Link Salad, Ran Out Of Steam Edition

[chris_gerrib]

I ran out of steam last night, and blew off my standing trivia competition. I ended up in bed at 9:30, and am blaming a series of late nights and early mornings at the Rotary conference and my writer's workshop. Since the steam is re-building, have some links:

A) A history lesson for Cliven Bundy - the Homestead Acts.

B) Lying Liars who Lie - a response to the historical revisionism of John C. Wright.

C) An interesting take on the book and movie Silence of the Lambs. Well worth the read.

D) I think I said this before, but another voice saying of the film Ender's Game: "You’re making sociopaths. Sociopaths do not make good fighting leaders. Nor do they follow orders well. And all your failed sociopaths are going to have to go somewhere afterwards: you’re going to break them, teach them these habits, and send them back to civvy-street?"

E) I served on one, so they have a place in my heart: Upgrading the classic FFG. (The one I served on is part of this upgrade.)

F) For my Dad, who wonders why they're not making a movie of my book: 268 science fiction books came out in the month of May.

Comments

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Well, yes and no on the sociopath thing. There are sociopathic traits you do need and want in the military. A friend of a friend was a ranger sniper and it's quite clear that he was picked for the role through extensive testing because they needed people with, and I quote, "the correct degree of moral flexibility."

But yes, on the whole, you do not want a military of screwed up individuals. Does make for team work and drills being a little random.

But that's only one of many problems with Ender's Game - which when you did beyond the cool concept of kids who play lots of video games might be good at strategy, it rather falls apart.

[chris-gerrib.livejournal.com]

UPS isn't the only uniform-wearing organization that likes logistics, or, "you mean ships don't have unlimited fuel and bullets?"