Monday, February 13, 2006

A Cautionary Note on Civility

This is another housekeeping post for me to direct some readers to in the future, when I start inviting comment.

I am comfortable with parliamentary debate, friendly conversation, or rabid flaming -- sometimes in the same paragraph. But I do none of it gratuitously, so if someone takes issue with my ‘tone’ I’ll refer them here as a reminder:

Yes, I went to a mix of religious and secular public schools. Yes, I went to college. For a long time. I  attended many different colleges and universities chasing degrees and losing credits every time I was transferred. If I go for any more degrees at all it will be probably for another Master's, possibly in  Military History. (I've seen too much B.S. associated with people getting their PhDs, and it only narrows your job possibilities.) I was first 'published' in 1985 and the last time in 2010, on topics ranging from future UAV development, to Systems Engineering, Failure Mode Effects Testing, and Military Operations Research.  I get asked to write abstracts for other people because my abstracts always seem to be selected. I know how to build a cogent case for any position I hold, and hold only positions that can be properly supported by classical rhetoric.     

But! I also spent more than 20 years as an enlisted man, and about one third of that as an AF Senior NCO. I worked with things that go "BOOM!" the entire time (IYAAYAS!), some of it in the air, some on the ground. and all of it involving Life and Death. I have a very low tolerance for BS artists, whiners, lame intellectuals, and Squishy Christians. If you don’t like how I handle them…well, I don’t really give a Rats As...oh Hi Mom!

Updated the 'Education' part (This was first written while I was still pursuing my latest degree)