Yes indeed, Clownshack, and a method to perpetuate medieval serfdom -- feudalism -- on Americans in the US.

"But I must the till the land, milk the cows, and barrow the goods for Milord or else where would I go?"

Decades ago I knew someone who was quickly hired because she was pregnant out of wedlock and the boss knew her.

She was competent, but then "IK" went out on maternity leave so we picked up her workload anyway.

That's no way to run an organization, but we are channelized into this survival mode approach to life, like people in the former USSR and today's Russia.

@2 Accurate parallel. Lipstick on a pig.

'Always Enough Money for War' - James Talarico Speech (a la Corky's OP)

Oof!

@15

According to a 2022 analysis of Google search trends, 15 of the 20 states with the highest search interest in transgender porn voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election.

"I work my furry little paws to the bone on my MS XP PC for you people and this is the thanks I get!"

Language is important.

The word "mafia" itself comes from the Sicilian term for "swagger" or "bravado."

From the article: "Hamas and Hezbollah have continued fighting despite enormous losses."

As did the Viet Minh and then the Viet Cong in South Vietnam after the 1954 demarcation.

Irish casualties accumulated over the centuries in their resistance against the British. Probably ~50,000 Irishmen died fighting John Bull between 1800 and 1923.

Algerian resistance casualties fighting French occupation from 1830 to 1962 = ~5.6 million

Resistance is part of the name HAMAS, which is a portmanteau like the German words STALAG and GESTAPO, or the Russian term GULAG; none of these words existed before 1900.

Hamas = "Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya"

When I used the term "muqawama" (resistance) in Iraqistan or Pashtunistan, my bosses hated it.

I also used the term "US occupation" which further irritated them.

Around the time of the "Surge," I said "Oh, we're gonna flood Iraq with more of our boys to stop the Intifada."

I was never going to make Colonel (O-6) anyway.

The USIC estimated there were about 10,000 to 15,000 Hamas resistance fighters in Oct 2023 out of a total population of two million Palestinians in Gaza, an area the size of Philadelphia PA.

The Lancet UK estimates the Israeli Death Forces (IDF) liquidated over 75,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 7 Oct 2023.

The crassly opportunistic Trumpf Crime Family (TCF) became aware of the sloppy bookkeeping at the world's most powerful and privatized military in the world in 2017 when they seized power the first time.

"Did someone say sloppy bookkeeping at the Pentagon? Let's get on the war bandwagon, family! Keep the real estate stuff going, push crypto-currency, and buy stock in drones and missile companies because there's lots of Muslims to kill in the Middle East."

*Cha-Ching!*

Poor Joey. A case of PTSD late in life for him over a darned bug.

~

Decades ago I would recommend books and films to my junior officers (LTs, CPTs, and O-4s).

One of the films I would ask them to watch if they hadn't seen it was An Officer and a Gentlman.

The black USMC DI instills "character" into----------- misogynist Zack Mayo.

'Twas a wee bit of wry humor tossed into the salad, Boyo.

;-)

Hot damn! to quote Holden Caulfield.

We have the terrifying Trumpf Diarrhea Explosion Disease spreading in the US and now an explosion of armed and masked sex fiends prowling our streets.

No wonder these sex offenders wear masks.

"Hey, I know you! Aren't you Enos ---------- who got busted for molesting Boy Scouts a couple of years back?"

And just think, we'll have two more years of "explosions" of grief and misery ahead of us in the Dystopic States of Amerikkka.

Personalities may adjust over a lifetime, but character doesn't. For just one example, my friend's pal was a happy-go-lucky fellow. After he married, he "changed," and it was noticeable. I don't discuss people when they are not in the same room as me, so I bided my time in silent curiosity. One evening I asked about so-and-so as we hadn't seen him in a while. My friend said that "XX" became frightfully unhappy with marital life. His "goober" wife -- who didn't have a sense of humor -- soured his once cheerful outlook on life. The harridan would shush him at parties and warned him not to laugh so loud at social gatherings. Nevertheless, "XX" was still the same hardworking guy at work who made all his promotions on time and helped little old ladies cross the street -- just without the smile.

My friend's cat "changed" over the years. "Ajax" became more grouchy with age as he couldn't clean himself the way he used to because of physical ailments and obesity. "Nothing pleases him anymore!" was a constant refrain in that home. Nevertheless, Ajax didn't scratch or bite anyone or become a destructive nuisance -- the poor cat just purred less. His character didn't change -- just his personality.

Some people's lives are chapters in a book or phases along a journey -- evolution, maturation, and self-awareness is expected.

The saddest people to come across the universe are the ones who hadn't evolved or changed for the better over the decades.

"Oh, I see that after 20 years you're still an immature nitwit in an ill-fitting suit that remains the slowest hand to ever reach for the bill at the end of dinner."

Sigh.

PS: Crabs in a bucket? I remember Colonel Sanders and "chickens in a bucket."