In The City

So Where's this so-called "Ghetto"? Oh yeah, here it is.

Some say, unless they're determinists, that life is made up of a series of freewill choices. That's true for human beings and perhaps it's true for cities also. For example, Dallas had a choice, once. "Am I going to be a city, or a road?" It opted for road.

I was reminded of this today, as I drove across Dallas to visit a friend on the M Streets. I RV'd at his place and we set upon some low and slow pulled pork like there was no tomorrow. I tell you, that pork was as tasty as you like and better. 11 hours in the cooking and worth every minute.

On The Road

After the delicious pig it was time for some firearms show and tell. Some neat wealthy elite shotguns, a nice Winchester 70 30-06 and a Desert Eagle all featured. I'd never handled a Desert Eagle before, what a canon. Are they made out of re-purposed car parts? I don't know, but I like the myth.

A Book

Then books. "Do any of you read Latin and Greek?" asked my friend. "I'm an expert," stated GWB and I replied that I was "a bit rusty." Too bad, because M Streets was giving away a stack of the stuff, but you had to be able to read them. As it is, I settled for some translations. Thanks, Penguin Classics.

So that was that. Thanks for the hospitality, M Streets. A return match at the Compound is definitely in order.

And now for the debate.

LSP 

Urban Dog Hell Strikes Dallas

A deep growl came from the other side of Shaniqua Roland’s front door.

She was pregnant at the time and headed to a doctor’s appointment, but she knew she couldn’t leave the house. Not with the dogs back.

No, that's not some low piece of satire from the dark bowels of the internet, it's the urban dog hell of Dallas, south of I30.  Smart residents keep their Heelers on a leash a Glock close to hand. At least that's our practice at HQ Northern Command.

A Typical Dog Pack

You can read the whole unsettling story here.

LSP

Mass in Dallas

Unlike our adversary, the Devil, I'm taking a couple of Sundays off but that doesn't mean you don't go to Mass, far from it. So I roused the slumbering team, ironed a shirt and headed out to the local RC church in Dallas. Why there? Because it was around the corner and I wanted to check it out.

St. Cecilia's was set-up as a Swedish congregation back in the day and was an interesting church, with an attractively painted Sanctuary and Stations of the Cross. I know this because I went to Mass there years ago and was surprised at the European aspect of the place. Then it burned down and they built a new church, modern basilica style, sort of thing.

As it Was

It's an airy space, all tones of white with beige brick and an arresting brass tabernacle up against the east wall behind the small freestanding altar. But what was the Mass like? Just what you'd expect. A high-pitched woman cantorite banged away on an amplified piano and led the congregation in song. Not that anyone sang, because the setting was unsingable. You know the tune, you hear it burbling away in the background at retreat center bookshops.

Wrecking Crew

The liturgy was standard too. The Priest sat off to the side of the tabernacle in an outsize chair, or "throne," accompanied by an elderly Deacon and a youth in a cassock alb who held the Missal for the Celebrant. He moved to the altar at the Offertory and took it from there. All well and good and, like the music, exactly what you'd expect. Reverent enough, no clowns, no dancing, but not really liturgical either. Move from the Chair to the Altar, and there you have the stunning simplicity of liturgical reform. Well done, experts of the 1970s, for doing your part to destroy over a thousand years of worshiping tradition. 

A Catholic Mass

Still, I shouldn't complain, the Mass was said, the church was full, the people were faithful and the team left St. Cecilia's edified and uplifted by Word and Sacrament at this onetime outpost of Sweden in Dallas.

God bless,

LSP

Dallas Shooting

Terrorist gunmen killed 5 policemen last night in Downtown Dallas at a Black Lives Matter protest. Their motive was simple. According to one of the gunmen, "Kill all white people," especially police.

Please pray for those who were killed, for their families and for the police.

Oh almighty god, whose great power and wisdom 

embraces the universe,

Watch over all policeman everywhere. 

Protect them from harm in the performance

of their duty to stop crime,

robbery and violence.

We pray, you help them keep our streets and

home safe, day and night. We recommend them to your loving care 

because their duty is dangerous.

Give them strength and courage. Protect these brave men. 

Grant them your almighty protection. 

Unite them safely with their families

after duty has ended.

May the souls of those who were murdered last night rest in peace, and may those responsible for their deaths be brought swiftly to justice.

LSP

Christmas, The Aftermath

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, some other vegetables, I'm not sure what they were, gravy and fun company. Presents, too and a good day was had by all.

I hope you've had a blessed and merry Christmas.

Be good,

LSP

Blue Christmas

Here at the Compound things are pretty rough and ready, as you'd expect, but back at HQ? Different story, only the very finest wines and food will do. 

That's why Blue Navidad got lobster for Christmas. He tore right into that tasty snack! Delicious lobster.

Lucky dog, to be so privileged, unlike the lobster, which lost out in the greater scheme of things. Sorry, crustacean, they can't all be winners. But what can we say, let's hear it for seafood.

As I write this piece of nuanced, three-dimensional prose, safely back at the Compound, the happy sound of Navidad fills the air. Those of you who equate angelic choirs with pulsing Latino bass will know what I mean.

And I'm not complaining.

Merry Christmas,

LSP

Christmas Shopping, With LSP

You can go Christmas shopping on 5th Avenue, NYC; Knightsbridge, London; downtown Neiman Marcus and even North Park Mall in Dallas, or you can do it the LSP way.

That means a quick spin down Davies and a foray into some off-beat gifte shoppe, full of "artisanal" Christmas items. The hipster behind the counter was wearing a Santa's elf hat. The shoppe was empty and I didn't buy anything. 

Next stop? Jefferson, a thrift store, Justin Welby, and a second hand book shop, Lucky Dog Books. Maybe I'd get lucky at Lucky Dog Books, I thought to myself. Sure enough, I did. It'll be a literary Christmas for HQ Company.

Blue got some presents, too, and opened them early. But that's a different story.

It's a thug life,

LSP

Advent Lights

We've done Hanukkah and it was awesome, but now it's time for some Advent lights. Well, I guess they're the same as Christmas lights that somehow turn on early. But I'm not complaining.

I like to stroll down to the Courthouse, which is all lit up.

Some of the other strollers might be lit up, too.

I take a pistol, just in case. The lights in Dallas are greater, but so is the threat level.

Is that Justin Welby, cruising the pawns?

So there you have it, Advent greetings.

From Texas.

LSP

Walk Against Jihad

Everyone has to play their part in the war against global Jihad, and I did mine, by taking Blue EOD for a walk through the autumnal boulevards of ye olde Dallas this morning.

My K9 ordnance expert  wasted no time sniffing for potential IEDs and keeping a keen nose out for any random sleeper cells that were thinking of cooking-off for Allah.

He launched at a bus that roared by the 7/11, it wisely didn't stop, and at a Salvation Army truck. Come to think about it, I'll have to work on his threat recognition software...

Then, after a mile or so, the patrol was over and we found ourselves back at HQ. Unscathed. I thank God for that.

Mind how you go,

LSP

Another Day in The War on Weather

It's another typically cold, rainy day in Texas, and smart citizens are staying inside by the fire, cleaning guns, loading magazines and turning Thanksgiving leftovers into pies. 

It was hot here, once, but that was before El Nino broke loose and started his current reign of weather extremism. 

El Nino

Thank the "higher power" that our Commander-in-Chief takes the War on Weather seriously. He's taking some time off from watching reruns of the Danish Girl and Transparency to meet with world leaders in Paris next week, where they'll work on a strategy to defeat The Weather. 

Must. Raise. More. Money. To Beat The Weather

It'll be a veritable War Cabinet against the enemy that threatens us all with destruction. And maybe our War Leaders will manage to tax the Weather into submission, which will make the atmosphere colder, which will turn Texas hot again.

We live and hope.

LSP

Cooking, with LSP

You can't cook with LSP! I hear you say in that half-dismissive, half-indignant way of yours. But you can! And here's how.

Get some 80/20 Chuck, separate it out and add seasoning, salt and pepper, not Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco or some other thing. You're making hamburgers, not Bloody Marys. Wash your hands in cold water and shape that meat into balls, then press them into 3/4" patties. Put those patties in the refrigerator as you fire up the Weber. I prefer two chimneys of charcoal. 

Cold Steel Force Recon 1

Why? Because you want the grill to be hot. Then have a glass or two of ice-cold beer, why not? There's no law against it, and when the charcoal's ready, spread it out and cover the grill to preheat it for around 5 minutes. Uncover and get the patties; put them on the hot grill. It should sizzle. 

Glorious Gloucesters

Cover the grill and let the meat cook for 4 minutes. Uncover and flip the burgers. Cover again and cook for another 4 minutes. Take the burgers off the grill, and cover in tinfoil. Then toast some buns; be careful, they don't take long, and use Sesame Seed buns, not some weird "artisanal" high-stepping tomfoolery. 

Dallas

Lay out sliced onion, tomatoes and iceberg lettuce, English mustard, ketchup, and Duke's Mayonnaise. Say grace, and eat those burgers like a chieftain.

And that's cooking, with...

LSP

Veterans Day, 2014

I spent Veteran's Day in Dallas, of all places. It was freezing, which put me in mind of the Russian Front. Speaking of which, here's an interesting Hitler video (via LL), in which the mad dictator, shaking with Parkinson's, consigns failed Democrats to Texas.

My dog, Blue Apocalypse, is gnawing on a rawhide bone.

Respect the Vets,

LSP

Protective Edge

It's not just about shotguns and fishing for me. Sometimes I fall back to the Veranda Club in Dallas for a bit of R&R. It has a good pool with a bar you can swim up to. I like that, obviously, and I also like it when they play '70s rock music over the PA. Some guests tell me it reminds them of "Rhodie", can't think why.

IDF

Less happily, I worry and pray for my friends' kids that are fighting in Protective Edge. So far they're O.K., and I thank God for that. 

Note Suicide Donkey

I also wish the IDF total success against the Jihad savages they're fighting. Imagine, for a moment, what Tel Aviv, for example, would look like if the same crew that brought us Mosul achieves its objectives.

That must not happen.

LSP

Churches I Like

The Brompton Oratory, High Altar

Sunday started off as per usual, with several Sung Masses at the Missions, then everything changed. I didn't get to try my luck against hogs, wild dogs, horses, or even spurious set up targets out in the countryside. No, there was none of that. Instead I got to drive to Dallas and move furniture for one of my sisters in blistering heat - I gained a bed and a Barbour out of the deal; not bad, but not the same as getting out in the field after worshiping the Alpha and Omega.

Anyway, my mind strayed to the Brompton Oratory in Knightsbridge/South Kensington, which I used to love when living in London. Beautiful music, Latin Mass, no liberal 'nuns' wailing away with guitars, and sidesmen (greeters) with peculiar green tail coats and brass buttons - probably Colonels. Go there if you can and experience transcendent worship; what's the point of any other? After Mass its always fun to knock about and enjoy a pint (or several) at the Grenadier. LSP points out of ten for an outstanding church? I have to give the Oratory a solid 8, which is by no means shabby.

God bless,

LSP