We needed tough lessons as children. An occasional playground fight was expected as the norm, and if we complained to our mother that we were being teased, we were treated to this glorious aphorism: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” My mom used to say that all the time, one of the seemingly endless adages she had at her disposal to deal with any of life’s problems. To this day I think long and hard about the practical application that dogma had on my life.
The idea that you could actually choose whether or not to be hurt by words: that was huge for me. Even though it has been repeated ad nauseam for generations, “sticks and stones” really is a powerful bit of philosophy to a kid. That’s one of the great things about being a parent: you can spout nothing but clichés, and yet, to your child, you come off as one of the great thinkers in Western culture.
–from MEAN DADS FOR A BETTER AMERICA, by Tom Shillue
Thank you for reminding me. I wanted to talk about our post-show hangout in Memphis and here it is:
@tomshillue Jamie Lissow is coming to Virginia Beach July 17-18. Wish you'd make a trip in July. Bring the gang.
“Countdown”
To ‘Kharg Island’
How long until Delta Force or Marine Raiders take this island?
I believe they will grab it within 72 hours.
Why Kharg Island;
Kharg Island serves as the central hub for Iran’s crude oil exports, handling approximately 90% (and in some estimates up to 95%) of the country’s oil shipments. Oil from Iran’s onshore and offshore fields is piped to the island, stored in massive tanks, and loaded onto supertankers for export, mainly to markets in Asia (especially China). The island’s facilities have a loading capacity of around 7 million barrels per day.
This makes Kharg Iran’s economic lifeline:
• It generates tens of billions in annual revenue, funding much of the government’s budget and military (including the Revolutionary Guard).
• Iran’s shallow coastal waters prevent large tankers from loading directly onshore, so Kharg’s deep-water berths are essential.
• Disruption here could severely cripple Iran’s economy, halt most oil exports,...
