tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10892437715545255432024-02-06T22:08:01.485-08:00GreyBeard Dreaming
Welcome to my Blog.
Rants, Raves...and the
Occasional Snippet.
evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-51385739677372441862017-02-18T23:11:00.002-08:002017-02-19T01:12:46.777-08:00Blast From the Past<div class="_5x46" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 11px;">
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<span class="fsm fwn fcg"><a class="_5pcq" href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/everitt-mickey/to-boldly-go/170310386322517" style="color: #90949c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="">November 27, 2010</a></span><span aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"> · </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; cursor: pointer; font-size: large; text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/everitt-mickey/to-boldly-go/170310386322517" style="color: #1d2129; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">To boldly go....</a></span></div>
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<strong>The Man</strong>.<br />
EvMick...a.k.a. Lobo...a.k.a LoboTruck (in the Old WW AOL days)....a grizzled old worn out fat man who has an attitude and knows how to use it. Millions of miles in the drivers seat (at least two) and no end in site. Could probably do other things but likes to drive.<br />
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<strong>The Machine</strong><br />
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<a href="https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/155997_1344314306847_6648029_n.jpg?oh=51fd7de2fa63bb593768d2df824863fc&oe=592F8047" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="photo_img img" src="https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/155997_1344314306847_6648029_n.jpg?oh=51fd7de2fa63bb593768d2df824863fc&oe=592F8047" style="border: 0px; max-height: 526px; max-width: 100%;" title="" /></a> <strong><em>The Truck</em></strong> ....Troglodyte...a 2000 model Kenworth W900B. Over a million miles and still snarly. Can out pull and out run half the new trucks on the road. 550 Kitty Cat (3406E...the last REAL engine) under the hood. An 18 speed transmission with 4.11 rears)...can only go 80 but can do that pulling a hundred grand load.<br />
<strong><em>The Trailer</em></strong>....the newbie of the team. A 2008 XL 110 CHDG. Two axle trailer with a two axle stinger coupled with a two axle jeep can haul fifty five tons in a twenty nine foot well. Being the newbie it hasn't proven itself yet. Thus no name. XL's can be fairly good trailers or feces in the form of steel. Depending on what day it was manufactured and how hung over the Iowegians that made it were. Time will tell if it's "good iron" like the old Talbert (1990) baby beam was.<br />
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<strong>The Woman</strong><br />
Dot...love of my life in Austin Texas a.k.a. Ground Control. The Bane of nefarious shippers and customers. The terror of rookie dispatchers. Master of communications...her google-fu is high. Can sniff out locations, routes and directions using various earthborne, airborne, satellite and cyber resources. Master of Permits and provision sheets. Former Pilot Car Driver. Former Texas Highway patrol. You do NOT want to get on her bad side.<br />
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<strong>The Cat</strong> The cat?....yup the cat. Bubba. Texas Miniature Black Panther. (actually a Bombay House Cat)..The color of Anthracite coal (shiny black) with copper colored eyes......has an attitude to match his servant (worse actually) and claws to enforce his attitude. He's NOT afraid to use them. Full name is Bubba Shadowalker. Abreviated BS and he IS full of it. Invisible in the dark, can teleport and read minds. Other powers yet to be revealed.<br />
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<strong>The Mission</strong>.<br />
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Hauling Iron. Generally Cat. Although Terex, Grove ,Manitowoc, Deere and others are not turned away.<br />
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evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-14361732737698301772016-11-27T11:59:00.001-08:002016-11-27T11:59:47.665-08:00Steemit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've began to get annoyed with FaceBook. The latest, very hypocritical, Fake News scare is the last straw. It's NOT that FaceBook and the rest of the MainStream News Media are against fake news...they've been doing it since forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today, however, with blogs and social media it's become apparent that they are lying to us. They don't like the competition and are attempting to put a stop to it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">First Amendment</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> (</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Amendment</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> I) to the United States Constitution prohibits ....... abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, .....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yeah But....<br /><br />That would be inconvenient to them so they want to change it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So...I'm not spending as much time on FaceBook as before. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've found a new thing. Steemit.com It's the <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/">blockchain</a> so it can NOT be censored.<br /><br />Plus...it pays to blog.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However, there are rules. I'm weaning myself from FaceBook which I was on a LOT. The rules of the game of Steemit are restrictive. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SO</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'll be spending more time here.</span></span></div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-21263651764791194132016-10-16T14:53:00.000-07:002016-10-16T14:53:15.978-07:00Steemit: A social Media Experiment.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Steemit: A Social Media Experiment.</div>
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Ya'll might have noticed that I haven't been on FaceBook too much lately, not near as much as I have been in the past. There are several reasons for this.</div>
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As you all know FaceBook is getting more and more dictatorial. I have some 'friends' who have laboriously built up a following of several THOUSAND with the expectations of using it for business purposes. In fact FaceBook promised as much. Then..after all that work FaceBook says 'pay me'. Facebook 'throttled back' so that groups such as 'The Tenth AmendmentCenter' (https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=tenth%20amendment%20center) on FaceBook are only reaching about ten percent or less of those subscribed.</div>
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FaceBook is definitely Liberal and LeftLeaning. If you are not you suffer. Facebook has been caught with it's hand in the cookie jar a number of times.</div>
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And that's all right. ZukieBabie built it. It belongs to him (and the shareholders)and he can do with it as he pleases. I don't know about ya'll though. I'm getting pretty damn tired of being treated like a red headed step child.</div>
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So...as it happens I've discovered a thing.</div>
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It's called Steemit. (Steemit.com). </div>
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In a lot of ways it's like FaceBook used to be in the early days. There are not many active users.10K maybe? Perhaps 50K? Although the number of accounts is over 105K and rising, most of them are inactive. Doesn't matter to me. I'm getting to know people here. I've found that it is MUCH more diverse than FaceBoook. I suspect that FaceBook (can't prove it, see no need too, just a feeling) keeps the herd separated into their own little pastures. Easier to control perhaps?</div>
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Not Steemit. I've carried on conversations with people from every continent. Want to know what it's really like in SAfrica, Venezula, Russia, England, Serbia, ...etc..etc...etc...? I know a guy.</div>
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Steemit is open to everyone. It's a lot of fun.</div>
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Like everywhere else, there are Makers, Fakers and Takers. It doesn't take very long to sort them out. Steemit has an 'unfollow' function much like FaceBook, and a 'mute' which is much like FaceBook's block. It has one other thing though. It has the dreaded FLAG.</div>
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Think NUKE.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYj3NcSwjnJXGXVkCQ3PcBWf0MHudPfWZefilQy17QW5_dBuHblvkdONf0Da7GuTL-o9dTKG6tGTYNrDjcQIunSegmQtP1dQGPNuxPk5yYHnu9LGTe0zBZm1wShDGNB6SO8HW4f4pq2oh/s1600/nuke.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYj3NcSwjnJXGXVkCQ3PcBWf0MHudPfWZefilQy17QW5_dBuHblvkdONf0Da7GuTL-o9dTKG6tGTYNrDjcQIunSegmQtP1dQGPNuxPk5yYHnu9LGTe0zBZm1wShDGNB6SO8HW4f4pq2oh/s320/nuke.png" width="265" /></a></div>
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An armed society is a polite society. On Steemit everyone is armed with a flag. If a steemer flags another steemer the one that get's Flag is 'greyed out'. Kinda sorta.</div>
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There's this thing called "reputation". You can't buy a reputation, you have to earn it. Reputation is determined by a complex algorithm built into the system, among which are how many votes (similar to facebook 'likes') your post receive. Other variables include how many times you voted, how many times and how well received were your comments...and other things)</div>
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So...one might say. Survival of the fittest.</div>
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Yeah? So?</div>
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It's an experiment in FreeMarket Economics, something like an ecosystem.</div>
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In fact...Steemers acknowledge a hierachy akin to sea mammals. The new entries are give $2.50 Steem Dollars when they sign up (more on that later) and have a reputation of 25 (gotta start somewhere).</div>
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It takes a while writing posts to increase that reputation. Every post you make earns votes (or not) depending on how well everyone else likes them. To begin with you only get 1/1000's of steem if anything. (think of it as playing poker with tooth picks). Eventually the toothpicks add up and you get more SteemPower. (hokey name right? think of it as a game) Your reputation also increases fractionally.</div>
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Low reputation, low steem power, " just off the boat" are plankton. Then as you grow you become Krill, Minnows, various types of fish, then sea mammals. Dolphins, Orca's and Whales.</div>
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Just so you know. Whales have REAL power. A flag from a whale can smush you like a bug. Whales are the founders and investors. Between them they have invested literally millions of real dollars. (at one time the market cap was half a billion)</div>
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But forget all of that. </div>
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Think FaceBook when it was young. If youre tired of the way FaceBook is now...come join the fun on Steemit.</div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-75514363130576712592016-09-19T06:35:00.001-07:002016-09-19T06:35:38.338-07:00Title<blockquote>
<p>Written with <a href="https://stackedit.io/">StackEdit</a>.</p>
</blockquote>evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-81762830201097978022016-08-19T09:57:00.001-07:002016-08-19T09:57:13.573-07:00https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C0ND04M#nav-subnavevmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-86242311409871498372016-02-28T09:34:00.000-08:002016-02-28T09:34:42.162-08:00Today...I will be a cat.<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today I’ll Be A CAT</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-63a5c2e2-c51f-991c-fc7d-18278a3e2dd6" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I’m awake.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Damn that was a good dream. I really, really, didn't want to leave it. I mean That readhead...and the jiggle. Oh yessss. The Jiggle. Gawd! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2w6-2vUMbtAnxupibQxykUpVBDMyd7mLoZOXff_c3x4Pt11EYVyfQtg_JJ_OF0tqXVLtKF44zxp-OX2iAMl-MiJSkirJaAdRb8CJp7kdSt03M9mai4ihuMcZwLPd2D3uPvbkDXsjCNiy/s1600/woman-507444_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2w6-2vUMbtAnxupibQxykUpVBDMyd7mLoZOXff_c3x4Pt11EYVyfQtg_JJ_OF0tqXVLtKF44zxp-OX2iAMl-MiJSkirJaAdRb8CJp7kdSt03M9mai4ihuMcZwLPd2D3uPvbkDXsjCNiy/s1600/woman-507444_1280.png" width="243" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh. Well. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m awake. Might as well make the most of it. Time for coffee.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Viewpoint coalesces to the inside a coffee house...A Large mug of coffee being drank and large screen tablet style computer being viewed. Caffeine infuses into the bloodstream, level of alertness increases...the dream fades...sadly...one last jiggle slowly vanishes…..</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Has anything of interest happened while I was asleep that I need to concern myself with? Let’s see. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A window opens on the Tablet. Stories from a multitude of Blogs, News Services, Info Raiders, DataMiners, even FascistBook (yes...he plays in that sandbox) and various other information sources present themselves in order of pre-programmed interest.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nope, nada, zilch. Nothing has changed much since yesterday except for the date. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GroundSide news is checked….</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hmmmmmm….I’ll be damned. The Middle East is still there. Still. Gotta give them Jews credit for being patient. They’ve not blown their nasty neighbors to sub atomic particles...yet. It’s hard to imagine how they restrain themselves.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Economic news...A program is run stripping all the fluff and showing bare bones facts. The facts are correlated with other facts. Charts are drawn and summarized.. The results are the same as they have been for two hundred years..</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Standard of living is up. People are living longer, healthier safer lives. Population is stabilizing. The Rich are getting richer, the middle class are getting richer, the poor are getting richer. Still.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Real wealth is increasing. The rate of technological change is increasing .it’s almost gone asymptotic. Gee..big surprise.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And yet...and yet...everyone is whining like it’s the end of the world. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does anyone pay attention?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Technical news is surveyed...some days it’s the good stuff and he saves it for towards the last. Best to have a positive attitude when starting the day.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s been a bunch of years since they discovered the Higgs Boson and what have they done with that knowledge? Not a damn thing…..</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">………..AirCars…<yawn> old news. Once everything was fully automated all the “fun” went away. Forty thousand annual highway deaths went away also so they shouldn’t complain. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">……….on the positive side...engineering and development of Utility Fog is ongoing...I wonder how big those foglets can be and still be useful? Small enough to float on air I would suspect. Would they be useful in micro-gee? Seems like.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hmmmmmmmm….level one AI is at a roadblock… it might never fly...well damn..</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">………..genetic engineering is humming right along YES! . More GMO’s</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And finally...the most interesting for last..</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s see how all my Webcomics are doing….hmmmmmmmmmmm</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A number of web comics are viewed...some new ones are added...old ones lose their appeal and are discarded...some simply quit publication. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ah</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that first pot of coffee is the best. I think I’ll eat something. What will it be? Yes!..JUST the thing. I think I’ll be a cat for a while. I’ll hunt my breakfast today.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Window on tablet computer opens with menu of cats.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I see a decent variety of cats. There are Egyptian Maus, Bombays, Nebelungs, Serengetis, and even some exotics. There are also the native Texas cats, cougars, bobcats, jaguar and even a jaguarundi. Oh look! There’s an import...a caracal.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That settles it. I’ll have Pheasant for breakfast.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Personna and viewpoint merge to that of a caracal male. Now viewing the world from the viewpoint of a medium size cat.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ok...I’ll admit it. I’m a killer. I like to KILL. I’m not much of a hunter though. Hunting is work. Hunting is time consuming. Lucky for me that can be fixed….let’s see.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A heads up display appears in the cat’s vision. An area scan is displayed. Quail, rabbits, deer, wild cattle...they all appear on the scan . It takes but a minute however and Pheasants are identified and located , the cat vectors toward them.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AH! Just what I want. A nice plump male. I’m feeling hungry today...a female would be too small.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Caracal Tom carefully stalks the Pheasant Cock . The cat gets closer and closer. The bird turns to stare in the direction of the creeping cat and the cat freezes. The bird is not great at pattern recognition and mostly see movement...it doesn’t see the cat. Shortly the bird looks away and the cat continues to move closer. Soon only yards separate the two. Something spooks the bird and it launches...wings blurr as the bird claws franticly for altitude. There are other claws in it’s brief future.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cat also moves in a blur. One short bound and then a prodigious leap. The cat also launches. It surges ten foot or more into the air and snags the unlucky bird...they both fall to the ground, twisting on the way down. The cat, naturally, lands on it’s feet. The bird is lunch. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the control center liquid food courses thru tubes. The brain is fed . He is unaware and unconscious of the actual method in which he is fed. From his (virtual) viewpoint he is enjoying warm, bloody pheasant. He spits a feather or two out but crunches the bones. Nourishment requirements are met. Various bio-indicators stabilize at optimum. The man and the cat are satiated, in other words the man FEELS like he has a full belly.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ah...that was good. Huh! I think I’ll take a nap. Let’s see...a want a patch of sunlight...off the ground would be nice.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A nearby tree is scrutinized. A nice firm horizontal branch is located. The cat easily makes the leap. It stretches out on the branch and naps..</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An hour or so later the man arouses. The cat’s still out of it. Individual cats sleep eighteen to twenty hours a day. Not so men. The man decides to choose another cat. He once more accesses the virtual window and makes a selection of nearby cyber cats...</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I’ll choose that Bombay..</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SQUIRREL! The coal black bombay spots the brown squirrel and gives chase. The feline bounds across the grass right behind the frantically running rodent.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heh! Almost got it. There it goes. TREE!!</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The rodent hits the trunk at a dead run and spirals up the tree. The cat is right behind it, snapping at the rodent’s tail, having fun. Not hungry...playing with it’s ‘food”. The rodent claws for altitude and seeks the small branches and twigs at the very crown of the trees. The heavier cat is thus defeated. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohhh...this is scary. The twigs and branches are bending under my weight and the wind is blowwwwwing….ooooh…</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The cat can’t maneuver through the small limbs of the upper canopy as well as the squirrel...and thus the squirrel survives another day.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Damn Tree Rat...heh. I guess it got away from me. Again</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bombay finds a horizontal limb and lays on it...he stretches out in the sun. The man’s metabolism has been stimulated just as if he had been doing exercise.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That was good. A little news, a little breakfast, a nap and a little exercise.. Now I think I’ll do a movie. Let’s see….which one, which one. There’s only about a million. Do I want to be a male or a female hero today..or maybe a villain? hmmm.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think I’ll be Rhett Butler in “Gone With the Wind”...........</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ViewPoint shift….male human in antebellum South. The War Of Northern Aggression is beginning……….an enjoyable few hours of subjective time passes…High Five .(</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">H</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">olistically </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ntegrated</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> G</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">raphically </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">H</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aptic </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ull </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mmersion </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">V</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">irtual </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">E</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ntertainment)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...can last as long or be as brief as desired. Episodes and adventures can extend from a couple of hours to permanent engagement. Some of the residents of the Rest Home are permanently engaged. He decided to just use the afternoon. . Being Rhett Butler to Scarlett O’hara was lots of fun</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“..........Frankly my dear...I don’t give a damn…”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ………...but enough was enough. Moment’s later it was over</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s five o’clock somewhere. Lemme see. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“dials” phone.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yo. George...whatcha got going</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? “ </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Nothing? Me neither. Want to go for a ride? We can stop at Sarah’s Diner. Swell. How bout the other two old coots? Great. I’ll be over in two shakes of a lambs tail. Seeya.”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the viewpoint shifts...now he’s a burly bearded biker on a harley. Wind is blowing through his long hair as he rolls down a path and pull up in front of a church. It’s a Catholic Church and a Priest walks out.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How may I help you my son</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” intones the priest.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cut the crap Charlie, get your scooter and let’s ride</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”...I say then</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><ping! Ping! PING!></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Oh shit. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorry Charlie. A prior appointment I forgot about. I gotta go. Some other time</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and I vanish.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poor protocol that. One does not just ride into Mordor...and then vanish. But I’m in a hurry.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The bombay cat, on the tree branch overhanging the front sidewalk, opens it’s eyes from it’s nap. It stretches as cats are wont to do. Below him an autonomous vehicle stops at the curb. Numerous people disembark. Many of them children.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dammit Boy….they’re visiting in real life today. And they're almost here NOW. Must be something special…I wonder what it is?</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The doors as they reach it and his words speak from the PA.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Come on in kids...be right with you. Sit down and make yourself comfortable.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The older ones herd the younger ones into the ‘living room’. They politely arrange themselves among the several chairs facing one wall. That side of the room seems a bit foggy for some reason. An, but not too old, man walks thru the door,using a cane. He sits on a chair and faces the group of his progeny.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They all break into song, the little rats had planned this.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Happy Birth day to you.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy Birth day to you.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy Birth day dear Gran Pa.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy Birth Day to You.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Side doors open and autonomous trolleys roll in. Robot arms serve cake and ice cream to all the corporeal beings. The same thing happens on his side of the room too. The rascals had co-opted management. Pretty cool.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So he had cake and ice cream with his progeny. For the next few hours they have a pleasant visit. Stories are told and each catches up with how the other is doing. Then it’s time to go.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my little ones...a toddler...runs toward me. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">granpa granpa...I want a hug</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”...and runs right thru me. Sad to say but holograms projected on mist have little meat to them.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I look at my great grand son and shrug. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorry Filbert. I’m kinda thin today. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He laughed at my joke. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s ok Granpa..I’ll explain it to her on the way home</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> he picked up the confused little girl.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have to go now...see you later</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They left. That had been nice. He wondered how his great great great (or something) grandson would break the news to his great, great , great (or something, sheesh) grand daughter. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’d been in that HIGH FIVE facility for old folks for a hundred years now...heh heh. Best move I ever made. It beats tottering around on a cane and wearing a diaper, at my age. I could care less that my organic body is actually in a big drawer with tube and wires stuck to it. As far as I’m concerned I have more freedom now that normal people. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The two hundred year old man’s “soul’ flashed back to Mordor to complete his motorcycle ride.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Come on Charlie. Get your ass in gear and let’s RIDE!!”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***************</span></div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-71108577435993634882015-01-31T02:43:00.005-08:002015-01-31T02:43:41.884-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Work In Progress.</span></div>
<br />
Tentative Title : SoulStone<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.7999999523162833; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Kaushan Script'; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ancient of Days</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-66b8dfb3-3f95-3cd7-465b-12b5119b2120" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the EARLIEST of times...in the most ANCIENT of days...in the AGE before humans very existence…</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ….there was a class</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a group, an assemblage </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of augmentation devices, of unknown origin.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Their function was to augment minds. They amplified the intellect. They increased intelligence. They were </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Kaushan Script'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SoulStones.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the early TIMES...in the ANCIENT of days...in the AGES before human existence,............ </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pterosaurs appeared suddenly in the fossil record ...from out of nowhere. There is no clue, no hint of their prior evolution.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> For one hundred and sixty million years the pterosaurs ruled the skies. One of the races of pterosaur were melded to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Kaushan Script'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SoulStones.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Kaushan Script'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SoulStone </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was their third eye. They built a civilization that floated in the sky. In these earliest of times there were pterosaur cloud cities drifting in the air above Pangea and the P</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">anthalassa world ocean.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For millions of years they were borne by the winds as the surface changed below them. Pangea became Gondwana, LaurAsia and Cong-Craton all of which later split, collided and reformed into different configurations. The oceans also changed. Panthalassa became then the Iapetus Ocean</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the Paleo Asian Ocean</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the Tethys Sea. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Life below on the land and in the water changed. Flowering plants appeared as did new forms of insects. Ants, butterflies, Aphids, grasshoppers and wasps arrived on the scene. Mammals began scampering across the land and two new flyers took to the air. Birds and Bats joined the Pterosaurs and Insects in flight. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Pterosaurs oversaw them all.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the early TIMES...in the ANCIENT of days...in the AGE before human existence.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">....earth was bathed in a terrible light. It passed through the beam of a Stellar Jet and 85% of all life perished. The Dinosaurs all expired , the pterosaurs made their last flights and their cloud cities vanished. The SoulStones were EMPed into deactivation. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> They went to sleep.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the early TIMES in the ANCIENT of days ...in the AGE before human civilizations....</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Bad Script'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…...</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">earth was again illuminated by the deadly rays of a Stellar Jet very briefly. The megafauna went extinct but few other animals died off. A small group of SoulStones were EMPed into reactivation. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They awoke.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the early TIMES in the ANCIENT of days ...at various AGES during the births of the many early human civilizations. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A very few humans found SoulStones. Mythology describes them as GODS. The entire Mythological Pantheon from the Aesir to Zeus are partial and incomplete depictions of humans melded to SoulStones. The technology of the day was insufficient. The purported deities had insufficient technological capability to exploit their knowledge windfall. They were destroyed. Embryonic civilizations of mythological times, for one reason or another, perished one and all. Some were overwhelmed by barbarians. Others such as Atlantis and Mu vanished due to mysterious causes. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SoulStones were lost….again.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the present </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Time</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in the MODERN day ...during the birth of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Age</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Information..</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">….a SoulStone and a human were united….</span></div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-92014757251283090702014-11-24T13:27:00.002-08:002014-11-24T13:27:40.611-08:00New Titles<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yall-Can-HELL-going-TEXAS-ebook/dp/B00PWUCR3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416863945&sr=8-1&keywords=everitt+mickey&pebp=1416863950305">Ya'll Can Go To Hell, I'm going to Texas.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl16448hUgeMEY27zvMBbrHhZfpIhgv3Jg6uRoaWgkwjCwnlXiZwW4j8xpBZKkQLSu-9nayKVsdvUdhnRTgF6VHhWwrngJFgbOKbAu4z4-34M5P_Ny-pxRkbwhutDxYzpu2dELdvTReVuw/s1600/Short+Story+Cover+(motorcycle).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl16448hUgeMEY27zvMBbrHhZfpIhgv3Jg6uRoaWgkwjCwnlXiZwW4j8xpBZKkQLSu-9nayKVsdvUdhnRTgF6VHhWwrngJFgbOKbAu4z4-34M5P_Ny-pxRkbwhutDxYzpu2dELdvTReVuw/s1600/Short+Story+Cover+(motorcycle).jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Private-War-Everitt-Mickey-ebook/dp/B00Q2AVZCO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416863945&sr=8-2&keywords=everitt+mickey">Private War</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crime-Scene-Two-Short-Stories-ebook/dp/B00PZRQA84/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416862287&sr=1-3&keywords=everitt+mickey&pebp=1416864216060">Crime Scene</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglSIgjwqW5nySAfAm9LxDYKmV6_dByPP8FCIxf5nONOL72fhQYIqLS2F5kKbVA0kQT0fHZavt6N7SPtdm5lYfhPJ4-9M-mpbm6rv-6Fk7cMa7S5UbCwga4fxW6qpJ1BSrxTSv08JzCiIP/s1600/crime+scene+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglSIgjwqW5nySAfAm9LxDYKmV6_dByPP8FCIxf5nONOL72fhQYIqLS2F5kKbVA0kQT0fHZavt6N7SPtdm5lYfhPJ4-9M-mpbm6rv-6Fk7cMa7S5UbCwga4fxW6qpJ1BSrxTSv08JzCiIP/s1600/crime+scene+cover.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dimension-Spiders-Story-Everitt-Mickey-ebook/dp/B00PYQJ358/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1416863945&sr=8-4&keywords=everitt+mickey&pebp=1416864325997">Dimension of Spiders</a></div>
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Work is continuing on "Many Worlds", "Flood Time Chronicles" and "Yggdrasil Hwy"</div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-91670701004529954512014-11-18T13:35:00.002-08:002014-11-18T13:35:15.399-08:00Wake me up when it's over.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5B_aFWvN6yPhAu3UZt7rAZ3iQPttlOGnTXwjKBvlJqEUaC1iOk1pm2dLHQG5drxl1RIGl-Mx6WUbp-EGQ1ZhQyx1UhgYfJZxgzkgMfjWL2wqyudtIkcg99IqDc2bl2cbFh3iZ5sA6nPa/s1600/100_4474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5B_aFWvN6yPhAu3UZt7rAZ3iQPttlOGnTXwjKBvlJqEUaC1iOk1pm2dLHQG5drxl1RIGl-Mx6WUbp-EGQ1ZhQyx1UhgYfJZxgzkgMfjWL2wqyudtIkcg99IqDc2bl2cbFh3iZ5sA6nPa/s1600/100_4474.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-42438924435813965492014-11-18T13:31:00.003-08:002014-11-18T13:31:49.568-08:00Side Boom Pipe Layer.Me'n JJ hauled about ...about...we hauled a BUNCH of these things from a pipeline laydown yard in Arkansas (near Bald Knob...and another place)...to Houston Texas. Took about a day to load...a day to haul...and a day to return...<br /><br />lather, rinse and repeat. Sometimes we got lucky and hauled two in a week....each.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR2LbOmpGQOhRAr1FA6uS1jOIz_dirQmsCKjf7dYXnANBYc0q0cjlQQXqELnSZ-_7DbRUZ5Ny4D6Yf4NGcCZx2rUThJbzQmZTd1504NLT7ga6E6mCGvdDcdSF4QZVbibMef7PuONJxVtR/s1600/100_4306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR2LbOmpGQOhRAr1FA6uS1jOIz_dirQmsCKjf7dYXnANBYc0q0cjlQQXqELnSZ-_7DbRUZ5Ny4D6Yf4NGcCZx2rUThJbzQmZTd1504NLT7ga6E6mCGvdDcdSF4QZVbibMef7PuONJxVtR/s1600/100_4306.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-80842887340055968782014-11-18T13:27:00.004-08:002014-11-18T13:27:40.079-08:00Whut? Whutchew looking at?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BqCOzdPHH6ar-c-6-6U4sJrtGOsXO5s_FhdVNgEDRQ-z4LySx538bk8X5e6XXX72TZ_-ThVo8O58gOyzb7MQk3eb5_n7aehW7bSZBOSbNwrpMiZcqkfIxUCoMs-NmbJevdNzF1P5oAl9/s1600/100_4286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BqCOzdPHH6ar-c-6-6U4sJrtGOsXO5s_FhdVNgEDRQ-z4LySx538bk8X5e6XXX72TZ_-ThVo8O58gOyzb7MQk3eb5_n7aehW7bSZBOSbNwrpMiZcqkfIxUCoMs-NmbJevdNzF1P5oAl9/s1600/100_4286.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Superintendent of Operations. He's making mental notes of the proceedings...</div>
evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-25252588802323267992014-11-18T12:36:00.002-08:002014-11-18T12:36:49.092-08:00The biggest Dump Truck in the world.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2tFH74HHJ0">a Serious Truck</a><br />
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<img alt="belaz-mining-truck-manufacture-builds-worlds-biggest-dump-truck-mining-equipent" src="http://theblnkt.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/belaz-mining-truck-manufacture-builds-worlds-biggest-dump-truck-mining-equipent.jpg" />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-2709742271377308032014-11-18T10:19:00.000-08:002014-11-18T10:19:00.502-08:00A Boy and his Beam.I loved that trailer..<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsdJERM_AABYDEOKRRoESusjLxVrb26e-q5wKUPkt0b8fWP70Tn3JakNa_cmf0lmysgFhwJxzxJ3FnZjMxod-xXbrW-iBbeypa4efkHVYfRLifwEArANdynoV8vTlTnFlsPUNaoinb81W/s1600/100_4269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsdJERM_AABYDEOKRRoESusjLxVrb26e-q5wKUPkt0b8fWP70Tn3JakNa_cmf0lmysgFhwJxzxJ3FnZjMxod-xXbrW-iBbeypa4efkHVYfRLifwEArANdynoV8vTlTnFlsPUNaoinb81W/s1600/100_4269.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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D-10 Cat Dozer </div>
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(I think...might have been a 9...or 11)</div>
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I shoulda NOT got into anything bigger. That trailer could haul damn near anything (that I needed to).. and it was cool.</div>
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It's an old talbert beam. And I mean OLD. It was built back when they knew how and gave a damn about building trailers. </div>
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It's a detachable goose neck, hydraulicly operated, beam. Notice there IS no deck? The load is sitting astraddle a four foot beam. It's sitting on wood. BIG wood. Some of those oak blocks (2 ft x 2ft x 4 ft ) were damn heavy. I COULD lift one..but would rather not.</div>
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You learnt 'tricks' to moving heavy stuff like that around.</div>
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And I had heavy chains. 1/2 inchers. </div>
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To move Iron you NEED iron...and I had it.</div>
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Too bad I wanted more...</div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-86109966707933816892014-11-18T10:08:00.001-08:002014-11-18T10:08:59.253-08:00A tower section for a Wind Turbine.back in the day this used to be considered large...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBeX08gNMWy2u3dtSm0Gz_aYiXY84ukAbABJoUbSviLDb5sHAj4t1qC1gsendx_3QxjyWDYspRfYc8Pw6WaqGZF6H4Y7Ji3Hn-vNdeXcVvf9hdX1pQJ_TYy5lAZFt8Td_3wkEXdhBHwn4/s1600/100_3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBeX08gNMWy2u3dtSm0Gz_aYiXY84ukAbABJoUbSviLDb5sHAj4t1qC1gsendx_3QxjyWDYspRfYc8Pw6WaqGZF6H4Y7Ji3Hn-vNdeXcVvf9hdX1pQJ_TYy5lAZFt8Td_3wkEXdhBHwn4/s1600/100_3235.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a Base section.(see the little door?..let's workers in from ground level) It's the piece that sits on the ground. Everything else is stacked on top of it.<br /><br />It goes on a wind turbine that used to be considered large. Possibly a two megawatt. <br /><br />Now days this is nothing remarkable..</div>
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evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-13354467454966655082014-11-18T10:04:00.000-08:002014-11-18T10:04:06.621-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmnHRoqVw5AvPZWqSy2a5kzl7CswLmHKqFEqpYEXwWYDGHlLA_nj152W5aE-GiqRCeo_g_mlYAFcV7Ge8u_l6PvGqOW3UWB-G3bklfLQhmFxJ-Rsqsj-AUtZ6LyhBfxD440KsuoAQfpHM/s1600/100_3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmnHRoqVw5AvPZWqSy2a5kzl7CswLmHKqFEqpYEXwWYDGHlLA_nj152W5aE-GiqRCeo_g_mlYAFcV7Ge8u_l6PvGqOW3UWB-G3bklfLQhmFxJ-Rsqsj-AUtZ6LyhBfxD440KsuoAQfpHM/s1600/100_3188.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love those trucks...they just look AWESOME.<br />
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Twin Steer...Twin Drive...monster truck.<br />
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The oil patch uses them like you'd use a spoon\, or a warehouse would use a forklift. They move stuff around using them. They call em 'lay down truck. or rig trucks.<br />
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Heavy mothers...by themselves they weigh damn near 80K...but you need Iron to move iron...evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-15398743612227569282014-11-18T09:57:00.001-08:002014-11-18T09:57:35.442-08:00A real transformer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDnM0NrLlz-RnUJiLIHETJAcwrp3uR91vvuFcQcIEgQffm-RdyouvPZhsDio2Imcg_-cxQTfRVFfi-hautR8ssq_9o_VRWam5BzhjBxSZhAgOcD0VoC5uH7BTiboNQ-Top7eoS1MUt6qi/s1600/100_3166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDnM0NrLlz-RnUJiLIHETJAcwrp3uR91vvuFcQcIEgQffm-RdyouvPZhsDio2Imcg_-cxQTfRVFfi-hautR8ssq_9o_VRWam5BzhjBxSZhAgOcD0VoC5uH7BTiboNQ-Top7eoS1MUt6qi/s1600/100_3166.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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The big transformers for power lines are heavy.<br />
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Notice how close that trailer is sitting to the ground? <br />
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Notice the number of axles that rig has? Rule of thumb for load carrying capacity is 20K lbs (max) per each axle plus 14K for the steer...(sometimes more).. so seven axles is permitable to 6k x 20k + 14k = 134K lbs. <br /><br />Empty weight on that rig was (if I recall) about 41k...so do the math.<br /><br />
That was a medium heavy transformer. <br />
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It takes a while to build those...and it takes a while to move them and install.<br /><br />The electrical infra structure wasn't built over night...<br />
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-19003426073575567192014-11-18T09:21:00.001-08:002014-11-18T09:21:53.907-08:00A Network Named TsuTsu is about a month...perhaps six weeks old.<br />
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It's too early to make any judgements right now. One thing of note that I find very encouraging...the following. Below is an email I sent to Tsu.<br />
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.......notice that I got a REPLY!!!!<br />
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when's the last time you got a reply from FaceBook?<br />
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<span class="gD" email="support@tsu.co" name="Tsu Support" style="color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">Tsu Support</span></h3>
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<span alt="Tue, Nov 18, 2014 at 8:11 AM" class="g3" id=":wj" style="margin-right: 3px; vertical-align: top;" title="Tue, Nov 18, 2014 at 8:11 AM">8:11 AM (2 hours)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hey tsu User,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you very much for your suggestions. Our team is hard at work looking into any ways we can enhance the experience for our awesome users like you. Your continued commitment to making tsu a community for authentic and quality engagement is very much appreciated.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enjoy tsu!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 17.6000003814697px;">On Sun, Nov 16, 2014 at 5:15 PM you wrote:</span><br /><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; font-size: 17.6000003814697px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Dear Sirs:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Congratulations on Tsu. I intend to become one of your super-users.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It has come to my attention that I am allowed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">* 36 posts in a rolling 24 hour period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">* 8 shares of posts from others in a rolling 24 hour period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">* 50 pending friend requests in a rolling 7 day period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">* 1,000 people I can follow</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">* 5,000 friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">That's fine. Your sandbox...your rules.<br /><br />Might I suggest that you include a "count down" indicator for each of these limitations?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">for example</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">You have "x" posts available at this time.<br /><br />and so on.<br /><br />One other thing.<br /><br />When you get around to it I would suggest "rooms" or SIG's or some such to allow segregation according to topic or interest.<br /><br />Thank you</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Everitt Mickey</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 17.6000003814697px;">........</span>That's encouraging. (sure...I know it's a canned message..computer generated..but still)<br /><br />Which brings me to my "point"...my observation.<br />
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Tsu is different from FaceBook. It might be different from other Social Networks I dunno. I don't have any accounts anywhere else.<br />
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The difference is not always a good thing.<br />
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An analogy would be.<br />
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On FaceBook I'm among Friends...a small group of Friends.<br />
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As a social outcast (by choice) an introvert, pretty much an A*hole and an introvert...I have damn few friends...in real life. I grate on people. (Oh well....I yam what I yam...and it's too late in life to be making any serious changes).<br />
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But I value the camaraderie...I 'see' people I know..and they know me. We have a 'relationship' of sorts. (it doesn't hurt that I've met a good number of those people in the real world)<br />
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Tsu is different. It's like............going to the mall. A bunchaton of people..all going their own way. Many of them are consumed with the idea of making money (not an entirely bad thing)..<br />
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BUT...there is no closeness...no fellowship...no camaraderie...<br /><br />We need to change that. The mall is ok..but I like the corner bar better.<br /><br />'ve haff the technology...now just to figure out how to use it.</div>
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evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-88476358350437054792014-11-18T09:05:00.000-08:002014-11-18T09:05:08.183-08:00Back in the Day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">Old Pictures..</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsc6K-DCbR2jZoELmSKPRV7naa3XBexvZWSCe1D-GWsaf5L_eSNeQ5vaMK7Q7ui-cKyumlu_P6TqDzmR_0otHocsE2swvhl8H0w5qNtBqqzFi9GnKObBqcPmgjTKCGMCbfYx-S38vJOaYt/s1600/ev+and+big+boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsc6K-DCbR2jZoELmSKPRV7naa3XBexvZWSCe1D-GWsaf5L_eSNeQ5vaMK7Q7ui-cKyumlu_P6TqDzmR_0otHocsE2swvhl8H0w5qNtBqqzFi9GnKObBqcPmgjTKCGMCbfYx-S38vJOaYt/s1600/ev+and+big+boy.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was digging around in some old files the other day and I came across this. This brings back some memories. Not the big burger (it was called "the amigo)...but the tone of the times.</div>
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Back in the day things were different. I envy those old farts. I'm JUST old enough that I barely missed out on it. </div>
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I'm an introvert and an anti-social hermit so it's my own damn fault...BUT. Sometimes I feel like the little kid standing out in the snow looking in the window at the other kids at the High School Prom.</div>
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Back in the last millenium the last truckin company I was leased to was a whole nuther animal from what we have now days. They worked hard and they played hard. No one got hurt. The cops knew this and pretty much left everyone one alone. In fact some cops acted like real people and the old truckers kinda liked them.</div>
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Back in the day that truck terminal off of Sheldon Road in East Houston was known as "Party Central". All the old truckers would try their damndest to arrange to wind up there for the weekend. It's a frickin HUGE lot. I"ve seen fifty trucks parked there. </div>
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Come Friday night the party would start. They had a permanent Bar-B-Que Grill set up under the old oak tree. (frickin' HUGE tree)...They grill dead animal flesh and drinks lots and lots of beer. The bathrooms was right there and when people were done they'd go sleep in their trucks.</div>
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.......and then there were they guys who wanted something stronger than beer. They went to the bar. The bar was just down the road a bit near Ernies (the place where I got the Amigo Burger), so they'd walk. The old truckers (young guys in their prime at the time) would drop a wad of money drinking beer, flirting with the girls and having a high old time.</div>
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Come quitting time they'd all walk back to the yard...as a group. Truckers ain't stupid (well not REALLY stupid) so they formed a line along side the road. They walked on the shoulder between the bar ditch (actually a freaking CANAL back then) and the blacktop. There must have been a dozen of them...</div>
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...........with a police escort.</div>
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That's the deal. Back then cops were real people. They took their motto serious "to serve and to protect". Friday nights they "served and protected" some drunk-ass truckers by giving them a police escort for their quarter mile walk back to the yard.</div>
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I can just see...in my mind....a dozen or so truckers...hootin' and holering...and staggering toward the yard. One behind the other, forming a conga line...with cop car behind them driving slow...with it's lights on...alerting traffic.</div>
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"Ya'lls is almost at the gate now drivers...it's time to be thinking about turning.." the cops would say over their PA systems from inside thier car. Nice of them....it's easy to miss a turn when it's that drunk out.</div>
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There was an alligator (or more) that lived in that Canal. It'd swim along beside the Conga Line every Friday. It like the singing maybe? </div>
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ONe day a driver fell in the canal. Three more jumped in to help. They was afraid FOR the poor old gator...they didn't want it to be traumatized.</div>
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The cops finally threw them a rope...or something...and drug em all out. I dunno how bad it shocked the old gator...</div>
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All gone now.</div>
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Cops are the enemy...Ernies is closed. The ditch is almost dried up and the Bar-B-Q grill is gone.</div>
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Dreams of a finer time... </div>
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<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-45947938409879477592014-11-16T20:35:00.001-08:002014-11-16T20:35:16.043-08:00THE LEFT WING INTERNET ARGUING CHECKLIST<br />
Note: this is NOT my original content. I got it off Larry Correia's Blog...<a href="http://monsterhunternation.com/">Monster Hunter Nation.</a><br />
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In my experience it is absolutely true.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE LEFT WING INTERNET ARGUING CHECKLIST</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1,Skim until Offended</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2,Disqualify that Opinion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3, Attack, Attack, Attack</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4, Disregard Inconvenient facts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5, Make Shit Up</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. Resort to Moral Equivalency</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7, Concern Trolling</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8, When all else fails, Racism!</span></div>
<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-50947321676706926242014-11-16T20:32:00.001-08:002014-11-16T20:32:24.536-08:00Rules for Radicals.Note...this is not my own original content. I found it on the internet.<br />
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It's from Obama's manual of operation. His mentor Saul Alinsky is the author.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saul Alinsky</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RULE 1:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” Power is derived from 2 main sources – money and people. “Have-Nots” must build power from flesh and blood. (These are two things of which there is a plentiful supply. Government and corporations always have a difficult time appealing to people, and usually do so almost exclusively with economic arguments.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RULE 2: “Never go outside the expertise of your people.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone. (Organizations under attack wonder why radicals don’t address the “real” issues. This is why. They avoid things with which they have no knowledge.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> RULE 3: “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. (This happens all the time. Watch how many organizations under attack are blind-sided by seemingly irrelevant arguments that they are then forced to address.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RULE 4: “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” If the rule is that every letter gets a reply, send 30,000 letters. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules. (This is a serious rule. The besieged entity’s very credibility and reputation is at stake, because if activists catch it lying or not living up to its commitments, they can continue to chip away at the damage.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions. (Pretty crude, rude and mean, huh? They want to create anger and fear.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> RULE 6: “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones. (Radical activists, in this sense, are no different that any other human being. We all avoid “un-fun” activities, and but we revel at and enjoy the ones that work and bring results.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RULE 7: “A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” Don’t become old news. (Even radical activists get bored. So to keep them excited and involved, organizers are constantly coming up with new tactics.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RULE 8: “Keep the pressure on. Never let up.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new. (Attack, attack, attack from all sides, never giving the reeling organization a chance to rest, regroup, recover and re-strategize.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RULE 9: “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist. (Perception is reality. Large organizations always prepare a worst-case scenario, something that may be furthest from the activists’ minds. The upshot is that the organization will expend enormous time and energy, creating in its own collective mind the direst of conclusions. The possibilities can easily poison the mind and result in demoralization.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* RULE 10: “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog. (Unions used this tactic. Peaceful [albeit loud] demonstrations during the heyday of unions in the early to mid-20th Century incurred management’s wrath, often in the form of violence that eventually brought public sympathy to their side.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> RULE 11: “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem. (Old saw: If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Activist organizations have an agenda, and their strategy is to hold a place at the table, to be given a forum to wield their power. So, they have to have a compromise solution.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)</span></div>
evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-17365543895370384412014-11-16T20:30:00.002-08:002014-11-16T20:30:24.516-08:00Rules for a Gunfight.Note...this is not original content. I got it off the web. I've seen it many places in many forms..<br />
<br />
This is one of them.<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #3333ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">... Rules of Gun Fighting</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #3333ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Marines; Army; Navy; Air Force)</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-1413efae-bc02-dfca-d4ef-d2db61dd59bb" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">USMC Rules For Gun Fighting</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns. Bring their friends who have guns.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you can, make friends with those on the crew served weapons. Bring them as well. Borrow money from them, it gives them an added incentive to protect you.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only hits count. Close doesn't count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough nor using cover correctly.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movement are preferred.)</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived and who didn't.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are not shooting, you should be communicating (calling for arty or air support), reloading, and running.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting is more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use a gun that works EVERY TIME. "All skill is in vain when an Angel pisses in the flintlock of your musket."</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In combat, there are no rules, always cheat; always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a plan.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a back-up plan, because the first one won't work.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a back-up, back-up plan in case CentCom or SecDef finds the first two plans "unacceptable".</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use cover or concealment as much as possible. The only visible target should be in your gun sights.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Flank your adversary when possible. Protect your flank.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't drop your guard.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Always tactical load and threat scan 360 degrees.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God we trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them).</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Decide to be aggressive ENOUGH, quickly ENOUGH.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your number one Option for Personal Security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a "4."</span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 33pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Army Rules for Gun Fighting</span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See USMC Rules to gun Fighting.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add 60 to 90 days.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hope the Marines already destroyed all meaningful resistance.</span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 33pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Navy Rules for Gun Fighting</span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adopt an aggressive offshore posture.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Send in the Marines.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drink Coffee and eat donuts.</span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 33pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Air Force Rules for Gun Fighting</span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiss the wife goodbye.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drive to the base in your sports car.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fly to target area, drop bombs, (try not to hit the Canuks) fly back to your home base.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BBQ some burgers and drink beer in your back yard</span></div>
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</ol>
<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-25888690573079993132014-11-16T20:23:00.000-08:002014-11-16T20:23:07.605-08:00Telepresence Heavy Haul<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ten Axle Beam hauling the D-10 Cat pulled into the job site. It rumbled around and stopped. It was a STRANGE looking rig. Not at all like what the customer was used to seeing.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it got worse. This THING dropped down from the side of the Cab. It got out of a compartment...like a closet. It looked kind of like a guy in a suite of armor...but "cute". As if it were purposely designed to be inoffensive looking....NOT scary.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The little robot (what else could it be?) walked over to the supervisor....and looked up at him (short robots aren't near as threatening).....</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"where do you want it?" the little machine asked.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bemused...the supervisor kind of waved...."over there....where ever"</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Ok" said the cute little robot..."be done soon...you want to sign now or later?"</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Oh...I'll sign now...it doesn't matter" said the supervisor.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"OK" said the robot "holding up an electronic tablet..."anywhere will do"</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The little robot then positioned itself such that it had a good view of the rig...came to a sort of parade rest....and waited.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rig pulled forward a bit...then backed up a bit...then stopped.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two MORE Robots dropped down from the Cab. These did NOT look friendly. Metallic Hulks...they were.....HUGE.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They, in conjunction with the as yet unseen driver, began the unload process. First the pony motor on the trailer was started, and the air in suspension in the trailer was inflated. The trailer, and it's load was thus lifted....about three foot up.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The two "hulks" then removed LARGE pieces of lumber from the trailer and placed them under the tracks.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The trailer was then set down...not too far...and the Hulks began unchaining the load. Chains removed the trailer was lowered till the Cat sat entirely on the lumber....and the trailer continued to lower...until it sat frame on the ground.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hulks lumbered around...doing this and that....and the tractor and the Jeep pulled forward....the jeep was then detached and left over to one side , out of the way. The tractor then backed under the trailer...the Hulks did this and that and the tractor with the trailer neck, pulled away.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Two Hulks then went to the rear of the necklace trailer/stinger combination and positioned themselves at the rear. At some unseen signal the two began to pull. They pulled the trailer/stinger back...back...until the Cat was sitting, on lumber, by itself.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The little robot then approached the bemused supervisor. "Do you want to have one of your guys move it somewhere or do you want us to? "..</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Oh.." the supervisor gulped..."I think we can handle it"..</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He turned, to see his whole crew just standing there...watching.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Jim...move that Cat over to the holding area...the rest of you YaHoos get back to work...haven't you ever seen a truck unload before?"....he said.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the hands climbed up into the cab of the Cat, fired it up, and carefully drove off the blocks...then clanked and clattered over to where it was to be parked.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As soon as the Cat was out of the way, the Hulks lumbered over to the jeep and pushed it onto the trailer,padding it appropriately with the necessary lumber and securing it with chains. ....The truck then backed up to the trailer and the neck was re-attached. The two hulks then fiddled with the rear of the trailer and detached the stinger....then standing on either side they lifted it straight up. The driver then backed the trailer under the suspended stinger. The hulks sat it down and chained it in place.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Making sure all lumber, chains, securement devices and whatnot were properly stowed and secured ..... The robots then climbed into the tractor which then pulled out of the yard and left.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The driver was never seen. Just as well. It was difficult for him to deal with people. Being a paraplegic and horribly scarred from a childhood airplane crash he avoided people as much as he could. He would rather deal with them via his telepresence robots...</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-9c7b34eb-bbfc-a86d-176a-3b3a5e8d81e0"><br /></span>evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-41398360241819975962014-11-16T20:16:00.002-08:002014-11-16T20:16:16.277-08:00Snippet....CyberTrucker.<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter 31: Riding around town..</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-762c773c-bbf6-a92e-acc4-9b4452e0ef7f" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord and bubba ride around town.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And. Are. Stared. At.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Naturally.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They look just a touch unusual. Not Cord so much...he looks like a Biker now. A Full Bore Biker. Beard, belly, leathers, cigar. The bike? It's a nice bike. Exotic. Obviously a one-off from someplace like Orange Country Choppers, Big Bear Choppers or one of the places that built exotic bikes. A touch odd that it has a long sissy bar sticking up the rear.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a cat lounging back against the sissy bar. The cat was about the size of a Rottweiler dog.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">………..that was different.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cat.... was Bubba, and he was obviously having a fine time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Too much fun. Naturally the police had to spoil things. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Do you have a license for that cat" ask the cop after they were pulled over.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">always the fricking license..>" </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">muttered Cord under his breath</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...<first i need a license for a cane and now for a cat? What next…a license to breathe?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Do I NEED a license for a cat? " Asked Cord…trying desperately to be polite? One must ALWAYS be polite to cops….always. If you’re not polite to a Cop they might just kill you, AND your cat.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Where's a park anyway, you know...with grass and stuff." asked Cord. "me and Bubba feel the need to play some frisbee.".</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The officer must have noticed that Bubba wasn't restrained, or that Bubba had a TOOTHY grin. He backed up a step and put his hand on his gun. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Fiwiiiishbeeee" Bubba said in his snarly raspy voice and Grinned at the officer. The cop was taken aback some then Bubba looked at him and winked. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Did that cat really talk</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?> he thought to himself.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Did that cat really talk?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> he said out loud.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"My buddy wants to play Frisbee officer. We're completely harmless. He's not a real cat...he's an animatronic feline, a robot dummie. I’m a ventriloquist of sorts. Sometimes I use him to get free beer in bars.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Whu Yu Calling a Dummie, Fat Boy?" asked Bubba...deadpan. He Moved jerkily and made threatening motions at Cord to the sound of exaggerated electro-mechanical noises</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The officer kind of laughed....not so tense now.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord leaned a little closer to the officer and spoke to him in a lower, more confidential voice. “I’m actually a scout for a major movie studio. If I told you the name I’d have to kill you. I’m scouting out a new location for an up and coming world wide mega-blockbuster movie. I can’t tell you the name of it either. What ever city I pick will get an economic infusion of millions of dollars. I’d appreciate it if you’d pass the word about me being a scout and all? It could save lives”. Cord lied thru his teeth, trying to diffuse the situation.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Got it?” he asked the cop, still in that secretive voice.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Got it.” replied the cop quietly...completely taken in.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord straightened up , and stepped away from the cop. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Thank you officer" said Cord..." now as you can see we're perfectly harmless law abiding citizens"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Say...you do that pretty good" the cop said, thinking he understood and now playing along. "It sounds just like the Cat is talking"..</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Cat's can't talk” said Bubba " that would be absurd."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Now where is that park?" asked Cord.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…….just as Bubba went on a rant.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Can we go now?" asked Bubba</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Can we go now</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are we being detained?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" asked bubba...lots louder.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cop looked at cord, alarmed at first..then he grinned. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He and made a big show..for those who were watching.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" You’re damn good with that cat. I thought it was real at first. The Park’s down that a way. You're heading the right way “said the cop "...just a few miles further then turn right. It's not too far from there to the University Park. Lots of kids play Frisbee there. Don’t get too sunburned. Have a nice day.” ...He turned and walked back to his patrol car.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"whew" said Cord...." thank gawd"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"meow" said bubba. "Rawbawt mah asst"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That was smart thinking</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" said DT in Cords head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord jumped a foot...startled "What? Is that you DT?"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course it is</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" said DT " </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm not about to lose track of my investment am I? “</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cord thought about THAT as they rode to the Park. Then he shook it off. Mental telepathy, especially at a distance, could come in real handy. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He pulled the motorcycle up alongside the park and watched the pretty girls play for a little bit....actually he watched the pretty girls that were watching the pretty boys that were playing with their dogs.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Frisbee. Dogs. No Cats.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Small(ish) dogs usually. Border collies and Blue Heelers. They LOVED to play Frisbee. Also some labs, and a cocker spaniel or two. Bubba was larger than the cocker spaniel.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord parked the bike...set the kick stand and got off... and turned around to see Bubba standing on the ground…. holding a big, black rubber Frisbee.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord looked at Bubba and Bubba looked at Cord. Cord muttered, sub-vocally, as he took the Frisbee from Bubba.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DT...are you there?></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the reply came through Cord's temporal implant... <</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm here</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bubba and Cord are still looking at each other...Cord mutters...<</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> All right guys...let’s put on a show...let’s impress the Hell out of the locals. DT...are you ready?></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cord hefts the Frisbee a little… as if getting it's balance...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><I'm ready> says DT..</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Well ALRIGHTY THEN!!!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" Cord Shouts as he swings his arm in a great arc and releases the Frisbee, under hand, at about knee level. The Frisbee streaks away at about about two hundred miles per hour (it seemed...it wasn’t really going anywhere near that fast) at about a two foot altitude, while flashing odd lights and making a strange warbling sound.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Bubba was hot in its wake...howling like a banshee. The Frisbee turns skyward and goes straight up...Bubba follows making a fantastic leap snapping and clawing at the Frisbee...at ten or FIFTEEN feet of altitude...he....misses.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Frisbee loops...and comes at Bubba obliquely...while Bubba is still in the air... Bubba twists...the Frisbee sails between his legs but Bubba snaps his jaws and captures the Frisbee in midair. Doing an effortless back flip Bubba lands on the ground then trots. (ever see a CAT trot?) With his tail flagpole erect... to Cord and lays the Frisbee at his feet. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The gathering crowd gapes. They are so amazed that their jaws, literally, hang open. They drool.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord picks up the Frisbee and does it again....and again...and again. Each throw being a variation on the same theme.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For an hour or so Cord throws the Frisbee. Bubba is insatiable. Bubba is doing ten times, a hundred times the work of Cord and wearing Cord slap OUT. Not to mention drawing a crowd of gleeful, happy, enthusiastic watchers. Bubba shows off and mugs for the crowd...so does Cord.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The crowd eats it up. With a SPOON. They cheer wildly.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally Cord can do no more...he calls it quits.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"That's it Bubba.(pant, Pant) ...let's go back (pant) to the truck"...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bubba picks up the Frisbee and trots over to Cord...tail held high...and hands him the Frisbee, then jumps onto the back of the bike...almost overturning it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Whoa there Partner" says Cord...steadying the bike, and stowing the Frisbee. Cord Kick Starts the bike (what? you think they'd have a sissy electric starter?) , slides into the saddle and away they go...to applause, hoots and whistles from the swollen crowd.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the way back Cord takes a meandering route. He goes hither and yon according to a heads-up guideline that DT is projecting over his vision. Every so often...not noticed by anyone other than Bubba...a small golf ball sized drone is ejected from the launch tube, which is part of the sissy bar on the rear of the bike. The drone goes off who-knows-where and Cord continues on.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They do this for several days...they hit all the parks and are pretty much blanketing most of Youngstown and surrounding areas. A man on a powerful motorcycle can cover an amazing amount of territory in a short period of time.</span></div>
<br />evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-77966548979056205102014-11-16T20:14:00.003-08:002014-11-16T20:14:26.345-08:00Snippet...the CyberTrucker<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter 29: Back in Kentucky</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!WHAM! Someone was pounding on the door.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"open the door you bitch" comes a voice from outside...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!WHAM! She thought about calling 911, and picked up the telephone.....no dial tone. This was a bad sign. She went into the bedroom and got her shotgun and her cell phone.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!WHAM! Fingers fumbling she dialed 911....</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About that time she heard the door being kicked in. "where are you bitch"....approaching feet.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"911 what is your emergency..." began the operator....</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No time to talk...she swung the shotgun to aim at the intruders...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whack...BLAM!....someone kicked the shotgun to one side. It went off.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thud! Someone knocked her down...she dropped the cell phone which slid under the bed. The 911 operator heard and recorded the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Where is it Bitch"...a male voice snarled.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I don't know what you're talking about" a female voice wailed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Where's the bike bitch, this isn't funny"...the male voice continued.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I got rid of it..." female voice " I couldn't bear the sight of it"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"YOU DID WHAT” screamed the male voice, very odd voice...not quite human sounding...terrifying.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"It was mine!" said the female " He left it to ME! I could do with it as I pleased" < sobbing>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Where is it" the male voice asked again.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I don't know! " female voice cried...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Where is it" the male voice repeated, yet again</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I don't know I don't know...I guess you're just going to have to shoot me!" spat the female voice....defiant.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"No problem" said the voice..</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wait…” cried the female “you’re not really…”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">".BLAM!"..Gunshots rang out...and then again " BLAM!BLAM!"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THUMP! As the body hit the floor...footstep of people walking out...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"ma'am...ma'am...are you are right." said the 911 operator..."ma'am?"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-e624d6b4-bbf4-f5cd-5450-5a1cab001e17"><br /></span>evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1089243771554525543.post-81055061990883534702014-11-16T20:12:00.002-08:002014-11-16T20:12:06.794-08:00Snippet......The CyberTrucker.<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter 1: Attempted Mugging</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PAIN! Suddenly he was in great pain. The old trucker had been limping out to his truck. He was feeling his age and was using his cane to help him across the potholed gravel parking lot when..he saw someone messing with his truck. Several someones it looked like. He yelled at them and started to run forward when he stepped into a pothole. He tripped, stumbled and almost fell. At about that time someone stepped out from between the parked trucks and rushed him from behind.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE PAIN!...it was as if his back had a knife in it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Actually it did. The guy who had rushed him had just put it there. Mostly in his shoulder though as he'd stumbled just at the right moment. That pothole might have saved his life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Might.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IF he could just hold onto what little advantage he had. Being alive. That was his only advantage. It beat being dead. He was going to make the most of it. As he jerked forward to get away from the pain...and twisted the knife free from his attackers hands...the knife remained in his back..he twisted and as he did he altered the grip he had on his cane. The he swung his cane..HARD....like a golf club. He aimed the heavy brass head of his cane for the 'little head' in his attackers crotch. His aim was good. Dead nuts as one might say. His blow all but lifted the attacker up off the ground . Then attacker then fell to the ground. . The howling, gurgling, hissing scream was satisfactory.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Howling?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had a human throat made that sound?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The recipient of his tender ministrations curled around himself into a fetal position. He was out of the fight for now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were more of them. Luckily they were smaller than he. Unluckily he was outnumbered. He did, however have his cane. A cane can be extremely helpful in those trying, difficult situations. His was more than just a cane. When the old trucker had been a much younger man he'd gone to war and had managed to lose a foot.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Shortly after that unhappy episode he'd had this cane custom made to his specifications. It had hidden qualities. He’d had a buddy make it for him. That buddy worked in and undisclosed shop in an undisclosed location for an organization that didn’t officially exist. Consequently such minor things as cost and legality were of little importance. The cane was made of titanium and was thus light but damn near indestructible. It also telescoped into a walking stick, or as it was once known...a quarter staff. A fighting shaft about five foot long. The possibly illegal part was that it also had a ten inch double edged sharp-as-a-razor retractable blade in one end which...sniiiiiked out at the touch of a button. The blade was made from some miraculous can’t-tell-you-about-it material that would cut through almost anything like a hot knife thru warm butter. Oddly enough it had silver as a major constituent of the alloy. It had been one of McNamara’s pet projects no doubt.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord, the old trucker, prepared himself. He faced his attackers head on and was armed with what amounted to a sophisticated fighting spear. The attackers hesitated then rushed him. Cord had taken time to learn the craft of stick fighting for just such an occasion when he was still overseas. He’d learned from a con man who purported to have trained with a religious order of monks who had supposedly devoted their lives to such things. The con man was a good con man..and he was good with a stick.....and also a good teacher. Cord had not be an excellent student but he’d done OK....and managed to learn something.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s a really BAD idea to rush someone who has what amounts to a razor on the end of a pole. Cord swept his weapon laterally and the first rank of attackers went down, clutching their bellies. Leaking.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They then tried probing attacks. One attacker rushed in and caught the blade across his face and neck and was cut deeply. So deeply in fact that a large flap of...was it skin?...or a mask?...fell free. What was revealed was no human countenance...it's scream of agony was no human scream, but it was bleeding real blood. Must have nicked an artery since the blood was really squirting.. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another attacker caught the reverse swing of the staff and got the weighted head...on his head ...crunching bone. Neither collapsed but neither were steady on their feet after that. Another was unlucky enough to try to block the sweep of the blade with his hand. He watched in horror as his hand came loose and blood fountain-ed from his wrist stump.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So it continued. One of Cords attackers would rush in only to be deterred or disabled by the staff, with it's silver blade....and another. Cord held them at bay and was gradually wearing them down..they seemed afraid to close...afraid of the silver blade.....but Cord was losing blood from the stab wound in his back and was thus losing strength. Who would last longer?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It would never be known. Someone had noticed the fight and called the cops. The sounds of many sirens were heard converging upon the truck stop. Cords attackers departed the scene taking their wounded with them, just before the cops arrived. Also before the cops arrived Cord compacted his spear back into it's walking cane configuration. Then he leaned forward on it........hard. He was REALLY feeling his age now...and was close to collapse.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cops arrived in force,several squad cars, and an ambulance. This part of town, a border town, was not for a single pair of officers. It was ...</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> kind of a neighborhood. The cars stopped and cops got out, guns drawn. One walked up to Cord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Ok...what's going on here...we have a report of...." and he stopped...eyes bulging...boogled at Cord. "um...mister...did you know that you have a knife in your back".</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord stood there for minute...as if thinking about what the Cop had said. "Ummm...yeah? Is that what it is? It's rather uncomfortable...I wish someone would remove it...I can’t quiet reach it myself."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord swayed a bit and leaned harder on his cane.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cops nodded to two of his associates and they immediately assisted cord over to the ambulance and the EMTs begin to work on Cord immediately. Ambulances were routinely dispatched along with the squad cars. It was, after all, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> kind of a neighborhood.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord was loaded into the ambulance which then raced away toward the hospital...sirens howling and lights flashing...radioing ahead the condition of the victim.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cord was either unconscious by then or very near to it....at no time, however, did he loosen his grip on his cane. He held the cane close...and tight.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-fd9a9f6d-bbf2-d729-96cc-b0ca682c95d2"><br /></span>evmickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.com0