig through some old files where I found this. I actually went to the meeting and turned down an invitation to join the Michigan Militia because I wanted to stay in Minnesota.


3. BRIGADE ASSEMBLY STILL ON COURSE.
  The monthly assembly of the 1st Brigade is still scheduled
for JUNE 11, at 0900hrs, at Pioneer Park in Pellston, Michigan.
The Schedule for the meeting is as follows:
   0900-0905 - Opening Prayer and Pledge (Chaplain Hall)
   0905-0925 - Commander's Remarks (Major Olson)
   0925-0945 - Brigade Chaplain (Chaplain Hall)
   0945-0955 - Break
   0955-1100 - Information/Intelligence Update (Capt Southwell)
   1100-1110 - Break
   1110-1130 - Equipment Briefing (knapsack, etc.) (Major Olson)
   1130-1135 - Swearing In Ceremony and Dedication Prayer
                    (Major Olson and Chaplain Hall)
   1135-1300 - Lunch Break/Equipment Sales/Press Conference
   1300- ??  - Militia unit officers meet with squads -
               Unit officers will dismiss their squads.
  The Commander and Staff Officers will be available to answer
  questions and assist those interested in beginning their
  own militia units.

COMMENTS:  People are traveling to Northern Michigan from
hundreds of miles out.  You are all to be commended for your
interest and your awareness of the urgency of starting your
own militia units.    I would ask that all visitors remember that
this is a monthly assembly for the 1st Brigade.  Visitors are considered
as interested in LEARNING and OBSERVING. As kindly as I can,
let me say that we do not have time to listen to how you do
it in your neck of the woods unless your method is effective
and efficient, that is PROVEN and TESTED.  If you want to come
to learn, fine...if you are coming to tell us how to do it,
please stay home and DO IT!! I say this with deep respect for
your feelings and opinions, but talk is cheap and our time
is VERY EXPENSIVE.  Remember how the yanks were taught to fall
on the barbed wire in WWI?  The intent was to make a BRIDGE over
which other soldiers could travel safely...it was not to
have their dive critiqued by the judges.
   Also, we will not permit the assembly to turn into a public
gripe session with everyone telling how the government has
hassled them. That's a given.  If you want to pick scabs off
old wounds, the 1st Brigade is NOT THE PLACE TO DO IT.  
We preform our therapy by turning fear into righteous
indignation, not by stirring old pots of vengence.  
We are FORWARD LOOKING. We have no time to undo old messes
or avenge old grievances...  This is precisely where the
French Revolution went sour.  In the end, let history record
that we LIBERATED America for All Americans that we may return
to the Constitutional Republic she was meant to be. We would rather
invite the THEYS and THEMS to join our march to liberty than to
become tyrants like they are.  

NOTE: Observe all Michigan laws for transporting weapons, you
can expect to be stopped by DNR or State Police. As a general
rule, keep all weapons in cases, all magazines and ammo in locked
containers (vans & RVs) or in the trunk. Standard issue
military small arms may be carried to this meeting. Weapons
check will be accomplished at the Entry Point.  Rifles will
NOT be loaded. Bolts WILL be locked back.  MPs will be wearing
armbands. Obey them.  Personal sidearms should not be brought to
this assembly.

  All comers are advised to keep watch on others. An accident
deliberately caused by infiltrators is likely.  All comers are
urged to bring cameras and VCRs...not to identify militia, but
to have a record of everyone in the crowd should BATF or the
State Police do something foolish.

  For further information call the Commander at
  [phone number redacted]

END SITREP

Norman E. Olson, Major
Commander, 1st Brigade
Northern Michigan Regional Militia


 
 
 
otherles
05 November 2008 @ 08:50 am
I've just started a new blog called THE NEW RESISTER.


 
 
otherles
31 August 2008 @ 07:43 pm
I will no longer do business with Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore in Minneapolis.

I picked up the latest issue of the bookstore's newsletter at my P.O. box. After announcing that they were having a sale on used books someone inserted this charming paragraph:

We hope you can get here the first weekend, before the RNC begins, but who knows about the period while the RNC is in town. We suggest that you stop thinking of the RNC as the Republican National Convention and instead think of it as the Republican National Circus, with one team of clowns performing inside the convention center and a different team of clowns performing on the streets outside the convention center.

They have a right to their own opinion, regardless of how utterly distorted it is.

They do not have a right to my custom.

I've been doing business with them for three decades. Never again will I step into that store.

I would suggest a long term metaphysical destination for them but I have no reason to believe in the existence of Hell.

What are your questions on this block of instruction?
_
 
 
otherles
18 May 2008 @ 12:08 am
Is this thing on?
 
 
 
 

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