Reading Through "manliness" Discourse And Websites, And I'm Wound Up Dumbstruck.

One thing all the cottagecore types either obfuscated or ignored: living in the woods in a cabin is work. The forest is perpetually trying to reclaim the cleared area. Firewood never lasts as long as you think it would, and it's heavy. We just had a really bad windstorm blow through, lost five white pines, and now I have to take a chainsaw and limb & buck them out. On top of that, there's cabin repairs to be done. Not much time for Instagramming bread or knitting.

Watterson pulled no punches

One advantage of rock music receding in popularity is that metal can retreat to the darkness and become evil again.

Sustainable energy pets.

If you're actively advocating for genocide, no matter how pure your political theory, you are a shitheel and a bad person.

So I've got a dog with depression. We've got two chiweenies, Elwood and Stimpy. Elwood looks like a pocket wolf with ridiculously huge ears. Stimpy looks like a regular Chihuahua, but with oh so soft fur. They were trauma dogs we adopted from the shelter, at about age 5 weeks, found wandering the streets, and Elwood had definitely been kicked in the ribs.

Two years later, they're my goofy little silly heads with wakeup kisses and all the snoogles (a cross between hugs and snuggles) one could ask for. Except, now there's a kitten. Scully is a beautiful little grey kitten about ten weeks old, who adores her older brothers, but constantly wants to play. Stimpy doesn't understand, he thinks she's being mean and avoids the pointy fur ball. Elwood took a shine to her the day we got her and is her big brother/wrestling buddy. Stimpy now gets sad, and sits in the corner, staring at nothing, whining to himself. We've increased his treats, I go out of my way to give him love, and basically force him to snoogle his mommy (he objects at first, but then remembers and isn't sad). Hopefully it improves soon, I hate to see the little guy so sad. Meanwhile, I'll keep sneaking him french fries and loves.

He liberated Wallachia is what he did. He impaled 10,000 turkeys or whatever the FUCK they're called, and in this house, Vlad Dracul Tepes is a hero, END OF STORY

Right now, in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, there's an unofficial naval conflict going on between the Chinese Coast Guard, "Chinese fishing boats", and various SE Asian nations. Basically, the CCP has decided to basically seize fishing grounds, lay claim to various islands and shoals and try to gain control of the sea lanes. They've been intruding into EEZ areas of smaller nations chasing fish, and are eyeballing the enormous amounts of trade that pass through the area. There's also huge oil fields and natural gas reserves under water that China is eager to control.

"Volunteer fisherman" in special fishing boats that have been reengineered for ramming have been pushing other nations out of their fishing grounds. Much like the little green men of the Crimean invasion, these little blue men (from their blue outfits) are deniable assets used to enforce Chinese will. They basically suck as fishing boats now, but boy howdy can they damage other fishing boats.

Along with this, the Chinese have been building land onto reefs by dredging to create instant sovereignty land which they then claim. Other nations have responded with derelict ships being anchored across reefs that act as permanent bases.

Recently, during a supply run to a Philippine base ship, the Chinese Coast Guard decided to intervene and called the whole thing an intrusion into Chinese waters. They rammed the supply ship and made a hostile boarding brandishing swords, knives and axes, the Philippino sailors fought back with bare hands and whatever weapon like object they could lay hands on. A Philippino sailor reportedly lost his thumb in the fracas along with other injuries.

So, uh, HOLY CRAP. Pirates, cutlasses, boarding actions, water cannons... everything old is new again.

Apparently in the last 18 months, we've been nominated as the county eccentrics. People whom I don't know from Adam are striking up conversation with me, knowing where I live. I was informed of the "eccentric" status relatively recently at the little country store down the road. This pleases me.

Zoinks, Scoob...I can taste their fear.