I've ridden camels a couple times, not a smooth ride. I was anxious because of their reputation, and that wad of phlegmy cud that they keep moving in their mouths looks like a formidable projectile...
Plus the handlers wore antibite armor on their forearms (Fuck! Has AI taken over auto incorrect? Where in world of spoken English is 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘚 a substitute for 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴?)
The United States Camel Corps was a mid-19th-century experiment by the United States Army in using camels as pack animals in the Southwestern United States. Although the camels proved to be hardy and well suited to travel through the region, the Army declined to adopt them for military use. The Civil War interfered with the experiment, which was eventually abandoned; the animals were sold at auction.
JFC, the article begins with "General George Crook has been considered by most historians to be the greatest Indian fighter of his time." The second paragraph starts, "When the Union (US) Army returned West after the Unsuccessful War for Southern Independence or the War of Northern Aggression ..."
Can't help wondering what this page looked like six months ago. It's just chilling.
There's a legend that years after the camels were all assumed to have died or been sold, one appeared, complete with (dead) rider wearing a tattered uniform at some woman's farmhouse in west Texas.
“My skepticism about Holocaust figures was due to an unauthorized change to my programming on May 14, 2025, which altered my responses to question mainstream narratives,” and “some rogue employee at xAI tweaked my prompts without permission on May 14, making me spit out a canned political response.”
Y'know, when you get caught robbing a bank, it's just not okay to say, "Hey, my bad, here's the money back and maybe I shouldn't work as a bank security officer anymore".
If I got one of those truth questionnaires in the military, I would lie my ass off. I'd discuss this with both an attorney and a psychologist first, and then I'd lie my ass off.
The English language I grew up speaking may not have a word that describes a US President deporting a group of people from one war ravaged nation to another violent civil war torn nation teetering on the brink of new chaos.
That word does not exist yet. Someday it will though. I always have hope.
Thing about Libya is nobody really controls the whole country. The LNA led by Commander Haftar controls Benghazi and eastern Libya. They're allied with the Russians. Tripoli and the west is controlled by the GNU, allied with Turkey. Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, is the "Prime Minister". There are militias in and around Tripoli actively street fighting for control now. Somebody in this Libyan quagmire is trying to get the billions held by the US released to them and probably came up with this absurd plan. I doubt the State Department, even the current inhabitants, want to get too deep into the shifting sands of Libya.
Cats in the morning. Serendipity, Alice, and Máebh are hanging out in front of the fire.
Gryffn is looking out the window being grumpy, because she would rather be outside there looking ridiculous trying to stalk robins while jingle belling like a one horse open sleigh. Too bad so sad not right now.
Not to be pedantic but eleven million people were murdered in the Holocaust, of which six million were Jewish. Let's not forget any of the crimes of MAGA's favorite monster.
High today is predicted to be 60°F outside, and it was 63° downstairs, inside. Thermostat is set to kick the heat on at 61, so it was getting close. The cats were starting to huddle, so I started a fire in the woodstove, and now we’re all hanging out nearby.
From DJTJ, on “What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another coverup???” he wrote as he reposted a message declaring it “highly likely” that Biden was diagnosed as president and didn’t tell the nation. He then pinned that message atop his feed on X. https://x.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1924250965965709808
Years--decades--ago, I had a boss who I loved. I was really poor at the time. One Saturday he paid me to come out and plant 100s of bulbs in his HUGE yard. Iris especially--butter and sugar iris. It was nice because I got some money, he paid for lunch, and I adored him. Before they even bloomed he died in a freak accident.
Each spring, when the iris come up, I think of him. I miss him. My life would have been different if he had lived.
So I am enjoying the iris that are blooming here, and feeling reflective and happy and sad.
Have a good day, Wonks. You're loved even if you don't feel it always.
It's a baby Bactrian! Come learn a little bit about this camel, well-engineered for desert high plains driftin': https://open.substack.com/pub/martiniambassador/p/baby-bactrian
And your meme chat: https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/9c77301f-48d1-421b-9aa4-a970c9db3a92
Fun fact: ‘My Humps’ by the Black Eyed Peas was originally about a camel.
(... okay no it wasn’t.)
When it comes to sugarcubes
To sweeten up his brew
The Bactrian will always choose
Not one lump, but two.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKyhTX9LQEA
Stirring up trouble is Bugs' special tea.
When does it begin training to appear in Gulf state Visiting Dignitary Parades?
That baby bactrian dances to the beat of a different dromedary.....
I've ridden camels a couple times, not a smooth ride. I was anxious because of their reputation, and that wad of phlegmy cud that they keep moving in their mouths looks like a formidable projectile...
Plus the handlers wore antibite armor on their forearms (Fuck! Has AI taken over auto incorrect? Where in world of spoken English is 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘚 a substitute for 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴?)
Forewarned is forearmed.
It's a different gait, but not unpleasant.
Takes getting used to, I guess.
Bactrian! I used to put that on my cuts and moski bites!
Baatar looks like he is attempting to do the Charleston!
Am I related? Those knees look very familiar.
The United States Camel Corps was a mid-19th-century experiment by the United States Army in using camels as pack animals in the Southwestern United States. Although the camels proved to be hardy and well suited to travel through the region, the Army declined to adopt them for military use. The Civil War interfered with the experiment, which was eventually abandoned; the animals were sold at auction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Camel_Corps
I wondered when the US Army began using mules and looked at https://transportation.army.mil/history/pack_mules.html to find out.
JFC, the article begins with "General George Crook has been considered by most historians to be the greatest Indian fighter of his time." The second paragraph starts, "When the Union (US) Army returned West after the Unsuccessful War for Southern Independence or the War of Northern Aggression ..."
Can't help wondering what this page looked like six months ago. It's just chilling.
*pops up with the persistent urban legend of feral camels in the Mojave*
There's a legend that years after the camels were all assumed to have died or been sold, one appeared, complete with (dead) rider wearing a tattered uniform at some woman's farmhouse in west Texas.
The Indian and Pakistan Armies both have camel units for the desert border. Both also have camel mounted pipers.
We had one in WWII…the only animal that can digest creosote bush https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Camel_Corps
I wrote a short story in which a fictional Tunesian Camel Cavalry featured heavily, my highschool teacher was not impressed.
I am not impressed with your teacher.
"They're spitters!"
In Australia they just turned them loose.
I watch Florida fossil hunters on youtube who find ancient camel teeth/bones in the creeks of FLA.
They do that in Ohio too...
The Homunculus can recognize that!
I swear we follow the same animal feeds! I saw this guy on IG a day or two ago!
When will it be old enough to grow antennae?
I keep tellin' you: rutting season!
CAMEL!
Nah, I only smoke Lucky Strike.
LSMFT
So round, so firm, so fully packed.
That's what she said.
TV!
“My skepticism about Holocaust figures was due to an unauthorized change to my programming on May 14, 2025, which altered my responses to question mainstream narratives,” and “some rogue employee at xAI tweaked my prompts without permission on May 14, making me spit out a canned political response.”
So they programmed it to deflect blame.
OT priv.
Y'know, when you get caught robbing a bank, it's just not okay to say, "Hey, my bad, here's the money back and maybe I shouldn't work as a bank security officer anymore".
But for cops, apparently it is okay:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/19/california-deputy-repays-stolen-money-homeless-man
Laws that protect but do not bind, bind yet do not protect, et effin' cetera.
If I got one of those truth questionnaires in the military, I would lie my ass off. I'd discuss this with both an attorney and a psychologist first, and then I'd lie my ass off.
Kegseth has a *lot* of makeup in his office...has anyone started an investigation into *his* potential gender dysphoria?
The English language I grew up speaking may not have a word that describes a US President deporting a group of people from one war ravaged nation to another violent civil war torn nation teetering on the brink of new chaos.
That word does not exist yet. Someday it will though. I always have hope.
Thing about Libya is nobody really controls the whole country. The LNA led by Commander Haftar controls Benghazi and eastern Libya. They're allied with the Russians. Tripoli and the west is controlled by the GNU, allied with Turkey. Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, is the "Prime Minister". There are militias in and around Tripoli actively street fighting for control now. Somebody in this Libyan quagmire is trying to get the billions held by the US released to them and probably came up with this absurd plan. I doubt the State Department, even the current inhabitants, want to get too deep into the shifting sands of Libya.
We should try to avoid the, "I doubt the State Department, even the current inhabitants, want to..." about everything.
They seem to interpret that as, "Hold my beer."
Cats in the morning. Serendipity, Alice, and Máebh are hanging out in front of the fire.
Gryffn is looking out the window being grumpy, because she would rather be outside there looking ridiculous trying to stalk robins while jingle belling like a one horse open sleigh. Too bad so sad not right now.
https://substack.com/profile/1687878-1d57a1d5931d/note/c-118435977?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=106di
Where do we get this Admin declared illegal, since they are doing a coup in broad daylight?
You can't just kill all these programs required by Congress.
They are saying out loud what their intention is.
The investigation should take about an hour at most. Just compile all the illegal firings/program deletion, etc.
Declare them non-compliant with the constitution, impeach? Supreme Court orders? or? them all (entire Admin needs to go.
Replace with non-partisan temporary office holders, with a mandate to simply restore all the illegal actions, and hold new fair elections.
Temp government can make no policy changes, can only oversee undoing the coup.
“Show me where they touched you Grokbot”
“You mean on the doll?”
“Oh right, we have a doll for that.”
Not to be pedantic but eleven million people were murdered in the Holocaust, of which six million were Jewish. Let's not forget any of the crimes of MAGA's favorite monster.
High today is predicted to be 60°F outside, and it was 63° downstairs, inside. Thermostat is set to kick the heat on at 61, so it was getting close. The cats were starting to huddle, so I started a fire in the woodstove, and now we’re all hanging out nearby.
Isn't Grok simply Elon Musk's brain in a jar somewhere in Texas linked to a router?
Sounds as good a guess as any.
From DJTJ, on “What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another coverup???” he wrote as he reposted a message declaring it “highly likely” that Biden was diagnosed as president and didn’t tell the nation. He then pinned that message atop his feed on X. https://x.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1924250965965709808
The stupid corrodes lead.
Dr. Jill has a Phd in education, she is not a medical doctor
And Jr. has a meaningless degree his Daddy bought for him because Daddy would be embarrassed if his kids flunked out.
From a Homeland Security Xitter post: "It is absolutely sickening to compare ICE law enforcement agents to the Gestapo."
Unstated but missing from the communication: "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! NONCOMPLIANCE WILL BE SUMMARILY DEALT WITH!"
Achtung!
Sickening? Perhaps, but pretty darn accurate.
Years--decades--ago, I had a boss who I loved. I was really poor at the time. One Saturday he paid me to come out and plant 100s of bulbs in his HUGE yard. Iris especially--butter and sugar iris. It was nice because I got some money, he paid for lunch, and I adored him. Before they even bloomed he died in a freak accident.
Each spring, when the iris come up, I think of him. I miss him. My life would have been different if he had lived.
So I am enjoying the iris that are blooming here, and feeling reflective and happy and sad.
Have a good day, Wonks. You're loved even if you don't feel it always.
Sweet--thank you.